1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. f4 d5 4. fxe5 Nxe4 5. Nf3

a) 5. d3?! Nxc3! The best way for Black to try for an edge.

(a) 5... Bb4 This move basically forces a draw, at Black's discretion, and offers evidence for why 5.d3 cannot be White's best. 6. dxe4 Qh4+ 7. Ke2 Bxc3 8. bxc3 Bg4+ 9. Nf3 dxe4 10. Qd4 Bh5 11. Ke3 (11. Kd2 Qg4) 11... Bxf3 (11... exf3 12. gxf3 Qe1+ 13. Kf4 1979 1/2-1/ 2 Makarichev,S-Razuvaev,Y/URS-ch47 Minsk) 12. gxf3 1980 12... Qe1+ 13. Kf4 Qh4+ 14. Ke3 1980 1/2-1/2 Nunn,J-Speelman,J/London P&D 1980.

 

(b) 5... Qh4+? This is the trap presented by 5.d3, and the only reason to risk the move. 6. g3 Nxg3 7. Nf3 Qh5 8. Nxd5! Nxh1 9. Nxc7+ Kd8 10. Nxa8 Be7 11. Bg2 1-0 Dobosz,H-Ganev/Bulgaria 1971 (32).

6. bxc3 d4! 7. Nf3 c5 (7... Nc6 8. Be2 dxc3 9. d4 Nb4 10. a3 Nd5 11. O-O Be7= Bronstein, D-Malaniuk,V/ Hastings Challengers 1996 (39).) 8. Be2 dxc3 9. O-O Nc6 10. Ng5?! (10. Qe1 Nd4 11. Bd1 Be7 12. Qxc3 O-O=) 10... Nxe5 11. Bh5 Qd4+ 12. Kh1 Be7 (12... g6 13. Bf4!) 13. Rxf7 g6?! (13... Nxf7! 14. Bxf7+ Kd8) 14. Nf3 Nxf3 15. Qxf3 gxh5 16. Bg5 Bxg5 17. Re1+ Kd8 18. Qg3 Bd7 19. Qxg5+ Kc7 20. Rxd7+! Qxd7 21. Re7 b6 22. Qe5+ Kc6 23. Rxd7 Kxd7 24. d4 Rae8 25. Qd5+ Kc7 26. h3 cxd4 27. Qxd4 Re1+ 28. Kh2 Rhe8 1990 1/2-1/2 Seret,J-Spassky,B/FRA-ch Angers 1990.

 

b) 5. Qf3! -- a favorite of Spielmann's -- is White's best alternative and was tried by Torre in a couple of other games from the tournament which we will examine later.

 

5... Bc5!

 

The most important move and a true challenge to the soundness of 5.Nf3. Other moves by Black are less challenging:

 

