Yearbook: Contributing Authors
Yearbook: Contributing Authors
Yearbook: Contributing Authors
142
A
Contributing Authors
Adhiban • Bosch • Cummings • Fishbein • Flear • Fogarasi • Giri • Gradl • Grandelius
Gupta • Hazai • Ikonnikov • Ilczuk • Karolyi • Kuljasevic • l’Ami • Lukacs • Matinian
Müller • Nielsen • Odeev • Odegov • Olthof • Panczyk • Ponomariov • Ris • Smerdon
Sokolov • Stohl • K.Szabo • Timman • J.van Foreest • Vilela • Warmerdam
The study of chess opening ideas is increasingly moving to online platforms and cloud-based
solutions, not only for elite professionals but also for club players. The production of a print
book on opening news, four times a year, was great fun while it lasted but we feel that other
media are more suitable for good coverage of today’s fast-moving developments. If Magnus
Carlsen drops a knight on e5 in a World Championship match, we want an assessment within
days instead of months.
For studying chess openings, we recommend that our readers, and indeed all club players,
switch to other learning tools. First of all, the monographs and complete repertoires New In
Chess will continue to publish. In these books experts and experienced coaches like Viktor
Moskalenko and Victor Bologan, Christof Sielecki and Larry Kaufman, Fabiano Caruana and
Anish Giri guide the reader to make smart choices, and help them to understand the strategic
ideas behind an opening.
Secondly, we recommend the Chessable platform, which, like New In Chess, is part of the
Play Magnus Group. This social learning website offers interactive video chess courses and
interactive versions of classic chess books built on top of its unique MoveTrainer software.
Chessable has a wealth of chess opening courses that will allow you to study very efficiently.
Last but not least, our partner G-Chess has a great opening search tool and stores around six
hundred Yearbook Surveys. This archive, just like our own archive, will, of course, still be
accessible in future years.
New In Chess thanks the subscribers, readers, authors and editors for their warm support
during almost four decades. It has been a great pleasure for us to produce the Yearbook for you.
Remmelt Otten,
Publisher New In Chess
5
Moving on
by Peter Boel
(special contributions by René Olthof, Frank Erwich and Jan Timman)
7
8
From the editor
It’s a well-known fact that Jorden van Foreest is an exceptionally well prepared player,
especially when he has the White pieces. This was proven once again in Wijk aan Zee this year,
but last year he operated very successfully as well. We have instructive annotations by the
Dutch grandmaster on three games from Malmö and Riga. His pawn sac 8.c5 against Ganguly is
baffling. I’ve never seen anything like this in my long career.
Magnus Carlsen suffered a painful defeat against Jan-Krzysztof Duda in the World Cup last
year. However, he took his revenge in three rapid tournaments later in the year. One of
Carlsen’s wins was very impressive: he opted for a pawn sac that would have been discarded
practically right away in the past, just like Van Foreest’s pawn sac. But the World Champion
won in a blitz attack. José Vilela writes the Survey.
It is interesting to see that some old variations are being revived. The Dilworth Variation in
the Open Ruy Lopez is named after an English amateur who played the line in correspondence
games in the war years. It was never very popular till quite recently. Ivan Sokolov writes the
Survey.
I wrote the second part of a Survey on an even older line in the Ruy Lopez, introduced at the
end of the 19th century. Noteworthy is the position after White’s 9th move, in which Black
players have tried no less than seven moves. This must be some sort of record.
Jan Timman
21
Opening Highlights
Alireza Firouzja
The final Yearbook year, 2021, saw the big breakthrough
of the 18-year-old Iranian-turned Frenchman. Alireza, the
current world number 2, is a natural player, not especially
known for his in-depth preparation. But he is able to find
new ways in any kind of position. Against Richard Rapport
in the Stavanger tournament, Firouzja challenged the
3...♘f6 move in the Rossolimo Sicilian with a dangerous
rook sac that was pure OTB inspiration. Igor Stohl
analyses the line in his Survey on page 60.
Anish Giri
We would never describe Anish’s opening play as frivolous,
but even the Dutch ace has now ‘succumbed’ to using the
odd g2-g4 push before move ten. He did so in his game
with Boris Gelfand, opening the Tolstoy Cup rapid event
in Yasnaya Polyana which Giri won with 8/9! Invented five
years ago by Ferenc Berkes, the ‘Garry (Giri?!) the g-pawn’
thrust in the Semi-Slav is quite in sync with modern
times, as Robert Ris argues in his Survey on page 160.
