10.a3 Ne8 11.

b4 g6

In our opinion engines over- estimate White’s position, because of the permanent space advantage, but resilience is a
factor as well.

12.Rb1 b6 13.Qd3?!

This does not seem to be effective. Instead, 13.Bh6 Ng7 14.Qd2 comes into consideration.

13...f5 14.Bd1 Ndf6

Note that Black does not rush in with 14...f4, which tends to be an automatic reflex for many club players in such
positions. In many such positions, it is more effective to keep the tension and retain the possibility of exchanging on
e4, to open the f-file.

15.Nd2

If 15.Ng5, 15...Ng7 covers e6.

15...Ng7 16.Rb2 Nfh5 17.g3 Bg5

Activating the bishop in thematic fashion.

18.f3 Ra7!

After freeing the 7th rank, Black can use it to reroute his queen’s rook to the kingside.

19.Qb1 Raf7

Black has been able to mass his pieces on the kingside for counterplay against the white king. Meanwhile, White’s
actions have been slow, and have not brought anything concrete.

20.Nf1

Doubt begins to creep into his mind.

Of course he should have proceeded with his plan with 20.bxc5 bxc5 21.Rb8, because now Black takes control.

20...Bxc1 21.Qxc1 Nf6 22.Qg5 Qc7 23.Be2 fxe4 24.fxe4 Bh3

25.b5?

Positional surrender. Now Black can close the queenside and concentrate on ‘his’ side of the board.

25...a5 26.Ne3 Qe7 27.Qh6

27.g4 then 27...Nxd5 and even the engine’s 27...h5!? is strong.

27...Bc8 28.g4?

Dark-squared weaknesses appear.

28...Kh8 29.Qh4 h5 30.h3 Kg8 31.Qg3 hxg4 32.hxg4 Nh7

33.Bd1 Qg5
33...Ng5 was already very strong.

34.Rh2?!

Now the invasion starts.

34...Nh5 35.Qh4 Nf4 36.Na4 Nd3

Black’s initiative is so strong that he can afford to let b6 go.

37.Qxg5

If 37.Ree2 then 37...Bxg4! 38.Nxg4 (38.Qxg5 Nxg5 39.Nxg4 Rf1+ 40.Kg2 Rxd1 with a devastating attack)
38...Rf1+ 39.Kg2 Nf4+ 40.Kxf1 Nh3+ picks up the queen.

37...Nxg5 38.Rf1 Rxf1+ 39.Nxf1

39...Nf2!

Initiates a decisive attack.

40.Be2

40.Rxf2 Nh3+.

40...Nfh3+ 41.Kh1

41.Kg2 Nf4+ wins.

41...Bxg4 42.Ng3

42.Bxg4 Rxf1+ 43.Kg2 Rg1#.

42...Bf3+ 43.Bxf3 Rxf3 44.Rg2 Rxa3 45.Nxb6 Nf4 0-1

This game is worth careful study, as many of Black’s moves were highly thematic for these blocked Czech Benoni-
style positions, e.g. ...Ne8-g7, ...Bg5, ...Ra7-f7, etc. The avoidance of the ‘KID-reflex’ plan of ...f5-f4 and a kingside
pawn storm is also notable.

Game 10
Peter Hesse 2314
Levon Aronian 2534
Deizisau 2002 (5)

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 c6 3.c4 d6 4.Nc3 Nbd7 5.e4 e5 6.Be2 Be7 7.0-0 0-0 8.Re1 a6 9.Bf1 Qc7 10.Bg5 h6 11.Bh4 Re8
12.Rc1

12...Nh7!?

A playable alternative is 12...Qb8 13.a3 b5 14.Rc2 (Tregubov-Sargissian, Aubervilliers (rapid) 2000) and now
14...Bb7 seems decent enough instead of 14...Nb6 15.c5! after which the complications should have favoured White.

13.Bxe7 Rxe7 14.Qd2 Nhf6 15.Rcd1 b6 16.Nh4 Nf8 17.h3 Re8 18.f4?!
It is a common occurrence that White overstretches against the Old Indian. Here White gravely weakens his dark
squares and now Black’s counterchances blossom.

18...Ne6 19.fxe5 dxe5 20.d5

Or 20.dxe5 Nd7 (20...Qxe5 21.Nf3 gives some activity to compensate for the structural deficit) 21.Qd6 Ra7 22.Nf3
Ng5!? when the tactical point is 23.Nxg5 hxg5 24.Qd2 Nxe5 25.Qxg5 Bxh3.

20...Nd4 21.Qf2 c5 22.Bd3 Nh5 23.Ne2 g6 24.Nf3 Ra7 25.Rc1 Qe7 26.a3 a5 27.Rf1 Rd7 28.Kh2 Rd6 29.Nexd4
cxd4 30.c5 bxc5 31.Rxc5 a4 32.Rfc1 Bd7 33.Bf1

33...Qf6

The forceful 33...f5 may be good but it is understandable that Black continues in the spirit of the earlier moves.

