1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3

Hoffmann has also played the true Janowski Indian on occasion following 2. c4 d6 3. Nc3 Bf5!? 4. g3! (4. f3 e5! 5. e4 exd4 6. Qxd4 Nc6 7. Qd2 Be6=) 4... c6 This seems a bit slow, but Hoffmann shows it is playable (though more active is 4... e5! 5. Nf3 (5. dxe5 dxe5 6. Qxd8+ Kxd8=) 5... Nbd7=) 5. Bg2 e5! (Black is cramped after 5... Nbd7?! 6. e4 Bg6 7. Nge2 e5 8. O-O Be7 9. Kh1!? h5!? 10. h3 Qc7 11. Be3 exd4 12. Nxd4 Nc5 13. f3 a5 14. Nb3 Ne6 (14... h4!) 15. f4! Bh7 16. f5 Nf8 17. Bf4 b6? 18. Nd4! N8d7 19. Nxc6! Qxc6 20. e5 1-0 Arnold,M-Hoffmann,A/New York 2004 (28)) 6. Nf3 Qc7 7. Bg5 Nbd7 8. Rc1 h6 9. Be3 Be7= 10. h3 O-O 11. b4 a5 12. b5 Rfe8 13. O-O Bf8 14. bxc6 bxc6 15. Nh4 Bh7 16. Qa4 g5! 17. Nf3 Nb6 18. Qb3 a4! 19. Qb4 exd4 20. Nxd4 c5 21. Ncb5 Qb8 22. Qc3 cxd4 23. Bxd4?

(23. Qxd4! Nfd7 24. Bxa8 Nxa8) 23... Ne4! 24. Qe1 Nxc4! 25. Rxc4 Qxb5 26. Rb4 Qd7 27. f3 Nc5 28. Qd2 d5 29. Bc3 Ne6 30. Rb2 Rac8 31. Bf6 a3 32. Rb3 Rc2 33. Qd1 Rxa2 34. e4 Qa7+ 35. Kh1 dxe4 36. Qd5 Qc5 37. fxe4 Rxg2 0-1 Barsky,S-Hoffmann,A/New York, NY USA 2000 (37)

 

2... d6 3. Nc3!?

Heading for a Pirc set-up, but Black has a surprise....

 

White can still go into traditional Janowski Indian lines by 3. c4 Bf5 ( Black also has the option of other "Old Indian" set-ups, including 3... Nc6!? 4. Nc3 e5 The Panther) (or 3... Nbd7 4. Nc3 e5 5. e4 Be7 which is the traditional OI) 4. Nc3 etc.

 

Also possible is 3. g3!? Bf5!? 4. c4 c6!? (Black has many options: 4... Qc8!?) (4... Nbd7 5. Bg2 e5) (4... h6) (4... Nc6!?) 5. Nc3 h6 6. Bg2 Nbd7 7. O-O e5 8. d5 cxd5 9. cxd5 Be7 10. Nd2 O-O 11. e4 Bh7 12. Qe2 Rc8 13. Nc4 Nc5 14. b3 a6 15. Bh3 Rc7 (15... Ncxe4!?) 16. f3 b5?! 17. Na5! Nxb3 18. axb3 Rxc3 19. Be3 Qc7 20. Nc6! Ra8 21. Rfc1 Rxc1+ 22. Rxc1 Bf8? 23. b4?! (23. Nxe5!) 23... Qb7 24. Qf2 Ne8 25. Na7 f5 26. exf5 Qxd5 and Black went on to win 0-1 in Senkiewicz,M-Hoffmann,A/New York 1991 (56)

 

3... Bf5!?

Hoffmann is known for his unusual openings, as revealed in his book "Chess Gladiator." As far as I know, this one does not have a name but ought to be considered part of the Janowski Indian complex. Perhaps we can call it "Janowski's Brother"?

