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First published in 2019 by Gloucester Publishers Limited, London. Copyright © 2019 Cyrus Lakdawala The right of Cyrus Lakdawala to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyrights, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission of the publisher. British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. ISBN: 978 1 78194 508 7 Distributed in North America by National Book Network, 15200 NBN Way, Blue Ridge Summit, PA 17214. Ph: 717.794.3800. Distributed in Europe by Central Books Ltd., Central Books Ltd, 50 Freshwater Road, Chadwell Heath, London, RM8 1RX. All other sales enquiries should be directed to Everyman Chess. email: [email protected]; website: www.everymanchess.com Everyman is the registered trade mark of Random House Inc. and is used in this work under licence from Random House Inc. Everyman Chess Series Commissioning editor and advisor: Byron Jacobs Typeset and edited by First Rank Publishing, Brighton. Cover design by Horatio Monteverde. Printed by TJ International Limited, Padstow, Cornwall.

About the Author Cyrus Lakdawala is an International Master, a former National Open and American Open Champion, and a six-time State Champion. He has been teaching chess for over 30 years, and coaches some of the top junior players in the U.S. Also by the Author: Play the London System A Ferocious Opening Repertoire The Slav: Move by Move 1 ... d6: Move by Move The Caro-Kann: Move by Move The Four Knights: Move by Move Capablanca: Move by Move The Modern Defence: Move by Move Kramnik: Move by Move The Colle: Move by Move The Scandinavian: Move by Move Botvinnik: Move by Move The Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Move by Move Korchnoi: Move by Move The Alekhine Defence: Move by Move The Trompowsky Attack: Move by Move Carlsen: Move by Move The Classical French: Move by Move Larsen: Move by Move 1 ... b6: Move by Move Bird’s Opening: Move by Move Petroff Defence: Move by Move Fischer: Move by Move Anti-Sicilians: Move by Move Opening Repertoire: ... c6 First Steps: the Modern Caruana: Move by Move

Contents About the Authors Bibliography Introduction 1 The Anti-Winawers 2 The Main Line Winawer: 4 e5 3 The Tarrasch 4 The Advance Variation 5 The King’s Indian Attack and 2 Qe2 6 The Exchange Variation 7 The Two Knights Variation 8 Second Move Alternatives Index of Complete Games

Bibliography Beating the French, Gary Lane (Batsford 1994) Chess Explained: The French, Viacheslav Eingorn and Valentin Bogdanov (Gambit 2008) Dangerous Weapons: The French, John Watson (Everyman Chess 2007) How To Play Against 1 e4, Neil McDonald (Everyman Chess 2009) Korchnoi: Move by Move, Cyrus Lakdawala (Everyman Chess 2013) Mastering the French, Neil McDonald and Andrew Harley (Batsford 1997) Starting Out: The French, Byron Jacobs (Everyman Chess 2002) The Flexible French, Viktor Moskalenko (New In Chess 2008) The French Defence, Svetozar Gligoric, Wolfgang Uhlmann and Anatoly Karpov (RHM Press 1975) The French Defence, Nigel Short (Billing and Sons Ltd 1990) The French Tarrasch, John Emms (Batsford 1998) The French Winawer, Neil McDonald (Everyman Chess 2000) The Main Line French: 3 Nc3, Steffen Pedersen (Gambit 2001) The Modern French, Dejan Antic and Branimir Maksimovic (New In Chess 2012) Winning with the French, Wolfgang Uhlmann, (Batsford 1995)

Introduction Do you believe in love at first sight? I do. When eight years old, I played over a Botvinnik game where he won beautifully with the French Winawer (today, I don’t even remember Botvinnik’s opponent, or the actual game for that matter), and I fell in love with the opening. I continue to play it five decades later. You at age eight and age 58 are two different people. Yes, you both shared joint memories, yet the old you’s perspective has been radically altered by time. Today, I understand that the French Defence is difficult to play, yet full of opportunity for Black. I am by nature nomadic in my choice of openings, playing one for six months and then suddenly switching to another. When we veer away from our childhood favourite opening, it is kind of the opposite of being homesick. I have played the French Defence for five decades and am happy to announce that I never abandoned my first love. In my opinion the French is perhaps the most difficult opening in all of chess to comprehend and master, since it is too large to be boxed into a single category of tactical or strategic. The worst possible military strategy is a WWI, full frontal assault against a well fortified enemy. The French is just that impregnable machinegun nest which is not so easy for White to approach. If we lose, it will generally be by siege, rather than direct force. I only finished writing First Steps: French Defence a year ago, so why write another book on the French? Well, the First Steps version differs in two versions: 1. I can handle memorization of my home address, zip code and phone number. My brain draws the line in protest if I’m forced to analyze long, forcing lines, so I don’t expect my readers to do so either. What good is reading something without comprehension? First Steps are not jargon-infested books, which makes you ask: “Now how about repeating that in plain English?”. They are designed for players in the 1200-1800 range, while this book is written for 1800 players and up, with the analysis a bit more involved. 2. First Steps: French Defence is a basic explanation of complete coverage of all French lines, while this book is a targeted repertoire which is far more streamlined. A teacher/chess writer teaches not at his own level, but for the level of the student/reader. This isn’t so easy to incorporate into a chess book, since there is a wide range of rating/comprehension levels for the readers. In Opening

Repertoire: French Defence, as much as possible, I’ve tried to avoid long, theoretical forcing opening lines. This won’t be the book where the rigid/petty government worker forces us to fill out a page in triplicate to purchase a roll of stamps. Your writer sees himself as a kind of male Jeanne d’Arc who leads an army of the theoretically destitute into easy-to-understand lines, which for the most part, stay away from memorization of long, forcing tactical lines. Which is how I constructed this repertoire. The rhythms of opening theory rise, fall and then rise up again, varying rapidly as new comp-generated ideas are introduced over time. The result of this proliferation at this rate means that it grows well past the understanding of the average club player. You can’t teach someone to like or dislike something. People who play French Defence – which some consider a fatalistic belief system – know right off the bat this opening is for them or not for them. There are certain eligibility requirements, before we earn our license to play the French: 1. For the most part, the positions tend to be closed, so we must feel comfortable in them. 2. In most lines Black cedes some central space to White, so if you are the kind who feels uncomfortable with a lack of space, then maybe the French isn’t your best choice. 3. Black’s position is ultra solid and not so easy to break down, so don’t expect every French game to be filled with adventure and action (although many games are just that). 4. Anticipation of the opponent’s intent is the powerful resource of all skilled defenders. In the (mostly) blocked positions which arise, it’s rare for a natural tactician/attacker to hit us with a surprise shot we don’t first see coming, a mile away. So in a way we are not on high alert for a game-killing shot from our opponents as is more common in open positions. Let’s take a look at some of our key positions: Anti-Winawer Lines

In this book Chapters One and Two are weightier than other chapters since 3 Nc3’s popularity is two to one in favour of any other third move. In Chapter One we look at all of White’s non 4 e5 Anti-Winawer alternatives: 4 exd5, 4 Nge2, 4 a3, 4 Bd3, 4 Qd3, 4 Bd2 and 4 Qg4. I don’t consider a single one of these as any kind of theoretical threat to Black, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t dangerous, since we chess players love to slave over the main lines and ignore our preparation of sidelines. So in this chapter our only danger is that we won’t do our homework. Winawer French Main Line, Petrosian’s Variation

As a teacher and a writer, I live with the great fear that nobody is either listening or reading. So please remain calm. No, we who play Petrosian’s line are not some creepy community, who has an aversion to developing our pieces in the opening stages of a chess game. Just because we don’t understand an opening variation right now, doesn’t mean that it must remain unknown forever. I know that convincing some readers of the viability of Black’s position is going to be as easy as forcing a three-year-old to swallow vile-tasting medicine. I play this line as Black and I don’t play drunken, debauched variations where the law doesn’t exist. After Black’s absurd looking last move 4 ... Qd7, we imagine Dostoyevsky’s editor admonishing him: “Fyodor Mikhailovich, please stop with the suicide and gloom, and maybe try writing a bit more cheerfully!” We deliberately block our c8-bishop, but this is no worry since we plan to eliminate our bad bishop via ... b7-b6 and ... Ba6. Also if White plays 5 Qg4, we have the option of playing 5 ... f5, when all of a sudden our 4 ... Qd7 makes complete sense, since our g7-pawn is protected. In fact, we even have the option of responding to 5 Qg4 with the retro move 5 ... Bf8. Why give White both space and a development lead? Here are some key factors of the position: 1. White’s space is negated by the fact that our opponent lacks targets in our

camp. 2. White’s development lead is negated by the fact that the position is closed. 3. Meanwhile, Black is the only one with the two viable pawn breaks, in ... c7-c5 and ... f7-f6, later on. 4. In this variation our opponent fights an enemy with no face and no name, since there is nothing in Black’s camp to attack. 5. The modern age doesn’t suit me so well and your writer pines away for an earlier, simpler, comp-free era, which this line magically transports us back to. My mind is an unfit vessel for cramming in reams of complex theory. But give it an idea and it takes root, remains and flourishes. Petrosian’s Variation is a position of ideas – not variations – and is a place where if your opponent attempts to out-book you with comp analysis, it fails miserably, since we lure him or her into our realm of concepts, rather than numbers. So White’s intention to attack and deliver checkmate feels that frustrating sense of ‘over-there’, just out of reach. Don’t worry. This line isn’t one of those backwoods towns which are so small, that they don’t show up on the roadmap. Our line has been quality tested by many GMs, starting with Petrosian, and proven to be sound. Some lessons cannot be studied or explained, but instead, absorbed via experience where we slowly – and often painfully – learn the lessons life teaches us. The position is difficult to comprehend for both sides, which means this factor will be in our favour. Why? Simple math. We as Black will reach this line far more often than our opponents playing the white side. So our accumulated experience may give us a decisive factor. Also, the comps don’t really understand Black’s position in Petrosian’s line and routinely weigh it overly in White’s favour. This means your opponents will look at the ‘+0.83’ assessment in a position which in reality may be even, and not bother to look at the line further, since in their mind there is no reason to go deeper into a position which greatly favours them (but in actuality, doesn’t). Tarrasch Variation

The great partisan divide in chess is players who go for closed games versus those who prefer open games. Of course we Frenchmen and Frenchwomen are firmly in the closed category – except against the Tarrasch! Interpretations on just how to play against Tarrasch vary widely. I have tried every possible version and over the years have come to the conclusion that the ... Qxd5 line is by far Black’s soundest way to meet it. The ... Qxd5 Tarrasch cannibalizes features from the ... Qxd5 Scandinavian lines. The positions which arise swing wildly, from dull, to a long piece sacrifice line where Black can hold his or her own if you do your homework. Just as a prosecutor attempts to shake the defendant’s memory with a barrage of questions concerning minute details, modern opening theory does the same to all of us on the witness stand, at least in the opening phase of a chess game. Be warned: if you willingly enter long, forcing lines which can be comped to kingdom-come, you better be good at following orders. It isn’t easy to look in the mirror and face down our own stylistic weaknesses. This is one of the few French lines which is open and most of us French guys prefer it closed. Yet I find that the black position’s inherent solidity keeps me from flubbing the ... Qxd5 Tarrasch, the way I do most other open positions.

