CVO_042.pdf

No. 42, October 21, 2009

OPENINGS

WHAT’S HOT AND WHAT’S NOT?

XIIIIIIIIY

9RSN-+-TRK+0

9ZPP+-+P+-0

9-+-+-+-ZP0

9WQ-ZPPVLLZP-0

9-VL-SNN+-+0

9+-SN-ZP-+-0

9PZPQ+-ZPPZP0

9TR-+-MKL+R0

XIIIIIIIIY

Nimzo-Indian ireworks

By IM Merijn van Delft & IM Robert Ris

It has been a relatively quiet week. The irst weekend

of the German Bundesliga was played and the Chigorin

Memorial in St. Petersburg has started. The Dutch

chess scene is gathering in Hoogeveen to watch the

Crown Group and play in one of the opens.

Frequency

WHAT’S HOT?

The Crown Group in Hoogeveen features Ivanchuk, Polgar, Tiviakov and

Giri. While all games were drawn halfway, Giri ’ s play has the same modern,

dynamic positional touch as Aronian ’ s. With White against Ivanchuk and

Tiviakov he played a positional pawn sacrifice; with Black against Polgar he

chose a rock-solid Petroff. Ivanchuk, with Black against Tiviakov, created

something out of nothing and tortured his opponent for 146 moves.

Score

Chernov-Werle was a model game with the 6...¥h5!? attacking line against

the Exchange Ruy Lopez which we examined in CVO 35. With his solid

opening preparation Smeets continues to easily draw against Svidler

(already for the third time this year).

Ragger-Gustafsson and Spoelman-Bromberger were exciting battles in the

Semi-Slav with Black doing alright theoretically speaking. Schenk-Hector

drew our attention to a fascinating theme: the positional piece sacrifice on

b5. Our Game of the Week Klimov-Harikrishna features a hyper-sharp

Nimzo-Indian with chances for both sides. In the diagram position Black

went for 13...¤xc3. In Landa-Gyimesi 6...c5 in the Catalan was doing fine

for Black, this time with Landa behind the white pieces (compare CVO

39). In Movsesian-Buhmann White created an irresistable attack with the

otherwise rather quiet Réti Opening.

Source: Megabase + TWIC, 2500+ only

This week was surely the most quiet one since the start of CVO, considering the number of grandmaster games being played. On top of it

the drawing percentage was quite high, which is caused by the safety-first approach often chosen in team matches (Bundesliga). In this

quiet setting we noticed that the Sveshnikov was suffering a bit because of the positional

9.¤d5 ¥e7 10.¥xf6 ¥xf6 11.c4 line. Balogh-Tregubov and Nijboer-Van Oosterom were good

wins for White. Shirov-Degraeve made the Alekhine look like an inferior opening.

WHAT’S NOT?

1 of 4

ChessVibes OPENINGS what’s hot and what’s not?

No. 42, October 21, 2009

One mistake is enough

In the second round of the Chigorin Memorial the local rating underdog Klimov took the scalp

of Harikrishna in a very hectic game. According to our investigations Black should deinitely

be ine in this jungle, but one mistake is enough to lose the game!

GAME OF THE WEEK

16...¦fe8?N

Harikrishna launches an incorrect novelty,

based on an oversight on move 20. Four years

ago Carlsen played the correct 16...¥xc5. A

closer look tells us White doesn ’ t have a real

alternative to deviate from the game. 17.¥xc5

(17.¥xf8? ¤b4 18.£e2 ¥xf8 is horrible for

White, for example 19.f3 £a4+! 20.b3 ¤c3+

21.¢e1 £d7) 17...¤xc5 18.¤xh6+ ¢h8 19.h4

g4 20.f3 (20.£c3+? £xc3 21.bxc3 f5!; 20.¤f5

d4!; 20.¤xg4 f5!) 20...d4! 21.£f5 dxe3 22.£f6+

½–½ Bareev-Carlsen, Khanty-Mansiysk 2005.

17.¤xh6+ ¢h7

17...¢g7 18.¤f5+ is just an extra pawn for

White.

18.¤xf7 ¢g7

Most likely the Indian GM must have thought

that the ¤ is trapped, but Klimov finds a fantastic

resource.

19.f3! ¤f6

19...¤xc5 20.¤xg5 doesn ’ t help either.

20.¤h6!

20.¤xg5? ¦xe3 21.¥d3 ¤d4 Is completely

hopeless for White.

