Exeter Chess Club: *\n Openings\black_d4.htmPlaying Black against Queen's-side Openings
White plays 1. d4 or plays one of the flank openings, and you reply with either a solid or an aggressive systemBlack's basic solid set-up            |
Black's basic active set-up |
Bibliography:
Norwood, Trends in the King's Indian Attack
Evans, The Chess Opening for You
Kasparov/Keene, Batsford Chess Openings 2
Walker, Chess Openings for Juniors
Varnusz, Play Anti-Indian Systems
Wall, 500 English Miniatures
Soltis, The London System
Botvinnik, 100 Selected Games
Schiller, The Cambridge Springs Defence
Polugaevsky, Queen's Gambit Declined: Orthodox Defence
Various magazines and other books Contents
Introduction
Playing solidly against the Queen's-side and flank openings
Playing aggressively against the Queen's-side and flank
openings
A. Queen's pawn openings
A1 Playing solidly against 1. d4
A(a) The Stonewall System
A(b) London System
A1.1 The Cambridge Springs Defence against the Queen's Gambit
A1.1a Cambridge Springs with 7. Nd2
A1.1b Cambridge Springs with 7. Bxf6
A1.1c Cambridge Springs with 7. Bd3
A1.1d Main line Cambridge with 7. cxd5
A1.1d(b) Back to the main line with 8. Qd2
A1.1d-1 Main line with 8... N7b6
d-1(1) Main line with 8...N7b6 9. Bd3
d-1(2) Main line with 8...N7b6 9. Nxd5
d-1(3) Main line with 8...N7b6 9. a3
d-1(4) Main line with 8...N7b6 9. Rc1
A1.1d-2 Main line with 8... Bb4
A1.1e White avoids the Cambridge Springs
A1.1e-1 White avoids the Cambridge Springs after 5. Nf3
A1.1e-2 White avoids the Cambridge Springs after 5. e3
A1.1e-3 White avoids the whole QGD by playing the Catalan
Example Cambridge Springs games
Example games where White avoids the Cambridge Springs
A1.2 The Semi-Slav
A1.2(a) The Meran System
A1.2(b) The Anti-Meran Gambit
Semi-slav theory
A1.2a Main-line Semi-Slav with 5. Bg5
A1.2b Main-line Semi-Slav with 5. e3
A1.2b-1 Semi-Slav with 6...Bd6
A1.2b-2 Semi-Slav with 6...Bb4
A1.2c White avoids Nc3
A1.2c-1 White deviates with 4. Qc2
A1.2c-2 White deviates with 4/5. Nbd2
A1.2d Main line Abrahams variation [D31]
A1.2d-1 Abrahams' Variation with 5. e4
A1.2d-2 Abrahams' Variation with 5. e3
A1.2d-3 Main line Abrahams' Variation with 5. a4
Example games in the Semi-Slav:
Deviations by White:
Example of Tchigorin Variation:
Abrahams' Variation
0-1
A1.3 The Exchange Variation
A1.3a The minority attack with b4 and b5
A1.3b Central break with f3 and e4
Example Games in the Exchange Variation
Black plays solidly
Black wins with a King's-side attack:
White wants to play in the centre:
White castles Queen's-side:
A2 Playing actively against 1. D4
The Stonewall Attack
A2.1 The Dutch Defence, Stonewall Variation
A2.2 White avoids the Stonewall
A2.2a Modern System with Bg5xf6
A2.2b Staunton Gambit with e4
A2.2c Korchnoi Gambit with g4
A2.2d Others
Examples of White avoiding the Dutch
B. English opening
B1 Playing solidly against 1. c4
B2 Playing actively against 1. c4
Theory of the Anglo-Dutch
Example games in the Anglo-Dutch
System with 2...d6
System with 2...Nc6
Reversed Closed Sicilian
C Reti Opening and King's Indian Attack
C1 Playing solidly against 1. Nf3
C2 Playing actively against 1. Nf3
D Sokolsky opening (Polish)
D1 Playing solidly against 1. b4
D2 Playing actively against 1. b4
E Nimzo-Larsen Opening
E1 Playing solidly against 1. b3
E2 Playing actively against 1. b3
F Various other openings
F1. Benko's Opening, 1.g3
F3. The Dunst, 1. Nc3
Example game in the Dunst:
F4. Grob's opening, 1. g4
Also ran: 1. e3, 1. a3, 1. a4, 1. h4, 1. f3
The repertoires below offer you solid and aggressive ways of playing against most of the Queen's side openings, and also tells you what to do against some of the less common lines where only one line need be learned.
Playing solidly against the Queen's-side and flank openings
| Black's basic solid set-up |
When I say solid, I mean, solid and going forward, not solid and standing still. So, you must plan where your counterplay is coming from: play ...e5 to get your Bc8 out and working play ...Bd6 and ...Qc7 play ...Bb4 and ...Qa5 play ...dxc4 and ...b5 Of course you can combine these plans. |
| play ...e5 to get your Bc8 out |
play ...Bd6 and ...Qc7 |
play ...Bb4 and ...Qa5 |
...dxc4 & ...b5: keep the P/ hit
a
Bc4 |
Playing aggressively against the Queen's-side and flank
openings
play ...Qe8 and ...Qh4 |
play ...Kh8, ...Rg8 and ...g5 |
play ...Ne4 and ...Ndf6 |
re-organise bishops ...Bd6 /
...Bd7-e8-h4 |
Under the Section A, Queen Pawn Openings you can see both these lines at work. You can see straight away that it may be possible to head towards one then choose the other.
I'll also show you how to play against some of the more off-beat approaches to playing White in sections B-F. Analysis and Games
I'll go through each approach in turn, looking at a system to play against each White opening.
As your chess improves you will meet more and more players who prefer the slower Queen's-side openings, which although slow, are dangerous because they are also trying to take over the centre, and it is harder to stop this than after 1. e4. The reason for this is worth thinking about:
In the e4 openings, you can often easily play ...d5, but in the 1. d4 openings, ...e5 takes a lot longer to arrange. You may prefer to give up on the idea for a while, and concentrate on active development.
There are several systems below which combine solidity and winning chances in varying proportions:
The Cambridge Springs Defence to the Queen's Gambit Declined
The Semi-Slav Defence: the Tchigorin, Romih and Abrahams variations
The Stonewall Dutch
A1 Playing solidly against 1. d4
I assume that White will follow 1...d5 with 2. c4. Sometimes White will play 2. Nf3 and later 3. c4, but basically White usually needs the c2-c4 move to put Black's centre under pressure, or Black will be able to use the c7 and e7 pawns to hit out at the d4 pawn. There are a few White systems that don't involve c2-c4:
*
The Stonewall System
1. d4 2. e3 3. Bd3 and 4. f4*
The London System
1. d4 2. Nf3 3. Bf4*
The Colle System
: 1. d4 2. Nf3 3. e3 4. Bd3 ( see the booklet devoted to this opening
(Notes from Fine, 1943)
1. d4 d5 2. e3 Nf6 3. Bd3
[3. f4 is sometimes played to avoid the 3...Nc6 line. Black can always play ...Bf5]
3... c5
[Another good system is 3... Nc6 4. f4
[4. c3 e5]
4... Nb4 5. Nf3 Nxd3+ 6. cxd3 g6 7. Nc3 Bg7 8. O-O O-O=]
4. c3 Nc6 5. f4
5... e6
blocks the Bc8; probably not best.
[5... Bg4 6. Nf3 e6 7. Nbd2 Bd6 8. h3 Bh5 9. b3 cxd4 10.
cxd4 Rc8
Black is comfortable]
The dangers in this line can be seen in this line, given by Fine:
6. Nf3 Bd6 7. O-O O-O 8. Ne5 Qc7
Ne5 needs some response; Black could also try to occupy e4
9. Nd2 Re8 10. g4
with a crushing attack
This can be a dangerous system: e.g.
1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Bf4 c5 4. c3 e6 5. e3 Be7 6. Nbd2 O-O 7. Bd3 b6 8. Ne5
[8. O-O Bb7 9. a4
[9. Ne5]]
8... Bb7 9. Qf3 Nc6 10. Qh3 g6 11. Bh6 Re8 12. f4 Nd7
[12... Nxe5 13. fxe5 Ne4 14. Bxe4 dxe4 15. O-O with a strong attack: White can contemplate Rxf7!]
13. O-O f5 14. Ndf3 Ncxe5 15. fxe5 Bf8 16. Ng5 Bxh6 17. Qxh6 Nf8
[17... Qe7 18. g4 Qg7 19. Qxg7+ Kxg7 20. Bb5 Rad8 21. gxf5 gxf5 22. Nh3 with an endgame plus]
18. Rf3 Re7 19. g4 Rg7 20. Raf1 Qd7 21. Kh1 Qe7 22. h4 Bc8 23. Rg3 a5 24. Rfg1 Ra7
Black fiddles while the King's side burns... White won an endgame in about 40 moves.
Let's try again from the top:
1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Bf4 c5 4. c3 e6 5. e3 Be7 6. Nbd2
Now 6... Nc6
Black should be prepared to snap off a Knight coming to e5, and can also think about ...Nh5 to exchange the Bishop.
7. h3
[or 7. Bd3 Nh5 8. Be5 f6 9. Bg3 g6 10. Qe2 O-O
Eslon-Cramling, 1984. BCO confidently gives this as an edge to Black. The Black pawns look odd but cover a lot of key squares. If White castles King's- side Black will play ...Nxg3; if O-O-O Black should not open a file but ...a6.]
7... O-O 8. Bd3 b6 9. O-O Bb7 10. Ne5 Nxe5 11. Bxe5 c4 12. Bc2 b5 13. a3 Nd7
= Remon-Agzamov 1984
The only other system which may cause concentr is the Colle System; early development of the Bc8 to f5 or g4 is the antidote (see booklet).
White has other non-standard plans eg...
[3. g3 c5 4. Bg2 e6 5. O-O Nc6 6. c3 Qb6 7. e3 Bd6
= Ardiansyah-Farago 1983.]
....but these should not cause you sleepless nights. The strongest move is c2-c4, so let us look at these variations.
A1.1 The Cambridge Springs Defence against the Queen's Gambit
The Queen's Gambit is a strong and solid approach for White.
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5
The main line is 4...Be7 but the line I recommend starts:
4... Nbd7
Can White win a pawn here?
[5. cxd5 exd5 6. Nxd5 Nxd5 7. Bxd8
[7. Bd2 N7f6]
7... Bb4+ 8. Qd2 Bxd2+ 9. Kxd2 Kxd8 and Black has an extra piece!]
No, so White usually continues:
5. e3 c6 6. Nf3 Qa5
This is the Cambridge Springs Defence, a counter-attacking line where Black aims to put the White Queen's-side under pressure. White has ways of heading off to other variations on moves 4,5 and 6 and we will look at those later. First, let us look at an example game:
Marshall,F - Tarrasch,S, Nuremberg, 1895
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Nbd7 5. e3 c6 6. Qc2 Qa5
7. cxd5 Nxd5 8. Nf3 ? 8... Bb4 9. Kd2
Black's attack on c3 has given White a real headache.
9... c5 10. a3 Bxc3+ 11. bxc3 cxd4 12. exd4 N7b6 13. Bd3 Bd7 14. Rhc1 Rc8 15. Qb3 O-O
16. Ke2
[16. Rc2 Ba4]
16... Rxc3 17. Rxc3 Qxc3 18. Qb1 h6 19. Bd2 Qc7 20. Kf1 Nc4 21. Bc1 Ba4 22. Qa2 Rc8 23. Qe2 Nc3 24. Qe1 Na5 25. Bxh6 Nb3 26. Bd2 Nxa1 27. Qxa1
27... Bb5 28. Bxb5 Nxb5 29. g3 Qc6 30. Kg2
30... Rd8 31. Be3 Qe4 32. Qb2 Rd5 33. a4 Nd6 34. Bf4 Nf5 35. Be3 Nxe3+ 36. fxe3 Qxe3 37. g4 f5 38. g5 Qe4 39. Qc3 f4 40. Qc8+ Kh7 41. Qc3
41... e5 42. h4 Rxd4 43. g6+ Kh6 44. Kh2 Qe2+ 0-1
Quite a long haul, but not difficult to understand. I predict you will win a few games like this to White players who do not really see the attack coming. All the theory below is designed to give you enough ideas to see you through games where your opponents do know what they are doing.
