1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3

a) Next time we will focus our attention on the most critical line, which some call "the GM point machine": the Exchange Variation with 4. cxd5! In my view, Black should not choose the semi-Tarrasch route via 4... Nxd5?! which I have used a few times with very bad results. But let's just get the warning on this line out of the way.

(Next time we will look exclusively at the most important line, 4... exd5! 5. Bg5 Be7 when I recommend 6. e3 h6 (6... c6 7. Bd3 O-O 8. Qc2 h6 9. Bh4 Nbd7 10. Nf3 Re8 11. O-O Nf8+/= is too easy for White to play.) 7. Bh4 O-O 8. Bd3 b6!? 9. Nf3 Bb7 10. Qc2 Ne4! 11. Bxe7 Qxe7 12. Bxe4?! dxe4 13. Ne5 Nd7!=)

5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 c5 7. Nf3 cxd4 8. cxd4 Bb4+

( Fischer's idea from Game 9 with Spassky was 8... Nc6 9. Bc4 b5!? 10. Bb3!

(better than Spassky's 10. Bd3 Bb4+ 11. Bd2 Bxd2+ 12. Qxd2 a6 13. a4 O-O 14. Qc3 Bb7 15. axb5 axb5 16. O-O Qb6 17. Rab1 b4 18. Qd2 Nxd4 19. Nxd4 Qxd4 20. Rxb4 Qd7 21. Qe3 Rfd8 22. Rfb1 Qxd3 23. Qxd3 Rxd3 24. Rxb7 g5 25. Rb8+ Rxb8 26. Rxb8+ Kg7 27. f3 Rd2 28. h4 h6 29. hxg5 hxg5 1/2-1/2 Spassky,B-Fischer,R/Reykjavik 1972 (29))

(also played is 10. Be2 Bb4+ 11. Bd2 Qa5 12. a4 Bxd2+ 13. Qxd2 Qxd2+ 14. Kxd2 b4 15. Bb5 Bd7 16. Rac1 Nd8 17. Bxd7+ Kxd7 18. Ne5+ Kd6 19. Rc5 f6 20. Nc4++- 1-0 Vaisser,A-Campora,D/Grand Canaria 1993 (44))

10... Bb4+ 11. Bd2 Bxd2+ 12. Qxd2 O-O 13. O-O Bb7 14. d5 Na5 15. dxe6 Nxb3 16. exf7+ Rxf7 17. Qxd8+ Rxd8 18. axb3 Bxe4 19. Ng5 Re7 20. Nxe4 Rxe4 21. Rxa7 1-0 Rustemov,A-Feoktistov,A/Moscow 1994 (45))

9. Bd2 Bxd2+ 10. Qxd2 O-O

and Black would have good pawns for the ending if he exchanged Rooks, etc., and made the White center seem overextended. But the key attacking maneuver is to avoid exchanges on the c-file and play Rfe1, Rad1!, Bd3, and eventually d5! exd5 e5! with good attacking chances on the kingside.

11. Bc4 b6 12. O-O Bb7 13. Rfe1 Nc6 14. Rad1! Rc8 15. d5 Na5 16. Bd3! exd5 17. e5! Nc4

(17... Rc6 18. Nd4 Rh6 19. f4 Nc6 20. Nf5 Re6 21. Nd6 Rxd6 22. exd6 Qxd6 23. Kh1 Rd8 24. Qe3 g6 25. f5 Khenkin-Straeter, Recklinghausen 1996)

18. Qf4 Nb2?

(18... g6 19. Qh6!? f5)

19. Bxh7+! Kxh7

(19... Kh8? 20. Ng5! )

20. Ng5+ Kg6

(20... Kg8 21. Qh4 Re8 22. Qh7+ Kf8 23. e6!+-)

21. h4 Qe7!?

the latest attempt by Black, but White's attack is winning.

( Previously tried were 21... Rc4 22. h5+! Kxh5 23. g4+ Kh6 24. Qh2+ forced mate in Avrukh-Donk, Lost Boys 1998)

(and 21... Nxd1 22. h5+ Kh6 23. Ne6++- Gurevich-Massana, New York 1985)

22. Rd2 Rc4

(22... Nc4 23. Rd3->)

23. Qg3

(better 23. h5+!)

23... Kh6 24. Rxb2 f6 25. Nf3 Re4 26. Rbe2 Kh7 27. exf6 gxf6 28. Rxe4 dxe4 29. Qf4 Rg8 30. Nd4 Qe5 31. Qe3 f5 32. Ne2 Rc8 33. Rd1 Bc6 34. Qg5 Rg8 35. Qh5+ Kg7 36. Ng3 Kf6 37. Qh6+ Rg6 38. Nh5+ 1-0 Dreev,A-Jussupow,A/Mainz GER 2003 (38)

b) 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 h6 7. Bxf6 is another common way for White to avoid the Lasker's - though it is really to avoid the Tartakower of course.

(We might mention one thing about the Lasker's here: 7. Bh4 Ne4 8. Bxe7 Qxe7 9. Rc1

(9. cxd5?! Theory condemns this move, though it is very commonly played. 9... Nxc3 10. bxc3 exd5 11. Qb3 Rd8 12. c4 dxc4 13. Bxc4 Nc6 14. Qc3 Bg4 15. Be2 Bxf3 16. gxf3 Rd6 and Black does well.)

(9. Qc2 Nxc3 10. Qxc3 c6!? 11. Bd3 dxc4 12. Bxc4 Nd7 13. O-O c5!?N is similar to the main line here.)

9... Nxc3 10. Rxc3 c6 (10... dxc4 11. Bxc4 Nd7 12. O-O c5 is the same) 11. Bd3 dxc4 12. Bxc4 Nd7 13. O-O and now Steve's recommended novelty 13... c5!?N has received a very recent and local test in last week's tournament: 14. dxc5 Nxc5 15. Qd4 Rd8 16. Qf4 b6 (16... a5!? 17. Ne5! (17. Rfc1 b6=) (17. a3 a4=) 17... Na4!? (17... f6!?) 18. Rc2 (18. Rb3 Qc7 19. Rc1 b6! 20. e4!? Nc5! 21. Rg3 Kh7!=) 18... Nb6 19. Rfc1 (19. Bb3 a4) 19... Nxc4 20. Rxc4 f6 21. Ng6 Qf7 Goeller / Fritz) 17. b4 Nd7 18. Bb5 (18. Qc7!? Re8 19. Bb5 Qxb4 20. Rb3 Qe7 21. Bc6 Rb8 22. Rc1 ) 18... e5?! Kernighan-Tomkovich, Kenilworth Classic G-30 2005(18... Nf6! 19. Bc6 ) 19. Qe4 )

7... Bxf6

White has surrendered the two Bishops, but if he is allowed he will develop an attack on the h6-weakness by g4, h4, and g5 combined with Qc2 and O-O-O. Nasty stuff.

8. Qb3

(8. Qd2 makes less sense to me 8... c6 ( White's idea is to defend the Knight in anticipation of 8... c5 9. dxc5) 9. Rc1 Nd7 and the queen seems misplaced)

(8. Qc2 c5 9. O-O-O?! Black must quickly counter-attack or else White will play h4, g4, and g5 -- takes just three moves.

(9. dxc5 Qa5 (9... dxc4 10. Bxc4 Qa5 11. O-O Bxc3 12. Qxc3 Qxc3 13. bxc3 Nd7 14. c6 bxc6 15. Rab1 Nb6 16. Be2 c5 1/2-1/2 Zvjaginsev,V-Beliavsky,A/Essen GER 2000 (16)) 10. cxd5 exd5 see Beliavsky's games from this position.)

9... cxd4 10. Nxd4 Nc6 11. Nxc6 bxc6 12. Bd3 Rb8 13. g4 Qa5 14. h4 Ba6 15. g5 Rxb2 16. Qxb2 Bxc3 17. Qb3 dxc4 18. Bxc4 Bxc4 19. Qxc4 Rb8 20. a4 Bb4 21. Qxc6 Ba3+ 22. Kc2 Qf5+ 23. Kc3 Bb2+ 24. Kd2 Qxf2+ 25. Kd3 Rb3+ 26. Ke4 Qf5# Knudsen-Stentebjerg 1985)

8... dxc4! "actively!"

(8... c6 "plays too defensively" and "does not solve the problem of the queenside.")

9. Bxc4 (9. Qxc4!?) 9... c5 10. dxc5

(10. d5!? Bxc3+! 11. bxc3 exd5 12. Bxd5 Qc7 13. O-O Nc6 14. c4 Bd7 15. Rfd1 Rfe8 16. a3 Rac8 17. h3 Be6 18. Bxe6 Rxe6 19. Rd5 Ne7 20. Rd3 Nf5 21. Rad1 Rd6 22. Rxd6 Nxd6= 0-1 Krivoshey,S-Kasimdzhanov,R/Solingen GER 2003 (59))

10... Nd7 11. Ne4 Nxc5 12. Nxf6+ Qxf6 13. Qc2 b6 14. O-O Bb7 15. Nd4 Rac8 16. Qe2 e5 17. Nb3 b5 18. Nxc5 Rxc5 19. Bb3 a5 20. e4 Rfc8 21. Rad1 a4 22. Bd5 Ba6 23. Qe3 b4 24. Rc1 Rc2 25. Rxc2 Rxc2 26. Rb1 Re2 27. Qf3 Bd3 28. Rc1 Rxb2 29. Qxf6 gxf6 30. Rc8+ Kg7 31. h3 Bb1 32. Rb8 a3 33. g4 b3 34. Rxb3 Rxb3 35. Bxb3 Bxe4 36. Kh2 f5 37. gxf5 Bxf5 38. Kg3 f6 39. Kh4 Bg6 40. Kg4 f5+ 41. Kh4 Kf6 42. Bc2 f4 43. Bb3 Bf7 44. Bxf7 Kxf7 45. Kg4 Kg6 0-1 Reti-Tartakower, Hastings 1926 is a classic game here.

4... Be7 5. Bf4 O-O 6. e3 c5! 7. dxc5 Bxc5 8. Qc2 Nc6

threatening ...d4

9. Rd1

If 9. O-O-O!? Black must again attack like crazy on the queenside.

9... Qa5

to nullify the Kight

10. a3

surprisingly White is not threatening b4 due to Nxb4! Another idea is 10. Be2 Nb4 11. Qb3 dxc4 12. Bxc4 Nbd5 13. Be5 Bb4 14. O-O Nxc3 15. bxc3 Be7 16. Bb5 b6 17. Nd2 Ba6 18. a4 Bxb5 19. axb5 a6 20. Rb1 Nd7 21. Nc4 Qxb5 22. Qxb5 axb5 23. Rxb5 Nxe5 24. Nxe5 Rfc8 25. Rxb6 Rxc3 1/2-1/2 Brodsky,M-Onischuk,A/Sochi RUS 2005 (25)

10... Re8!

Beliavsky's improvement. This is much more active than ...Be7 because it allows the Bishop to retreat to f8 leaving the Rook to support Pe5.

a) The book move 10... Be7 has certainly been proven equal in many games, especially in Karpov's match with Korchnoi:

11. Nd2

(11. Rd2!? Rd8 12. cxd5 Nxd5 (12... exd5 13. Be2 Bg4 14. O-O Bxf3 15. Bxf3 d4) 13. Nxd5 exd5 14. Bd3 h6 15. O-O Bf6 16. Qb3? Bg4 (16... g5!-+) 17. Rfd1 Rd7 18. h3 Bxf3 19. gxf3 d4= 1/2-1/2 Browne,W-Karpov,A (35))

11... e5 12. Bg5 d4 13. Nb3 Qd8

(13... Qb6 14. Bxf6 Bxf6 15. Nd5 Qd8 16. Bd3 g6 17. exd4 Nxd4 18. Nxd4 exd4 19. Nxf6+ Qxf6 20. O-O Be6 21. Rfe1 Rac8 22. b3 Rfd8 23. Be4 Rc7 24. Qd2 Bg4 25. f3 Be6 26. a4 b6 27. a5 b5 28. cxb5 Bxb3 29. Rb1 Bd5 30. b6 axb6 31. Rxb6 Rc6 32. Rxc6 Bxc6 33. Bd3 Bd7 34. a6 Bf5 35. Qf4 Kg7 36. Bxf5 Qxf5 37. Qxf5 gxf5 38. Ra1 d3 39. Kf2 Re8 40. Ra2 Re7 41. Rd2 Re6 42. a7 1/2-1/2 Korchnoi,V-Karpov,A/Baguio City 1978 (42))

14. Be2 a5

(14... h6 15. Bxf6 Bxf6 16. O-O Be6 17. Nc5 Qe7 18. Nxe6 Qxe6 19. Nd5 Rad8 20. Bd3 Ne7 21. Nxf6+ Qxf6 22. exd4 exd4 23. Rfe1 Rd7 24. Re4 Nc6 25. Qe2 g6 26. Re1 Kg7 27. b4 b6 28. Qg4 Rfd8 29. h4 h5 30. Qg3 Qd6 31. f4 Re7 32. Rxe7 Nxe7 33. Re5 a5 34. Rxh5 axb4 35. axb4 Qxb4 36. Rb5 Qd2 37. Kh2 Qe3 38. Rxb6 Ra8 39. Qxe3 dxe3 40. Rb2 Ra3 41. Be4 Rc3 1/2-1/2 Korchnoi,V-Karpov,A/Baguio City 1978 (41))

15. exd4 a4 16. Nxa4 Nxd4 17. Nxd4 exd4 18. b3 Qa5+ 19. Qd2 Bxa3 20. Qxa5 Rxa5 21. Bxf6 Bb4+ 22. Kf1 gxf6 23. Rxd4 Re5 24. g4 b5 25. cxb5 Bb7 26. f3 Rfe8 27. Bd1 Rxb5 28. Kg2 Kg7 29. Kf2 Ba5 30. Rf1 Re7 31. h3 h6 32. Bc2 Rc7 33. Rc4 Rxc4 34. bxc4 Rb4 35. c5 Bc6 1/2-1/2 Korchnoi,V-Karpov,A (35)

b) 10... dxc4?! is played but leaves the Queen-a5 unhappy.

11. Nd2!

unpinning and threatening b4

11... Bf8!

leaving the possibility of ...e5 Karpov played 11... e5? 12. Bg5! Nd4! 13. Qb1 Bf5 14. Bd3 e4 15. Bc2?! (15. Bf1! is likely winning for White) 15... Nxc2+ 16. Qxc2 Qa6 17. Bxf6 Qxf6 18. Nb3 Bd6 19. Rxd5 Re5 20. Nd4 Rc8 21. Rxe5 Qxe5 22. Nxf5 Qxf5 23. O-O Rxc4 24. Rd1 Qe5 25. g3 a6 26. Qb3 b5 27. a4 Rb4 28. Qd5 Qxd5 29. Rxd5 Bf8 30. axb5 a5 31. Rd8 Rxb2 32. Ra8 f5 33. Rxa5 Bb4 34. Ra8+ Kf7 35. Na4 Rb1+ 36. Kg2 Bd6 37. Ra7+ Kf6 38. b6 Bb8 39. Ra8 Be5 40. Nc5 Bd6 41. b7 Ke7 42. Rg8 Be5 43. f4 exf3+ 44. Kxf3 Kf7 45. Rc8 Ke7 46. h3 h5 47. Rg8 Kf7 48. Rd8 g5 49. g4 hxg4+ 50. hxg4 Ke7 51. Rg8 fxg4+ 52. Kxg4 Kf7 53. Rc8 Bd6 54. e4 Rg1+ 55. Kf5 g4 56. e5 Rf1+ 57. Ke4 Re1+ 58. Kd5 Rd1+ 59. Nd3 Rxd3+ 60. Kc4 1-0 Korchnoi,V-Karpov,A/Baguio City 1978 (60)

12. Nb3 Qd8 13. Bg5

the idea is to "exploit" the lack of Be7

13... h6!

Beliavsky's move, which he shared with me after a very interesting game we played.

14. Bxf6 Qxf6 15. cxd5 exd5 16. Nxd5

White is chuckling here, but all of his pieces other than the Nd5 are on bad squares and his King is in the center -- and it takes two moves to castle.

16... Qg5! 17. Nc7 Bg4! 18. Rd5