XIIIIIIIIY

9R+-+R+-+0

9ZPP+-+-MK-0

9-+NVL-SN-SN0

9WQ-ZPP+-ZP-0

9-VL-+-+-+0

9+-+-ZPP+-0

9PZPQ+-+PZP0

9TR-+K+L+R0

XIIIIIIIIY

20...¦xe3!?

Black has no time to take the ¤, as after

20...¢xh6 21.£f5 ¢g7 22.¥d3 White is taking

over the attack. After the text, White is simply a ¦

up for nothing and so Hari might have resigned

here already, but instead starts gambling for his

last chance.

21.¤f5+ ¢f7 22.¤xe3 ¦e8 23.£d3 £a4+

24.¢c1 ¥a5 25.¥e2 £d4 26.¤g4 ¦xe2 27.¤h6+

¢e8 28.£xe2+ ¢d7 29.¦d1 £b4 30.a3 1–0

Klimov, S (2501) - Harikrishna, P (2673)

Chigorin Mem (St. Petersburg), 17.10.2009

E35, Nimzo-Indian, 4.£c2 d5

b) 13...¤d7 14.¤xf5 ¤xe5 15.¤e7+ ¢g7

16.¤exd5 ¥xc3+ 17.¤xc3 (17.bxc3 ¦ad8 18.¦d1

¤f6 19.¤xf6 ¦xd1+ 20.¢xd1 ¢xf6= Kotanjian-

Khalifman, Budva 2009.) 17...¤xc3 18.£xc3

£xc3+ 19.bxc3 ¦ac8 20.0–0–0 ¦xc5= Narciso

Dublan-Gashimov, Barcelona 2007.

c) 13...¦e8 14.¥xb8 (14.¤xf5? ¦xe5 15.¤xh6+

¢g7 16.¤g4 Biriukov-Yemelin, St. Petersburg

2005, and now 16...¦e6 17.0–0–0 ¥xc3 18.bxc3

£xc5 would have yielded Black a strong

initiative.) 14...¤xc3 (14...¥g6 is perfectly

playable as well.) 15.¤xf5 (15.£xf5 ¤e4+

16.¢d1 ¦axb8 17.¥d3 ¥xc5 18.¤b3 £b6 19.¦c1

¥f8 with mutual chances in Inarkiev-Yemelin, St.

Petersburg 2001.) 15...¤e4+ 16.¢e2?! (Correct

is 16.¢d1 ¦axb8 17.f3) 16...£a6+ 17.¢d1 £f6

18.f3? after this move, White is in serious trouble.

(18.g4 ¦axb8 19.h4 d4 looks very risky as well.)

18...£xf5 19.fxe4 dxe4 20.¥d6 ¦ed8 21.¢e2

¦ac8 22.£a4 ¦xc5 23.£xb4 ¦xd6–+ Ibrahimov-

Mamedyarov, Baku 2006.

14.¤xf5

14.£xf5 ¤e4+ 15.¢e2 (15.¢d1 ¤c6 16.¤xc6

bxc6 17.¥d3 ¥e1! 18.¢e2 £d2+ 19.¢f1 £xd3+

20.¢xe1 ¤xc5 is OK for Black; Rychagov-Iljin,

Saratov 2006.) 15...¥xc5 16.¤b3 £a6+ 17.¢d1

was seen in Lautier-Chuchelov, Mulhouse

2005, and now Black should have equalized with

17...£e6 18.£xe6 ¤xf2+ 19.¢e1 fxe6 20.¤xc5

¤xh1 21.¤xe6 ¦f2! 22.¤c7 ¤c6 23.¥g3 ¦xf1+

24.¢xf1 ¤xg3+ 25.hxg3 ¦d8.

14...¤e4+ 15.¢d1 ¤c6 16.¥d6

Another critical test is 16.¥d4 ¤xd4 17.exd4

¥e1! (17...¦fe8? 18.¥d3 ¦ac8 19.f3± Shabalov-

Stefansson, Beijing 2008.) 18.¢c1 as was

played in Kotanjian-T.Willemze, Kavala 2007.

Now 18...¥xf2 (18...¤xf2!? 19.¦g1 ¦ae8

deserves some attention as well.) 19.¥d3 ¦fc8

20.£e2 (20.¥xe4 ¥xd4 21.¤xd4 (21.c6 ¥f6!)

21...¦xc5) 20...¥xd4 21.¤xd4 ¦xc5+ 22.¤c2

¦e8 and Black has decent compensation for the

piece.

1.d4 ¤f6 2.c4 e6 3.¤c3 ¥b4 4.£c2 d5 5.cxd5

5.a3 has been seen more frequently these days.