A strong theoretician has an eye for salvaging a useful line, which others may discard as junk. Outwardly, Black’s position looks poor, since our side lags in development, yet just as in the Scandinavian, 1 e4 d5, Black’s position proves to be infuriatingly difficult to punish for White. As it turns out this line is one of the most solid ways to meet Tarrasch and White strains even to produce a birthright ‘+=’.

Grey hair begins to grow on our heads for two reasons: 1. The natural passage of time. 2. The unnatural, from stress and discontent, such as playing Black in the diagram just above. Before you agree to enter the above position, it will be necessary for you to sign a legal document which clears me of liability, just in case you end up getting mated and then irrationally demand your money back for this excellent book. This line is a town without a mayor, a main street, and worst of all, a police department. I don’t want to get you nervous, but the above diagram is just the start of theory in this line. Don’t worry though. The admission of ignorance when we don’t understand something is, in a weird way, the beginning of wisdom. There

are no secrets in our electronic/database/comp era. If a defensive idea has been found to secure Black’s position (they have) by some GM, within a week every club player is familiar with it. Only through the lamp of study and repetition can we orient ourselves to a line this externally disorienting. I (and more importantly, the comps) assure you that Black is OK in the diagrammed position. The two sides engage in unparallel endeavours with completely equal efficiency. White is trying to mate us, while we hope to survive and convert with our extra piece. The comps call it about even. Obviously, we need to know what we are doing, since inattention to theoretical detail is the thief who carries off our most precious possessions. We must also rely on our memory (who for me is the friend who instantly forsakes me in difficult times, exactly when I need her the most), which comes with repeated study of the line. Rest easy. If an Indian fakir can sleep comfortably on a bed of nails, then you and I can feel comfortable playing Black’s side of the diagrammed position from the Tarrasch. Advance Variation

Whatever line is hot is the centre of chess civilization.

At the moment the Advance Variation is one of White's most popular choices against the French, with some considering it as the perfect way to punish our French. Before we talk about the perfect line against the French, we must first establish the definition of “perfect”. The Advance Variation is indeed one of our most challenging lines, since we can easily get squeezed from lack of space. Our job is to chip away from the sides by adding pressure to e5 and especially d4. The fact that extra space is somehow an advantage is not a bipartisan point of agreement. White can easily overextend if our opponent pushes too recklessly or allows too many swaps, since in an ending, Black may be the one to stand better. Rather than the traditional 5 ... Qb6, we instead play 5 ... Bd7, which is a wait-and-see strategy. We may or may not place our queen on b6, depending on how White sets up. Milner-Barry Gambit

We were taught as children that hard work and perseverance will fulfill our dreams. Of course, this is a lie our parents told us. If you don’t believe me, then ask the following two people: 1. A factory worker who slaves away at some mindlessly boring job for 40 years and then retires, barely remaining above the poverty level. 2. An honest positional player (i.e. your writer), who outplays his immoral/lazy tactician opponent for 39 moves, only to get swindled and lose on the final move of the time control. This is the danger we face against the Milner Barry Gambit. The comps like our position, but as we all understand, our fragile human brain is liable to mess things up when it is confronted by confusion. Gambits tend to be the pastime of the young – except for this one. At the San Diego Chess Club none of the kids play it, yet three adults do, one aged 81. Black is up a solid pawn here and we should win since the game is still relatively closed, yet as we all understand, the law of karma often leaves us unsatisfied in the realm of chess. If we as Black come into this line prepared, then our opponent’s Edward G Robinson-like taunts from The 10 Commandments, “Where’s your messiah now?” won’t scare us, since we, taking on the role of Charlton Heston, have faith our preparation will carry us through the dark times

to come. Exchange Variation

One glance at the exciting diagram above and you are undoubtedly overcome with a maelstrom of whirling emotions ... oh, you aren’t? Not every French player hates the Exchange Variation; we just hate those who play it against us. When our cruel opponent plays the Exchange line against our French, he or she is basically telling us: “You may need to lower your expectations for an exciting game.” Your writer is one of the great apologists of this line ... when I play it as White. When I face it as Black, I spew my hatred for it like a fire and brimstone preacher, attempting to scare the hell out of his congregation. When I was a kid, the most dangerous words in the world to utter to my father were: “I’m bored”, since he would immediately put me to work with menial chores and housework. So today, I am genetically incapable of getting bored, even in the most boring position, like the one in the diagram, which must be wildly stimulating to your imaginations. Chess openings are tailored for many levels of intelligence. As you may have

guessed, the infuriating Exchange French is the choice of those at the lowest level (which may explain why I play it as White against French). This is one of those openings which isn’t theoretically dangerous, yet it’s infuriating when a player 250 points lower than you plays it and manages to grovel a draw. In this book, I try and show as many paths of asymmetry as possible for Black, so that we can actually play for a win. I am sick and tired of French Defence books which under-cover this very important line (including my own two previous French books!), so in this book I covered the Exchange Variation extensively, with an unheard of nine games. Acknowledgements Many thanks as always to Byron, Nancy and Richard Palliser for the final edit. Good luck in your French adventures and Vive la France! Cyrus Lakdawala, San Diego, February 2019

Chapter One The Anti-Winawers 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 Bb4

Before we dig into the main lines of the Winawer, we must first be thoroughly familiar with White’s multiple fourth move dodges of the main lines. None of the lines are a theoretical worry for our side. We all obsessively collect opening data with the belief that one day the information will pay off. However in the Anti-Winawers, there is real danger that if White picks one of the more obscure fourth move alternatives, like 4 Bd2, 4 a3, or 4 Qg4, we as Black may be in danger of not having looked at the line for a long time, while our opponent may be up on the variation, in a sharp position. So I strongly advise you to put in your regular rotation of repeated study into the Anti-Winawer lines. Game 1 Hou Yifan-S.Mamedyarov

Wijk aan Zee 2018 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 exd5

This ultra safe line is made with the thought: the history books are full of heroic people who died. The people who write the stories are the survivors. All Exchange variations, in whatever form, contain a grim streak of Puritanism, which denies either side sensual pleasures or fun in any way shape or form. White abruptly switches to an Exchange French structure where he commits to Nc3 and Black to ... Bb4. What is the significance of this? Well, this means that when White later plays a2-a3, Black will probably hand over the bishop-pair with ... Bxc3+, since retreating the bishop results in the loss of a tempo. Now we do get something for the swap: 1. White is the one who lost a tempo inducing the swap with a2-a3. 2. After the swap White’s queenside pawn structure has been damaged. 4 ... exd5 5 Bd3 Nc6 6 a3 Alternatively, 6 Nge2 Nge7 7 0-0 Bf5! 8 Ng3 Bxd3 9 Qxd3 Qd7 10 a3 Bxc3 11 Qxc3 (White is left with a not-so-great remaining bishop, with the d4-pawn

fixed on its same colour) 11 ... 0-0-0!? (Black’s sharpest continuation; 11 ... 0-0 is good enough for easy equality, but more likely to be drawn due to the structural symmetry) 12 b4!? Rde8 13 b5 Nd8 14 a4 h5 and Black’s chances were no worse in the opposing wings fight, D.Larino Nieto-V.Fernandez Barrera, Linares 2015. 6 ... Ba5!? In the era of comps the ‘best’ move in any opening keeps shifting, since ‘best’ really translates to: the best available interpretation of the given data. This move is a bit provocative but still OK for Black. More normal is 6 ... Bxc3+ 7 bxc3 Nge7 8 Qh5 Be6 9 Ne2 Qd7 10 0-0, A.Miles-V.Korchnoi, Buenos Aires 1979, when Black stands no worse after 10 ... Bf5. 7 Nge2 Nge7 8 0-0 0-0 Instead, 8 ... Bf5 9 Na4 Bb6 (White doesn’t profit much from picking up the bishop-pair, since Black will be able to swap one of them off) 10 Nxb6 axb6 11 Ng3 Bxd3 12 Qxd3 Qd7 was equal in A.Sokolov-D.Justo, French Team Championship 2016. 9 Bg5 Inducing a slight weakening of e6. 9 ... f6 10 Be3

This move is new. Previously played was 10 Bf4 Bf5 11 Na4 Bb6 12 Nc5 Bxc5 13 dxc5, J.Sikora Lerch-M.Matlak, Czech League 1998, when 13 ... Bxd3 14 Qxd3 Qd7 looks comfortable for Black. 10 ... Bf5 11 Nf4!? This allows Black to inflict a touch of damage to White’s queenside light squares. 11 Na4 Bb6 12 Ng3 Bxd3 13 Qxd3 Qd7 is dull and equal. 11 ... Bxc3 12 bxc3 Qd7 13 c4 Hou wants to undouble her c-pawns through this exchange. 13 ... Bxd3 14 Qxd3 After 14 cxd3 g5! 15 Ne2 Nf5 I already slightly prefer Black’s more active position. 14 ... Rad8 15 Rab1 b6 16 Rb5?! This awkward rook lift may lose a bit of time for White, since Black was going to take eventually on c4 anyway. 16 Rfe1 dxc4 17 Qxc4+ Nd5 18 Bd2 Rf7 is dynamically balanced. 16 ... dxc4 17 Qxc4+ Rf7 18 Rd1 Na5! Mamedyarov begins to seize control over the key queenside light squares c4 and d5.

