Carsten Hansen - Catastrophes & Tactics in The Chess Openings 1. Indian Defenses Workbook

Catastrophes & Tactics
in the Chess Opening Workbook

Vol.1: Indian Defenses
by
Carsten Hansen
Catastrophes & Tactics in the Chess Opening Workbook: Vol.1: Indian
Defenses
Copyright © 2021 by Carsten Hansen
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof

may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the
express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief
quotations in a book review.
Printed in the United States of America
First Printing, 2021
ISBN 978-87-93812-78-9 (ebook)

ISBN 978-87-93812-79-6 (paperback)
CarstenChess
40 Kennedy Blvd
Bayonne, NJ 07002
www.WinningQuicklyatChess.com
Contents
Introduction
Chapter 1:The King’s Indian Defense
Chapter 2: The Grünfeld Indian Defense
Chapter 3: The Queen's Indian Defense
Chapter 4:The Nimzo-Indian Defense
Chapter 5:The Bogo-Indian Defense
Chapter 6:The Catalan Opening
Chapter 7:The Blumenfeld Gambit
Introduction
Thanks for picking up this book.
This book will take you on the path of improved tactical alertness in the
opening phase of the game. The games I have chosen for you all conclude
within the first 15 moves of the game, although in some cases, it seems like
it is the database may not have included all the moves and therefore
concluded beyond our scope. Nevertheless, in each case a puzzle contains
something instructive or a type of mistake that is rather common or can be
learned something from.
So, which type of puzzle will you find in this book?

There are quite a few types, but the most common ones are:
1) White to move or Black to move – in those puzzles you will need to
find the best move.
2) White/Black I considering playing a move or a sequence of moves –
in those puzzles, you will usually need to figure out, why the
mentioned move or sequence of moves is a bad idea. But, to throw in
a little twist, sometimes the suggested move actually works.
3) Which move is better? In those puzzles, you will need to choose
between two or more moves.
4) If White/Black plays this and Black/White then answers this, how
would White/Black respond? These puzzles are asking you to
calculate.
How difficult are the puzzles, it is my aim that the book will be suited for
players rated from around 800 to about 1700 – these ratings are applicable
in both online and regular over-the-board chess. That means that some of
the puzzles will seem quite easy for some and other puzzles will seem
almost impossibly difficult. That is entirely intentional, we get better when
you push ourselves to the boundaries of and beyond our comfort zone.
That being said, some puzzles will be difficult for even 1700 rated players.
The puzzle positions are chosen from games between players that are rated
above 2000, but many games feature titled players such as International
Masters and Grandmasters, but there are also games with former and future
world champions.
If you find mistakes, errors or other bothersome things, in the puzzle

positions, solutions, in the writing or formatting, please let me know by
writing to me: carstenchess@gmail.com
If you enjoy the book, please do me the favor and write a short review on
the platform you bought it.
Thanks again for picking up the book, have fun and enjoy your progress as
a chess player.
Carsten Hansen
Bayonne, New Jersey – June 2021
Chapter 1: The King’s Indian Defense
Exercises 1.01-1.04
1.01 1.02
White to move – which rook Black to move

should move to b1?
1.03 1.04
White to move – can White Black to move – should the
win a pawn on e5? c4-pawn be captured?
Solutions 1.01-1.04
1.01
1.02
1.03
1.04
Exercises 1.05-1.08
1.05 1.06
Black to move White to move – should he

capture on d5?
1.07 1.08
Black to move White to move – can the e5-

pawn be captured?
Solutions 1.05-1.08
1.05
1.06
1.07
1.08
Exercises 1.09-1.12
1.09 1.10
Black to move Black to move
1.11 1.12
Black to move White to move – can the e5-

pawn be captured?
Solutions 1.09-1.12
1.09
1.10
1.11
1.12
Exercises 1.13-1.16
1.13 1.14
White to move White to move
1.15 1.16
Black to move – should he White to move – White

play …b7-b6 to get the light- calculated 1.Nd5 Nxd5
squared bishop developed? 2.Bxg7 Nxe3 3.Qd4, what did
he overlook?
Solutions 1.13-1.16
1.13
1.14
1.15
1.16
Exercises 1.17-1.20
1.17 1.18
Black to move White to move – if White

plays Qxd4, how does he
answer …Nfd7?
1.19 1.20
Solutions 1.17-1.20
1.17
1.18
1.19
1.20
Exercises 1.21-1.24
1.21 1.22
Black to move White to move
1.23 1.24
Black to move White to move – what

happens on Qe2?
Solutions 1.21-1.24
1.21
1.22
1.23
1.24
Exercises 1.25-1.28
1.25 1.26
White to move – should he Black to move

play Nd2 to guard the e4-
pawn?
1.27 1.28
happens after Bg5?
Solutions 1.25-1.28
1.25
1.26
1.27
1.28
Exercises 1.29-1.32
1.29 1.30
Black to move White to move – should he

play Nxc4?
1.31 1.32
Black to move – can he play Black to move – should he

…Nh7 to prepare …f7-f5? play …Qb4 to maintain the
pressure on White’s
queenside?
Solutions 1.29-1.32
1.29
1.30
1.31
1.32
Exercises 1.33-1.36
1.33 1.34
White to move – how should White to move – should e2-e4

dxc5 be assessed? be considered?
1.35 1.36
White to move White to move – can he win a

pawn with Nxg5?
Solutions 1.33-1.36
1.33
1.34
1.35
1.36
Exercises 1.37-1.40
1.37 1.38

play 1.e2-e4, intending 1…
Qxe4 2.Qxb5 with a lead in
development and better pawn
structure?
1.39 1.40
Solutions 1.37-1.40
1.37
1.38
1.39
1.40
Exercises 1.41-1.44
1.41 1.42
White to move – he is White to move – should he

considering Qd3; is that a play b2-b3 to get the bishop
good idea? on c1 developed?
1.43 1.44
Black to move – should he White to move – he is
play …h7-h6 to chase the considering the tactical idea
bishop away or force 1.Ne6 fxe6 2.Bxh3, gaining
exchanges on f6? the bishop pair and if 1…
Bxe6 2.fxe6 Qxe6, White has
3.Bb7. Did he overlook
something?
Solutions 1.41-1.44
1.41
1.42
1.43
1.44
Exercises 1.43-1.46
1.45 1.46
White to move – he is White to move – is 1.Nxd4

considering playing b2-b3 exd4 2.Nb5 to attack the
pawn on d4 a good idea?
1.47 1.48
White to move – the pawn on White to move

h3 is threatened; is Kh2 the
way to go?
Solutions 1.43-1.46
1.45
1.46
1.47
1.48
Exercises 1.49-1.52
1.49 1.50
Black to move - …Re8 is White to move – he is

being considered considering Rb1, protecting
the b2-pawn and intending
Bc1-e3-d4
1.51 1.52
Black to move – he is White to move – Black just
considering 1…Bf5, played …Rb8, intending to
intending to meet 2.e4 with meet b2-b4 with …Nxd5. Did
2…Nxe4 3.Nxe4 d5; is that a he overlook something?
good idea?
Solutions 1.49-1.52
1.49
1.50
1.51
1.52
Exercises 1.53-1.56
1.53 1.54
1.55 1.56
White to move – the c4-pawn Black to move – should he

is threatened, should b2-b3 be play …h7-h6 to kick the
considered? bishop away?
Solutions 1.53-1.56
1.53
1.54
1.55
1.56
Exercises 1.57-1.60
1.57 1.58
Black to move – is …Ng4 an White to move - should

option? White play Rc1?
1.59 1.60
White to move – h2-h3 to Black to move - ...Nd7 is

prevent …Bg4 seems being considered; is that a
reasonable or…? good idea?
Solutions 1.57-1.60
1.57
1.58
1.59
1.60
Exercises 1.61-1.64
1.61 1.62
White to move – White is White to move – the h3 pawn

considering 1.Qa4, intending is threatened, is Kh2 an
to meet 1…Bb7 with 2.Nd5 – option?
is that a good idea?
1.63 1.64
White to move – Black just White to move
played …Rb8, intending to
meet Bxc6 with …Bxd4 – did
Black overlook something?
Solutions 1.61-1.64
1.61
1.62
1.63
1.64
Exercises 1.65-1.68
1.65 1.66
Black to move – the knight is Black to move

threatened, but can …Bf5 be
interjected?
1.67 1.68
White to move Black to move – he is
considering 1…Qb6,
intending to meet 2.Bxd6
with 2…Nxe4 – is that a good
idea?
Solutions 1.65-1.68
1.65
1.66
1.67
1.68
Exercises 1.69-1.72
1.69 1.70
Black to move – what to do Black to move – should the

about the knight on g4? bishop be kicked with …h7-
h6 or is there something
better?
1.71 1.72
White to move White to move – he is
considering Qb3, intending to
follow up with Be7
Solutions 1.69-1.72
1.69
1.70
1.71
1.72
Exercises 1.73-1.76
1.73 1.74
White to move Black to move – should he

play …b5-b4?
1.75 1.76
White to move White to move – should he

play Bf1 to protect the c4-
pawn?
Solutions 1.73-1.76
1.73
1.74
1.75
1.76
Exercises 1.77-1.80
1.77 1.78
White to move Black to move – how should

Black recapture on f6?
1.79 1.80
Black to move – is …f7-f5 an Black to move – is the pawn

option? on b2 poisonous or not?
Solutions 1.77-1.80
1.77
1.78
1.79
1.80
Exercises 1.81-1.84
1.81 1.82
White to move Black to move – is …Nb4

good or bad?
1.83 1.84
White to move Black to move

Solutions 1.81-1.84
1.81
1.82
1.83
1.84
Exercises 1.85-1.88
1.85 1.86
White to move – castle or White to move – what

chase the queen with Rb1? happens on Bb2?
1.87 1.88
Black to move – should he … Black to move – why is …e7-

Ne6 to attack the dark e5 a bad idea?
squares?
Solutions 1.85-1.88
1.85
1.86
1.87
1.88
Exercises 1.89-1.92
1.89 1.90
Black to move – should he White to move

play …Nce4, intending to
meet Nxe4 with …Qb6+
followed by …Nxe4?
1.91 1.92
Black to move – he is White to move – White is
considering 1…h6, intending considering Qd2
to meet 2.Bxh6 with 2…Nxe4
3.Nxe4 Qh4+, recouping the
sacrificed by capturing on h6.
Is this a good idea?
Solutions 1.89-1.92
1.89
1.90
1.91
1.92
Exercises 1.93-1.96
1.93 1.94
Black to move – should he White to move – should he

play …Nfd7 to put pressure play Qd2 or Qc2?
on White’s queenside?
1.95 1.96
White to move Black to move – is …Nc5 a
good idea?
Solutions 1.93-1.96
1.93
1.94
1.95
1.96
Exercises 1.97-1.100
1.97 1.98
White to move – should he White to move

play Rb1?
1.99 1.100
White to move – should he White to move – can he play

castle? Na4 to refute Black’s idea or
is there something better?
Solutions 1.97-1.100
1.97
1.98
1.99
1.100
1.101 1.102
Black to move White to move – he is

considering Qe2, intending to
meet …Nxb3 with Nd5.
1.103 1.104
White to move – should he White to move – can he get

try to hang on to the pawn away with capturing the pawn
with e5 or simply play Be2 to on c5?
castle?
1.101
1.102
1.103
1.104
1.105 1.106
White to move – can he play White to move – Black

g2-g4? threatens …Bd4+; should
White prevent this with Qf3?
1.107 1.108
Black to move – can he Black to move
capture the pawn on b2?
1.105
1.106
1.107
1.108
1.109 1.110
White to move – should White to move – is this one

White play 1.g3, intending of those positions where
to meet 1…Qxe4 with White plays Nd5?
2.Nf3?
1.111 1.112
Black to move – is …Nh5 to White to move – White is

play on the dark squares a considering Ng3.
good idea?
1.109
1.110
1.111
1.112
1.113 1.114
Black to move – is …Re8, Black to move?

keeping …Bf8 to protect the
d6-pawn in reserve, a good
idea?
1.115 1.116
Black to move – how should White to move – what is

Black continue 1…e6 or 1… better 1.Bd2 or 1.Qd2?
e5?
1.113
1.114
1.115
1.116
1.117 1.118
White to move White to move – if White

plays 1.Bxg7, can Black
interject 1…Qxh4+?
1.119 1.120

1.117
1.118
1.119
1.120
1.121 1.122
Black to move – is …c7-c5 White to move

or …e7-e5 the way to go for
Black?
1.123 1.124
Black to move – should he Black to move

consider …Qf8?
1.121
1.122
1.123
1.124
1.125 1.126
White to move Black to move – Black is

considering …Nb6, intending
…Na4 to put White’s
queenside under pressure; is
that a good idea?
1.127 1.128
1.125
1.126
1.127
1.128
1.129 1.130
1.131 1.132
White to move – can the Black to move

knight on d4 be captured?
1.129
1.130
1.131
1.132
1.133 1.134
White to move – should the White to move – can the

knight on h5 be kicked away pawn on c5 be captured?
with g2-g4?
1.135 1.136
White to move – which move White to move
should be played Bf2 or g3?
1.133
1.134
1.135
1.136
1.137 1.138
Black to move – should the Black to move – Black is

bishop be recaptured or is considering …Re8; is that a
there something better? good idea?
1.139 1.140
Black to move Black to move – he is
considering …a7-a6 and …
f7-f5, which is better?
1.137
1.138
1.139
1.140
1.141 1.142
Black to move – how about White to move

1…f5?
1.143 1.144
White to move – can he White to move – is Bh6 the

capture on f5? way to go for White?
1.141
1.142
1.143
1.144
1.145 1.146
Black to move White to move – can White

play Ne4 to exploit the pin?
1.147 1.148
White to move Black to move – can he play

…Nxe4 followed by …f7-f5,
winning the piece back or is
there something better?
1.145
1.146
1.147
1.148
1.149 1.150
White to move White to move – White is

considering Nxd6 and then
jumping on to f5, sacrificing
the knight to open the g-file.
Is that a good idea?
1.151 1.152
White to move – Black is Black to move – Black is
threatening …Nxf3 and if considering …b7-b5 to free
White recaptures with the the position?
bishop the c4 pawn is
hanging; so, should White
play b2-b3?
1.149
1.150
1.151
1.152
1.153 1.154
White to move White to move – is Bxg7 an

option?
1.155 1.156
Black to move – how about Black to move – can the b2-

…Ne4? pawn be captured?
1.153
1.154
1.155
1.156
1.157 1.158
Black to move – how should Black to move – how about

Black capture the pawn on …Na5 to attack the pawn on
d6, with the pawn or the c4?
knight?
1.159 1.160
Black to move – is …Nb6 to White to move
attack the c4-pawn an option?
1.157
1.158
1.159
1.160
1.161 1.162
Black to move Black to move – how about

…Rad8?
1.163 1.164
White to move – can he play White to move – is Rad1 a

1.cxd5 Qxd5 2.Nb3 to get the good idea?
queens exchanged?
1.161
1.162
1.163
1.164
1.165 1.166
White to move White to move – is Bf4 an

option?
1.167 1.168
White to move – Black is Black to move

threatening on both f2 & h2;
should White play 1.Bxg4
Bxg4 2.f3 to stop the threats?
1.165
1.166
1.167
1.168
1.169 1.170
White to move White to move – White

would like to exchange the
light-squared bishops, so is
Bg4 an option?
1.171 1.172
White to move Black to play – should he
play …Rd7 to protect the c7-
pawn?
1.169
1.170
1.171
1.172
1.173 1.174
White to move White to move – should

White castle queenside?
1.175 1.176

close the kingside with g2-
g4?
1.173
1.174
1.175
1.176
1.177 1.178
Black to move – should he White to move – Black has

play …Nxe4, intending …f7- sacrificed a piece but is
f5-f4, winning the piece winning it back; should White
back? play Bg5 in this position?
1.179 1.180
1.177
1.178
1.179
1.180
1.181 1.182
Black to move White to move – Black is

threatening to capture on e3,
should White avoid this with
Bc1?
1.183 1.184
1.181
1.182
1.183
1.184
1.185 1.186
1.187 1.188
Black to move – can he break White to move – should he

the center open with …d6- play Be2 or Bf1?
d5?
1.185
1.186
1.187
1.188
1.189 1.190
White to move White to move – this position

is a mess, how about Nd2?
1.191 1.192
Black to move White to move – time to

connect the rooks, is Qd2 or
Qc2 way to do it?
1.189
1.190
1.191
1.192
1.193 1.194
Black to move – should he Black to move – time to

capture on d4? attack on the dark squares, so
is …Qh4 the way to do it?
1.195 1.196
White to move – how about Black to move – should he
Re1 to play Bf1 to guard the place the rook on e8, d7 or is
g2-pawn? there something better?
1.193
1.194
1.195
1.196
1.197 1.198
1.199 1.200
White to move – White is White to move – should he

considering Qb3, intending to play Rb1 to prepare b2-b3
meet …d5-d4 with Rad1; is followed by a2-a3 and b3-b4?
that a good idea?
1.197
1.198
1.199
1.200
1.201 1.202
White to move – should he Black to move – how about

interject Nxf7? …b7-b6?
1.203 1.204
White to move – he is Black to move

considering Nce2?
1.201
1.202
1.203
1.204
1.205 1.206
White to move – how about Black to move – can Black

1.Bb2? capture on e4?
1.207 1.208
Black to move – should Black Black to move

consider …c7-c6?
1.205
1.206
1.207
1.208
1.209 1.210
Black to play – how about … Black to move – should he

Re8? play …dxc5?
1.211 1.212

1.209
1.210
1.211
1.212
Chapter 2: The Grünfeld Indian Defense
Exercises 2.01-2.04
2.01 2.02

use the opportunity to
interject …Bg4?
2.03 2.04
Black to move Black to move – is the knight
on a5 trapped?
Solutions 2.01-2.04
2.01
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.f3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nb6
6.Nc3 Bg7 7.Be3 Nc6 8.d5 Ne5 9.f4 (diagram)
9...Bg4?? A dreadful decision, leaving the bishop in
vulnerable territory. Instead 9...Ng4 should have been
given preference, e.g., 10.Bb5+ Bd7 11.Bd4 (or
11.Qxg4 Bxc3+ 12.bxc3 Bxb5 with about even
chances) 11...Bxd4 12.Bxd7+ Qxd7 13.Qxd4 0–0
14.h3 Nf6 and White has some more space. 10.Qc2
10.Qb3 is also excellent. 10...Ned7 11.h3 Bh5 12.g4
e6 13.dxe6 fxe6 and Black resigned. 1–0
M.Quidiello Prado (2193) – J.A.Lobo Rodriguez
(2261) Asturias 2001
2.02
6.Nc3 Bg7 7.Be3 0–0 8.Qd2 Nc6 9.0–0–0 e5 10.d5
Nd4 11.Bh6?! c6 12.h4? cxd5 13.h5?! (diagram)
13...Bxh6! Ahead of this move, it looked like White
was about to make a decisive breakthrough on the
kingside, but with the text move, Black demonstrates
an important resource. 14.Qxh6 g5! 15.exd5?? A
ridiculous blunder, although it is not easy to spot
White's best option: 15.f4! when Black's best option
is 15...dxe4 16.Nge2 Bg4 17.fxg5 Qc7 18.Nxd4 exd4
19.g6 fxg6 20.Rxd4 gxh5 with a sharp position and
somewhat better chances for Black. 15...Nf5 and with
the queen trapped, White resigned. 0–1
D.Rodier (2138) – C.Vitoux (2394) Reunion 2007
2.03
6.Nc3 Bg7 7.Be3 0–0 8.Qd2 Nc6 9.0–0–0 e5 10.d5
Nd4 11.Nb5 Nxb5 12.Bxb5 Bd7 13.Qb4 a5 14.Qc5
Nc8 15.Ne2?? (diagram) 15...b6! White resigned, as
16.Qc4 is met by 16...Nd6, winning a piece. 0–1
E,Neiman (2350) – Y.Pelletier (2470) Cannes 1997
2.04
6.Nc3 Bg7 7.Be3 0–0 8.Rc1 Nc6 9.d5 Na5 10.Bxb6
axb6 11.b4 (diagram) 11...Nc6?? This is tantamount
to resigning. But Black does not need to do that. Best
is 11...c6!! when 12.bxa5 b5 13.Qb3 (the computer
actually prefers 13.a6 when 13...Rxa6 leads to a sharp
position where both sides have their share of the
chances) 13...Qxa5 when Black has strong
counterplay, threatening ...b5–b4 followed ...Bh6.
Alternatively, Black can play 11...b5 although
12.Bxb5 c6 13.Bd3 cxd5 14.bxa5 Qxa5 15.Qd2 dxe4
16.Nxe4 Qa7 when Black has some, but not quite
enough for the sacrificed piece. 12.dxc6 bxc6 and
Black resigned at the same time. 1–0
G.Orlov (2495) – R.Schnabel (2225) Seattle 1993
Exercises 2.05-2.08
2.05 2.06
Black to move – he is White to move
considering …Qc7 to
recapture on c5 with the
queen, is that a good idea?
2.07 2.08
White to move Black to move – should Black