From the main line position:
White has several different moves here, but the same ideas are present in each line: White hopes to safeguard the bishop on g5 and/or to minimise the attack on c3. We will look at:
a. 7. Nd2, stopping ...Ne4
b. 7. Bxf6, removing the target
c. 7. Bd3 - a poor move (...dxc4!)
d. 7. cxd5 - stopping ...dxc4
The first and last of these are the most important and most common amongst masters.
A1.1a Cambridge Springs with 7. Nd2
Black has got two ways to try and equalise here I recommend 7. Nd2 Bb4 but Black has also tried
7.Nd2 dxc4
e.g.
8. Bxf6 Nxf6 9. Nxc4 Qc7 10. Rc1
which may be about equal but I don't fancy it as well. Let's try instead
7. Nd2 Bb4
8. Qc2 O-O
[8... e5 also equalises according to Polugaevsky]
9. Be2
White has also tried:
[9. a3 Ne4]
[9. Bh4 e5
always this blow! But Black can also try
[9... c5 10. Nb3 Qa4 11. Bxf6 Nxf6 12. dxc5 Qc6 13. cxd5 exd5=]
10. dxe5
[10. Nb3 Qc7 11. Be2 [or 11. Bg3 Ne4] 11... dxc4 12. Bxc4 exd4 13. Nxd4 Ne5 = Straat-Spielmann, Scheveningen 1923]
10... Ne4 11. Ndxe4 dxe4 12. e6 Ne5 13. exf7+
[13. e7 Re8 14. O-O-O Ng6 15. Rd8 Bf5]
13... Rxf7 14. O-O-O Bf5 15. a3 Nd3+
16. Bxd3
[16. Kb1 Bxc3 17. Qxc3 Qxc3 18. bxc3 Re8 with good compensation for the piece]
16... exd3 17. Qd2 c5 18. axb4 ? 18... cxb4 19. Nb1 Rc8 20. b3 b5 with a strong attack for the piece]
9... e5
10. O-O
Again White has tried other moves:
[10. dxe5 Ne4 11. Ndxe4 dxe4 12. O-O Bxc3 13. bxc3 Nxe5
[13... f6 14. Bh4 Qxe5 =]
14. Qxe4 Ng6 15. Bf4 Nxf4 16. Qxf4 Qxc3
is OK for Black]
[10. Bxf6 Nxf6 11. dxe5 Ne4 12. Ndxe4
[12. cxd5! Nxc3 13. bxc3 Bxc3 14. Rc1 Bxe5 15. dxc6 Rd8 16. Bd3 bxc6 17. O-O Ba6 18. Nc4 Bxc4 19. Bxc4 += bukic-nikolac, yugoslavia 1976]
12... dxe4 13. O-O Bxc3 14. Qxc3 Qxc3
15. bxc3 Re8 16. Rad1 Kf8
]
10... Bd6
[10... exd4 11. Nb3 Qc7 12. Nxd4 dxc4 13. Bxc4 Ne5 14. Be2 Neg4 15. Bf4 Qe7 16. h3 Ne5 17. Rad1 Ng6 18. Bg3 Rd8 = Spraggett-Saed, Taxco 1985]
11. Nb3
[11. cxd5 exd4 12. dxc6 dxc3 13. cxd7 cxd2 14. dxc8=Q Raxc8]
[11. c5 Be7 12. b4 Qc7
with chances for both sides; White has more space but while Black maintains the tension in the centre it will not be easy for either side
(...e4, though, would be a mistake) 13. b5]
11... Qc7 =
A1.1b Cambridge Springs with 7. Bxf6
7...Nxf6 8. Bd3 Bb4 9. Qc2
[There is an old line 9. Qb3 dxc4 10. Bxc4 O-O 11. O-O Bxc3 12. bxc3 b6 13. Ne5 Bb7 14. Be2 c5 15. Nc4 Qa6 16. Qb2 Bd5 17. Ne5 Qc8 18. a4 Nd7 19. c4 Be4
= Capablanca, Lasker,Ed. NY 1924]
9... c5
Black has a simple equalising plan: exchange centre pawns, castle, then develop your Bc8.
10. Nd2 [or 10. O-O] 10... cxd4 11. exd4 Bxc3 12. Qxc3 Qxc3 13. bxc3 dxc4 14. Nxc4 Ke7 15. Kd2 Bd7
= Kmoch-Vajda, Kecsemet 1927
A1.1c Cambridge Springs with 7. Bd3
This is a feeble move, although it looks natural.
7... Ne4 8. Nd2
[8. Bf4 Nxc3 9. bxc3 Qxc3+ 10. Kf1 dxc4]
[8. Bxe4 dxe4 9. Ne5 Bb4]
8... Nxd2 9. Qxd2 dxc4
And Black has won a piece.
A1.1d Main line Cambridge with 7. cxd5
7...Nxd5
Now White usually plays Qd2 but first we will need to examine an alternative in 8. Qb3.
A1.1d(a) White deviates from main line: 8. Qb3
8. Qb3 Bb4
Others can be confidently tried:
[8... h6 9. Bh4 Bb4 10. Rc1 c5 11. a3 Bxc3+ 12. bxc3 cxd4 13. exd4 O-O = Euwe-Capablanca 1931]
[8... Bd6 9. e4 Nxc3 10. bxc3 e5 11. Bd2 O-O 12. Bd3 Qc7 = Peev-Atanasov, Varna 1974]
9. Rc1 e5
!? Tartakower
10. Bc4 !
Best. Alternatives include:
(a) [10. dxe5 Nc5 11. Qc2 Na4
[11... Qxa2]
]
(b) [10. Nxe5 Nxe5 11. dxe5 Be6 12. a3 Nxc3 13. Qxb4
[13. axb4 Qxe5 14. Bf4 Bxb3 15. Bxe5 Na2]
13... Qxb4 14. axb4 Na2 15. Rd1 Nxb4]
(c) [10. Bd3 h6 11. Bh4 exd4 12. exd4 Nf4]
...with Black comfortable in each case.
10... N7b6
[10... exd4 is more solid 11. Bxd5 Bxc3+ 12. bxc3 cxd5 13. exd4 O-O 14. O-O Nb6 =]
11. Bxd5 Nxd5 12. Nxe5 Be6 13. Nc4
[13. a3 Nxc3]
13... Nxc3 14. Nxa5 Nxa2+ 15. Qxb4 Nxb4 16. Kd2 f6
=/=+ As in a consultation game Euwe & Weenink - Alekhine & Van Den Bosch, Amsterdam 1931
A1.1d(b) Back to the main line with 8. Qd2
8. Qd2
Black now has the sharp
8... N7b6
and the solid
8...Bb4
A1.1d-1 Main line with 8... N7b6
Now White has a choice:
(1) 9. Bd3
(2) 9. Nxd5
(3) 9. a3
(4) 9. Rc1
Only the last of these is dangerous.
d-1(1) Main line with 8...N7b6 9. Bd3
9. Bd3 (?)
This move anticipates transposing to the Rc1 system after
9... Nxc3
but Black can dodge with
9... Na4 !
with no problems after
10. Nxd5
[or 10. Nxa4 Bb4]
[or 10. O-O Nxb2 11. Qxb2 Qxc3 -+]
10... Qxd2+ 11. Kxd2 exd5 drawn: Adorjan-Ivkov 1980
This is worth knowing about, because it is not in all the books.
d-1(2) Main line with 8...N7b6 9. Nxd5
An attempt to avoid any theoretical novelties, but abandining any pretence at keeping the White advantage.
9... Qxd2+ 10. Nxd2 exd5 11. Bd3 a5
= Karpov-Kasparov 1984/85 #47
d-1(3) Main line with 8...N7b6 9. a3
9... Nxc3
the pawn grab with ...Bb4 is rather risky
10. Qxc3
[10. bxc3 Nd5 11. e4
[11. c4 Bb4]
11... Qxc3]
10... Qxc3+ 11. bxc3 f6 12. Bh4 c5
= Euwe
d-1(4) Main line with 8...N7b6 9. Rc1
9... Nxc3 10. bxc3 Nd5 11. Bc4
[11. Bd3 Nxc3 12. O-O Bb4 13. a3 Qxa3 transposes above]
11... Nxc3
[11... Ba3 12. Rb1 Nxc3 13. Rb3 b5 14. Bd3 b4 Black can win a pawn but the Ba3 is dead for a long while]
12. O-O b5
[12... Bb4 is risky 13. a3]
13. d5
This is the only threatening continuation
[13. Qxc3 Qxc3 14. Rxc3 bxc4 15. Rb1 Ba6 16. Nd2 c5
with better chances for Black]
13... exd5 14. Bxd5 cxd5 15. Rxc3 Bb4 16. Qxd5 O-O 17. Qxa8 Bg4
Black's chances are no worse
A1.1d-2 Main line with 8... Bb4
this more straightforward move leads to quieter play
9. Rc1 O-O
10. e4
[10. Bd3 e5 11. dxe5
[11. O-O exd4 12. exd4 f6 13. Bh4 Rd8 14. a3 Bxc3 15. bxc3 Nf8 16. Bg3 Be6 17. Rfe1 Bf7 18. c4
with a pull for White: Kasparov-Smyslov, 1984]
11... Nxc3 12. bxc3 Ba3 13. Rd1 Nxe5]
10... Nxc3 11. bxc3 Bd6
[11... Ba3 12. Rb1 e5
Walker 13. Bd3 Re8
[13... exd4 14. cxd4 Qxd2+ 15. Nxd2 Nb6 16. O-O Be6 17. Nb3 += Polu]
14. O-O b6 15. Qe2 Bb7 16. Rfd1 += Euwe]
This is all the theory you will ever need if White allows the Cambridge Springs. Play over each line, not to learn the moves by heart but to see all the different ideas. Once you know the ideas the moves will come naturally to you - perhaps better moves than are given in the notes!
A1.1e White avoids the Cambridge Springs
A1.1e-1 White avoids the Cambridge Springs after 5. Nf3
5... c6
White has tried
A. 6. Qc2
B. 6. Qb3
c. 6. e4
e-1(1) 6. Qc2
Now the usual attack can be easily met by
[6... Qa5 7. cxd5 Nxd5 8. e4 Nxc3 9. Bd2]
An active try is:
6... dxc4
[6... h6 is safer 7. Bxf6 Nxf6 8. e3 Be7 9. Bd3 O-O 10. O-O c5 11. dxc5 dxc4 12. Bxc4 Bxc5
~= Kotov-Panov 1938]
7. e4 b5 8. e5 h6 9. Bh4 g5 10. Nxg5 hxg5 11. Bxg5 Bb7
Compared to the normal Anti-Meran system (see below), White has played the inferior move Qc2 not g3. Black will get a good game with ...Qb6 and ...O-O-O. See the section on the Semi-Slav below.
e-1(2) 6. Qb3
Clearly the usual attack is not possible.
6...Be7 7. e3 O-O 8. Be2 b6 9. O-O Bb7 10. Rad1 h6 11. Bh4
Samikhovsky-Kasparian 1931. Now
11... Ne4
with good play for Black
e-1(3) 6. e4
Black cannot allow this pawn to remain.