5...exd5

Capturing with the pawn has become

fashionable since the PCA World Ch match

between Kasparov and Short. Romanishin ’ s line

5...£xd5 6.¤f3 £f5 leads to quieter play.

6.¥g5 h6 7.¥h4 c5 8.dxc5 g5 9.¥g3 ¤e4 10.e3

£a5 11.¤ge2

This was introduced in the aforementioned match

in game 9. Kasparov got nowhere in game 5 with

11.¥e5 0–0 12.¥d3 ¤c6 13.¥xe4 ¤xe5.

11...¥f5 12.¥e5

Nothing can be gained from 12.¥xb8 ¦xb8

13.¤d4 ¥d7 14.¤b3 (14.¥d3 ¥a4! 15.£xa4+

£xa4 16.¥b5+ £xb5 17.¤dxb5 ¦c8= Erdos-

Porat, Budapest 2005.) 14...¥xc3+ 15.bxc3

£xc3+ 16.£xc3 ¤xc3 17.f3 ¢e7 18.¢d2 ¤a4=

Sokolov-Van Wely, Wijk aan Zee 2005.

12...0–0

12...f6?! 13.¥xb8 ¦xb8 14.¤d4 is a favorable

version of 12.¥xb8, having provoked another

weakening pawn move.

13.¤d4

XIIIIIIIIY

9RSN-+-TRK+0

9ZPP+-+P+-0

9-+-+-+-ZP0

9WQ-ZPPVLLZP-0

9-VL-SNN+-+0

9+-SN-ZP-+-0

9PZPQ+-ZPPZP0

9TR-+-MKL+R0

XIIIIIIIIY

13...¤xc3

Apart from this, Black has two other options,

which seem to be doing fine for him.

a) In game 9, Short went wrong with 13...¥g6?!

14.¤b3 ¤xc3 15.¥xc3 ¥xc2 16.¤xa5 ¥xc3+

17.bxc3 b6 18.¢d2 bxa5 19.¢xc2± Kasparov-

Short, London 1993.

KLIMOV - HARIKRISHNA

2 of 4

ChessVibes OPENINGS what’s hot and what’s not?

No. 42, October 21, 2009

THIS WEEK’S HARVEST

Semi-Slav, Moscow

XIIIIIIIIY

9-TRLWQ-TRK+0

9ZP-+N+PVL-0

9-+PSNP+PZP0

9+-ZP-+-+-0

9-+-+-+-+0

9+P+L+N+-0

9P+Q+-ZPPZP0

9TR-+-+RMK-0

XIIIIIIIIY

1.¤f3 d5 2.d4 ¤f6 3.c4 c6 4.¤c3 e6 5.¥g5 h6 6.¥xf6 £xf6 7.e3 g6 8.¥d3 ¥g7 9.e4

dxe4 10.¤xe4 £d8 11.c5 0–0 12.¤d6 b6 13.0–0 bxc5 14.dxc5 ¤d7 15.£c2 ¦b8 16.b3

In our previous issue we provided an update on the Anti-Moscow with Grischuk-Aronian; this week an important

theoretical innovation was seen in the Moscow: the Bundesliga game Ragger-Gustafsson. The players followed

a recent game Illescas-Gelfand, where the latter was in time to prevent White from getting a firm grip on the

queenside and accurately dealt with White ’ s aggressive intentions. Austrian GM Ragger perfectly understood White

needs to handle the position more concretely and therefore decided to sacrifice the exchange. Although it seems

Black doesn ’ t have much to fear, it is very hard to carry out a good plan. Moreover, his kingside has been seriously

weakened without the king ’ s bishop, while the other one is dominated by the ¤ on d6. Gustafsson couldn ’ t find

anything better than bringing his ¥ to the corner, but 18...¤e5 might be an serious alternative. The game remained

very complicated and various other improvements for both sides can be found in the different stages of the game.

Despite the result, the main line with 7...¤d7 and 8...dxc4 seems a more reliable way for Black.