 

4. g3

Another game of Hoffmann's with this line was played against former NJ native, IM Mark Ginsburg, and went 4. Nh4 g6?! A rather dubious experiment(better is 4... Bd7 5. e4 e5 6. Nf3 exd4 7. Nxd4 Nc6=) 5. Nxf5 gxf5 6. Bg5 Nbd7 7. Qd3 e6 8. f3 Bg7 9. e4 fxe4 10. fxe4 Rg8 11. Bxf6?! (11. O-O-O) 11... Bxf6 12. O-O-O Rg6 13. g3 c6 14. Bg2 Qc7 15. Kb1 O-O-O 16. Ne2 Bg5 17. Rhe1 Kb8 18. Nf4 Rgg8 19. c3 Nf6 20. Qe2 Nd7 21. Nd3 Rdf8 22. Rf1 h5 23. h4 Bf6 24. Nf4 Rxg3 25. Nxh5 Rg6 26. Nxf6 Nxf6 27. Rde1 Ng4 28. Rf4 Nh6 1/2-1/2 Ginsburg,M-Hoffmann,A/New York 1990 (28)

 

4... Nbd7

a) 4... Ne4!? has also been played a number of times when 5. Nxe4 Bxe4 6. Bg2 e6=

b) 4... Qc8!? is an interesting idea of Lein's, but White won a fantastic game against it following 5. Bg2 Bh3 6. O-O Bxg2 7. Kxg2 d5 8. Qd3 Nbd7 9. Re1 e6 10. e4 dxe4 (10... Bb4!?) 11. Nxe4 Be7 12. Bg5 O-O 13. Rad1 h6 14. Bd2 Rd8 15. c4 c6 16. Qc2 b5 17. b3 Qa6 18. c5!? Nxe4 19. Rxe4 Nf6 20. Rh4! Rd5 (20... Nd5!?) 21. Re1 Rad8

22. Bxh6!! gxh6 23. Rxe6!! Kf8 24. Rxh6 Ng8 25. Rh8 f5 26. Qe2 Kg7? 27. Ne5 and White forces mate in 1-0 Wilder,M-Lein,A/Lone Pine 1981 (27)

 

5. Bg2 c6 6. O-O

In "Chess Gladiator," Hoffmann writes that White should play in "more dynamic" fashion with 6. Nh4! Bg4 7. h3 Bh5 8. g4 Bg6 9. f4 e6 10. Nxg6 (10. e4 Nxe4!) 10... hxg6 11. e4 when it appears that Black is fine following 11... d5 (Black can also break in Pirc fashion with 11... e5!? 12. Ne2! Qb6!?) 12. e5 Ng8 13. Be3 Nb6!?

 

6... h6

Black could also seek exchanges with 6... Ne4!? "though White could try" 7. Nb1!? (7. Qd3 Nxc3 8. Qxc3 Be4=)

 

7. Nh4?!

Better, according to Hoffmann, was 7. Nd2 e5 8. e4 exd4 9. Ne2

 

7... Bh7 8. e4

8. f4!? e5 9. e4 (9. fxe5 dxe5 10. e3) 9... exd4 10. Qxd4 d5 11. Kh1 Bc5

 

8... g5! 9. Nf5 d5!

9... e6 10. Ne3 Bg7

 

10. g4

To secure the Knight.

Better might be 10. f3!?

 

10... dxe4 11. Ng3 Bg7

11... Qc7 12. Ncxe4 O-O-O

 

12. Ncxe4 Nxe4 13. Bxe4 Bxe4 14. Nxe4 Nf6 15. Ng3 e6

15... Qd7 16. Nf5!

 

16. f4?!

16. c3 Qd5 17. Qe2 O-O-O

 

16... Qd5!

"A powerful centralization. Combinations with ...Nxg4, followed by ... Bxd4+ are in the air," writes Hoffmann.

 

17. fxg5 hxg5 18. c4!?

"A good try, " writes Hoffmann, noting that "White deflects Black's well-posted Queen, rapidly mobilizing his forces to attack." Black needs to play actively and carefully through the subsequent complications.

 

18... Qxc4 19. Bxg5 Nd5 20. Qf3 Bxd4+ 21. Kh1 f6 22. Qe4 O-O-O! 23. Rac1?

23. Bxf6!? Nxf6 24. Rxf6 Qb5! 25. Qxe6+ (25. Rff1 Qxb2 26. Qg2 Qxg2+ 27. Kxg2 Bxa1) 25... Kb8 and White will have to surrender at least the Exchange since Black's attack along the second rank and the h-file combining onh2istoostrongfollowing 26. Rff1? Qxb2 etc.