6...dxe4 7. Nxe4 h6 8. Nxf6+
[8. Bh4 g5 9. Nxf6+ Nxf6 10. Bg3 Bb4+ with advantage: not
11. Nd2 ? 11... Ne4]
8... Nxf6 9. Bd2 c5 10. Bc3 Ne4
= Subarev-Ryumin 1931
A1.1e-2 White avoids the Cambridge Springs after 5. e3
5. e3
Again you play
5... c6
Now:
(1) A. 6. Bd3
(2) B. 6. a3
(3) C. 6. Qc2
6. Nf3 would transpose to normal lines.
e-2(1) 6. Bd3
6...Qa5
is still OK here but see note after move 7
7. Bh4 dxc4
[not 7... Bb4 8. Nge2 +=]
8. Bxc4 b5 9. Bd3
[9. Bb3 would be met the same way]
9... b4 10. Nce2 c5 11. Nf3 Bb7 12. O-O Rc8
= Ornstein-Sveshnikov 1977]
e-2(2) 6. a3
Plain enough!
6...Be7 7. Nf3 Ne4 8. Bxe7 Qxe7 9. Qc2
[or 9. Nxe4 dxe4 10. Nd2 f5 11. c5 O-O 12. Nc4 b6 13. b4 Ba6 14. Be2 Bxc4 15. Bxc4 a5 16. Qb3 Rfe8 17. O-O b5 18. Be2 a4
>/< Euwe-Bogolyubov 1941]
9... Nxc3 10. Qxc3 O-O 11. Be2 dxc4 12. Bxc4 b6 13. O-O Bb7 14. Rfd1 c5 15. dxc5 Nxc5
= Pirc-Rabar 1946]
e-2(3) 6. Qc2
An important idea as played at the highest level, but Black can equalise.
6...Qa5 7. cxd5 Nxd5 8. e4 Nxc3 9. Bd2 Qa4 ! 10. Qxc3 a5 11. Nf3 Bb4 12. Qc1
~= Capablanca-Alekhine 1927
12... O-O
[12... Bxd2+ 13. Qxd2 Qb4 14. Bd3 Qxd2+ 15. Kxd2 Ke7 Neishtadt]
13. a3 Bxd2+ 14. Qxd2 e5 15. Rc1 exd4 16. Rc4 Qb5 17. Rxd4 Qc5
now not 18. Rxd7 Bxd7 19. Qxd7 Qc1+ 20. Qd1 Qxb2]
A1.1e-3 White avoids the whole QGD by playing the Catalan
The what? The Catalan is an opening which involves c2-c4 but not e2-e3. White holds back the e-pawn and instead plays the light-squared Bishop out to the long diagonal on g2. So how can White capture the c-pawn if Black takes it? Quite!
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 dxc4 5. Nf3 b5!?
"Boy, did I underestimate this one!"
SCHILLER, Play the Catalan
This is a sneaky way of grabbing a pawn. White can play 5. Qa4+, but otherwise play is like the Abrahams' Variation game Seirawan-Korchnoi on page . Both Korchnoi and Karpov have tried this line, which is probably not totally sound but White will have to walk a tightrope to find the way to advantage.
If you don't fancy this line then uncoiling slowly with usual Slav-style moves will probably equalise. The game is too unforcing to give much detailed analysis.
I'll show you a game by Korchnoi and one by Karpov, and look at the latest theory.
6. a4
[The Karpov game went instead 6. Ne5 and White never broke up the Queen's-side pawn mass]
6... c6
The Korchnoi game went 7. O-O
The latest theory goes:
7. Ne5 Nd5 8. O-O
[Schiller recommends 8. axb5 cxb5 9. Nc3 Bb4
[or 9... Bb7]
10. O-O Bxc3 11. e4
which is splendidly messy
11... Bxb2 12. exd5
[12. Bxb2 Ne7 13. d5 O-O 14. Ba3 f6 15. d6 Nec6 16. Nxc6 Nxc6 17. d7 b4
[Not 17... Bxd7 18. Bxf8 Kxf8 19. e5 +/-]
18. dxc8=Q Rxc8
"unclear" OLL/NARVA]
12... Bxa1 13. Ba3 a5 unclear (!) BCO2 14. Qg4 Qf6 15. Rxa1
Ra6 16. Bc5 Nd7 17. Nxd7 Bxd7 18. Qe4
CHERNIN awaits tests...]
After 7. Ne5 Nd5 8. O-O:
8... Bb7 9. b3 cxb3 10. axb5 cxb5 11. Qxb3 a6 12. e4 Nf6 13. d5 Bc5 !
but still += BCO2
Example Cambridge Springs games
Ottaviani,W - Liying,P (Novi-14) [D52] Cambridge Springs: loose Bg5, 1990
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Nbd7 5. Nf3 c6 6. e3 Qa5 7. a3
7... Ne4 8. Qc2
[8. Qa4]
[8. b4 Bxb4 9. axb4 Qxb4 10. Rc1 Nxc3]
8... Nxg5 9. Nxg5 dxc4
10. Bxc4 ??
[10. Nxh7 Bb4 11. Bxc4 g6]
[10. Nge4 b5 11. Be2]
10... Qxg5 11. O-O Be7 12. Rae1 O-O 13. f4 Qh6 14. Rf3 f5
[14... Rd8 15. Rh3 Qg6 16. Bd3 f5 17. e4 Bf6]
15. e4 b5 16. Bb3 Kh8 17. exf5 Bf6 18. fxe6 Bxd4+ 19. Kh1 Nf6 20. Ne2 Ng4 21. h3 Bf2 22. Rd1 c5 23. e7 Re8 24. Qd2 c4 25. Qd8 Bb7 26. Rc3 Ne3
27. Qb6 Qxh3# 0-1
Buthali,D - Figueroa,C (Novi-14) [D52] cambridge springs: loose Bg5, 1990
1. Nf3 Nf6 2. d4 d5 3. c4 e6 4. Bg5 Nbd7 5. e3 c6 6. Nc3 Bb4 7. Bd3 Qa5 8. Qc2 Ne4 9. Bxe4 dxe4 10. Nd2 Qxg5 11. O-O f5 12. Ne2 Bd6 13. Rad1 Nf6 14. c5
Things go from bad to worse!
14... Bxh2+ 15. Kxh2 Qh4+ 16. Kg1 Ng4 17. Rfe1 Qxf2+ 18. Kh1 Nxe3 0-1
Borovikov,V - Shabanov,Y (Podolsk) [D52] Cambridge Springs: Black grabs material, 1990
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5 Nbd7 6. e3 Qa5 7. cxd5 Nxd5 8. Qd2 N7b6 9. Bd3 Nxc3 10. bxc3 Na4 11. O-O Qxc3
12. Qe2 Qb2 13. Bc2 h6 14. Bh4 Nc3 15. Qd3 Nd5 16. Ne5 g5 17. Nxf7 Kxf7 18. Qg6+ Ke7 19. Bg3 Rg8 20. Qxg8 Qxc2 21. Rae1 Bd7 22. f4 Nf6 23. Qh8 Qh7
24. Qxh7+ Nxh7 25. fxg5 Nxg5 26. h4 Nf7 27. Rb1 b6 28. Be1 Rc8 29. Bb4+ Ke8 30. Bxf8 Kxf8 31. Rf6 Ke7 32. Rbf1 Be8 33. h5 c5 34. g4
34... c4 35. Rg6 c3 36. Kf2 Bc6 37. Ke1 Bb5 38. Rh1 Bd3 39. Kd1 Rc4 40. a3 Ra4 0-1
Duemer,K - Meyer,Frh (2.BLSW) [D52] cambridge springs: Q-side attack, 1989
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bg5 c6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Nf3 Qa5 7. Nd2 Bb4 8. Qc2 dxc4 9. Bxf6 Nxf6 10. Nxc4 Qc7 11. a3 Be7 12. Be2 O-O 13. O-O Bd7 14. b4 Rfd8 15. g3 Be8 16. Rfd1 b6 17. Bf3 a5
18. bxa5 b5 19. Nb2 Rxa5 20. a4 Qa7 21. Rdc1 Nd5 22. Bd1 Ra8 23. Ne4 Nb6 24. Nc3 c5
25. dxc5 Nxa4 26. Ncxa4 bxa4 27. Nd3 Rc8 28. Ra3 Bd7 29. e4 Bc6 30. e5 Rb8 31. Qd2 h6 32. Bc2 Bxc5 33. Nxc5 Rxc5
34. Qd3 g6 35. Rca1 Ra8 36. Qd2 Kg7 37. Qd1 Ra5 38. Qd2 Qd7 39. Qf4 Qd5 40. Qf6+ Kg8
41. f3 Qc5+ 0-1
El Mezwaghi,H - Mubarak,A (Novi-12) [D52] cambridge springs: Queen's-side majority in EG, 1990
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Nbd7 5. e3 c6 6. Nf3 Qa5 7. Qa4
7... Qxa4 8. Nxa4 dxc4 9. Nc3 b5 10. Be2 Bb4 11. O-O Bxc3 12. bxc3 Ne4 13. Rfc1 Nb6 14. Rc2 Nd5 15. Rac1 f6 16. Bh4 g5 17. Bg3 h5 18. Nd2 Nxg3 19. hxg3 Ke7 20. Rb2 Bd7 21. Ne4 h4 22. g4 Nb6 23. Nc5 a5
24. a4 Rhb8 25. axb5 cxb5 26. Nxd7 Nxd7 27. Rcb1 a4 28. Rb4 a3 29. Ra1 Ra5 30. Kf1 Nb6 31. e4 Rba8 32. Ke1 e5 33. Kd2 Nd7 34. Ra2 exd4 35. cxd4 Nb8 36. Rb1 Nc6 37. Ke3 Rb8 38. f3 Rd8 39. d5 Ne5 40. f4 gxf4+ 41. Kxf4 Kd6 42. Kf5 Rb8
43. Rba1 b4 44. Bd1 Ra7 45. Kf4 Rba8 46. Rb1 Rb7 47. Rba1 Rba7 48. Rb1 Nd3+ 49. Kf5 Nb2 50. Be2 c3 51. Kxf6 c2 52. e5+ Kxd5 53. Rc1 Rf8+ 54. Kg5 b3 55. Raa1 Nc4 56. e6 b2 0-1
Michaelsen,N - Hort,V (FRG-ch) [D52] cambridge springs: break on Q-side, 1989
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 Nbd7 5. Bg5 c6 6. e3 Qa5 7. Nd2 dxc4 8. Bxf6 Nxf6 9. Nxc4 Qc7 10. Rc1 Nd5 11. a3 Be7 12. Be2 a5 13. O-O O-O 14. Bf3 Rd8 15. Qc2 Bd7 16. Ne4 Be8 17. Rfd1 b6 18. g3 Rac8 19. h4 h6
20. Kg2 Bf8 21. Qb1 a4 22. Qc2 Qb8 23. Qb1 g6 24. Nc3 Nxc3 25. Rxc3 c5
26. dxc5 Rxc5 27. Rxd8 Qxd8 28. Qe4 Bc6 29. Qg4 h5 30. Qf4 Bxf3+ 31. Qxf3 Bg7 32. Rc2 Qc7
33. Qf4
[33. Qa8+ Kh7 34. Qxa4 b5 35. Qa6 Rxc4]
33... b5 0-1
Perez,A - Perera,M [D52] cambridge springs: chances with NN, 1989
1. c4 e6 2. Nc3 d5 3. d4 Nf6 4. Bg5 Nbd7 5. e3 c6 6. Nf3 Qa5 7. Qa4
7... Qxa4 8. Nxa4 Bb4+ 9. Nc3 Ne4 10. Rc1 Nb6 11. a3 Bxc3+ 12. bxc3 Na4 13. cxd5 exd5 14. c4 Be6 15. Bh4 O-O 16. Bd3 Nec3 17. Ng5 h6 18. Nxe6 fxe6 19. cxd5 cxd5
an interesting BB vs. NN ending has arisen
20. O-O Rac8 21. Rc2 Rc7 22. Rfc1 Rfc8
23. f3
[23. Kf1]
23... Ne2+ 24. Rxe2 Rxc1+
25. Kf2 R8c3 26. Bb5 Nb6 27. Be7 a6 28. Be8 Nc4 29. Bd7 Kf7 30. Bb4 R3c2 31. e4 a5 32. Be1 Rxe2+ 33. Kxe2 b6 34. exd5 exd5 35. Bf2 Ra1 36. a4 Nb2 37. Bc6 Ke6 38. Bg3 Nxa4 39. Be5 g6 40. Be8 Nb2 41. Bxg6 Nc4 42. Bg7 Ra2+ 43. Kf1 Ne3+ 44. Ke1 Nxg2+ 45. Kd1 Ne3+ 0-1
Example games where White avoids the Cambridge Springs
The only examples I have are from the Catalan.