Alex Fishbein
In some King’s Indian lines where queens are exchanged
early, Black has to be quite careful not to lose a pawn, right?
Wrong! Seasoned American grandmaster Alex Fishbein
presents to you on page 204 a delightful Survey about
the ‘Pawn Blunder Variation’ in the Fianchetto King’s
Indian, proving that giving a pawn is in fact quite a clever
thing to do if Black wants to get some active play for his
remaining pieces.
22
Magnus Carlsen
The mighty World Champion cannot fail to make an
appearance in this final Yearbook. Unfortunately, there
was not a lot of opening innovation in his title match with
Ian Nepomniachtchi, but there is still plenty of that left.
What would you think of Peter Heine Nielsen’s analysis of
Magnus’s 18-move demolition of Jan-Krzysztof Duda
in the Semi-Tarrasch? Such a feat really requires sharp
and original opening play. You can read all about that in
long-time author José Vilela’s Survey on page 166.
Nikita Matinian
The Grand Prix Attack can be a serious nuisance for Sicilian
aficionados of any level. Pick the wrong move and you have a
deadly assault on your hands. The good news brought to you
by Russian grandmaster Nikita Matinian is that Black has
many viable choices after the topical 5.♗b5+ ♗d7 6.♗c4
♘c6 7.d3. Among others, Nikita studies deeply the modern
7...♘a5!? from the game Van Foreest-Bjerre which features
with analysis by the former in the Survey on page 70.
Artem Odegov
At eighteen, FM Artem Odegov is not only already a chess
coach, but also an aspiring theoretician. Yearbook 138
already saw a FORUM contribution by the young Russian
on the Reversed Benoni. Now Odegov has made a Survey
for us on a clever waiting move early in the Rubinstein
Nimzo which dares White to show his hand first. The
‘ideal move’ 5...♖e8 is a highly practical weapon if you want
to avoid endless theoretical lines, see Artem’s article on
page 179.
David Smerdon
The ‘swindle expert’ from Australia launches out with a
whopping 12-page Survey on a brilliant queen sacrifice
novelty in the Steinitz French which he played already in
2016 in the ‘Checkmate TV Show’ tournament against Anna
Muzychuk. Due to an embargo by the broadcasters, the
game had to remain secret for more than five years. Now
you are the first to see it, with extensive analysis by the
ANJANETTE WEBB
Forum
HOT! Sicilian Defence. . . . . . . . . Najdorf Variation 6.♗g5. . . . . . . . . . . Editorial team . . . . . . . . 28
SOS Various Openings . . . . . . . 3.g4 and 4.g4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Olthof. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
HOT! King’s Indian Defence. . . Classical Main Line 9.♘e1 ♘e8. . . . . Gradl. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Sicilian Defence . . . . . . . . Sveshnikov Variation 7.♘d5 . . . . . . . Odeev . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
GAMBIT Italian Game. . . . . . . . . . . . Giuoco Piano 6.b4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Boel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Slav Defence. . . . . . . . . . . . Semi-Meran 5.b3 ♘e4. . . . . . . . . . . . . Olthof. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Sicilian Defence. . . . . . . . . Rauzer Variation 9.f4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gradl. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
GAMBIT King’s Pawn Openings. . . Two Knights Defence 5...♘xd5. . . . . Müller. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Surveys
1.e4 openings
Sicilian Defence . . . . . . . . Rossolimo Variation 3...♘f6 4.♘c3. . . Stohl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Sicilian Defence. . . . . . . . . Grand Prix Attack 2.♘c3 d6 . . . . . . . Matinian. . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
French Defence. . . . . . . . . Steinitz Variation 4.e5 . . . . . . . . . . . . Smerdon. . . . . . . . . . . . 80
GAMBIT French Defence. . . . . . . . . McCutcheon Variation 4...♗b4. . . . . Warmerdam. . . . . . . . . . 92
HOT! Caro-Kann Defence . . . . . Two Knights Variation 3...dxe4. . . . . Bosch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Petroff Defence. . . . . . . . . Steinitz Variation 3.d4 . . . . . . . . . . . . Fogarasi. . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Ruy Lopez. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Berlin Defence 6.♗a4 e4 . . . . . . . . . . Timman. . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