a) 5... Be7 Breyer's idea. 6. Qe2! (Jonny Hector's favorite; note that the more standard 6. d4 Bb4!? transposes to lines that usually arise via 5...Bc5, where only Black can play for advantage) 6... Nxc3 (6... f5 7. d3 Nc5 (7... Nxc3 8. bxc3 c5 9. g3 Nc6 10. Bg2 O-O 11. O-O Be6 12. Rb1 Rb8 13. Kh1 h6 14. Bd2 b5 15. d4 c4 16. Ng1!? (The beginnng of an adventure in improving the Knight) 16... a5 17. Nh3 g5 18. Nf2 b4 19. Nd1 Kh7 20. Ne3 Qd7 21. Qf3 bxc3 22. Bxc3 g4 23. Qd1!? Rxb1 24. Qxb1 Bg5 25. Qe1 h5 26. Nd1 Qe7 27. Ne3 Qd7 28. Bb2 Bh6 29. Ba3 Rf7 30. c3 h4 31. Rf2 h3 32. Bf1 f4 33. gxf4 Bxf4 34. Bc1 Ne7? 35. Nxg4! Bxg4 36. Bxf4 when White was slightly better but went on to lose in Meister, Y-Timoshchenko,G/URS-OT56 Barnaul 1988/0-1 (58).) 8. Be3!? (8. g3 d4 9. Nd1 Ne6 10. Bg2 1-0 Heikki Westerinen-Levente Lengyel/San Feliu de Guixols 1973. (19)) 8... Ne6 (8... O-O 9. O-O-O Nc6 10. Qf2 b6 11. g3) 9. d4 O-O 10. Qd2 (10. O-O-O! would be the natural move, with good play for White. ) 10... c6 11. g3 b5 12. Ne2 Nd7 13. Nf4 Nb6 14. b3 a5 15. Bd3 a4 16. O-O Nxf4 17. gxf4 (17. Bxf4!) 17... Be6 18. Kh1 axb3 19. axb3 Qc7 20. Qg2 Rxa1 21. Rxa1 Nd7 22. Bf2 Qb6 23. Qh3 c5 24. Bh4 Bxh4 25. Qxh4 c4 26. Be2 cxb3 27. cxb3 Rc8 28. Qe7! Kh8 (28... Nf8 29. Ra7) 29. Ng5! Qxd4? 30. Qxg7+! 1-0 Dmitry Andreikin (2573)-Evgeny Romanov (2543)/Saint-Peterburg 2008.) (6... Ng5 Karpov showed that this can equalize...if you are Karpov. 7. d4 c6 (7... Ne6 8. Be3 c6 9. Qd2 b5 10. Bd3 Na6 11. O-O O-O 12. Rf2 Nac7 13. Raf1 f5 14. exf6 Bxf6 15. Ne2 1-0 Westerinen, H-Matanovic,A/Helsinki zt (40)) (7... Nxf3+ 8. Qxf3 Nc6 9. Be3 Be6 10. O-O-O) 8. Be3! (better than 8. Qf2 Nxf3+ 9. Qxf3 Qb6! 0-1 Hellers, F-Karpov, A/Haninge 1990 (39).) 8... O-O 9. O-O-O Na6 10. h4 Nxf3 11. gxf3 f6 12. f4 fxe5 13. fxe5 Nc7 Though Black has sufficient defensive resources to hold the position, I think most players would prefer to play White here, with plenty of open lines for attack and a clear initiative.(Of course, not 13... Bxh4?? 14. Qh5) 14. h5 (14. Qg2!?) 14... Bg5! 15. Rg1 Bxe3+ 16. Qxe3 Bf5 17. Ne2 Ne6 18. Nf4 Qh4 19. Nxe6 Bxe6 20. Bd3 Qf4 21. Qxf4 Rxf4 22. h6 Bg4 23. Rdf1 Raf8 24. e6 Rxf1+ 25. Bxf1 Bxe6 26. Rxg7+ Kh8 27. Bd3 Rf7 28. Rxf7 Bxf7 29. Bf5 Kg8 30. Kd2 (30. b4!?) 30... Bg6 31. Bc8 b6 32. b4 Kf7 33. Bd7 Kf6 34. Bxc6 Bf7 35. Ke3 Kf5 36. a3 Bg8 37. c3 Bf7 38. c4 dxc4 39. Be4+ Kf6 40. d5 Bg6 41. Bg2 Ke5 42. Bf3 a5 1994 1/2-1/2 Adams,M-Xu Jun/Cap d'Agde 1994.) 