openings 159 | January 18 n 2012

what’s hot and what’s not?

XIIIIIIIIY
Carlsen and 9rsnlwqk+ntr0
9zpp+-vlpzpp0

Aronian leading
9-+p+-+-+0
9+-+p+-+-0
9-+-zP-vL-+0
9+-sN-+-+-0
9PzPQ+PzPPzP0
By IM Merijn van Delft & IM Robert Ris
9tR-+-mKLsNR0
xiiiiiiiiy
Frequency
The annual festival in Wijk aan Zee has started. We cover
the first four rounds, including the top pairing of Carlsen-
Aronian. India's Pentala Harikrishna is leading the B
tournament.

what'shot?
Score
Aronian beat Karjakin with Black in the 6.d3 Ruy Lopez, confirming his
reputation as the world's leading expert on 1.e4 e5. Below we'll have a
look at Kamsky's new interpretation of the Anti-Anti-Marshall and we'll
examine Black's excellent 2.5 out of 3 in the Berlin Endgame. Karjakin
beat Giri in an offbeat French line.

Carlsen won against Gashimov from a symmetrical English with

opposite-coloured bishops. In our Game of the Week, Carlsen beat
Aronian in the QGD. In the diagram position Black played 6...¤f6.
With Black against Ivanchuk, Carlsen did eventually equalize with the
QGD. Nakamura and Ivanchuk had a short but interesting draw from a
Noteboom with 5.g3. Aronian beat Nakamura after a tough battle in the
Dutch Leningrad, and Kamsky in the Anti-Grünfeld.

Caruana's Grünfeld looks very solid, with draws against both Radjabov
and Nakamura. Caruana beat Karjakin with White in the Nimzo-Indian,
making it a perfect start to Wijk aan Zee. Below we check out Tiviakov's
games with the Queen's Indian. It's been very quiet around Topalov
lately, and in Wijk aan Zee he started with four draws (although they Source: Megabase + TWIC, 2500+ only
were all real fights, true to his style).

