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68 views119 pagesUntitled
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© © All Rights Reserved
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3. Abt-c3.
It is better to maintain the tension. The
alternatives 3.e5 25 or 3.exdS Wxd5,
even though both plausible, would
give Black the active game that he
seeks.
3. d5xe4
After 3...e6 we have an inferior version
of the French.
3...Qf6!? is interesting: after 4.e5
Dd7, the move 5.2xd5?! would be weak
because of 5...2\db8!. However, a good
move would be 5.“ce2, which is in-
spired by the Steinitz Variation of the
French.
4. d4-d5
4...b8 looks too passive.
5. Wdi-d4!? De5-g6
Dcb-e5
Minor Defences after 1.e4
6. Wd4xe4!
6.Dxe4 5.
6 Dgs-f6
7. We4-a4+ &c8-d7
8. Qf1-b5
White enjoys the advantage, since his
d5-pawn renders ...e6, and thereby
Black's development, more difficult.
121 Chess Opening Essentials — Volume 1
Scandinavian Defence
aR oye eral
As with the Petroff Defence, here is an-
other case of recent re-evaluation. The
move ...d7-d5 is the typical freeing
move in many defences; just think of
some of the examples from the Sicilian
or the Ruy Lopez. Here, however,
things are not so simple: after 2.exd5, if
Black takes back with the queen he re-
mains behind in development. If, on the
other hand, he plays 2...0£6 so as to
take on 45 with the knight; after 3.44,
White gets a nice centre with prospects
of further expansion with c2-c4. At
least, that is what opening manuals have
blindly repeated for years and years.
However, recent practice has demon-
strated that this assessment is a little su-
perficial and that there are structural el-
ements present which are favourable for
Black: to start with, Black frees himself
of the irritating presence of the
e4-pawn, which in King’s Pawn ope-
nings lays the foundation for kingside
attacks. In addition, we have a 4:3
122
kingside pawn majority, which tends to
make kingside castling a safer proposi-
tion for Black.
Itis still true that advancing his pawn to
d4 gives White a certain central pre-
dominance, at least in terms of space,
with greater piece activity as a conse-
quence. It is no surprise that you have
the same pawn structure as in the
Caro-Kann and the Rubinstein Varia-
tion of the French — which are both
solid positions par excellence.
2. e4xd5
Now Black can continue in two ways:
A 2 Waexd5
The queen now loses a tempo after
3. Dbi-<3 Wd5-a5
3... Wd6 is a now relatively fashionable
alternative, but it seems less natural.
4, d2-d4
This is thematic as it occupies the cen-
tre.
4 ow
5. Agt-f3
Now Black can play 5...2cé6 to apply
pressure on d4 with ..2g4 and
...0-0-0. However, this plan seems too
‘g8-f6
ambitious to be realistic. Another
choice is 5...2.g4 or 5....2F5.
5. c7-c6 This waiting move is generally pre-
ferred. It reserves the options of moving
the queen's bishop to f5 or g4 and
opens an escape route for the queen.
The position is now practically that of a
Caro-Kann where Black has lost some
tempi, and he will lose another with a
further queen move. On the other hand,
White’s knight is more passive on c3
than on e4. Moreover, by following this
virtually forced sequence Black has
avoided the dangerous Advance Varia-
tion of the Caro-Kann.
6. Afi-c4 208-5
6...2g4 is also playable.
7 Sct-d2 e7-e6
8. Wdt-e2!
With the idea of d4-d5.
8. B8-b4!
9. 0-0-0 @b8-d7
10, a2-a3 Bb4xc3
11. Sd2xc3 Wa5-c7
Scandinavian Defence
Despite White’s possession of the
bishop pair and a space advantage,
Black’s position is solid and well de-
fended, and it is therefore not surpris-
ing that this line is becoming more and
more popular among players who don’t
want to be overwhelmed by the ava-
lanche of theoretical possibilities that
awaits them in more mainstream ope-
nings in this computer age.
If Black does not wish to expose the
queen, he may prefer:
B) 2
3. d2-d4
For the alternative 3.c4 c6! 4.d4! cxd5,
see the Panov-Botvinnik Attack in the
Caro-Kann. Instead, after 4.dxc6?! Dxc6
5.43 e5, Black has optimum compensation for
the pawn.
3. Df6xd5
The sharp 3...&g4!? had a moment of
popularity, but Black's compensation
for the pawn seems doubtful after 4.3,
followed by 5.2b5+.
AgB-16
4. c2-c4
Or first 4.0f3
4. d5-b6
Here Black has two plans:
ee Chess Opening Essentials — Volume 1
BI) 5. &c8-g4
This looks logical, but White's centre
remains strong after
6. Qfi-e2 e7-e6
7 0-0 Dbs-c6
8 Dbi-c3! 2 f8-e7
After 8....S.xf3?! 9.2.xf3 Dxc4 10.d5! White
has the advantage.
9. d4-d5! e6xd5,
10. c4xd5 De6-b4
11. Wd1-d4!
Not only hitting the bishop on g4, but
also the pawn on g7.
pe
12. Be2xf3
And White is slightly better. Indeed, if
12...Dc2? 13.Wxg7 Qf6 14.Wh6 Dxal?
15.He1+ Sd7 16.224+, checkmate fol-
lows
gdxf3
B2) 5. .. 97-96
6. h2-h3!
A useful prophylactic move.
2f8-g7
7. @b1-c3 0-0
8. &ct-e3 @b8-c6
9, Wd1-d2
Preparing to castle queenside.
9 e7-e5
The only useful move for Black.
10. d4-d5
124
And now after either 10...8a5 11.b3,
or 10..Ae7 11.g4!, White’s prospects
seem to be better, even if the tactically
and strategically complex game that fol-
lows offers Black good chances as well.
Spassky,Boris
Larsen,Bent
Montreal 1979 (17)
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Wxd5 3.2c3 Was
4.04 }6 5.4f3 2f5 6.2d2 Abd7
7.204 c6 8.We2 e6 9.d5 cxdd
10.Axd5 Wed 11.64 We8 12.axf6+
gxf6 13.2d4 2g6 14.h4 h5S 15.4
Se7 16.5h3 We7 17.0-0-0 Wbé
18.2e1 0-0-0 19.4b5 Abs
20.Bxd8+ bxd8 21.212 Web
22.2xa7 Dd7 23.23 Wed 24.263
Bf5 25.093 Wc6 26.004 Was
27.Oxf5 Wra3t+ 28601 Wal+
29.2¢1 2xb4 30.2b5 Ab6 31.We4
Wad 32.Wxb7 1-0
Svidler,Peter
Tiviakov,Sergey
‘Wijk aan Zee 2007 (2)
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Wxd5 3.d¢3 Wd6
4.d4 26 5.2f3 a6 6.93 &94 7.h3
Qh 8.292 Acé 9.0-0 0-0-0 10.8f4
Wh4 11.94 296 12.43 Wc4 13.95
d5 14.Axd5 Bxd5 15.c3 Hd8 16.3 Wd3 17.1 We2 18.We3 e6 19.b4
Wes 20d2 Wxe3 21fxe3 €5
22.98.93 exd4 23.cxd4 Sd6 24.0xd6
cxd6 25Zact ¢d7 26Ac4 h6
27Ab6+ ke8 2Wegxh6 Bxh6
29.Ad5 {6 30.a4 217 31.b5 axbS
82.axb5 Da5 33.0a1 Ac4 34.Ba7
BhS 35.Ac7+ @f8 36.2xb7 Exh3
37.813 BhS 38.8c6 HbS 39.%g3
Db6 40.04 AcB 41.Bal Bh4 42.26
Hb6 43.0b4 Hb8 44.Hga3 Ab6
45.8a7 d5 46.56 Bd8 47.8b7 cd
48.Ac5 dxed 49,Haa7 B44 50.eh2
Dd6 51.Bxt7+ Dxf7 $2.e6+ wos
§3,0xd8 gS 54.2d5+ &h7 55.e6
2434+ 56.h3 #5 57Exg7+ Exg7
Scandinavian Defence
5B.Axg7 Dxd4 59b6 e3 60.92
2e2 61.1 Db4 62.b7 Das 63.0x15
#96 64.De7+ Hf6 65.Ac6 1-0
Topalov, Veselin
Kamsky,Gata
‘Wijk aan Zee 2006 (1)
te4 d5 2.exd5 26 3.f3 Axd5S
4.d4 215 5.2d3 Sxd3 6.Wxd3 e6
70-0 2c6 8.c4 DbG 9.%c3 Le7
10.2f4 g5 11.293 94 12.0e5 Dxd4
13.c5 Axc5 14.Mad1 0-0 15.Ae4
Be7 16.Axg4 C5 17.b4 2d5 18.bxc5
Qi5 19.13 EeB 20.2d6 Axd6
21.cxd6 &h4 22.d7 Bc6 23.4e5 Bc7
24.W94+ Ph8 25.206 1-0
125 Chess Opening Essentials — Volume 1
Alekhine Defence
1.e2-e4 g8-f6
This is one of the most theoretically
revolutionary openings in the history of
the game. First made famous by the
later World Champion Alexander Alek-
hine in 1921, it is based on a startling
concept, which at the time bordered on
heresy: to provoke White to advance his
pawns in an attempt to prove that these
advanced centre pawns are in fact a
weakness rather than a strength.