7. dxc3 (7. bxc3?! O-O 8. g3 f6! 9. d4 fxe5 10. dxe5 Bg4 11. Bg2 Nd7 12. O-O c6) 7... c5 (7... Nc6 8. Bf4 Be6 9. O-O-O Qd7 10. Qe3 a6 11. Bg5 O-O-O 12. Nd4 Janosevic-Reshevsky,Maribor 1967.) (7... O-O 8. Bf4 (8. Be3) 8... c6 (8... Nc6 9. O-O-O Be6 10. c4) (8... c5 9. O-O-O Nc6 (9... Qa5) 10. c4 d4 11. Qe4 Janosevic-Gligoric,S/ Belgrade 1964.) 9. O-O-O Na6 10. Nd4 (10. c4!?) 10... Nc5 11. Qe3 (11. g4?! Bg5) 11... Bg4 12. Re1 Ne6 13. Kb1 (13. h3?! Nxf4 14. hxg4 Bg5) 13... c5 14. Nxe6 Bxe6 15. h4 d4 16. Qg3 Qa5 17. c4! Rfe8 18. h5! Bf8 19. b3?! (19. a3! would avoid White's troubles) 19... b5 20. cxb5 a6 21. b6! Rab8 (21... c4!) 22. Bd3 c4! 23. Bxc4 Bxc4 24. e6 Rxb6 25. exf7+ Bxf7 26. Rxe8 Bxe8 27. Bc7 Qc5 28. Bxb6 Qxb6 29. Qe5 Bf7 30. Rd1 Qc5 31. Re1 h6 32. Re4 Qb4 33. g4 Bc5 34. Qf5 Qc3 35. Qc8+ Bf8 36. Qxa6 Bd5 37. Re8 Bc6 38. Re2 Bf3 39. Qe6+ 1995 1/2-1/2 Adams,M-Zude, A/BL9495.) (7... c6 8. Qf2 O-O 9. Bd3 Nd7 10. Qg3 Kh8 11. O-O Nc5 12. Ng5! Nxd3? 13. Nxf7+ Rxf7 14. Rxf7 Bc5+ 15. Be3 Bxe3+ 16. Qxe3 Be6 17. Rxb7 Qc8 18. Re7 Nxb2 19. Rb1 Rb8 20. Qxa7 Bf5 21. Rxg7 Bxc2 22. Rc7 Qg8 23. e6 1988 1-0 Hector,J-Chiburdanidze, M/Berlin op 1988.) 8. Bf4 Nc6 (8... Be6 9. O-O-O Qa5 10. Qb5+ Qxb5 11. Bxb5+ Nd7 12. Rhe1 O-O-O 13. Ng5 h6 14. Nxf7 Bxf7 15. e6 Nf6 16. exf7 Bd6 17. Bxd6 Rxd6 18. Re8+ Rd8 19. Rde1 Ne4 20. c4 a6 21. cxd5 1988 1-0 Hector,J-Polgar,Z/ Val Maubuee op 1988.) 9. O-O-O Be6 (9... Qa5 10. a3 Be6 11. Bg5 Bxg5+ 12. Nxg5 Qc7 13. g3 Qe7 14. h4 O-O-O 15. Bg2 Kb8 16. Rhf1 c4 17. Qf2 Nxe5 18. Qd4 f6 19. Nxe6 Qxe6 20. Bxd5 Qg4 21. Qxg4 Nxg4 22. Rfe1 Ne5 23. Re4 Rc8 24. Rdd4 Rhd8 (24... b5) 25. Be6! Nc6 26. Rxc4 0-1 Vavra, P-Berzinsh,R/Moravka op 1994 (57).) 10. h4 (10. Kb1 Qa5 11. a3 h6 12. h4 Rb8 13. Qb5 Qc7 14. Qd3 b5 15. g3 b4 16. axb4 cxb4 17. Nd4 Nxd4 18. cxd4 b3 19. Bh3 bxc2+ 20. Qxc2 Qxc2+ 21. Kxc2 Kd7 22. Bd2 Bd8 23. Rdf1 Bxh3 24. Rxh3 Ke6 25. h5 Bb6 26. Kd3 Rhc8 27. Bc3 a5 28. g4 Bd8 29. Ra1 Rc4 30. Rhh1 a4 31. Ra2 Be7 32. Rha1 a3 33. Rb1 Bb4 34. Rc1 Rbc8 Sorensen,J-Polgar,Z/ WchJM-U20 Tunja 1989/0-1 (88).) 10... h6 11. g3 Qd7 (11... Qa5 12. a3) 12. Bg2 O-O-O 13. h5 (13. Qf1!? Rhe8 14. Bh3) 13... Na5 14. b3 Nc6 15. Qf2 (15. Kb1!?) 15... Qc7 16. Kb1 (16. Be3! Qa5 17. Kb2 Rd7) 16... Kb8 17. Nh4 d4! 18. cxd4 Nxd4 19. Kb2 Qb6 (19... Nb5!?) 20. Be3 Qa5 21. Bd2 (21. Bxd4? cxd4 22. Rxd4 Ba3+ 23. Kb1 Qc3) 21... Qa6 22. Be3 1994 22... Qa5 23. Bd2 Qa6 24. Be3 1/2-1/2 Adams, M-Anand,V/ PCA-WchQual1 Linares 1994.

