The British Chess Magazine
and then h6, with the additional bonus of preventing Black from playing …e7–e5. This is a very
recent trend with White scoring well, although I
doubt that 8 f4 poses a serious threat.
8…a6
There follows an encouraging recent example
where White gets to execute his plan: 8…g4
9 d5 a5 10 b3 c5 11 d×c6 b×c6 12 h3 d7 13
d2 c5 14 ad1 c6 15 h6! The main point
of the whole line 15…c8 16 ×g7 ×g7 17
h2 h6 18 fe1 e6 19 h4 a5 20 f4 d8 21
f3 a6 22 c1 b4 23 e4 a4 24 f5 ×a2 25
×a2 a×b3 26 f×e6 b×a2 27 c3 f×e6 28 e5
d×e5 29 ×e5 a4 30 a1 1–0; V Borovikov–M
Klinova, Cappelle-la-Grande, 2013.
9 c1 h6
So that Black may answer d2 with either …
h7 or even …g6–g5!?
10 b3!?
10 d5 looked very good in the coming game,
but Black missed the best move right here,
right now: 10…a5?! (10…e5!) 11 b3 c5 12
d×c6 ×c6 13 d5 g4 14 h3 ge5 15 e3
e6 16 d2 h7 17 fd1 f5 18 b6 d7
(1–0 in 51 moves); Zhou Jianchao–Zhao Jun,
Xinghua, 2013.
10…g5! 11 d5
11 d2 g4 12 h4 ×d4 does not give White
enough compensation for the pawn; nor does
11 e3 g4 12 d2 ×d4 13 ×d4 ×d4
14 h3 f6 15 h4 h7 16 h×g5 h×g5, although
the looseness of Black’s king means that the
defence will not be trivial.
11…g×f4 12 d×c6 f×g3 13 h×g3 b5
Black leaves the pawn on c6, hoping that it
will get in White’s way. He had plenty to think
about:
(a) 13…b×c6? 14 d4 d7 (14…c5? 15 c6)
15 ×c6 ×c6 16 ×c6 with an edge for
White.
(b) 13…g4!? 14 c×b7 ×b7 15 d4 e6 16
×b7 ×b7 17 e3 e5 18 h5 g5 19 ×g5
h×g5 20 g2=.
14 c×b5 a×b5 15 b4 d5 16 d3 d6 17
d4
525
I think I prefer 17 fd1 here, as after 17…×b4
18 a4 d8 19 a×b5 g4 20 b1 White’s pieces
are very well placed. Also to be considered was
17 a3!? e5 18 e4 with an unclear position.
17…×b4 18 a4 e4!?
XIIIIIIIIY
9-trl+-trk+0
9+-zp-zppvl-0
9-+P+-+-zp0
9+p+p+-+-0
9Pwq-sNn+-+0
9+-sNQ+-zP-0
9-+-+PzPL+0
9+-tR-+RmK-0
xiiiiiiiiy
A complicated situation, where none of the
possibilities is clear:
(a) 18…b×a4 19 b1 a6! 20 ×b4 ×d3 21
×b8 ×b8 22 e×d3 a3 23 db5 d4 24 ×d4
e4 25 ×e4 ×d4 26 e2 b2 27 d5.
(b) 18…e5 19 d×b5 d4 20 b1 e7 21
d5 ×d5 22 ×d5 a8 23 a1 d8 24 e4
e6 25 a5 db8 26 fb1±.
(c) 18…d8 19 fd1 e6.
19 d×b5!?
19 ×d5 ×f2! is the point: 20 ×f2 ×d4
21 ×d4 ×d4 22 e3 e5 23 ×e7+ g7 24
×c8 f×c8 25 f5 f6=.
19…×c3 20 ×c3 ×c3 21 ×c3
21 ×c3 is worse: 21…×c3 22 ×c3 e6 gives
Black a very healthy pawn structure and chances to pick off White’s queenside pawns.
21…f5!
Very interesting. Black forces White to sacrifice
the exchange and with his king apparently
wide open gains considerable counterplay. But
with the black queen able to return to g7 at a
moment’s notice, perhaps White’s pressure is
only good for equality.
22 ×d5