2. e4-e5 O6-d5
3. d2-d4
3.c4 Db6 4.c5 Ad5 has its supporters,
but it is not at all clear if White's pawn
is better on c5 than on c2.
3.)c3!? is interesting, with the idea of
3...Axc3 4.dxc3! with active play to
compensate for the doubled pawns.
3. d7-d6
The attack on White’s pawn centre be-
gins. After ...dxeS and ..2c6, the
d4-pawn becomes the target. Now
White must decide whether to gain fur-
ther space in the centre or content him-
self with a quieter approach.
126
An 2 \a
[BA CWS oO a
This is the Four Pawns Attack, unques-
tionably the critical line of the
Alekhine, at least in terms of the philos-
ophy behind strategic theory. It should
be noted that instead of supporting the
centre with the f-pawn, it has recently
become very popular for White to
adopt the quiet alternative 5.exd6!?,
contenting himself with greater piece
mobility and a slight space advantage.
But let's return to 5.f4. How do we eval-
uate such a position? Is White, with his
imposing centre, ready to start a mating
attack? Or is his centre a house of cards
that is about to collapse? In. practice,
both of these events occur, and this is
why we are looking at some of the most
complex and exciting variations in
opening literature.
Usually Black aims to put d4 under im-
mediate pressure with
5. we d6xe5
However, 5...g6!? or 5...@f5 are both
also possible
6. f4xe5 ‘Ab8-c6
The hyper-aggressive 6...c5!? 7.d5 €6
is playable as well.
7, &ct-e3!
If 7.28? &g4, White's centreis in crisis. Tow 28-15
8. Ab1-c3 e7-e6
9. Dg1-f3
Now Black generally continues with ei-
ther the solid 9...2g4, the ambitious
9.. a7, or the normal developing
move
9 2f8-e7
This is considered to be the main line,
atleast in terms of statistical frequency.
10. d4-d5
Or 10.2e2
10. ... e6xd5
11. c4xd5 @c6-b4
12. @f3-d4 215-d7
13. e5-e6 f7xe6
14. d5xe6 Ad7-c6
15.Wd1-94 Re7-h4+t
16. g2-93 &e6xh1
17. 0-0-0
This line is not forced, but it gives an idea
of the complexity of these variations.
This being the case, it is not a surprise
that the percentage of draws in these lines
is very low. Nonetheless, years of practical
experience, as well as statistics produced
by hundreds of games, show that White
wins more or less the same percentage of
games as he would by employing any
other opening Therefore, the Four Pawns
Attack does not refute the Alekhine, as
Alekhine Defence
some believe; nor does it give Black an
advantage, as others maintain.
B) 4. Agi-f3
Observing the Latin maxim ‘in medio
stat virtus’, White does occupy the cen-
tre, but he doesn’t overdo it! Play in this
line is quiet and the variations are
characterized by slow manoeuvring
Now Black can choose from the follow-
ing alternatives: 4...c6, 4...g6,
4...dxe5 or 4... 0.94.
BI) 4. ®b8-c6
This is ambitious but premature. After
5. ¢2-c4 @d5-b6
6. e5-e6! f7xe6.
White is on top after either 7.Ag5 or
7.23.
B2) 4, Chess Opening Essentials — Volume 1
This is known as the Alburt Variation.
This line was very fashionable in the
1980s following its adoption by Fischer
in his 1972 World Championship
match against Spassky. Today, however,
it is seldom used.
5, Bft-c4 = d5-b6
6. Act-b3 88-97
And now, White gains a promising po-
sition with either the aggressive 7.0g5
e6 8.WF3 or the solid 7.We2 Acé6 8.0-0
0-0 9.3.
B3) 4. d6xe5
This move was underappreciated in the
past, but it is now very popular.
5, 2f3xe5!
In case of 5.dxe5?! Se4, the e5-pawn seems
to be more of a weakness than a strength.
At this point 5...2d7 is playable, but
then Black exposes himself to 6.4xf7!2
Sxf7 7.Wh5+ Se6
AKAY WAR
HAG S278]
after which 8.c4 (or also 8.g3!?)
8.0516 9.d5+ ded6 10.WE7! is psy-
chologically demanding for Black, even
if itisn'tnecessarily winning for White.
Therefore recently, Black has shown a
preference to prepare ...\d7 with 5...c6,
or to fianchetto the &f8 with 5...g6, af-
ter which the game usually continues as
follows: 6.2ct c6 7.0-0 7 8.Het 0-0
128
9.2b3 Ad7 10.23! B7f6 11.43, and
White has a slight plus
Ba) 4
‘The Classical Variation,
5. Bft-e2
White gains nothing with the hyperactive
5 Sch cb.
Ac8-g4
5. we e7-e6
Flohr’s move 5...c6!? is interesting. But
it leaves the door open to the complica-
tions that ensue after 6.2g5!?.
6. 0-0 Rf8-e7
7. ¢2-c4 @d5-b6
8. Ob1-c3 0-0
9. h2-h3
The c4-pawn is indirectly defended, as
after ...2xf3 the b7-pawn is hanging
White can also choose not to play h3,
but it is generally a useful move.
o = g4-h5
10. 2ct-e3 d6-d5
The moves 10...a6 and 10...a5 are both
interesting, since 11...@xf3 is a threat,
as the a7-square is now free for the
rook.
11. 4-5
11.b3!? and 1 1.cxd5 are both rare, but
playable,
ie Sh5xf3
In order to take the knight to ct after
12..8xf3, But, aware of this, White replies 12. g2xf3!
White has a good space advantage and
seems to have easy attacking possibili-
ties on the kingside, However, the dou-
bling of the pawns makes it difficult
to break with f4-f5, and Black's position
usually proves surprisingly robust.
Steiner,Endre
Alekhine,Alexander
Budapest 1921 (9)
1.e4 D6 2.65 Ad5 3.d4 d6 4.295
dxe5 5.dxe5 Ac6 6.2b5 2f5 7.13
@b4 8.a3 Wxdit 9.Hxd1 Axc2+
10.Axc2 Sxc2 11.Rcl Se4 12.Ad4
&xg2 13.Bg1 0-0-0 14.Axc6 &xcé6
15.2xc6 bxe6 16.Exe6 Bd5 17.24
e6 18%e2 S8c5 19.b4 Sxb4
20,8xg7 d7 21.2e3 a5 22.Bc4 hd
23.0h4 Oc3 24.895 Hd5 25.f4 f6
26.2gxh5 ExhS 27.Exh5 fxed5
284xe5 Gxe5 29.8h7 Hb5 30.013
Hb2 31.0h5 Qxh2 32.uxa5 2d6
33.8e4 kd7 34.604 Bd2 35.2e3
Ee2 36.¢d3 Hel 37.2d4 Hct
38.2e3 Hd1+ 39.ee4 Hei 40.id3
5 41.212 EH 42.063 de6 43.04
Eh1 44.8f2 Uh2 45.2e3 Bh4+
46.4d3 2b4 47.2a7 c5 48.a3 c4+
49.be2 2d6 50.2a8 Bh2+ 51.ed1
Eh3 52.ed2 od5 53.2d8 c3+
Alekhine Defence
54.%e2 Ged 55.Exd6 Exes+
56.2f2 Hd3 57.Hc6 Bd2+ 58.be1
$d3 59.Md6+ Sc2 60.Re6 Bd5
61.6e2 Sb2 62.8c6 c2 0-1
Leko,Peter
Ivanchuk, Vasily
Odessa rapid 2007 (4)
te4 O16 2.e5 Ad5 3.d4 dé 4.c4
DbE 5.exd6 exd6 6.4c3 Le7 7.2d3
@c6 8.2ge2 294 943 2h5 10.0-0
296 11b3 0-0 12.2e3 Hes
13.2xg6 hxg6 14.Wd2 2t6 15.d5
Ded 16.2f2 Dbd7 17.4e4 Qh4
18.244 216 19.24c3 Dh7 20.kad1
aG 21¢h1 We7 22.291 Had8
23.d4 Dd7 24We2 S16 25.nd2
Re5 26f4 Bxd4 27.2xd4 Wh4
28.e2 Ahf6 29.Wd3 Exe2
30,Wxe2 Me8 31.WI3 Ac5 32.0f2
Wh5 33.Wxh5 gxh5 34.ne1 Exet+
35.0xe1 wh7 36.93 g6 37.292
Dies 38.Axe4 Oxe4 39.0f3 15
40.h3 G47 41.94 g6 42.gxh5 gxh5
43.he3 be8 44.6d4 bd7 45.2h4
06 46.8.1 c5+ Yo-Yo
Nakamura,Hikaru
Benjamin,Joel
Philadelphia 2006 (4)
1.04 @f6 2.e5 Dd5 3.c4 Db6 4.d4
d6 5.14 dxe5 6.fxe5 Ac6 7.2e3 215
8.Ac3 €6 9.Af3 2g4 10.Wd2 Oxf3
Hgxfs Wh4+ 12,.0f2 Wh5 13.c5
Wxf3 14.2gi Dd5 15.292 Wha
16.xd5 Wxd2+ 17.xd2 exd5
18.2xd5 Hd8 19.Gxc6+ bxc6
20.6c3 £5 21.b4 Yd7 22.04 Bbs
23.2c¢4 a6 24.0ge1 Se6 25.Hab1
eT 26.b5 axb5+ 27.axb5 cxb5+
28.8xb5 c6 29.2b6 Exb6 30.cxb6
Eb8 31.8b1 g5 32.b7 dd7 33.45
129 Chess Opening Essentials — Volume 1
oxd5+ 34.$xd5 Gc7 35.2b6+
Sxb7 36.2.c5+ Sc7 1-0
Kotronias, Vasilios
Short,Nigel
Gibraltar 2003 (5)
1.e4 26 2.e5 Ad5 3.d4 dé 4.c4
be 5.f4 dxe5 6fxe5 Acé 7.2e3
B15 8.2c3 e6 9.Af3 Wd7 10.2e2
0-0-0 11.00 f6 12d5 Axed
13.0xe5 fxe5 14.04 a5 15.0b5 2b4
16.d6 a8 17.c5 Gb8 18.213 c6
19.\a3 e4 20.2e2 b6 21.cxb6
Wxd6 22.Wxd6+ Uxd6 23.Madi
Ehd8 24.2xd6 Hxd6 25.94 Ad2
26.212 &b7 27.c4 Ud5 28.9xf5
exf5 29.8d1 Sb4 30.263 96 31.22
Exdi 32,.2xd1 c5 33.4b3 @xb6
34.Axb6 Sxb6 35.298 1-0
Velimirovic,Dragoljub
Martz, William
Yrnjacka Banja 1973
1.e4 D6 2.e5 2d5 3.c4 Db6 4.d4
d6 5.44 &f5 6.2:c3 dxe5 7.fxe5 e6
B.2f3 &b4 9.2d3 294 10.0-0 Acé
11.05 Qxc3 12.bxc3 Dd5 13.Wel
@de7 14.0b1 Hb8 15.495 Af5
16.2xf5 2xf5 17.Wed Wd7 18.d5
Dce7 19.c4 c6 20.d6 Ag6 21.94
Dh6 22.8b3 0-0 23.Ebf3 b6 24.h4
Hfe8 25.2xh7 2xh4 26.2h3 1-0
Short,Nigel
Timman,jJan
Tilburg 1991 (4)
1.e4 26 2.05 Ad5 3.d4 dé 4.3 g6
5.2c4 Db6 62b3 &g7 7.We2 Acé
8.0-0 0-0 9.h3! a5 10.24 dxed 11.dxe5.