 

b) 5... Nc6 6. Bb5! (6. Qe2 Bf5 Berg, K-Spassky,B/BL8687 1987/1/2-1/2 (40).) 6... Be7 (6... Bg4 7. O-O Be7 (7... Bc5+ 8. d4 Bb6 9. Qd3 Bxf3 10. Rxf3 Nxc3 11. bxc3 Qe7 12. a4 1/2-1/2 Daniels,A-Van Veen,O/ Vlissingen 2000/ (30)) 8. Qe1!? (8. d3 Nxc3 9. bxc3 O-O 10. Qe1) 8... Nxc3 9. dxc3 O-O 10. Qg3 Bh5 11. Bf4 a6 12. Bd3 1-0 Dabrowska,K-Holoubkova,M/ Germany 1995/ (60).) (6... Bc5 7. d4 Bb6 (7... Bb4 8. O-O) 8. O-O O-O 9. Na4 Bg4 10. Nxb6 axb6 11. c3 f6 12. Qe1 Bd7 (12... Bxf3 13. gxf3 Ng5 14. Qg3) 13. Bd3 (13. Nd2! Nxe5! 14. Bxd7 Nxd7 15. Nxe4 Re8 16. Nxf6+ Nxf6 17. Qg3 Ne4 18. Qg4= and Black's advantage is very minimal.) 13... fxe5 14. dxe5 Bf5 15. c4 0-1 Matsuura,E-De Souza,M/ Curitiba 1999/(24).) (6... Bb4 7. Qe2 Bxc3 8. dxc3 Bg4 (8... O-O 9. Bf4 Ne7 10. h3 Nf5 11. Rg1 Nfg3 12. Qe3 c6 13. Bd3 Nf5 14. Qe2 Qb6 15. O-O-O 1-0 Tarrasch, S-Schiffers,E/Hastings 1895/(36).) 9. Bf4 a6 10. Bd3 Nc5 11. O-O-O Qe7 12. h3 Bxf3 13. Qxf3 Nxd3+ 14. Rxd3 1-0 Westerinen, H-Camilleri, H/ Raach 1969/ (27).) (6... Bd7 7. O-O (7. Nxd5!? Nxe5 8. Qe2 Nxf3+ 9. gxf3 Qh4+ 10. Kd1 Kd8 11. Qxe4 Qxe4 12. fxe4 Bxb5 13. d3 and White has a nice King's Gambit type of ending.) 7... a6 8. Ba4 (8. Bxc6 Bxc6 9. Ne2 Bc5+! 10. Ned4! (10. d4 Bb6 -- Ne4) 10... Ng5!? 11. Kh1 Ne6 12. Nxe6 (12. Nxc6!? bxc6 13. d4 Be7 14. Qd3 O-O 15. b3=) 12... fxe6 13. d4 Be7 14. Ne1! (14. Ng5!?) 14... Kd7!? 15. Nd3) 8... b5 9. Bb3 Nxc3 10. bxc3 (10. dxc3 Be6) 10... Bg4 11. h3 Be6 12. d4 Be7 13. a4) 7. Qe2 Nc5 (7... Nxc3 8. dxc3!? (8. Bxc6+ bxc6 9. bxc3 c5 10. d3 O-O 11. O-O c6 12. Qf2 Qa5 13. Qg3 Kh8 1/2-1/2 Yukhtman,J-Kots, Y/ Sverdlovsk 1957/(13).) 8... O-O 9. Bf4 a6 (9... f6 10. O-O-O fxe5 11. Rxd5!) (9... Be6 10. O-O-O a6 11. Bd3 Qc8 12. Qe3 Nd8 13. Ng5 Bf5 14. Rhf1 c6 15. Qg3 Bxd3 16. Rxd3 Ne6 17. Rdf3 Nxf4 18. Rxf4 f6 19. Nxh7 Kxh7 20. Rh4+ Kg8 21. Qg6 f5 22. Rh5 Bf6 23. Qh7+ Kf7 24. exf6 Rg8 25. Rhxf5 Qe6 26. fxg7+ Ke7 27. Qh4+ Kd7 28. Rf7+ Kc8 29. Qf4 1-0 Glenn Bordonada-Iolo Ceredig Jones/Buenos Aires ol 1978.) 10. Bxc6 (10. Bd3 f6 11. O-O-O fxe5 12. Bxe5) 10... bxc6 11. O-O Re8 12. Qf2) (7... Ng5 8. d4 Nxf3+ 9. Qxf3 O-O 10. Be3 Nb4 11. O-O-O c6 12. Be2 f6 13. Qg3 Bf5 14. Bh6 Bg6 15. h4 gxh6 16. h5 fxe5 17. hxg6 Bg5+ 1/2-1/2 Turner, M-Motwani,P/BCF-ch 1994.) 8. d4 Ne6 9. Be3 O-O (9... a6 10. Bd3 (10. Ba4!? with the idea of Bb3xd5) 10... Nb4 11. O-O-O Nxd3+ 12. Qxd3 Ng5 13. Nd2 Bg4 14. Rdf1 Ne6 1/2-1/2 Hansen, C-Jacobsen,B/ Silkeborg 1980/ (24).) 10. h4!? (10. O-O a6 11. Ba4 Na5 12. Qf2 Nc4 13. Bb3 Nxe3 14. Qxe3 c6 15. Ne2 Ng5 16. c4 dxc4 17. Bxc4 Be6 18. b3 1-0 Yegiazarian,A-Estrada Nieto,J/Linares 1999/ (38)) 10... h6 (10... f6 11. O-O-O Nb4 12. h5 c6 13. Ba4 fxe5 14. Nxe5) 11. O-O-O Nb4 12. Qd2 c6 13. Be2 Re8 14. g4 0-1 Martorelli,A-Tomescu,V/ Roma 2000/ (24). [Bangiev]

 

c) 5... Bg4 6. Qe2 was discussed in the game Smirka - Torre from the same tournament.