Gelfand is handicapped by the fact that he has to save his best openings for his match against Anand in May. Against Giri, he avoided
the Semi-Slav with 1.¤f3 d5 2.d4 ¤f6 3.c4 c6 4.£b3!? (and as a matter of fact ended up losing), but Topalov tricked Gelfand into
the Semi-Slav by playing 1.d4 ¤f6 2.c4 e6 3.¤f3 d5 4.¤c3 c6!? (and equalized comfortably). Against
Navara Gelfand played the Petroff as Black. So... how should Anand interpret this choice of opening? what’snot?
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 openings what’s hot and what’s not?
The top pairing
Beating Aronian put Carlsen on a stunning 2843 live rating (8 points away from Kasparov’s
record). Aronian defended with the QGD, but he’ll have to look at early alternatives in future,
since Carlsen quickly got a classical pawn centre.
gameoftheweek Carlsen - Aronian
Carlsen,M (2825) - Aronian,L (2805)
Tata Steel (Wijk aan Zee), 16.01.2012
D31, Queen's Gambit Declined, 5.¥f4
1.c4 e6 2.¤c3 d5 3.d4 ¥e7 4.cxd5 exd5
5.¥f4
This particular variation of the Queen's
Gambit Declined is seen in almost every top
tournament nowadays.
5...c6 6.£c2
Nakamura and Aronian have had their own
theoretical discussion in the line after 6.e3 ¥f5
and in Bilbao and Moscow the American went
for 7.g4 which was covered in CVO 151, while
later in London he deviated with 7.¤ge2 (see
CVO 153.)
6...¤f6
6...¥d6 was played by Karpov in the rapid
match against Kasparov, Valencia 2009. We
covered that plan in CVO 39. 6...¥g4 was
Nakamura's choice against Carlsen last year
in Bazna, see CVO 128.
7.h3!?
Aimed at reducing the activity of Black's light-
squared ¥. The alternative 7.e3 ¤h5! was
seen in Grischuk-Aronian, Kazan 2011 among
other games, and has been serving Black
quite well recently.
7...g6
A novelty. An earlier game went 7...£a5
8.¤f3 ¤e4 9.¥d2 ¤xd2 10.¤xd2 g6 11.e3
¥f5 12.¥d3 ¥xd3 13.£xd3 £d8 14.0–0 ¤d7
15.¦fc1 0–0 16.¦ab1 a5 17.¤a4 ¤b6 18.¤xb6
£xb6 19.¤b3 a4 and a draw was agreed in
Lupulescu-Giri, Porto Carras 2011.
8.e3 ¥f5 9.£d2!?
Of course White can also play 9.¥d3 but Black
is generally happy to exchange the light-
squared ¥s. From that perspective White's 7th
move doesn't make sense at all.
9...h5
Unnecessary, but after something like 9...0–0
White proceeds with 10.g4 when Black is
unable to respond with 10...¤e4? in view of
11.¤xe4 ¥xe4 12.f3 dropping the ¥.
10.¥d3 ¥xd3 11.£xd3
Now the pawn is on h5, the position can't
be considered equal. After White's thematic
central push Black's kingside seems
vulnerable.
11...¤bd7 12.¤ge2 a5 13.0–0 0–0 14.f3 b5
15.e4 dxe4 16.fxe4 ¤c5 17.£f3 ¤e6 18.¥e3
b4 19.¤b1 ¤h7 20.¤d2 ¦c8 21.¦ad1 ¥h4
22.g3 ¥f6 23.¤c4
XIIIIIIIIY
9-+rwq-trk+0
9+-+-+p+n0
9-+p+nvlp+0
9zp-+-+-+p0
9-zpNzPP+-+0
9+-+-vLQzPP0
9PzP-+N+-+0
9+-+R+RmK-0
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Obviously not all the moves were forced,
though both sides continued logically. It's
clear something has gone wrong for Black
as White's pieces are optimally placed and
Black's position has too many weaknesses.
23...¥g7 24.b3 £e7 25.£g2
25.¤xa5? can be met by 25...¤eg5.
25...¤c7
Aronian hopes to generate some active play at
the cost of a pawn. After 25...£c7 26.d5! White
obtains a powerful passed pawn.
26.¤xa5 ¦fe8 27.e5 ¤d5 28.¥d2 ¦ed8
29.¤f4 £a7?
A clear mistake. Black should have gone
for 29...£c7 though after 30.¤c4 his
compensation for the pawn is insufficient.
30.¤xc6! ¦xc6 31.¤xd5 ¦c2
31...£xd4+ fails to 32.¥e3 £xe5 33.¤e7+!
£xe7 34.¦xd8+ £xd8 35.£xc6 and White
wins.
32.¢h1 ¥f8 33.e6 £a8
White's intention was to meet 33...fxe6 with
34.£e4.
34.exf7+?!
Not spoiling anything, but much simpler would
159 | January 18 n 2012
have been 34.e7! ¦xd5 35.e8£ £xe8 36.£xd5
with a technically winning position.
34...¢h8 35.¤f4 £xg2+
XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-tr-vl-mk0
9+-+-+P+n0
9-+-+-+p+0
9+-+-+-+p0
9-zp-zP-sN-+0
9+P+-+-zPP0
9P+rvL-+q+0
9+-+R+R+K0
xiiiiiiiiy
36.¢xg2?
36.¤xg2! would have been stronger, when
Black can't take the pawn with 36...¦xd4
because of 37.¥c3!+-.
36...¦xd4 37.¦f2!
Obviously not 37.¤xg6+? ¢g7 and Black
suddenly takes over.
37...¦d6 38.¥c1 ¦xf2+ 39.¢xf2 ¦xd1
40.¥b2+ ¤f6 40...¥g7 41.¤xg6# 41.¥xf6+
¢h7 42.¤e6 ¥d6 43.¥e5 ¥e7 44.f8£ ¥xf8
45.¤xf8+ ¢h6 46.¤e6 g5 47.h4 gxh4
48.gxh4 ¢g6
48...¦d2+ 49.¢e3 ¦xa2 50.¥d6! and White
manages to keep both the b- and h-pawns
on the board.
49.¤d4 ¦d3 50.¤c6 ¦d2+ 51.¢e3 ¦xa2
52.¥d6
52.¤xb4? is premature, because of 52...¦a3.
52...¦a1 53.¢d4!
Now the ¢ is heading towards the queenside
it's completely over. The last trap White could
have fallen into was 53.¥xb4? ¦h1 54.¥e7
¦h3+ and Black wins the b-pawn.
53...¦g1 54.¢c5 ¢f5 55.¤xb4 ¦c1+ 56.¢d4
¦e1 57.¤c6 ¦e4+ 58.¢d5 ¦xh4 59.b4 ¦h1
60.b5 ¦b1 61.¤d4+ ¢g4 62.¢c6 ¦c1+
63.¢d7 ¦b1 64.¢c7 h4 65.b6 ¢h3 66.b7
¢g2 67.¤f5 h3 68.¤h4+! and Black resigned,
since after 68...¢g1 69.b8£ ¦xb8 70.¢xb8 h2
the h-pawn can be eliminated with 71.¤f3+
and White wins. 1–0
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 openings what’s hot and what’s not? 159 | January 18 n 2012

thisweek’sharvest
Anti-Marshall, 8.h3 1.e4 e5 2.¤f3 ¤c6 3.¥b5 a6 4.¥a4 ¤f6 5.0–0 ¥e7 6.¦e1 b5 7.¥b3 0–0 8.h3 ¥b7 9.d3 d5
XIIIIIIIIY 10.exd5 ¤xd5 11.¤xe5 ¤xe5 12.¦xe5 £d6 13.¦e1 ¦ae8 14.¤d2 c5 15.c3 ¥d8 16.¤e4 £g6
9-+-vlrtrk+0 The modern Anti-Marshall with 8.h3 has the drawback that after 8...¥b7 9.d3 Black can play 9...d5 anyway:
9+l+-+pzpp0 the Anti-Anti-Marshall. In the past few years the question has been whether Black has enough compensation
9p+-+-+q+0 after 10.exd5 ¤xd5 11.¤xe5 ¤d4. While that may be the case, it seems that 11...¤xe5!? as played by Kamsky
against Gashimov in Round 2, and which has never been seen at the top level before, may be a much more
9+pzpn+-+-0
straightforward path to equality. This important new line was actually a leftover from Kamsky's preparation for
9-+-+N+-+0 his match against Topalov. After 15.¤e4 £c6 16.a4 ¤b6 Black has full compensation. In the diagram position
9+LzPP+-+P0 17.¥xd5 ¥xd5 18.¥f4 is an interesting alternative, but with 18...c4!? Black again gets full compensation. In the
9PzP-+-zPP+0 game Black could maybe even have pushed for more if he kept the rooks on with 36...¦c2, but the draw was a
9tR-vLQtR-mK-0 fairly normal result. The most practical choice available to White at the moment seems to be the classical Anti-
xiiiiiiiiy Marshall 8.a4 or a surprise weapon like 8.a3 (see CVO 141).

1.e4 e5 2.¤f3 ¤c6 3.¥b5 ¤f6 4.0–0 ¤xe4 5.d4 ¤d6 6.¥xc6 dxc6 7.dxe5 ¤f5 8.£xd8+ ¢xd8 9.¤c3 ¢e8 10.h3 h5 11.¥g5 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Endgame
¥e6 12.¦fd1 ¥e7 13.b3 h4 14.¦d3 ¦d8 15.¦xd8+ ¥xd8 16.¦d1 ¥e7 17.¥f4 ¦g8 18.¤g5 ¥c8 19.¤ce4 ¦h8 20.c4 b6 21.¤f3 XIIIIIIIIY
The Berlin Endgame is currently the number one opening against 1.e4, which has been confirmed by Black's 9-+l+k+-tr0
amazing results with it so far in Wijk aan Zee. In Bruzon-Harikrishna things went as we described in CVO 137: 9zp-zp-vlpzp-0
White eventually suffered because of the weakness of his b3-pawn. After 9...¥d7 10.h3 b6 instead of Bruzon's 9-zpp+-+-+0
11.b3, we prefer White's approach in the recent game Bok-Naumann, starting with 11.g4. In the top pairing of
9+-+-zPn+-0
Caruana-Carlsen, Black tried the rare 9...¢e8 10.h3 ¥b4!? and although optically things looked very promising
for White, both players remarked after the game that they weren't sure White has anything real. The diagram
9-+P+NvL-zp0
position that appeared in Navara-Karjakin, was recently reached in Polgar-Karjakin as well, but two (!) moves
9+P+-+N+P0
earlier through an entirely different move order. Karjakin deviated with 21...¦h5N and after 22.¢f1 ¥d8 the 9P+-+-zPP+0
players started repeating moves. Subsequently, Navara took the risky decision to play on, but inaccurate play 9+-+R+-mK-0
cost him dearly. Avoiding the Berlin Endgame may be the most practical thing to do at the moment. xiiiiiiiiy