HOT! Ruy Lopez. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cozio Defence 3...g6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Flear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
HOT! Ruy Lopez. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dilworth Variation 11...♘xf2. . . . . . . Sokolov. . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Scotch Opening. . . . . . . . . Mieses Variation 5.♘xc6 . . . . . . . . . . Ponomariov. . . . . . . . . 141
24
1.d4 openings
GAMBIT Slav Defence. . . . . . . . . . . . Slav Gambit 5.e4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kuljasevic. . . . . . . . . . . 150
Slav Defence. . . . . . . . . . . . Semi-Slav 5.♕b3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ris . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
GAMBIT Tarrasch Defence. . . . . . . . Semi-Tarrasch 4...c5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vilela. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Catalan Opening. . . . . . . . Early Divergences 4...♗d6. . . . . . . . . Ikonnikov. . . . . . . . . . . 174
Nimzo-Indian Defence . . Rubinstein Variation 5...♖e8. . . . . . . Odegov . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
HOT! Nimzo-Indian Defence . . Classical Variation 4.♕c2 d5. . . . . . . Lukacs and Hazai . . . . 188
Grünfeld Indian Defence. . Exchange Variation 7.♘f3 . . . . . . . . . Gupta. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
King’s Indian Defence. . . Old Main Line 7...♘bd7 . . . . . . . . . . . Szabo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
King’s Indian Defence. . . Fianchetto Variation 6..♘c6 . . . . . . . Fishbein . . . . . . . . . . . 204
GAMBIT Queen’s Pawn Defence. . . Colle System 3...c5. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Olthof. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Others
HOT! English Opening. . . . . . . . Mikenas Variation 3.e4 d5. . . . . . . . . Cummings . . . . . . . . . . 220
Réti Opening . . . . . . . . . . . Early Divergences 2.b3. . . . . . . . . . . . Ilczuk and Panczyk. . . 229
SOS Réti Opening . . . . . . . . . . . Early Divergences 2...♘d7 . . . . . . . . . Karolyi. . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Views
25
Forum
Theory will go on
42
French Defence Steinitz Variation FR 4.4 (C11)
80
Survey FR 4.4
queen for a pair of bishops and a pawn, A) I chose 17...♘xe5 against Anna,
instead of the bishop and two knights. eliminating the central pawn while still
Mathematically, this is an inferior preventing White from castling. After
trade, but in compensation Black gets 18.h4! ♗b7! (Game 1) White needs to play
excellent coordination and a dangerous ♘d1!, kicking away the annoying bishop.
initiative. It is still not clear to me what While the engines favour White, I chose
the objective evaluation should be, but this line because the white king won’t be
at least in its one serious practical test, able to castle. Black has many resources;
Anna was unable to navigate the choppy B) Black can instead eliminate the
waters. g-pawn immediately with 17...♗xg5, and
This novelty was jointly prepared before will probably also be able to capture on
the tournament with my Aussie friend e5 in a few moves. But the loss of time
Max Illingworth, who ‘seconded’ for allows White to consolidate by castling
me for the event. I have wanted to and then aim the major pieces at the
write about the novelty for a while, black kingside, and the dark-squared
but the games have been embargoed bishop will be misplaced in the short
during production, which was delayed term. In this line, both kings feel a bit
all the way until 2021. Finally, however, safer;
the series is out (available at www. C) Finally, the third option is to
checkmatetvshow.com – who wouldn’t ignore the pawns and conduct rapid
want to see a reality chess show?), and so deployment of the forces with 17...♗b7,
too are the games, hence the timing of intending ...♖c8 and ...d5-d4. White
this article. needs to be accurate over the next
few moves, and, assuming the tricks
Accepting the challenge are successfully avoided, the ensuing
If White is to play the principled endgames are very interesting.