19 Qd3 c6 20 Rbb1 Qf5! Mamed’s simple yet strong play is unadorned elegance. White will suffer on the queenside light squares if queens are removed from the board. 21 a4 There is no real choice but to allow a queen swap, in view of 21 Qa6?! Nd5 22 Nxd5 cxd5. Black has a good knight versus a classic bad bishop, a grip on c4 and potential pressure down the c-file. 21 ... g5! Mamed dislodges White’s best placed piece to seize control over d5. 22 Nh5 Qxd3 23 Rxd3 Nd5 24 Bd2 Nc4

Black achieved Nimzowitsch’s dream: 1. Black boasts a clamp on the crucial light squares c4 and d5. 2. Black’s knights clearly outgun White’s minor pieces since hers is stuck nursing a potentially bad bishop. 3. White’s queenside structure looks like that unshaven guy at the office who always dresses in a rush, and looks it. It is loose and therefore vulnerable. 25 Re1 h6 26 h4 Kh7 Intending to try and eject the h5 intruder with ... Kg6.

27 g4 gxh4! We don’t always have to understand a position’s anomalous truth; we simply need to accept it. This looks awful, yet is strong since White must lose time to regain the lost pawn. Also, White’s king is made more vulnerable with the opening of the g-file. 28 Re6 Rd6 Swapping away an active white piece. 29 Rxd6 If 29 Re4 Nxd2! 30 Rxd2 b5! 31 axb5 cxb5 32 Nf4 a5 33 Nxd5 Rxd5 and Black’s passed a-pawn is a grave concern for White, as are her weak c2 and dpawns. 29 ... Nxd6 30 f3 White is in deep trouble, no matter what she plays: for example, 30 Kg2 f5! 31 Rf3 Kg6 32 Nf4+ Nxf4+ 33 Rxf4 fxg4 34 Rxg4+ Kh5! 35 Rf4 (35 Rg8? is met with 35 ... h3+! 36 Kxh3 Rxf2) 35 ... Rxf4 36 Bxf4 Nc4 37 f3 Nb2 when White loses a pawn, and if 38 a5? bxa5 Black’s forward passed a-pawn will cost White her bishop. 30 ... f5! 31 Be1 a5! Preventing a4-a5, while preparing to create a passed pawn on the queenside with ... b6-b5!. 32 Bxh4 b5! 33 Ra3 Nc4 34 Ra1 fxg4 35 fxg4 Nde3 Black can avoid complications with 35 ... Kg6! 36 Re1 Nce3, with a winning bind. 36 Nf6+ Kg6 37 d5!

The worse our privation, the greater our need. When confronted by a crisis, you can either do something or do nothing. Hou Yifan has already tried nothing for a long time and now is ready for something. She drums up a touch of counterplay with this disruptive shot. Unfortunately it isn’t enough to save her, since her position lacks the physical resources to make her dream viable. 37 ... cxd5 38 axb5 Rxf6 Slightly more accurate is first 38 ... Nxc2 39 Ra4 and only then 39 ... Rxf6. 39 Bxf6 Kxf6 Normally a knight-pair tends to be clumsy versus a rook, but not here. Black’s passed a-pawn and White’s weak g4-pawn ensure his victory. 40 c3 Ke6 41 b6 Kd7! Black correctly hangs on to his a-pawn, since White’s passed b-pawn will be blockaded with his king. 42 Rb1 Kc8 43 b7+ Kb8 Just in time. 44 Kf2 a4 For now Mamed refuses White’s loose g4-pawn, considering it an indulgence which would steer him away from his larger goal of promoting his a-

pawn. 45 Ke2 a3 Black’s surging passed a-pawn cripples White’s activity. 46 Kd3 Nxg4 47 Kd4

Exercise (combination alert): White’s game is so weighed down by defensive woes that it feels that if a single sparrow feather were placed on top, it would be crushed. How did Black force the win of material? Answer: Attraction/knight forks. The geometry is loaded with knight forks and Black forces his passed a-pawn through or wins a rook. 47 ... Nd2! This knight is the Russian mole who somehow managed to acquire a highlevel security clearance at the CIA. 48 Rb4 This rook is the odd man out in the rook, king and knight trio. 48 Ra1 Nb3+ forks king and rook.

48 ... a2! 0-1 49 Ra4 Nb3+ 50 Kxd5 a1Q costs White her rook. Game 2 S.Jobava-V.Ivanchuk Leuven (rapid) 2017 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 Ne2

This line involves a pawn sacrifice from White. His last move is designed to avoid doubled pawns on c3 in case Black at some point takes the knight. The downsides to White’s last move are twofold: 1. The knight’s natural home is on the more central f3-square, not e2. 2. On e2 White’s knight at least temporarily clogs kingside development. When the e2-knight invariably moves later on to make room to develop the light-squared bishop, this involves both a loss of time and also it may be that White’s knight can be misplaced on g3 or f4, as opposed to its natural square on f3. 4 ... dxe4 5 a3 Be7

In First Steps: French Defence I covered 5 ... Bxc3+, so in this book we cover Black’s main alternative, retreating the bishop to e7, which has the great benefit of leaving White’s awkward knight sitting on e2. 6 Nxe4 Nf6

7 Nxf6+ White immediately swaps to prepare queenside castling. Alternatives: a) 7 N2g3 (in this version White wants to castle kingside, which to my mind offers nothing) 7 ... Nbd7 8 Bd3 b6 (be alert for this trap from White: 8 ... Nxe4 9 Nxe4 0-0 10 0-0 c5? 11 dxc5 Nxc5 12 Nxc5 Bxc5 13 Bxh7+! Kxh7 14 Qh5+ with a double attack, and if 14 ... Kg8 15 Qxc5 with an extra pawn for White) 9 Qf3 (the cheapo attempt is easily solved by shifting the rook to b8) 9 ... Rb8 10 0-0 0-0 11 Bf4 Bb7 (after 11 ... Nd5! 12 Bd2 c5 Black has easily equalized) 12 Qe2 Nxe4 (Topalov wants a draw, so he simplifies) 13 Bxe4 Bxe4 14 Nxe4 Nf6 15 Nxf6+ Bxf6 16 Rad1 Qd7 17 c3 ½-½, T.Radjabov-V.Topalov, Benidorm (rapid) 2003. b) 7 Qd3 0-0 8 Bf4 Nbd7 9 0-0-0 Nxe4 10 Qxe4 Nf6 11 Qf3 Qd5 is equal, J.Lopez Perez-S.Del Rio de Angelis, Villa de Albox 2001. c) 7 N2c3 0-0 8 Be3 Nbd7 9 Bd3 b6 10 Qf3 Rb8 11 Qh3 Nxe4 12 Nxe4 f5!

13 Nc3 Nf6, P.De Rooi-G.Prahl, Amsterdam 1962. Black stands no worse after 14 0-0-0 a6 (14 ... b5!? looks like a sound pawn sacrifice) 15 Bc4 b5 16 Bb3 Kh8 17 Ne2 Bd6 18 Nf4 Qe8 19 Rhe1 a5 with dynamically balanced chances, where White’s pressure on e6 is offset by Black’s more promising attacking chances. 7 ... Bxf6

The position resembles a Rubinstein French, with two favourable differences for Black: 1. White’s knight is placed on the inferior e2-square, rather than its normal home on f3. 2. White has been induced into a2-a3. Why is this significant? Because now if White decides to castle queenside, Black’s attack is faster than in a normal Rubinstein French, since we can play for quick ... b7-b5 and ... b5-b4 contact. I believe these differences allow Black to comfortably equalize, despite White’s extra central space edge. 8 Be3 0-0 9 Qd2 b6 I like this move better than the more commonly played 9 ... c5, which is riskier since it opens the game when slightly lagging in development: 10 0-0-0

cxd4 11 Nxd4. We broke up White’s central dominance, yet in doing so we also fixed White’s kingside development issues by helping to unclog our opponent’s kingside by giving employment to the previously unemployed e2-knight. 10 0-0-0 Bb7 11 h4

A new move, which looks rather logical since we are engaged in opposing wing attacks. The plan behind the move: 1. White can push the h-pawn to h6, which induces ... g7-g6. 2. Then White can load up to sacrifice on the g6-pawn with the plan Rh3, Rg3, Nf4 and Bd4. Of course, this all takes a long time and Black has many moves to generate an effective central counter with either ... e6-e5 or, more likely, ... c7-c5, in conjunction with ... Qc8 and ... Rd8. I think chances are dynamically balanced at this point. Instead, 11 Nf4 Nd7 12 d5!? e5 13 Nh5 Be7 14 f4 was P.Negi-A.Giri, Spanish Team Championship 2011. Black looks OK after 14 ... Nf6 15 fxe5 Nxh5 16 g4 Nf6 17 exf6 Bxf6 18 Bc4 Be5. 11 ... Nd7 11 ... Bxh4? is a sucker’s pawn grab if I have ever seen one. You don’t even have to analyze it. Your eyes simply tell you that White’s open h-file is going to

generate an attack worth a lot more than Black’s measly extra pawn. 12 Nf4 Be7 Ivanchuk wants to hang on to his bishop-pair and rejects the comp’s plan 12 ... Qe7!? 13 Nh5 Rfd8 14 Qe2 Rac8 15 Kb1 c5 with dynamic equality. 13 h5 Nf6 A human isn’t going to be too attracted to the comp’s suggestion 13 ... h6!? when it won’t be so easy for White to engineer a future g2-g4 and g4-g5 break, or come up with a promising piece sacrifice on h6. 14 f3 Seizing control over e4, while keeping open the possibility of a future g2-g4 pawn storm. 14 ... Qc8! Intending ... Rd8 and ... c7-c5. Once again the comp insists on 14 ... h6!?. 15 Qf2 The queen gets off the d-file in anticipation of ... Rd8, while inching closer to Black’s king. 15 ... Rd8 16 Rh3!? In preparation for Rg3. The problem with such a move is that it violates the Principle: Don’t lift a rook into a crowded middlegame, since it may later be endangered by our opponent’s pawns and minor pieces. Safer is 16 h6 g6 17 Bc4 a6 18 Qg3! (threat: Bxe6!, followed by Nxg6!) 18 ... Nd5! 19 Nxd5 Bxd5 20 Bd3 b5. Black’s attacking chances look no worse than White’s. 16 ... c5!