 

23... Qb4! 24. a3 Qd6!

Hoffmann thought this was the clearest path to victory.

More complicated would be 24... Qxb2 25. Rc2 Qxa3 26. Rf3 Qa5 27. Qxd4 fxg5 28. Qe5

 

25. Nh5 Bxb2 26. Rc2 fxg5 27. Rxb2 Rhf8 28. Rc1 Nf4 29. Nxf4 Rxf4 30. Qe2 Qd5+ 31. Kg1 Re4

and White resigned rather than face complete simplification following 32.Qg2 Qd4+ 33.Kh1 Qd1+ 34.Rxd1 Rxd1+ 35.Qg1 Rxg1+ 36. Kxg1 Rxg4+ and Black's three extra pawns are more than sufficient.

0-1

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d6 3. Nc3 Bf5 4. Nh4 Bd7

The Bishop is well posted here while the Knight will eventually lose time returning to f3. Black has tried a number of other moves:

a) 4... e6!? 5. Nxf5 exf5 6. Qd3! (6. Bg5 Be7 7. Qd3 Qd7 8. Bxf6 Bxf6 9. Nd5 Bd8 10. Qe3+ Qe6 11. g3 c6 12. Qxe6+ fxe6 13. Nc3 Ba5!= 1/2-1/2 Koltanowski,G-Tartakower,S/Ostend 1937 (51)) 6... Qd7 7. g3 d5 8. Bg2 c6 9. a3 Qe6 10. f3! g6 11. Be3 Nbd7 12. Bf2 Bg7 13. O-O O-O (13... O-O-O! 14. e4 dxe4 15. fxe4 Nc5 16. exf5! Nxd3 17. fxe6 Nxf2=) 14. e4 fxe4 15. fxe4 dxe4 16. Nxe4 Nxe4 17. Bxe4 Nf6 18. Bf3 Ng4 19. Kg2 Nxf2 20. Rxf2 Qd7 21. Rd1 Rad8 22. Qc4 Qe7 1/2-1/2 Saemisch,F-Reti,R/Bad Pistyan 1922 (22)

 

b) 4... Bg6?! 5. Nxg6

 

c) 4... g6?! Hoffmann 5. Nxf5 gxf5 6. Qd3

5. g3

5. Bg5 seeks to exploit the fact that Black cannot play Nbd7. 5... c5! 6. e3 Qa5!? (6... cxd4 7. exd4 e6=) 7. Qd2 Nc6!? 8. d5! Nb4 9. Bxf6 exf6 10. Be2 f5 11. O-O Be7 12. Nf3 O-O 13. a3 Na6 14. b4 cxb4 15. axb4 Qb6 16. Rfb1 Bf6 17. Na4 Bxa4 18. Rxa4 Nc5 19. Ra3 a5 20. Qe1 axb4 21. Rxb4 Qc7 22. Qc1 Ne4 23. Nd4 Rxa3 24. Qxa3 Bxd4 25. exd4 Qxc2 26. Qb2 Rc8 27. Rxb7 Qc1+ 28. Bf1 g6 29. Qe2 Qa1 30. h4 Qxd4 31. h5 Qxd5 0-1 Azmaiparashvili,Z-Lutikov,A/Kutaisi 1978 (45)

 

5... d5!?

An interesting idea, which should be playable for Black.

a) Spassky himself may have demonstrated the safest route to equality with 5... g6 6. Bg2 Nc6 7. d5 Nb4 8. O-O Bg7 9. e4 O-O 10. h3 c6 11. a3 Na6 12. Be3 e6!? 13. dxe6 Bxe6 14. Qd2 Nc7 15. Bh6 d5 16. Bxg7 Kxg7 17. exd5 1/2-1/2 Stean,M-Spassky,B/Vienna 1980 (17)