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 dxc4 5. Nf3 b5!? 6. Ne5 Nd5 7. O-O Bb7 8. e4 Nf6 9. Re1 Nbd7 10. Qe2 a6 11. Nc3 Nxe5 12. dxe5 Nd7
13. Rd1 Qc8 14. f4 Bc5+ 15. Be3 O-O 16. Rd2 Bxe3+ 17. Qxe3 c5 18. Rad1 Bc6 ! (N moves are met by f4-f5) 19. Rd6 Re8 20. R1d2 ?! 20... Qc7 21. Nd1 b4 !? 22. Bf1 Bb5 23. Bxc4 Nb6 24. Bxb5 axb5 25. b3 Nc8 26. Rd7 Qb6 27. Rc2 c4 28. Rd4 Ra3
29. Nf2 Ne7 30. Qd2 c3 31. Qd3 Nc6 32. Rd6 Raa8 33. Kg2 Red8 34. a3 Rxd6 35. exd6 Nd4
36. axb4 Nxc2 37. Qxc2 Qd4 38. Kf3
[38. e5 may have been more worrying]
38... e5 39. Nd3 exf4 40. gxf4 f6 41. e5 0-1
Tukmakov-Korchnoi Leningrad 1973
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 dxc4 5. Nf3 b5!? 6. a4 c6 7. O-O Bb7 8. Ne5 a6
[8... Qc8]
9. b3
[9. axb5 axb5 10. Rxa8 Bxa8 11. Nc3 Nd5 12. e4 Nxc3 13. bxc3 Bd6 =+]
9... cxb3 10. Bb2 Qb6 11. Qxb3 Nbd7 12. Nxd7
[12. Nc3 b4]
[12. Nd2 Nxe5 13. dxe5 Nd7 14. Ne4 ? 14... Nc5 15. Qe3 Nxa4 -+]
12... Nxd7 13. Nd2 Be7 14. d5 (!) 14... cxd5 15. Bxg7 Rg8 16. Bc3
[16. Bh6 (!) 16... Bf6 17. Rab1 Rg6 18. Be3 d4 19. Nc4 bxc4 20. Qxb6 Nxb6 21. Bxb7]
16... Rg4
[16... b4 17. a5 Qb5 18. Bb2 Nc5 =+]
17. Rfb1 Bc5 18. e3 Bxe3!!
19. fxe3 Qxe3+ 20. Kh1 Rc8
[simpler is 20... Nc5]
21. Ba5
[not 21. Rc1 Nc5]
21... Qxb3 22. Nxb3 Rxa4 23. Rxa4 bxa4 24. Nd2 Bc6 25. Rc1 Ne5 26. Kg1 Kd7 27. Nf3 Nxf3+ 28. Bxf3 d4
29. Bh5 f5 30. g4 fxg4 ?!
[30... Rg8]
31. Rd1
[31. Rc4 ?!]
31... Bd5 32. Rxd4 Rc1+ 33. Kf2 a3 34. Bxg4 a2 35. Bc3
[35. Rxd5+ Kc6]
35... Rc2+ 36. Ke1 Rxc3 37. Rxd5+ Ke7 38. Rd1 Rb3 0-1
Why not a whole one? The ordinary line Slav goes
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4
and Black has tried the quiet 5...Na6, the active 5...Bg4 and the main line 5...Bf5. This last is a well known and popular line and is worth a look.
I have gone for the Semi-Slav because it seems easier to play into from other openings: if 1. c4 c6 2. e4 you have to play either a Caro-Kann with 2...d5 or a funny Indian system with 2...e5. But after 1. c4 e6 2. e4 d5 White has transposed into a lousy version of the French.
The Semi-Slav has two very popular main lines, (a) the Meran System and (b) the Anti-Meran Gambit. I'll show you an example of each but they are very fashionable systems with an awful lot of sharp theory to learn.
6... dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5
The Meran system is characterised by this move.
8. Bd3 a6 9. e4 c5
10. e5
[The alternative is Reynolds' Variation 10. d5 c4 11. dxe6 fxe6 12. Bc2 Qc7 13. O-O Bc5 14. e5 Nxe5 15. Bf4 Bd6 16. Ng5 Bb7 17. Nxe6 Qc6 18. f3 Bc5+ 19. Nxc5 Qxc5+ 20. Kh1 O-O
a sharp position with good chances for Black]
10... cxd4 11. Nxb5 axb5 12. exf6 Qb6 13. fxg7 Bxg7 14. O-O Bb7 15. Bf4 O-O 16. Re1 Bd5 17. Ne5 Nxe5 18. Bxe5 Bxe5 19. Bxh7+ Kxh7 20. Qh5+ Kg7
and White recovers the piece with advantage.
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Bg5 h6
This avoids the Gambit.
[The main line goes 5... dxc4 6. e4 b5 7. e5 h6 8. Bh4 g5 9. Nxg5 hxg5 10. Bxg5 Nbd7
White has a choice:
(a) 11. g3 Qa5 12. exf6 b4 13. Ne4 Ba6
and in this chaotic position White has favoured 14. Be3
or (b) 11. exf6 Bb7 12. g3
6. Bh4
[6. Bxf6 is the right move: the game might go 6...Qxf6 7. e4 dxe4 8. Nxe4 Bb4+ 9. Ned2 c5 10. a3 Bxd2+ 11. Qxd2 O-O 12. dxc5 Rd8 13. Qc2 Na6 14. Be2 Nxc5 15. O-O Bd7
which looks about equal but White's game is better for the moment: the Bd7 is not well-placed yet and the Queen's-side majority might roll ]
6... dxc4 7. e4 g5 8. e5
[8. Bg3 b5]
We have now transposed into the main line of the Gambit.
8... Nd5
But this is new. This is Alatortsev's Variation, an even messier alternative to the main line of the Gambit.
9. Bg3 Bb4 10. Rc1 Qa5 11. Bxc4 Nxc3 12. bxc3 Bxc3+
13. Kf1 Bb4 14. h4 g4 15. Nh2 h5 16. f3 Nd7 17. fxg4 Nb6 18. gxh5 Nxc4 19. Rxc4 b6 20. Kf2 Ba6 21. Rxc6 Rd8 22. Ng4 Bc3 23. Rxc3 Qxc3 24. Qa4+ Kf8 25. Qxa6 Rg8 26. Bf4 Rxg4 27. Be3 Qc2+ 28. Qe2 Rxg2+ 0-1
These are great fun, and are superb counter-attacking systems for people with time to study, but the amount of theory really is too much to try as your first defence to 1.d4. I recommend some slower lines of the Semi-Slav, which are not so dynamic, but quite safe and should give you a good game.
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6
3...c6 keeps open the option of the Stonewall Dutch e.g. 3...c6 4. e3 f5, but in this section I'll also show you Abraham's Variation 3...c6 4. Nf3 dxc4
4. Nf3 c6
Most of your games will end up in this position. White can play the opening moves in a different order, e.g. 1. c4 2. Nf3 3. Nc3 4. d4
A1.2a Main-line Semi-Slav with 5. Bg5
5. Bg5
5... Nbd7
is an attempt to steer into the Cambridge Springs. After
6. e3 Qa5
we have got there.
A1.2b Main-line Semi-Slav with 5. e3
5. e3
As Black you should play
5... Nbd7
Now White usually continues:
6. Bd3
This is of course not forced and you may meet 6. Qc2 or 6. Be2. See Example games for 6. Qc2.
After 6. Bd3 Black has a choice between:
6...dxc4, The Meran System that we saw in action above, or
b-1 6... Bd6, the Tchigorin Variation, or
b-2 6...Bb4, the Romih Variation.
I'll show you these last two.
A1.2b-1 Semi-Slav with 6...Bd6
White now has a choice:
(1) 7. e4, which is sharp
(2) 7. c5, which is not dangerous
(3) 7. O-O, probably best
b-1(1) Semi-Slav with 6...Bd6 7. e4
Still a critical line
7. e4 dxe4 8. Nxe4 Nxe4 9. Bxe4 O-O !
(Harding's "!")
10. O-O c5
[Black players have often tried10... h6 e.g. 11. Bc2 e5 12. Re1 exd4 13. Qxd4 Bc5 14. Qc3
[or 14. Qf4]
14... Re8
[or 14... a5]
11. Bc2 Qc7 12. Qd3
White also has a choice:
[12. Re1]
[or 12. h3 cxd4 13. Qxd4 e5
[or 13... Ne5]]
[or 12. b3]
12... f5 ! 13. b4
[or 13. Rd1 cxd4 14. Qxd4 Bc5 15. Qh4 Nf6
Grunfeld-Bogolyubow 1926: with a fair game for black]
13... b6 14. dxc5 bxc5 15. Rd1 Be7 16. b5 Bf6 17. Rb1 Ne5 18. Qe2 = Portisch
b-1(2) Semi-Slav with 6...Bd6 7. c5
7. c5
An opportunity? But it takes all the pressure off d5 and Black can soon get in ....e5
7...Bc7 8. b4 e5 9. dxe5 Nxe5 10. Nxe5 Bxe5 11. Bb2 Qe7 12. Be2 O-O 13. Qc2 Bd7 14. O-O Rae8
Burn-Teichmann Hastings 1895
For the conclusion, see Example Games.
b-1(3) Semi-Slav with 6...Bd6 7. O-O
7. O-O
Probably the best preparation for e4.
7... O-O 8. e4 dxc4 9. Bxc4 e5 10. Bg5 Qe7
11. Re1
[11. d5 Rd8 ! (Euwe) and ...h6, ...Nd7-f8-g6]
11... Nb6
[11... Rd8]
12. Bb3 Bg4 13. h3 Bxf3 14. Qxf3 Nbd7 15. d5 h6 16. Be3 cxd5 17. Bxd5 += ECO
17... Bc5 18. Bxb7 Rab8 19. Bc6 Rxb2
White is more comfortable but Black is still in the game
Gligoric-Pachman, Sarajevo 1961
A1.2b-2 Semi-Slav with 6...Bb4
7. O-O
This natural move may lose the inititiative.
[7. a3 ! is best, according to Harding
7... Ba5
[7... Bxc3+ += concedes the two Bishops for no compensation]
8. O-O O-O 9. Qc2!
[9. Bd2 Bc7 10. Qc2 dxc4=]
9... dxc4
[9... Bc7 10. Bd2 dxc4 is an alternative, with a view to an early ...e5: it may transpose below]
10. Bxc4 Bc7 11. Bd2 e5
[or 11... Qe7 +=]
12. dxe5 Nxe5 13. Nxe5 Bxe5 14. h3
White is more comfortably placed: Forintos-Kolarov Havana 1966]
7... O-O 8. Qc2 Re8
[or 8... Bd6]
[8... dxc4 ! Harding 9. Bxc4 Bd6 10. Bd3
[10. e4 e5 11. dxe5 Nxe5 12. Nxe5 Bxe5 13. h3 Nh5 14. Ne2 Qh4 15. f4 Bc7
"unclear", Doroshkevic-Antoshin 1969]
10... Qe7 11. Ne2
= Tolush-Alatortsev 1947]
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3
[If White plays 3. Nc3 straight away just go 3...e6
[but White must be prepared to face 3... e5 !?]]