continue the development
with …Nd7?
Solutions 2.05-2.08
2.05
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nb6
6.d4 Bg7 7.h3 0–0 8.Be2 Nc6 9.Be3 Na5 10.0–0
Nbc4 11.Bc1 c5 12.dxc5 (diagram) 12...Qc7?? It
would have been better, although not comfortably so,
to capture on c3 before playing ...Qc7: 12...Bxc3
13.bxc3 Qc7 14.Bh6 when White is clearly better.
13.Nd5! Qxc5 14.b4 and White is winning material,
for instance, 14...Qd6 15.Bf4 e5 16.Bg5 with a
decisive advantage for White. Black resigned. 1–0
J.Przewoznik (2415) – T.Thiel (2295) Dortmund
1992
2.06
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.c4 d5 4.cxd5 Qxd5 5.Nc3 Qa5?
6.Bd2 Bf5 (diagram) 7.e4! Bg4 8.e5 Nfd7 9.Bc4
White is significantly better and is threatening Nd5,
which explains Black's next move, but everything
loses. 9...c6? 10.Bxf7+ Kxf7 11.Ng5+ Black
resigned. 1–0
N.Davies (2504) – N.Perez Gutierrez (2018) El
Sauzal 2006
2.07
1.c4 g6 2.Nf3 d5 3.d4 Nf6 4.Qc2 e6 5.g3 Bd6 6.Bg2
0–0 7.0–0 Nbd7 8.Rd1 Re8 9.Nc3 b6 (diagram)
10.e4?! Better is 10.Bg5! Bb7 11.Ne5 Be7 12.Qa4
with a clearly better position for White. 10...dxe4
11.Nxe4 Nxe4 12.Qxe4 and here the game is scored
as a victory for White which is wildly premature,
even if 12.Qxe4 Rb8 13.Ne5 Bb7 14.Qe3 Bxg2
15.Kxg2 Ra8 16.Qf3 Qe7 17.Bf4 is clearly better for
White.
1–0
G.Bura (2191) – I.Knezevic (2185) Serbian Team ch
(Vrnjacka Banja) 2011
2.08
1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.cxd5 Nxd5 4.g3 c6 5.Bg2 g6
6.d4 Bg7 7.e4 Nxc3 8.bxc3 0–0 9.Ne2 Bg4 10.0–0
(diagram) 10...Nd7?? 10...e5 was more or less fine
for Black. 11.f3! The g4–bishop is trapped. 11...Be6
12.d5 cxd5 13.exd5 Bf5 14.g4 and Black resigned.
1–0
M.Srba (2186) – J.Konicek Litomysl 2003
Exercises 2.09-2.12
2.9 2.10
White to move White to move – should be

play e2-e4?
2.11 2.12
Black to move - …Be6 White to move – he is

intending …Rd7 is being considering a2-a3; is that a
considered, is that the way for good idea?
Black to go?
Solutions 2.09-2.12
2.09
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.c4 Bg7 4.g3 d5 5.cxd5 Nxd5
6.Bg2 c5 7.dxc5 Qa5+ 8.Nfd2 Qxc5 9.Nb3 Qb4+
10.Bd2 Qd6 11.Na3 Na6 12.Nc4 Qc6 13.0–0 Nc5
(diagram) 14.Bc3! White has several other winning
moves 14.Be3 and 14.Ne3 Be6 15.Rc1 both do the
job as well. 14...Bxc3 15.Bxd5 Black resigned. 1–0
N.Murshed (2487) – M.Hirawan (2230) Dhaka
2005
2.10
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 d5 5.Nc3 dxc4
6.Qa4+ Nfd7 7.d5 c6 8.Qxc4 0–0 (diagram) 9.e4??
This looks perfectly normal but fatally weakens the
light squares. Instead 9.Qh4 would have been a better
option. 9...Ne5! Black could do even better with
9...b5! 10.Qd3 b4 11.Nce2 Ne5 12.Qe3 Ba6 and
Black has a very large advantage. 10.Qe2 b6 11.Qc2
Na6 12.Bf1 Or 12.Nge2 Nb4 13.Qd1 Nbd3+ and
Black is massively better. 12...cxd5 13.exd5 Nb4
14.Qe4 a5 15.Bh3 f5 and White resigned. 0–1
P.Arambel – A.Iglesias Argentinian U-18 ch
(Chacabuco) 1980
2.11
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 d5 5.cxd5 Nxd5
6.e4 Nb6 7.Ne2 e5 8.d5 0–0 9.0–0 c6 10.Nbc3 cxd5
11.exd5 Na6 12.b3 f5 13.Ba3 Rf7 14.Qd3
(diagram) 14...Be6?? Black would have done better
to play 14...Nd7 15.Rad1 and White has a small plus.
15.dxe6! Black resigned because after 15.dxe6 Qxd3
16.exf7+ Kxf7 17.Rad1 Qc2 18.Bxb7, winning
material. 1–0
M.Grabarczyk (2506) – O.Brendel (2389)
European Individual ch (Ohrid) 2001
2.12
6.e4 Nb4 7.Ne2 Bxd4 8.Qb3 N8c6 (diagram)
9.a3?? Black would "only" be clearly better after
9.0–0 a5 10.Nbc3 a4, but after the text move is much,
much is worse. 9...Be6! 10.Qd1 Bxb2! and White
resigned. 0–1
G.Andruet (2430) – A.Bofill Mas (2410) Groningen
1988
Exercises 2.13-2.16
2.13 2.14
Black to move – is …Qe5 a White to move – is d4-d5 an

good way to get out of the option?
pin?
2.15 2.16
White to move – should he Black to move – can Black
play Rd1? capture the d4-pawn?
Solutions 2.13-2.16
2.13
6.e4 Nb4 7.d5 c6 8.Ne2 cxd5 9.a3 Qa5 10.0–0 dxe4
11.Bd2 N8c6 12.Bxe4 (diagram) 12...Qe5?? Black
should have played 12...Qa6 when White only has a
small edge. 13.Bxc6+! Nxc6 14.Bc3 Qe4 15.Nd2
Black resigned as the bishop on g7 falls. 1–0
V.Kortschnoj – S.Witkowski Krakow 1959
2.14
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 d5 5.c4 dxc4
6.Qa4+ Nfd7 7.0–0 Nc6 (diagram) 8.d5?? A dumb
mistake. The normal continuation was 8.Qxc4 with
approximately even chances. 8...Nb6! 9.Qc2 and here
the game is scored as White resigning, which is, of
course, much too soon, but White is losing a pawn
without any compensation. 0–1
N.Cattus (2115) – S.Berndt (2360) Wichern 1997
2.15
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.Nf3 c5 6.0–0
cxd4 7.Nxd4 0–0 8.cxd5 Nxd5 9.Nb5 a6 10.Bxd5
axb5 11.Qb3 Nc6 (diagram) 12.Rd1?? White
should have played 12.Be3 Qd6 13.Nc3 b4 with a
complicated game and chances to both sides.
12...Nd4! Winning material, the bishop on d5 is in
peril. 13.Rxd4 Bxd4 14.Qxb5 Ra5 and White
resigned. 0–1
P.Reuter – M.Helbig Eisenberg 1993
2.16
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.c4 Bg7 4.g3 d5 5.Bg2 dxc4
6.Qa4+ Nfd7 7.Nbd2 Nc6 8.Nxc4 (diagram)
8...Nxd4? Black should have played 8...0–0 9.0–0
with even chances. 9.Nxd4 Bxd4 10.Bh6! Preventing
Black from castling and leaving Black with lots of
issues about completing the development. 10...c6?!
11.Rd1 Bf6? Or 11...Bc5 12.b4 b5 13.Qa3 Bxf2+
14.Kxf2 bxc4 15.Qc3 with a decisive advantage for
White. 12.Qa3 Black is completely tied up. 12...Qc7
13.Qe3 Ne5 14.Bf4 Be6 Black cannot get out of his
trouble with 14...Nxc4 either because 15.Bxc7 Nxe3
allows 16.Rd8#. 15.Bxe5 Black resigned. 1–0
V.Borovikov (2595) – L.Langner (2401) Pardubice
2005
Exercises 2.17-2.20
2.17 2.18
2.19 2.20

consider …a7-a6?
Solutions 2.17-2.20
2.17
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nf3 Bg7 4.g3 c6 5.Nc3 d5 6.Qb3
0–0 7.Bg2 b6 8.0–0 Ba6 9.cxd5 cxd5 10.Bg5 e6
11.Rfc1 Bb7 12.Nb5 Nc6 (diagram) 13.Ne5! Black's
queenside is now under severe pressure and accurate
play is required. 13...Na5! 14.Qa3 Rb8?? According
to the computer, Black had to enter the following
line: 14...h6 15.Bd2 Nd7 16.f4 Nxe5 17.fxe5 which
looks very pleasant for White but Black has decent
defensive chances. After the text move, Black's
position falls apart. 15.b4! Qe8 And Black resigned
at the same time because of 16.Nd6, winning
material. But also 15...Nc4 16.Qxa7! Ba8 17.a4 wins
for White but White needs to be ready to capture on
a7 and trap his own queen on enemy grounds... 1–0
G.Sargissian (2611) – T.Sanikidze (2364) Yerevan
2004
2.18
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.g3 0–0
6.Bg2 dxc4 7.Ne5 Ng4 8.Nxg4 Bxg4 9.Bxb7 Nd7
10.Bxa8 Qxa8 11.f3 Bh3 12.Kf2 e5 13.dxe5 Nxe5
14.Bg5 (diagram) 14...h6 Also the immediate
14...Ng4+ does the job. 15.Be3 Ng4+ and White
resigned because he is suffering heavy material losses
after 16.fxg4 Qg2+. 0–1
P.Marusak (2070) – M.Pacher (2324) Slovakian ch
(Zvolen) 2008
2.19
1.c4 d5 2.cxd5 Nf6 3.d4 g6 4.g3 Qxd5 5.Nf3 Bg7
6.Bg2 0–0 7.0–0 Qh5 8.Qb3 c5 9.dxc5 Na6 10.c6
bxc6 11.Nc3 Nc5 12.Qa3 Re8 (diagram) 13.Ng5!
Also 13.Nh4 will work. The idea is to trap the black
queen. 13...Nfd7 14.Bf3 Qh6 15.Nge4 and Black
resigned. The knight on c5 is falling. 1–0
H.Lopez Rodriguez (2175) – F.Garcia Gonzalez
(2002) Asturias Team ch 2001
2.20
1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 c5 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.0–0 0–0 6.d4
d5 7.cxd5 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Nxd5 9.Nc3 Nxc3 10.bxc3
e5 11.Nb5 (diagram) 11...a6?? A terrible move.
Black may have been playing on autopilot and mixed
something up because the refutation is not difficult to
spot. After 11...Qa5 12.Rb1, White had decent
pressure but nothing that will cause Black to lose
right away. 12.Qxd8! Rxd8 13.Nc7 Ra7 14.Be3 The
rook is trapped. 14...Nc6 15.Bxc6 Black resigned. 1–
0
M.Litinskaya (2402) – I.Blagonadezhnaya (2026)
World ch Seniors Women (Naumburg) 2002
Exercises 2.21-2.24
2.21 2.22
Black to move – should he White to move – how about
win the c5-pawn back with … Ba3?
Bd4?
2.23 2.24
White to move – should he White to move – can White

exchange on e5? take advantage of Black’s
queen being awkwardly
placed on e8 by playing Nb5?
Solutions 2.21-2.24
2.21
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Nf3 d5 5.cxd5 Nxd5
6.Bg2 0–0 7.0–0 c5 8.dxc5 Na6 9.Ng5 Ndb4 10.Qa4
(diagram) 10...Bd4 11.Nc3! Also the more natural
pinning move 11.Rd1! would set up major problems
for Black. 11...Bd7 12.Qb3 Black has a lot of loose
pieces and getting all of them home safely is far from
easy. 12...h6?! 13.Rd1 Bg7 14.c6 Or 14.a3 Nc6
15.Qxb7 Nxc5 16.Qb5 and White has a decisive
advantage. 14...bxc6 15.a3 Nd5 and Black resigned
at the same time. This is premature but after 15...Nd5
16.Nxd5 hxg5 17.Nb4 Nxb4 18.axb4, White has a
large advantage. 1–0
D.Schwarz (2257) – K.Yap (2406) Union City 2018
2.22
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.cxd5 Nxd5
6.g3 c5 7.Bg2 Nxc3 8.bxc3 Nc6 9.e3 0–0 10.0–0 Bg4
11.Qc2 Rc8 (diagram) 12.Ba3?? A bad oversight,
simply not accounting for Black's straight-forward
response. After 12.dxc5 Qa5 13.Nd4 Qxc5, Black has
the better chances but White is still fighting.
12...cxd4! Ouch! 13.Rad1 After 13.exd4 Black plays
13...Bxf3 14.Bxf3 Nxd4 with a decisive advantage.
13...Qa5 14.Qb3 dxc3 15.Rd7 Bxd7 and White
resigned. 0–1
S.Hein – C.Hess (2291) Solingen 2003
2.23
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.c4 Bg7 4.g3 0–0 5.Bg2 d5
6.cxd5 Nxd5 7.0–0 Nb6 8.Na3 Nc6 9.Nc2 Bf5 10.e3
e5 (diagram) 11.dxe5 and White resigned at the
same time. After 11.dxe5 Qxd1 12.Rxd1 Bxc2, he has
lost a piece. 0–1
U.Goy (2215) – D.Puth Cologne 1993
2.24
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.c4 0–0 5.Nc3 d5
6.cxd5 Nxd5 7.0–0 Nb6 8.d4 Nc6 9.d5 Na5 10.Qc2
c6 11.dxc6 Nxc6 12.Rd1 Qe8 (diagram) 13.Nb5??
Tempting because of the threat of playing Nc7 but
ultimately very bad. After 13.Be3 Bf5 14.Qc1, the
chances would have been about even. 13...Nb4! A
counterthreat of the nasty kind. The knight on b5 is
hanging. 14.Qc5 Na6 and facing the loss of a piece,
White resigned. 0–1 A.Krol (2115) – A.Pikulinski
(2155) Polish U18 ch (Brzeg Dolny) 1995
Exercises 2.25-2.28
2.25 2.26
White to move – is d4-d5 a White to move – Bf4 or Bg5?

good idea?
2.27 2.28
White to move – he would White to move – is dxc5

like to play b2-b3 to get the worth considering?
dark-squared bishop into
play; is that a good idea?
Solutions 2.25-2.28
2.25
6.Nf3 Nb6 7.0–0 Nc6 8.e3 0–0 9.Nc3 Re8 10.a3 Be6
11.Qc2 Bf5 12.Qe2 e5 (diagram) 13.d5?? White is
already in difficulties, but the text move only makes
matters worse. However, also 13.Qd1 exd4 14.Nxd4
Nxd4 15.exd4 Bxd4 16.Bxb7 Bh3 is better for Black.
13...Nd4! 14.Nxd4 exd4 15.Nb5 a6 and White
resigned because after 16.Nxd4 Bxd4, he would be
losing a piece. 0–1
A.Hönick (2130) – U.Tuncer (2318) Schwäbisch
Gmünd 2015
2.26
1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.cxd5 Nxd5 4.g3 g6 5.Bg2 Nb6
6.Nf3 Bg7 7.0–0 0–0 8.d4 Nc6 9.e3 e5 10.dxe5 Nxe5
11.e4 Bg4 12.Qe2 Qf6 (diagram) 13.Bg5?? A
simple blunder. Also 13.Bf4 looks like a losing move
after 13...Nxf3+ 14.Bxf3 Bxf3 15.Qxf3 g5, but White
can extricate himself with 16.e5 Qf5 17.Qh5 h6
18.Be3 when White has some but ultimately
inadequate compensation for the lost pawn.
13...Nxf3+! Removing the piece that protects the
bishop on g5. White resigned.
0–1
J.Buscio – R.Bellin Wolrd ch U20 (Athens) 1971
2.27
1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.cxd5 Nxd5 4.g3 g6 5.Bg2 Nb6
6.Nf3 Bg7 7.0–0 0–0 8.d4 Nc6 9.e3 e5 10.dxe5 Nxe5
11.Qc2 c6 (diagram) 12.b3?? It looks perfectly
normal but has a tactical flaw. After the better option
12.Nxe5 Bxe5 13.e4, White can play for an edge but
objectively, the chances are about even. 12...Nxf3+
White resigned. After 13.Bxf3 Qf6, White loses a
piece. 0–1
A.Freiberger – R.Wahrenberg (2090) Bad Zwesten
1999
2.28
1.d4 g6 2.g3 Bg7 3.Bg2 Nf6 4.Nf3 d5 5.0–0 0–0 6.c4
dxc4 7.Na3 c3 8.bxc3 c5 9.e3 Nc6 10.Nc4 Be6
11.Nfe5 Nxe5 12.Nxe5 Nd5 13.Bb2 Nb6 (diagram)
14.dxc5?? A peculiar decision. After 14.Nd3 cxd4
15.cxd4 Bd5 16.Bxd5 Qxd5 17.Qb3, White can even
play for an advantage. 14...Qxd1 and White resigned,
realizing that after 14...Qxd1 15.Rfxd1 Na4 16.Nd3
Rad8, he will be losing material.
0–1
H.Kreindl (2182) – M.Luch (2383) Zalakaros 2008
Exercises 2.29-2.32
2.29 2.30

play …Be6?
2.31 2.32
Black to move – can he Blac to move – the e7-pawn

consider …Ne5? is threatened, should he
protect it with …Re8?
Solutions 2.29-2.32
2.29
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.c4 Bg7 4.g3 0–0 5.Bg2 d5 6.0–0
dxc4 7.Na3 c5 8.Nxc4 Nc6 9.dxc5 Ne4 10.Be3
(diagram) 10...Be6?! Not the best, but in fairness,
Black's position is already difficult, having a hard
time recovering the c5–pawn. After 10...Qxd1
11.Raxd1 Be6 12.Nfe5 Nxe5 13.Nxe5 Nxc5 14.Bxc5
Bxe5 15.b3, White is winning a pawn. 11.Qc2 Bf5?
Overlooking White's effective response. 12.g4!
Winning a piece. Black resigned. 1–0
S.Rosberg (2011) – G.Agnello (2139) Siracusa 2006
2.30
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nf3 Bg7 4.g3 0–0 5.Bg2 d5 6.0–0
dxc4 7.Qc2 Nc6 8.Rd1 a5 9.Qxc4 Be6 10.Qa4 Nb4
11.Na3 (diagram) 11...c6! The white queen is short
on squares and is now in danger of getting trapped
with ...b7–b5. 12.Re1 Bxa2?! Black could have
played even stronger with 12...Ne4! 13.Bf4 (or
13.Be3 Bxa2 14.Qd1 Bd5 and Black has a decisive
advantage) 13...Bxd4 14.Nxd4 Qxd4 15.Be3 Qe5 and
Black is winning. 13.Qd1 Or 13.e4 Be6 14.Qd1 Bg4
15.Nc4 Nd7 and Black is simply a pawn up. 13...Bd5
14.Bf4 a4 15.Nb1 Bb3 White resigned as he will lose
more material. 0–1
J.Stehlik (2025) – P.Svana (2258) Slovakia Team ch
2012
2.31
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 d5 5.c4 0–0 6.0–0
dxc4 7.Qc2 Nfd7 8.Na3 Nb6 9.Nxc4 Nc6 10.Nxb6
axb6 11.Rd1 Bg4 12.d5 (diagram) 12...Ne5??
Sloppy play, but the better option is honestly not that
attractive either, for instance, 12...Nb4 13.Qc4 Bxf3
14.Bxf3 Nc6 15.Bg2 Ne5 16.Qb3 when White has
the bishop pair and a space advantage. 13.Nxe5 Bxe5
14.Qe4! with a dual threat on Black's bishops of
which one will fall. Black resigned. 1–0
E.Trumic (2295) – S.Bajric (2349) Tuzla 2006
2.32
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.0–0 0–0 5.d4 d5 6.c4
dxc4 7.Na3 c3 8.bxc3 Bf5 9.Ne5 Qc8 10.Qb3 c6
11.Nac4 Nbd7 12.Ba3 (diagram) 12...Re8?? Black
is not paying properly attention. After 12...Nxe5
13.Nxe5 Be6 14.Qb2 Re8, White would be a bit
better, but Black is solid and still fully in the game.
13.Nxf7! Be6 The knight can, of course, not be
captured: 13...Kxf7 14.Ne5+ Kf8 15.Qf7#. 14.Ng5
and Black resigned. 1–0
R.Andreoli (2145) – F.Madiai (2044) Bratto 2007
Exercises 2.33-2.36
2.33 2.34
Black to move – Black is Black to move – how about

considering …Ba6, attacking …a7-a5?
White’s queen.
2.35 2.36
White to move – the rook on Black to move – is the pawn
f2 is under attack, should he on d4 eatable?
play Qe2?
Solutions 2.33-2.36
2.33
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 0–0 5.0–0 d5 6.c4
dxc4 7.Na3 c3 8.bxc3 c5 9.Bb2 Nc6 10.e3 Qa5
11.Nd2 Nd7 12.Qe2 Qa4 13.Nb3 b6 14.Rfd1
(diagram) 14...Ba6?? Overlooking that his own
queen is overburdened. 14...Bb7 was the way to go,
even if White is comfortably better when playing
15.d5 followed by c3–c4. 15.Bxc6! Black resigned as
he loses material. 1–0
R.Kasimdzhanov (2565) – A.Cherniaev (2465)
Wijk aan Zee 1998
2.34
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 d5 5.c4 0–0 6.0–0
dxc4 7.Na3 c5 8.Nxc4 Nc6 9.dxc5 Ne4 10.Be3 Qc7
11.Rc1 Rd8 12.Qa4 Bd7 13.Bf4 Qc8 14.Qa3
(diagram) 14...a5?? A dreadful move that weakens
way too much. But also after 14...Bh3 White would
be much better. 15.Nb6 Trapping Black's queen.
Black resigned. 1–0
A.Horvath (2260) – T.Szakall (2125) Budapest 1997
2.35
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.c4 Bg7 4.g3 0–0 5.Bg2 c6 6.0–0
d5 7.Nc3 dxc4 8.a4 Nbd7 9.e4 e5 10.dxe5 Ng4 11.e6
fxe6 12.Ng5 Nxf2 13.Rxf2 Qb6 (diagram)
14.Qe2?? A terrible mistake. With 14.Nf3, White
would have been easily winning. 14...Rxf2 15.Qxc4
Here White realized that 15.Qxf2 would be met by
15...Bd4, winning the queen. 15...Rc2+ and White
resigned. 0–1
R.Bayon Fernandez (2226) – J.Baena (2153)
Spanish Team ch (Cala Galdana) 1999
2.36
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.c4 Bg7 4.g3 c6 5.Bg2 d5 6.Qb3
0–0 7.0–0 Ne4 8.Nc3 b6 9.Ne5 dxc4 10.Qxc4 Ba6
11.Qb3 (diagram) 11...Qxd4?? Black should have
played 11...Nxc3 although 12.Qxc3 Bb7 13.Bf4 is
much better for White. 12.Nf3! Black resigned as he
loses a piece and 12...Nc5 is met by 13.Nxd4 Nxc5
14.Nxb3!. 1–0
V.Borovikov (2601) – G.Lorscheid (2326)
Rethymnon 2010
Exercises 2.37-2.40
2.37 2.38
Black to move – time to get Black to move

the knight on b8 in to play,
right?
2.39 2.40
White to move – what is best Black to move – can he play
Rxd5 or Qxc4? …Ne4?
Solutions 2.37-2.40
2.37
1.c4 Nf6 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 d5 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.d4 0–0 6.0–0
c6 7.Na3 a6 8.Bf4 Bf5 9.Qb3 b5 10.cxb5 cxb5
11.Rfc1 Ra7 12.Nc2 (diagram) 12...Nbd7?? Natural
but very bad. It is crucial for Black to keep the c6–
square guarded. Therefore, 12...e6 13.Nb4 Nfd7 was
best even if White has a clear advantage. 13.Nb4!
Black resigned. The invasion of Black's position will
be a painful experience for Black, for instance,
13.Nb4 Qe8 (Nothing else works either: 13...Nb8
14.Bxb8 Qxb8 15.Nc6 or 13...Qa8 14.Nc6 Rb7
15.Nxe7+ or 13...Rb7 14.Nxa6, in all cases with a
decisive advantage for White.) 14.Qa3 (threatening
Nc6) 14...Nb6 15.b3 Nc8 16.Qa5 and White has a
positional won position. 1–0 G.Hertneck (2440) –
M.Fette (2300) Berlin West 1986
2.38
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 g6 5.0–0 Bg7 6.c4
0–0 7.Qc2 c6 8.Nbd2 Nbd7 9.e4 dxe4 10.Nxe4 Nxe4
11.Qxe4 c5 12.Rd1 cxd4 13.Nxd4 (diagram)
13...Nc5! White resigned as he loses a piece. After
13...Nc5 14.Qe3 e5, the knight is pinned and will fall.
0–1
D.Pudovkin (2324) – T.Lakerbaya (2086)
Belorechensk 2009
2.39
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.0–0 0–0 6.c4
c6 7.Nc3 dxc4 8.a4 a5 9.e4 Nbd7 10.Qe2 Nb6
11.Rd1 Ne8 12.d5 cxd5 13.Nxd5 Nxd5 (diagram)
14.Qxc4?? White should have played 14.Rxd5 Qc7
15.Bf4 e5 16.Bxe5 Bxe5 17.Rxe5 with slightly better
chances for White. By playing the text move, White
overlooked something simple... 14...Nb6! Taking the
knight out of the pin by attacking the white queen.
White is now down a piece without compensation.
15.Qb3 Be6 White resigned. 0–1 K.Romanowski
(2240) – Wl.Schmidt (2440) Polanica Zdroj 1993
2.40
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.d4 d5 5.0–0 0–0 6.c4
c6 7.b3 Re8 8.Bb2 Nbd7 9.Nbd2 (diagram)
9...Ne4? 9...a5 is normal and best. The text move is
impatient and gives Black long-term problems.
10.Nxe4 dxe4 11.Ng5! Attacking the weak e4–pawn.
11...f5? Black tries to hang on to the pawn but ends
up making more weaknesses. It would have been best
to give up the pawn with 11...e5 12.Nxe4 exd4
13.Bxd4 when White obviously is just better. 12.Ne6
Now the Black queen is also in trouble. 12...Qb6
13.c5 Qa5 14.a3 Rb8 15.b4 Black resigned. After
15...Qb5, White would play 16.Rc1, threatening Nc7,
trapping the black queen. 1–0
A.M.Hamdouchi (2325) – I.M.Khouri (2062) Abu
Dhabi 2005
Exercises 2.41-2.44
2.41 2.42
White to move – can he White to move
capture on e4?
2.43 2.44