 

b) The normal method of equalizing for Black is 5... e5 6. dxe5 dxe5 7. Bg2 c6 8. e4 Na6 9. Qe2 Bc5 10. Nd1 O-O 11. Ne3 Nc7 12. c3 a5 13. Nhf5 Re8 14. h4 Ne6 15. Nc4 Nf8 16. Be3 Bxe3 17. Ncxe3 g6?! (17... Be6=) 18. Nd6! Re6 19. Ndc4?! (19. O-O-O!) 19... b5 20. Nd2 Re8 21. a4 Ne6 22. axb5 cxb5 23. O-O Nc5 24. Rad1 Bc6 25. Nd5?! Bxd5 26. exd5 Rb8 27. c4 b4 28. Ne4 Nfxe4 29. Bxe4 Qd6 30. h5 a4 31. hxg6 hxg6 32. Bc2 Kg7 33. Kg2 Rh8 34. Qe3 Rh5 35. Rh1 Rbh8 36. Rxh5 Rxh5 37. Re1 Rh8 38. f4 exf4 39. gxf4 Rh4 40. Qd4+ Qf6 41. Qxf6+ Kxf6 42. Kg3 Rh8 43. d6 a3 44. bxa3 bxa3 45. Ra1 Ra8 46. Ra2 Ke6 47. f5+ gxf5 48. Kf4 Kxd6 49. Kxf5 Nd7 0-1 Karner,H-Tal,M/Tallinn 1985 (49)

6. Bg2 e6 7. O-O c5

Shirazi also tried the line against Seirawan that year, but there he played 7... Be7 8. Nf3 c5 9. dxc5 Na6 10. Ne5 Nxc5 11. b3 O-O 12. e4 Bc6?! Allowing an isolated pawn (better 12... Ncxe4=) 13. exd5! exd5 14. Bb2 a5 15. Ne2 Bb5 16. Re1 Nce4 17. Nd4 White has good play around Black's isolated pawn and the weakened dark squares. 17... Bd7 18. c4 a4 19. Nxd7 Qxd7 20. bxa4?! Bb4! 21. Re3? Letting Shirazi get a shot.

21... Nxf2!! 22. Kxf2 Ng4+ 23. Kf3 Ra6! 24. Ne2 Nxh2+ 25. Kf2 Ng4+ 26. Kf3 Qf5+ (26... Bc5!?) 27. Nf4 Nxe3 28. Kxe3 Bc5+ 29. Ke2 dxc4?! (29... g5! 30. Nd3 Re8+) 30. Kf1 Rd6 31. Qe2 Ba7 32. Ba3 Re6 33. Qxc4 Re4?? Obviously a terrible case of chess blindness. Black had a slight edge (33... g5!) 34. Qxe4 Qf6 35. Bxf8 Qxa1+ 36. Qe1 Qxa2 37. Bb4 Qc4+ 38. Ne2 Qd3 39. Bxb7 h5 40. Kg2 Qe3 41. Bf3 h4 42. gxh4 Qe5 43. Bc3 Qc7 44. Qg3 Qxc3 45. Nxc3 1-0 Seirawan,Y-Shirazi,K/Estes Park 1986 (45)

 

8. dxc5 Bxc5 9. e4 dxe4 10. Bg5 Be7 11. Bxf6 Bxf6 12. Nxe4 Bc6?!

Shirazi also played Bc6 at move twelve in his game with Seirawan which led to trouble....

 

13. Nd6+! Ke7 14. Qe2!

White suddenly has an initiative due to Black's king in the center, and the Knight at h4 springs to life with the threat of Nf5+!

 

14... Bxg2 15. Rfd1! Nd7

15... Bd5 16. Rxd5 Kf8 17. Rd3

 

16. Nxg2!

Now the Knight at h4 redeploys.

 

16... Qc7 17. Ne3

17. Qh5!?

 

17... Kf8 18. Ng4 h5

Trying to activate the Rook at h8.

18... Bxb2? 19. Rab1 Bc3 20. Rxb7

 

19. Nb5!? Qc8 20. Nxf6 Nxf6 21. c4 h4

Black may have equalized, but now Spassky turns on his GM factor.

 

22. g4!? h3?!

This pawn could cause trouble, or it may be artificially isolated and easily won in the ending.

 

23. b4 a6 24. Nd6 Qc6 25. f3 Rd8 26. Ne4! Ke7?!