d4 12axd4 Wxd4 13He1 e6
14.402! Dd5 15013 We5 16.We4
Wh4 17.2c4l Db6 18b3! Axed
130
19.bxc4 HeB 20.Hd1 Wed 21.Wh4 b6
22.2e3 Wc67! 23.2h6 Qh8 24.ud8!
&b7 25.Bad1 297 26.R8d7! Efe
Q7.axg? bxg7 28Hid4d Haes
29.WI6+ Sg8 30.h4 hS 31.dh2 EcB
32.d:98! Hoe 33.241 Oc8 34.cbg5ll
[34..2xd7 35.deho! with mate on g7] 1-0
Spassky,Boris
Fischer,Robert
Reykjavik Weh m 1972 (19)
1e4 2f6 2.65 2d5 3.d4 dé 4.23
294 5.22 e6 6.0-0 2e7 7.3 2h5
8.c4 DE 9.4\c3 0-0 10.23 d5 11.05
Axf3 12.8xf3 Ded 13.b3! Axe3
14fxe3 b6 15.e4! c6 16.b4 bxc5
17.bxc5 Wad 18.xd5 295 19.2h5!
xd 20.2.xf7+ [> 20.exd5] 20..Hxt7
21.xf7 Wd2! 22Wxd2 &xd2
23.Bafl Ac6 24.exd5= exd5 25.d7
Re3+ 26.h1 Oxd4 2766 Led!
28.8xd5 He8 29.4e1 Exe6 30.hd6!
S17 31.Excé6 Exc6 32.Hxe5 of6
33.005 Ye6 34.25 h6 35.bh2 hab
36.c6 Exc6 37.2a5 a6 38.493 Sf6
39,013 Bc3+ 40.512 Hc2+ Vora
Almasi,Zoltan
Varga,Zoltan
Budapest zt-playoff 1995 (1)
1e4 Qf6 2.05 Ad5 3.d4 dé 4.23
2g4 5.262 e6 6.0-0 2e7 7.c4 “bb
8h3 2h5 9.23 0-0 10.2e3 28d7
A1.exd6 cxd6 12.b3 d5 13.c5 cB
14.b4 a6 15.Ad2 2xe2 16.Wxe2
216 17.Db3 De7 18.Efd1 “c6 19.23
b6 20.Aa4 bxc5 21-axc5 Axc5
22.xc5 Ha? 23.xa6 Wa8 24.b5
@®b8 -25.c5 Bxas 26.Wb2 wad
27.202 Ba7 28.9f4 Bc8 29.b6 Bxa1
30.cixa1 We6 31.b7 He8 32.2xb8
Exb8 33.5a8 1-0 Modern Defence
(without c4)
1.e2-e4 g7-g6
The development of the bishop on g7
and the pawn move to d6, signify that
this is a close relative of the Pirc. How-
ever, the difference is that in the Mod-
ern the knight is absent from f6, or it
develops to this square later on. When
White pushes his pawn to c4, the game
resembles the Queen’s Pawn Opening:
in other cases it remains more in the
realm of the semi-open games.
Here we have a very elastic defence.
Black almost ignores what White does
and develops on his own account with a
wide number of plans to choose from.
This makes the Modern an ideal de-
fence for those among you that don’t
want a system for which you need to
learn a lot of established theory. Black
sometimes chooses not to make the
classical pawn move ...d6, preferring
instead to set up a Modern/Caro-Kann
hybrid with pawns on cé and d5.
However, usually Black does proceed
with ...d6 (which can also be played on
Modern Defence
the first move) and ....&g7. He can push
his pawns to eS or to c5, or otherwise
to c6-b5 or a6-bS. Black may decide to
develop the b8-knight to d7 or to c6,
and the g8-knight to {6 or e7. White is
not urgently required to defend e4 as in
the Pirc, and therefore, he too has a
wide variety of approaches available to
him.
As a result of all this, it is very difficult
to systematically examine this chame-
leonic defence.
2. d2-d4 218-97
Now White can play 3.c4, which we
will discuss in the second volume of
this series. However, it is more common,
to play 3.f3 or 3.Ac3.
A) 3. 2g1-f3 d7-d6
4. 2-312
(RhOWe AB
The advance of the c-pawn, often al-
ready played on the 3rd move, is an
option not available in the Pirc: White
supports the centre and takes the bite
out of a possible ...b7-b5. However,
this is not a developing move and
White must content himself with a mi-
nuscule advantage in the centre. How-
ever, for players who enjoy a slow ma-
noeuvring struggle it could be the
right choice.
131 Chess Opening Essentials — Volume 1
4.2.e2 usually transposes to the Classi-
cal Pirc if Black plays ...D£6
a Ags-f6
5. 2f1-d3 0-0
6. 0-0
The results are slightly in White’s fa-
your, but Black's position offers many
resources
B) 3. Abt-c3
White proceeds naturally, reserving the
option to aggressively push the f-pawn.
oe d7-d6
Or otherwise to continue in a less di-
rectly challenging way. The only draw-
back of the natural development of the
knight to c3 is that it facilitates a coun-
terattack by Black with ...b5-b4.
Bi) 4. f2-f4
Black can now play 4...£6 ifhe wishes
to enter the Pirc, However, he usually
opts for the interesting plan
4 c7-c6!?
5. Agt-f3 c8-94
6. 2ct-e3 Wd8-b6
establishing an adventurous, but prom-
ising attack on the queenside. The fol-
lowing line is not forced, but reveals a
lot about the position:
7 Wdi-d2 Ag4xf3
132
8. g2xf3 &b8-d7
9. 0-0-0 Wb6-a5
Clearing the way for the b-pawn.
10. &e1-b1 —b7-b5
11. h2-h4 2d7-b6
& H 2 8)
And it is not clear who will be the first
to have a real threat against the oppo-
nent’s king.
B2) 4. ct1-e3
This is a very fashionable move in the
Pirc, and hence also in the Modern De-
fence. In the spirit of the English At-
tack in the Sicilian, White prepares for
Wa2 and 0-0-0. Usually Black post-
pones castling short, which could lead
toa re-entry in the Pirc. This would not
be a bad thing, if it did not give White
the chance to use a simple plan of at-
tack: to weaken the kingside by remoy-
ing the fianchettoed g7-bishop by
means of £26, with interesting chances
of an attack against the black king.
For this reason, Black prefers to respond
with
4 c7-c6
so as to harass the c3-knight with
-.b5-b4.
5. Wd1-d2 b7-b5
And now it is natural for White to con-
tinue with b8-d7
7
|
ki A& AAR
x & Ax
6. &fi-d3
ir
Fe
be
Sree
ree
fem
w
a
a
&
DR
Aw
The position is strategically complex
and offers both players chances, even if
results tend to favour White.
B3)
A positional choice
Now Black can play
4 a7-a6
or
4. c7-c6
or otherwise transpose to the Pire with
4 Dg8-F6
White preserves the small advantage
that is his birthright, but Black does not
have to deal with any immediate
threats. In these variations, more so
than in the others, the player with the
better strategic skill will win. Not
counting tactical mishap along the way,
of course.