…Qb4?
Solutions 2.41-2.44
2.41
1.c4 g6 2.g3 Bg7 3.Bg2 Nf6 4.Nf3 c6 5.d4 d5 6.b3
0–0 7.0–0 a6 8.Nbd2 Ne4 (diagram) 9.Nxe4? White
has clearly not thought the position that arises after
the exchange. After the better 9.Bb2 White would
have been slightly better. 9...dxe4 10.Ne5? Making
matters worse but also 10.Ng5 Qxd4 is much better
for Black. 10...f6 Ouch, the knight is trapped.
11.Bxe4 fxe5 12.d5 cxd5 13.cxd5 Bf5 and White
resigned. 0–1
D.Moreno Gracia (2101) – M.Huerga Leache
(2310) Aviles 2006
2.42
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.g3 Bg7
6.Bg2 c6 7.Nf3 0–0 8.0–0 Nd7 9.Qb3 Qb6 10.Nxd5
cxd5 11.Qxd5 Rd8 12.Qc4 h6 (diagram) 13.Bf4!
The c7–square is White's target for invasion into
Black's position. The text move not only threatens
Bc7, it also clears the c-file for the rooks. 13...Qxb2?
Also 13...Qc6 fails to impress: 14.Qb4 (or 14.Qxc6
bxc6 15.Rac1 Bb7 16.Rfd1 with a large positional
advantage for White) 14...Nf6 15.Qxe7 Re8 16.Qb4
and White has a large advantage. 14.Rfb1 Nb6 Or
14...Qa3 15.Rb3 Qa5 16.Bc7 and Black can resign.
15.Qc7 and Black resigned. 1–0
J.Kozma – C.Damele Reggio Emilia 1965
2.43
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nf3 Bg7 4.g3 0–0 5.Bg2 c6 6.0–0
d5 7.cxd5 cxd5 8.Ne5 e6 9.f4 Nfd7 10.Be3 Qb6
11.Qd2 Nc6 12.Bf2 (diagram) 12...Qb4?? Black
could have kept White's advantage to a minimum
with 12...Nf6 13.Nc3 Ne7. 13.Nxc6! Qxd2 14.Ne7+
Black resigned as she would be down a piece. White's
last move is probably what Black had failed to
account for. 1–0
A.Meleshko (2227) – J.Gromova (2195) Russian
Team ch women (Sochi) 2006
2.44
1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.d4 Nf6 5.0–0 0–0 6.c4
c6 7.cxd5 cxd5 8.Ne5 Bf5 9.Nc3 Nc6 10.e3 Rc8
11.h3 Ne4 12.Nxe4 Nxe5 13.Nc3 Nd3 (diagram)
14.g4! Be4 Or 14...Nxc1 15.gxf5 and the knight on
c1 is without retreat squares. 15.f3 The bishop is
trapped and Black resigned. 1–0
C.Foisor (2386) – M.Mateus (2318) Istanbul ol
women 2000
Exercises 2.43-2.46
2.45 2.46
2.47 2.48
White to move – how about Black to move

Bd2?
Solutions 2.43-2.46
2.45
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Bg5 Bg7 5.e3 c5 6.cxd5
Nxd5 7.Bb5+ Nc6 8.Nge2 (diagram) 8...Nxc3!
9.bxc3 Or 9.Nxc3 cxd4 10.exd4 Qxd4 and White has
lost a pawn for nothing. 9...Qd5! The point behind
the previous move: Black has dual threats against the
bishop on g5 and the pawn on g2. 10.Bh4? Making
matters worse. 10...cxd4 11.Bxc6+ bxc6 12.0–0 dxc3
13.Qa4 Qb5 14.Qa3 g5 15.Nxc3 Qa6! and White
resigned as he will now also lose a piece. 0–1
V.Kovacevic (2218) – R.Moor (2337) Swiss Team
ch 2009
2.46
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Bg5 Ne4 5.Bh4 c5 6.e3
Qa5 7.Qb3 Nc6 8.Nf3 cxd4 9.exd4 Bg7??
(diagram) 10.cxd5! Dual threat to the knights on c6
and e4 respectively. Black, however, had seen this
and planned to meet it as follows... 10...Nxc3 11.bxc3
Bxd4 12.Rc1! The move Black had overlooked.
Black has to move the knight on c6 and the bishop on
d4 falls. Black resigned. 1–0
S.Gligoric (2600) – K/Langeweg (2425) Amsterdam
1971
2.47
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.e3 Bg7 5.Qb3 e6 6.Qa3
a5 7.Nf3 c6 (diagram) 8.Bd2?? Overlooking Black's
threat. Both 8.b3; and 8.Nd2 would have been fine
for White, leading to fairly even play. 8...dxc4!
9.Bxc4 b5 The point behind Black's previous moves.
The bishop has to move and if it retreats, the Black
pushes the b-pawn to b4, forking the queen and
knight. White could have resigned at this point but
carries on a bit longer. 10.Nxb5 cxb5 11.Bxb5+ Bd7
12.Be2 Nc6 13.0–0 Qe7 14.Qxe7+ Kxe7 and White
finally resigned. 0–1
K.Neumeier (2248) – P.Schreiner (2427) Oberwart
2012
2.48
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Qb3 dxc4 5.Qxc4 Bg7
6.Bf4 c6 7.Bxb8? Rxb8 8.e3 0–0 9.Nf3 Be6 10.Qd3
Qa5 11.Nd2 b5 12.b3 (diagram) 12...Rfd8! Black
could also have played 12...Rbd8!? with the same
idea as in the game or; 12...c5! 13.Nxb5 Rfc8, when
Black threatens all sorts of things including ...Bf5
followed by ...a7–a6, winning the knight on b5. 13.a4
Bf5! Since the knight on c3 has to remain protected,
the answer is more or less forced... 14.e4 Nxe4!
15.Ncxe4 Rxd4! and White resigned; 16...Rxe4+ is
going to hurt a lot. 0–1
A.Wersching (2104) – A.Szeberenyi (2411)
Hungarian ch (Zalakaros) 2001
Exercises 2.49-2.52
2.49 2.50
2.51 2.52
Black to move – Black is Black to move – is this the

considering …Nb4, is that a right time to play …c7-c6?
good idea?
Solutions 2.49-2.52
2.49
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Bf4 Bg7 5.e3 c5 6.dxc5
Qa5 7.Rc1 dxc4 8.Bxc4 Qxc5?? (diagram) 9.Nb5!
After this move, Black is already lost. She may have
counted on the next two moves to save herself, but
they don't. Interestingly, the position after Black's 8th
move has been reached more than sixty times, but
only in just over half of those games did White
continue with the winning move. 9...Qb4+ 10.Kf1!
10.Ke2! is just as good. 10...Na6 The c7–square is
guarded and it looks like everything is fine for
Black... 11.a3! Qa5 12.Bc7! Or 12.Nc7+ with the
same idea, e.g., 12...Nxc7 13.Bxc7 Qxc7 14.Bxf7+,
winning the queen. Black chose to resign instead of
playing on in a hopeless position. 1–0
I.Novikov (2601) – J.Shahade (2341) New York
2002
2.50
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Bf4 Bg7 5.e3 c5 6.dxc5
Qa5 7.Qb3 Na6 8.cxd5 Nxd5 (diagram) 9.Qb5+!
Ouch! White kills the pin on the knight and suddenly
Black's game plan falls apart. 9...Qxb5 10.Bxb5+
Bd7 11.Bxd7+ Kxd7 12.Nxd5 Bxb2 13.Rd1 Black
resigned. 1–0
D.Kubecka (2293) – M.Voracek (2227) Czech Team
ch 2008
2.51
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Bf4 Bg7 5.Rc1 0–0 6.e3
c5 7.dxc5 Be6 8.Nge2 Nc6 9.cxd5 Bxd5 10.Bg5
(diagram) 10...Nb4?? Right idea, bad execution.
Black should have played 10...Bc4 11.Nf4 Bxf1
12.Bxf6 Bxf6 13.Qxd8 Rfxd8 14.Rxf1 Be5 with
adequate play for the pawn. 11.Bxf6!? 11.a3! is even
stronger, e.g., 11...Bxg2 (or 11...Nc6 12.Bxf6)
12.Bxg2 Nd3+ 13.Kf1 and White is winning.
11...Bxf6 12.a3 Na2 This makes matters worse, but
even the better 12...Bxc3+ does not work particularly
for Black: 13.Nxc3 (or 13.Rxc3 Na6 14.Nf4 with a
large advantage for White) 13...Na2 14.Nxa2 Bxa2
15.Be2 and White has an extra pawn and an obvious
advantage. 13.Nxd5 Bxb2 14.Rc2 and Black
resigned. 1–0
W.Heinig (2315) – W.Schlemermeyer (2380) Berlin
1990
2.52
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.Bd2 Bg7
6.e4 Nb6 7.Bd3 0–0 8.Be3 Nc6 9.Nf3 e5 10.d5 Ne7
11.Bc5 Re8 12.Qb3 (diagram) 12...c6?? Black could
have played 12...Nexd5 13.exd5 e4 14.Nxe4 f5,
winning the piece back with a messy position and
double-edged play. 13.d6! Ouch! The knight on e7 is
trapped. Black resigned. 1–0
T.Kononenko (2442) – P.Schnitzer (2182) Sitges
2005
Exercises 2.53-2.56
2.53 2.54
Black to move Black to move – let’s attack
White’s center with …c6-c5!
2.55 2.56
White to move Black to move – can he

capture the pawn on c3?
Solutions 2.53-2.56
2.53
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.Na4 e5
6.dxe5 Nc6 7.e4 Ndb4 8.Bb5?? (diagram)
8...Qxd1+! Black gets out of the pin and reaches a
winning position by force. 9.Kxd1 Bg4+ 10.f3 0–0–
0+ 11.Ke2 Nd4+ and White resigned. 0–1
I.Pozsonyi (2117) – G.Telek (2176) Nyiregyhaza
2004
2.54
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3
6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Bb5+ c6 8.Ba4 0–0 9.Ne2 b5 10.Bb3
(diagram) 10...c5?? A bad blunder that has been
played several times. Instead, Black should have
played 10...Bb7 with chances to both sides. 11.Bd5!
Winning material. Black resigned. 1–0
I.Umanskaya (2305) – G.Heinatz (2235) Dresden
1993
2.55
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.Qb3
Nb6 6.d4 Be6 7.Qc2 Nc6 (diagram) 8.e4! Bg4?
Logical but a mistake that has been played several
times. Instead, Black should have played 8...Nb4
even if that too scores heavily in White's favor. 9.d5
Nb4? Making matters even worse. Obviously,
9...Nb8? 10.Ne5 Bc8 11.Bf4 Bg7 12.Rd1 looks
disgusting for Black. 10.Qb3 Bxf3 Or 10...Na6
11.Ne5 Bd7 12.Be3 and White has a positionally won
position. 11.gxf3 Na6 12.Bb5+ Now Black loses
material as well. 12...Nd7 13.Bxd7+ Qxd7 14.Qxb7
Qc8 15.Qb5+ and Black resigned. 1–0
R.Müller (2411) – F.Müller (2149) Bad Wiessee
2011
2.56
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.c4 Bg7 4.Nc3 d5 5.cxd5 Nxd5
6.e4 Nxc3 7.bxc3 c5 8.Rb1 Qa5 9.Rb5 (diagram)
9...Qxc3+?? Not a good idea. After 9...Qxa2 10.Rxc5
Nd7 Black is still quite alive. 10.Bd2 Qa3 11.Qc2!
This queen move is probably what Black had failed
to properly account for. Black's queen is in dire
straits. 11...Nc6? 11...c4 was necessary even though
12.Bxc4 Nc6 13.d5 Ne5 14.Nxe5 Bxe5 15.0–0 is
terrible to look at for Black. 12.Rb3 Qa4 13.Bb5
Black resigned as the queen is trapped. 1–0
D.Suhl (2245) – R.Vogel (2305) German League
1996
Exercises 2.57-2.60
2.57 2.58
2.59 2.60

Solutions 2.57-2.60
2.57
6.e4 Nxc3 7.bxc3 0–0 8.Be3 Nc6 9.Qd2 b6 10.Bh6
Bb7 (diagram) 11.h4! This is the way to go. Black
has very few defenders on the kingside and his ability
to generate counterplay is rather limited due to the
somewhat passive set-up with ...Nc6, ...b6, and
...Bb7. 11...Qd7? Black's best chances is the ugly
11...f6 12.Bxg7 Kxg7 13.h5 g5 14.d5 Na5 15.Nd4
when White is much better. 12.h5 Qg4?! 13.Rh4!
Qe6 14.Bxg7 Kxg7 15.d5 and Black resigned. 1–0
M.Kaniansky (2199) – T.Szegi (2246) Slovakia
Team ch 2011
2.58
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3
6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Bc4 0–0 8.Ne2 Nc6 9.0–0 b6 10.Rb1
Bb7 11.Bg5 Qd6 12.e5 (diagram) 12...Nxe5!
13.dxe5? White should have accepted that he lost a
pawn by playing 13.Bb3, after the text move, it
quickly gets much worse. 13...Qc6 and White
resigned which is way premature. A possible
continuation could have been 13...Qc6 14.Bxf7+
Rxf7 15.f3 Bxe5 16.Be3 Qd6 when Black has an
extra pawn and the bishop pair. 0–1
J.Norri (2325) – P.Kekki (2275) Helsinki 1991
2.59
1.Nf3 c6 2.c4 d5 3.d4 Nf6 4.Nc3 g6 5.cxd5 cxd5
6.Bf4 a6 7.h3 Bg7 8.e3 0–0 9.Be2 Nc6 10.0–0 b6
11.Ne5 Bb7 12.Nxc6 Bxc6 (diagram) 13.Qb3!
Black's soft spot are the dark squares on the
queenside along with bad light-squared bishop.
13...e6 14.Rfc1! Re8? Unnecessary and bad. Black
needed to play better defense. The better choice was
14...Bd7 although 15.a4 is just frustratingly bad for
Black. 15.Nd1! and Black resigned. There are just
many weaknesses to cover them all and right now,
things are just falling apart. 1–0
T.Nyback (2483) – R.Lahaye (2273) Hengelo 2003
2.60
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Qa4+ Bd7
6.Qb3 dxc4 7.Qxc4 0–0 8.e4 Nc6 9.e5 Ng4 10.Bf4
Na5 11.Qe2 Be6 (diagram) 12.h3! The best but also
12.d5! wins for White, e.g., 12...Bxd5 13.Rd1 e6
14.h3 Nh6 15.Nxd5 exd5 16.Qd2 and White is
winning. 12...Bc4 Or 12...Nh6 13.Qd2 Nf5 14.d5 Bd7
15.g4 and Black is losing a piece. 13.Qd2 Bxf1
14.Kxf1 Nc4 15.Qe2 and Black, losing a piece,
resigned. 1–0
S.Namgilov (2430) – A.Palosz (2220) Polanica Zdroj
1998
Exercises 2.61-2.64
2.61 2.62
2.63 2.64
White to move Black to move – the pawn on

d5 is threatened, is …e7-e6
the way to go?
Solutions 2.61-2.64
2.61
6.Qb3 Nb6 7.Bf4 a5 (diagram) 8.Nb5! Nd5? Black
should have played 8...e5 to stay in the game, but
9.Bxe5 Bxe5 10.Nxe5 is obviously better for White.
9.Qxd5! Black, losing a piece due to the fork on c7,
resigned. 1–0
P.Murdzia (2435) – G.Murawski (2210) Polish U20
ch (Biala Podlaska) 1994
2.62
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.cxd5 Nxd5
6.Bd2 Nxc3 7.Bxc3 c5 8.d5 Bxc3+ 9.bxc3 0–0
10.Qd2 Qd6 11.e4 e6 12.Qh6 f6 (diagram) 13.e5!
Qxd5 Or 13...Qe7 14.d6 Qg7 15.Qe3 with a large
advantage for White. 14.exf6! Nd7?? Losing on the
spot but 14...Rxf6 15.Rd1 Qf5 16.Bb5 is
overwhelmingly better for White. 15.Qg7# 1–0
J.Deepan Chakkravarthy (2461) – R.M.Perez
(2314) Philadelphia 2012
2.63
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Qa4+ c6
6.cxd5 Nxd5 7.e4 Nb6 8.Qa3 Bg4 9.Ne5 Be6 10.Be3
N8d7 11.Nxd7 Qxd7 (diagram) 12.d5! cxd5
13.Bxb6 The point behind the previous move. The
rook is unguarded so ...axb6 is impossible. Having
lost a piece, Black resigned. 1–0
C.Vernay (2339) – L.Schut (2138) Cappelle la
Grande 2009
2.64
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 c6 5.cxd5 cxd5
6.Bf4 Bg7 7.e3 a6 8.h3 0–0 9.Bd3 Nc6 10.Rc1 Bd7
11.0–0 b5 12.Ne5 Rc8 13.Qf3 (diagram) 13...e6??
Natural but very bad. The alternatives were 13...Nxe5
14.Bxe5 e6; and 13...Nb4 14.Bb1 Be6, both leaving
White with the somewhat better chances, which is
much better than the game continuation. 14.Bg5!
Threatening 15.Bxf6 Bxf6 16.Nxd7 Qxd7 17.Qxf6,
winning a piece. 14...Be8 15.Ng4 and Black resigned
as he is losing a piece. 1–0
G.Kende (2214) – L.L.Horvath (2103) Zalakaros
2009
Exercises 2.65-2.68
2.65 2.66
White to move – how should Black to move

the c4-pawn be captured?
2.67 2.68
Black to move Black to move – should he

consider …e7-e5?
Solutions 2.65-2.68
2.65
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.c4 Bg7 4.Nc3 d5 5.Bg5 dxc4
6.e3 Be6 7.Ne5 Nd5 (diagram) 8.Bxc4??
Interestingly, White is already in a fair amount of
trouble, for instance, 8.Nxc4 h6 9.Bh4 c5 and Black
already has a strong initiative. 8...Nxc3 9.bxc3 Bxc4
10.Nxc4 Qd5 This is the problem for White, both the
knight on c4 and the bishop g5 are hanging. 11.Ne5
White has not really solved the problem even though
it could look like it. 11...Bxe5 Even 11...f6 is much
better for Black but the text move is best. 12.dxe5
Qxg2 Another dual threat, this one to h1 and g5.
13.Qa4+ Nc6 and White resigned. 0–1
N.Dobrev (2426) – D.Lalev (2412) Bulgarian Team
ch (Sunny Beach) 2005
2.66
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nf3 Bg7 4.Nc3 d5 5.Bg5 dxc4
6.e3 Be6 7.Nd2 c5 8.dxc5 Nd5 9.Qa4+ Nc6
10.Rc1?? 0–0 11.Bxc4 (diagram) 11...Nxc3!
12.bxc3 Bxc4 13.Nxc4 This has a clear parallel to the
previous example. Note that 13.Qxc4 also quickly
loses for White, e.g., 13...Ne5 14.Qe4 Nd3+ 15.Ke2
Nxc1+ 16.Rxc1 Qd7 and White is toast. 13...Qd5 A
dual threat to g5 and g2. White resigned. 0–1
G.Kecskes (2215) – T.Fogarasi (2455) Kobanya
1992
2.67
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Bg5 dxc4
6.e3 Be6 7.Ne5 Nd5 8.Nxc4 c5 9.Rc1?? (diagram)
This position is given as the final position of the
game which does not make much sense because,
obviously, there is plenty of play left in this position.
That being said, White is already clearly worse. A
possible continuation was 9.Rc1 h6 10.Bh4 cxd4
11.Nb5 (or 11.exd4 Nc6 and the d4–pawn falls)
11...dxe3 12.Nxe3 Qa5+ 13.Qd2 Qxd2+ 14.Kxd2
Na6 15.Nxd5 Bxd5 16.Nc3 Rd8 17.Bb5+ Bc6+ and
Black has a large advantage. 0–1
Z.Milosevic (2279) – D.Kojovic (2412) Vrnjacka
Banja 2008
2.68
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Bg5 Ne4
6.Bh4 Nxc3 7.bxc3 dxc4 8.Qa4+ Nd7 9.Qxc4 c5
10.e3 cxd4 11.cxd4 Qa5+ 12.Nd2 a6 13.Rc1
(diagram) 13...e5?? 13...Nf6 was perfectly fine for
Black. 14.Qxc8+ Ouch! Black resigned. 1–0
L.Picart (2148) – P.Garret (2326) NATO ch
(Hammelburg) 2009
Exercises 2.69-2.72
2.69 2.70
Black to move – can the pawn Black to move – how about
on d4 be captured with the …Be6 to exchange on d5 and
bishop or the queen? then win the pawn on c7?
2.71 2.72
White to move – where White to move