 

d) 5... Bf5!? 6. d3! (6. Bd3 Nd7! eyeing Ndc5) (6. d4?! Bb4=) (6. Qe2 Nc6) 6... Nxc3 7. bxc3 Be7 8. Be2 O-O 9. O-O c5 10. Rb1 b6 11. Qe1 Nd7 12. Qg3 Alekhine - Reel, Milwaukee 1929.

 

e) 5... Bb4 6. Qe2! Bxc3 7. dxc3 O-O 8. Bf4 (8. Be3!?) 8... f6 (8... c6 9. O-O-O! (9. Qe3 Qb6 10. Qxb6 axb6 11. c4 dxc4 12. Bxc4 b5 13. Bd3 Nc5 14. Be2 Bf5 15. Nd4 Ne6 16. Nxe6 Bxe6 17. O-O Nd7 18. a3 Djuric, S-Sekulic,D/JUG-chT (Cetinje) 1993/0-1 (62).) 9... Qa5 10. a3 (best is 10. Kb1! Qb6 11. Qe1 Nf2?? 12. Be3) 10... b5! 11. Nd4 (11. Nd2? Nxc3!! 12. bxc3 Qxa3+ 13. Kb1 Bf5 14. g4 Na6 15. gxf5 Nc5) 11... Qb6 12. g4 a5 13. Bg2 Nc5 (13... b4 14. Bxe4 dxe4 15. e6! bxa3 16. bxa3 Qc5 17. Nb3 Qxa3+ 18. Kb1 Bxe6 19. Bd6 Qa4 20. Bxf8 Bxb3 21. Rd8) 14. Be3! b4!! 15. Nb3 (15. Nxc6? Nxc6 16. Rxd5 bxc3! 17. bxc3 Qa6! 18. Qxa6 Nxa6 19. Rd6 Nab8) 15... Nxb3+ 16. cxb3 Qc7 (16... Bxg4! 17. Bf3 Bxf3 18. Qxf3 Qc7 19. Bh6 Nd7 20. Qg4 g6 21. Bxf8 Nxe5) 17. Bc5 Re8 18. cxb4 axb4?! (18... Nd7!) 19. Bxb4 Na6 20. Bc3 Nc5 21. b4 Nd7 22. b5 Nxe5 23. Rhe1 f6 24. bxc6 1-0 Anwesh,U (2432)-Dev,K (1904)/Aurangabad IND 2011 (34).) 9. O-O-O fxe5 10. Bxe5?! (10. Qxe4!! dxe4 11. Bc4+ Kh8 12. Rxd8 Rxd8 13. Nxe5) 10... Nc6 11. c4 Bg4 (11... Nxe5 12. Rxd5) 12. Rxd5 Bxf3 13. gxf3 Qg5+ 14. Kb1 Nxe5? (14... Nd2+! 15. Qxd2 Qxd2 16. Rxd2 Nxe5) 15. Qxe4 Rae8 16. Bd3 g6? (16... Rf4 17. Qxh7+ Kf7 18. Qh3) 17. Re1 Rf5 18. h4 (18. Qe2! c6 19. Bxf5 cxd5 20. Bd7 Re7 21. cxd5 Rxd7 22. Qxe5) 18... Qf6 19. Qd4 (19. Rd7!) 19... Rf4 1-0 Spielmann, R-Cohn,E/Berlin 1908 (38).

 

6. Qe2 Bf2+

a) 6... Nf2? is a mistake: 7. d4 Bxd4 8. Nxd4 Nxh1 9. g3 c5 10. Nf3 Nc6 11. Bg2

 

b) 6... Bf5 was played in several recent games that have drawn attention to this line: 7. Nd1 (7. d3 Nxc3 8. bxc3) 7... d4!

7... Nc6!? 8. d3 Qe7 9. Ne3?! (9. Be3! O-O-O 10. dxe4 dxe4 11. Nd2 Nd4 12. Bxd4 Bxd4 13. c3 Bxe5 14. Qf2 Benjamin on ICC, Finkel in NIC Yb 110) 9... Be6 10. c3 (10. dxe4 dxe4 11. Nd2 O-O-O 12. Nxe4 Qh4+ 13. Nf2 Nd4 14. Qd1 Nb3 15. axb3 Rxd1+ 16. Nexd1 Finkel) 10... O-O-O 11. d4?! (11. g3 Finkel) 11... Bb6 12. Qc2?! g5 13. g3?! f6 14. exf6 Qxf6 15. Bg2 g4 16. Nh4 Bxd4 17. Rf1 Qe5 18. cxd4 Nxd4 19. Qa4 Kb8 20. Bxe4 Bd7 21. Qa5 Qxe4 22. Rf4 Qh1+ 23. Kf2 Nf3 24. Nxg4 b6 25. Qc3 Nxh4 26. gxh4 Bxg4 27. Be3 Qxh2+ 0-1 Baadur Jobava (2695) -Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (2757)/Warsaw POL 2013.