3... e6
A1.2c-1 White deviates with 4. Qc2
4...Nf6 5. Bg5
The outline of the Cambridge Springs can already be seen
[5. g3 Ne4 6. Bg2 Bd6 7. O-O O-O 8. b3 Nd7 9. Ba3 Bxa3 10. Nxa3 Qe7
Ilvitsky-Botvinnik 1952]
5... Nbd7 6. Nc3
See above
A1.2c-2 White deviates with 4/5. Nbd2
4. e3
[My computer always plays 4...Bd6 here, thinking perhaps that White can't organise e2-e4 as well as if Nc3 had been played. If White is so determined to play slowly I wonder if 4... f5 is worth a punt: White should certainly not chase the Bishop with 5. c5 Bc7 when ...e5 is bound to come quickly]
4... Nf6 5. Nbd2
The best strategy against these Nbd2 systems is to take advantage of the lack of pressure on d5 by playing ...c5(!). This of course loses a tempo, but it hopes to show that White has misplaced the Knight on d2 and will not be able to defend the d4 point so easily.
[White often continues 5. Bd3 Nbd7 6. Nbd2
[White can also play 6. O-O when one possible strategy is 6...Ne4 7. Nc3 f5 - see the Stonewall below]
6... c5! Our key move
7. b3
[or 7. O-O Be7 8. cxd5 exd5 9. b3 cxd4 10. exd4 O-O 11. Bb2 Re8 12. Ne5 Bb4 13. a3 Bxd2 14. Qxd2 Ne4 15. Qc2 Qb6 16. a4 Nxe5 17. dxe5
Alekhine-Soultanbieff 1933
Now 17... Bd7! 18. Bxe4
[Not 18. a5 Qb4 (no Ra4)]
18... dxe4 = Alekhine:
the opposite-coloured Bishops reduce the excitement of the extra pawn which at the moment blocks the line of the Bishop on b2]
7... cxd4 8. exd4 b6 9. O-O Bb7 10. Qe2 Be7 11. Bb2 O-O
= Harding]
5... c5!
Here we go again
6. Be2
[6. Bd3 Nc6!?]
6... Nc6 7. O-O cxd4 8. exd4 Be7 9. a3 O-O 10. c5 Ne4 11. Qc2 Bf6
"unclear" Keres-Nei Tallinn 1973]
A1.2d Main line Abrahams variation [D31]
One more Semi-Slav option you should know about:
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 c6 4. Nc3 dxc4
This odd move order looks a bit like a Meran, but Black means to create more trouble with those Queen's-side pawns. It's less well-known, not perhaps as sound, but easy to learn.
Let's look at a quick game from Erik Teichmann:
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 c6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bb4 6. e4
Natural but as we shall see, possibly over-optimistic.
6... b5 7. Bd2 a5 8. axb5 Bxc3 9. Bxc3?! cxb5 10. b3 Bb7 11. d5
In another game White tried
[11. bxc4 b4 12. Qb1 f5
Lupano-Korylov 1954 which continued:
3. Bd3 f6
14. g5
e7 15. xa5
xa5 16.
Bxb4 a1
with a complicated game in which Black has the better chances]
11... Nf6
12. bxc4 b4! 13. Bb2 Nxe4 14. Bxg7 Rg8 15. Bd4 exd5 16. cxd5 Qxd5
Black is winning all over the board!
17. Rc1 Nc6 18. Bc4 Qf5 19. Be3 Nc3 20. Qd2 Rd8 21. Qb2 Rxg2 22. Rxc3 Qxf3 23. Be2 Qf6 24. Rc2 Qxb2 25. Rxb2 Nd4 26. Rd2 Rg6 27. Rf1 Nxe2 28. Rxe2 Ba6
Looks easy, doesn't it? Grab a Queen's-side pawn, hit the centre, swarm all over White's position. Well, you won't get that every game, but it's worth a punt.
Now for a spot of theory:
We will examine
d-1 5. e4
d-2 5. e3
d-3 5. a4
Other moves are possible, for example:
5. g3 (see Catalan),
5. Ne5!? (see Djuurhuus-Volzhin in d-3 below) or
5. Bg5 upon which Black can try
[5. Bg5 Qc7 6. a4 Bb4 7. e4 b5 8. Be2 Bb7 9. axb5 Bxc3+ 10. bxc3 cxb5
Black is not worse]
A1.2d-1 Abrahams' Variation with 5. e4
This is a critical line.
5. e4 b5
[6. e5!?]
6. a4 Bb4 7. Bd2 a5 8. axb5 Bxc3 9. bxc3!
Better than Arkell's Bishop move.
9...cxb5
White must make something of the central mass or the Queen's-side pawn will win for Black.
10. Rb1 Bd7 11. Qc2 Nf6 12. e5 Nd5 13. Ng5
This old analysis shows Black to be at least equal here
A1.2d-2 Abrahams' Variation with 5. e3
5. e3 b5 6. a4
This move-order may avoid the ...Bb4 manoeuvre but invites other trouble
6...b4 7. Ne4 Ba6 8. Qc2 Qd5 9. Ned2 c3
10. bxc3 bxc3 11. Qxc3 Bxf1 12. Nxf1 a5 13. Ba3 Bxa3 14. Qxa3 Na6 15. Ng3 Nb4 16. Rc1
with good chances for Black in an unclear position.
A1.2d-3 Main line Abrahams' Variation with 5. a4
This is the main line.
5. a4 Bb4
White usually plays here 6. e3 but can also try:
[6. g3 a5 7. Ne5 Nf6 8. Bg2 Nd5 9. Bd2 Nb6 10. e3 N8d7
Seirawan -Korchnoi 1981 with better chances to Black]
or
[6. Bd2 a5 7. Qb1 Nd7! 8. e4 Nb6! 9. Be2 f5!
Piket, again with better chances to Black]
After 5. a4 Bb4:
6. e3 b5 7. Bd2
[7. Ne5 Qb6 8. Qg4 Kf8 9. g3 Nf6 10. Qf3 Bb7 -+ Speelman-Flear 1986]
7... Bxc3 8. Bxc3
8... a5!
The key move. You can also play
7...a5
when
8. axb5 Bxc3! 9. Bxc3
leads to the same position.
Novel play arises in this line on
[9. bxc3!? cxb5 10. Qb1 Ba6 11. Be2 Nc6 12. O-O Nf6 13. e4 Boleslavsky-Randvjir 1955
Now 13... O-O ,...Qc7,...Rfb8 intending ...b5-b4 is about equal]
or earlier after 7...a5:
[8. Qc2 Nf6 9. Ne5 O-O 10. Be2 Bb7 11. O-O Qb6 12. f4 Nbd7
Djurhuus-Volzhin 1992: Black returned the pawn with ...b4, and played ...c5]
9. axb5 cxb5
10. b3
[10. d5 should be met by 10...Nf6 11. dxe6 Qxd1+ 12. Kxd1 Ne4 -+ as in Donner-Pliester]
10... Bb7
Now 11. d5!? Nf6 12. bxc4 b4! 13. Bxf6 Qxf6
(As in Gavrikov-Keraser 1982)
14. Qa4+ Nd7 15. Nd4 Unclear! See example games
Instead after the better
11. bxc4 b4
White now has two tries:
(a) 12. Bd2
(b) 12. Bb2
(a)12. Bd2 Nf6 13. Bd3 Nbd7 14. O-O O-O 15. Qc2 Qc7 16. e4 e5
in this important position experience has shown Black to have fully equal practical chances after:
(a-i) 17. Nxe5 Nxe5 18. dxe5 Ng4
(a-ii) 17. Rfe1 Rfe8 18. c5
and here Black has done all right with
[18... exd4 Neverov-Kramnik 1991]
or [18... Ba6 Flear]
or [18... h6 Soltis]
(a-iii) 17. d5 Nc5
(b) 12. Bb2 Nf6 13. Bd3 Be4
[13... Nbd7 14. Qc2 O-O 15. O-O += Saeed-Pliester 1982]
14. Qc2 ? 14... Bxd3 15. Qxd3 a4 Polugaevsky]
Example games in the Semi-Slav:
Burn - Teichmann (Hastings) [D46] 1895
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 c6 5. e3 Bd6 6. Bd3 Nbd7 7. c5 Bc7 8. b4 e5 9. dxe5 Nxe5 10. Nxe5 Bxe5 11. Bb2 Qe7 12. Be2 O-O 13. Qc2 Bd7 14. O-O Rae8 15. Rad1 Bb8 16. Nb1 Ne4 17. Nd2 f5 18. Bd4 Ng5 19. Bd3 f4 20. Kh1 Qf7 21. Nf3
21... Nxf3 22. gxf3 Qh5 23. Rg1 Rf7 24. Qe2 Be5 25. Bc2 Rf6 26. Bxe5 Qxh2+ 27. Kxh2 Rh6+ 28. Kg2 Bh3+ 29. Kh1 Bf1# 0-1
Miralles,G - Granda Zuniga,J [D45] 1989
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Qc2 Bd6 7. Be2 O-O 8. O-O dxc4 9. Bxc4 e5
10. h3 Qe7 11. a3 g6 12. Ba2 b6 13. dxe5 Nxe5 14. Nxe5 Bxe5 15. e4 Nh5 16. Ne2 Ba6 17. Rd1 Rfd8 18. Be3 Qf6 19. Rab1
19... g5 20. g3 Qf3 21. Nd4 Bxd4 22. Bxd4 Be2 23. Qc1 Nf4 24. gxf4 Qxh3 25. f5 Qg4+ 26. Kh2 Bf3 27. Bxf7+ Kf8 28. Bc5+ Kxf7 29. Qc4+ Rd5 0-1
[D45] Philadelphia, 1990
1. Nf3 d5 2. c4 c6 3. e3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. d4 Nbd7 6. Qc2 Bd6 7. Bd3 O-O 8. O-O dxc4 9. Bxc4 e5
10. Bb3 Qc7 11. h3 b5
12. Ng5 Bb7 13. Rd1 Rad8 14. a4 a6 15. Nce4 Nxe4 16. Nxe4 Be7 17. axb5 axb5 18. d5 Nb6 19. Ra7 Nc8 20. Ra1 c5 21. Ng3 c4 22. e4 Bc5 23. Ba2 Nd6 24. Qe2 Ra8 25. Be3 b4
26. b3 c3 27. Rac1 Ra3 28. Bxc5 Qxc5 29. Nh5 Bc8 30. Rd3 Qb5 31. Rc2 f6 32. f4 Rf7 33. fxe5 fxe5 34. Qe3 Qa6 35. Kh2 Rxa2 36. Rxa2 Qxa2 37. Qb6 Qe2
38. Qd8+ Rf8 39. Nf6+ gxf6 40. Rg3+ Bg4 41. Qxd6 h5 42. Qxb4 c2 43. Qc5 Qd1 44. hxg4 c1=Q
45. gxh5+ Qg5 46. Rxg5+ fxg5 47. d6 Qxh5+ 48. Kg1 Qd1+ 49. Kh2 Rd8 50. Qc4+ Kf8 51. Qe6 Qxd6 52. Qf5+ Ke7 53. Qh7+ Ke8 54. Qg8+ Kd7 55. Qf7+ Kc6 56. Qc4+ Kb6 57. b4 Qh6+ 0-1
Hegeler,F - Wockenfuss,K [D46] 2BLN, 1989
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 Bb4 7. a3 Ba5 8. O-O O-O 9. Qc2 Re8 10. Rd1 e5
11. dxe5 Nxe5 12. Nxe5 Rxe5 13. cxd5 cxd5 14. b4 Bb6 15. Bb2
15... Bg4 16. Be2 Rc8 17. Qd2 Qd7 18. Rac1 Rd8 19. Nb5 Ne4 20. Qc2 Rg5
21. Bd4 Bh3 22. g3 Rg6 23. Bxb6 Rxb6 24. Qc7 Qe8 25. Nxa7 Rf6 26. Bf1
26... Nxf2 27. Re1 Ra8 28. Qxb7 h5 29. Rc7 Rxa7 30. Qxa7 Qe4 0-1
Kraai,J - Donaldson,J (2) [D46] American, 1989
1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. c4 d5 4. Nc3 c6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 Bb4 7. O-O O-O 8. Qb3 Bd6 9. e4 dxc4 10. Bxc4 e5
