14 Minor Systems
This looks better than 1 O . . .i.a3 1 l .i.c4 d6
1 2.lt:ld5 lt:lxd5 1 3.hd5 0-0 1 4.d4± The
bishop on d5 shines brightly.
l l .Wfc2
Or 1 l .i.c4 hc3 1 2.dxc3 Wfc5 1 3.Wfd3
( 1 3.a4 b6 14.Wfd3 i.b7=) 1 3 . . . b5 1 4.id5
lt:lxd5 1 5 .exd5 f6= Black will soon catch up
on development and then enjoy a healthy
position.
l l ...d6 1 2.a3 ixc3 1 3.dxc3 0-0 1 4.lt:ld2 ie6
1 5 .E'i:fcl E'i:ac8 1 6.c4 lt:ld7
Black has obtained comfortable equality,
Wohl - Palac, Metz 200 1 .
a b c d e f g h
5. .ttJf6
.
Should the reader feel more adventurous
he might wish to consider the following
daring queen foray, which is intended to
derive some benefit from the pesky knight on
d4. (Disclaimer: This would be done on the
readers' own risk!)
5 . . . Wfg5!? 6.ixd4
This looks more critical than 6. �fl lt:lf6
7.lt:Jf3 'Mfh5 8.lt:Jc3 id6!? 9.h4 a600•
6 .. .'�xg2 7.'Mfh5
7.'Mff3 W'xf3 8.lt:lxf3 exd4 9.0-0 ie7 leaves
White with insufficient compensation.
So far we have been following the game
Gelashvili - Thoma, Panormo 200 1 , which
did not continue in a pleasant way for Black.
So I found an interesting new idea:
a b c d e f g h
7 . . . lt:lf6!?N
The game continued 7 ... lt:lh6 8.W'xe5t cj;Jds
9.ie3 'Mfxh 1 1 0.f3 Wfg2 1 1 .lt:lc3 d6 1 2.'Mfd5�
with a dangerous initiative for White.
8.i.xf7t
8.W'xe5t?! cj;Jds 9.ie3 Wfxh 1 turns out
badly for White. Compared with the
aforementioned game, the black knight is
much better on f6 than h6.
8 ... cj;Jds 9.'Mff3 Wfxf3 1 0.lt:lxf3 cxd4 1 1 .lt:lxe5
id6 1 2.lt:Jf3 lt:Jxe4 1 3.E'i:g1oo
We have reached a somewhat irregular
queenless posltlon, with approximately
balanced chances.
6)tk3 i.e?
The position is essentially the same as line
B 1 , except for the inclusion of the 'free' move
. . . lt:lc6-d4.
7.l2Jge2 0-0 8.d3 E'i:b8
Playing for . . . b5 is the most natural way to
utilize the knight's presence on d4.
9.0-0
White can also try 9.a4 a6 1 0.a5, although
in this case the a-pawn might become a target.
Play continues 1 0 ... d6 1 l .W'd2 lt:lc6 1 2.lt:ld5
lt:lxd5 1 3 .hd5 i.e6 1 4.0-0 hd5 1 5.exd5
lt:ld4 1 6.f4 if6 with roughly even chances,
although White may have to be slightly more
careful due to his pawn weaknesses, Gelashvili
- Najer, Panormo 200 1 .
 Chapter 1 - Miscellaneous 2nd moves
9 d6 10.a4 a6
..•
a b c d e f g h
1 1.a5!?
White pushes his a-pawn into a precarious
position in order to prevent . . . b5 for good.
Another possibility is l l .f4 �g4 1 2.h3 �d7
1 3.a5 Wc7 1 4.Wd2 h6 with mutual chances.
l l ... ltlc6 12.ltld5 ltlxd5 13.hd5 llJxaS
14.£4 i.f6 15.i.c3
1 5.fxe5 .be5 1 6 ..be5 dxe5 17.Wd2 b6
�
1 8. 4 cxb4 1 9.Wxb4 �e6 looks about equal.
White has enough positional compensation
for the sacrificed pawn, but not more.
1 5 b6 16.ha5 bxa5 17.£5 i.d7 18.ltlc3 g6
.•.
19.Wf3 @hs
We have been following the game Ivanisevic
- Fercec, Ljubljana 2005 . The position is
complex and difficult for both sides. White
seems to have good positional compensation,
although it should be remembered that only
one of his pieces can occupy the d5-square.
Black, on the other hand, can hope to activate
his bishop pair in the long run. In the game
the second player eventually prevailed after a
tough fight.
C) 2.b4 cxb4
15
a b d f g
e Sicilia� is often associated with pawn
c e h
�
sacnfices. Thts one is earlier than most and
�
altho�gh Black should play cautiously and
is not considered theoretically pro ising
_ respect. We will consider three
treat It wtth
options for White: C1) 3.d4, C2) 3.i.h2 and
C3) 3.a3.
C1) 3.d4 ltlf6!
3 . . . d5 is not a bad move and should probably
give Black some advantage, but I believe the
text to be slightly more accurate.
4.i.d3 ltlc6 s.c!lJe2
White struggles to find a set-up that could
justifY his sacrificed pawn. For instance:
5 .e5 lDd5 6.�e4 e6 7.tLlf3 d6 8.0-0 �e7
Germany 2004, and now Black could hav;
9.a3 dxe5 I O.dxe5 was Schneider - Schenk
secured a clear advantage with the simple
1 0 . . . 0-0N.
5.lDf3 d5 6.e5 tLle4 7.0-0 �g4 8 .�b2 e6 9.We2
tLlg5 I O.l2Jbd2 �e7 was also clearly better for
Black in Philippe - Lerner, Metz 1 996.
s ...d6 6.0-o g6!
The �ishop will be well placed on g7, and
the sohd fianchetto formation will bolster the
kingside against any attacking ideas.
16 Minor Systems