8. g4! (less good are 8. c3?! Bb6 9. d3 Nc5 10. Nf2 Nc6 11. Bd2 a5 12. O-O-O?! Qd5 Nikitin - Zeschkovsky, Alma Alta 1968 or 8. d3? Bb4+ 9. c3 dxc3) 8... Bg6 (8... Be7!? 9. Bg2! (9. gxf5?! Bh4+ 10. Nf2 Nxf2 11. f6 Nd3+ 12. Kd1 Nf2+=) 9... Bg6 10. d3 transposes to 1-0 Lehtivaara,P-Puri, V/Gausdal 1986/(51).) 9. Bg2 O-O (9... Be7 10. d3 Nc5 11. Nf2 Nc6 12. a3 Qd7 13. Bf4 h5 14. h3 Na4 15. O-O O-O-O 16. Nd2 Nxb2 17. a4 Nb4 18. Rfb1 Nxa4 19. Qf3! Qb5 20. Rxa4! Qxa4 21. Qxb7+ Kd7 22. e6+! fxe6 (22... Ke8 23. Bxc7) (22... Kxe6 23. Re1+) 23. Bxc7 (23. Rxb4! Bxb4 24. Qxc7+ Ke8 25. Bc6+) 23... Qa6 24. Rxb4 Qxb7 25. Rxb7 Ra8 26. Be5+ Kd8 27. Nc4 Rg8 28. Na5 Be8 29. Rxe7 Kxe7 30. Bxa8 Ba4 31. Be4 hxg4 32. hxg4 Bxc2 33. Nc6+ Kd7 34. Nxa7 Ba4 35. Bxd4 Kd6 36. Kg2 e5 37. Be3 Rb8 38. Kg3 Rb1 39. Nh3 Bc2 40. Nf2 Re1 41. Nb5+ Ke6 42. Kf3 Ra1 43. Nc7+ Kd7 44. Nd5 Ke6 45. Nb6 Bb3 46. Nc4 Re1 47. Bd2 Rg1 48. Bc3 Rc1 49. Bf5+ Kd5 50. Ne3+ Kd6 51. Ne4+ 1-0 Petri Lehtivaara-Vinny Puri/Gausdal W-Ch jr 1986 (51).) 10. d3 Nf6 11. Nf2 (11. Ng5!? Re8 12. Bxb7 Nbd7 13. Bxa8 Qxa8 14. O-O Nxe5 15. Qg2) 11... Nd5 (11... Re8! 12. h4 h5 Finkel) 12. O-O Nc6 13. Bd2 Qd7 14. h4 h5 15. Ng5 Ne3 16. gxh5 Bf5 17. Bxc6 (17. Nfe4! Finkel) 17... Qxc6 18. Bxe3 dxe3 19. Nfe4 Bangiev 19... Bxe4 20. Nxe4 Rae8 21. Rf5 (21. h6!? Qg6+ 22. Kh1 Qxh6 23. Nxc5 Rxe5 24. Ne4 Qxh4+) 21... Bd4 22. c3 Rxe5 23. Rxe5 Bxe5 24. Qxe3 Qe6 25. Qf3 Qb6+ 26. Qf2 Qe6 27. Qf3 (27. d4) 27... Qb6+ 28. Qf2 Qe6 1/2-1/2 Lehtivaara, P-Virtanen,A/Ch Finland Juniors 1987.

 

7. Kd1 Nxc3+ 8. bxc3

The alternative recapture is not good: 8. dxc3?! Bh4! (8... Bc5!? 9. Qb5+ Nd7 10. Bg5 Be7 (10... f6? 11. e6!) 11. Bxe7 Qxe7 12. Qxd5 O-O) 9. Bf4 Be7

 

8... Bb6!?

Trying "to save a tempo" after White's natural d4. However, better is the more common Bc5.

 

a) 8... Bc5! 9. d4

Here I like Gabriel Velasco's suggestion 9. Qb5+! Nd7 10. d4 c6 (10... Be7 11. Qxd5) 11. Qb3 (Velasco), when might follow 11... Be7 12. Bd3 (12. c4? Nc5!) 12... O-O 13. Ba3=