11. h3 b5 12. Be2 a6 13. a4 Bb7 14. dxe5 Nxe5 15. Re1 Re8 16. Bg5 h6 17. Bh4 Ng6 18. Bxf6 Qxf6
19. Rad1 Ne5 20. Nb1 Nxf3+ 21. Bxf3 Be5 22. Re2 Bc8 23. Red2 Be6 24. Qa3 Rac8 25. b4
25... bxa4 26. Qxa4 Bxh3 27. Qxa6 Be6 28. b5 cxb5 29. Qxb5 Rb8 30. Qe2 Rec8 0-1
[30... Rec8 31. Na3 Rb3]
Karpov - Tal [D46] Moscow, 1973
1. Nf3 d5 2. c4 c6 3. d4 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 Bb4 7. O-O O-O 8. a3 Bd6 9. Qc2 dxc4 10. Bxc4 Qe7 11. h3 e5
12. Ba2 a5 13. a4 Bb4 14. Rd1 b6 15. dxe5 Nxe5 16. Nd4 Bd7 17. Bd2 Rad8 18. Be1 Ng6 19. Nf3 Ne5 20. Nd4 Ng6 21. Nf3 Ne5
1/2-1/2
Example of Tchigorin Variation:
Plachetka,T - Drtina,M (5) [D46] Trnava, 1989
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. e3 Nf6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 Bd6 7. O-O dxc4 8. Bxc4 Qe7 9. e4 e5
10. Bg5 Nb6 11. dxe5 Bxe5 12. Bb3 O-O 13. Qc2 h6 14. Bh4 Re8 15. Nxe5 Qxe5 16. f4
16... Qc5+ 17. Bf2 Qh5 18. Rae1 Be6 19. Bd4 Bxb3 20. Qxb3 Nfd7 21. Rf3 Kf8 22. Rh3 Qa5 23. Rg3 f6 24. e5 c5 25. Bf2 fxe5 26. fxe5
26... c4 27. Qc2 Rxe5 28. Rf1 Kg8 29. Bd4 Rg5 30. Rff3 Ne5 31. Re3 Nc6
32. Bxg7 Kxg7 33. h4 Rxg3 34. Rxg3+ Kh8 35. Qg6 Qc5+ 36. Kh2 Qf8 37. Ne4 Ne5 38. Qh5 Qf4 39. Ng5 Qf6 40. Ne4 Qf4 41. Ng5 Qf8 42. Ne4 Nbd7 43. Rg5 Nf7 44. Rf5 Nde5 45. Ng5 Kg8
46. Nxf7 Nxf7 47. Qg6+ Qg7 48. Qe6 Rf8 49. Rf6 Kh8 50. Kh1 b5 51. Qe7 Rg8 52. Rf2 Ne5 53. Qe6 Nd3 0-1
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 c6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. e4 b5 6. Bg5
[6. a4]
6...f6 7. Be3 Bb4 8. Be2 Ne7 9. O-O O-O 10. Qc2 Nd7 11. a4 Nb6 12. axb5 Bxc3 13. Qxc3 cxb5 14. b3 Bb7
15. Nd2 f5 16. Bg5 h6 17. Bxe7 Qxe7 18. bxc4 fxe4 19. cxb5 Nd5 20. Qa3 Qf6 21. Nxe4 Qg6 22. Ng3 Nf4
23. f3 h5 24. Qe7 Rf7 25. Qh4 Qh6 0-1
[26. Rfe1 g5]
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 c6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bb4 6. e3 b5 7. Bd2 [7...a5] 7... Bxc3 8. Bxc3 a5! 9. axb5 cxb5 10. b3 Bb7
11. d5!? Nf6 12. bxc4 b4! 13. Bxf6 Qxf6 14. Qa4+ Nd7 15. Nd4
This is the point we left off above
15... e5 16. Nb3 Ke7
17. Qb5
[17. Rd1] or [17. Be2]
17... Ba6 18. Qxa5 Rhb8 19. d6+ Ke8 ! 20. Qd5 Bb7 21. Qd2 Rxa1+ 22. Nxa1 Nc5 ! 23. d7+ Kd8 ! 24. Qxb4 Qd6 25. Qd2 Qa6 26. Qb2 [26. Nc2 Be4 -+] 26... Qa5+
The White pawn on d7 shelters the Black King,While the useless
White pieces can only sit around and watch their own King get
mated.
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. cxd5 exd5
White's approach in this line has many advantages: the position is simplified, White has a permanent structural advantage and a clear plan to follow, and Black's counterplay is limited. White can now adopt two plans:
A1.3a The minority attack with b4 and b5
White plans to play b4-b5xc6 when your c-pawn will be backward on an open file. If nothing else happens, this can be enough to lose the game.
King's-side action using the semi-open e-file and particularly the outpost at e4. (see several games below)
Temporary delay and permanent simplification with ...a5, forcing White to adopt a3 and b4 or make other concessions (Smagin and Ekstroem games)
The creation of a passed a-pawn with ...a6, when b5 is met by ...c6xb5 (white axb5) and ...a5 (I have no example of this plan).
Meet b5 with ...c5
Prevent b5 by playing ...b5 and using the strong c4 point (see the Van der Sterren game below)
5. Bg5 Be7 6. e3 c6 7. Bd3 Nbd7
8. Qc2
[8. Nf3 loses the initiative straightaway: 8...Ne4 9. Bxe7 Qxe7=]
8... O-O 9. Nf3 Re8 10. O-O Nf8 11. Rab1 Ne4
12. Bxe7 Qxe7 13. Ne5 Bf5 14. Nxe4 Bxe4 15. Bxe4 dxe4 16. b4
[16. Qxe4 f6]
A1.3b Central break with f3 and e4
White's other plan is less popular but more dynamic. The King's Knight come to e2, and then f2-f3 will prepare e2-e4. Black's best plan is to hit back. We may see a bit more of this plan since the following advertisement for it:
Kasparov - Short (10) [D35] WCh, 1994
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bg5 Be7 6. e3 O-O 7. Bd3 Nbd7 8. Nge2 Re8 9. O-O Nf8
Normal is 9...c6
10. b4!
10... a6
[10... Bxb4? leads to trouble after 11. Bxf6]
11. a3 c6 12. Qc2 g6 13. f3 Ne6 14. Bh4 Nh5 15. Bxe7 Rxe7
[15... Qxe7!?]
16. Qd2 b6? 17. Rad1 Bb7 18. Bb1 Nhg7 19. e4
White has his cake and is eating it too: he has succeeded in playing both b2-b4 and e2-e4, and Black has no counterplay. Black soon collapsed.
Below you can see some ways of fighting against this idea, particularly if White risks castling Queen's-side.
Example Games in the Exchange Variation
Steinbacher,M - van der Sterren,P (5) [D36] Ostend, 1989
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 c6 5. cxd5 exd5 6. Bg5 Be7 7. Qc2 g6 8. e3 Bf5 9. Bd3 Bxd3 10. Qxd3 Nbd7 11. O-O O-O 12. Bxf6 Nxf6 13. Rab1 Bd6 14. b4 b5
Black defends his Queen's-side solidly. White tries a Knight advance.
15. Ne5 Bxe5 16. dxe5 Nd7 17. f4 a5 18. a3 Nb6 19. Ne2 axb4
20. axb4 Nc4 21. Nd4 Qb6 22. Ra1 Ra4 23. Rxa4 bxa4 24. Ra1 Ra8 25. Nc2 a3 26. Ra2 Ra7 27. Qd4 Qxd4 28. exd4 f6 29. exf6 Kf7 30. Kf2 Kxf6
Black now wins methodically.
31. Ne3 Nxe3 32. Kxe3 Kf5 33. Kf3 h5 34. h3 h4 35. Ke3 Ra4 36. Kd3 Kxf4 37. Kc3 Ke3 38. Kb3 Ra8 39. Kc3 Ra7 0-1
Black wins with a King's-side attack:
??-?? [D34]
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bg5 Be7 6. Qc2 O-O 7. e3 Re8 8. Bd3 Nbd7 9. Nf3 Nf8 10. O-O c6 11. Rab1 Ng6 12. b4 a6 13. a4 Bd6 14. b5 axb5 15. axb5 h6 16. Bxf6 Qxf6 17. bxc6 bxc6 18. Rb6 Bg4 19. Nd2 Re6
This neat move is useful for attack and defence: if Rxc6, then Bxh2+ wins the exchange. GM Nigel Davies in an article praises this type of rook manoeuvre for Black: the Rook can move to (say) the g-file and cause problems for the White King. As it happens White soon digs a pit into which he or she falls!
20. Na4 Nh4 21. g3 Nf3+ 22. Nxf3 Qxf3 23. Re1 Bh3 24. Bf1 Bf5 25. e4 Rxe4 26. Qxc6 Rxe1 27. Qxa8+ Kh7 28. Nc3 Bh3 0-1
Davidovic,A - Smagin,S (4) [D36] It-open, Dortmund, 1989
1. Nf3 d5 2. d4 Nf6 3. c4 e6 4. Nc3 c6 5. cxd5 exd5 6. Qc2 Be7 7. Bg5 g6
This plan is unusual.
8. e3 Bf5 9. Bd3 Bxd3 10. Qxd3 Nbd7 11. O-O O-O 12. Rab1 a5 13. a3 Re8 14. Rfc1 a4 15. Qc2 Qa5 16. Re1 Bd6 17. Bh4 Ne4
This plan is very familiar!
18. Nxe4 dxe4 19. Nd2 Qh5
Black is well-placed for a quick King's-side attack; White's intended Queen's-side initiative is nowhere to be seen.
20. Bg3 Bxg3 21. hxg3 Nf6 22. b3 Ra5 23. bxa4 Ng4 24. Nf1 Rf5 25. Rxb7 c5 26. Re2 Qh6 27. Qb3 Re6 28. f3 Rh5 29. fxg4 Rh1+ 30. Kf2 Rxf1+ 0-1
Von Gleich,A - Ekstroem,R (1) [D36] Lugano, 1989
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Be7 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. cxd5 exd5 6. Bg5 c6 7. Qc2 h6 8. Bxf6 Bxf6 9. e3 O-O 10. Bd3 Re8 11. h3 Nd7 12. O-O Be7 13. a3 Bd6 14. b4 Nf6 15. Rfc1 Qe7 16. Ra2 a5 17. bxa5 Rxa5 18. a4 Ne4 19. Bxe4 dxe4
The familiar ...Ne4 move leads to a quick King's-side kill.
20. Nd2 Be6 21. Raa1 Bxh3 22. Qxe4 Qd7 23. Qh4 Rg5 24. g3 Bg4 25. Qh1 Bxg3 26. Nce4 Rh5 27. Qg2 Bh2+ 28. Kf1 Kh8 29. Ke1 Bc7 0-1
Yermolinsky - Shipman,W (3) [D36] MCC, 1989
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 c6 5. Bg5 Nbd7 6. cxd5 exd5 7. e3 Be7 8. Qc2 O-O 9. Bd3 Re8 10. O-O Nf8 11. h3 Nh5 12. Bxe7 Qxe7 13. a3 g6 14. b4 Ne6 15. b5 Ng5 16. Nxg5 Qxg5 17. Kh2 f5 18. bxc6 bxc6 19. Na4 Re6
White has created a weak pawn on c6 but Black doesn't care too much!
20. Nc5 Rf6 21. Be2 f4 22. Bxh5 Qxh5 23. f3 fxe3 24. Qd3 Bxh3 25. gxh3 Re8 26. Nd7 Rf4 27. Rae1 Re7 28. Qa6 Qf5 29. Ne5 Rxe5 30. dxe5 Rh4 0-1
White wants to play in the centre:
Deze,A - Tadic,K (1) [D35] Novi, 1989
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bg5 Be7 6. e3 O-O 7. Bd3 c6 8. Qc2 h6 9. Bh4 Re8 10. Nge2 Nbd7 11. f3 c5
A change of emphasis: White wants to advance in the centre with e2-e4, so Black immediately hits at the d-pawn with ...c7-c5.