Connecting the Rooks.

Perhaps best is 26... Rc8 27. Nxf6 gxf6 28. c5 but definitely not 26... Nxe4?? 27. Rxd8+

 

27. Nf2! Rxd1+ 28. Rxd1 Rd8 29. Rxd8 Kxd8 30. a3 a5!? 31. Kf1 Nd7 32. bxa5! Qc5 33. Qd3! Qe5

33... Qxa5 34. Nxh3 Ke7 35. Nf2 Qc7 36. Qb3 Ne5 37. c5 Nd7 38. Ne4

 

34. Nxh3 Qxh2 35. Nf2 Qe5 36. Ne4 Kc7 37. Nc3 Nc5?

A fatal error.

 

38. Nb5+! Kc8 39. Qd6! Qxd6 40. Nxd6+ Kd7 41. Nxb7 Na6 42. c5 f6 43. Ke2 g5 44. Nd6 Nxc5 45. Ne4 Nb3 46. Nxf6+ Ke7 47. a6 Nd4+ 48. Kd3 Nxf3

1-0

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d6 3. Nc3 Bf5 4. Nh4 Bd7 5. e4 e5 6. Nf3 Nc6!?

The safer course is probably 6... exd4 7. Nxd4 g6 (7... Nc6 8. Bc4 Be7 9. Nxc6 bxc6=) 8. Bg5 Bg7 9. f3 O-O 10. Qd2 Nc6 11. Nxc6 bxc6 12. Qf4 (12. O-O-O Qb8) 12... Qe7 13. O-O-O Rfe8 14. Bc4 Rab8 15. Bb3 a5 16. Rhe1 Nh5! 17. Qh4?! (17. Qe3) 17... Bh6! 18. f4 Bxg5 19. fxg5 h6 20. e5 d5 21. Bxd5 cxd5 22. Nxd5 Qd8 23. g4 hxg5 24. Qf2 c6 25. Nc3 Nf4 26. Ne4 Kg7 27. Nf6 Re7 28. h4 Qb6? (28... Nd5!) 29. Qxb6 Rxb6 30. Nxd7 (30. hxg5!) 30... Rb7 31. Nc5 Rb5 32. Nd3 Nxd3+ 33. Rxd3 gxh4 34. Rde3 Rb4 35. Re4 Kh6 36. c4 Kg5 37. Kc2 Rb8 38. b3 h3 39. Rh1 Rh8 40. Kd3 Rd7+ 41. Ke3 Rhd8 42. Re1 Rd2 43. Kf3 R8d3+ 44. R4e3 Rxe3+ 45. Kxe3 Rxa2 46. Kd4 a4 47. bxa4 Rxa4 48. Kc5 Kxg4 49. Rc1 Ra6 50. Kd6 g5 51. Ke7 Kf5 52. Kd6 g4 53. Rf1+ Ke4 54. Re1+ Kf3 55. Rf1+ Kg2 56. Rxf7 h2 57. Rh7 h1=Q 58. Rxh1 Kxh1 59. e6 c5+ 0-1 Frialde,A-Day,L/Canada 1991 (59)

 

7. Be2

a) 7. Bb5 exd4 8. Nxd4 g6 (8... Be7) 9. Bxc6 bxc6 10. Qe2 Qe7 11. O-O Bg7 12. Qa6 c5 13. Ndb5 Bxb5 14. Qxb5+ Qd7 15. e5 dxe5 16. Qxc5 Qd6 17. Qc4 O-O 18. Be3 Rfb8 19. Rad1 Rb4! 20. Rxd6 Rxc4 21. Ra6 c6 22. Rd1 Bf8 23. h3 Rb8 24. Ra4 Rxa4 25. Nxa4 Nd5 26. c4 Nb6?! (26... Nxe3! 27. fxe3 f5=) 27. Nxb6 axb6 28. a4 Bb4 29. Rd7 Kg7 30. Kf1 h5 31. g4 hxg4 32. hxg4 Kf6 33. Rc7 c5 34. Rc6+ Ke7 35. Bg5+ Kd7 36. Rf6 Ke8 37. Rd6 Ba5 38. Bf6 e4 39. Ke2 Kf8 40. Rd1 Rc8 41. Ke3 Ke8 42. Kxe4 Bb4 43. Rd6 Ba5 44. f3 Ra8 45. Kd5 Rc8 46. b3 Kf8 47. Rd7 Re8 48. Kc6 Re6+ 49. Rd6 1-0 Rodriguez Vargas,O-Gulko,B/New York 1987 (49)