Semi-Slav, Meran

XIIIIIIIIY

9R+-+KVLR+0

9+L+N+P+P0

9-WQ-+PZP-+0

9+L+-+-+-0

9P+-ZP-+-+0

9+-+-+N+-0

9-ZP-+QZPPZP0

9TR-VL-+RMK-0

XIIIIIIIIY

1.d4 ¤f6 2.c4 e6 3.¤f3 d5 4.¤c3 c6 5.e3 ¤bd7 6.¥d3 dxc4 7.¥xc4 b5 8.¥d3 a6 9.e4

c5 10.e5 cxd4 11.¤xb5 axb5 12.exf6 gxf6 13.0–0 £b6 14.£e2 ¥b7 15.¥xb5 ¦g8 16.a4

14...¥b7 in the Meran was the key to Anand ’ s victory in his World Championship match against Kramnik last year. At

the time Kramnik wasn ’ t really prepared for this sharp line, in which Black aims to launch a direct attack against his

opponent ’ s ¢. Obviously the critical test comes from 15.¥xb5, while 15.¤f4 was seen in a few games, but without

any particular result. Last Bundesliga weekend, Dutch GM Spoelman joined the theoretical debate with 16.a4,

protecting the ¥, but also creating the possible threat of distracting the £ with a5. However, Bromberger replied

adequately giving White no time to develop his pieces. Spoelman couldn ’ t do better but give a perpetual check.

Hence, judging from this game, we may already conclude that 16.a4 doesn ’ t pose certain problems and White may

look for further investigations. A possible idea is 16.¥f4 ¥d6 17.¥g3 f5 18.¤e5!? which is approved by the engines.

The truth still needs to be revealed in this line, but the fact that a theoretician like GM Van Wely still prefers the old

14...¥a6 indicates that Black ’ s task is not without any risk.

Slav, 4...¥f5

XIIIIIIIIY

9RSN-WQKVL-TR0

9+-+-+PZPP0

9-+P+PSNL+0

9ZPNZPP+-+-0

9-+-ZP-+-SN0

9+Q+-ZPP+-0

9PZP-+-+PZP0

9TR-VL-MKL+R0

XIIIIIIIIY

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.¤f3 ¤f6 4.e3 ¥f5 5.¤c3 e6 6.¤h4 ¥e4 7.f3 ¥g6 8.£b3 b5 9.c5 a5 10.¤xb5

In the diagram position, from the Bundesliga game Schenk-Hector, White has just sacrificed his ¤ for two pawns.

This kind of positional piece sacrifice is especially strong when the black a-pawn has been lured forward. In January

this year Tiger Hillarp Persson introduced the positional pawn sacrifice 8...b5!? (see CVO 6) and not surprisingly it

was Hector who started playing this Scandinavian speciality as well. 9.c5 is a typical positional reaction, claiming a

space advantage. 9...a5 was in fact the first new move (9...¤bd7 was played before). The game itself got quite wild

and it looks like the players were in time trouble when draw was agreed. When Black plays b5 in the (Chebanenko)

Slav, he constantly has to reckon with the positional ¤xb5 sac, which can be really uncomfortable. In the PGN file

you can find some more games with this theme, including Borovikov-Vysochin with a similar ¤xb7 idea we found

back in 2006 while analysing the Chebanenko Slav.

Réti Opening

XIIIIIIIIY

9-TR-+RSNK+0

9VL-WQ-+PZP-0

9P+-+-SN-ZP0

9ZPPZP-ZP-+L0

9-+P+PZP-SN0

9+-+-VL-ZPP0

9-ZP-SN-+L+0

9TR-+-WQRMK-0

XIIIIIIIIY

1.¤f3 d5 2.g3 ¤f6 3.¥g2 c6 4.0–0 ¥g4 5.d3 ¤bd7 6.h3 ¥h5 7.£e1 e5 8.e4 dxe4 9.dxe4 ¥c5 10.¤bd2 0–0 11.¤c4

¦e8 12.a4 £c7 13.¤h4 b5 14.¤a5 ¥b6 15.¤b3 a6 16.a5 ¥a7 17.¥g5 h6 18.¥e3 c5 19.c4 ¦ab8 20.¤d2 ¤f8 21.f4

The Réti Opening has the reputation of an unambitious line for White, as it gives his opponent the chance to seize a

space advantage in the centre. On the other hand, White ’ s position is quite solid, and there is no clear-cut way for

Black to take advantage from this. White ’ s main strategy is pushing his kingside pawns, trying to catch Black ’ s light-

squared bishop. In Movsesian-Buhmann, the Armenian born GM improved on an old game of the young Aronian.

Movsesian ’ s play is very typical and illustrates perfectly what Black usually needs to avoid. So we have to condemn

Buhmann ’ s aspirations on the £-side (13...b5?!), as it only stabilizes White situation and misplaces his other ¥ as

well. In fact Black ’ s 11...¦e8 is a natural move, being ready to open the e-file at any moment. However, the f8-square

is better occupied by the ¥ to dominate the ¤ on f5 and Black eventually manoeuvres his ¤ via d7-c5-e6-d4 and

places the other ¦ on d8. This setup seems most reliable to meet White ’ s kingside expansion.