11.♗xh7+ (which, after all, is partly the Six years on, I am still not sure which
point of 10.♗d3), then the position after move is best; each move has its own
11...♔xh7 12.♘g5+ ♔g8 13.♕d3 ♕xg5 strengths and weaknesses. Part of the
14.fxg5 ♘b4 15.♕e2 ♗xe3 16.a3 ♘xc2+ reason is that ‘best’ is usually defined
17.♕xc2 arises by force. these days as ‘the highest evaluation if
both sides play perfectly’, whereas it
T_L_.tM_ really should be ‘the highest expected
_._S_Jj. evaluation in practice’. White should
J_._J_._ reply 18.h4 after each move, but
_J_Ji.i. after that, White’s best set-ups in the
._._._._ branches are irregular and not easy to
i.n.l._. find over the board. A regular feature
.iQ_._Ii of the lines is that Black often has
r._.k._R multiple moves of similar value, while
White usually has to find tricky only-
At this stage, Black already has an moves to maintain an advantage. This is
important choice between three not borne out in (non-neural-network)
continuations: engine evaluations, which favour White
81
French Defence – Steinitz Variation
by one to two pawns. But the point complications after 12.♗xc5 ♘xc5
remains: Black’s position is easier to 13.♗xh7+ – however, everything should
play, while White has a smaller margin fizzle out to a draw;
for error. D) Svetushkin, Deac and Salem all tried
This may sound like the hollow 11.♘e2 (Games 6-8).
ramblings of a fanatic desperately
trying to make his novelty ‘work’, so T_Ld.tM_
let me unequivocally admit that White _._S_JjJ
is probably objectively winning and J_S_J_._
that this variation is not suitable for _JlJi._.
correspondence chess. However, I ._._.i._
myself wouldn’t have any hesitation _._BbN_.
playing it again in classical chess, even IiIqN_Ii
against a prepared opponent. There is r._.k._R
plenty of scope for creativity and the
lines can lead to some very unusual (and Here, 11...♕b6 has been the most
un-French-like) positions and material common reply, but it is extremely
imbalances, so I hope you forgive me for risky because of 12.♗xh7+!N. Probably
being a little generous with dishing out Black survives the attack with best play,
the diagrams. but White can take a draw whenever
they want or keep the attack going,
Delaying the Gift and I sure wouldn’t like to defend it.
White has several alternatives to the There are two interesting and unplayed
sacrifice on h7 on move 11, and in fact alternatives, however. I like 11...b4!N,
this has been White’s most popular practically forcing 12.♗xh7+ and
decision in practice. All but one of another queen sacrifice. In this version,
these alternatives are concessions White risks getting steamrolled by
that immediately give Black improved Black’s minor pieces and so should
versions of the main lines with best quickly give back the queen, leading
responses. However, these need to be to an endgame in which Black has
learned, because the Greek Gift theme full compensation for a pawn. Also
looms in many of these lines, and can be interesting is 11...a5!?N, after which
especially dangerous once Black’s queen accepting the pawn sacrifice with
moves away from d8. 12.♗xb5 is risky, while 12.♗xh7+?? now
A) In online blitz, the most popular loses. Instead, White should play the
choice of my opponents has actually been solid 12.♗xc5 ♘xc5 13.0-0, transposing
11.0-0??, which loses a piece to 11...d4; to a well-trodden path first explored by
B) Natural moves like 11.♗f2 f6! (Game Nunn and Kortchnoi in 1988;
4) and 11.♗xc5 ♘xc5 12.0-0 ♕b6! are E) Finally, White has scored a dismal
comfortable for Black; ½/4 after 11.0-0-0 ♕b6 12.♗g1!?. But
C) Sophie Milliet tried 11.♕f2!? in fact, this is probably White’s most
in a topsy-turvy game against Irina promising alternative to the immediate
Krush (Game 5). After 11...♕b6! 11.♗xh7+, as the Greek Gift sacrifice is
White is practically forced into the still in the air.
82
Survey FR 4.4
Accepting the challenge while 10...0‑0, of course, loses to 11.♕f2, 11.♗xc5, 11.♘e2 and 11.
11.♗xh7+ 11.♗xh7+. Or does it? Analysing 0‑0‑0 are covered in the remaining
the position after 11.♗xh7+ Games 4-10. 11...♔xh7 12.♘g5+
Anna Muzychuk 1 on my computer before the ♔g8 13.♕d3
David Smerdon tournament, I was surprised that
London 2016 (5) my engine ‘only’ gave +2. How T_Ld.tM_
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.♘c3 ♘f6 4.e5 could this be? Either the Greek _._S_Jj.
♘fd7 5.f4 c5 6.♘f3 ♘c6 7.♗e3 a6 Gift wins, or it doesn’t, right? My J_S_J_._
8.♕d2 b5 9.dxc5 ♗xc5 10.♗d3! second, Max Illingworth, and _JlJi.n.
This move has been causing Black I worked a bit on this position ._._.i._
headaches for a decade now, before the tournament. Our big
_.nQb._.
especially since Karjakin used breakthrough was coming to the
IiI_._Ii
it against Carlsen in a blindfold realization that Black shouldn’t
game in 2011 and then Parimarjan try to snatch a bishop and two
r._.k._R
Negi promoted it in his excellent knights to compensate for the 13...♕xg5! 13...f5? 14.exf6
‘1.e4...’ series in 2014. White has queen, and instead prefer the ♖xf6 15.♕h7+ ♔f8 16.♕h8+
scored heavily in grandmaster unusual combination of the bishop ♔e7 17.♕xg7+ ♔e8 (17...♔d6
clashes, with strong players such pair and a pawn. The engines 18.♘ce4+) 18.♗xc5 ♘xc5
as So, Harikrishna, Giri, Wang Yue, still prefer White in this strange 19.0‑0‑0→. 14.fxg5 ♘b4!N This is
and Leko, in addition to Karjakin, imbalance, but following the the new concept. In two subse
recording convincing wins with variations further, Black’s position quently played games, Black acci
the white pieces. The logic of looks promising – as well as a lot dentally fell into this position and
the move is quite simple: after more fun to play. As luck would went for the opportunity to gain
10...♕b6, White replies 11.♗f2!, have it, I had my first chance to three minor pieces for a queen and
when the endgames following unleash the novelty in round pawn. This seems like a reasonable
mass exchanges on f2 are more three, against the strong GM Anna material balance, but in fact the
comfortable for White. See Game Muzychuk. 10...0‑0!? 11.♗xh7+ ‘French bishop’ and the pair of
11. The concrete justification of Unsurprisingly, the principled and knights do not coordinate very
10.♗d3 is that Black doesn’t seem tactically sharp Ukrainian didn’t well in the resulting middlegame,
to have a good alternative: 10... shy away from playing the critical and White, with attacking chances,
d4?! fails tactically to 11. ♘xd4!, line. The major alternatives 11.♗f2, has a clear advantage. Instead, the
83
Ruy Lopez Dilworth Variation RL 30.3 (C82)
133
Ruy Lopez – Dilworth Variation
Mamedyarov, Biel 2018) that this position quickly develop a strong attack, see my
has been tested at top level! comments in Game 1.
At first glance White seems to have taken a On 16.♘e3!, Black best reply appears to be
slightly strange decision by giving Black a the bishop retreat 16...♗e6. Interesting
central pawn on e5 ‘for free’. The strategic enough, after this seemingly pure tempo
idea behind White’s concept is actually loss it is not easy for White to prove an
quite deep. Black cannot push their central advantage. The logical move 17.♗b3 leads
pawns easily (because there will always to equality. White’s best option appears
be a blockade), while White’s king is now to be 17.b3!, which has been played in a
safe, compared to the ‘Old Dilworth’. number of top-level games. Critical here
Preparing the material for this Survey, seems to be Hakobyan-Sindarov (Game
I have taken into account my regular 2).
ChessBase database, and also Nils
Grandelius’s lines and opinions from his Variation B
recent opening repertoire for White on 15...♕d6 is a logical developing move
Chessable. As the reader will see, I agree that was played in the stem game Darga-
with some of Nils’s opinions, while not Larsen, 1953, and in two recent top
with some others. games by MVL. White has three logical
Black has three logical continuations: continuations: 16.♘g5 (also played in
15...♗g4, pinning the knight, 15...♕d6 Darga-Larsen), 16.♘e3 and 16.♗e3. In my
and 15...♕d7, developing the queen and opinion, 16.♘g5 and 16.♘e3, both played
connecting the rooks. I have divided the by MVL, do not lead to an advantage for
material in this way, including a separate White – see Vachier-Lagrave-Heimann
theoretical Survey of two of those lines. (Game 3). The move 16.♗e3 (proposed by
Nils Grandelius in his opening repertoire)
Variation A leads to White’s advantage (at least I
15...♗g4 arguably looks like Black’s most think it does), though things are far more
logical continuation, but the depth of complicated than Nils wants us to believe
White’s idea becomes clear after 16.♘e3!. – see the analysis under Game 4.
T_.d.tM_ Variation C
_.j._.jJ Now we come to 15...♕d7.
J_S_._._
_J_Jj._. T_._.tM_
._._._L_ _.jD_.jJ
_.i.nN_. J_S_L_._
IiB_._Ii _J_Jj._.
r.bQ_.k. ._._._._
_.i._N_.
Now the planned 16...♗xf3 does not IiB_._Ii
really damage White’s king position r.bQ_Nk.
(which usually was the case in the ‘Old
Dilworth’) but rather opens attacking This move was played by Grandelius
routes to the black king. White can himself on the Black side (!) versus Jonas
134
Survey RL 30.3
135
Nimzo-Indian Defence Rubinstein Variation NI 11.7 (E47)
179
Nimzo-Indian Defence – Rubinstein Variation
quite scared because his next opponent a black pawn on d5, White wishes to
was an attacking player. That’s when I have his knight on f3 as this will help
remembered this old/new idea. After his activity. We will examine several
looking at it for about 40 minutes, we structures and positions here:
concluded that the position is absolutely 1) hanging pawns (Bänziger-Sunilduth
normal and makes sense for Black. Lyna);
Unfortunately, my student’s opponent 2) the Carlsbad structure, but with the
played another line of the Nimzo-Indian white bishop on c1 (Smirnov-Lysyj);
and the game ended in a draw. 3) an equal endgame (Kovalchuk-
Odegov);
The ideas behind 5...♖e8!? 4) a tactical fight (Aleksandrov-Dubov).
Today I am sure this variation is the
stuff of dreams for Nimzo-Indian fans. TsLdT_
First let’s try to understand why we play jJj._J
5...♖e8. The answer to this is actually ._._Js
very simple. We pass the move to the _._J_.
opponent and keep the d-pawn on d7, .lIi._
which is very important. In general, we _.nBi.
have two plans: Ii._Ni
A) After 6.♘f3 we double White’s pawns r.bQk.
with 6...♗xc3 and take up a classical
structure with pawns on d6 and e5. An
important point in such positions is that Conclusion on 6.♘f3
the white pawn on c4 is a weakness. Next In almost all cases, White gets a game
we will see how these structures should with doubled pawns, which is very
be handled accurately and investigate difficult to play in practice. Black is
plans such as: required to play accurately, but his
1) a pawn sacrifice for initiative position is easy to play. White’s only
(Yordanov-Sarana); chance in these positions is to break
2) development of the queen’s knight through with his pawns, and Black has to
on d7 (Kolas-Rozentalis); take this into consideration with every
3&4) development of the queen’s move. You can experiment with different
knight to c6 (Sertic-Martinovic and set-ups, but practically the strongest idea
Olsar-Fargac). is the pawn sacrifice. It is unexpected and
pleasant; most likely White won’t know
TsLdT any theory here and often you can simply
jJj._ destroy the white position with dynamics.
._.j.
_._.j Conclusion on 6.♘e2
._Ii. These positions are very interesting and
_.i.i much more promising for White than
the ones with the knight on f3. Black has
B) In case of 6.♘e2 we play 6...d5 and to reckon with White’s e3-e4 push and
go over to standard positions. With should always have a good reply to this
180
Survey NI 11.7
move. If White can occupy the centre variation will suit you. In any case, it will
for free, the position will be difficult often be a surprise for your opponent. I’m
for Black. Often Black’s play is based on sure this line will be very popular soon,
dynamics; there are a lot of tactics in the because it is based on a very interesting
position, so you will have to calculate a concept. There are no problems for Black
lot of variations. here and the variation might have a long
life, so it could be a standard part of your
Final conclusion repertoire. Of course, theory will change
If you play the Nimzo-Indian Defence over time, but Black hasn’t done anything
and want to get new, interesting wrong in the opening so his position
positions on the board, then this cannot be bad.