 

b) 7. h3 g6 8. dxe5 Nxe5 9. Nxe5 dxe5 10. Bc4 Bg7 11. Be3 O-O 12. O-O Qe7 13. Nd5 Nxd5 14. Qxd5 c6 15. Qd2 Rad8 16. Bg5 Bf6 17. Bxf6 Qxf6 18. Qe3 b6 19. Rad1 Bc8 20. c3 Kg7 21. Rxd8 Rxd8 22. f4 Be6 23. Bxe6 exf4 24. Qxf4 Qxe6 25. e5 Re8 26. b3 Kg8 27. Qf6 Qd7 28. Qf4 Re6 29. Rf3 b5 30. Qd4 Qc7 31. Re3 Qe7 32. b4 a6 33. Kh1 Qg5 34. Re4 Re8 35. Kh2 h5 36. Qe3 Qf5 37. Qd4 Re6 38. Qd8+ Kg7 39. Qd4 g5 40. a3 Kg6 41. h4 gxh4 42. Re3 Qg4 43. Qd3+ Kg7 44. Re4 Qg5 45. Kh1 Rxe5 46. Qd4 f6 47. Rxe5 Qxe5 48. Qd7+ Kg6 49. Qxc6 Qe1+ 50. Kh2 Qg3+ 51. Kh1 h3 52. gxh3 Qxh3+ 53. Kg1 Qg3+ 54. Kh1 h4 55. Qe8+ Kg5 56. Qg8+ Kf4 57. Qb8+ Kf3 58. Qb7+ Kf2 59. Qb6+ Qe3 60. Qxf6+ 0-1 Donaldson,J-Rohde,M/Chicago 1990 (60)

 

7... g6 8. dxe5 dxe5 9. O-O a6 10. Bg5 h6 11. Bxf6 Qxf6 12. Nd5 Qd8 13. Qd3 Bg7 14. Rad1 Nd4! 15. Nxd4 exd4 16. Qa3! Bc6

16... c6 17. Rfe1!? cxd5 18. exd5

 

17. Rfe1

Black is under tremendous pressure but manages to hang on.

 

17... h5!? 18. Bc4 Rb8 19. c3 dxc3 20. e5 Bxd5 21. Rxd5 Qe7 22. Qxc3 O-O 23. Qd2 Rbd8 24. Qc2 b5 25. Bb3 Rxd5 26. Bxd5 Rd8 27. Qc6 Kh7 28. Kf1 Bxe5!

Suddenly the attack is broken and the tables turned.

 

29. f4?!

29. Bxf7=

 

29... Qf6! 30. Qxf6 Bxf6 31. Bxf7 Rf8 32. Be8 Bxb2 33. g3 c5 34. Re6 Rf6 35. Rxf6 Bxf6 36. Bc6 b4 37. Bd5 a5?! 38. Bb3 Kg7 39. Ke2 Bd4 40. h3 Kf6 41. g4

1/2-1/2

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d6 3. Nc3 Bf5 4. Bg5 d5!

Though an apparent waste of time, this move seems the best way to secure equal play, a la Shirazi.

 