3 of 4

ChessVibes OPENINGS what’s hot and what’s not?

No. 42, October 21, 2009

OPENING EXPERT

Who: Michail Brodsky

Born: March 27, 1969

Nationality: Ukraine

Rating: 2530

Expertise: Clever opening preparation. Both 1.e4 and 1.d4 with White, Sicilian and

Nimzo-Indian with Black.

Why: After the rise of the new generation Ukrainian world class players,

one would almost forget about the older generation of respected GMs.

While many of his colleagues don’t really follow the latest theoretical

developments anymore, Michail Brodsky is still a player to keep an eye on.

He is a frequent guest in Hoogeveen and at the time of writing he is

sharing first place with three others. In the third round he played a very

convincing positional exchange sacrifice, which was almost new and

highly uncommon so far. It highlights the strategical risks Black is taking

when playing the Dutch Defence.

Key game: Brodsky - Caspi, Univé Open (Hoogeveen), 18.10.2009

XIIIIIIIIY

9-+-+-MK-+0

9ZPPWQ-+-VL-0

9-+-ZP-TRPZP0

9+-+L+-+-0

9-+PZP-+-ZP0

9+P+Q+-ZP-0

9P+-+-ZP-+0

9+-+-+RMK-0

XIIIIIIIIY

1.d4 f5 2.g3 ¤f6 3.¥g2 g6 4.c4 ¥g7 5.¤f3 0–0

6.0–0 d6 7.¤c3 ¤c6

7...£e8.

8.d5 ¤a5 9.b3!?

9.£a4.

9...¤e4 10.¤xe4 ¥xa1 11.¤eg5 c5

XIIIIIIIIY

9R+LWQ-TRK+0

9ZPP+-ZP-+P0

9-+-ZP-+P+0

9SN-ZPP+PSN-0

9-+P+-+-+0

9+P+-+NZP-0

9P+-+PZPLZP0

9VL-VLQ+RMK-0

XIIIIIIIIY

12.e4!?N

12.dxc6 ¤xc6 13.b4 h6 14.b5 ¤e5 15.£d5+

¢g7 16.¤e6+ ¥xe6 17.£xe6 £d7 18.£d5 e6

19.¥xh6+ ¢xh6 20.£d2+ ¢h7 21.¦xa1 ¤xc4

22.¤g5+ ¢g8 23.£d4 ¤b6 24.a4 ¦ae8 25.a5

¤c8 26.¦c1 £e7 27.¤xe6 £f6 28.£xf6 ¦xf6

29.¤c7 ¦xe2 30.¥xb7 ¤e7 31.b6 axb6 32.a6

¦a2 33.¤d5 ¦e6 34.¤xe7+ 1–0 Hernandez

Fierro-Servat, Guarapuava 1991.

12...¥g7

12...fxe4 13.¤h4.

13.exf5 ¥xf5 14.¤h4

White has ample compensation: the black ¤ on

a5 looks very uncomfortable and there is a big

hole on e6. 14...e5 15.dxe6 £e7 16.¤xf5 ¦xf5

17.h4 ¤c6 18.¥e4 ¦f6 19.¥d5 ¦f5 20.¤f7

¤d4 21.¥g5 £c7 22.¥e3 ¦e8 23.¥xd4 cxd4

24.£d3 ¢f8 25.¤g5 h6 26.e7+ ¦xe7 27.¤e6+

¦xe6 28.¥xe6 ¦f6 29.¥d5

It looks like Black more or less survived, but in

reality White is still completely dominating. The

opposite coloured bishops garantee a nasty

attack.

29...£a5 30.£xd4 £xa2 31.£g4 £a5 32.£c8+

¢e7 33.£xb7+ ¢f8 34.£c8+ ¢e7 35.b4 £xb4

36.£c7+ 1–0

www.chessvibes.com/openings

ChessVibes Openings is a weekly PDF magazine that covers the latest news on chess openings. Which openings are hot in top level chess?

Which are not? Editors IM Merijn van Delft & IM Robert Ris keep you updated once a week! Singles issues cost € 1. You can subscribe too:

€ 25 a year (that’s less than € 0.50 per issue!). More info can be found at www.chessvibes.com/openings .

well as posting on the web, is strictly prohibited without prior written permission.

4 of 4

Plik z chomika:

Inne pliki z tego folderu:

Inne foldery tego chomika: