Article: 4256 of rec.games.chess.analysis Newsgroups: rec.games.chess.analysis Path: info!dregis From: dregis@exeter.ac.uk (D.Regis) Subject: Re: Grand Prix Attack Message-ID: Organization: University of Exeter, UK. References: <327BB5D3.6383@itl.net> <327B7C51.4752@cs.unimaas.nl> Date: Tue, 5 Nov 1996 17:26:49 GMT In article <327B7C51.4752@cs.unimaas.nl> Dennis Breuker writes: >tinstar wrote: >> >> Does anyone know what is black's best reply to the Grand Prix? > >1..e5 > >;-) > >Seriously, I don't think there is a BEST reply. It all depends on >White's setup, but I think the system with e6 and d5 equal. >1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 e6 3.f4 d5 and >1.e4 c5 2.f4 d5 (or 2..e6 3.Nf3 d5) 3.exd5 Nf6! Whoa! These lines may be fine for Black but White is being needlessly cooperative. >1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 e6 3.f4 d5 and 3.Nge2!? d5 can leave Black defending a dodgy centre. I've had a couple of easy wins with this. Black is better advised to wait with 3...Nc6, but White may sneak in 4.d4! Do you play the Taimanov? >1.e4 c5 2.f4 d5 (or 2..e6 3.Nf3 d5) 3.exd5 Nf6! 3.Nc3!? has been tried as a way to avoid the gambit; I don't think it's much good for White (3...dxe4 4. Nxe4 Qc7!?) but it's comfortable. I suppose I agree that the system is equal but keep your eye on the move order. A more serious challenge to the GP in my view is the related system with 1...c5, 2...Nc6, 3...e6, 4...Nge7 and 5...d5. This seems to leave White with little better to do than play 1.e4 c5, 2.f4 Nc6, 3.Nf3 e6, 4.Nc3 Nge7 5.d4 cxd4 6.Nxd4, which is another Taimanov Sicilian, and which also may be in White's repertoire, but maybe not yours. The system with 1.e4 c5, 2.Nc3 Nc6, 3.f4 g6, 4. Nf3 Bg7 5.Bc4 e6 6. f5 Nge7 7.fxe6 fxe6 is risky for both sides, but I can never make it work as White. Joe Gallagher in "Beating the Anti-Sicilians" gives a game where he picked up a piece in about 12 moves as Black, after ...d5, Bb3 when the c-Pawn crashed through. As this line was always one of the main motivations for getting into the Grand Prix to start with, this is disappointing. Does anyone know of a way to prop this gambit up? It looks like a great way to play for a win with Black. The system with 1.e4 c5, 2.Nc3 Nc6, 3.f4 g6, 4. Nf3 Bg7 5.Bb5 Nd4! is probably equal, and may prompt White to switch to the Closed with 5.g3. Mark Hebden I think has started to fiddle the move order a little: 1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Bb5!? I don;t know what he gets out of it, apart from uncharted territory, but that is not to be dismissed. -- May your pieces harmonise with your Pawn structure and your sacrifices be sound in all variations D _ / "()/~ Dave Regis &8^D* WWW: http://www.ex.ac.uk/~dregis/DR/chess.html || \_/| = DrDave on BICS ~\ / "...what else exists in the world but chess?" _|||__SHEU: ~/sheu.html -- NABOKOV From info!dregis Wed Nov 6 14:57:26 GMT 1996