Now is the correct time to engage the Principle: Counter in the centre when menaced on the wing. 17 Rg3 Qb8 Also tempting is to continue to rely on the previous principle and play 17 ... cxd4! 18 Rxd4 e5 19 Rxd8+ Qxd8 20 h6 g6 21 Nd3 Qc7. The position resembles an Open Sicilian opposing wings attack which went wrong for White, since now his rook clearly appears misplaced. Black’s queenside attack is happening, while White flails around for some kind of sacrificial breakthrough on the kingside, which just may not exist. 18 Bd3 cxd4 19 Bd2 White is forced to hand over a pawn since taking on d4 allows Black to chop White’s now loose knight on f4. 19 ... Bd6! This move forces White to sacrifice, but the question is which way? White can play for the h5-h6 and sacrifice on g6 plan, or he can immediately sacrifice his rook on g7, a move which clearly would have caught the eye of Mikhail Tal. Right now, without the comp’s help, White’s potential attack is a veiled woman, with the beauty or ugliness of her face kept concealed.

20 Rxg7+?!

The point all high rollers fail to understand is that in the casino, the house always wins in the end. This move, the kind where the defender says to him or herself, “Oh, for fact’s sake! This can’t possibly work!”, in reality puts great practical pressure on Ivanchuk to weave his way through the mess, so the sacrifice clearly contains practical chances for White. White’s move is made with the philosophy: we don’t necessarily need to make objectively stronger moves to supplant our enemy. Sometimes all it takes is to be just a tad more devious. So Jobava, at the low cost of a rook, peels away layer after layer of the position’s outward rationality, until all that remains for his opponent is darkness. Jobava was correct to sacrifice, but he may have done it the wrong way. The comp points out the line 20 h6! g6 21 Bxg6 (this is no time to duck making a risky decision) 21 ... Bxf4 22 Bxf7+ Kh8! (22 ... Kxf7? 23 Rg7+ Kf8 24 Qh4 Nd5 25 Rxh7 looks pretty scary for Black, who I don’t believe stands better even here) 23 Rg7 Qd6. Objectively, this line is far more sound than the one Jobava played in the game and White seems to have full compensation for the sacrificed piece.

20 ... Kxg7 21 Qh4 Threat: h5-h6+, followed by Qxf6, with a wicked attack for only an exchange. 21 ... h6 Not Black’s most efficient defence, which was 21 ... Be7! 22 Bb4 Nd5 23 Qg4+ (23 Bxe7? Qxf4+ 24 Qxf4 Nxf4 25 Bxd8 Rxd8 leaves Black up a piece with queens removed from the board) 23 ... Kf8 24 Bxe7+ Nxe7 25 Qg5 Nd5 26 Qh6+ Ke7 27 Qg5+ Nf6. I don’t see a good continuation of White’s attack, which now stalls. 22 Re1! Eyeing a knight sacrifice on e6. 22 ... Re8! Oh nyet, you don’t. Ivanchuk strongly discourages the sacrifice on e6. 23 Nxe6+!? Oh da, I will!

Exercise (critical decision): Should Black recapture on e6 with rook or fpawn?

One line gives Black a winning position while the other leads to a disastrous loss. Answer: 23 ... fxe6! The f-pawn recapture is Black’s only move. 23 ... Rxe6?? follows the principle: The material up side should swap pieces. In this case it also gets slaughtered after 24 Bxh6+! Kxh6 25 Rxe6 Be5 26 Rxf6+ Kg7 27 h6+ Kf8 28 Bc4 Qe8 29 Rxf7+ and Black reaches that awful ‘No-no-no!-this-can’t-be happening!’ moment. 24 Bxh6+! Kf7 Not 24 ... Kxh6?? 25 Qxf6+ Kxh5 26 g4 mate. 25 Kb1 Rg8? The position is a lightless universe, where every creature in it is blind. Black wins with 25 ... Bg3! 26 Bg6+ Ke7 27 Qh1 Bxe1 28 Qxe1 Rg8 29 Bg5 Qd6. White has no good way to proceed and is two rooks down. 26 Bg6+ Ke7 Black’s king must keep constantly moving since a mob gathers to tear him to shreds. 27 Bg5 Qf8

28 Qxd4?! Jobava gets lost in the wilderness of conflicting attacking variations. After the completely non-human move 28 Qg4! a portal of opportunity opens before White. Weirdly enough, the comp discovered that White should deliberately lose a tempo to lure Black’s bishop to d5, and only then should the queen capture d4. Following 28 ... Bd5 29 Qxd4 Bg3 30 Re2 Rd8 (threat: ... Ba2+) 31 Qg4 Bd6 32 c4 Kd7! (now White’s queen really is loose) 33 Qh4 Bg3! 34 Qxg3 Nxh5! 35 Qe5 Rxg6 36 Bxd8 Qf5+! 37 Qxf5 exf5 38 Rd2 Kxd8 39 Rxd5+ Ke7 40 Rxf5 Ng7 White has decent chances to hold the ending since Black only has two pawns remaining. If White can swap them off then Black’s extra knight is unable to win in a pawnless position. 28 ... Rd8 Even better was 28 ... Bg3! 29 Re2 Rd8 30 Qg4 Rd1+ 31 Ka2 Qc8 32 Bxf6+ Kxf6 33 Qxg3 Qc4+ 34 b3 Qd4 35 c3 Rd2+ 36 Kb1 Qg1+ 37 Re1 Rd1+ 38 Rxd1 Qxd1+ 39 Kb2 Qd2+ 40 Kb1 e5 and Black consolidates. 29 f4 Bc5 30 Qa4 Rd4! Principle: Centralize your defenders when your king is under attack. 31 Qb3

And not 31 Qxa7?? Qa8 when queens are removed from the board, leaving White down a rook. 31 ... Bd5 Ivanchuk nurtures his e6-pawn the way Florence Nightingale gently comforted her beloved patients. It’s not a good sign when you are down a rook and your opponent is the one with the initiative. 32 Qc3 Kd7! 33 b4 0-1 33 ... Rxg6 34 hxg6 (34 bxc5 is met with 34 ... Rc4!) 34 ... Ne4 35 Rxe4 Bxe4 36 bxc5 bxc5 37 Qa5 Rd1+ 38 Kb2 Qb8+ 39 Kc3 Qh8+ forces mate. Game 3 D.Andreikin-N.Vitiugov Saratov 2011 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 a3

White wants Black’s dark-squared bishop and is willing to hand over the e4pawn to get it. Now it isn’t a real gambit, since White regains the pawn with 6 Qg4, with a double attack on e4 and g7.

4 ... Bxc3+ 5 bxc3 dxe4 6 Qg4 So White regains the pawn, with the bishop-pair. Does this mean he stands better?: No, for the following reasons: 1. Black inflicted structural damage on White’s queenside pawns. 2. White’s queen will soon capture g7, at the cost of both time and also giving Black an open file for the h8-rook. Theory’s consensus is that chances are approximately balanced. There is one practical issue we must consider: most of us Frenchmen and Frenchwomen prefer closed positions. This line is more open than other Anti-Winawer lines, so we may have to leave our closed game comfort zone. 6 ... Nf6 7 Qxg7 Rg8 8 Qh6

We reach a key tabiya of our line: 1. White owns the bishop-pair. 2. Black lacks a dark-squared bishop, which translates to potential problems on the dark squares. 3. Black enjoys a massive development lead, with more time gain to come since White’s queen will eventually be booted with ... Rg6. 4. Black’s e4-pawn hampers White’s development.

5. Black’s rook controls the open g-file. 6. Structurally, it’s mixed, with White’s queenside pawns damaged, while Black’s isolated h-pawn may become a target later on. Conclusion: Dynamically balanced chances. 8 ... Nbd7 I prefer this more flexible continuation to 8 ... Rg6 since the rook can later be vulnerable to Ne2 and Nf4. Black’s rook can later move to g6, once White’s knight commits itself to a square like g3, when the Nf4 option is removed. 9 Ne2 c5 9 ... b6 is played more often. 10 a4 Instead, if 10 Ng3 Qa5 (10 ... b6 may be a better continuation) 11 Bd2 Qa4?! 12 dxc5?! (White looks better after 12 Qe3! Qc6) 12 ... Qxc2 (12 ... b6!) 13 Bb5 (13 Be2! is better for White) 13 ... Qb2! 14 Bxd7+ Bxd7 15 0-0 Rg6 16 Qe3 Bc6 with an edge for Black, since White’s queenside structure is damaged and Black’s e4-pawn hampers him, J.Balares-C.Lakdawala, San Diego (rapid) 2007. This game is annotated in First Steps: French Defence. 10 ... Qc7!? It seems really odd to provoke your opponent to develop with tempo. 10 ... b6 is a reliable equalizer. 11 Ng3 Bb7 12 Bb5 Rg6 13 Qd2 was D.MastrovasilisM.Marin, European Championship, Plovdiv 2012, when I prefer Black after 13 ... a6 14 Be2 e3! 15 Qxe3 Bxg2 16 Rg1 Be4!. 11 dxc5!?

With this new move Andreikin hopes the opening of the game will later benefit his bishops. In doing so he simultaneously violates the Principles: 1. Avoid opening the game when lagging in development. 2. Avoid tripled pawns, since they tend to fall, one after another. I don’t see a single game in the database with the natural but not-so-great false tempo-gain with 11 Bf4?!. Black can respond with 11 ... Qb6!, intending ... Qb2: 12 Bd2 (there goes the tempo gain) 12 ... Qb2 13 Rc1 b6. White has problems completing kingside development, since if the e2-knight moves then Black wins a pawn with ... c5xd4. So White should play 14 dxc5 Bb7! and if 15 cxb6 axb6 White’s a4-pawn falls and Black stands clearly better. Instead, 11 Qf4 was tried in Hou Yifan-K.Lagno, Beijing (blindfold) 2012. Here Black should play 11 ... Qxf4 12 Bxf4 Nd5 13 Bd2 b6 14 a5 Bb7 15 Ng3 f5 when she doesn’t stand worse. 11 ... Qxc5 12 Qd2 Outwardly, White’s grossly undeveloped position looks like one played by one of Paul Morphy’s bungling 19th Century amateur opponents, but it’s not. Andreikin is a strong GM who perhaps relies too much on the power of his bishop-pair and dark-square control.

12 ... Nb6 Vitiugov eyes the c4- and d5-squares for his knight. I would be more inclined to complete development via a fianchetto with 12 ... b6. 13 a5 13 Ba3 can be met with 13 ... e3! 14 fxe3 Nc4! 15 Bxc5 Nxd2, regaining the bishop-pair with ... Nxf1 next. Black’s knight is immune due to the e4 fork. 13 ... Nbd5 14 c4!?