12. O-O b6 13. Rad1 Bb7 14. Bf2 cxd4 15. exd4 a6 16. Qb3 b5 17. a4 b4 18. Na2 Qb6 19. Rc1 Bd6
White's plan has come to nothing.
20. Qd1 Nf8 21. Bg3 Ne6 22. Bxd6 Qxd6 23. Qd2 a5 24. Bb5 Re7 25. Ng3 Qb6 26. Nf5 Rc7 27. Rfe1 Kf8 28. Rxc7 Qxc7 29. Nc1 Bc6 30. Bxc6 Qxc6 31. Nd3 Re8 32. b3 Qc3 33. Qxc3 bxc3 34. Rc1 Rc8 35. Nd6 Rc6 36. Nb5 c2 37. Ne5 Nf4 0-1
Paduch,A - Ghafour,Y (8) [D35] A.Kotov memorial, Singapore, 1990
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 Nbd7 5. cxd5 exd5 6. Bf4 Be7 7. e3 c6 8. h3 O-O 9. Bd3 Re8 10. Qc2 a5 11. g4 Nf8 12. O-O-O a4
Black was all ready to meet White's King on the Queen's-side.
13. a3 Qa5 14. Ne5 Be6 15. Bf5 c5 16. Kb1 Rec8 17. Qe2 c4 18. e4 dxe4 19. Bxe4 Bd5
20. Bxd5 Nxd5 21. Bd2 Bxa3 22. Nxc4 Nxc3+ 23. Bxc3 Qb5 24. d5 Qxc4 25. Qe5 f6 26. Qf5 Bd6 27. f4 Qxf4 28. Qd3 a3 29. Rhg1 axb2 30. Bxb2 Qa4 0-1
Tisdall,J - Inkiov,V (5) [D36] Gausdal, 1990
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bg5 Be7 6. Qc2 c6 7. e3 Nbd7 8. Bd3 O-O 9. Nge2 Re8 10. h3 Nf8 11. g4 b5 12. O-O-O a5 13. Ng3 a4 14. Kb1 Qa5 15. Nce2 Bd7 16. Nf5 Bxf5 17. gxf5 Rac8 18. Rhg1 Kh8 19. Bxf6 Bxf6
An exciting opposite-side castling position has arisen.
20. Nf4 Nd7 21. Rc1 a3 22. b3 c5 23. Nxd5 c4 24. Nxf6 Nxf6 25. bxc4 bxc4 26. Bxc4 Ne4 27. Ka1 Nd2 28. f6 Rxc4 0-1
A2 Playing actively against 1. D4
I will follow some lines from Fine in his 1943 book The Ideas behind the Chess Openings. You will soon see the connection with this section.
Start: 1. d4 d5 2. e3 Nf6 3. Bd3
[3. f4 is sometimes played to avoid the 3...Nc6 line]
3... c5
[More to the point is 3... Nc6 4. f4 [
or 4. c3 e5
] 4... Nb4 5. Nf3 Nxd3+ 6. cxd3 g6 7. Nc3 Bg7 8. O-O O-O]4. c3 Nc6 5. f4
Now play might go:
5... e6 (which doesn't look quite right, as it blocks the Bc8)
6. Nf3 Bd6 7. O-O O-O 8. Ne5 Qc7
White's threatening Ne5 needed some response; Black could also try to occupy e4
9. Nd2 Re8 10. g4 (DIAGRAM)
with a crushing attack.
This is the ideal Stonewall position.
Let's go back to the first diagram.
Instead, we might try for Black 5... Bg4,
and play then might go 6. Nf3 e6 7. Nbd2 Bd6 8. h3 Bh5 9. b3 cxd4 10. cxd4 Rc8 (DIAGRAM)
Black is comfortable
Because Black can see what White is up to, Black can arrange the development to counter it. White's opening plan is not camouflaged enough to stop Black from seeing what is going on and opposing it, and the opening moves are not flexible enough to try any other plan. This is why you don't see the Stonewall very often among stronger players.
One place where the Stonewall formation will not go away is Black playing it in the Dutch Defence. Why is this more common?
White, starting first, is usually trying to get an advantage and won't play just to equalise with moves like Bf4, Bxd6, Ne5 and f4.
Instead, White will often adopt an attacking formation on the Queen's side to start with and so there is a tendency for each side to attack on opposite sides.
White often plays g3 and Bg2, creating a slow game with a slightly weakened King's side. Black can hope to get the ...f4 break in at some point.
This may help explain why you see the Stonewall is a better idea played a move behind in the Dutch Defence than played straight away as White. Perhaps the real reason is that World Champion Mikhail Botvinnik kept playing and winning with it for decades. Take a look at these games:
A2.1 The Dutch Defence, Stonewall Variation
Rabinovitch - Botvinnik (Ussr Ch'p, 1927)
1. d4 e6 2. c4 f5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nc3 O-O 6. Nf3 d5 7. O-O c6 8. Qc2 Qe8 9. Bf4 Qh5 10. Rad1 Nbd7 11. b3 Ne4 12. Ne5 Ng5
[12... Bf6 is better, says MB]
13. h4
[13. f3 Nh3+ 14. Bxh3 Qxh3 15. e4 += MB]
13... Ne4 14. Bf3 Qe8 15. Nxd7 Bxd7 16. Kg2 Bb4
White seems to have defended more than got on with his own plans. He now makes a mistake:
17. Bxe4 ? 17... fxe4 18. Rh1 Qh5 19. f3 Qg6 20. Kf1 e5 21. dxe5 Rxf4 22. gxf4
Black has some clear achievements: the open g-file, the two bishops, the upset White King.
22... Qg3
threats ...Bc5/...e3
23. Nxe4 dxe4 24. Rxd7 Bc5 25. e3 Qxf3+ 26. Qf2 Qxh1+ 27. Ke2 Qh3 28. f5 Qg4+ 29. Kd2 Rf8 30. e6 Qxf5 31. Qxf5 Rxf5 32. Rxb7 Rf2+ 33. Ke1 Rf6 34. b4 Bxe3 0-1
Another decisive King's side attack:
Steiner - Botvinnik, Groningen, 1946
1. d4 e6 2. c4 f5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Bb4+ 5. Bd2 Be7 6. Nf3 d5 7. Nc3 c6 8. O-O O-O 9. Bf4 Qe8 10. Qc2 Qh5 11. Rae1 Nbd7 12. Nd2
Aiming at e4, but too slowly. Another plan is to attack c6 with the b-pawn.
12... g5 13. Bc7 Ne8 14. Be5 Nxe5 15. dxe5 f4
Black's plans are well-advanced; e4 will now be answered by ..f3
16. gxf4 gxf4 17. Nf3 Kh8 18. Kh1 Ng7 19. Qc1 Bd7 20. a3 Rf7 21. b4 Rg8
Making use of the open g-file
22. Rg1 Nf5 23. Nd1 Rfg7
Black has a winning position
24. Qxf4 Rg4 25. Qd2 Nh4 26. Ne3 Nxf3 27. exf3 Rh4 28. Nf1 Bg5 0-1
if the Q moves, ...Bf4 forces mate.
Here's an important game against a powerful rival.
Flohr - Botvinnik (10) Match, 1933
1. d4 e6 2. c4 f5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nc3 d5 6. Nf3 c6 7. O-O O-O 8. b3
[8. Bf4 is better, says Botvinnink, or 8. Qc2 Qe8 9. Bg5 with Bxf6]
8... Qe8 9. Bb2 Nbd7 10. Qd3
[ 10. Ng5 Bd6 11. f4 Botvinnik]
10... Qh5 11. cxd5
[11. Bc1 Botvinnik]
11... exd5 12. Nd2
[12. Ne1 and f4]
12... Ne4 13. f3
[13. f4 is now met by 13... Nxd2 14. Qxd2 Nf6 when White cannot really hope to get the N to e5]
13... Nxc3 14. Bxc3 f4 ! 15. Rfe1 Bd6 16. Nf1 Rf7 17. e3 fxg3 18. Nxg3 Qh4 19.Nf1 Nf6 20. Re2 Bd7 21. Be1 Qg5 22. Bg3 Bxg3 23. Nxg3 h5!
the final phase
24. f4 Qg4 25. Rf2 h4 26. Bf3
[26. h3 Qe6 27. Nf1 Ne4 is still -+]
26... hxg3 27. Bxg4 gxf2+ 28. Kg2 Nxg4 29. h3 Nf6 30. Kxf2 Ne4+ 0-1
And lastly, a more complicated game from an early tournament:
1. c4 f5 2. d4 Nf6 3. g3 e6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nf3 d5 6. O-O O-O 7. Nc3 c6 8. Qc2 Qe8 9. Bf4
[9. Bg5 Chekhover]
9... Qh5 10. b3 Nbd7 11. Rad1 Kh8 12. Kh1
a loss of tempo, and perhaps not even a better square
12... Rg8 13. e3 g5 14. Bc7 Ne8 15. Be5+ Nxe5 16. Nxe5 Nf6 17. f3
the right plan for White
17... Bd6 18. e4 Nd7 19. g4
[19. Nxd7 Bxg3]
19... Qe8 20. Nxd7 Bxd7 21. e5 Bb4 22. gxf5 exf5 23. cxd5
23... Bxc3 24. dxc6 risky 24... Bxc6 25. Qxc3 Qe6 26. Qd2 Bd5 27. Rc1 Rg7 28. Rc2 f4 29. Qc1 Rag8 30. h3 h5 31. Kg1 g4 32. hxg4 hxg4 33. Kf2 Rh7 34. Rh1 g3+ 35. Ke1 Rxh1+ 36. Bxh1 Qh6 37. Bg2
the last move before the time-check
37... Bc6
[37... Be6]
38. a4 Bd7
going for complications instead
[38... Bd5]
39. d5 Bf5 40. Rc7 Qh2 41. Qb2 Qg1+ 42. Bf1 Qe3+ 43. Be2 Be6 44. Qc2 Rg7
45. dxe6
[45. Rc8+ Bg8 46. Qf5 and Rxg8+, getting perpetual]
45... Qf2+ 46. Kd2 Qd4+
controlling d8
47. Ke1 Rxc7 0-1
Since Nigel Short has ventured the Stonewall on occasion interest in the opening has grown again.
Martin - Troger [A94] 1995
1. Nf3 f5 2. d4 Nf6 3. g3 e6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. c4 d5 7. b3 c6 8. Ba3 Bd7 9. Bxe7 Qxe7
Black has played it the old-fashioned way: more interest recently has been in the idea of parking the Queen's Bishop on b7. White has responded with another traditional recipe - exchange off Black's good bishop and milk the dark squares.
10. Nc3 (?)
Martin was unhappy about this natural move afterwards. Either
[10. Nbd2 Be8 11. Ne5 Nbd7 12. Ndf3 Bh5]
or
[10. Qc1 Be8 11. Qa3 Qxa3 12. Nxa3 Nbd7]
could have been tried, but Black is by no means losing either game.
10... Be8 11. Qc2 Nbd7 12. cxd5 cxd5!
[Not 12... exd5 13. Qxf5 Ne4 14. Nxd5 cxd5 15. Qxd5+ Bf7 16. Qxb7]
13. e3 Bh5 14. Rfc1 Bxf3 15. Bxf3
=+ Martin
15... Rac8 16. Qb2 Nb6
[16... Nb8]
17. a4 g5 18. a5 Nbd7 19. a6 b6 20. Be2 Nb8
Right idea but too late: White is now better.