1.d4 ¤f6 2.c4 e6 3.¤c3 ¥b4 4.e3 0–0 5.¤ge2 d5 6.a3 ¥e7 7.cxd5 exd5 8.b4 c6 9.¤g3 b5 10.¥d2 ¤bd7
Nimzo-Indian, Rubinstein 11.a4 ¥xb4 12.axb5 c5 13.£b3 ¤b6 14.¥e2 £e7 15.0–0 ¥e6 16.£b2 cxd4 17.exd4 ¥d6 18.¦fe1 ¦ac8 19.¥d3
XIIIIIIIIY The Rubinstein Variation of the Nimzo-Indian usually offers more scope for creativity than forcing lines like the
9-+r+-trk+0 Classical Variation (4.£c2), especially lines connected with the development of the ¤ via e2 to g3. White intends
9zp-+-wqpzpp0 to gain control over the f5-square, whereas Black is looking for counterplay on the queenside. One possible
9-sn-vllsn-+0 idea is 9...b5!?, intending to gain control over the c4-square (¤d7-b6-c4) and seize control over the a-file. In
the PGN-file you'll find some instructive examples where Black succeeded in executing this idea perfectly. In
9+P+p+-+-0
the present game Karjakin failed to generate adequate counterplay and was gradually outplayed by Caruana.
9-+-zP-+-+0 The Italian GM carefully directed his forces to the kingside and was finally rewarded by winning the exchange.
9+-sNL+-sN-0 Even though the technical phase didn't go smoothly, his decisive advantage was never really in danger. A very
9-wQ-vL-zPPzP0 interesting positional variation if you want to avoid masses of theory, though objectively this line can't cast doubt
9tR-+-tR-mK-0 on the current state of the Nimzo.
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1.d4 ¤f6 2.c4 e6 3.¤f3 b6 4.g3 ¥b7 5.¥g2 ¥e7 6.0–0 0–0 7.¤c3 ¤e4 8.¥d2 Queen's Indian
f5 9.¤e5 ¤xc3 10.¥xc3 ¥xg2 11.¢xg2 ¥f6 12.£d3 d5 13.¦fd1 £d6 14.£f3 XIIIIIIIIY
Over the years most Queen's Indian players have used 4...¥a6 to deal with the fianchetto system. Tiviakov 9rsn-+-trk+0
is more the kind of player who sticks to classical lines and still keeps faith in the more solid approach of the 9zp-zp-+-zpp0
lines arising from 4...¥b7. The ensuing positions often have a static character and therefore it's not easy to get 9-zp-wqpvl-+0
anything tangible with White. In the first round Dutch GM L'Ami caught his opponent by surprise by using a
9+-+psNp+-0
relatively unexplored side-line initiated with 9.¤e5!? White immediately puts pressure on the central ¤ on e4,
but this has the drawback that Black can simplify the position by trading off the light-squared ¥s. L'Ami had
9-+PzP-+-+0
probably worked out the idea of transferring the £ via d3-f3 to the long diagonal at home. Tiviakov failed to solve
9+-vL-+QzP-0
his problems and sacrificing the exchange didn't help him to avoid his fate. Apparently he didn't like this fresh 9PzP-+PzPKzP0
idea and hence returned to his pet line 7...¤a6, and not without success, as he managed to defeat European 9tR-+R+-+-0
Champion Potkin. xiiiiiiiiy