14 Qd4 Qxd4 15 cxd4 Bd7 is approximately even. 14 ... Ne7?! Now White’s dark-squared bishop comes alive. Black stands at least even after 14 ... Qxc4! 15 Ng3 Qb4 16 Ra3 Qxd2+ 17 Bxd2 Bd7. 15 Ba3 White misses a much stronger continuation with 15 Bb2! Ng4 16 Bd4, which heavily favours White, whose power on the dark squares increases. Black can’t play 16 ... Qxc4?? 17 Nc3 Qc7 18 Nb5 Qc6 19 h3 e5 (19 ... a6 is met strongly with 20 Bb6! Nd5 21 Nd4, winning a piece since Black’s queen and g4-knight are simultaneously attacked) 20 Bc3, which is lost for him since the e5-pawn falls.

15 ... Qe5 16 Qc3 After 16 Rd1 Nc6 17 Nc3 a6 18 Bd6 Qxa5 White has sufficient dark-square compensation for the pawn. 16 ... Qxc3+ A queen swap is a relief for Black, since White’s attacking chances go way down. Also, White’s wobbly queenside structure can only be exploited by Black in an ending. 17 Nxc3 a6?! Keeping White’s knight out of b5, at the too high cost of weakening b6. Correct was 17 ... Bd7, and if 18 Nb5 Bxb5 19 cxb5 Rc8 20 c4 Nf5 ( ... Nh4 is in the air) 21 Bb2 Nd7. Black actually stands slightly better since his knights are at least the equal of the opponent’s bishops and he still leads in development, with probably the superior pawn majority as well. 18 g3?! Following 18 Na4! Bd7 19 Nb6 Rd8 20 Bb2 Rg6 21 Be5! (threat: Bc7, winning the exchange) 21 ... Nc8 22 Bc7 Nxb6 23 Bxd8 Kxd8 24 axb6 Bc6 Black obtains some, but not full compensation for the exchange. 18 ... Bd7 19 Bg2 Bc6 20 0-0 Nf5 21 Rae1 Black proves with his next move that this move may actually be a waste of time for White. Black’s e4-pawn will fall, yet he finds more than adequate play with his piece activity. 21 ... Nd4 22 Nxe4?!

Once we commit to our idea, it’s psychologically unlikely that we will be open to new interpretations, should an alteration occur. White had his heart set on removing Black’s e-pawn. His timing is completely off. The knight capture on e4 turns out to be either a blunder, or more likely, a dubious exchange sacrifice. We are taught that the consequences of inaction are fatal, yet we tend to forget that in some cases like this one, it is taking action which is lethal. In such situations we must be the silent film star who refuses to speak, even when he or she is off camera. White should alter plans with 22 Rd1! Nf3+ 23 Bxf3 exf3 and while White stands worse, the presence of bishops of opposite colours does offer excellent drawing chances. Exercise (combination alert): After White’s last move Black wins material by force. How? Answer: 22 ... Nxe4 Step 1: Trade a pair of pieces on e4. 23 Bxe4 Bxe4 24 Rxe4 Nf3+!

Step 2: Check on f3, followed by a knight fork on d2. 25 Kg2 Nd2 As I mentioned earlier, I don’t know if White’s 22nd move was a deliberate (but misguided) sacrifice, or just a blunder. If it was a blunder, then right about here I’m guessing Andreikin’s face turned the same colour as the Chinese flag. 26 Rh4 Nxf1 27 Kxf1 Rd8 28 c5? Security doesn’t always involve gates and guards. Sometimes the defender must pre-emptively confront a threat in its inception. Therefore White should have played 28 Bb4! to keep Black’s rook out of d2. 28 ... Rd2 29 Rb4 When we sacrifice unsoundly (as White did in this game), we become the person who lost an argument and then reflects back and sees clearly what he should have said, but didn’t. 29 ... Rg5! Sharpshooters perch from the tops of buildings. The dormant rook is activated with f2 as the target. 30 Rxb7 Rxc2 31 c6 There is nothing better. White pushes back, but with anorexic arms. 31 ... Rxc6 32 Re7+ Kd8 33 Rxf7 Rxa5 The infant mortality rate soars in White’s position as yet another pawn falls. 34 Bb4 Rf5! 35 Ra7 After 35 Rxh7 Rc2 36 f4 Rb5 37 Be1 Rc1! White will lose his bishop. 35 ... Rc2 36 Be1

Exercise (combination alert): Find one strong idea and it wipes away any residual doubt of the game’s outcome as White’s resistance ends with a convulsive finality. What is it? Answer: 36 ... Rc1! White has no way out of the pin. Black threatens ... Re5. 37 f4 Ra5! 0-1 38 Ke2 Ra2+ 39 Kf1 Raa1 wins the bishop. Game 4 M.Martinez-V.Bhat US Online League 2013 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 Bd3

The problem with this move is that it allows Black to enter a Rubinstein French-like position with an extra move, since White’s bishop loses time on the e4 recapture. 4 ... dxe4 Black’s most common and most logical response. We are happy to turn it into a kind of Rubinstein French if in turn, we are handed a tempo. 4 ... c5 is also played here: 5 exd5 Qxd5 6 Bd2 Bxc3 (and certainly not the greedy 6 ... Qxg2?? when 7 Be4 traps Black’s queen) 7 Bxc3 cxd4 8 Bxd4 e5! 9 Bc3 Qxg2 10 Qf3 Qxf3 11 Nxf3 f6 12 Rg1 Kf7! 13 Bc4+ Be6 14 Bxe6+ Kxe6 15 Rxg7 Ne7 is an approximately even ending. 5 Bxe4 Nf6 6 Bf3 This line’s idea is that with his bishop on f3, it may be difficult for Black to develop his c8-bishop. GM Bhat shows that this assumption is just not true. Instead, 6 Bg5 Nbd7 7 Bf3 h6 8 Bxf6 Nxf6 9 Nge2 was N.Padevsky-T.Petrosian, Munich Olympiad 1958. Black looks at least equal after 9 ... c5. 6 ... 0-0 7 Nge2 e5!

Remember this idea. This promising pawn sacrifice frees Black’s position by simultaneously solving the question of how to develop his queenside. 8 dxe5 If White declines with 8 0-0 then we respond with 8 ... Bxc3! (this move wins a pawn) 9 Nxc3 (9 bxc3?? hangs a piece to 9 ... e4) 9 ... exd4 10 Nb5 c5 11 Bf4 Ne8 12 c3 (the comp isn’t impressed with White’s pawn sacrifice and slightly prefers Black) 12 ... a6 13 Na3 Nc6 14 Rc1, as in S.Lejlic-S.Grover, Dubai 2009. I slightly prefer Black after 14 ... Be6. 8 ... Qxd1+ 9 Kxd1 Ng4 This double attack on e5 and f2 forces White to part with the bishop-pair. 10 Bxg4 Bxg4 11 f3 Bf5

We reach a key position in our line. For the pawn, Black obtains the bishoppair and a big lead in development. My feeling is that even with queens off the board, Black has the clearly superior practical chances, despite the comps’ even assessment. Now you may argue that Black’s pawn sacrifice may be dubious with queens off the board, and that White’s well protected king will require an extraordinary quantity of force to unseat him. The game’s continuation proves otherwise. 12 g4!? Strategic distinctions are confused in the haze of defensive desperation. This lash-out move is new. It gains time at the cost of loosening White’s kingside structure. 12 Ng3 is no improvement: 12 ... Rd8+ 13 Bd2 Bxc3 14 bxc3 Be6 15 Kc1 Nc6. Black obtained loads of structural compensation for the pawn and he continues to lead in development, B.Nikitinyh-A.Tugarin, St Petersburg 2011. 12 ... Be6 13 a3? The scientific model works sequentially: 1. Data is collected and analyzed. 2. A hypothesis is formed. Unfortunately we chess players have a bad habit of reversing the process,

where we insist on our hypothesis, whether the data supports it or not. White, already behind in development, can’t afford the luxury of yet another tempo loss. He should play 13 Bf4 Nc6 14 Ne4 Rad8+ 15 Kc1 Rfe8 16 N2g3. Even here I prefer Black’s bishops and development lead to White’s wobbly extra pawn. 13 ... Bxc3! Time gain is a greater priority to preservation of bishop-pair after 13 ... Bc5. 14 Nxc3 Nc6 15 Ke2!? The delicate web of interdependence threatens to break when one piece goes solo and takes charge, while ignoring the remainder. This is the first of three consecutive king moves, while already grossly behind in development. Yet it really isn’t a mistake since White’s alternatives look sour as well. 15 Bf4 is strongly met with the line-opening 15 ... f6!. 15 ... Nd4+ 16 Kf2

Exercise (planning): Taking the c2-pawn offers Black a clear edge. Do you see an even stronger plan?

Answer: 16 ... f6! Principles: Open the game and create confrontation when leading in development. White won’t survive the prying open of the f-file. 17 Kg3 White hopes to stem the flow of blood from the wound by removing his king from the f-file. A bit more accurate is 17 exf6 Rxf6 18 Kg2 Nxf3 19 h3 Raf8 20 Be3 b6 21 Rad1 h5!, although even here White’s king remains unsafe. 17 ... fxe5 18 f4 18 Rf1 puts up greater resistance, but is also lost for White. 18 ... Nxc2 19 Rb1 Rad8! The rook threatens to invade d3. 20 f5 20 Rd1?? fails to 20 ... Rxd1 21 Nxd1 Ba2, trapping White’s rook. 20 ... Rd3+ 21 Kf2 After 21 Kh4 Bb3 22 Rf1 h6 White is in semi-zugzwang and has no way to unravel. 21 ... e4 22 Bg5 22 Kg2 Bb3 23 Bf4 h5 24 h3 e3 25 Bxc7 e2! also leaves White busted.