1 0 .'1We2 i.e7 when he was already much better

in Rogers - Hoeksema, Groningen 1 99 1 .

4. . ti:Jd5
.

a b c d e f g h
s.tt:Je
The evaluation is not changed by:
C2) 3.i.h2 ttlf6 5 .i.c4 tt'lb6 6.i.b3 tt'lc6 7.a3
Compared with the previous note, GM
Rogers had a more favourable experience on
the black side of this opening in the same
tournament after 7.d4 d5 8.exd6 '1Wxd6
9.'1Wf3 i.e6 1 0.ctJe2 i.d5 1 1 .hd5 '1Wxd5
1 2.'1Wxd5 tt'lxd5 1 3.0-0 tt'la5 14.tt'ld2 2"1c8+
Houtman - Rogers, Groningen 1 99 1 .
7. . .e6 8.axb4 i.xb4 9.ctJa3 0-0 1 0.tt'lf3 d5
1 1 .exd6 hd6+
White remained a pawn down with not much
to show for it, Cierny - Lane, Topolcianky
1 994.

a b c d e f g h
Just as in the previous line, I believe this to
be slightly more accurate than the immediate
central strike with 3 . . . d5.
4.e5
After 4.i.c4 Black should not hesitate to enter
the complications with 4 . . . tt'lxe4 5 .i.xf7t <;t>x£7
6.'\Wh5t <;t>gs 7.'\Wd5t e6 8.'1Wxe4 tt'lc6 9.tt'lf3 d5
5...ti:Jc6 6.a3 e6
Also promising is 6 . . . d6!?N for instance:
7.i.c4 tt'lb6 8.i.b3 a5 9.0-0 a4 I O.i.a2 e6
1 1 .exd6 '1Wxd6 1 2.axb4 tt'lxb4+ White will
struggle to get anything real for the missing
pawn.
7.axb4 Ji.xh4 8.c3 i.e? 9.c4
This was Baumert - Kovalev, Berlin 1 993,
and now I suggest:
 Chapter 1 - Miscellaneous 2nd moves
IO)t]c3 0-0 I I .lLibS a6 12.i.e2 gbg 13.lL!d6
f6:j:
Black's position remains solid, and as long
as he stays alert he will have good chances to
make his extra pawn count in the long run.
C3) 3.a3 d5!
This has for a long time been known as an
effective response to White's plan.
4.exd5 '1Mfxd5 s.lL!a
17
The simple trap of 5.axb4?? We5t has
embarrassed a few Wing Gambit practitioners
over the years.
5 ...e5
The solid 5 . . . e6 is a reasonable alternative,
but the text is more ambitious.
6.axb4
6.c4!?
This has not been the most common move,
but it requires accurate handling from
Black.
6 . . . We6
I think this is the best square for the queen.
7.d4!?
This is the critical continuation, seeking to
blast open as many lines as possible.
7 . . .exd4t 8 .i.e2 d3!
It is important to play this here in order to
disrupt the harmony of White's position
before he can castle.
9.Wxd3 'Llf6 1 0.0-0 'Llc6 1 l .�el i.e?
1 2.axb4
This position was reached in Shirazi -
Tregubov, Livry Gagran (rapid) 2009, and
here I found an improvement for Black:
a b c d e f g h
1 2 . . . i.xb4!N
The game continuation of 1 2 . . . 'Llxb4?
1 3.Wd2 0-0 1 4.i.fl Wd6 1 5 .�xe7! Wxe7
1 6.i.a3 gave Black serious problems.
1 3 .i.d2 0-0+
18 Minor Systems