Modern Defence
Spassky,Boris
Olafsson,Fridrik
Moscow Alekhine mem 1971 (17)
1.e4 g6 2.d4 297 3.c3 Zf6 4.2d3
d6 5.f4 e5 6.23 294 7fxe5 dxe5
8.295 h6 9.0h4 g5 10.2f2 exd4
11.cxd4 Ac6 12.Abd2 AhS 13.2b5
@f4 14.0-0 0-0 15.Wa4 Ae7 16.2fe1
Deg6 17.8f1 2d7 18.Wc2 g4
19.Ae5 Axe5 20.dxe5 4g6 21.4
Wg5 22.Ae3 AxeS 23.Wxc7 BacB
24.Wd6 Bc6 25.Wa3 hS 26.Bad1
eG 27.2d5 Qxd5 28.exd5 Hc2
29,Wxa7 g3 30.hxg3 2g4 31.He2
Hxe2 32.2xe2 Dxf2 33.Wxf2 2e5
34.Ed3 Ee8 35.d6 Hcl+ 36.2d1
Wg6 37d2 Hc8 38d7 Huds
39.2b3 Sg7 40.0f3 f5 41.266 4
42.9xf4 2f6 43.2h2 h4 44.94 Wea
45.We3 Wh4 46.b3 2d4 47We2
We5 48.215 2f6 49.Wes 1-0
Amsterdam B 1970 (2)
1.64 g6 2.44 8.97 3.c3 d6 4.2f3 Af6
5.Abd2 0-0 6.2e2 “c6 7.0-0 65
B.dxe5 xed 9.2xe5 dxe5 10.Wc2
b6 11.He1 2b7 12.871 Wd7 13.204
Rfe8 14.f3 a5 15.2e3 Wc6 16.0a3
Hed8 17.Madi £f8 18.2b5 We6
19.Wb3 Wxb3 20.axb3 c6 21.Bxd8
Exd8 22.Sxb6 Bd2 23,2c4 Hc2
24.2a4 Dd7 25.2e3 Ach 26.Bc1
Exci+ 27.axcl1 2d3 28.2e3 Sab
29.2xa5 Zxb2 30.2xc6 Odi
31.2b6 Axc3 32.Axe5 2d6 33.294
Bd3 34e5 Se7 35.He3 O95
36.206 Sf4 37.d5 Ae2+ 38.hf2
&xh2 39f4 Axf4 40.0f6+ 97
41.94 1-0
133 Chess Opening Essentials — Volume 1
Anand, Viswanathan
Svidler,Peter
Linares 1998 (2)
1.e4 g6 2.d4 g7 3.23 d6 4.2e3
a6 5.2f3 b5 6.2d3 2d7 7.e5 2b7
8.e6 fxe6 9.295 Df8 10.0-02 Af
11.Be1 Wd7 12.2d2 h6 13.Af3 Bbs
14.4 b4 15.ie4 Oxe4 16.2xe4
Sxe4 17.xe4 We6l? 18.Ke3 Wes
19.c3 b3 20.Re1 g5 21.2e3 Wd5
22.Wd3! a5 23.Ma3 bf7 24.Ad2
Dgé 25,We2l Ah4 26.43 Age 27.04
WHS 28.2e4! dg8 29.Wd1 Bb4? (=
29...24] 30.Bxb3 Bxcd4?4 31.0b5
Wi7 32.Exa5 Yh7 33.Hb5 d5?
34.2¢5 WHS 35.b3 Hc3 36.Wd2 Be2
37.94! Dh4 38.gxf5 Axf3+ 39.eh1
@xd2 40.2e2 2c4 41.Hxc2 Dxe3
A2.He2 [42..0xfS 43.Axc6 6
44. Bb6 cS 45.Hc2+—] 1-0
Dominguez,Lenier
Ivanchuk, Vasily
Barcelona 2006 (9)
1.04 g6 2.d4 d6 3.c3 8g7 4.23
a6 5.£4 b5 6.2d3 b7 7.0f3 2d7
8.e5 Dh6 9.We2 Hb6 10.0-0-0 Wd7
11.fthgi 0-0 12.94 2xg4 13.295
Dxe3 14.Wxe3 e6 15.Wh3 hé
16.2xf7 Wxf7? 17Hxg6 Wxf4+
18.@b1 Hf7 19.2dg1 Gh8 20.2694
Wd2 21.WhS Haf8 22.03 He7
23.Bxg7 Exg7 24.Exg7 fit
25.2xf1 &xg7 26.2.d3 Wg5 27.Wes
dxe5 28.dxe5 Wxe5 29.We7+ &g8
30.We8+ dg7 31.We7+ &g8
32.0h7+ &h8 33.496 Wg7
34.Wd8+ Wo98 35.Wi6+ Wg7
36.Hd8+ Wog8 37.Wxc7 Ad5
38.We5+ Wg7 39.Wb8+ Wags
40.We5t+ Wo7 41.Wxe6 Wie
42.Wx6+ Oxf6 43.215 &g7 44.2c1
134
Dew 45.2e4 Qxed 46.2xe4 dé
47.203 a5 48202 Lf6 49.ve3
@e5 50.93 b4 5St.axb4 axb4
52.94 &f6 53.214 be6 54.b3 &16
55.2c4 AS 56.%e4 h5 57.2.e2 h4
58.294 Ad6+ 59.14 Zb7 60.215
@eS 61.294 h3 62.8h7 Beé
63.2d3 heS 64.dxh3 Di4+
65.94 Dxd3 66.cxd3 dd4 67.h4
$c3 68.5 Yxb3 69.h6 1-0
Polgar,judit
Shirov,Alexey
Linares 1994 (7)
1.64 g6 2.44 297 3.23 c6 4.23
d6 5.295 Wb6 6.b1 294 7.43
2xf3 8.9xf3 We7 9.h4 e6 10.h5 dd
11.Wd2 2d7 12.b4 Agf6 13.h6 218
14.814 Wd8 15.2d3 2e7 16.4e2
0-0 17.c3 b5 18.2f1 a5 19.a3 Ab6
20.He1 eB 21.0e5 Ad6 22.297
@dc4 23.Wc1 Be8 245 axb4
25.axb4 Ha2 26.Wf4 Ed2 27.0b1
Bad 28.92 Dab2 29Wg4 Dad
30.2f4 Bxb1 31.Exbi = Ad3
32.!xd3 Axd3 33.Hal Hxc3 34.ha7
Ec4 35.3ha1 Mxb4 36.14 c5
37.Exe7 Wxe7 38.216 Wc7 39.2a6
Eixd4 40.95 Had 41.0d6 taas
42.Hc6 Wa7 43.2d8 f6 44.9xf6 c4
45.Wg4 WI7 46.Wd4 Mec8 47.Wb6
Exc6 48.Wxc6 Zb8 0-4
Okhotnik,Vladimir
Beliavsky,Alexander
Hungary 2002/03 (9)
1.e4 d6 2.d4 g6 3.c3 297 4.295
5 5.dxc5 Wad 6.Wd2 Wxc5 7.2d5
Re6 8.0-0-0 Sd7 98e3 Wes
10.2b5 D6 11.Axf6+ Oxf6 12.0d4
Sxd4 13.xd4 0-0 14.2xd7 Wxd7
15.ceb1 Bfc8 16.212 a5 17.Af4 Bcd 18.Wd3 Hac8 19.Rd2 b5 20.25
Wb7 21.2e1 b4 22.b3 B4c5 23.Wd4
a4 24f3 Uxd5 25.exd5 We7
26.Ree2 axb3 27.axb3 Wb7 28.0d3
Ha8 29.Hde3 Uxd5 30.nxe7 Wxe7
31.Wixd5 Wa7 0-1
Lasker,Emanuel
Von Bardeleben,Curt
Berlin m 1889/90 (1)
1.e4 g6 2.d4 997 3.f4 c5 4.dxc5
Wadt+ 5.2d2 Wxcd 6.2c3 Afe
7.04 We7 8.e5 2c6 9.Wd3 DhS
10.Ae2 £5 11.0d2 0-0 12.93 bé
Modern Defence
13.292 2b7 14.0-0 2d8 15.Bad1
Gxg2 16.4xg2 De6 17.Qb3 Bde
18.Wd5 “h8 19.8d2 218 20.hfdi
‘Dhg7 21.a4 a6 22.h4 Wc6 23.85 b5
24.2b4 Wed 25.c3 BacB 26.Ha1
We6 27.4c2 DeB 2Bes DABc7
29.WiS Wxf8+ 30.dxf3 tg7
31.Bxd7 Sf7 §=32.Exd8 = -xd8
33.8xd8 Dxd8 34.205 Db7 35.Ab6
a8 36.d5 be6 37.ab4 Dxb6
38.axb6 &d7 39.\xa6 e6 40.d4
b4 At.cxb4 dB 42.4c5+ cB
43.403 Re7 44,443 h6 45.%c4 g5
46.hxg5 hxg5 47.Adxe6 1-0
2 Chess Opening Essentials — Volume 1
Pirc Defence
1.e2-e4 d7-d6 2.d2-d4 Ag8-f6
3.Ab1-c3 g7-g6
The Pire Defence is named after the
strong Yugoslav player Vasja Pirc, who
‘was born in the early part of the 20th
century, and it is characterized by the
kingside fianchetto. However, first Black
plays 1...d6 to prevent e4-e5, and then
2...Af6 provoking 3.Ac3, in doing so
preventing White from playing c2-c4,
entering into the King’s Indian. This is
not to suggest that the Pirc has proved it-
self to be superior to the King’s Indian:
as always, itis simply a matter of taste.