Exercise (combination alert): Continue Black’s attack! Answer: 22 ... Bxf5! Annihilation of defensive barrier/piece sacrifice/double attack. 23 gxf5 Rxf5+ Black regains his piece almost immediately. 24 Ke2 Or 24 Kg2 Rxg5+ 25 Kf1 Rf3+ 26 Ke2 Rg2+ 27 Kd1 Rff2, and if 28 Nxe4 Ne3+ 29 Kc1 Rc2 mate. 24 ... Nd4+ 0-1 25 Ke1 Rxg5 26 Rd1 Nc2+ 27 Ke2 Rg2+ 28 Kf1 Ne3+ wins. Game 5 E.Sevillano-C.Lakdawala San Diego (rapid) 2006 1 e4 e6 I don’t speak open games with any fluency, so I am a French player, like my father before me and like his father before him. Just kidding. My dad declared the French a “stupid” opening and my paternal grandfather didn’t play chess. 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 Qd3

This odd line is a favourite of my buddy GM Enrico Sevillano. Now why bring the queen out to d3, rather than the bishop? The reason is that White intends to transfer the queen to h4 after Black responds with ... d5xe4 and ... Nf6. 4 ... dxe4 Once again Black’s most logical response is to head for a Rubinstein structure when we are guaranteed a tempo gain. 4 ... Ne7!? isn’t a bad alternative, since it leaves White’s queen looking rather out of place on d3: 5 a3 Bxc3+ 6 bxc3 0-0 7 Nf3 b6! and Black’s bad bishop emerges on a6, with tempo, Hou Yifan-V.Kramnik, Medias (rapid) 2016. 5 Qxe4 Nf6 6 Qh4 The queen is White’s Marie Antoinette, who doesn’t worry about the development of any of the other pieces in White’s army. It is move six and White moved his queen for 50% of his moves, so it’s hard for me to believe any advantage can be extracted from his position. 6 ... Nbd7 I prefer to develop rather than break with ... c7-c5 right away. The main line runs 6 ... c5 7 dxc5 Bxc3+ 8 bxc3 Qa5 9 Qb4 Qc7 10 Nf3, as in Hou Yifan-

N.Dzagnidze, Monaco 2015. White’s extra pawn is greatly devalued by its tripled status and Black looks just fine after 10 ... e5. 7 Bd3 Believe it or not, this natural move is new in the position. 7 Nf3 b6 8 Bb5 Bb7 9 0-0 (9 Ne5 can be met with 9 ... a6 10 Bc6 Bxc3+ 11 bxc3 Bxc6 12 Nxc6 Qc8 when ... Qb7 is coming and Black stands no worse) 9 ... a6 10 Bd3 Be7 11 Rd1 h6 12 Qh3 b5 13 a3 c5 14 dxc5 Bxc5 with a comfortable game for Black, G.Kuzmin-A.Blees, Heraklion 1995. 7 ... c5 This thematic break eliminates White’s last central pawn. 7 ... b6 8 Nge2 Bb7 9 0-0 Be7, with ... c7-c5 to follow, also looks even. 8 Nf3 cxd4 9 Qxd4 9 Nxd4 Ne5 10 Bb5+ Bd7 is slightly in Black’s favour. 9 ... Qb6

My natural inclination is to always beg to swap queens whenever possible. 9 ... Qe7 also looks even. 10 Qc4!? I expected 10 Qh4.

10 ... Nc5!? I just inexplicably violated my most sacred precept, which is to take queens off the board when possible. 10 ... Qc5 forces them off the board, with at least even chances for Black after 11 0-0 Qxc4 12 Bxc4 Here he can even risk 12 ... Bxc3!? 13 bxc3 b6 14 Ba3 Bb7, with dynamically balanced chances where White’s bishops are counterbalanced by Black’s vastly superior structure. 11 Be2 Nce4 12 0-0 Bxc3?! There is no greater moral downfall than when a normally upright person sins. Having analyzed the position, I now think it was too risky to give my opponent the bishop-pair in an open position, plus enhanced control of the dark squares. I should have taken with my knight and lost some time in exchange for White’s development lead with 12 ... Nxc3! 13 bxc3 Be7 14 Be3 Qa5 15 Rfd1 00 16 Rab1 Nd5 17 Bd2 b6 18 Qe4 Ba6 19 c4 Nc3 20 Bxc3 Qxc3 21 Rd7 Bf6. Black’s bishop-pair and superior structure are probably worth more than White’s aggressive piece placement. 13 bxc3 Qc5 14 Qb3!? OK, now I’m officially worried. Sevillano gives up a pawn to keep queens on the board and prevent Black from castling. I expected 14 Qxc5!? Nxc5 15 Ne5 b6 16 Be3 Ba6, which looks fine for Black. 14 ... Bd7?!

You know that awful feeling where there is something you should be doing, but aren’t? Native American lore claims that all of us are connected to a spirit animal who guides us from the totemic land of the dead. If this is true, then there is a spirit chicken somewhere out there, influencing my moves and I just wish I could swap it for a hawk or a wolf. This move is too timid and I should have gone for the bolder path with 14 ... Nxc3! 15 Bd3 Qc7 (15 ... 0-0? hangs the exchange to 16 Ba3) 16 Bb2 Nfd5 17 Bc4 0-0! 18 a4 (18 Bxc3?! Nxc3 19 Qxc3 b5 favours Black) 18 ... Qb6! 19 a5 Qxb3 20 cxb3 a6. White does have compensation for the missing pawn, but no advantage. 15 Ba3 White looks even better after 15 c4!. 15 ... Qb6 15 ... Qxc3? 16 Qxb7 Rc8 17 Qxa7 leaves Black in deep trouble since his king is unable to castle. 16 c4 Bc6 16 ... Qxb3? 17 axb3 leaves Black busted and without counterplay in the ending.

17 Ne5!!

There are certain poisonous gasses which we can neither smell, taste, see or feel, yet when inhaled, we will be dead in just a few seconds. GM Sevillano’s last move has just such a lethal intent. He displays a sinister level of sophistication with the initiative, for which it is difficult for his less intelligent opponent to comprehend. He allows ... Nd2, which wins the exchange. After a long think I realized that it was a deeply constructed trap. 17 ... Qc7 No better is the line 17 ... Nd2 18 Qg3 Qc7! (I missed this move, seeing only 18 ... Nxf1? 19 Qxg7 0-0-0 20 Qxf6 Nd2 21 c5! Qc7 22 f3, which leaves White with ferocious dark-square compensation for the exchange) 19 Nxc6 (not 19 Qxg7?? Rg8 and White can resign since he implodes on g2) 19 ... Qxg3 20 hxg3 Nxf1 21 Ne5 Nd2 22 f3! (Black’s d2-knight lacks an escape route) 22 ... Nh5 23 Kf2 f6 24 Ng4 0-0-0 25 Bd3!. Black’s d2-knight is trapped and he is busted. 18 Nxc6 bxc6

Once a year my cruel wife Nancy forces me to endure a nightmarish day at Disneyland and takes me on rides which simultaneously nauseate, while leaving me dumbstruck with terror -- which is exactly how I felt here: 1. Black’s king can’t castle, which not only endangers my king, but also keeps my h8-rook out of play in an open position. 2. White’s two bishops are cult leaders, whose whims -- however irrational -must be carried out without question. In the open position they are overwhelmingly superior to my anchorless knights. 3. White enjoys a huge development lead. 4. The open b- and d-files will favour White, who can utilize both his rooks, unlike Black, who has only one which can immediately be brought into play. 18 ... Qxc6?? walks into a fatal pin after the simple 19 Bf3. 19 Rad1 Also promising is 19 Qe3. We found this move after the game, which retains control over c5. 19 ... c5 20 Bf3 Rc8! Getting out of the e4 pin, while reinforcing c5. 21 Qe3?!

When we scatter our resources we become the single body, attempting to be in three places at once. The GM lets me off the hook. After 21 Rfe1! Nd6 22 Qd3 Rd8 23 Qc3! (threat: Qe5!) 23 ... Qb6 24 Be2 0-0 25 Qe5 Nb7 26 Rb1 Qa5 27 Bb2 Nd6 28 Bd3 Black’s position is on the brink of collapse. 21 ... Nd6 22 Qf4?! If 22 Qxc5?! Qxc5 23 Bxc5 Rxc5 24 Rxd6 Rxc4 25 Ra6 Rc7 and Black may even stand better, but 22 Be2! was White’s best shot to keep playing for a win, even if after 22 ... Nf5 23 Qh3 0-0 24 Bd3 g6 Black escaped most of his difficulties. 22 ... Nf5 23 Qxc7 I think he originally planned 23 Qg5?! and then saw 23 ... 0-0 24 Bb2 h6 25 Qc1 Nd4, when Black may even stand slightly better. 23 ... Rxc7

Praise and glory be to Petrosian. I knew I would hold the ending at this stage. 24 Bb2 Ke7 25 Be5 Rd7 26 Bc6 Rxd1 27 Rxd1 Nd4! ½-½ I know what you are thinking: the cold beauty of Black’s sleek defensive play reminds you of a marble statue. Very perceptive of you. 15 moves of Black’s former frustration is swept away in a single move. The motion to agree

to a draw is carried and approved. We move from Enrico’s forte of complications to mine, which are positions of boredom in which I tend to excel. Now how do you win a boredom battle? Easy. You simply play on and on without even a shred of expectation, after which the opponent must be made to tire of the drivel and provoked into either rash action, or bored into an error. Enrico could have played on, but he had respect for my ability to hold the draw (or play for the win if his clock got too low) from this position. 28 Bxd4 cxd4 29 Rxd4 Rb8 30 g3 Rb2 31 c5 Rxc2 32 Ra4 Rxc5 33 Rxa7+ Kd6 34 Bf3 Rc7 35 Rxc7 Kxc7 is a drawn ending, despite White’s passed a-pawn. Game 6 Z.Ivekovic-S.Martinovic Zagreb 2011 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 Bd2