should the bishop go? To e2
or b3?
Solutions 2.69-2.72
2.69
6.cxd5 Nxg5 7.Nxg5 c6 8.dxc6 (diagram)
8...Qxd4?? Missing a tactical shot. Black would have
had a playable position after 8...Nxc6 9.e3 e5. 9.Qb3!
Ouch! Dual threat to f7 and b7. 9...0–0 10.cxb7 Bxb7
11.Qxb7 Rd8 12.Nge4 Black resigned. 1–0
S.Mamedyarov (2607) – V.Belov (2549) European
ch (Istanbul) 2003
2.70
6.cxd5 Nxg5 7.Nxg5 c6 8.dxc6 Nxc6 9.e3 e5 10.d5
Qxg5 11.dxc6 0–0 12.h4 Qe7 13.Nd5 Qd6 14.c7
(diagram) 14...Be6?? Black resigned at the same
time as he spotted White's obvious answer... 14...Be6
15.Nf6+ and the black queen falls. Black should have
played 14...Bd7 although 15.e4 Rfc8 16.Rc1 is
clearly better for White. 1–0
M.Nicoara (2120) – B.Vökler (2370) Groningen
1991
2.71
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Bf4 0–0
6.Rc1 dxc4 7.e4 c5 8.dxc5 Qa5 9.e5 Nfd7 10.Bxc4
Nc6 11.e6 fxe6 12.Be3 Nde5 13.Nxe5 Nxe5
(diagram) 14.Bb3?? White should have played
14.Qe2 with better chances for White. 14...Rd8!
Oops! That will hurt, the e5–knight will make
landfall on d3 on the next move, winning the
exchange. White resigned. 0–1
A.Kapetanovic (2390) – D.Nestorovic (2295)
Belgrade 1990
2.72
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Bf4 c5
6.dxc5 Qa5 7.cxd5 Ne4? (diagram) The main line is
7...Nxd5 but the text move has also been played
several times. 8.Be5! The refutation of Black's idea.
8...Bxe5 9.Nxe5 Nxc5?? Making matters much
worse. After 9...Nxc3 10.Qd2 White has won a pawn
for nothing. 10.Qd4 Nb3 This may have been the
move that Black originally counted on when entering
this variation but it is easily refuted. 11.Qc4! Ouch!
11...Nxa1 12.Qxc8+ Black resigned. 1–0
G.Miralles (2470) – P.Zarrouati (2140) French
Team ch 1991
Exercises 2.73-2.76
2.73 2.74
2.75 2.76

Solutions 2.73-2.76
2.73
2.74
2.75
2.76
Exercises 2.77-2.80
2.77 2.78

White play cxd5?
2.79 2.80

Solutions 2.77-2.80
2.77
2.78
2.79
2.80
Exercises 2.81-2.84
2.81 2.82
2.83 2.84

Solutions 2.81-2.84
2.81
2.82
2.83
2.84
Exercises 2.85-2.88
2.85 2.86
White to move – how should White to move – should he

White capture on e5? With consider Qa4 to exchange the
the pawn or the knight? queen?
2.87 2.88
Solutions 2.85-2.88
2.85
2.86
2.87
2.88
Exercises 2.89-2.92
2.89 2.90
2.91 2.92

Solutions 2.89-2.92
2.89
2.90
2.91
2.92
Exercises 2.93-2.96
2.93 2.94

consider …Qb6 to exchange
the queens?
2.95 2.96
Black to move – is …Nxc5 White to move – should he
intending to follow up with play e5-e6 to tie Black down
…Qa5+, recovering the completely?
piece?
Solutions 2.93-2.96
2.93
2.94
2.95
2.96
2.97 2.98
2.99 2.100

2.97
2.98
2.99
2.100
Chapter 3: The Queen's Indian Defense
Exercises 3.01-3.04
3.01 3.02
Black to move – should he try Black to move

to force the situation in the
center with …Qf6?
3.03 3.04
Black to move – is it time to White to move
play …d7-d6, to follow-up …
Nbd7?
Solutions 3.01-3.04
3.01
3.02
3.03
3.04
Exercises 3.05-3.08
3.05 3.06

exploit the situation and play
Qe4?
3.07 3.08
Black to move Black to move – should Black
try to exchange some pieces
with 1…axb4 2.axb4 Rxa1
3.Rxa1 Nb3?
Solutions 3.05-3.08
3.05
3.06
3.07
3.08
Exercises 3.09-3.12
3.9 3.10
3.11 3.12
Black to move – is …Nxe5 an White to move – should he

option, intending to follow put pressure Black’s d6-pawn
dxe5 with …Nd7? with Bf4?
Solutions 3.09-3.12
3.09
3.10
3.11
3.12
Exercises 3.13-3.16
3.13 3.14
White to move – can White White to move

capture on c7?
3.15 3.16
White to move Black to move – can Black

capture on d4 with his knight
on d4?
Solutions 3.13-3.16
3.13
3.14
3.15
3.16
Exercises 3.17-3.20
3.17 3.18
Black to move – how about White to move – should he

…Ng4 to place a knight on complete his development
e5? with Be2?
3.19 3.20
White to move Black to move – playing for
the dark squares with …Bd6
makes sense, right?
Solutions 3.17-3.20
3.17
3.18
3.19
3.20
Exercises 3.21-3.24
3.21 3.22
White to move – is it time to Black to move

castle? Kingside or
queenside?
3.23 3.24
Black to move – should he White to move – how about
consider …Nd7? g2-g3 to get the bishop
developed to g2?
Solutions 3.21-3.24
3.21
3.22
3.23
3.24
Exercises 3.25-3.28
3.25 3.26
Black to move – how to White to move

recapture on c5? With the
queen or the pawn?
3.27 3.28
White to move – let’s put Black to move - …c6, …Nd7,
pressure on the d6-pawn with or …Nc6?
Bf4, right?
Solutions 3.25-3.28
3.25
3.26
3.27
3.28
Exercises 3.29-3.32
3.29 3.30

…e6-e5, intending to meet
d4-d5 with …Nb8 followed
by …Nbd7?
3.31 3.32
Solutions 3.29-3.32
3.29
3.30
3.31
3.32
Exercises 3.33-3.36
3.33 3.34
White to move Black to move – Should

Black protect the h7-pawn
with …Nf6 or …Nf8?
3.35 3.36
Black to move – is it time to Black to move – How about
play …d7-d5? …Na6?
Solutions 3.33-3.36
3.33
3.34
3.35
3.36
Exercises 3.37-3.40
3.37 3.38
3.39 3.40

Solutions 3.37-3.40
3.37
3.38
3.39
3.40
Exercises 3.41-3.44
3.41 3.42
3.43 3.44

Solutions 3.41-3.44
3.41
3.42
3.43
3.44
Exercises 3.43-3.46
3.45 3.46
White to move – White made White to move

the following calculation:
1.Ne5 Bxe5 2.dxe5 Qg5
3.Qc2 Nxe5 4.Nxe4 with
chances to both sides; what
did he overlook?
3.47 3.48
White to move White to move – the rooks
need to be connected, so Qe2,
right?
Solutions 3.43-3.46
3.45
3.46
3.47
3.48
Exercises 3.49-3.52
3.49 3.50
White to move – will Qf3 be White to move

an option for White?
3.51 3.52

Solutions 3.49-3.52
3.49
3.50
3.51
3.52
Exercises 3.53-3.56
3.53 3.54
3.55 3.56
White to move White to move – how about

Nc6?
Solutions 3.53-3.56
3.53
3.54
3.55
3.56
Exercises 3.57-3.60
3.57 3.58
Black to move – can he play White to move – can he

…d7-d6 to exchange the recover the pawn by
annoying pawn on e5? capturing on d4?
3.59 3.60
capture the bishop on b4?
Solutions 3.57-3.60
3.57
3.58
3.59
3.60
Exercises 3.61-3.64
3.61 3.62
White to move – is Bc3 a Black to move

good option, planning to meet
…Bxc4 with Bxf6?
3.63 3.64
White to move – Black is Black to move – should Black
threatening …Bxf3 and … put White’s center under
Bc6 to pin the knight on b5, is pressure with …d7-d5?
Qd1 a good solution to both
problems?
Solutions 3.61-3.64
3.61
3.62
3.63
3.64
Exercises 3.65-3.68
3.65 3.66
Black to move – Black would White to move

like to recapture on d5 with
the c-pawn, should he
interject …b5-b4 to make it
happen?
3.67 3.68
Black to move – retreat the Black to move
knight to f6 or protect it with
…Re8?
Solutions 3.65-3.68
3.65
3.66
3.67
3.68
Exercises 3.69-3.72
3.69 3.70

consider Nxd5?
3.71 3.72

Solutions 3.69-3.72
3.69
3.70
3.71
3.72
Exercises 3.73-3.76
3.73 3.74
White to move – should he Black to move - …Nf6 or

play Ne5? ...Nxc3?
3.75 3.76

Solutions 3.73-3.76
3.73
3.74
3.75
3.76
Exercises 3.77-3.80
3.77 3.78
White to move – is Qe2 Black to move – how about

something White should …d7-d5?
consider?
3.79 3.80
play …Ne4?
Solutions 3.77-3.80
3.77
3.78
3.79
3.80
Exercises 3.81-3.84
3.81 3.82
3.83 3.84
Black to move – how about Black to move – should he

…Nh5 to follow up with … play …c7-c5 to attack the
f7-f5? White center?
Solutions 3.81-3.84
3.81
3.82
3.83
3.84
Exercises 3.85-3.88
3.85 3.86
Black to move – should Black White to move

play …h7-h6 to get out of the
pin?
3.87 3.88
Black to move – should Black Black to move – Black cannot
capture on c3? move his knight right away
because of Bc3, causing
headaches for Black on the
kingside. Can Black instead
play …Ba6 and if Re1, then
…Bb4?
Solutions 3.85-3.88
3.85
3.86
3.87
3.88
Exercises 3.89-3.92
3.89 3.90
Black to move – how should Black to move – should he

Black capture, with …dxe4 or harass White’s rook with …
…Nxe5 followed by …dxe4? Bb4?
3.91 3.92
White to move Black to move – how about
…Qe7?
Solutions 3.89-3.92
3.89
3.90
3.91
3.92
Exercises 3.93-3.96
3.93 3.94

play …Ne4 or …Nd7?
3.95 3.96

Solutions 3.93-3.96
3.93
3.94
3.95
3.96
3.97 3.98
White to move White to move – the threat of

Black playing …e4-e3,
disrupting White’s pawn
structure looks annoying, so
e2-e3 must be right?
3.99 3.100
White to move Black to move – the normal
move is …Nxc3 followed by
…f7-f5, right?
3.97
3.98
3.99
3.100
3.101 3.102

White reinforce the center
with e2-e3?
3.103 3.104
White to move – is White Black to move – recapture
winning after Nxd5 or is there right away or play …Bc5
something better? first?
3.101
3.102
3.103
3.104
3.105 3.106
White to move – how about White to move – can White

Bf4? play Ng5?
3.107
White to move – can White

play Ng5, intending to meet
…Bxg2 with Nxe6 followed
by Kxg2?
3.105
3.106
3.107
Chapter 4: The Nimzo-Indian Defense
Exercises 4.01-4.04
4.01 4.02
Black to move White to move – white

decided to resign in this
position was that the correct
decision?
4.03 4.04
White to move – how about White to move – how about
Nc1? Nb3 to protect the rook on a1
and kick the queen?
Solutions 4.01-4.04
4.01
4.02
4.03
4.04
Exercises 4.05-4.08
4.05 4.06
White to move White to move – is it time to

grab space in the center with
e2-e4?
4.07 4.08
Black to move – should he Black to move
play …Nc4, intending to
follow-up with …b7-b5 and
play on the light squares?
Solutions 4.05-4.08
4.05
4.06
4.07
4.08
Exercises 4.09-4.12
4.9 4.10
White to move – how about White to move – White is

Nb3 to kick the queen away considering 1.g4, is that a
from a5? good idea?
4.11 4.12
Black to move – can Black Black to move
play 1…Ne4, intending to
meet 2.Qxg7 with 2…Qa5+?
Solutions 4.09-4.12
4.09
4.10
4.11
4.12
Exercises 4.13-4.16
4.13 4.14
White to move – should Black to move – White has

White play Bd3 to attack on doubled c-pawn, can Black
h7? start attacking them with …
Na5?
4.15 4.16
Solutions 4.13-4.16
4.13
4.14
4.15
4.16
Exercises 4.17-4.20
4.17 4.18
Black to move Black to move – should he

consider …g5-g4?
4.19 4.20
White to move – he is Black to move

considering Ne5 to exchange
all the minor pieces, is that a
good idea?
Solutions 4.17-4.20
4.17
4.18
4.19
4.20
Exercises 4.21-4.24
4.21 4.22
Black to move – can Black White to move

safely capture the pawn on
c4?
4.23 4.24
Black to move – White has Black to move – can he
played quite timidly with consider …e6-e5?
Bd2, is it time to grab the
initiative in the center with …
d7-d5?
Solutions 4.21-4.24
4.21
4.22
4.23
4.24
Exercises 4.25-4.28
4.25 4.26
Black to move White to move – here Ne2 or

Bd2?
4.27 4.28
White to move – now Bc1 or Black to move

Bf2?
Solutions 4.25-4.28
4.25
4.26
4.27
4.28
Exercises 4.29-4.32
4.29 4.30
Black to move White to move – now e3-e4?
4.31 4.32
White to move – is Nd4, Black to move

intending to meet …Qxc5
with Ne6 a good idea?
Solutions 4.29-4.32
4.29
4.30
4.31
4.32
Exercises 4.33-4.36
4.33 4.34
White to move – Bh4 or Bd2? White to move – the knight

on d2 should be captured, but
can White capture on g7 first?
4.35 4.36
Black to move – how about Black to move – should he
1…cxd4, intending 2.Bxe4 break the center open with …
dxc3 3.Bc1 c2+ 4.Qd2 Qe5 e6-e5?
with a dual threat on the rook
on a1 and the bishop on e4?
Solutions 4.33-4.36
4.33
4.34
4.35
4.36
Exercises 4.37-4.40
4.37 4.38
White to move White to move – Ng3 or

Kd2?
4.39 4.40

…d7-d5?
Solutions 4.37-4.40
4.37
4.38
4.39
4.40
Exercises 4.41-4.44
4.41 4.42
White to move – how should Black to move – should …b7-

the bishop on c3 be b6 be considered?
recaptured, with the pawn or
the knight?
4.43 4.44
Solutions 4.41-4.44
4.41
4.42
4.43
4.44
Exercises 4.43-4.46
4.45 4.46

…b7-b6?
4.47 4.48
White to move – 0-0 must be White to move – White is

the way to go, right? considering Bg5, intending to
follow-up with Rd1, is that a
good idea?
Solutions 4.43-4.46
4.45
4.46
4.47
4.48
Exercises 4.49-4.52
4.49 4.50

…exd5?
4.51 4.52
White to move Black to move – how to get

the queen safely home from
a1?
Solutions 4.49-4.52
4.49
4.50
4.51
4.52
Exercises 4.53-4.56
4.53 4.54
White to move White to move – he is

considering Ne5, is that a
good idea?
4.55 4.56
Black to move – Black White to move

decided to challenge White in
the center with 1…d5, noting
that after 2.Qa4+ Nc6 3.Qxc6
Bd7 4.Qb7, there would be a
draw by repetition after 4…
Rb8 5.Qxa7 Ra8, but also 4…
Nxe4 may offer more; what
did Black miss in these
calculations?
Solutions 4.53-4.56
4.53
4.54
4.55
4.56
Exercises 4.57-4.60
4.57 4.58

play …Ba6 to attack the soft
c4-pawn?
4.59 4.60
Solutions 4.57-4.60
4.57
4.58
4.59
4.60
Exercises 4.61-4.64
4.61 4.62
4.63 4.64
White to move – how to White to move

recapture on b4?
Solutions 4.61-4.64
4.61
4.62
4.63
4.64
Exercises 4.65-4.68
4.65 4.66
White to move – is Qa4 an White to move – how about

option? e2-e3?
4.67 4.68
Black to move – can Black Black to move – how about

play …Qg6, intending to …e6-e5?
answer Bxf5 with …Qxg2?
Solutions 4.65-4.68
4.65
4.66
4.67
4.68
Exercises 4.69-4.72
4.69 4.70
Black to move – is …Nd4, a White to move

good idea?
4.71 4.72
Black to move – a lot of Black to move – should …e6-

pieces are hanging, how e5 be considered, intending to
should Black best continue? follow-up with …Ng4 when
White captures it with the
pawn, is that a good idea?
Solutions 4.69-4.72
4.69
4.70
4.71
4.72
Exercises 4.73-4.76
4.73 4.74

…exd5?
4.75 4.76
White to move White to move – is Bb5 an

option?
Solutions 4.73-4.76
4.73
4.74
4.75
4.76
Exercises 4.77-4.80
4.77 4.78

…Nxc3?
4.79 4.80
White to move – White is White to move – Bh6 or Bb2?

considering castling
queenside, is that a good
idea?
Solutions 4.77-4.80
4.77
4.78
4.79
4.80
Exercises 4.81-4.84
4.81 4.82
Black to move - …exd5, … Black to move

cxd5, …Nxd5, or …Qxd5?
4.83 4.84
White to move – capture on Black to move – should Black

g7 or is there something play …b7-b5 to open some
better? files on the queenside and get
the light-squared bishop
developed?
Solutions 4.81-4.84
4.81
4.82
4.83
4.84
Exercises 4.85-4.88
4.85 4.86
4.87 4.88
White to move – kick the White to move – how about

knight with e2-e4? h2-h3 to kick that knight on
g4?
Solutions 4.85-4.88
4.85
4.86
4.87
4.88
Exercises 4.89-4.92
4.89 4.90

play …b7-b5, forcing an
exchange of queens?
4.91 4.92
Black to move – how about White to move – should
…Qa5? White consider e2-e4?
Solutions 4.89-4.92
4.89
4.90
4.91
4.92
Exercises 4.93-4.96
4.93 4.94
White to move – is Nb3 the Black to move

right move this time?
4.95 4.96

Solutions 4.93-4.96
4.93
4.94
4.95
4.96
4.97 4.98
Black to move White to move – centralize

the rook with Rfd1, right?
4.99 4.100
Black to move – Black cannot Black to move – how about

capture on f2 because of the …Ne4 to exchange some
nasty Ne4, but how about … pieces?
Nbd7 followed by …Bxf2?
4.97
4.98
4.99
4.100
4.101 4.102
Black to move White to move – is it time to

castle and connect rook?
4.103 4.104

kick the knight back to f6 by
playing h2-h3?
4.101
4.102
4.103
4.104
4.105 4.106

castle or play …Bb7?
4.108 4.108
Black to move – how about Black to move

…Qe7?
4.105
4.106
4.107
4.108
4.109 4.110
White to move – White is Black to move

considering playing cxd5,
intending to play b3-b4; is
that a good idea?
4.111 4.112
White to move – how about Black to move – White
Ba3, intending to follow up threatens to play d5-d6,
with Ne4 with good play? winning the bishop on b7, so
Black should play …d7-d6 to
stop that?
4.109
4.110
4.111
4.112
4.113 4.114
Black to move – Black is Black to move – how about

considering 1…Nxc5, …Qh5?
intending 2.Bxc5 Qc7 3.Bd4
e5, ultimately, winning back
the piece, or is Black missing
something?
4.115 4.116
consider …Qe7?
4.113
4.114
4.115
4.116
4.117 4.118
4.119 4.120
White to move – should the Black to move

g7-pawn be captured?
4.117
4.118
4.119
4.120
4.121 4.122

play …Bc8 to trap the knight
if it captures on g7?
4.123 4.124
White to move – Black’s Black to move – should Black
upcoming attack is beginning consider …b6-b5, combining
to look a little scary; can the threats against the d5-
White diffuse it with Bxe4? pawn and …Qa5+ to recover
the pawn?
4.121
4.122
4.123
4.124
4.125 4.126
Black to move – how about Black to move – is …d7-d5 a

…Nc4? good idea?
4.127 4.128
Black to move – should Black White to move – can White

capture on d4 right away or exploit the situation of the
play …Nc6? rook on a8 by capturing on
d5?
4.125
4.126
4.127
4.128
4.129 4.130
White to move White to move – is Ng3 to

stop the threat against h2 a
good idea?
4.131 4.132
4.129
4.130
4.131
4.132
4.133 4.134
White to move Black to move – can the pawn

on e4 be captured or is there
something better?
4.135 4.136
White to move – is it time to Black to move – how should
castle? Black recapture on f6?
4.133
4.134
4.135
4.136
4.137 4.138
White to move – how about White to move

dxc5 to exchange queen?
4.139 4.140
Black to move – should …f7- White to move

f6 to kick the knight on e5
away?
4.137
4.138
4.139
4.140
4.141 4.142
Black to move – where White to move – should

should the queen go? White castle or is there
something better?
4.143 4.144
Black to move White to move – White is

counting on Qe2, intending to
meet …Qxa1 with Bb2,
trapping the queen.
4.141
4.142
4.143
4.144
4.145 4.146