White will have a hard time demonstrating 9.tt:lc4 �c7 1 0.ctJe3 �d8 l l .�c4 e4 1 2.tt:lgl
compensation for the missing pawn. ctJe5 1 3.�a3 tt:lxc4 1 4.tt:lxc4 tt:lf6 White was
struggling for compensation in Balakanova -
6...hb4 7.c3 Chernenko, Pavlodar 2008.
7.�a3 �xa3 followed by . . . tt:lc6 does not
give White much. 9 .. .'1We4t 10.i.e2
I also considered the untested:
7...i.d6!? 1 0.�fl !?N �g4
The point of this slightly unusual move is Black can also try 1 0 . . . tt:lh6!? 1 l .d4 �g4
to defend the c7-square. The obvious 7 . . .�e7 1 2.tt:lb5 with a very lively game.
8 .ctJa3 tt:lc6 9.ctJb5 �d8 1 0.d4 exd4 1 l .�f4 l l .ctJg5!?
�f8 1 2.ctJc7 �b8 1 3 .tt:lxd4 �d7 is playable for
Black but not so pleasant in practice. 8
7
8.lba3 lbc6
6
Also possible is 8 . . . tt:lf6 9.tt:lb5 tt:lc6 1 0.c4?!
5
(Better was 1 0.�c4N, although after 1 0 . . . �e4t
1 l .�e2 �xe2t 1 2.�xe2 �b8 1 3.ctJg5 �g4t 4

1 4.f3 �h5 1 5 .d3 a6 Black has no worries at 3

v�-=7'"""'/"=",,m"
all.) 1 0 . . .�e6 1 l .ctJxd6t �xd6 1 2.�a3 �c7 2
13.�e2 e4 1 4.tt:lg5 h6 1 5 .ctJh3 �xh3 1 6.gxh3
0-0-0 And Black was already clearly better in
a b c d e f g h
Grcic - Malpas, Australia 1 997.
l l . . .�f4!?
This is perhaps the most accurate.
1 1 . . .�d 1 leads to a roughly level ending
after 1 2 .�f7t �e7 1 3.ctJxe4 �xa3 1 4.�a3t
�xf7 1 5 .�xdl b6.
Black can even try the surprising l l .. .�d3t!?
1 2.�xd3 �xdl 1 3.tt:lb5 �d8 14.tt:lxd6t �xd6
1 5 .�b5 with complex play.
1 2.d4 �xg5! 1 3 .�g5 �xd1 1 4.tt:lb5 �b8
1 5 .�xdl a6
White has a hard time demonstrating
compensation.

a b c d e f g h lO tLlge7
•••

9.i.c4 This looks like the most natural move,

White needs something crisper than either
of the following moves:
9.tt:lb5 �b8 1 0.�a4 tt:lge7 1 l .�c4 �e4t 1 2.<j:{fl
�g6 1 3.d4 0-0 1 4.d5 �d8+ Rombaldoni -
Miladinovic, Assisi 2003.
although the following game showed another
way to deal with White's activity: 1 0 . . . �g6
l l .tLlc4 �c7 1 2.d4 exd4 1 3.cxd4 �e6 1 4.tt:le3
tt:lge7 1 5.0-0 �d8 1 6.�a3 �b6 1 7.�a4 0-0
1 8.tt:le5 �f6 1 9.tt:lxc6 bxc6+ Bronstein -
Comp Chess Master 4000, The Hague 1 995.