It may be a mistake to surrender the Bishop pair with 4... Nbd7 5. Nh4! Bg6 6. Nxg6 hxg6 7. e4 e5 (White keeps a nice space advantage after 7... e6 8. f4 Be7 9. Bd3 (9. Qf3 Ng8 10. Bxe7 Qxe7 11. O-O-O O-O-O 12. Kb1 Kb8 13. g3 c6 14. h4 Torre,E-Cabrilo,G/New York op 1988) 9... Ng8 10. Bxe7 Qxe7 11. Qf3 Qh4+ 12. g3 Qh5 13. Qxh5 gxh5 14. Nb5 Schneider Zinner,H-Holzer,G/AUT-chT2O 9495 1995) 8. Qd2 ( A classic win for White here went 8. dxe5 Nxe5?! (8... dxe5! 9. Qf3!? Bb4) 9. f4 Ned7 10. Qf3 c6 11. Bc4 Be7 12. O-O-O Qc7 13. Rd2 O-O 14. h4 Rfe8 15. g4 Bf8? 16. h5 gxh5? 17. Bxf6 Nxf6 18. g5 Ng4 19. Rxh5? (19. Qxg4!) 19... g6 20. Rh4 d5 21. Bd3 d4 22. Ne2 c5 23. Rxg4 c4 24. Nxd4 cxd3 25. Rxd3 Qa5 26. f5 Qxa2 27. Nb3 gxf5 28. g6! Bh6+ 29. Rd2 Bxd2+ 30. Kxd2 Rad8+ 31. Kc1 f6 32. Qh1 Rd7 33. Rh4 1-0 Tartakower,S-Tackels,A/Spa 1926 (33)) 8... Be7 9. a4 c6 10. Be2 O-O 11. Be3 exd4! 12. Qxd4 d5! Black must take risks to break the bind 13. exd5 Bc5 14. Qd2 Bxe3 15. fxe3 cxd5 16. Nxd5 Nxd5 17. Qxd5 Qh4+ 18. g3 Qb4+ 19. Kf2 Nf6 20. Qd4 Qe7 21. Rhd1 Ne4+ 22. Kf3 Rfe8 23. Bd3 Ng5+ 24. Kg2 Qe6 25. Qf4 Qc6+ 26. e4 Nxe4 27. Qf3 Re5 28. Re1 f5 29. b3 a6 30. h4 Rae8 31. Re2 Qc7 32. Qf4 Qc6 33. Qf3 Qc7 34. Qf4 Qc6 35. Qf3 Qc7 36. Qf4 1/2-1/2 Hebden,M-Adams,M/BCF-ch 1997

 

5. Nh4!?

5. e3 c6 6. Bd3 Bxd3 7. Qxd3 e6 8. e4 dxe4 9. Nxe4 Be7=

 

5... Be6!

Too hypermodern would be 5... Bc8!?

 

6. Qd3

6. Bxf6 exf6

 

6... c6 7. f4?

a) 7. Bxf6 exf6 8. e4 Bb4!? (8... dxe4 9. Qxe4 Bb4 10. Bd3) 9. exd5 Qxd5 10. Be2 O-O 11. O-O=

 

b) 7. e4 dxe4 8. Nxe4 Nxe4 9. Qxe4 g6=

 

7... Ne4! 8. f5

a) 8. Nxe4 dxe4 9. Qxe4? h6 10. f5 Bd5

 

b) 8. Nf3 Bf5! 9. g4!? (9. Rg1 Qb6!) 9... Bxg4 10. Nxe4 dxe4 11. Qxe4

8... Nxg5 9. fxe6 Nxe6 10. O-O-O g6

The alternative liberation plan, suggested by Finkel, is 10... Nf4 11. Qf3 Ng6 12. Nxg6 hxg6 13. e4 e6 14. Kb1 Nd7

 

11. e4 Bg7 12. exd5 Nf4!

12... cxd5?! 13. Qb5+

 

13. Qg3 Nxd5 14. Nf5 Bf6 15. Nh6 Nxc3 16. bxc3 Qa5 17. h4 Nd7

17... Qxa2!? 18. Qc7 Nd7 19. Qxb7 Rb8 20. Qxc6 Bg7 21. Ng4 Qb2+ 22. Kd2 Bxd4 23. cxd4 Qxd4+ 24. Ke1 Qxg4 Finkel

 

18. Bc4 Rf8 19. Rhe1 Qa3+ 20. Kb1 Nb6 21. Bb3 O-O-O 22. Ng4

22. Nxf7? Rxf7 23. Bxf7 Na4!

 

22... a5!? 23. Ne5 Bxe5 24. Rxe5 e6 25. Rf1 Qd6! 26. a4 Nd7 27. Re3 Qxg3 28. Rxg3 Rde8 29. h5 Kc7 30. hxg6 hxg6 31. Rh3 Re7 32. Rh7 Kd6 33. Rg7 b5 34. c4 bxa4 35. c5+ Kc7 36. Bxa4 e5 37. dxe5?