…Nd5?
4.147 4.148
Black to move – should Black Black to move – is …Bxc3 a

consider …Nd5? good idea?
4.145
4.146
4.147
4.148
Chapter 5: The Bogo-Indian Defense
Exercises 5.01-5.04
5.01 5.02
Black to move – White is White to move

playing on the light squares;
should Black challenge this
by playing …e5-e4?
5.03 5.04
White to move White to move – the pawn on
b4 is vulnerable; is Qd2 a
good idea for White?
Solutions 5.01-5.04
5.01
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 Nc6 3.Nf3 e6 4.g3 Bb4+ 5.Bd2 Qe7
6.Nc3 d6 7.d5 Bxc3 8.Bxc3 Nb8 9.Bg2 0–0 10.0–0
Nbd7 11.dxe6 fxe6 12.b4 e5 13.Nd2 (diagram)
13...e4?? Losing a pawn. 13...Rb8 was a better
choice. 14.Nxe4! Black resigned, which is a bit
premature, but after 14.Nxe4 Nxe4 15.Qd5+ Rf7
16.Qxe4, Black is a pawn down and White has the
bishop pair, a heavy uphill battle to face. 1–0
A. Skytte Hagen (2416) – J. Vang Glud (2520)
Copenhagen 2012
5.02
1.d4 e6 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 Bb4+ 4.Nbd2 0–0 5.a3 Be7
6.e4 d5 7.e5 Nfd7 8.Bd3 c5 9.h4 h6 10.Bb1 Re8
11.Qc2 Nf8 12.dxc5 a5 13.Nf1 Na6 (diagram)
14.Bxh6! Black resigned, which seems surprisingly
early, but White does have a large advantage. A
possible continuation could have been 14.Bxh6! gxh6
15.Qd2 Kg7 16.Ng3 Ng6 17.Nh5+ Kh7 18.Qf4 Rf8
19.Nh2 and White is winning. 1–0
S.Kapnisis (2449) – K.Markidis (2376) Greek Team
ch (Achaia) 2013
5.03
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 Bb4+ 4.Bd2 Qe7 5.Nf3 Nc6
6.Nc3 d6 (diagram) 7.d5! Bxc3 Or 7...exd5 8.Nxd5
Bxd2+ 9.Qxd2 Nxd5 10.cxd5 with a space advantage
and better chances for White. 8.Bxc3 Ne5?! 8...Nb8
would have been a safer choice. 9.Nxe5 dxe5
10.Qa4+ 10.Bg2!? is possibly even stronger. 10...Bd7
11.Qb3 exd5 12.cxd5 Ne4? This makes matters
worse, although 12...Qd6 13.Bg2 leaves White with a
clear advantage. 13.Qxb7 Qc5?? 14.Qxa8+ Ke7
15.d6+ White takes the sting out of Black's hopes
and, therefore, Black resigned. 1–0
M.Tratar (2494) – L.Gostisa (2423) Slovenian ch
(Otocec) 2009
5.04
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.d4 Bb4+ 4.Bd2 a5 5.Nc3 b6
6.g3 Ba6 7.b3 d5 8.cxd5 exd5 9.Bg2 0–0 10.0–0 Re8
11.Re1 Ne4 12.Nxe4 dxe4 13.Bxb4 axb4 14.Ne5
Bb7 (diagram) 15.Qd2?? A dreadful blunder. White
should have played 15.Qc2! Qxd4 16.Qxc7 with a
small edge. 15...Rxe5! Exploiting the pin of White's
d4–pawn and that the queen is unprotected. White
resigned. 0–1
A.Popovics (2423) – J.Ashwin (2473) Heviz 2012
Exercises 5.05-5.08
5.05 5.06
White to move – Black has Black to move
just played …d7-d6 to follow
up with …e6-e5
5.07 5.08
Black to move – Black is Black to move – Should

considering …Na5, planning Black play …a4-a3?
to follow-up with …b7-b6
with …Na5-b7-c5 with nice
control of the dark squares.
Why is it a bad idea?
Solutions 5.05-5.08
5.05
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Bb4+ 4.Bd2 a5 5.g3 0–0
6.Bg2 d6 7.0–0 Re8 (diagram) 8.Bg5! Even 8.Bc1!?
is good but the text move makes more sense. The
point is that the b4–bishop is in imminent danger.
8...d5 Or 8...a4 9.a3 Ba5 10.Qxa4 and White has won
a pawn. 9.c5 a4 10.a3 Ba5 11.Qxa4 c6? 12.b4 Now
White wins a piece. 12...Bc7 13.Qxa8 Na6 14.Nc3
Qe7 15.Rab1 Black resigned. 1–0
S.Hutchings (2320) – D.Johnston Welsh ch 1982
5.06
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Bb4+ 4.Bd2 a5 5.Nc3 0–0
6.e3 d6 7.Qc2 Nbd7 8.Bd3 e5 9.0–0 Re8 10.e4 exd4
11.Nxd4 c6 12.Rae1 Ne5 13.h3 Bc5 14.Be3??
(diagram) 14...Bxh3! White resigned. After
14...Bxh3 15.gxh3 Bxd4 16.Bxd4 Nf3+ 17.Kh1
Nxd4, White has lost a pawn and the kingside is
destroyed. 0–1
K.Spraggett (2550) – V.Smyslov (2595) Candidates
Tournament (Montpellier) 1985
5.07
1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 Bb4+ 4.Bd2 c5 5.Bxb4 cxb4
6.Nbd2 0–0 7.e4 d6 8.Bd3 e5 9.0–0 Nc6 10.d5
(diagram) 10...Na5?! 11.a3! bxa3?? 11...b3 loses a
pawn but was to be preferred. After the text move,
White wins a piece. 12.b4! The move Black had
failed to consider. 12...Nd7 13.Rxa3 Black resigned.
1–0
A.Garcia Luque (2370) – V.Mompo Ballester
(2265) Valencia 1990
5.08
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Bb4+ 4.Bd2 a5 5.g3 d6
6.Bg2 Nbd7 7.0–0 0–0 8.Bf4 a4 9.Qc2 (diagram)
9...a3? 9...Ra6!? is a better idea. 10.bxa3 Bxa3?? It
was necessary to play 10...Ba5, but Black entirely
misses White's next move. 11.Qb3! The bishop is
trapped. Black resigned. 1–0
M.E.Arroyo Salido – M.Arriaran Spanish Team ch
1992
Exercises 5.09-5.12
5.9 5.10
Black to move – White is Black to move – Black is

planning to play Nd3, considering …c7-c6,
harassing the bishop on b4; intending to answer Bf4 with
can Black prevent this with …d6-d5. Is that a good idea?
…e5-e4?
5.11 5.12
White to move Black to move – He is
considering …Nb4 and if
White plays a2-a3, then …
Na2, forcing the exchange of
White’s dark-squared bishop
for Black’s knight. Is this a
good idea?
Solutions 5.09-5.12
5.09
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 Bb4+ 4.Bd2 Qe7 5.Nf3 Nc6
6.Nc3 e5 7.d5 Nd8 8.Bg2 0–0 9.0–0 d6 10.Ne1
(diagram) 10...e4?? Loses a pawn. 11.Nxe4! Nxe4
12.Bxb4 Black resigned, most likely in disgust. 1–0
V.Mikhalevski (2592) – Se.Ruiz (2148) Alajuela
2008
5.10
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 Bb4+ 4.Nd2 0–0 5.Bg2 d6
6.Ngf3 Qe7 7.0–0 e5 8.Nb3 exd4 9.Nfxd4 Rd8
10.Qc2 (diagram) 10...c6? A unnecessary weakness
as ...d6–d5 is, as we will see, a bad idea. After 10...a5
11.a3 Bc5 12.Nf5, White would have a small but
pleasant edge. 11.Bf4! d5? 12.c5 Ouch! The bishop
on b4 is all of a sudden in danger of getting trapped.
12...Na6 13.Rac1 Ne4 This may have been what
Black was counting on but White has a strong reply
that Black may have failed to consider. 14.Bxe4!
Pulling the plug out of Black's counterplay. 14...dxe4
15.Rfd1! Black resigned. White threatens ideas with
a2–a3 and Bd6, which Black could not be bothered
looking at.
1–0 Bao Q (2376) – M.Tratar (2458) Lienz 2017
5.11
1.d4 e6 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 Bb4+ 4.Bd2 Be7 5.Nc3 d5
6.Qc2 b6 7.cxd5 exd5 8.Bf4 Bb7 (diagram) 9.Nb5!
Bb4+? A panic mistake. After 9...Na6 10.Nxc7+
(10.Bxc7 Rc8 is better for Black) 10...Nxc7 11.Bxc7
Rc8 12.Qa4+ Qd7 13.Qxd7+ Kxd7 14.Bf4 Ne4 and
Black has decent compensation for lost/sacrificed
pawn. 10.Kd1! Black resigned which is premature,
but after 10.Kd1! Na6 11.Nxc7+ Nxc7 12.Qa4+ Qd7
13.Qxb4 with an extra pawn and a clear advantage
for White. 1–0
P.A.Toloza Soto (2120) – J.Bustos (2250) Santiago
de Chile 1994
5.12
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 Bb4+ 4.Bd2 Qe7 5.g3 Nc6
6.Nc3 Bxc3 7.Bxc3 Ne4 8.Rc1 0–0 9.d5 (diagram)
9...Nb4?? A dumb mistake. A similar but much
better idea is 9...Qc5 10.e3 Nb4 is close to equal.
10.d6! This cuts of the protection from the knight on
b4. Black resigned. 1–0
A.Veingold (2410) – F.Garcia (2320) Benasque 1995
Exercises 5.13-5.16
5.13 5.14
White to move White to move – the rook on

c1 is threatened, should it go
to a1 or b1?
5.15 5.16
Solutions 5.13-5.16
5.13
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Bb4+ 4.Nbd2 0–0 5.a3 Be7
6.e4 d5 7.e5 Ne4 8.Qc2 Nxd2 9.Bxd2 b6 10.Bd3 h6
11.h4 Re8 (diagram) 12.Rh3! White has several
great alternatives, e.g., 12.0–0–0; or 12.Bh7+! Kh8
13.Ng5 Bxg5 14.hxg5 Nc6 15.Be3 and Black is
busted. 12...Kf8? This loses quickly but also 12...Bb7
runs into nasty mess, for instance, 13.Rg3 Kh8
14.Bxh6 gxh6 15.Qd2 Bf8 16.Qf4 Bg7 17.Ng5 and
Black will not survive for long. 13.Bxh6! gxh6
14.Qd2 Bc5 and Black resigned at the same time. 1–
0
T.Henrichs (2492) – D.Arngrimsson (2376)
Icelandic Team ch (Reykjavik) 2014
5.14
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 Bb4+ 4.Bd2 Be7 5.Bg2 d5
6.Nf3 0–0 7.0–0 c6 8.Qc2 b6 9.Rd1 Bb7 10.b3 Na6
11.Nc3 Rc8 12.Rac1 Ba3 (diagram) 13.Rb1??
White should have played 13.Ra1 when 13...Nb4
14.Qb1 Qe7 leaves White with the better chances.
13...Nb4! Ouch! The white queen is out of squares
and therefore White resigned. 0–1
O.Gavrjushin (2307) – N.Volkov (2165) Russian ch
semifinal (Orsk) 2000
5.15
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 Bb4+ 4.Bd2 Qe7 5.g3 Ne4
6.Bg2 0–0 7.0–0 Nxd2 8.Nbxd2 d6?? (diagram)
9.Nb3! Suddenly, the b4–bishop is in trouble.
9...Nc6? Black could save the bishop with 9...d5
10.c5 b6 11.a3 Ba5 but after 12.Nxa5 bxa5 13.Qa4
Bb7 14.Qxa5 White has won a pawn and a large
advantage. 10.a3 Ba5 11.d5 Black loses a piece and
resigned. 1–0
G.J.De Boer (2385) – I.Meyer Groningen 1989
5.16
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.g3 Bb4+ 5.Bd2 Be7
6.Qb3 0–0 7.Bg2 c6 8.Bb4 dxc4 9.Qxc4 (diagram)
9...Qd5! Ouch! White cannnot capture on d5
because Black interjects ...Bxb4+, winning a piece.
10.Qc3 Ne4 11.Qa3 White's situation is so bad that
the computer actually gives preference to Bxe7,
surrendering the queen. 11...Qc4! A nasty double
threat to the b4–bishop and to deliver checkmate on
c1. White resigned. 0–1
U.Falk (2225) – S.Galdunts (2420) St Ingbert 1994
Exercises 5.17-5.20
5.17 5.18
Black to move Black to move – White has

just played a2-a3, can Black
capture the pawn?
5.19 5.20
Solutions 5.17-5.20
5.17
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Bb4+ 4.Nfd2?! Ne4?! 5.a3?
(diagram) 5...Qf6! Threatening mate on f2 as the
pawn on d4. 6.f3?? This only makes matters worse
but admittedly, the alternative is rather ugly too:
6.Qc2 Bxd2+ 7.Bxd2 Qxf2+ 8.Kd1 Qxd4 9.e3 Qe5
10.Be1 and Black is winning. 6...Qh4+ 7.g3 Nxg3
8.Kf2 Nxh1+ 9.Kg2 Bd6 White could have resigned
at this point, but plays on for a few more moves.
10.f4 Nf2 11.Qe1 Qg4+ 12.Kxf2 Qh4+ White
resigned. 0–1
A.Gusarchuk (2166) – V.Volkov (2217) Krasnodar
2004
5.18
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 Nc6 3.Nf3 e6 4.g3 Bb4+ 5.Bd2 Qe7
6.Nc3 b6 7.Bg2 Na5 8.b3 Bb7 9.0–0 Ne4 10.Qc2 f5
11.a3 (diagram) 11...Bxa3?? The pawn should not
be captured. After 11...Nxd2 12.Nxd2 Bxg2 13.Kxg2
Bxc3 14.Qxc3 White has a pleasant advantage but
Black is still very much in the game. 12.Nb5! A
double-threat to c7 and the bishop on a3. 12...Nxd2
13.Nxd2 Bd6 14.c5! Black resigned. Black has to
capture on c5, but that removes the protection of the
knight on a5 and therefore, Black loses a piece. 1–0
J.Worek (2210) – L.Toth (2184) World ch U16 Girls
(Oropesa del Mar) 2001
5.19
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 Bb4+ 4.Nbd2 Ne4 5.e3 0–0
6.Bd3 f5 7.0–0 Nxd2 8.Bxd2 Qe7 (diagram) 9.Bc1!
The bishop on b4 is all of a sudden and rather
unexpectedly in trouble. Interestingly, the computer
also very much likes 9.Bxb4 Qxb4 10.e4 thanks to
White's lead in development. However, a material
advantage is, in my opinion, frequently easier to
convert than something as relatively inconcrete as
initiative and attacking chances. 9...Qe8?? Black
should have played 9...d5 10.c5 (or 10.a3 dxc4
11.Bxc4 Bd6 12.Re1 when White has a clear
advantage) 10...e5 11.a3 Bxa3 12.Rxa3 e4 13.Bb1
exf3 14.Qxf3 when White has a large advantage
thanks to his bishop pair. 10.c5 Closing the path
home. 10...c6 11.Qa4 The bishop is trapped and
Black chose to resign. 1–0 P.Restas (2247) – N.Papp
(2163) Zalakaros 2000
5.20
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 Bb4+ 4.Nbd2 b6 5.a3 Bxd2+
6.Bxd2 Ne4 7.e3 Bb7 8.Be2 d6 9.0–0 Nxd2 10.Nxd2
c5 11.Bf3 Qc7 (diagram) 12.Ne4! Ke7? A panic
reaction on Black's part. It would have been much
better to play 12...Nc6, for instance, 13.dxc5 dxc5
14.Nd6+ Ke7 15.Nxb7 Qxb7 16.b4 and White has a
clear advantage, but Black is still alive and fighting.
13.Nxd6! A nasty surprise. Black cannot recapture
with the queen because of Bxb7. 13...Nc6 If
13...Kxd6 then 14.dxc5+ Ke7 15.Qd6+! Qxd6
16.cxd6+ Kd7 17.Bxb7 and White is winning.
14.Nxb7 Qxb7 15.d5 Black resigned because he
loses the knight as ...Ne5 is met by d6+, winning the
queen. 1–0
L.Salai (2430) – J.Detko (2100) Prievidza 1998
Chapter 6: The Catalan Opening
Exercises 6.01-6.04
6.01 6.02
Black to move – Should Black to move – Black is

Black play …d7-d6? considering …Nc6 to meet
cxd5 with …Nxd4
6.03 6.04
White to move White to move – is Ne2 an
option for White?
Solutions 6.01-6.04
6.01
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 Bb4+ 4.Bd2 Qe7 5.Bg2 Nc6
6.e3 h5 7.h4 e5 8.d5 Nb8 9.Nc3 (diagram) 9...d6??
10.Qa4+ Loses bishops drop off. Black resigned. 1–0
J.Lampert (2448) – P.Ludwig (2228) Biel 2015
6.02
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Bg5 Bb4+ 4.Nd2 h6 5.Bxf6 Qxf6
6.a3 Be7 7.Ngf3 d5 8.e4 g5 9.Qc2 (diagram)
9...Nc6? Black would have been fine after 9...g4
10.Ne5 Nd7 11.Nxg4 Qg7. 10.cxd5 exd5 11.exd5
Nxd4? 12.Qa4+ The move Black had overlooked.
Losing a piece, he resigned. 1–0
L.Gyorkos (2423) – J.Rigo (2314) Hungarian Team
ch 2004
6.03
1.d4 e6 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.g3 c5 4.Bg2 Nc6 5.0–0 d5 6.c4
cxd4 7.Nxd4 Qb6 8.Nb5 dxc4 9.N1c3 Nb4
(diagram) 10.Bf4! Threatening Nc7+. 10.a4 a6
11.Be3 is very good for White. 10...Nbd5 11.Bxd5
Nxd5 12.Nxd5 exd5 13.Nc7+ and Black resigned. 1–
0
M.Djurkovic (2145) – S.Marjanovic (2451) Nova
Gorica 1999
6.04
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 d5 4.g3 dxc4 5.Qa4+ Bd7
6.Qxc4 Bc6 7.f3 a6 8.e4 b5 9.Qd3 Nbd7 10.Nh3 b4
(diagram) 11.Ne2?? This loses but also 11.Nd1 Bb5
is very nice for Black. 11...Ne5! Exploiting that the
queen is unguarded. 12.Qe3 Nxf3+ 13.Kf2? Or
13.Qxf3 Bxe4 and Black is winning. 13...Ng4+ and
White resigned. 0–1
G.Bozzi (2305) – F.Bellini (2350) Robecchetto 1994
Exercises 6.05-6.08
6.05 6.06
White to move White to move – what

happens if he plays e2-e4?
6.07 6.08

castle?
Solutions 6.05-6.08
6.05
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.g3 Nbd7 4.Bg2 e6 5.0–0 Bd6
6.c4 c6 7.Nbd2 0–0 8.b3 Re8 9.Bb2 Qe7 10.Ne5
Ba3 11.Bxa3 Qxa3 12.Nd3 a5 (diagram) 13.c5!
Trapping the queen; next up is Nb1, sealing the deal
and, therefore, Black resigned. 1–0
R.Sola (2265) – E.Fuentes Vasallo (2177) Villa
Martelli 1999
6.06
1.c4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 c6 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.g3 dxc4 6.Bg2
Nbd7 7.0–0 Bb4 8.Ne1 0–0 9.Nc2 Ba5 10.a4 e5
11.d5 cxd5 12.Nxd5 Nb6 (diagram) 13.e4?? White
should have played 13.Nxf6+ Qxf6 14.Ne3 Be6.
13...Nbxd5 14.exd5 Bg4 15.f3 Bf5 The bishop will
end up on d3 and the d5–pawn will fall, leaving
White two pawns down. White resigned. 0–1
A.Rychagov (2541) – M.Novikov (2498) Tula 2004
6.07
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 c5 4.Bg2 Nc6 5.0–0 d5 6.c4
cxd4 7.Nxd4 Qb6 8.Nb5 Bc5 9.N1c3 (diagram)
9...0–0?? Loses a piece. It was best to play 9...dxc4
when 10.Nd6+ Bxd6 11.Qxd6 Ne7 12.Qa3 would
have promised White a pleasant advantage. 10.Na4
Now the queen cannot keep protecting the bishop.
10...Qa5 11.Nxc5 a6 12.Nb3 and Black resigned. 1–0
G.Gross (2270) – M.Horras St Ingbert 1991
6.08
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 dxc4 5.Nbd2 c5
6.dxc5 Bxc5 7.Bg2 (diagram) 7...Bxf2+! 8.Kxf2
8.Kf1 is obviously much better for Black. 8...Ng4+!
9.Ke1 Ne3 and White resigned. 0–1
W.Veitch – J.Penrose English ch (Buxton) 1950
Exercises 6.09-6.12
6.09 6.10
6.11 6.12
White to move – should White to move – what

White play Nc5? happens after Nc2?
Solutions 6.09-6.12
6.09
1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e6 3.g3 d5 4.d4 dxc4 5.Bg2 Nbd7
6.Qa4 c6 7.Qxc4 e5 8.Nf3 Bd6 9.0–0 0–0 10.b3
(diagram) 10...e4! After this move, the white queen
is left without retreat squares and White is lost.
11.Ne5 Nb6 12.Nxc6 Qe8 13.Qb5 bxc6 14.Qg5
Nbd5 White has saved the queen but lost a piece and
therefore saw no point in continuing the game. 0–1
T.Lomaja – D.Abakarov Soviet ch semifinal (Baku)
1958
6.10
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c5 4.g3 cxd4 5.Nxd4 d5
6.Bg2 Bb4+ 7.Nc3 Bxc3+ 8.bxc3 dxc4 9.Ba3 Nd5
(diagram) 10.Nb5! White is marching in on the d6–
square and leaving the black king stranded in the
center. Black is already completely lost. 10...Qa5
11.Nd6+ Kd7 12.Bb4 Qc7 Black cannot capture the
bishop as after 12...Nxb4, White wins Black's queen
with 13.Nxc4+. 13.Nxf7 Black resigned. 1–0
I.Petkov – A.Damiron Dickson World Student Team
ch (Dresden) 1969
6.11
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 c5 4.Bg2 Nc6 5.0–0 cxd4
6.Nxd4 Bc5 7.Nb3 Be7 8.c4 d5 9.cxd5 Nxd5 10.a3
0–0 11.Qc2 Bd7 12.e4 Nf6 (diagram) 13.Nc5??
White overextends his position. After 13.Rd1 Ne5
14.Nc3 Rc8, the chances would have been about
even. 13...Nd4! White resigned on account of
13...Nd4 14.Qc4 (or 14.Qc3 Ne2+, forking White's
king and queen) 14...Bb5 and Black is winning. 0–1
C.Laird (2270) – W.Jordan (2310) Australian ch
(Melbourne) 1993
6.12
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c5 4.g3 cxd4 5.Nxd4 d5
6.Bg2 e5 7.Nf3 e4 8.Nd4 dxc4 9.Nc3 Bc5 10.Qa4+
Bd7 11.Qxc4 Qb6 12.Be3 Nc6 (diagram) 13.Nc2?!
The move is perfectly logical but not the best. After
13.Nxc6 Bxe3 14.Nxe4 Bxf2+ 15.Nxf2 Bxc6, the
chances would have been about even. 13...Bxe3
14.Nxe3?? This move is the true blunder. After
14.fxe3 Be6 15.Qb5 Qxb5 16.Nxb5 Ke7, Black
would only have been marginally better. 14...Na5!
The white queen is trapped, and it will cost a piece to
save it. White resigned. 0–1
E.Magerramov (2435) – G.Kasparov Baku training
match 1979
Exercises 6.13-6.16
6.13 6.14
Black to move – should he Black to move – does …g7-

play …Qd4? g5 win a pawn?
6.15 6.16
Black to move Black to move – he is

considering …Ng6 to offer an
exchange of the queens
Solutions 6.13-6.16
6.13
1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e6 5.g3 d5
6.Bg2 Nf6 7.0–0 Bc5 8.Nb3 Be7 9.cxd5 Nxd5
10.Bd2 0–0 11.Nc3 Nb6 12.Ne4 Na4 13.Na5
(diagram) 13...Qd4?? An aggressive looking but
ultimately bad move. White would have had a clear
advantage after 13...Nxa5 14.Qxa4 Nc6 15.Rfd1 Bd7
16.Nc3 Na5 17.Qg4 when White's pieces dominate
their black counterparts. 14.e3! Black resigned
because he cannot keep the knight on a4 protected. 1–
0
F.Bistric (2486) – Z.Topalovic (2223) Kastav 2002
6.14
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 e6 5.g3 dxc4 6.Bg2
Nbd7 7.a4 Bb4 8.0–0 0–0 9.Qc2 a5 10.Rd1 Qe7
11.Ne5 Nxe5 12.dxe5 Nd7 13.Bf4 (diagram)
13...g5?? Black forgets to consider the severe
weaknesses such a move leaves behind. Instead
13...f5 14.exf6 Nxf6 was fine for Black, at least
according to the computer. 14.Ne4!! A nasty
refutation, which made Black resign on the spot. The
point is 14.Ne4 gxf4 15.Rxd7! (removing the
defender of the f6–square) 15...Bxd7 16.Nf6+ and
Black will have to give up the queen to avoid getting
mated on h7. 1–0 P.Sowray (2383) – J.Van Den
Bersselaar (2197) Tromsø 2010
6.15
1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 d5 4.d4 Be7 5.g3 dxc4
6.Qa4+ Bd7 7.Qxc4 Bc6 8.Bg2 a6 9.a4? A common
mistake, White thinks that he is preventing Black
from playing ...b7–b5. (diagram) 9...b5! 10.axb5??
A strange decision, White doubles down on his
earlier mistake. After 10.Qd3 b4 11.Nb1 Be4 12.Qd1
Bd5, Black has the slightly better chances but no
more than that. After the text move, White loses
material. 10...axb5 Now the rooks on the a-file face
each other and neither is guarded. Unfortunately for
White the queen on c4 is hanging as well, which
dictates White's response. 11.Qxc6+ Nxc6 12.Rxa8
Qxa8 13.Ne5 Nd5 14.Nxd5 exd5 15.Bxd5 Qa5+ and
White resigned. 0–1 A.Zarate Manjarrez (2219) –
B.Gongora Montes (2280) Mexico City 2001
6.16
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.g3 c6 5.Qc2 Bd6 6.Bg2
Nbd7 7.0–0 0–0 8.Nbd2 Re8 9.Rd1 Qe7 10.e4 dxe4
11.Nxe4 Nxe4 12.Qxe4 e5 13.dxe5 Nxe5 14.Ng5
(diagram) 14...Ng6?? Sloppy play. Black would
have been fine after 14...g6 15.Qh4 h5. 15.Rxd6!
Exploiting the overburdened queen on e7. The rook
cannot be captured because the rook on e8 will be left
unguarded. Black resigned. 1–0
C.Beaumont (2328) – I.Ponter (2103) Cheltenham
2003
Exercises 6.17-6.20
6.17 6.18
6.19 6.20
Black to move – he is White to move – what

considering …Nb6, when happens on a2-a3?
Bxa5 Nxc4 looks promising;
is he overlooking something?
Solutions 6.17-6.20
6.17
1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 dxc4 5.Qa4+ Nbd7
6.Qxc4 a6 7.Qc2 c5 8.d4 Be7 9.0–0 0–0 10.Rd1
Qb6 11.Nc3 cxd4 12.Rxd4 Qc7 13.Be3 Nd5
(diagram) 14.Ng5! Threatening mate on h7 and
creating a threat against d5. 14...N7f6?? Black should
have played 14...Bxg5 15.Bxg5 Nxc3 16.Qxc3 Qxc3
17.bxc3 when White's pair of bishops and pressure
against Black's queenside ensures White a clear
advantage. 15.Nxd5!! A brilliant move, sacrificing
the queen which sufficed for Black to resign. After
15.Nxd5 Qxc2 16.Nxe7+ Kh8 17.Nxf7+ Rxf7
18.Rd8+ Black gets mated. 1–0
Ni Hua (2662) – A.Adly (2631) Shenzhen 2011
6.18
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 dxc4 5.Qa4+ Bd7
6.Qxc4 Bc6 7.Nf3 Nbd7 8.Nc3 Ne4 (diagram)
9.Ne5! Nxe5 Also 9...Nxc3 10.Nxc6 bxc6 11.bxc3 is
very unpleasant for Black, if not outright lost.
10.dxe5 Nc5? Making matters worse but also
10...Bd5 11.Nxd5 exd5 12.Qb5+ c6 13.Qxb7 is very
bad for Black. 11.Bxc6+ bxc6 12.Be3 Nd7 13.Qxc6
White has won a pawn but that is not the end of the
trouble for Black, the knight on d7 is terminally
pinned. 13...Bb4 14.0–0–0 Rc8 15.Ne4 and Black
resigned. There is no good way to stop Nc5. 1–0
E.Scarella (2255) – J.Arregui Villa Ballester 1992
6.19
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 d5 3.Bg2 e6 4.0–0 Be7 5.c4 dxc4
6.Qa4+ Nbd7 7.Qxc4 c5 8.d4 0–0 9.dxc5 Bxc5
10.Nc3 a6 11.Ne4 Be7 12.Nxf6+ Bxf6 13.Rd1 Qa5
14.Bd2 (diagram) 14...Nb6?? Black is already in a
difficult position; after 14...Qh5 15.Bc3 Black is
under severe pressure on the queenside and White has
a clear advantage. 15.Qxc8! White wins a piece and
S.Telljohann (2375) – N.Kelecevic (2460) Biel 1994
6.20
1.Nf3 d5 2.d4 e6 3.c4 dxc4 4.Qa4+ Nd7 5.Qxc4
Ngf6 6.g3 a6 7.Bg2 b5 8.Qc2 Bb7 9.0–0 c5 10.Nc3
Rc8 (diagram) 11.a3?? A bad oversight. After
11.Qd1 cxd4 12.Nxd4 Bxg2 13.Kxg2 Qb6, Black
would have a very nice position but certainly nothing
decisive. 11...Bxf3! White resigned. After 11...Bxf3
12.Bxf3 cxd4, he will lose a piece. 0–1
J.Menager (2160) – N.Legky (2530) Reunion 1997
Exercises 6.21-6.24
6.21 6.22
White to move – what White to move
happens after Nc3?
6.23 6.24
White to move Black to move – what

happens after …Qa5+?
Solutions 6.21-6.24
6.21
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 dxc4 5.Qa4+ Nbd7
6.Qxc4 a6 7.Bg2 b5 8.Qc2 Bb7 9.0–0 c5 10.Bg5
Rc8 11.Bxf6 Nxf6 12.dxc5 Bxc5 (diagram)
13.Nc3?? Black threatened ...Bxf2+, winning White's
queen. The text move stops that threat, but only
temporarily. 13.Qd2 was better, even if 13...Qb6 is
clearly better for Black. 13...b4 14.Qb3 White may
have counted on this move, trying to take advantage
of the b7–bishop being unguarded. 14...Bxf3! White
resigned. With the bishop on b7 gone, White simply
loses a piece. 0–1
B.Juhasz (2240) – P.Lukacs (2480) Budapest 1993
6.22
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 dxc4 5.Qa4+ Nbd7
6.Qxc4 c5 7.0–0 a6 8.Qc2 Bd6 9.d4 0–0 10.Nbd2
Qc7 11.Nc4 cxd4 12.Nxd4 Bc5 (diagram) 13.Bf4!
Targeting the d6–square and Black's poorly
coordinated pieces. 13...Qd8 Or 13...e5 14.Nxe5
Nxe5 15.Rac1 and White wins the piece back with
interest. 14.Nb3 Here Black chose to resign which, of
course, is a bit early, but after 14.Nb3 Be7 15.Rfd1 a5
16.a4, Black is completely tied up which did not
inspire Black to continue against his higher rated
opponent. 1–0
G.Meins (2448) – T.Kastek (2169) Bad Wiessee
2013
6.23
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 dxc4 5.Nf3 b5 6.a4
c6 7.0–0 Bb7 8.Ne5 Nd5 9.e4 Nb6 10.Qh5 g6
(diagram) 11.Nxg6! Refuting Black's set-up.
11...hxg6 Or 11...fxg6 12.Qe5 Rg8 13.Qxe6+ and the
rook drops anyway. 12.Qxh8 Nxa4 and Black
resigned at the same time. 1–0
A.Chow (2310) – A.Toma Detroit 1994
6.24
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 d5 3.Bg2 c5 4.d4 e6 5.c4 dxc4
6.Qa4+ Nc6 7.Ne5 (diagram) 7...Qa5+?? The text
move looks like it simplifies the position, but it loses
for Black. After 7...Bd7 8.Nxc6 Qb6, Black wins the
piece back and the chances are more or less even.
8.Qxa5 Nxa5 9.Bd2 Now the knight drops. It cannot
be protected with ...b7–b6 because of the hanging
rook on a8, and 9...Nc6 loses after 10.Nxc6 bxc6
11.Bxc6+. 9...Rb8 10.Bxa5 b6 11.Bc6+ Kd8 12.Bc3
and Black resigned. 1–0
G.Ballatore – P.Varga (2250) Paris ch 1990
Exercises 6.25-6.28
6.25 6.26
White to move – White White to move

considered Nb5 intending to
meet …Qc5 with Qd4; is that
a good idea?
6.27 6.28
White to move – can White Black to move – should Black
win the pawn back with castle?
1.axb5 axb5 2.Rxa8 Bxa8
3.Nxb5?
Solutions 6.25-6.28
6.25
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 Nc6 3.d4 e6 4.g3 d5 5.Bg2 dxc4 6.0–
0 Rb8 7.Bg5 Be7 8.Nc3 b5 9.Ne5 Nxe5 10.dxe5
Nd7 11.Bxe7 Qxe7 12.a4?! b4 (diagram) 13.Nb5?
Qc5! 14.Qd4?? Loses a piece. 14...Rxb5! White
resigned. 0–1
J.Etrog (2188) – A.Kassis (2165) French ch-B
(Caen) 2011
6.26
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.g3 dxc4 5.Bg2 c5 6.0–0
Nc6 7.Ne5 Bd7 8.Na3 cxd4 9.Naxc4 Be7 10.Qb3
Qc8 11.Bd2 0–0 12.Rac1 Rd8 13.Na5 Rb8
(diagram) 14.Bxc6! Black resigned. 14.Bxc6 Bxc6
(or 14...bxc6 15.Naxc6 Bxc6 16.Nxc6 leads to the
same position as our main line) 15.Naxc6 bxc6
16.Nxc6 Rxb3 (also 16...Qxc6 17.Rxc6 Rxb3
18.axb3 wins for White) 17.Nxe7+, winning Black's
queen, leaving White a whole piece up. 1–0
T.Hutters (2355) – G.Welling (2370) Copenhagen
1990
6.27
1.Nf3 d5 2.d4 e6 3.c4 Nf6 4.g3 dxc4 5.Bg2 a6 6.Nc3
b5 7.Ne5 c6 8.a4 Bb7 (diagram) 9.axb5 axb5
10.Rxa8 Bxa8 11.Nxb5?? 11.0–0 was better.
11...cxb5 White resigned, realizing his mistake. After
11...cxb5 12.Bxa8 Qa5+, Black wins the bishop on
a8. 0–1
J.Vigus (2323) – T.Luther (2515) German League
2012
6.28
1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 c5 3.Bg2 Nf6 4.0–0 Nc6 5.d4 e6 6.c4
dxc4 7.Qa4 Bd7 8.dxc5 Bxc5 9.Qxc4 Qe7 10.Nc3
Rc8 11.Bg5 h6 12.Bxf6 gxf6 13.Ne4 Bb6 14.Qd3
(diagram) 14...0–0?? 14...Rc7 would have left Black
with a playable position. 15.Qxd7! Black resigned.
After 15.Qxd7 Qxd7 16.Nxf6+ Kg7 17.Nxd7, White
has won a piece. 1–0
A.Shvedchikov (2421) – N.Pushkov (2466) World
Seniors ch (Arco) 2010
Exercises 6.29-6.32
6.29 6.30
White to move Black to move – will …c7-c5

work as an equalizer?
6.31 6.32

neutralize White’s initiative
with …Qb4?
Solutions 6.29-6.32
6.29
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.g3 dxc4 5.Bg2 Nbd7
6.0–0 c5 7.Na3 Nb6 8.Nxc4 Nxc4 9.Qa4+ Bd7
10.Qxc4 b5 11.Qd3 Rc8 12.dxc5 Bxc5 13.Ne5
Qb6?? (diagram) 14.Bg5! The bishop on d7 is
target. 14...Rd8 15.Rfd1! Black resigned. After
15.Rfd1 Bxf2+ 16.Kh1 Qc7 17.Bxf6 gxf6 18.Ng4
Bc5 19.Rac1, Black is completely busted. White
could also play 15.Rad1. 1–0
M.Pavlovic (2448) – V.Savicevic (2323) Serbian ch
qualification (Belgrade) 2007
6.30
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 a6 4.Nc3 d5 5.d4 dxc4 6.Bg2
Nc6 7.0–0 Be7 8.Qa4 Bd7 9.Qxc4 b5 10.Qd3 Nb4
11.Qd1 (diagram) 11...c5? 11...Nbd5 was better. The
text move weakens too many squares without getting
anything tangible in return. 12.dxc5! Bxc5 13.Ne5!
Threatening the rook on a8 but also leaves the knight
on b4 vulnerable. 13...Rc8 14.Bg5! Nc6?? Black
makes another oversight. After 14...h6 15.Bxf6 gxf6
16.Nxd7 Qxd7 17.Rc1 Qxd1 18.Rfxd1, Black is in a
miserable position but is still barely alive. 15.Bxc6
Black resigned. After 15.Bxc6 Bxc6, White wins
with 16.Qxd8+ Kxd8 17.Nxf7+. 1–0
S.Beltran Rueda (2369) – M.Gonzalez Garcia
(2255) Barcelona 2010
6.31
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.g3 dxc4 5.Bg2 c5 6.0–0
Nc6 7.Qa4 Bd7 8.dxc5 Bxc5 9.Qxc4 Qb6 10.Nc3
Na5 11.Qh4 Bc6 12.Na4 (diagram) 12...Qb4?? It
was necessary to play 12...Bxa4 13.Qxa4+ Nc6
14.Ne5, when White has a clear advantage. 13.Nxc5!
The move Black had failed to consider. 13...Qxc5
14.b4 Winning a piece. Black resigned. 1–0
R.Garcia – B.Reilly Havana ol 1966
6.32
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.g3 c6 5.Bg2 dxc4 6.a4
c5 7.0–0 Nc6 8.e3 Qc7 9.Na3 a6 10.Nxc4 b6
(diagram) 11.a5! Simplest and best, but also the
sharp 11.e4!? is very problematic for Black. 11...b5 If
11...bxa5 then 12.Bd2 (12.Nfe5 is also strong)
12...Bd7 13.Nfe5 Rb8 14.Nxd7 Qxd7 15.Bxa5 and
Black's queenside collapses. 12.Nb6! Rb8 13.e4!
cxd4 14.Bf4! Bd6 15.e5 and Black resigned. After
15.e5 Nxe5 16.Nxe5 Bxe5 17.Rc1 Qd6 18.Nxc8, it is
game over for Black. 1–0
A.Ayas Fernandez (2310) – L.Gomez Cabrero
Mislata 1994
Exercises 6.33-6.36
6.33 6.34
Black to move – to avoid White to move – should
having his queenside broken White play Qe4?
in pieces, should Black play
…Bxd2 followed by …b4?
6.35 6.36
White to move Black to move – is …b7-b5,

intending Qxb5 Nc2+, an
option?
Solutions 6.33-6.36
6.33
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Nf3 dxc4 5.Bg2 Bb4+
6.Bd2 a5 7.0–0 b5 8.a4 (diagram) 8...Bxd2? It
would have better to play 8...Bb7 9.axb5 Nbd7 which
is clearly better for White but nevertheless better than
the game continuation. 9.Nfxd2! The unpleasant
surprise for Black. 9...Ra7 10.axb5 Qxd4 11.Qa4
Bd7 12.Nxc4 Nd5? To stay in the game, Black
should have played something like 12...0–0 13.Rd1
Qc5 14.Nc3 when White has a massive positional
advantage, but in the game, he blunders again.
13.Nd6+ Winning Black's queen and Black,
therefore, resigned. 1–0 E.Kourousis (2354) –
T.Hinks Edwards (2414) Czech Team ch 2012
6.34
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.g3 dxc4 5.Qa4+ Nc6
6.Qxc4 Nd7 7.Bg2 Nb6 8.Qd3 e5 9.Nxe5 Nb4
(diagram) 10.Qe4?? A hideous blunder. White
should have played 10.Qc3 Qxd4 11.0–0 Qxc3
12.Nxc3 Bd6 13.Nf3 when White has a small but
pleasant advantage, the black knights are not
particularly well-placed. 10...f5! Black forces the
white queen away from guarding the c2–square.
White resigned. 0–1
G.Weidlich (2136) – R.Ris (2403) Bad Wórishofen
2007
6.35
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d5 3.c4 e6 4.g3 dxc4 5.Bg2 Bb4+
6.Bd2 Bxd2+ 7.Nbxd2 0–0 8.Nxc4 c5 (diagram)
9.dxc5! Black will struggle to win back the pawn and
even if he succeeds, he will face severe pressure on
the queenside. 9...Na6 Also 9...Qxd1+ 10.Rxd1 Na6
11.c6 bxc6 12.Nfe5 is a disaster for Black. 10.c6?!
10.Qd6! is even better! 10...bxc6 11.Nfe5 Bb7
12.Qxd8 Rfxd8 Black has won back the pawn, but
defending the queenside will be near impossible.
13.0–0 The immediate 13.Na5! is even stronger.
13...Nb4 14.Na5! Nc2 15.Nxb7 Nxa1 and Black
resigned simultaneously. 1–0 C.Dezaele (2195) –
H.Sauvadet (2180) French ch-B (Toulouse) 1995
6.36
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Nf3 dxc4 5.Bg2 Nc6
6.Qa4 Bb4+ 7.Bd2 Nd5 8.Bxb4 Ndxb4 9.e3
(diagram) 9...b5! 10.Qxb5 Nc2+?? Black should
have continued with 10...Rb8! 11.Qa4 Bd7! when
Black's threats of ...Nxd4 and ...Nd3+ secure Black a
large advantage. 11.Kd2 Nxa1?? It was necessary to
play 11...Bd7 12.Kxc2 Nxd4+ 13.Nxd4 Bxb5
14.Nxb5 Qd3+ 15.Kc1 Rd8 16.a4 which the
computer assesses as around equal, but, frankly
speaking, the position is a mess and I don't think I
would want to play White. 12.Qxc6+ Bd7 13.Qxc4
c5 and here the game record shows Black resigning,
which seems a bit premature, even if White is much
better. 1–0
V.Inkiov (2446) – V.Meijers (2496) San Sebastian
2008
Exercises 6.37-6.40
6.37 6.38
White to move – should White to move
White play Bd4?
6.39 6.40