Playing lines as risky/shady as this one turn the game into that movie where the lead actor meets a beautiful yet deceitfully manipulative woman, and against his will, he finds he is falling in love with her, despite the knowledge that the

relationship will not be long lasting. 4 ... dxe4 Acceptance of White’s pawn offer is Black’s most principled choice. I sometimes dodge acceptance of White’s sacrifice and play the offbeat line 4 ... Nc6!?, which from my experience, tends to throw White off. Here is an online blitz game versus an anonymous GM: 5 Nf3 Nge7 (I didn’t like the greedy 5 ... Bxc3 6 Bxc3 dxe4 7 d5!) 6 e5 (White would prefer to maintain central tension, but really can’t: 6 Bd3 walks into 6 ... Nxd4! 7 Nxd4 dxe4 and Black regains the piece with equality) 6 ... 0-0 7 Bd3 f6 8 exf6 Rxf6 (8 ... gxf6!? is perhaps also playable) 9 Qe2 Nf5!? (your writer bravely sacrifices, mainly since it was a ‘who-cares?’ online blitz game) 10 Bg5 Nfxd4 11 Nxd4 Nxd4 12 Bxh7+!? (or 12 Qh5 h6 13 Bxf6 Qxf6 14 0-0 Bd6 when Black has decent compensation for the exchange, with an extra central pawn and the bishop-pair) 12 ... Kxh7 13 Qd3+ Nf5 14 g4 e5! 15 0-0-0 c6?! (15 ... Bxc3 16 Qxc3 Nd4 favours Black) 16 gxf5 Bxf5 17 Qg3 Qd6 18 Rhg1!? Rf7 19 a3 Ba5 20 Rd4 (clever but not good enough) 20 ... Bxc3 21 Rh4+ Kg8 22 Qxc3 d4 23 Qc4 Qd5. White’s attack is over and Black consolidated the extra pawn and superior position, ‘Vespillo’C.Lakdawala, Internet (blitz) 2006. 5 Qg4 Unsound is 5 Nxe4? Qxd4 6 Bd3 Bxd2+ 7 Qxd2 Qxb2! 8 Rd1 Nc6. In my database White scores a rather sad 0% from this position since there is zero compensation for the pawn after 9 Nf3 Nge7 10 Nc3 a6. 5 ... Nf6 Just as in the 4 a3 lines, Black is happy to give up g7 in return for the e4 pawn. 5 ... Qxd4 is Black’s main alternative, yet it feels like the move plays into White’s hands, since we lose time after 6 Nf3 Nh6 7 Qf4 (7 Qxe6+ Bxe6 8 Nxd4 Bd7 9 Nxe4 Bxd2+ 10 Nxd2 is equal) 7 ... e5 8 Nxd4 exf4 9 Ndb5 Na6 10 Bxf4. I like White’s slight development lead in the ending, as in G.Rechlis-I.Shrentzel, Beersheba 1988. 6 Qxg7 Rg8 7 Qh6 Qxd4 8 0-0-0 8 Nge2 Qe5 9 0-0-0 Rg6 10 Qh4 was preferred in V.Vojtek-M.Maros, Slovakian League 2015. I slightly prefer Black after 10 ... Be7 11 Qf4 Nbd7. 8 ... Bf8! This move wins a second pawn. 9 Qh4 Rg4 10 Qh3 Qxf2

This is a key position in our line: 1. For now Black is up two pawns. 2. White has a development lead and is already castled. 3. For now White controls the dark squares. The theoretical consensus is that the game is dynamically balanced, while the greedier comp slightly prefers Black’s side. 11 Be2 White’s main move, which the comp doesn’t really like. It prefers 11 Be3 Qh4 12 Be2 Qxh3 13 Nxh3 Rxg2 14 Nf4 Rg7 (14 ... Rxe2!? 15 Nfxe2 Ng4 16 Nxe4 Nxe3 17 Nf6+ Ke7 18 Ng8+ is perpetual check) 15 Nh5 Nxh5 16 Bxh5 e5 17 Nxe4 Be7 18 Rdg1 Rxg1+ 19 Rxg1 Bf5 20 Rg8+ Kd7 21 Nc5+ Bxc5 22 Bxc5 b6 23 Bf2 Be4 24 Bxf7 Ke7 25 Bh5 Nd7. Black unravelled while White still has adequate compensation for the pawn due to his active rook and bishoppair, I.Vyzharov-L.Borisovs, correspondence 2011. 11 ... Rh4! This move is in reality an exchange sacrifice by Black. Far riskier is 11 ... Rg6 12 g4 Qc5 13 Be3 Qa5 14 g5 Rxg5! 15 Qh4!? (Black gets loads of compensation for the exchange if White accepts) 15 ... Rg6 16 Nh3 Nbd7 17

Rhf1 Be7 when White may have full compensation for the three(!) pawns sacrificed, L.H.Hansen-J.Swager, correspondence 2016. 12 Qxh4 Qxh4 13 g3 Black’s queen is trapped and he must immediately return it. 13 ... Qh6 14 Bxh6 Bxh6+ 15 Kb1 Nc6!

Let’s assess: 1. Black has two pawns for the exchange. 2. Black owns the bishop-pair. 3. Black controls the dark squares. 4. Black is no longer too far behind in development. Conclusion: A clear advantage for Black in the ending. 16 Nh3! A false argument is: “I refuse to do this one small thing, since it won’t completely solve all my problems.” In this case, White’s problems are reduced with this accurate move. White develops, rather than get tempted by the shiny object on c7. At first 16 Nb5?! looks really strong for White. It isn’t after 16 ... Ke7! 17 Nxc7 Rb8 18 Nb5. White won back a pawn, at the cost of falling behind in development. Following 18 ... Nd5 19 c3 a6 20 Nd4 Nxd4 21 Rxd4 f5 22 Nh3

Bd7 Black’s central pawn mass, rolling centre, bishop-pair and initiative mean his position is close to winning. 16 ... e5 Cutting off f4 for the knight, while securing d4 for Black’s knight. 17 Nf2 Nd4! Black’s e4-pawn doesn’t require protection, and if 17 ... Bf5?! there’s 18 g4 when 18 ... Bg6? 19 h4! spells trouble for Black. 18 Nfxe4! The sacrifice of two pieces for a rook and initiative is forced. The depressing alternative is to go for 18 Rhe1 Kf8! 19 Nfxe4 Nxe4 20 Nxe4 Nxe2 21 Rxe2 Bg4 22 Rde1 Bxe2 23 Rxe2 Rd8 which leaves Black up a pawn in the ending. 18 ... Nxe4 19 Nxe4 Nxe2 20 Rhe1 Nd4!?

Theory finally reaches its end. This move allows White a bit of an initiative for the material. Safer is 20 ... Kf8 21 Rxe2 Bg4 22 Ree1 Bxd1 23 Rxd1 Ke7 24 Rf1. White is down a pawn with only drawing chances due to his strong knight and light-squared blockade of f5, L.H.Hansen-T.Kapusta, correspondence 2017. 21 Nf6+ Kf8 22 Rxe5 Ne6 23 Rf1 Bg7 Instead, 23 ... Kg7 24 Ne8+ Kf8 25 Nf6 repeats the position, but 23 ... b6!

looks like a good way to complete development for Black. If 24 Nxh7+ Kg7 25 Nf6 Ba6 26 Nh5+ Kg8 (not 26 ... Kf8?? 27 Rxe6 Bxf1 28 Rxh6 when Black suddenly finds himself down a pawn) 27 Rfe1 Rd8 28 Rd5 Rxd5 29 Nf6+ Kf8 30 Nxd5 Bg7 with good winning chances for Black. 24 Nxh7+ Kg8 After 24 ... Ke7 25 Ref5 Nd8 26 Rg5 Black has nothing better than to repeat with 26 ... Ne6 27 Rgf5. 25 Nf6+ Bxf6 The knight was a powerful, not to mention irritating piece for Black, so it isn’t such a tragedy to hand over one of the bishops for it. 26 Rxf6 Black still stands slightly better. It feels as if White is able to generate the necessary resources to draw with correct play. 26 ... Bd7 27 h4 The passed h-pawn must be watched carefully. 27 ... Bc6 28 b3 Rd8 At last, Black completes development. 29 Ref5 Be8 It feels more natural to play 29 ... Be4 30 Rf2 Rd7. 30 Kc1 Rd4 31 Rf3 Rg4! Now a white rook must baby-sit the g3-pawn. 32 Re3?! An inaccuracy, after which the pressure on f7 is relieved. 32 ... Bc6! Activating the bishop, while cutting off Ref3. 33 Kd1 Be4! 34 Re1 Kg7 35 Ref1 Bg6

Black made serious progress: 1. He has secured f7. 2. White is tied down to the defence of g3. 3. Black has a complete blockade of the kingside light squares and White’s pawns aren’t going anywhere. 36 R6f3 Nd4?! This move violates the Principle: The side with two pieces and a rook against two rooks should retain his or her lone rook. More accurate was 36 ... b6!. 37 Rf4! Rxf4 38 Rxf4 Nf5 Black realizes that 38 ... Nxc2 isn’t as great as he originally thought: 39 h5 Bh7 40 Ra4 a6 41 Kd2 threatens Rc4. Black’s knight is trapped/not trapped, so he may be tempted to free it with 41 ... c5 42 Ra5 Nd4 43 Rxc5, when White stands no worse. 39 Ke1?! From a practical standpoint White gives up the wrong pawn. He had better chances of saving the game with 39 g4!. I suspect that only a comp can pull off Black’s winning technique, which is both lengthy, circuitous and inhumanly achieved after 39 ... Nxh4 40 Rb4 b6 41 Rd4! Kf6 42 Rd7 Kg5 43 Ke2 Kxg4 44

Kf2 Nf3 45 Rxc7 Ng5 46 Rxa7 Bxc2 47 Rb7 f5 48 Rxb6 f4 49 Rb8 Ne4+ 50 Ke2 f3+ 51 Ke3 f2 52 Rf8 Kg3 53 b4 Kg2 54 a4 f1Q 55 Rxf1 Kxf1 56 a5 Ke1! 57 a6 Nc3 58 a7 Be4 59 Kd4 Kd2 (Black’s pieces miraculously adhere, while simultaneously blocking White’s threats to promote) 60 Kc5 Kd3 61 b5 Ba8 62 b6 Ne4+! 63 Kb5 Bb7, when White’s king is denied entry and White will lose both his pawns. Can a human find all these problem-like moves for Black? I doubt it. 39 ... Nxg3 40 Rd4 After 40 Rc4 c6 41 Rd4 Ne4 42 Rd7 Nc5 43 Rc7 a5 44 a3 Bxc2 45 b4 axb4 46 axb4 Ne4 47 Rxb7 Bd3 the c6-pawn is secured and Black will win the game. 40 ... Bf5! Cutting off White’s intended Rd7. Also winning is 40 ... Nf5! 41 Rd7 Nxh4 42 Rxc7 Be4 when b7 is safe and Black’s f-pawn will be pushed forward. 41 Kf2 Ne4+ 42 Kf3 Nc5! This keeps White’s king out of f4, due to the e6 knight fork. 43 c4 Ne6 44 Rd2 Bg6 45 b4 45 Rd7 is met with 45 ... Bb1. 45 ... f5

At last, we see motion with Black’s passed f-pawn. 46 c5 Kf6 47 Rd7 Bh5+ 48 Kf2 f4 49 Rh7 Bg6 50 Rh8 Be4 51 a4?! White puts up better resistance with 51 a3. 51 ... a5! This smashes up White’s queenside pawns. 52 bxa5 Nxc5 Now Black earned a passed c-pawn. 53 Rf8+ Kg7 54 Rc8 Nd3+ 55 Kf1 c5 56 Re8 Bc6 57 Rd8 Bxa4!