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 openings what’s hot and what’s not? 159 | January 18 n 2012

it’syourmove
XIIIIIIIIY XIIIIIIIIY
O 9-+-sn-tr-mk0 O9r+-+-trk+0
9+-wqlvl-snp0 9+pzp-zppvlp0
9r+-zp-+pvL0 9-+n+qsnp+0
9zpp+Pzp-zP-0 9zp-+l+-+-0
9-zPp+P+-+0 9-+NzP-+-+0
9zP-zP-+QsN-0 9zPP+-+NzP-0
9-+L+-zP-sN0 9-vL-+PzPLzP0
9tR-+-+-tRK0 9+-tRQ+RmK-0
xiiiiiiiiy xiiiiiiiiy

lastweek’ssolutions
XIIIIIIIIY
Van Delft-Paulet, Dutch league, 2012 9rsn-wq-trk+0
A typical question in the Open Sicilian: how should you react to b5-b4? 15.¤a4! I didn't want to exchange pieces 9+-+-vlpzp-0
with 15.¤d5, since ¤f6 is a nice target for g4-g5. The text move actually prevents Black's counterplay with a5- 9p+-zp-sn-zp0
a4. 15...¤fd7 16.¢b1! Always useful. There isn't yet any need to hurry. 16...¤c6 17.¦g1 f6 Now it's clear that 9+-+-zpP+-0
White is strategically winning. 18.h4 ¦f7 19.£d2 ¦b8 20.g5 fxg5 21.hxg5 hxg5 22.¦h1! A powerful switch.
9-zp-+P+P+0
22...¤f6 23.£h2 ¦f8 24.¤bc5 £a5 25.¤e6 ¢f7 25...£xa4 26.¤xg5! wins. 26.b3 ¦g8 27.¤xg5+ ¢f8 The rest
was played under time pressure, but it's all over: 28.¤b2! ¤d8 29.¤c4 £b5 30.¤xd6 ¥xd6 31.¦xd6 ¢e7
9+NsN-vL-+-0
32.¦hd1 ¦c8 33.¦6d5! The final tactic. 33...¤xd5 34.£xe5+ ¢f8 35.¦xd5 £b7 36.¥c5+ ¦xc5 37.¦xd8# 1–0
9PzPP+-+QzP0
9+-mKR+R+-0
XIIIIIIIIY xiiiiiiiiy
9r+-wq-trk+0 Bacrot-Edouard, Grand Prix Pyramides FFE Open Le Port-Marly, 2012
9+l+-vlp+p0 Typically for an isolated pawn structure White aims to compensate for his pawn island with active piece play.
9p+-+psnp+0 The following tactical motif is very common in this kind of structure. 15.d5! b4 15...exd5? can be met strongly
9snp+-+-vL-0 by 16.¦ae1! intending to take on e7. 15...¥xd5 can't save Black either: 16.¦ad1 ¤c6 17.¦fe1 ¦e8 18.¥b3 ¢g7
19.¥xd5 ¤xd5 20.£h6+ ¢g8 21.¥xe7 ¦xe7 22.¤g5 f6 23.¤xe6 £d6 24.¤xd5 ¦xe6 25.¤xf6+ 1–0 Korobov-
9-+-zP-+-wQ0
Nyzhnyk, Poltava 2008. 16.d6! Also good is 16.¦ad1 h6 (16...exd5 17.¦fe1 bxc3 18.¦xe7 £xe7 19.¥xf6 £d6
9+-sN-+N+-0 20.¤g5 1–0 Rodshtein-Diamant, Puerto Madryn 2009.) 17.£xh6 bxc3 18.d6 ¥xd6 19.¦xd6 £e7 20.¦d7! 1–0
9PzPL+-zPPzP0 Korobov-Rasmussen, Beijing 2008. 16...£xd6 17.¤e4 ¤xe4 17...¥xe4 18.¥xe4 ¤xe4 19.¥xe7 wins material as
9tR-+-+RmK-0 well. 18.¥xe7 £c6 19.¥xe4 £xe4 20.£xe4 ¥xe4 21.¥xb4 ¤c6 22.¥xf8 ¢xf8 23.¤g5 and White won quickly.
xiiiiiiiiy

openings
ChessVibes Openings is a weekly PDF magazine that covers the latest news on chess openings. Which openings are hot in
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