play …b7-b5 intending …
Bb7?
Solutions 6.37-6.40
6.37
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.g3 dxc4 5.Bg2 a6 6.Ne5
c5 7.Be3 Nd5 8.dxc5 Nd7 9.Bd4 Nxe5 10.Bxe5
Bxc5 11.Bxg7 Rg8 (diagram) 12.Bd4?? White
should have played 12.Be5 when 12...Qg5 13.f4 Qd8
Black has the upper hand but White is still very much
in the game. 12...Nf4! Now White's position
collapses. 13.Qa4+ Bd7 14.Qxc4 Nxg2+ and White
resigned on account of 15.Kxg2 Bc6+, winning the
bishop on d4. 0–1
L.Verat (2235) – A.Antunes (2445) Royan 1989
6.38
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.g3 c5 5.Bg2 dxc4 6.0–0
a6 7.dxc5 Qc7 8.Na3 Bxc5 9.Bf4 Qe7 10.Nxc4 0–0
(diagram) 11.b4! Black's c5–bishop has the dual
tasks of defending the b6– and d6–squares. The text
move, forces Black to decide which is the lesser evil.
11...Bxb4? Black completely loses his head. He
should have given preference to 11...Rd8 when
12.Qc2 Ba7 13.Bd6 Qe8 14.Nfe5 when White's threat
of Bc7 guarantees him a large advantage. 12.Nb6
Winning material. 12...Ra7 13.Bxb8 Ra8 14.Nxa8
Bd7 and Black resigned at the same time. 1–0
D.Ross (2290) – E.Macskasy British Columbia ch
1987
6.39
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Nf3 dxc4 5.Bg2 Nbd7
6.Nbd2 c5 7.0–0 Nb6 8.Nxc4 Nxc4 9.Qa4+ Bd7
10.Qxc4 cxd4 11.Ne5 Rc8 12.Qxd4 Bc5 (diagram)
13.Qd3! Bc6? Trying to hang to the pawn, but
instead losing the farm. The better alternative was
13...0–0 14.Nxd7 Nxd7 15.Bxb7 Rb8 16.Bg2 with an
extra pawn and bishop pair for White. 14.Qxd8+
Kxd8?? Another mistake, but 14...Rxd8 15.Nxc6
bxc6 16.Bxc6+ with a large advantage for White.
15.Nxf7+ and Black resigned. 1–0
K.Kachiani Gersinska (2420) – L.Aslanian (2230)
Tbilisi zt (Tbilisi) 1993
6.40
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 dxc4 5.Bg2 Nbd7
6.Nbd2 a6 7.Nxc4 (diagram) 7...b5?? Much too
weakening. Black should have played 7...Bb4+ 8.Bd2
Bxd2+ 9.Qxd2 which is clearly better for White but
nothing like the game. 8.Nce5 Also 8.Nfe5 and 8.Na5
are also more than sufficient to obtain a winning
advantage. 8...Bb7? Logical, but another mistake. It
was necessary to give up a pawn with 8...c6. 9.Nxf7!
Oops. Black resigned. After 9.Nxf7 Kxf7 10.Ng5+
Ke7 11.Bxb7 and White has a winning advantage. 1–
0
L.Bronstein (2363) – N.Albarracin (2051) Buenos
Aires 2010
Exercises 6.41-6.44
6.41 6.42
White to move Black to move – What
happens on …Nxd4?
6.43 6.44

happens if White plays Nc3?
Solutions 6.41-6.44
6.41
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 a6 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 e6 5.0–0 c5 6.c4
dxc4 7.dxc5 Qxd1 8.Rxd1 Nc6 (diagram) 9.Nfd2!
White could also consider 9.Nbd2 c3 10.Nb3 with a
clear advantage. 9...Nd4? Or 9...Bxc5 10.Nxc4 Nd5
11.Nc3 Nxc3 12.bxc3 followed by Bf4 with a strong
pressure on Black's queenside. 10.Nc3! This is the
point behind using the f3–knight to jump to d2.
10...Bxc5 11.Nxc4 Now the white knights march into
Black's weak dark squares on the queenside. 11...Nd5
12.Na4! Ba7 13.Bxd5 13.e4 is also good. 13...exd5
14.Ncb6 Nxe2+ 15.Kg2 and Black resigned as he
loses material. 1–0
V.Pozharsky (2455) – J.Kleinert (2172) Ikaros 2001
6.42
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 c5 4.Bg2 Nc6 5.0–0 Nf6 6.c4
dxc4 7.Ne5 (diagram) 7...Nxd4?? Tempting but a
decisive mistake which has been played many times.
7...Bd7 was Black's best option. 8.e3 The move Black
failed to consider, he now loses material. 8...Nc6
9.Bxc6+ bxc6 10.Qxd8+ Kxd8 11.Nxf7+ Ke8
12.Nxh8 and Black resigned. 1–0
C.P.Santos (2385) -J.Cordovil (2212) Lisbon 2000
6.43
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 dxc4 5.Bg2 c5 6.0–0
Nc6 7.Qa4 Bd7 8.dxc5 Bxc5 9.Qxc4 Qe7 10.Nc3 h6
11.Bf4 e5 12.Bd2 (diagram) 12...e4! 13.Ne1 Na5
The white queen is trapped, causing White to resign.
0–1
A.Sirota (2300) – N.Kagan (2280) Australian ch
(Melbourne) 1997
6.44
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 Nbd7 5.Bg2 dxc4
6.0–0 Rb8 7.Qa4 b5 8.Qxa7 Nd5 (diagram) 9.Nc3?
White should have played 9.a3 c6 10.e4 with chances
to both sides. 9...Rb7 10.Qa8 Rb8 Repeating the
moves, but not changing anything. 11.Qa7 Rb7
12.Qa8 c6 13.e4? White should have played 13.Nxd5
exd5 with a clear advantage for Black, the queen is
quite stuck on a8. 13...N7b6 14.Qa6 Nxc3 15.bxc3
Rb8 White's queen will not escape and therefore
resigned. 0–1
J.Kokje (2250) – M.Kravtsiv (2631) Riga 2016
Exercises 6.43-6.46
6.45 6.46
White to move Black to move – White has

just captured on b5; can
Black interject a capture on
d4?
6.47 6.48
White to move – what White to move
happens on Nxc4?
Solutions 6.43-6.46
6.45
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 dxc4 5.Nf3 c5 6.0–0
Nc6 7.Ne5 Nxe5 8.dxe5 Qxd1 9.Rxd1 Nd7
(diagram) 10.Na3! Nxe5 Black should have played
10...Rb8 11.Nxc4 b6 12.a4 Bb7 13.Be3 with a clear
advantage for White. 11.Nb5?! A more accurate
continuation is 11.Bf4! when 11...f6 12.Bxe5 fxe5
13.Nxc4 with a decisive positional advantage for
White. 11...Ke7? 11...Rb8 was better, 12.Bf4 f6
13.Nxa7 Bd7 14.a4 when White has a clear
advantage. 12.Be3 Kf6 13.Rd8 Ke7 14.Rad1 and
Black resigned as material losses cannot be avoided.
1–0
S.Yuferov (2395) – T.Heuer Budapest 1991
6.46
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c6 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.g3 dxc4 6.Bg2
b5 7.0–0 Bb7 8.Ne5 Qb6 9.e4 c5 10.a4 a6 11.axb5
(diagram) 11...cxd4?? A terrible mistake. Black
should have played 11...axb5 when 12.Rxa8 Bxa8
13.d5 Be7 14.Nxc4 bxc4 15.Qa4+ Bc6 16.dxc6 Qxc6
17.Qxc4 leaves White with a small but clear
positional advantage. 12.Nxc4! Qc5 Or 12...Qc7
13.Qxd4 Bc5 14.b6 Qc6 15.Qd1 and Black's position
is falling apart, for instance, 15...Bxb6 16.Nd6+,
winning material. 13.Na5 and Black resigned. After
13.Na5 Qc8 14.Nxb7 dxc3 15.Nd6+ Bxd6 16.Qxd6
Ra7 17.bxa6 and White is winning. 1–0
A.Bets (2340) – L.Kiss (2290) Bucharest 1996
6.47
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 Be7 5.0–0 0–0 6.c4
dxc4 7.Nc3 Nc6 8.e3 Rb8 9.Nd2 Na5 10.Qa4 b6
(diagram) 11.Nxc4?? Loses material. White should
have given preference to 11.Nce4 Nxe4 12.Bxe4 Ba6
when Black would only be clearly better. 11...Bd7!
White had overlooked this move which causes White
to lose the knight on c4. White now resigned. 0–1
G.Manukian (2320) – M.Khachiyan (2542) Los
Angeles 2010
6.48
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 Be7 5.Bg2 0–0 6.0–0
dxc4 7.Qc2 c5 8.Rd1 Qb6 9.Na3 cxd4 10.Nxc4 Qc5
11.Nxd4 e5 (diagram) 12.b4! Black resigned as his
position falls apart. After 12.b4 Qc7 (12...Qxb4
13.Ba3 is even worse) 13.Nb5 Bf5 14.Qb3 Qc8
15.Nbd6 and White is winning material. 1–0
S.Mikheev (2319) – T.Jusupov (2017) Kazan 2009
Exercises 6.49-6.52
6.49 6.50
White to move – is Nxc4 the Black to move – should he
way to go for White? play …Nd7 to finish his
development?
6.51 6.52
Black to move – can he trap White to move

the bishop with …g7-g5?
Solutions 6.49-6.52
6.49
1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 d5 4.d4 Be7 5.Bg2 0–0 6.0–0
dxc4 7.Qc2 a6 8.a4 c6 9.a5 c5 10.Rd1 cxd4 11.Nxd4
Qc7 12.Ra4 Nbd7 13.Nd2 Ne5 (diagram)
14.Nxc4?? A bad blunder. White should have played
14.f4 Ng6 15.N2b3 e5 16.Rxc4 with a sharp position
and chances to both sides. 14...Bd7! White loses
material and resigns. 0–1
G.B.Hanssen (2212) – P.Flermoen (2124)
Norwegian ch (Tromsø) 2010
6.50
1.d4 e6 2.c4 d5 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.g3 Be7 5.Bg2 0–0 6.0–0
dxc4 7.Qc2 a6 8.a4 Bd7 9.Rd1 Bc6 10.Nc3 Nd5
11.e4 Nb4 12.Qe2 (diagram) 12...Nd7?? A bad
oversight. A better try was 12...Nd3 even if White
has the better position after 13.Be3. 13.d5 exd5
14.exd5 Black loses a piece and resigned. 1–0
A.Saric (2514) – Z.Brkic (2005) Bosnjaci 2009
6.51
1.c4 Nf6 2.g3 e6 3.Bg2 d5 4.Nf3 Be7 5.0–0 0–0 6.d4
dxc4 7.Na3 c5 8.Nxc4 Nc6 9.dxc5 Bxc5 10.Bg5 Qe7
11.Ncd2 h6 12.Bh4 (diagram) 12...g5?? A careless
move that fails to consider White's most obvious
response. After 12...Rd8 13.Qc1 Qf8, Black would
have had a fully playable position. 13.Nxg5! hxg5
14.Bxg5 Now White threatens to play Ne4,
exploiting the pin of the knight on f6. 14...Qd8
15.Ne4! Black resigned as the knight on f6 will fall,
e.g., 15.Ne4 Be7 (or 15...Qxd1 16.Nxf6+ Kg7
17.Rfxd1) 16.Qxd8 Rxd8 17.Nxf6+ Kg7 18.Ne4 and
White has won two pawns. 1–0
V.Iotov (2509) – L.Picart (2127) Fouesnant 2007
6.52
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 d5 4.g3 Nc6 5.Bg2 dxc4
6.Qa4 Be7 7.0–0 0–0 8.Qxc4 a6 9.Nbd2 Rb8 10.e4
Qe8 11.Qe2 b5 12.Nb3 Bb4 (diagram) 13.Bf4!
Attacking the weakest spot in Black's position.
13...Qe7 Or 13...Qd8 14.a3 Be7 15.Rfc1 Bb7 16.Rc2
followed by Rac1 and White is overwhelmingly
better. 14.a3 Ba5 Or 14...Bd6 15.e5, forking the
bishop and knight. 15.Ne5 and Black resigned as he
will lose a piece. 1–0
D.Kuljasevic (2419) – E.Gardon (2148) Porto San
Giorgo 2003
Exercises 6.53-6.56
6.53 6.54
Black to move – what Black to move – should he

happens on …Bd6? play …b7-b5 to get the
bishop on c8 developed?
6.55 6.56
White to move White to move – White is
considering Bxc6 and
followed by dxe5
Solutions 6.53-6.56
6.53
1.c4 e6 2.g3 d5 3.Bg2 Nf6 4.Nf3 Be7 5.d4 0–0
6.Qc2 dxc4 7.Qxc4 a6 8.Bf4 Nd5 9.Nbd2 b5
10.Qc2 Nxf4 11.gxf4 Bb7 12.0–0 Nd7 13.Nb3
(diagram) 13...Bd6?? Black fails to spot White's
threat which is a common one in positions like this
one (similar to the Fianchetto Variation of the
Queen's Indian). A better choice is 13...Bd5
14.Rfd1 c6 with a no more than a slight advantage
for White. 14.Ng5! Black resigned on account of
the dual threats against h7 and the bishop on b7.
1–0 I.Hausner (2393) – J.Vrana (2271) Ricany
2007
6.54
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 Be7 5.Nf3 0–0
6.0–0 dxc4 7.Qc2 a6 8.a4 Nbd7 9.Nbd2 Rb8
10.Nxc4 (diagram) 10...b5? Too weakening.
Black has to be very careful with these kinds of
advances, particularly if White has the option of
playing Na5 or Ne5. It would have been better to
play 10...Nd5 even though White after 11.e4 Nb4
12.Qe2 a5 13.Rd1 is comfortably better for White.
11.Na5 White will land a knight on c6 with
devastating effect. The rest of the game is
desperation on Black's part. 11...Bb7 11...Nd5 was
relatively best although 12.Bd2 is much better for
White. 12.Nxb7 Rxb7 13.Ne5 Nd5 14.Qc6 and
Black resigned as he is losing material. 1–0
T.Rahman (2265) – S.El Assiouti (2385) Doha
1992
6.55
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 dxc4 5.Nf3 Be7
6.0–0 a6 7.Ne5 Nbd7 8.Nxc4 0–0 9.Nc3 c5
(diagram) 10.dxc5 Black's ...c7–c5 advance was
premature, allowing White to attack the weakened
dark squares in Black's position. Note that also the
immediate 10.Bf4 was possible. 10...Nxc5 11.Bf4
White threatens 12.Qxd8, when 12...Bxd8 runs
into 13.Bd6 and 12...Rxd8 into 13.Nb6 Ra7
14.Bb8. 11...Ra7? This does not solve anything, as
White can force Black into one of the
aforementioned scenarios. 12.Qxd8! Rxd8 13.Bb8
Ra8 14.Bc7 Rd4 15.Nb6 Black resigned as the
rook is being trapped. 1–0
H.Reefschläger (2350) – L.Zier (2205) West
German ch (Bad Neuenahr) 1978
6.56
1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 e6 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 Be7 5.0–0 0–0
6.d4 Nc6 7.Nc3 dxc4 8.e3 Rb8 9.Nd2 e5
(diagram) 10.Bxc6?! Not a good move, but White
has a specific idea in mind against Black's next
move. However, also 10.d5 Na5 11.b3 b5 12.bxc4
Nxc4 13.Nxc4 bxc4 is better for Black. 10...exd4
11.Bb5?? 11.exd4 was relatively best although
11...bxc6 12.Nxc4 Ba6 13.b3 Bb4 is clearly better
for Black. 11...dxc3! White had failed to properly
calculate the consequences of this move. 12.bxc3
Bh3! Here White realized that the planned 13.Re1
will be met by 13...Qd5 with dual threats of a mate
on g2 and the bishop on b5. 13.Bxc4 b5 14.Be2
Bxf1 15.Qxf1 Nd5 and White resigned. 0–1
P.Arnaudov (2453) – J.Radulski (2586)
Bulgarian ch (Bankia) 2011
Exercises 6.57-6.60
6.57 6.58
Black to move - should Black Black to move – what
play …b4? happens after …Nb4?
6.59 6.60

play …Bxc5 or …bxc5?
Solutions 6.57-6.60
6.57
1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 e6 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 Be7 5.d4 0–0 6.Qc2
c5 7.dxc5 Qa5+ 8.Nbd2 Qxc5 9.0–0 b5 10.b3 Qb6
11.Bb2 Nbd7 12.e4 (diagram) 12...b4?? Ambitious,
but not at all a good move. A better option was
12...bxc4 13.bxc4 dxe4 14.Rab1 Qc7 15.Ng5 Bb7
16.Ndxe4 Nxe4 17.Nxe4 when White is close to
equalizing. 13.cxd5 Here the game ends in my
database and is credited as a win for Black which
makes no sense at all as White has a large advantage:
13.cxd5 exd5 14.exd5 Nxd5 15.Nd4 N7f6 16.Rae1
Bc5 17.Nc4 and White has a dominating position. 1-0
C.Hess (2253) – O.Krivonosov (2457) Hofheim
2013
6.58
1.c4 e6 2.g3 d5 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Bg2 Be7 5.d4 0–0 6.Qc2
c6 7.0–0 b6 8.Rd1 Bb7 9.Nc3 Na6 10.Ne5 Qc8
11.Bf4 Rd8 12.cxd5 (diagram) 12...Nb4?? Black is
counting on White moving the queen, e.g., 13.Qa4
Nbxd5 when Black is close to equalizing, but
unfortunately for Black, White has something much
better... 13.dxc6!! Black resigned because he
decisively loses material 13.dxc6 Nxc2 (if 13...Nxc6
then 14.Nxc6 Bxc6 15.e4 leaves White with an extra
pawn and a winning position) 14.cxb7 Qc7 15.Nb5
and Black's queen is trapped. 1–0
J.Glud (2517) – J.Nordenbæk (2170) Copenhagen
2016
6.59
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 c6 5.Qc2 Be7 6.Bg2
0–0 7.0–0 b6 8.Nbd2 Bb7 9.e4 c5 10.dxc5 dxe4
11.Ng5 (diagram) 11...Bxc5?? Black would have a
great game after 11...Nc6!, whereas the text move
loses. 12.Ndxe4! Nxe4 Also 12...Bxe4 loses for
Black, e.g., 13.Nxe4 Nbd7 (or 13...Nxe4 14.Qxe4)
14.Nxc5, winning the exchange. 13.Bxe4 Nc6
14.Bxc6 and Black resigned as he will either lose
material or get mated on h7. 1–0
J.Grünenwald (2320) – B.Chlosta Cattolica 1994
6.60
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 d5 4.c4 c6 5.Bg2 b6 6.0–0
Be7 7.Nc3 0–0 8.Ne5 Nfd7 (diagram) 9.cxd5! cxd5
Or 9...exd5 10.Nxd5! with the same result. 10.Nxd5!
and here Black resigned which is quite premature but
after 10.Nxd5 exd5 11.Bxd5 Nxe5 12.dxe5 Bh3
13.Bxa8 Bxf1 14.Qxf1 Nd7 15.Be4 Nxe5, White has
an extra pawn and the bishop pair. A terrible way to
start the game against a higher rated opponent. 1–0
M.Schleifer (2356) – La.Fernandez (2099)
Montreal 2003
Exercises 6.61-6.64
6.61 6.62

capture on c1?
6.63 6.64

utilize his structural
advantage to enter an
advantageous endgame
starting with d4-d5?
Solutions 6.61-6.64
6.61
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.g3 Be7 5.Bg2 0–0 6.0–0
b6 7.cxd5 exd5 8.Nc3 c6 9.Ne5 Bb7 10.e4 c5
(diagram) 11.exd5! Nxd5? Or 11...cxd4 12.Qxd4
and White has won a pawn in addition to having the
clearly better position. 12.Qf3! Black resigned as he
is losing material. Note that also 12.Qb3 should win
for White. 1–0
I.Manor (2315) – M.Cnaan (2285) Israeli ch 1988
6.62
1.Nf3 c5 2.c4 Nf6 3.g3 Nc6 4.Bg2 d5 5.cxd5 Nxd5
6.d4 e6 7.0–0 Be7 8.dxc5 Bxc5 9.e4 Ndb4
10.Qxd8+ Nxd8 11.Nc3 Nd3 12.Na4 (diagram)
12...Nxc1?? Black should have played 12...Bb4
13.Be3 Bd7 when White at best is slightly better.
13.Nxc5! Now Black's knight on c1 is trapped.
13...Ne2+ 14.Kh1 b6 15.Nb3 and Black resigned. 1–
0
J.Kraai (2505) – M.Dougherty (2192) Las Vegas
2007
6.63
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 Be7 5.Nc3 0–0 6.Nf3
dxc4 7.Ne5 Nc6 8.Nxc6 bxc6 9.Bxc6 Rb8
(diagram) 10.d5?? An odd decision. 10.0–0 would
have been the normal move. 10...exd5!? 10...Rb6! is
even stronger, leaving White's bishop stranded on c6
for now. 11.Nxd5?? It was necessary to play 11.Bxd5
Nxd5 12.Qxd5 Bh3 when Black is clearly better.
11...Nxd5 12.Qxd5 Bb4+ 13.Bd2 Or 13.Kf1 Bh3+
14.Kg1 Qxd5 15.Bxd5 Rfd8 and Black is winning.
13...Qxd5 14.Bxd5 Bxd2+ 15.Kxd2 Rd8 and White
resigned. 0–1
A.Khudyakov (2215) – N.Zdebskaja (2390)
Alushta 2005
6.64
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c6 4.Qc2 Nf6 5.g3 Be7 6.Bg2
0–0 7.0–0 b6 8.b3 Bb7 9.Bb2 dxc4 10.bxc4 c5
(diagram) 11.dxc5!? White could also consider
11.d5 exd5 12.Ng5 Nbd7 13.Nc3 h6 14.Nh3 and
White wins the pawn back. 11...Bxc5?? Black could
actually defend with 11...Be4! 12.Ng5! Black
resigned as 12...Bxg2 is met by 13.Bxf6.
1–0
V.Strugatsky (2463) – M.Feinstein (2259) Reno
2005
Exercises 6.65-6.68
6.65 6.66
Black to move – what Black to move – can he win a

happens after …dxc4? pawn by capturing on c3?
6.67 6.68
White to move White to move – is he

winning the e4-pawn after
Ng5?
Solutions 6.65-6.68
6.65
1.Nf3 d5 2.d4 Nf6 3.g3 c6 4.c4 e6 5.Bg2 Be7 6.0–0
0–0 7.Qc2 Ne4 8.Nc3 Nxc3 9.bxc3 b6 10.cxd5 cxd5
11.c4 Bb7 12.Bf4 (diagram) 12...dxc4?? 12...Nc6
was perfectly fine for Black. 13.Ng5! The dual
threats against b7 and h7, wins material for White.
J.Dovzik (2416) – C.Szekely (2205) Nyiregyhaza
2005
6.66
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Be7 5.g3 0–0 6.Bg2
Nbd7 7.0–0 dxc4 8.e4 c6 9.a4 Qa5 10.Bd2 Bb4
11.e5 Nd5 12.Ng5 (diagram) 12...Nxc3 Black should
have played 12...h6 although 13.Nge4 leaves White
with the better chances. 13.bxc3 Bxc3?? A blunder.
It was necessary to play 13...Be7 when 14.Ne4 is
clearly better for White; Black will have a hard time
activating his pieces. 14.Qc2! Black resigned. The
dual threats to the bishop on c3 and to the h7–pawn
decides the game in White's favor. 1–0
M.Sorokin (2570) – M.Stavanja (2265) Bled 1992
6.67
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Be7 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.g3 0–0 6.Bg2
Nbd7 7.b3 c6 8.0–0 Re8 9.Qc2 Bf8 10.Rd1 b6 11.e4
dxe4 12.Nxe4 Bb7 (diagram) 13.Ne5! White
threatens Nxf6+ followed by Nxc6 or Nxc6 first
followed by Nxf6+. 13...Rc8? 14.Ng5! Ouch! Now
f7 is threatened twice. 14...h6 Or 14...Re7 when
White plays 15.Ba3, winning material. 15.Ngxf7 and
C.Weldon (2240) – K.Dyke New York 1989
6.68
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 d5 4.d4 e6 5.Qb3 Nbd7
6.g3 Qb6 7.Bg2 Be7 8.0–0 0–0 9.Re1 Ne4 10.Nxe4
dxe4 (diagram) 11.Ng5?? White could have kept
things balanced with 11.Qxb6 Nxb6 12.Nd2 f5.
11...Qa5! White resigned as he cannot save both the
rook on e1 and the knight on g5. 0–1
D.Gurevich (2480) – G.Kamsky (2345) Chicago
1989
Exercises 6.69-6.72
6.69 6.70
Black to move – White is Black to move – should he