37. c3!

 

37... Nxe5 38. Bb3 Rd7 39. Kc1 f5! 40. Rg8 Rxg8 41. Bxg8 Rg7 42. Be6 Re7 43. Bg8 Nd7 44. Rh1 Rg7 45. Rh8 Nxc5 46. Bc4 Kd6 47. Ra8 a4 48. Kb2 g5 49. Kc3 f4 50. Rd8+ Kc7 51. Rf8 Re7 52. Rg8 Re5 53. Kb4 Kb6 54. Rb8+ Kc7 55. Rg8 Kb6 56. Rb8+ Nb7 57. Bd3 Re3 58. Ra8

58. Kxa4 Kc7 59. Rg8 Nc5+ 60. Kb4 Nxd3+ 61. cxd3 Rg3 62. Kc5 Kd7 63. Rg7+ Ke6 64. Kxc6 Rxg2

 

58... Nc5 59. Bf5 Rg3 60. Rb8+ Nb7 61. Be4 a3 62. Bd3 Ka7 63. Re8 c5+ 64. Ka4 a2 65. Re1 Nd6 66. Ra1 Rxg2 67. Rxa2 Rg1 68. Kb3+ Kb7 69. Ra5 Kc6 70. Ra6+ Kd5 71. c4+ Ke5 72. Rc6 Ne4 73. Rc8 Kd4 74. Rd8+ Ke3 75. Bc2 f3 76. Rf8 f2

0-1

[Goeller, Finkel]

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d6 3. Nc3 Bf5 4. h3

Black has nothing to fear from this advance. White can also play a number of quiet lines, including the following:

a) 4. Bf4 e6 5. e3 d5 6. Bd3 Bxd3 7. Qxd3 c6 8. e4 Be7 (8... Bb4!?) 9. exd5 exd5 10. O-O O-O 11. Rfe1 Re8 12. h3 Nbd7 13. Re3 Bb4 14. Rxe8+ Nxe8 15. Ne2 Nf8 16. Qb3 Qb6 17. a3 Be7 18. Qxb6 axb6 19. Re1 Ne6 20. Be5 f6 21. Bh2 Kf7 22. Nc1 Nd6= 0-1 Shtiren-Konstantinopolsky,A/USSR 1938 (63)

 

b) 4. e3 g6!? 5. Bd3 Bxd3 6. cxd3 c6 7. Qb3 Qb6 8. Qc2 Bg7 9. O-O O-O 10. h3 Na6 11. a3 c5 12. d5 Nc7 13. e4 Nb5 14. Nxb5 Qxb5 15. Bd2 Rac8 16. Bc3 c4 17. d4 Bh6 18. g4 Qd7 19. Ne1 e6 1/2-1/2 Lein,A-Rohde,M/New York 1988 (50)

4... h6 5. g4 Bh7 6. Bg2 Nbd7 7. g5?!

More what one would expect from an amateur than from an international master.

 

7... Ne4!? 8. h4 Nxc3 9. bxc3 e5! 10. Rb1 Be4 11. Kf1 Qe7 12. a4 O-O-O! 13. a5 Qe6 14. a6 b6

White will now have trouble opening lines against Black's king, which allows Black's attack full reign.

 

15. Bd2 Be7 16. Ra1 hxg5 17. hxg5 Rxh1+ 18. Bxh1 Rh8! 19. Bg2 Qg4!

With the awesome threat of Rh2!

 

20. Kg1 Bxg5 21. Bxg5 Bxf3 22. exf3 Qxg5 23. Ra4 Rh4 24. Qf1 Nc5!

Exploiting pin in order to join the attack on the kingside via Nc5-e6-f4 etc. White decides that it is better to surrender the Exchange, after which the rest is easy for Tal.

 

25. dxc5? Rxa4 26. Qb5 Ra1+ 27. Kh2 Qf4+ 28. Kh3 Kd8 29. cxb6 axb6

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