34.Qh4 Rb6 35.R1c2 Qd6 36.Rc7 Kg7 37.Qe1 Reb8 38.Qc1 R6b7 39.Rxb7 Rxb7
40.Qd2? f5! 41.Bd3 Nf6 0-1

And White’s position collapses. A typical Old Indian win, where Black watched patiently as White sowed the seeds
of his own demise.

Game 11
Peicho Peev 2400
Petko Atanasov 2370
Pazardzik ch-BUL 1991 (6)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 d6 3.Nf3 Nbd7 4.Nc3 e5 5.e4 Be7 6.Be2 0-0 7.0-0 c6 8.Re1

8...h6!?
The regular choice is to concentrate on the queenside to generate counterplay by 8...a6, but Atanasov’s experimental
choice is interesting.
A similar idea was tried in Johansen-Kosasih, Bali 2000: 7...Re8 8.Re1 h6. The Australian GM did not demonstrate
anything at all convincing and went down to a convincing defeat: 9.Bf1 Nh7 10.d5. Perhaps 10.c5!?, e.g. 10...exd4
(10...dxc5 11.dxe5) 11.cxd6 Bxd6 (11...dxc3 12.dxe7 Qxe7 13.bxc3 is a bit better for White) 12.Nxd4 Ne5 13.f3 and
White is a bit better but Black is quite solid. In the game Black gains clear counterplay.
10...Ndf8 11.Nd2 Ng6 (Black just places his minor pieces conveniently on the kingside and gradually prepares
counterplay with ...f7-f5) 12.g3 Rf8 13.Bg2 Bd7 14.Nf1 Bg5 15.Ne3 Ne7 16.Qb3. White is unable to find a
constructive plan while Black builds up. 16...b6 17.Qc2 f5 and Black’s counterplay is in full swing: 18.exf5 Nxf5
19.Nxf5 Bxf5 20.Be4 Qd7

analysis diagram

21.b4? (21.Bxf5 Rxf5 22.Ne4 Bxc1 23.Raxc1 Raf8 was necessary, although Black can still boast of some
advantage) 21...Bxc1 22.Raxc1 Ng5! (now White has serious problems with the light squares around his king)
23.Bxf5 Nf3+ 24.Kh1 Rxf5 25.Re3 Raf8 26.Qe4 (26.Ne4 Rh5) 26...Nxh2! 27.Kxh2 Rxf2+ and White resigned as
28...Qh3 next will force mate.
9.Bf1 Nh7 10.d5

Karolyi suggests side-stepping the planned exchange: 10.Be3 Ng5 11.Nd2 Ne6 12.Nb3, with a small edge.

10...c5

Again we reach the Czech Benoni formation. The black kingside minor pieces prove quite well organised for this
structure.

11.a3 Ng5 12.b4 Nxf3+ 13.Qxf3 Bg5

With the exchange of a knight to ease the cramp, and now the ‘bad bishop’ as well, Black eases his game
considerably.

14.Rb1 a5!

Frustrates White’s plans on the queenside.

15.bxa5 Rxa5
16.Nb5 Ra6 17.Rb3 g6 18.Qd1 Kg7

Patience instead of the double-edged 18...f5.

19.g3 Bxc1 20.Qxc1 Nf6 21.f4 Re8 22.Bg2 Re7 23.Rf3 Bg4 24.Rf2 Bd7!

Initiates an interesting exchange sacrifice.

25.fxe5 dxe5 26.d6 Re6 27.Nc7

27.Bh3 is better according to Karolyi, e.g. 27...Rexd6 28.Nxd6 Rxd6 29.Bxd7 Rxd7 and Black has compensation.

27...Raxd6 28.Nxe6+ Bxe6

Black has excellent compensation for the exchange, with a pawn and the exposed enemy dark squares. White’s
bishop on g2 makes a particularly poor impression.
29.Ref1?

29.Rb2 Rd3 30.Kh1 Qd4; or 29.Qc3 Rd4 30.Rb2 b6 look good for Black but now his initiative gains additional
momentum.

29...Ng4 30.Rb2 Rd3

And Black’s attack can hardly be parried.

31.h3 Qd4+ 32.Kh1 Ne3 33.Re1 Nxc4 34.Rbe2 b5 35.Kh2 Rxa3 36.Rd1 Qc3 37.Qxc3 Rxc3

With an easy win.

38.Rd8 b4 39.Rf2 b3 40.Bf3 Na3 41.Rb8 c4 42.Bg4 Bxg4 43.hxg4 Nb1 44.Kg2 Rc2 0-1

An impressive win by Black. The plan with ...h7-h6 and ...Nh7 is very unusual, but not without its merits, and can
serve as another of those sidelines which can be wheeled out occasionally as a surprise weapon.

Game 12
Ian Rogers 2515
Andrew Martin 2430
London 1990 (9)

1.Nf3 d6 2.c4 e5 3.Nc3 Nd7 4.d4 Ngf6 5.e4 Be7

And now White faces the fundamental choice between 6.g3 and 7.Bg2 or 6.Be2.

6.Be2 0-0 7.0-0 c6 8.Qc2