threatening Nxf6+ followed fight for the e4-square with
by Nxc6; should Black …Nhf6?
defend with …Rc8?
6.71 6.72
Solutions 6.69-6.72
6.69
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 c6 5.Qc2 Be7 6.Nd2
0–0 7.Ngf3 Nbd7 8.0–0 Re8 9.b3 b6 10.e4 dxe4
11.Ne5 Bb7 12.Nxe4 (diagram) 12...Rc8?? Black
completely misses White's threat. He should have
played 12...Nxe5 13.dxe5 Nxe4 14.Bxe4 h6 15.Be3
when White, at best, has a marginal advantage.
13.Nxf7!! Black resigned. After 13.Nxf7, Black loses
the queen, e.g., 13...Kxf7 (or 13...Qc7 14.Bf4)
14.Ng5+ Kg8 15.Nxe6 and the queen is trapped on
d8. 1–0
L.Viitanen – E.Koskinen Finland Team ch 1986
6.70
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 Bb4+ 5.Bd2 Be7
6.Nf3 0–0 7.0–0 c6 8.Qc2 b6 9.Bf4 Bb7 10.Rd1
Nbd7 11.Nc3 Nh5 12.Bc1 f5 13.b3 Nhf6??
(diagram) 14.Ng5! Black resigned as he cannot
guard the e6–pawn. 1–0
J.Jirka (2415) – M.Kozak (2191) Czech Tea, ch
2011
6.71
1.g3 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bg2 e6 4.c4 Be7 5.d4 0–0 6.0–0
Nbd7 7.Qc2 Rb8 8.cxd5 exd5 9.Nc3 c6 10.Bf4 Ra8
11.h3 Re8?? (diagram) 12.Nb5! Bf8? The relatively
lesser evil was 12...Rf8 13.Bc7 Qe8 14.Nd6 Bxd6
15.Bxd6 when White wins the exchange. 13.Nc7
Black resigned as he is losing material. 1–0
P.Zabystrzan (2300) – M.Sekac (2101) Havirov
2010
6.72
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 Nbd7 5.g3 c6
6.Bg2 Be7 7.0–0 0–0 8.b3 b6 9.Bb2 Bb7 10.Qc2
Rc8 11.e4 dxe4 12.Nxe4 c5 13.Nxf6+ Nxf6 14.dxc5
Bxc5 (diagram) 15.Ng5! Black resigned as
15...Bxg2 is met by 16.Bxf6, winning on the spot. 1–
0
A.Barreras (2310) – J.Gil Fuerteventura 1992
Exercises 6.73-6.74
6.73 6.74

Solutions 6.73-6.74
6.73
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 Nbd7 5.0–0 Be7
6.Qc2 c6 7.d4 0–0 8.Nbd2 dxc4 9.Nxc4 c5
(diagram) 10.Rd1! Black's premature ...c7–c5 has
weakened the dark squares and allows White to
build up strong pressure on the d-file along with
Black's queenside. 10...cxd4 Or 10...Qe8 11.dxc5
Bxc5 12.b3 Qe7 13.Bb2 with a significant
positional advantage for White which the
computer rates worth more than two pawns!
11.Nxd4 Bc5 12.Nb3! Not letting Black organize
his pieces in peace and quiet. 12...Qe7? 13.Nxc5
Nxc5 Or 13...Qxc5 14.b3 (threatening Ba3!)
14...Ng4 15.e3 Qh5 16.h3 Ngf6 17.Ba3 and White
has a decisive positional advantage. 14.Bf4 Black
resigned. Note that 14.b4 would have been even
stronger, but who am I to argue about a move that
made Black resign? 1–0
S.Matsenko (2531) – V.Rivonenko (2090) St
Petersburg 2015
6.74
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 Nbd7 5.Nf3 Be7
6.0–0 0–0 7.Qc2 Re8 8.Rd1 c6 9.Nbd2 b6 10.e4
dxe4 11.Nxe4 Bb7 12.Ne5 Qc8 13.Ng5 Rf8
(diagram) 14.Bh3! Black resigned as there is no
good way of meeting the threat of Ngxf7 (or
Nexf7) followed by Bxe6. 1–0
P.Haba (2536) – H.Theobald (2059) Neustadt
a.d. Weinstrasse 2008
Chapter 7: The Blumenfeld Gambit
Exercises 7.01-7.04
7.01 7.02
Black to move – Black Black to move

considered …Qc7, why is
that not a good idea?
7.03 7.04
Solutions 7.01-7.04
7.01
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c5 4.d5 b5 5.Bg5 exd5
6.cxd5 d6 7.e4 a6 8.a4 Be7 9.Nbd2 Nxd5 10.Bxe7
Qxe7 11.axb5 Nb6 12.bxa6 Bxa6 13.Qb3 (diagram)
13...Qc7?? Black should have played 13...N6d7 with
chances to both sides. 14.Bxa6 Rxa6 15.Rxa6 and
Black resigned. After 15.Rxa6 Nxa6 16.Qb5+ Ke7
17.Qxa6, Black has lost a piece. 1–0
P.Johner – K.Havasi Debrecen, 1925
7.02
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c5 4.d5 b5 5.dxe6 fxe6
6.cxb5 d5 7.g3 a6 8.bxa6 Nc6 9.Bg2 Be7 10.0–0 0–0
11.b3? Ne4 12.Bb2? (diagram) 12...Bf6! 13.Bxf6??
13.Qc1 was necessary, but after 13...Bxa6, Black has
an excellent position. 13...Qxf6 14.Nbd2 Nc3 15.Qc2
Nb4 White resigned as he loses the queen after
...Nxe2+. 0–1
V.Malisauskas (2459) – T.Vedrickas (2279)
Lithuanian ch (Vilnius) 2013
7.03
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c5 4.d5 b5 5.dxe6 fxe6
6.cxb5 d5 7.g3 Bd6 8.Bg2 a6 9.Nc3 axb5 10.Nxb5
Qa5+ 11.Nc3 0–0 12.0–0 Ba6? (diagram) 13.Ng5!
Nc6 Nothing works for Black, for instance, 13...Re8
14.Nxd5! exd5 15.Bxd5+, winning promptly, e.g.,
15...Nxd5 16.Qxd5+ Kh8 17.Nf7+ Kg8 18.Nh6+ Kh8
19.Qg8+ Rxg8 20.Nf7# . Smothered mate.; Also
13...Bc8 is met by 14.Nxd5!, winning for White.
14.Nxe6 and Black resigned. 1–0
V.Nedilko (2414) – P.Wojciechowski (2279) Warsaw
2009
7.04
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c5 4.d5 b5 5.Nc3 b4 6.Na4
d6 7.Bg5 Be7 8.Bxf6 Bxf6 9.a3 Na6 10.axb4 Nxb4
11.e4?? (diagram) 11...Qa5! 12.Nd2 Bxb2 The most
direct. Also 12...Rb8 and; 12...Bd7 are both winning
for Black as well. 13.Nb3 If 13.Nxb2, then 13...Qxa1
14.Qxa1 Nc2+ 15.Ke2 Nxa1 wins for Black.
13...Nc2+ 14.Ke2 Nd4+ White resigned; after
14...Nd4+ 15.Nxd4 Bxd4 16.Ra2 exd5 17.exd5 Qb4,
White is completely busted. 0–1
M.Colpe (2386) - Li Chao (2751) Graz 2016
Exercises 7.05-7.08
7.05 7.06
7.07 7.08
White to move – Here White White to move – White

considered b2-b3; what is the calculated the following line:
problem with that idea? 6.Qxd5 Nxd5 7.Bxd8 Kxg8
8.cxd5 where Black has loose
queenside pawns – what did
White overlook?
Solutions 7.05-7.08
7.05
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 c5 3.d5 e6 4.c4 b5 5.e4 Nxe4 6.Bd3
Nf6 7.Nc3 Be7 8.0–0 exd5 9.cxd5 b4 (diagram)
10.d6! Exploiting Black's undeveloped pieces and
loose set-up. 10...Bxd6 11.Be4 Also 11.Ne4! Be7
12.Nxf6+ gxf6 13.Re1 leaves White with a winning
position. Black's king will never find safety.
11...Nxe4 Or 11...bxc3 12.Bxa8 Be7 13.bxc3 and
White is clearly better. 12.Nxe4 Be7 13.Nd6+ Kf8
14.Bg5 Bxg5 15.Qd5 Qf6 and Black resigned at the
same time. After 15...Qf6 16.Rfe1 g6 17.Re8+ Kg7
18.Nxg5, Black is completely busted. 1–0
N.Pert (2558) – D.Gallagher (2147) British ch
(Llandudno) 2017
7.06
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 c5 3.d5 b5 4.c4 e6 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bxf6
Qxf6 7.Nc3 b4 8.Nb5 Kd8 9.e4 Bb7 10.e5 Qf4
11.Bd3 Qg4 (diagram) 12.h3! Trapping Black's
queen. 12...Qxg2 The alternatives are even worse:
12...Qh5 13.g4 or; 12...Qf4 13.g3 and the queen is
similarly without squares. 13.Rh2! The queen is out
of squares. 13...Qxh2 14.Nxh2 exd5 15.Qf3 and
A.Karahmetovic (2287) – H.Mujic (2352) Tuzla
2006
7.07
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 c5 3.d5 b5 4.e3 Bb7 5.c4 e6 6.dxe6
fxe6 7.cxb5 d5 8.Be2 Bd6 9.Ng5 Qe7 (diagram)
10.b3 and White resigned at the same time. White
should have given preference to 10.0–0 0–0 11.a4
Nbd7 with excellent compensation for the pawn.;
After 10.b3, Black plays 10...Be5, winning a piece.
0–1
K.Moser (2294) – B.Kulon (2153) Latschach 2009
7.08
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 c5 3.d5 b5 4.c4 e6 5.Bg5 exd5
(diagram) 6.Qxd5?? 6.cxd5 leads for somewhat
better play for White. 6...Nxd5 7.Bxd8 Nb4! This is
the move White had overlooked. 8.Ng5 Nc2+ 9.Kd2
Nxa1 10.Nc3 and White resigned simultaneously. 0–
1
O.Noyer (2140) – C.Voicu (2194) Swiss ch (Scuol)
2001
Exercises 7.09-7.12
7.09 7.10
White to move – Should Black to move – What

White play Nc7+, Rb1 or happens if Black captures on
dxe6? Why/why not? e4?
7.11 7.12

Solutions 7.09-7.12
7.09
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c5 4.d5 b5 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bxf6
Qxf6 7.Nc3 b4 8.Nb5 Qxb2 (diagram) 9.dxe6?
White would have been winning after 9.Rb1 Qxa2
10.Ra1 Qb2 11.Nc7+ Kd8 12.Nxa8; and 9.Nc7+ Kd8
10.Nxa8 Bb7 11.Rb1 Qa3 12.Rb3 . After the text
move, however, Black has a stunning response that
turns matters around. 9...Kd8!! Taking all of White's
threats away. 10.Ng5?? White should have played
10.Rc1 Bb7 and Black has a very good game.
10...hxg5 11.Rb1 Qe5 White resigned. 0–1
E.Bukic (2445) – M.Cebalo (2520) Portoroz 1994
7.10
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c5 4.d5 exd5 5.cxd5 b5
6.Bg5 Qb6 7.e4 (diagram) 7...Nxe4?? Opening the
e-file and allowing himself into a precarious position.
A better choice was 7...c4 although 8.Qc2 is very
pleasant for White. 8.Qe2! Of course. 8...f5 9.Nc3
Qg6 10.h4! Be7 11.h5 Or 11.Ne5 Qd6 12.Nxb5 Qxe5
13.f4 and White is winning. 11...Qd6 12.Nxe4 fxe4
13.Qxe4 Kd8 14.0–0–0 and Black is completely
busted and therefore resigned. 1–0
J.Goormachtigh (2335) – P.Moulin (2310) Brussels,
1986
7.11
1.d4 c5 2.e3 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.c4 Be7 5.d5 d6 6.dxe6
fxe6 7.Nc3 d5 8.Be2 Nc6 9.cxd5 exd5 10.0–0 0–0
11.b3 Bf5 12.Bb2 Kh8 13.Rc1?? (diagram)
13...d4! 14.Qe1 Or 14.Na4 d3 and the bishop on e2 is
trapped. 14...dxc3 15.Qxc3 and White resigned at the
same time. 0–1
N.Dobrev (2396) – A.Angelov (2227) Bulgarian
Team ch (Albena) 2010
7.12
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 c5 3.d5 e6 4.c4 b5 5.Bg5 exd5
6.cxd5 h6 7.Bxf6 Qxf6 8.e4 Qxb2 9.Nbd2 c4
10.Rb1 Qxa2 11.Rxb5 (diagram) 11...c3! 12.Nb3??
Making matters much, much worse. After 12.Nc4 a5
13.Bd3 Bb4, Black has the better chances, but White
is still well in the game. 12...c2 13.Qd2 Qb1+ White
resigned. After 13...Qb1+, everything loses promptly
for White, e.g., 14.Qc1 Ba3, 14.Nc1 Ba3, or 14.Ke2
Ba6. 0–1
T.Gempe (2232) – S.Weitzer (2271) German league
2011
Are you unsure how to play openings well?
Then Back to Basics: Chess Openings may be the answer:
Chess Openings Can Be Simple!
Because of the sheer volume of variations, possible transpositions,

and ever-changing theory, chess openings can be overwhelming –
even intimidating. This book is an introduction to understanding
and playing chess openings.
This book covers:
Opening principles (page 13)

Pawn structures (page 17)
Gambit play (page 24)
Opening traps (page 26)
How do I decide which openings to choose (page 30)
How to build an opening repertoire (page 32)
Introduction to opening theory (page 34)
The Open Games: 1.e4 e5, such as the Italian, Evans
Gambit, King's Gambit, Scotch Game (page 39)
The Semi-Open Game, such as the Sicilian Defence, the
French Defence (page 84)
The Closed Games, such as the Queen's Gambit (page
141)
The Semi-Closed Games, such as the King's Indian,
Nimzo-Indian (page 167)
Flank Openings, such as the English Opening, 1.b3 (page
207)
Where do I go from here (page 231)
And much, much more
The author, Danish Master Carsten Hansen, stresses opening play

based on comprehending opening principles as well as useful,
fundamental knowledge. With an overview of all the most
important opening variations, examples of good and bad opening
play, opening traps and problems to solve, chess openings, and its
major principles are covered thoroughly.
Many games are lost as a result of a player’s poor grasp of even the
most basic principles of opening play. This book will help you
enhance your understanding and give you guidelines on how to
best study and play chess openings, reaching good, playable
middlegame positions.
It is available in hardcover, paperback and as an e-book.
Books by Carsten Hansen
Winning Quickly Series:
Catastrophes & Tactics in the Chess Opening - Volume 1: Indian Defenses
Catastrophes & Tactics in the Chess Opening - Volume 2: 1.d4 d5
Catastrophes & Tactics in the Chess Opening - Volume 3: Flank Openings
Catastrophes & Tactics in the Chess Opening - Volume 4: Dutch, Benonis
& d-pawn Specialties
Catastrophes & Tactics in the Chess Opening - Volume 5: Anti-Sicilians
Catastrophes & Tactics in the Chess Opening - Volume 6: Open Sicilians
Catastrophes & Tactics in the Chess Opening - Volume 7: Minor Semi-
Open Games
Catastrophes & Tactics in the Chess Opening - Volume 8: 1.e4 e5
Catastrophes & Tactics in the Chess Opening - Volume 9: French & Caro-
Kann
Catastrophes & Tactics in the Chess Opening – Volume 10: Selected
Brilliancies from Volumes 1-9
Entire series also available in Large Print Format
Chess Miniatures Series:

Winning Quickly at Chess: Miniatures in the Sicilian Najdorf
Winning Quickly at Chess: Miniatures in the Queen’s Indian Defense: 4 g3
Winning Quickly at Chess: Miniatures in the Ruy Lopez: Main Lines
Upcoming Volumes:
Winning Quickly at Chess: Miniatures in the King’s Indian Defense:
Fianchetto Systems
Winning Quickly at Chess: Miniatures in the Slav Defense: Main Lines
Winning Quickly at Chess: Miniatures in the Scotch Game
Opening Hacker Files:

The Carlsen Variation – a new Anti-Sicilian
Upcoming volumes:
Play the Orangutan: 1.b4
The Basman-Willams Attack
Daily Chess Training Series:
Chess Tactics – Volume 1 (404 puzzles from 2nd half of 2018)
Chess Tactics – Volume 2 (404 puzzles from 1st half of 2019)
Chess Tactics for Improvers – Volume 1 (808 puzzles from 2019)
Upcoming Volumes:
Chess Tactics for Improvers – Volume 2 (808 puzzles from 2019-20)
Specialized Chess Tactics Series:
Specialized Chess Opening Tactics: Budapest & Fajarowicz Gambits
Upcoming Volumes:
Specialized Chess Opening Tactics: Caro-Kann - Main Lines
Specialized Chess Opening Tactics: Caro-Kann - The Panov, Advance &
Specialties
Specialized Chess Opening Tactics: Benko & Blumenfeld Gambits
Specialized Chess Opening Tactics: The Sicilian Dragon – Classical Lines
Specialized Chess Opening Tactics: The Sicilian Dragon – Yugoslav Attack
For updates and free material, please visit www.winningquicklyatchess.com
Other books by Carsten Hansen:

The Sicilian Accelerated Dragon: Improve Your Results with New Ideas in
This Dynamic Opening (with Peter Heine Nielsen, Batsford 1998)
The Gambit Guide to the English Opening: 1...e5 (Gambit Publications
1999)
The Symmetrical English (Gambit Publications 2001)
The Nimzo-Indian: 4 e3 (Gambit Publications 2002)
Improve Your Positional Chess (Gambit Publications 2004) - also available
as e-book (Gambit Publications 2016) and in a Spanish-language edition
Mejore su ajedrez posicional (Editorial La Casa Del Ajedrez 2008)
A Strategic Opening Repertoire (with John Donaldson, Russell Enterprises
2008) - also available as an e-book (Russell Enterprises 2015)
Back to Basics: Openings (Russell Enterprises 2008) - also available as an
e-book (Russell Enterprises 2016)
The Sicilian Dragon: Move by Move (Everyman Chess 2016) - also
available as an e-book (Everyman Chess 2016)
The Closed Sicilian: Move by Move (Everyman Chess 2017) – also
available as an e-book (Everyman Chess 2017)
The Chameleon Variation – Confronting the Sicilian on Your Own Terms
(Russell Enterprises 2017) – also available as an e-book (Russell
Enterprises 2017)
The Full English Opening – Mastering the Fundamentals (New in Chess
2018) – also available as an e-book (New In Chess 2018)
The Sicilian Accelerated Dragon – 20th Anniversary Edition (with Peter
Heine Nielsen - CarstenChess 2018) – Expanded version of the 1998
edition with approximately 15% new material)
Marvelous Modern Miniatures – 2020 games in 20 or less (Russell
Enterprises 2020)
Back to Basics: Chess Openings (CarstenChess 2021
Upcoming books:
The Modernized Accelerated Dragon (Thinkers Publishing 2021)

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Catastrophes & Tactics

in the Chess Opening Workbook

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Printed in the United States of America

First Printing, 2021

ISBN 978-87-93812-78-9 (ebook)

Thanks for picking up this book.

So, which type of puzzle will you find in this book?

If you find mistakes, errors or other bothersome things, in the puzzle

White to move – which rook Black to move

Black to move White to move – should he

Black to move White to move – can the e5-

Black to move Black to move

Black to move White to move – can the e5-

White to move White to move

Black to move – should he White to move – White

Black to move White to move – if White

Black to move White to move

Black to move White to move – what

White to move – should he Black to move

Black to move White to move – should he

Black to move – can he play Black to move – should he

White to move – how should White to move – should e2-e4

White to move White to move – can he win a

White to move – should he Black to move

White to move – he is White to move – should he

White to move – he is White to move – is 1.Nxd4

White to move – the pawn on White to move

Black to move - …Re8 is White to move – he is

White to move White to move

White to move – the c4-pawn Black to move – should he

Black to move – is …Ng4 an White to move - should

White to move – h2-h3 to Black to move - ...Nd7 is

White to move – White is White to move – the h3 pawn

Black to move – the knight is Black to move

Black to move – what to do Black to move – should the

White to move Black to move – should he

White to move White to move – should he

White to move Black to move – how should

Black to move – is …f7-f5 an Black to move – is the pawn

White to move Black to move – is …Nb4

White to move Black to move

White to move – castle or White to move – what

Black to move – should he … Black to move – why is …e7-

Black to move – should he White to move

Black to move – should he White to move – should he

White to move – should he White to move

White to move – should he White to move – can he play

Black to move White to move – he is

White to move – should he White to move – can he get

White to move – can he play White to move – Black

White to move – should White to move – is this one

Black to move – is …Nh5 to White to move – White is

Black to move – is …Re8, Black to move?

Black to move – how should White to move – what is

White to move White to move – if White

Black to move White to move

Black to move – is …c7-c5 White to move

Black to move – should he Black to move

White to move Black to move – Black is

Black to move Black to move

White to move – can the Black to move

White to move – should the White to move – can the