21. Nb5 Nc6 22. Rc2 Nd7
[22... Nb4 23. Rxc8 Rxc8 24. Qa3]
23. Rxc6
else ...Nd7-b8 and Black is ready to attack the King
23... Rxc6 24. Nxa7 Rc7 25. Nb5 Rcc8 26. a7 Nf6 27. Qa2
27... Kg7 28. Qa6 Qd8 29. Qb7+ Kg6 30. Ra6 Ra8 31. Nc7 Qe7 32. Qxb6 Qd8 33. Nxa8 Qxa8 34. Qxe6 Rf7 35. Bd3 1-0
A2.2 White avoids the Stonewall
There is no Exchange Variation against the Dutch but there are some annoying ways for White to avoid the Stonewall. You can avoid all these by playing first ...d5, ...e6, ...c6 and ...f5, but you must then face the Exchange QGD.
1. d4 f5
A2.2a Modern System with Bg5xf6
2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Bg5 d5 4. Bxf6 exf6 5. e3 Be6 6. Bd3 g6
This is currently very popular. I offer you a selection of games in the examples section.
2. e4 fxe4 3. Nc3 Nf6
Now White can play:
(a) 4. Bg5 Nc6 5. d5 Ne5 6. Qd4 Nf7 7. Bh4
[7. Bxf6 exf6 8. Nxe4 f5 9. Ng3 g6 10. O-O-O Bh6+ 11. f4 O-O 12. Nf3 Bg7 13. Qd2 b5 14. Nd4 Nd6
= BCO2]
7... g5 8. Bg3 Bg7 9. O-O-O
[9. Nxe4 O-O]
9... c6 =+ BCO2
(b) 4. f3
4... Nc6
[4... d5 5. fxe4 dxe4 6. Bg5 Bf5 7. Bc4 e6
[7... Nbd7 8. Nge2 Nb6 9. Bb3 Qd7 = BCO2]
8. Nge2 Bb4 9. O-O c6 =]
5. fxe4 e5 6. dxe5 Nxe5 7. Nf3 d6 8. Bf4 Ng6]]
Korchnoi has offered a number of gambits with g2-g4, making use of the target on f5.
See the example game Menadue-Pert.
These shouldn't be any problem
BCO2 gives:
2. Qd3 d5 3. Bf4 e6 4. Qg3 Na6 5. e3 c6 =+
Ivkov
Examples of White avoiding the Dutch
1. d4 e6 2. c4 f5 3. e4
This almost forgotten gambit is not much worse than the others which surface sporadically. Even though dubious, all such gambits require precise defence from Black. -- BELLIN
3... fxe4 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. g4 h6 6. h4 d5 7. Nh3 Nc6 8. Nf4 e5 9. Ng6
[9. dxe5 Nxe5 x f3]
[9. Nfxd5 exd4 10. Nxf6+ Qxf6 11. Nd5 Bb4+ is also fine]
9... Bxg4 10. Qa4
White insists on being shown, but 10. Be2 was better
10... exd4 11. Nxh8
[11. Nxd5 Nxd5 12. cxd5 Bb4+ 13. Bd2 Bxd2+ 14. Kxd2 Qxd5 and the White King will not survive ...e3+]
11... dxc3 12. bxc3 d4 13. Rb1
[13. Ng6 dxc3 14. Ne5 Bb4 15. Nxc6 Qd2+ 16. Bxd2 cxd2#]
[13. Bh3 Bxh3 14. Rxh3 Qd7 15. Rg3 Bd6 is very good for Black]
13... dxc3 14. Rxb7
[14. Bh3 Qd3]
[14. Ng6 Qd7 and White is all but paralysed]
14... Qd7 15. f3
[15. Rb5 Bb4 16. Rxb4 Nxb4 17. Qxd7+ Kxd7]
[15. Bh3 Bxh3 16. Rxh3 Bb4 17. Rxb4 Nxb4 18. Qxb4 Qxh3 19. Ba3 O-O-O]
15... exf3 16. Be3 Bc5 17. Rxc7 Qd2+ 18. Bxd2 f2#
A triumph for the spear-carriers
1. d4 e6 2. Nf3 f5 3. h3 Nf6 4. g4 b6
Normally White would try to blot this out by d5 but there is no Pc4
5. gxf5 exf5 6. Bg2 Bb7 7. Bg5 Be7 8. Nc3 O-O 9. h4
White is wasting too much time on attacking-looking moves but has no real plan.
[9. d5!?]
9... Qe8 10. Qd3 Nc6 11. O-O-O
[11. Qxf5 Nb4 12. O-O-O Ne4 -+]
11... Nb4 12. Qc4+ d5 13. Qxc7 ?
opens a file against the King
13... Ba6 14. Qe5 Rc8 15. Qxf5 ?
[15. a3]
15... Rxc3 16. Qe6+ Kh8 17. bxc3 Nxa2+ 18. Kd2
[18. Kb2 Nxc3!]
18... Bb4!
a beautiful bit of opportunism
19. Bh3
[19. Qxe8 Bxc3+ 20. Ke3 Ng4#]
19... Bxc3+ 20. Ke3 Nb4 21. Qxe8
[21. Rc1 Qb5 22. Rhe1 Bxe1 23. Rxe1
[23. Nxe1 Qxe2+ 24. Kf4 Nh5#]
23... Nxc2+ 24. Kd2 Ne4+ 25. Kxc2 Rxf3 26. exf3 Qd3+ 27. Kc1 Qc3+ 28. Kb1
[28. Kd1 Nxf2#]
28... Bd3+ 29. Ka2 Qa5+ 30. Kb2
[30. Kb3 is better but only delays the inevitable 30... Bc4+ 31. Kb2 Qb4+ 32. Kc1 Qa3+ 33. Kd1 Bb3+ 34. Ke2 Qa2+ 35. Kd3 Qc2+ 36. Ke3 Qd2#]
30... Qb4+ 31. Ka2 Nc3+ 32. Ka1 Qa3#]
21... Ng4+ 22. Bxg4 Nxc2# 1-0
Langeweg,K - Perez Garcia,H [A80] Wijk-B, 1986
1. d4 f5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. O-O O-O 6. b3 c5 7. e3 cxd4 8. exd4 d5 9. Ne5 Nc6 10. Re1 Ne4 11. f3 Nxe5 12. fxe4 Nf3+ 0-1
Sparreboom,W - Bellin,R [A80] Guernsey op, 1988
1. d4 f5 2. Nf3 e6 3. Ne5 d6 4. Nd3 Nc6 5. e3 Nf6 6. Nd2 e5 7. Nb3 Be7 8. d5 Nxd5 9. Nxe5 dxe5 0-1
Barczyczyn - Vasiukov,E [A80] Bled op, 1989
1. d4 f5 2. Nc3 d5 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Bf4 c6
The London System vs. the Dutch
5. h3 e6 6. e3 Be7 7. Be2 O-O 8. Ne5 Nbd7 9. g4 Nxe5 10. dxe5 Ne4 11. Nxe4 fxe4 12. Qd2 Bh4 13. O-O-O Bxf2 14. g5 Qb6 15. Bf1 Rxf4 16. exf4 Be3
oops
17. Bg2 Bd7 18. Rhe1 Bxd2+ 19. Rxd2 Rf8
20. Bxe4 Rxf4 21. Bd3 0-1
Ligterink,G (2470) - Van Heste,J (2290) [A80] NLD-ch, 1987
1. d4 f5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Bg5 d5 4. Bxf6 exf6 5. e3 c6 6. Bd3 Bd6 7. Qf3 g6 8. h3 Qe7 9. g4 f4 10. O-O-O fxe3 11. Re1 O-O 12. Rxe3 Qc7 13. Nge2 f5 14. gxf5 Bxf5 15. Bxf5 Rxf5 16. Re8+ Kf7 17. Qe3 Be7 18. Rh8 Kg7 19. Re8 Bg5
20. f4 Rxf4 21. Kb1 Rf1+ 22. Rxf1 Bxe3 23. Rxe3 Na6 24. Nf4 Kh6 25. Nd3 Qd6 26. Ne5 Rf8 27. Nf7+ Kg7 28. Ref3 Qe7 29. Ne5 Rxf3 30. Rxf3 Qh4 31. Ne2 Qe4 32. Rf7+ Kg8 33. Rf2 Nb4 34. Nc1 Qxd4 35. Re2 Qd1 36. a3 Na2 37. Kxa2 Qxc1 38. Nd3 Qg5 39. Nc5 Qh4 40. b3 b6 0-1
Maksimovic,S (2345) - Akhmilovskaya,E (2420) [A80] Sochi, 1987
1. d4 f5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Bg5 d5 4. Bxf6 exf6 5. e3 c6 6. Bd3 g6 7. Qf3 Bb4 8. Nge2 Nd7 9. h3 Ne5
A characteristic tactic.
10. dxe5 fxe5 11. O-O-O e4 12. Bxe4 fxe4 13. Nxe4 Rf8 14. Qg3 Qe7 15. N4c3 Bd6 16. f4 Bd7 17. Rhe1 O-O-O 18. Nd4 b5 19. Nf3 b4
20. Nb1 Rde8 21. Nbd2 Qf6 22. Qf2 Bc5 23. Nb3 Bb6 24. Qd2 Re4 25. Ne5 Re8 26. Qd3 Rxe3 27. Qa6+ Kc7 28. Rxe3 Qxf4 29. Kb1 Qxe3 30. Nxd7 Kxd7 31. Qb7+ Kd6 32. Qxh7 Qe4 33. g4 Re7 34. Qg8 Kc7 35. Qf8 Kb7 36. h4 a5 37. a4 bxa3 38. bxa3 a4 39. Nd2 Qe2 40. Rf1 Bc5 0-1
Cazzaniga,W - Speck,H [A80] Mendrisio op, 1988
1. d4 f5 2. g4 d5 3. Bg5 Nf6 4. h3 c6 5. Bxf6 exf6 6. e3 Qb6 7. b3 Bd6 8. Bd3 f4 9. exf4 Bxf4 10. Ne2 Qc7 11. Nxf4 Qxf4 12. Qd2 Qf3 13. Qe2+ Qxe2+ 14. Kxe2 b6 15. Nd2 Kf7 16. f4 Ba6 17. c4 Nd7 18. a4 c5 19. Bf5 Rhd8
20. Bxh7 cxd4 21. Kf2 dxc4 22. Be4 Rac8 23. Bd5+ Kf8 24. bxc4 Nc5 25. g5 Re8 26. gxf6 Nd3+ 27. Kg3 Re3+ 28. Kh4 Nxf4 29. fxg7+ Kxg7 30. Rhg1+ Kh6 31. Bf3 Rf8 32. Rg4 Bc8 33. Kg3 Bxg4 34. hxg4 Rd3 35. Rh1+ Kg7 36. Rh2 Ng6 37. Re2 Rf7 0-1
This subtle system is out to stop you playing ...d5, and then taking over the centre or Queen's-side later.
B1 Playing solidly against 1. c4
The ...e6 system is a nice counter to the English; ...c6 is OK as a system as long as White does not transpose into something unfamiliar to you.
1. c4
1... e6
[1... c6
Now
(a) 2. Nf3 is OK
2... d5 3. b3 Nf6 4. Bb2 Bg4
[or 4... Bf5]
BUT
(b) 2. e4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. d4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6 6. Nf3 Bb4 is a Caro-Kann or Nimzo-Indian line which is OK for Black but is outside the scope of the repertoire I recommend]
2. Nf3 d5 3. b3 c6 4. g3 Nf6
An alternative system is:
Kurajica [A13] Agincourt Defence (French-English), 1995
1. c4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. g3 c6
offering to transpose into standard QP lines
4. b3
insisting on independent lines
[4. d4]
[4. Bg2 dxc4 5. Qc2 b5 6. a4 Bb7 -/+ Carls-Nimzovitch 1925]
[4. Qc2 Nf6 5. Bg2 a5 6. O-O Na6 7. a3 Be7 8. d4
[8. b3]
8... O-O 9. Nbd2 b6 Naranja-Larsen 1973]
4... b5
Black intends to bite the c-pawn until it screams in pain " Benjamin/Schiller
5. Bg2 Ba6