9... Be7 10. Qf2 O-O (10... Bf5 11. Rb1 (11. Qg3 O-O 12. Bd3 Bxd3 13. cxd3 Re8 14. Rf1 f6 15. Bh6?! (15. Nh4! Kh8! (15... Nd7 16. Nf5 g6 17. Rb1 Kh8 18. Nh6) 16. Nf5 Bf8 17. Ba3 g6 18. Bxf8 Rxf8 19. Ne3) 15... Bf8 16. Nh4 Nd7 17. Kd2 (17. Nf5!? g6 18. Bxf8 Kxf8 19. Ne3) 17... Kh8 0-1 Swanson,S-Fernandez Garcia,J/Luzern 1982/(37)) 11... Qc8 (11... b6! Emms 12. Qg3 O-O 13. Bd3) 12. Qg3 O-O 13. Bh6 Bg6 14. h4 Qf5 15. Bd3 Qh5 16. Bxg6 hxg6 (16... Qxh6 17. Bd3) 17. Bg5 Bxg5 18. Qxg5 b6 19. g4 Qxg5 20. hxg5 Nc6 21. Ke2 (21. Kd2 Na5) 21... Rfe8 22. Rh2 Kf8 23. Kd3 Bangiev 23... Ke7 24. c4 Rad8 25. c3 dxc4+ 26. Kxc4 Na5+ 27. Kd3 c5 28. Ke4 cxd4 29. cxd4 Rc8 30. d5 Nb7 31. Rd1 Rc3 32. Kf4 Nc5 33. Re2 Rd8 34. Nd4 Rh8 35. Nc6+ Ke8 36. e6 fxe6 37. Ke5 Kd7 38. Nxa7 Rhh3 39. dxe6+ Ke8 40. Kd6 Rce3 41. Rxe3 Rxe3 42. Nc6 Nxe6 43. Rd5 Re2 44. a3 Re3 45. Re5 Rxe5 46. Nxe5 Nd4 47. a4 b5 48. Kc5 Ne6+ 49. Kxb5 Nxg5 50. a5 Ne6 51. Kb6 Kd8 52. a6 Kc8 53. a7 Nc7 54. Kc6 g5 55. Nf7 g6 56. Nd6+ Kd8 57. Nb5 Na8 58. Kb7 1-0 Uritzky,M-Kogan,A/ Tel Aviv ISR 1996 (58).) (10... f6 11. exf6 Bxf6 12. Bb5+ c6 13. Re1+ Kf8 14. Bd3) (10... Nc6 11. Qg3 g6 12. Bd3 (12. Rb1!? Na5 13. Bh6 c5 14. Qf4 Be6 15. dxc5 Bxc5 16. Rxb7 Nxb7 17. Bb5+ Bd7 18. e6 fxe6 19. Ne5 Nd6 20. Bxd7+) 12... Be6 13. Rb1 Na5 14. Rf1 (14. Ng5!) 14... h6 15. Bd2 c6 16. c4 dxc4 17. Be4 c3!? 18. Bxc3 Nc4 19. Ke2 Qd7 20. Qf2 Nb6 21. Nd2 Nd5 Schneider, I-Ljubarskij,J/ Hannover 2002.) 11. Bd3 Bg4 (11... c5 12. Qg3 Kh8 13. dxc5 (13. Bg5 Bxg5 14. Nxg5 h6 15. h4 c4 16. Be2 Qb6 17. Kd2 Qg6 18. Raf1 Kg8 19. Qf4 Nc6) (13. h4 Nc6) 13... Nd7 14. Bg5 (14. c6 bxc6 15. Nd4 c5 16. Nf5 g6 17. Bh6 Rg8 18. Nd6 Bxd6 19. exd6) 14... Bxg5 15. Nxg5 h6 16. Nxf7+ Rxf7 17. e6 (17. Qg6 Qg8) 17... Rf6 18. exd7 Bxd7 19. Kd2 Rc8 20. Raf1 Rxc5 1/2-1/2 Michel, P-De Freitas, M/Mar del Plata 1950/(32).) (11... f6 12. Qh4 g6 13. Qh6 fxe5 14. Bxg6 hxg6 15. Qxg6+ Kh8 16. Nxe5 Bf5 17. Qh6+ Kg8 18. Ng6=) 12. h3 Bh5 13. g4 Bg6 14. Bf5 c5 15. h4 Qa5 16. Qe3 cxd4 17. cxd4 Na6 18. Bd2 Qa4 19. Qb3 '+/ =' Bangiev 19... Qxb3 20. axb3 Bxf5 21. gxf5 Rfc8 22. Rg1 Rc6 23. f6 Bb4 24. Rxg7+ Kf8 25. Rxh7 Kg8 26. Rg7+ Kf8 27. Bh6 Rac8 28. Rh7+ Kg8 29. Ng5 Rxc2 30. Rg7+ Kf8 31. Nh7+ Ke8 32. Rg8+ Kd7 33. Rxc8 Rxc8 34. Ng5 Rc3 35. Ke2 Ke8 36. Nf3 Rxb3 37. h5 Rb2+ 38. Bd2 Bf8 39. Rg1 Bh6 40. Rg8+ Kd7 41. Ra8 Bxd2 42. Nxd2 Ra2 43. Rf8 Ra1 44. Rxf7+ Ke8 45. e6 1-0 Polonia Guzman-Astrid Martin del Campo/ Novi Sad 1990.