It should be said that White can also
choose not to play 3.4\c3, and instead
go for 3.£3 or 3.2d3. In both these
cases Black can decide not to fianchetto
his {8-bishop and instead respond in
the centre with 3...e5, creating a differ-
ent type of game. As in the Modern De-
fence, Black concedes the centre in
hopes of undermining it at a later stage.
Therefore this is an ambitious defence
and, as a result, rather demanding to
play. For his part, White can react ag-
136
gressively, or he can instead opt to be-
gin with slow manoeuvring
In ascending order of popularity, the
most common options are:
A) 4. g2-g3
An underestimated variation.
a. 2{8-g7
Now White solidly develops:
5. Qft-g2 0-0
6. Agi-e2 e7-e5
With another type of game in mind,
people are increasingly beginning to
play 6...8bd7, which — prepares
wt7-C5,
7 h2-h3! — AbB-c6
8. Gct-e3
If Black now takes on d4, he allows his
opponent active piece play. If Black
plays mechanically, White obtains an
unpleasant initiative with moves such
as 0-0 and f2-f4. Therefore this is a po-
sition which inspires differing asses
ments, depending on the taste of the
commentator and ranging from
equality to a small advantage for White.
B) 4. Set-g5
An insidious move, even if compara-
tively uncommon. If Black allows,
White will try Wd2-2h6 along the lines of the 4..e3 variation. Otherwise,
he can continue with f2-f4, aiming to
play an Austrian Attack, but with the
bishop on g5, given the pressure it ap~
plies on e7, the e4-e5 advance is more
effective. On the other hand, this takes a
tempo, and it is not clear if all this is
worth it.
Black, who may not appreciate the pres-
ence of the bishop on g5, can give it a
kick with ...h6, and if he chooses, elim-
inate it with the common manoeuvre
5 and ...2Df6-h5xg3. However, here
it is not clear either if this is positive or
negative, given the lost tempi and the
weaknesses on the kingside.
4 &f8-g7
White can now continue with:
B1)
At this point, kingside castling seems
dangerous because of White's intention
to exchange off the g7-bishop. There-
fore:
Bi) 5... h7-h6
6. @g5-h4 —_ g6-g5
7. Sha-g3 Df6-h5
By chasing the bishop we are heading
for a complex middlegame, e.g. after
8.0-0-0.
Pirc Defence
B12) 5. .. c7-c6
6. &g5-h6 &g7xhe
7, Wdaxhe Wd8-a5
jxae @ az
4 a aa A)
ah Maw
jw |
| A&A |
a |
IAAA RAAB
x SOAR
Black immediately begins a counterat-
tack on the queenside. It is difficult to
judge which is more dangerous:
White's kingside attack, or Black’s on
the queenside.
B2)
5. f2-f4
5. oe c7-c6
Here also, it is better to postpone cas-
ting.
6. Agi-f3 —_b7-b5
7. &ft-d3 b5-b4
8. Ac3-e2 &c8-g4
9. 0-0 Wd8-b6
10. &g1-h1
White has a good centre, but Black has
sufficient counterplay.
137 Chess Opening Essentials — Volume 1
C) 4. Act-e3
Preparing for Wd2 and 0-0-0.
Raowes &
>
= c7-c6!
Black is correct to immediately seek
counterplay on the queenside. After the
natural 4...2¢7 5.Wd2 c6 (here also, as af-
ter 4.2.95, castling kingside would be danger-
ous because of &h6 followed by h4-h5 in the
style of the Dragon Variation of the Sicilian)
6.03 (after 6.2h6 Qxh6! 7.Wxh6
Wa5, you reach the position already seen
in BI2 ) 6...b5 7.8d3 Abd7 8.2h6 or
8.h3 the results tend to favour White.
5. Wd1-d2 —b7-b5
6. Oft-d3 = DbB-d7
The idea is that if White opts for 2h6,
Black will not waste a tempo, as he has
not played ....g7. The resulting posi
tions are complicated and they offer
both sides chances.
138
The move 4.f4 — the Austrian Attack ~
has seen a decline in popularity, and as a
result the 4,2e3 variation is the most
fashionable line at the moment.
The Austrian Attack
D)
[AW AR
@ Sweene
The famous Austrian Attack’s great
popularity began in the 1950s and grad-
ually became the most frequently played
variation against the Pirc until the 1990s.
White develops his pieces (f3 and
2d3) behind a central expansion, pre-
paring for a future assault on the black
king, which is generally initiated by
pushing the pawn to eS at an opportune
moment. This plan is very dangerous
and Black must respond by advancing a
pawn to eS or cS: either immediately, or
after suitable preparation.
A 2f8-g7
5. Ag1-f3
Now Black can counterattack the centre
(with ...c5), or otherwise make non-
committal moves.
D1) 5. 7-5
This pawn advance is inspired by tacti-
cal considerations: 6.dxc5 Wa! which
attacks e4, winning back the pawn. Af-
ter 7.2d3 Wxc5 a balanced position is reached that is structurally reminiscent
of the more solid Dragon positions.
If White wants to play more aggres-
sively, he chooses
6. Qf1-b5+!?
Weakening Black’s control of the
e6-square.
&c8-d7
&
a
7. e4-e5 O6-g4
8. e5-e6
8.Qxd7+ is more solid, but after
8...Wxd7 9.d5 dxe5 10.h3 e4!, Black
maintains equality. At this point there
are two variations to consider:
D1) 8. f7xe6!?
For years this was thought to be a sim-
ple error because of
9. Df3-g5
and now after 10.Axe6
&d7xb5
both Black’s queen on d8 and the
g7-bishop are under attack.
Pire Defence
However, in the 1980s 10...&xd4! was
discovered. If White takes the queen,
Black gives perpetual check on f2 and
¢3. Therefore White usually relies on
10. Ac3xb5.
butafter
ae Wd8-a5+
11, c2-c3 Wa5xb5
12. Ag5xe6 bB-a6!
13. De6xg7+ wes-f7
Black maintains equality notwithstand-
ing his exposed king
D12) 8 Sd7xb5
This old line is sound and still being
played.
9. e6xf7+ — e8-d7!
The king is safer here than on £8!
10. De3xb5 Wd8-a5+
11, Db5-c3 ce Bxd4
12, DF3xd4 Chess Opening Essentials — Volume 1
Now we have an intricate situation:
even though hundreds of games have
been played with this position it is still
not clear who is attacking and who is
defending
D2 5.
6. Sfi-d3
0-0
The most common move: it defends e¢
and in the event of e4-e5, it enables the
d-pawn to recapture without allowing
the exchange of queens, 6.e5 seems to
be premature. 6.2e3 — which prepares
for Wd2 and 0-0-0 ~ has its admirers,
but practice has shown that 6...b6!, pre-
paring for both the ...c7-c5 advance and
.-2b7, gives Black sufficient
counterplay.
Instead, 6.2e2, which used to be
played in the early days of the Austrian
Attack, lacks bite because of 6...c5!
7.dxc5 Was
Let’s return to 6.2d3. Now the ...e7-e5
advance is no longer playable, and the
other advance ...c7-c5 is weak because
of 7.dxc5. Asa result, Black usually pre-
pares for the first with 6...c6, or for
the second with 6...a6
D21) 6. ..
7. 0-0
DbB-c6
140
The impetuous 7.5 is risky but play-
able.
Tw e7-e5!?
Now White can either take with the
d-pawn and then push f4-£5, or he can
take with the f-pawn and then advance
his d-pawn to d5. For his part, Black can
move his c6-knight to b4 or to d4; in
both cases with satisfactory results,
D22) 6. .. DbB-a6
7. 0-0 c7-c5
8. d4-d5 Ha8-b8
In response to 8...S.g4!?, the latest craze
is 9.Qc4!,
9. dgt-h1
The hyper-aggressive 9.e5!? or 9.£5!? is
also possible.
In Benoni fashion, Black now seeks
counterplay on the queenside, which is facilitated by the absence of the white
pawn on c4 and because the knight on
b4 harasses the bishop on d3. Yet at the
same time, the manoeuvre Wel-h4
with the idea of f5, &h6 and “gS can
be very dangerous and practical results
would appear to favour White.
Classical Variation
E) 4, 2g1-f3
White continues in simple fashion, giv-
ing priority to development.
4 218-97
5. Sfi-e2
5.8e3 is also popular. The latter tends
to lead to the 4.2e3 variation if White
continues with Wd2. However, a spe-
cific line exists in which White chooses
a solid plan that starts with h2-h3. An
example is the variation 5...c6 6.h3 0-0
7.a4 ®bd7 (7...d5!? loses a tempo, but
it is interesting as it aims to take advan-
tage of White's non-developing moves)
8.a5, with a small but unpleasant
queenside initiative.
5.
6. 0-0
We have reached the key position of the
Classical Pirc.
0-0
White doesn’t have any immediate
threats, so Black can choose between
Pirc Defence
various strategic plans. These gener-
ally involve putting White’s centre un-
der pressure either with ...2g4 and
..Qc6, or more directly with the
pawn advance ...c7-c5. Alternatively,
Black can search for play on the
queenside with ...c6. The variations
below are indicative for each of the
three different approaches.
BE) 6...
7. d4-d5!
Thus we arrive at positions which are
typical of the Franco-Benoni
c7-c5
ie AbB-a6
8. h2-h3 Dab-c7
9, a2-a4 b7-b6
10, c1-f4
White is slightly better off.
—2) 6... Ac8-94
7 Bct-e3 — Ab8-c6
8. d4-d5!?
The old main line 8.Wd2 is a litde out
of fashion: after 8...e5, neither 9.45 nor
the simplifying 9.dxeS appears to give
White anything special.
7 g4xt3
8...)b8!?, seems provocative, but it
makes sense now that White's centre
has been compromised.
141 Chess Opening Essentials — Volume 1
9. Le2xt3 De6-e5
10. Gf3-e2 c7-c6
Attacking the head of the pawn chain
seems best here.
11. a2-a4!
12. Hat-a3!
With the idea of Eb3, leaving White
with a small but insidious initiative.
Wd8-a5
—E3) 6. c7-c6
is the most popular. White can prepare
the pawn push e4-e5 with 7.h3. or
7 el, but he usually proceeds with
7. a2-a4
which prevents bS, and White also has
a4-a5 in mind. The aim is to take away
all of Black's manoeuvring space on the
queenside.
In view of this, Black plays
Zon a7-a5
8. h2-h3 AbB-a6
9, Gct-e3 a6-b4
Now White can either prepare the {2-f
advance with 10.42, or develop nor-
mally with 10.Wd2 and 11.Had] with
that small advantage which is always
nice to have, but against correct play
does not guarantee anything substantial.
Black could react with ...d7-d5, to ex-
change off the e4-pawn and make the
£5-square available for the bishop on ¢8.
142
Lasker,Emanuel
Marshall,Frank
New York m 1940 (2)
1.4 d6 2.04 Df6 3.2163 g6 443 297
5.2e3 Dbd7 6.4\ge2 a6 7.d2 c6
8.2h6 Sxh6 9.Wxh6 Wad 10.Wd2
bS 11.2¢t 2b7 12.Ab3 We7 13.04
b4 14.4\d1 a5 15.2e3 d5 16.e5 Hh5
17.93 0-0 18.23 e6 19.0-0 c5 20.f4
®g7 21.Rfd1 BfcB 22.xc5 Axcd
23.dxc5 Wxcd5 24.d4 Wxdd
25.Exd4 FS 26.2xf5 gxfS 27,4f2
16 28.2191 h5 29.h3 #7 30.94 hxg4
31.hxg4 fxg4 32.exf6 Sxf6 33.0x94
Eg8 34.c3 bxe3 35.bxc3 Hxg4
36.2xg4+ Sf5 37.de3+ L6 38.4
Ee8 39.cxd5 2xd5 Yara
Stulik, Vlastimil
Pirc, Vasja
Karlovy Vary 1948 (11)
1.e4 dé 2.d4 Af6 3.2c3 g6 4.2f3
Q97 5.295 0-0 6.Wd2 294 7.h3
Sxf3 8.gxf3 e5 9.d5 c5 10.h4 hd
11,0-0-0 Dbd7 12.2h3 a6 13.e2
We7 14.Bhg1 c4 15.293 c3 16.bxc3.
Wa5 17b1 DAb6 18.04 Wxd2
19.%xd2 xc4 20.8d3 Dh7
21.4xh5 Axg5 22.hxg5 gxh5 23.96
fxg6 24.0xg6 Hf6 25.95 Bho
26.2d1 Bh8 27.Edgi 216 28.8592
@d2+ O-T
Kasparoy,Garry
Topalovy, Veselin
Wijk aan Zee 1999 (4)
1.e4 dé 2.d4 ©f6 3.c3 g6 4.2e3
£97?! 5.Wd2 c6 643 b5 7.Age2
Abd7 B.2h6 Sxh6 9.Wxh6 2b7 [>
9..e5!7] 10.a3! e5 11.0-0-0 We7
12.$b1 a6 13.Acil 0-0-0 14.ob3
exd4!? 15.8xd4 c5 16.2d1 “ib6 17.93 Sb8 18.4\a57! [> 18.2h3!?]
18...2a8 19.2h3 d5 20.Wi4+ ka7
21.Bhet d4 22.Ad5 Sibxd5 23,exd5
Wd6 24.Exd4! cxd4? [> 24... b6!=]
25.he7+ @b6 26.Wxd4+ “xad
27.b4+ Gad 28,We3!? [28.Ba7!)
28..Wxd5 29.Ha7 &b70) 30.xb7
We4! [30..She8!] 31.Wxf6 dxad
[= 31-Rdl4+] 32.Wxa6+ Sxb4
33.c3+1 Sxc3 34.Wai+ td20
35.Wb2+ Sdi 36.8fi! Bd20
37.8d7! xd? 38.2xc4 bxc40
39.Wxh8 Ed3 40.Wa8 c3 41.Wa4+
Sel 42.f4 15 43.hc1 Ud2 44.Wa7
1-0
Svidler,Peter
Ivanchuk, Vasily
Spain tt 2006 (1)
1.04 d6 2.44 5f6 3.2c3 g6 4.2e3
6 5.h3 297 6.94 b5 7.e5 Dfd7 8.f4
bE 9.03 2Bd7 10.203 b4 11.04
d5 12,202 c5 13.2fg5 Wb6 14.c4
bxc3 15.bxc3 2a6 16.8b1 axd3
7Exb6 = =@5xb6 18.exd6 =h6
19.2xc5 Zxc5 20.dxc5 0-0 21.Wi3
&ic4 22.cxb6 hxg5 23.b7 Habs
24.Wc6 2xa2 25.0-0 exd6 26.5a1
Se6 27.8xa7 gxf4 28.8a8 fe5
29.8xb8 Exb8 30.Wic7 1-0
Spassky,Boris
Fischer,Robert
Reykjavik Wch m 1972 (17)
1.64 d6 2.d4 g6 3.2c3 DEG 4.14 2g7
5.213 ¢5 6.dxe5 [6.e5 Dfd7 7.exd6
cxd4 8.0b5 0-0 9c? Ac§ 10.Axad
Wado 11.243 Ac6 12.0-0 Be6
13,.2g5 Bd5 14.65 Hxa8 15.fxg6 hxge
16.We4 Axd3 17.cxd3 f6 18.06 217
Pire Defence
19.@b4 DeS 20.We3 Wd7 21.2f4 gs
22.Qxg5 figs 23.005 By6 24.2xg7
D7 25.Mxf7 ext? 26 Wes Bxd3
27.Bd1 By8 28.8ixd3 Exg7 29.Bxd4
Wee 30.Wxe6+ exe Kramnik-
Grischuk, Wijk aan Zee 2005 (‘4-%4,
67)] 6..Wad 7.2d3 Wxc5 8.We2 0-0
9.863 Wad 100-0 S94 11.Bad1
D6 12.2c4 DhS 13.2b3 Yxcd
14.bxc3 Wxc3 15.15 6 16.h3 &xt3
17.Wxf3 Dad 18.8d3 We7 19.2h6
@xb3 20.cxb3 We5+ 21.2h1 Wed
22.2xf8 Uxf8 23.%e3 Hc8 24.fxg6
hxg6 25.Wi4 Wxf4 26.Bxi4 2d7
27.512 De5 28.Hh2 Hci 29.Bee2
He6 30.c2 Bei 31.0fe2 tat
32.93 bg7 33.2%cd2 Bf 34.tf2
Het 35.2fe2 Hf1 36.e3 a6 37.8c3
Het 38.8c4 Hfl 39.hdc2 4ai
40.52 Het 41.Bfc2 g5 42.Bc1 He2
43.01c2 Bel 44.fct Ne2 45.21c2
Va-Va
Karpov,Anatoly
Kortchnoi, Viktor
Baguio City Weh m 1978 (32)
1.e4 d6 2.d4 2f6 3.2¢3 g6 4.513
£97 5.2e2 0-0 6.0-0 c5 7.d5 Sab
8.214 De7 9.04 b6 10.ue1 2b7
11.2¢4 DHS 12.295 D6 13.Wd3 a6
14.2ad1 Kb8 15.h3 2d7 16.We3
Qa8 17.2h6 bd 18.2xg7 &xg7
19.211 @f6 20.axb5 axb5 21.e2
&b7 22.493 Ba8 23.c3 Ma4 24.843
Wa8 25.e5 dxe5 26.Wxe5 Oxd5
27.2xb5 Ha7 28.ah4 2c8 29.22
Be6 30.c4 Ab4 31.Wxch Whe
32.071 Uc8B 33.Wg5 Hh8 34.nd2
Dc6 35.Wh6 Hg8 36.4f3 wie
37.We3 $97 38.095 d7 39,b4
Wa8 40.b5 a5 41.b6 Bb7 1-0
143 Chess Opening Essentials — Volume 1
Caro-Kann Defence
1,e2-e4 c7-c6
When Nimzowitsch wrote during the
1920s that the Caro-Kann Defence is
the refutation of 1.e4, he was either
kidding or he just wanted to stir the
stagnant waters of a theoretical ap-
proach that resisted all attempts at inno-
vation under the banner of Tarrasch’s
rigid and dogmatic _ principles.
Nimzowitsch knew that if you want to
rock the boat you need to exaggerate
somewhat
The proof that Nimzowitsch did not
fully believe his pronouncement is
demonstrated by the fact that he contin-
ued playing 1.e¢ ona fairly regular ba-
sis after making this remark! What he
really meant was that it isn't compul-
sory to answer 1.e4 with 1...e5 and that
there are many potential strategies
available besides pure _ frontal
opposition based on simple space
control.
In this sense I...c6 is conceptually very
ambitious. The e4-pawn, unlike its col-
league to the immediate left, is unpro-
144
tected, And if we look a little closer, we
notice that the e4-pawn is the strategic
linchpin around which all semi-open
openings are based. Let's have a look at
the various starting positions
e inthe Alekhine:
f
ABA |
RaASWeaAn
with 1...2f6, the e4-pawn is attacked
immediately, but this leaves White with
a sound space advantage;
@ in the Scandinavian:
with 1...d5, Black immediately wants to
exchange his d-pawn and create a pawn,
majority on the kingside, but in doing
so he will either lag behind in develop-
ment (2.exd5 Wxd5 3.c3) or, in the
line 2.exd5 Af6 3.d4 Axd5 4.c4 Abé,
his knight on bé6 is far removed from
the action; @ in the French Defence:
afier 1...e6, the e¢-pawn is threatened
on the second move when Black contin-
ues with 2...d5. However, now White
often advances the pawn to e5, keeping
the centre closed. In the Closed French,
it is a good thing that the c8-bishop
cannot speak, as it has plenty to grum-
ble about;
© inthe Pirc Defence:
RASWe dak
cae WA
AA
ABA BAR
HASWweODE
with the move 1...d6, Black prevents
the advance of the e-pawn’s to e5 in or-
der to attack it on his second move. But
the drawback of this system is that
White can successfully maintain his two
central pawns side by side on e4 and
d4;
© in the Sicilian Defence:
Caro-Kann Defence
Bosws © ax
after 1...c5, Black prevents the two cen-
tral pawns from standing side by side,
usually attacking the e4-pawn on his
fourth move (3.d4 cxd4 4.@xd4 “f6),
but often at the expense of his own
king’s safety.
Presented in this light, the Caro-Kann
appears to be a perfect defence.
2. d2-d4 d7-d5
A
BOASWeQH
Here White's options are limited by the
fact that the e4-pawn is threatened. The
exchange 3.exd5 is excellent for White
in the Scandinavian. In the Caro-Kann,
after 3...cxd5 Black achieves a central
pawn majority.
As for 3.€5, it gains space, but unlike in
the Advance Variation of the French the
c8-bishop has nothing to complain
about here and it can go straight to f5.
The remaining option is to defend the
145 Chess Opening Essentials — Volume 1
pawn with 3.4c3 or with 3.4d2 and
after 3...dxe4 4.2xe4, Black can safely
continue his development, attacking the
unprotected knight on e4 with 4...2f5,
or with 4...2\d7 followed by 5... Dgf6.
In real life, things are not so simple: in the
first place 3.e5 and 3,exd5, even consid-
ering the previously discussed limita-
tions, do not allow Black to take equality
for granted. Furthermore, in the main
line, even though the absence of the
e-pawn takes some of the sting out of
White's play, it is also true that in the en-
suing long positional battle White ob-
tains a spatial advantage anyhow, and a
comfortable position. This might not be
SO easy to convert into a win, but it is also
true that the risks of losing are minimal.
As a result, the Caro-Kann has gained a
reputation as a very solid defence suit-
able for positional players. All this is
true, but beware if your opponent
chooses 3.e5, the Advance Variation —
in particular if he replies to 3....2f5
with the aggressive 4.0c3.
(ke Weoaw
aa ahha
i a
ad
&
a
A&A BAB
2 Sweean
You will be dealing with one of the
sharpest and most complex lines found
inall opening theory!
1. e2-e4 c7-6
Besides occupying the centre with 2.44,
White has other interesting options.
146
AR R RAR
HoSWeoaanr
Here White intends, after the thematic
2. d7-d5
to continue with
3. e4xd5 c6xd5
4. c4xd5
and if Black captures with his queen, to
transpose to a favourable line of the Si-
cilian with 2.c3 (!).
If Black plays the more accurate
a Dgs-t6
White can attempt to keep the d5-pawn
with 5.2b5+ 27 6.2c4, or try with
5. Ab1-c3
to transpose to favourable lines of the
Panov-Botvinnik Attack (see below),
advancing his pawn to d4 at the most
opportune moment. This is not as aca-
demicas it may seem:
At) 5. we
g7-g6 Compared to the similar line in the
Panov-Botvinnik Attack, White, in-
stead of advancing d2-d4, could decide
to defend the d5-pawn with either Yb3
and 2e2-f3 or &c4, and it is difficult
for Black to regain the pawn.
A2) ‘5. Ot6xd5
In order to avoid the risk of not being
able to recoup the pawn, Black usually
captures on d5 right away.
6. Dgt-f3
7. d2-d4
@®b8-c6
Now 7...2.g4 transposes to a line of the
Panov-Botvinnik Attack, which we
will look at later. However, Black could
also play the solid
Tom e7-e6
and, incredibly we end up on Semi-
Tarrasch territory with possible trans-
positions to the Queen’s Gambit Ac-
cepted! In addition, from the Panov-
Botvinnik Attack we may transpose to
the Nimzo-Indian.
All of this should suffice to convince us
that opening theory is a coherent whole
and not a group of segmented compart-
ments, as is commonly believed. It is for
this reason that, in order to have a full
grasp of what you are doing, you should
have a general understanding of ope-
Caro-Kann Defence
nings, even if they are not part of your
repertoire. For as much as we study or
prepare for a particular type of game,
sooner or later we will be confronted
with unpredictable and ever-changing
situations which require us to think for
ourselves. Specialized preparation is all
very fine, but by cultivating a more gen-
eral awareness we develop mental ‘elas-
ticity’, which is a fundamental require-
ment for a good chess player.
Once we admit that it is impossible to
know everything about everything, we
can reach a suitable compromise by
learning a little about everything, and
everything abouta little.
B) 2. d2-d3
This is a typical move in the King’s In-
dian Attack, and it is playable against
the French Defence and some lines of
the Sicilian. But more frequently it fea~
tures in 1.@f3 followed by a kingside
fianchetto and e4: therefore we're talk-
ing about a King’s Indian with an extra
tempo, and hence the name.
2 d7-d5
3. Dbt-d2
Now Black may occupy the centre with
3....e5, or he can continue with 3....g6.
The game assumes the character of a
147 Chess Opening Essentials — Volume 1
slow positional battle with chances for
both sides, and tactics are postponed
until the middlegame.
©) 2. Abt-e3
3, Dg1-f3
d7-d5
White's 2nd and 3rd moves can, of
course, be played in reverse order. The
idea behind White's move order is that if
Black mechanically plays along the lines
of the main line Caro-Kann with 3...dxe¢
4.@xe4 2f5?!, there follows 5.2\¢3 26?
(the lesser of two evils is 5...0g4!?),
6.h4! (with 6.44 we are back in the normal
variations) 6..h6 7.25! 2h7 8XWhS g6
9. Sid (threatening mate) 9...06 10.We2
and the bishop on k7 is not a pretty sight!
However, Black is better off profiting
from the knight's placement on £3. by
playing the natural developing move
148
a 2c8-g4!
This move implicates that Black is com-
pletely willing to give up the two bish-
ops, as White often plays the equally
natural
4, h2-h3
Now 4...2hS is playable, but it leads to
complications that aren't to the average
Caro-Kann player's taste: he is more
likely to enjoy
[ 2g4xf3
5. Wdixf3 e7-e6!
gaxWesak
aa aa
eA Byes
ARAR RAW
a S eoe8
Black has a solid centre and has freed
himself of the bad light-squared bishop.
5...A£6 followed by ...e6 is also possi-
ble. A slow strategic battle will follow
with chances for both players
So we have finally come to the most
common line, which, as we said, is
2. d2-d4 d7-d5
RaeWeean White must decide what to do about his
e-pawn. Ignoring the curious 3.f3
which, by the way, is not to be underes-
timated, he has three choices:
1) advance it: the Advance Variation;
2) exchange it: the Exchange Varia-
tion and the Panov-Botvinnik Attack;
3) defend it: the Main Line.
Tiviakov,Sergey
Dreev,Alexey
Gothenburg Ech-tt 2005 (6)
1.€4 6 2.43 d5 3.2d2 We7 4.dgf3
®d7 5.exd5 cxd5 6.d4 e6 7.Ad3
e7 8.0-0 g6 9.Be1 297 10.0f1
cB 11.c3 0-0 12.895 e5 13.de3
Qb6 14.dxe5 @xeS 15.244 Oxf3+
16.Wxf3 We6 17.2c2 Qd7 18.004
Wce5 19.Wg3 HfeB 20.0d6 Wc8
21.h4 Dad 22.b5 Sxb5 23.2xb5
Caro-Kann Defence
Hxel+ 24Bxel @xb2 25.ne8+
WxeB 26.2xe8 Exe8 27.805 b6
28.204 Act 29.W95 Ded 30.h5 he
31.We3 95 32.f4 gxt4 33.Wxt4 Re6
34.W45 216 35.¢h2 297 36.04 2f6
37.:¢h3 297 38.94 216 39.95 hxg5
40.N6 94+ 41.292 &f8 42.h7 297
43.0xe5 ExeS 44.Wd7 He?
45.Wd8+ eS 46.Wd6+ He7
47h He2+ 480f1 axhe
49.hew+ 1-0
Popovic,Aleksandar
Zivkovic,Dejan
Belgrade 2005 (4)
1.e4 c6 2.23 d5 3.0f3 294 4.h3
Qxf3 5.Wxt3 e6 6.d4 dxe4 7.Axe4
Wxd4 8.c3 Wb6 9.295 h6 10.2h4
Sd7 11.0-0-0 g5 12.493 Was
13.Bxd7 bxd7 14.8xf7+ Be7
15.204 e5 16.Wi5+ fe8 17.0d1 1-0
149 Chess Opening Essentials — Volume 1
er TeR Cala)
Advance Variation
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5
After 3.5, the immediate
So 208-5
is the most natural, but 3...c5!?, a use-
ful move for players who wish to
avoid a lot of theory, could also be a
good idea: compared to the French,
Black has lost a tempo, but his poten-
tially bad bishop can still be devel-
oped to f5 or g4. However, after
4.dxc5!—an ugly but effective move —
Black has difficulty winning back the
pawn and the results are sufficiently
in White's favour.
Let's return to 3...2.f5. Now White can
play several moves.
AD 4, Agt-f3
A solid choice, championed by Nigel
Short
4 e7-e6
5. &fi-e2 c6-c5
6. c2-c3 @b8-c6
7. 0-0
150
For decades, opening manuals have
pronounced that Black is in effect play-
ing an improved version of the French,
with the bishop on f5 instead of c8.
However, this has been revealed to be a
somewhat blinkered analysis. Recently
we have come to realize that the loss of
two tempi (...c6-c5 and indeed ...2f5)
make it possible for White to develop a
small but unpleasant initiative which
has produced encouraging results.
B) 4, h2-h4l?
ABA Aly
BaAgweenn
With this poisonous move, White gains
space on the kingside and threatens to
seriously harass the f5-bishop. Indeed,
the natural 4...e67? loses the bishop after
g2-g4, f2-f3 and h4-hS. After 4...h6
5.g4, if Black continues with the nor-
mal-looking 5...2h7?! (5...Sd7! is the
right move), White obtains optimal play on
the light squares with 6.06! fre6 7.3. Black’s most common move is
Aw h7-h5.
and now it is not clear which of the two
h-pawns is the weaker. At this point
White responds with the committal
5. c2-c4l?
AN M AAR
HaAsweaan
which is considered to be much better
if played at this point than on the move
before, because White has more com-
fortable access to the g5-square.
If Black now takes on c4, he gains con-
trol of the key dS-square, but at the
same time he gives White the impor-
tant e4-square. If Black dithers, White
will have the usual initiative on the
queenside. White's results are fairly
good and it is strange that this variation
is not played more often, especially
considering that there is not too much
theory to study.
c) 4. Db1-c3
Caro-Kann — Advance Variation
This aggressive move allows White to
control e4, reserving g2-g4 for a better
moment later on.
At this stage, all sorts of moves have
been tried, among which 4...Wd7,
4.5, 4...Wb6, and recently also the
interesting 4...a6. However, the most
popular move by far is still
a e7-e6
5. g2-94
Now yes!
5. 25-96
White seeks to harass the g6-bishop
with f4 and/or h2-h4. However, this
takes several tempi and Black responds
thematically in the centre:
6. c6-c5
In order to dissuade White from the
idea of Af4, 6...e7 and 6...f6 are also
playable.
7. h2-h4
7,9e3!? with the idea of 8.dxc5 con-
tains a drop of poison too, but the text
move is more common. Now Black
gives the bishop some breathing space
by advancing his h-pawn, or by
capturing on d4. To give you an idea of
the complexity of the variations that
ensue, you only need to look at this
line:
151 Chess Opening Essentials — Volume 1
ow c5xd4
8. De2xd4 = h7-h5S
9. £2-f4! h5xg4
10, 2f1-b5+ = b8-d7
11. £4-f5! Eh8xh4
12. Bhi-f1! &h4-hd!?
AAA
B Qwee
with unclear play.
D)
Speaking of uncharted waters, this was
played in 2002 by Garry Kasparov. His
distinguished patronage is reason in it-
self to take this strange move seriously.
Predictably, in the following years this
variation became very fashionable and
many of the top players in the world are
now exploring its deeper mysteries.
The idea of 4.83 is to defend b2 with
5.Wcl if Black plays 4...Wb6; the sec-
ond idea is to make the freeing pawn
advance ...c6-c5 more difficult if Black
prepares for this with 4...e6.
a
Even if the 4.2e3 variation is still in its
infancy, the following move sequence is
usually seen as the main line.
4 e7-e6
5. Db1-d2 DbB-d7
6. Qft-e2 AgB-e7
(x Wee &
ha BALLS
| ak
AAD
ce
|AKABLAAA
& We 8!)
The results for White after 7.f4 or
7. Dgf3 are encouraging, even if it is too
early to speak of an indisputable advan-
tage for White.
©
Morozevich,Alexander
Asrian,Karen
Pagen tt 2006 (5)
1.4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Of5 4.2f3 e6
5.2e2 De7 6.c3 Dd7 7.Hh4 Ag6
8.Axg96 hxg6 9.0d2 ZFS 10.213
DhA 11.4xh4 Bxh4 12.93 Bhs
13.0-0 2e7 14.203 We7 15.We2 c5
16.2e3 0-0-0 17.44 SbB 18.a5 Hc8
19.Hict g5 20.Wg4 We6 21.b4 c4
22.b5 Wxb5 23.2c2 Wc6 24.2xg5
f5 25.exf6 gxf6 26.2f4+ dé
27.204 We7 28.2xd6 Wxd6 29.41
BheB 30.0xd7 Wxd7 31.Wi4+ Ga8
32,Wxf6 Be7 33.0e5 Xce8 34.hae1
a6 35.h4 Bf7 36.Wg6 Bef 37.Wxe6
Wa4 38.Wxd5 Uxf2 39.Hb1 Bb2
40.Ebe1 Bc8 41.Wf3 Hg8 42.94
We6 43.Wg3 wa7 44.95 Bhs
45.25e2 Eb5 46.ne6 Wc8 47.96 Hxad 48.97 fig8 49.0ig6 WS 50.0f1
We4 51.094 Wes 52.0e1 Wis
53.2f1 Web 54.8b1 WIS 55.8b2
Hal+ 56.¢h2 Wd5 57.092 Wi7
58.814 We7 59.05 Hd1 60.Wi2+ bé
61.093 Sxd5 62.0f7 Hd7 63.xd7
Wxd7 64.16 ad 65.h5 Wes
66.Wg5 a4 67.h6 We2+ 68.292
Wed 69.Wg94 We5+ 70.293 Wie
71.Wg5 Wd6 72.h7 1-0
Kramnik,Vladimir
Leko,Peter
Brissago Wch m 2004 (14)
1.e4 c6 2.04 d5 3.e5 215 4.h4 he
5.94 2d7 6.d2 cS 7.dxc5 e6
B.Abs Qxc5 9.Axch5 Wa5+ 10.c3
Wxe5 11.0f3 De7 12.2d3 Abc6
13.2e3 Wad 14.Wd2 A@g6 15.2d4
@xd4 16.cxd4 Wxd2+ 17.hxd2 Af4
18.fact h5 19.Bhg1 2c6 20.gxh5
@®xh5 21.b4 a6 22.24 Sd8 23.4195
ReB 24b5 DFA 25.b6 Dxd3
26.6xd3 HeB 27.Bxc8+ bxcB
28Bcit+t Bc6 29.Dxf7 Exh4
30.Ad6+ dB 31.091 Bh3+
32.@e2 Ha3 33.Exg7 Hxa4 34.f4
Ha2+ 35.213 Ba3+ 36.094 Eds
37f5 Hxd4+ 38.095 exfS 39.cf6
g4 40.Bc7 Bh4 410f7+ 1-0
Gelashvili,Tamaz
Nauryzgaliev,Amangeldy
Turin ol 2006 (1)
1.64 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 2f5 4.h4 h6
5.94 Se4 6£3 &g6 7.h5 2h7 Be6
Caro-Kann — Advance Variation
fxe6 9.8d3 Sxd3 10.Wxd3 Wd6
11.64 Zi 12.0f3 DAbd7 13.Wg6+
d8 14.55 1-0
Kasparov,Garry
Karpov,Anatoly
Linares 2001 (5)
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 8f5 4.c3 e6
5.94 296 6.2ge2 De7 7.74 c5
8.dxc5 Ad7 9.h4 @xe5 10.292 hd
11.We2 Drc6 12.Axg6 Axgé
13.295 2e7 14.9xh5 ZfB 15.Ab5
Od7 16h6 @xc5 17.214 of8
18.hxg7+ &xg7 19.0-0-0