Variation A course, this looks more like a draw, With an excellent position in
6.♘f3 but in practice it will provide a long which White is clearly fighting
fight if Black wants it; for equality. It’s quite hard for
Lachezar Yordanov B) 8.♗c2!? ♘c6 9.♘d2 e5 10.0‑0 him strategically due to his bad
Alexey Sarana b6 11.♖e1 h6 and the position is structure: 12.♗e2
Plovdiv U21 2021 (4) equal, but it’s easier to play with A) 12.h3 ♗h5 13.a4 ♘bd7 14.♗a3
1.d4 ♘f6 2.c4 e6 3.♘c3 ♗b4 4.e3 black. We want to go ...♘a5 and c5 15.♗e2 ♖ad8 16.♕c2 ♗g6
0‑0 5.♗d3 ♖e8 6.♘f3 ...♗a6 – our whole plan is to exert 17.♕b3 (Nakhbayeva-Mulenko,
pressure on the pawn on c4. Paracin 2014) 17...b6⩲;
TsLdT_M_ 8...e5! A very cool idea involving B) 12.♕c2! is the best move, e.g.
jJjJ_JjJ a pawn sacrifice. 9.dxe5 9.e4! is 12...♗xf3 13.gxf3 ♘bd7 14.♔h1
._._Js._ the best move, which has not been ♘e5 15.♗e2 ♕e6 16.♖g1 c5 17.e4
_._._._. played yet OTB: 9...exd4 10.♘xd4!? ♘g6 18.♗e3 b6. In practice, it
.lIi._._ (the engine doesn’t like this move, is much easier to play with black
but it’s more interesting than here, as his knights get plenty of
_.nBiN_.
10.cxd4 ♘xe4 11.♖e1 ♘f6 12.♖xe8+ opportunity to jump around.
Ii._.iIi
♕xe8 13.♗g5 ♘bd7 when White has 12...c5 13.♘d4 13.♘e1 (White’s
r.bQk._R some pressure, but his initiative is position is so bad that it is
6...♗xc3+! With the move 6.♘f3 difficult to develop; if White plays necessary to retreat the knight)
White gives Black the opportunity slowly then Black will be better) 13...♖d8 14.♕c2 ♗xe2 15.♕xe2 ♘e4
to create an interesting structure. 10...♘xe4 11.♕c2 ♘f6 12.♗g5 h6 16.♕c2 ♘d7 17.f3 ♘d6 18.e4 ♘xc4
Now White will have doubled 13.♗h4 ♗d7∞. I think this is more 19.♘d3 b5 20.a4 a6 21.axb5 axb5
pawns and the c4-pawn is a dangerous for Black than 10.cxd4, 22.♖xa8 ♖xa8 with equality, but
weakness in such structures. but of course Black will develop Black has a potential passed pawn.
7.bxc3 d6 8.0‑0 his pieces gradually; his main point 13...cxd4 14.♗xg4 ♘xg4 15.♕xg4
A) 8.♕c2!? is a very flexible move, is to solve the problem of the pin. dxc3
asking Black what he wants to 9...dxe5 10.♘xe5 White should
do with the knight on b8. Black accept the pawn; Black cannot take Ts._T_M_
replies 8...e5! (fast and solid) back because of 11.♗xh7+. 10...♕e7 jJ_.dJjJ
9.♘d2 ♕e7 10.e4 (10.♘e4? ♘xe4 11.♘f3 ♗g4 ._._._._
11.♗xe4 (Diermair-Wagner, Austria _._._._.
Bundesliga 2018/19) 11...♕h4 and Ts._T_M_ ._I_._Q_
most likely White will lose a pawn jJj.dJjJ _.j.i._.
or just get a bad position) 10...exd4 ._._.s._ I_._.iIi
11.cxd4 ♘c6 12.♕b2 ♘h5 13.♘f3 d5 _._._._. r.b._Rk.
14.cxd5 ♘b4 15.♗b1 ♕xe4+! (cool ._I_._L_
tactics!) 16.♗xe4 ♘d3+ 17.♔d2 ♘xb2 16.♕d4? 16.♖b1! (preventing
_.iBiN_.
18.♗xh7+ ♔xh7 19.♗xb2 ♘f6⩲. ...♕b4 and attacking the pawn on
I_._.iIi
Black wins the pawn back and gets b7) 16...♘c6 17.♖b3 ♕e5 and Black
a position with slight pressure. Of
r.bQ_Rk. is a little better; White needs time
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