 

b) 8... Bh4!? 9. Nxh4 (9. c4!?) 9... Qxh4 10. g3 Qa4 (10... Qe4 11. Qxe4 dxe4 12. Bg2) 11. Qb5+ Qxb5 12. Bxb5+ Bd7 13. Rb1 b6 14. Be2 Nc6 15. d4 and it is a contest between the two Bishops vs the better pawn formation, 0-1 Hostinsky, Z-Sefc,J/Prague 1955/ (40) .

 

9. d4

This seems premature on close examination. White should instead exploit the potential problem of Bb6 instead of Bc5 and occupy the a3-f8 diagonal with his Bishop immediately. White's best try must be 9. Ba3! c5 (9... Bf5?! 10. Nd4!? Bg6?! 11. e6! Qf6 12. Rb1!) (9... Nc6 10. d4 Ne7 (10... Bf5 11. Qe3 Qd7 12. Qg5) 11. Qe3 O-O (11... h6 12. Bd3) 12. Bd3) 10. Qe3 Qe7 (10... O-O!? 11. Bxc5 Nc6) 11. d4 Nc6! (11... cxd4?! 12. cxd4) 12. Kc1!? O-O 13. Kb2 Bg4 14. Rd1 f6 15. Be2 Rad8 16. c4! e.g.: 16... Be6 17. cxd5 Bxd5 18. dxc5 Bc7 19. Rxd5! Rxd5 20. Bc4 Rfd8 21. Qb3 Bxe5+ 22. c3 Qe6 23. Rd1 Ne7 24. c6 bxc6 25. Bxe7 (25. Nxe5 Qxe5 26. Bxe7 Qxe7 27. Bxd5+ cxd5 28. Rxd5=) 25... Qxe7 26. Bxd5+ cxd5 27. Rxd5 Rxd5 28. Qxd5+ Kf8= This seems best play and forced in many places.

 

9... Bf5

9... c5!?

 

10. Bg5

10. Ba3 Qd7 Black too easily castles queenside now and then breaks in the center with the initiative due to White's misplaced king. 11. Rb1 Nc6 12. Kc1 O-O-O 13. Qd2 a6 14. Bd3 Rhe8 15. Qf4 Bxd3 16. cxd3 h6 17. Nd2?! (17. Rf1!) 17... Re6 18. Kb2 f6! 19. exf6 Rxf6 20. Qg3 Nxd4! 21. cxd4 Bxd4+ 22. Kc2 Rf2 23. Qh3 Qxh3 24. gxh3 Re8 25. Rbf1 Rg2 26. Kd1 Ree2 27. Bc1 Be3 28. Nb3 Bxc1 29. Nxc1 Rd2+ 30. Ke1 Rc2 31. Kd1 Rcd2+ 32. Ke1 Rc2 1/2-1/2 Flasinski, M-Halas,P/Poland 2003.

 

10... Qd7 11. Qe3 h6

11... c5 12. dxc5 Ba5 13. Rb1 O-O 14. Nd4 Velasco

 

12. Bh4 Nc6 13. Bd3 Bxd3 14. Qxd3 Qe6 15. h3 Na5 16. Rf1 Nc4 17. Rb1 O-O 18. Nd2 f5 19. Nxc4 dxc4 20. Qf3 c6

20... c5!? 21. d5 Qxe5 22. Re1 Qc7 23. Be7 Rf7 24. d6

 

21. Kc1 Rf7 22. Kb2 Bd8 23. Bxd8 Rxd8 24. Ka1 Rd5 25. g4 f4 26. Qe4 g5 27. h4! Kg7

27... Qxg4 28. hxg5 (28. Qg6+ Rg7 29. Qxh6 Qxh4? 30. Qe6+ Velasco) 28... Qf5 29. Qxf5 Rxf5 30. gxh6

 

28. hxg5 hxg5 29. Rh1 Qg6 30. Qe2

30. Qf3 Qxc2 31. Qh3

 

30... f3? 31. Qh2! Rd8

32. Rbf1?!

32. e6! Rf4 33. Rxb7+ Kf6 34. Rh7! f2 35. Rf1

 

32... Rf4 33. Qh3 f2 34. Kb2 Rdf8 35. Qe3 Qe4 36. Qh3 Qg6 37. Qe3 Qe4 38. Qh3 Qg6 39. Qe3

39. e6!?

 

1/2-1/2

[Michael Goeller]