There was no threat to take the knight due to the bishop’s pin on b5. 58 Rc8! f3! And not 58 ... Bc6?? (why is it so easy to throw away an easily won game with a single bone-headed move?) 59 Rc7+! Kh6 60 Rxc6+! bxc6 61 a6 (Black’s unfortunate knight is unable to halt White’s a-pawn from promotion) 61 ... c4 62 a7 c3 63 a8Q c2 and now comes 64 Qxc6+ check, which wins Black’s c2-pawn. This move is the reason White’s rook gave a check on the 59th move. 59 Rc7+ Kf6 60 Rxb7

Exercise (planning): This looks kind of scary for Black, since White’s apawn is only three squares from promotion. Come up with a plan to combat it. Answer: Ignore White’s a-pawn and work to promote Black’s f-pawn. 60 ... Bd1! The threat is ... Be2+, ... f3-f2+ and ... f2-f1Q. 61 Rb1 Be2+ 62 Kg1 Nb4?? This plan to blockade White’s a-pawn has no objective right to exist. The game-ending idea winks in and out of existence in Black’s mind and Murphy’s law just reared its ugly head. At times we can gather a mountain of data and still not understand our position’s central mystery. Black violates his previous resolution to promote one of his pawns, while ignoring White’s promotion attempt. In this case the safe move allows White to draw. Black wins easily if he continues his policy of ignoring White’s a-pawn and attempts to promote one of his own with 62 ... f2+! 63 Kg2 c4! 64 a6 c3 65 a7 c2 66 Ra1 f1Q+ 67 Rxf1+ Bxf1+ 68 Kh2 c1Q 69 a8Q Qf4+ 70 Kh1 Qxh4+ 71 Kg1

Qg3+!, which mates next move. 63 Kf2! Kf5 White is released from his misfortune, but only if he finds the correct move. 64 Rg1?? We tend to panic when we perceive (wrongly in this case) our options diminishing by the move. 64 Kg3! drives a wedge between Black and his intent, and holds the draw. See for yourself that Black is unable to make progress.

Exercise (planning): A small eternity seems to have passed between the beginning of this game and now. What is Black’s best continuation? Answer: 64 ... Kf4! 0-1 The threat is ... Nd3 mate and after 65 Ke1 Ke3 White can’t stop the dual threats to mate on d3 and f2. Game 7 N.Misailovic-B.Mihic Serbia Team Championship 2010

1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 Qg4!?

Cautious players like me tend to police themselves, while people who play this line with White don’t. This is perhaps White’s most risky fourth move alternative, although the comp thinks it is still playable for White. With the early queen move White neglects development, while swapping a central pawn for a wing pawn. 4 ... Nf6 We are happy to swap g7 in exchange for e4, since in doing so we gain time. 5 Qxg7 Rg8 6 Qh6 c5! Unlike our normal stance in this book, confusion is embraced, rather than dispersed. Principles: Open the game and create confrontation when leading in development. I like this aggressive response more than the line 6 ... Rg6 7 Qe3 Nxe4 8 a3 Bxc3+ 9 bxc3 when White’s bishop-pair more than compensates for Black’s development lead. 7 a3 Alternatively, 7 e5 cxd4 8 a3 Bf8 9 Qxf6 Qxf6 10 exf6 dxc3 11 Ne2 cxb2 12 Bxb2 Nd7 13 Ng3 b6 14 Be2 Bb7 15 0-0 Rc8 16 Bd3 h6 and advantage Black,

who owns a central preponderance and the superior structure in the ending, E.Iriarte Gomez-A.Calonge Gonzalez, correspondence 2010. 7 ... Rg6 8 Qh4 Qa5

Black makes use of the pin on the a-file to exploit his development lead. 8 ... Bxc3+ 9 bxc3 dxe4 reaches a position we can get via the 4 a3 lines. 9 Nge2 The c3 and d4 points must be reinforced: a) 9 Bd2 cxd4 10 Nb1 Bxd2+ 11 Nxd2 dxe4 12 0-0-0 was A.WaltersR.Sample, correspondence 1966. Black looks fine after 12 ... e5 13 Nxe4 Nxe4 14 Qxe4 Nc6 15 Nf3 Be6. b) 9 axb4?! is unplayed, and for good reason: 9 ... Qxa1 10 Kd1 cxd4 11 Nb5 dxe4! and if 12 Nc7+ Ke7 13 Nxa8 Qa4! (threat: ... d4-d3) 14 b3 Qa2 when ... d4-d3 is coming and White’s king is seriously exposed. 9 ... cxd4 10 axb4?! The madness coalesces into distinct patterns. Such a tempting sacrifice is that friend we all have, who constantly offers you advice, none of it ever any good. This tempting exchange sacrifice is in reality shady. White should play 10 e5 Nfd7 11 Qxd4! (11 axb4?! is too early: 11 ... Qxa1

12 Nb5 Nxe5! 13 Nc7+ Kd7 14 Nxa8 Nbc6 15 Kd1 Rg4 when ideas like ... d4d3 are in the air, White’s a8-knight is stranded and I don’t believe the comp’s ‘0.00’ evaluation) 11 ... Nc6 12 Qd2 Ndxe5 13 axb4! this is the correct time to sacrifice the exchange) 13 ... Qxa1 14 Nb5 Rb8. Black’s queen is stranded for now and White may have full compensation for the exchange. 10 ... Qxa1 11 Nb5 dxe4!

12 Qf4 White declines the rook in the corner. Neither is 12 Nc7+ promising: 12 ... Kf8! 13 Nxa8 (13 Qf4 is met with 13 ... e5! 14 Qxe5 Nc6 15 Qd6+ Kg8 16 Nxa8 Bg4! threatening to eliminate the lone defender of his c1-bishop and after 17 Qf4 Nd5 White is busted) 13 ... e5 14 g3 Qb1! 15 Bg2 Qxc2 16 Bg5 Bg4 17 0-0 Nbd7 with a winning position for Black. 12 ... Nd5 Covering c7. Also favourable is 12 ... Na6 13 Nexd4 Kf8. 13 Qxe4 Nc6 14 Nbxd4 Ndxb4 Also tempting is to just keep developing with 14 ... Bd7. 15 Nb5?!

When we go for short-term gain in exchange for long-term problems, we become the French citizen of the 1940’s who swears allegiance to the Nazipuppet Vichy government, even though he hates the invaders. Now White’s hoped for initiative/attack enters a cul de sac by chasing Black’s a8-rook. Not only is White down an exchange, but he is also a long way from completing kingside development. White gets more compensation for the exchange after 15 Nxc6 Nxc6 16 g3 e5 17 Bg2 Be6 18 0-0 0-0-0 19 Nc3 Qa5. 15 ... Kf8 Even better is to extricate the queen, while covering c7, with 15 ... Qa5. 16 f3 He wants to make room for his king on f2, which is slow. 16 g3 is a better way to try and complete development. 16 ... Qa5 17 c3 Na2! 18 Nf4? He had to try 18 Na3 Nxc1 19 Nxc1. 18 ... Nxc1 19 Nxg6+ hxg6 20 Qc2 a6 I would go for 20 ... Qa1!. 21 Na3 Na2 After 21 ... Qg5! 22 Kd1 Na2 23 Bc4 Nxc3+ 24 bxc3 Qc5 25 Qb2 b5 26 Bd3

Bb7 Black is up a pawn, with the initiative and an attack brewing. 22 Bc4 Nxc3

Black is happy to enter a pawn-up ending. 23 Qxc3 Qxc3+ 24 bxc3 b5 25 Be2 Bb7 26 Kd2 Ke7 27 h4 Good defence, keeping open the possibility of creating a passed pawn with g2-g4 and h4-h5. 27 ... Rh8 28 g3 Ne5 29 Rf1 Rd8+ 30 Ke3 Rc8 31 Kd2 Even worse for White is 31 Rc1 b4 32 Nb1 a5. 31 ... Bd5 Clamping down on the c4 blockade square. 32 f4 32 g4 is met with 32 ... f5!. 32 ... Nc4+ Black swaps this powerful knight for White’s inferior version on a3, following the Principle: The pawn up side should seek piece exchanges. After 32 ... Nd7! the knight can be transferred to either b6 or c5, which causes White even more problems. 33 Bxc4 Bxc4 34 Nxc4 Rxc4

The rook ending is still lost for White: 1. White is down a pawn. 2. White is tied down to defence of c3. 3. Black’s king may infiltrate the kingside light squares with ... Kf6, ... Kf5 and ... Kg4. 4. Black’s passed a-pawn must be watched carefully. 35 Ra1 Rc6 36 Kd3 Kf6 37 Rh1? It’s suicide to allow Black’s king entry to g4. He had to try 37 g4. 37 ... Kf5 38 h5 gxh5 39 Rxh5+ Kg4 40 Rg5+ Kf3 41 Rg7 Rc7 42 Rg5

Rb7! Intending ... a6-a5 and ... b5-b4. 43 Kc2 a5 44 Kb3 f5 45 Rg6 b4! 46 cxb4 46 Rxe6 a4+! 47 Kxa4 bxc3 48 Rc6 Kxg3 49 Rc4 c2 (deflection) 50 Rxc2 Kxf4 is completely hopeless for White, since his king is cut off and a million miles away from Black’s f-pawn. 46 ... Rxb4+ 47 Kc3 Rb6 48 Kc4 a4 49 Rg8 49 Kc5 is met with 49 ... a3!. 49 ... Ra6 50 Kb5

Exercise (combination alert): This one is easy. How did Black force the win? Answer: Ignore the threat to his rook and promote his a-pawn. White’s rook is so awkwardly placed that it doesn’t have time to get in front of the pawn. 50 ... a3! 51 Kxa6 a2 52 Kb5 It’s a bit optimistic to think you can swing some kind of fortress and hold a draw when down a queen for a rook. 52 ... a1Q 53 Kc6 Qe1! 0-1 After 54 Kd6 Qxg3! 55 Rxg3+ Kxg3 56 Kxe6 Kxf4 Black promotes.

Chapter Two The Main Line Winawer: 4 e5 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 e5

Against the main lines I advocate the slightly offbeat 4 ... b6 and 4 ... Qd7 Petrosian Winawer lines, which in the database are Black’s third and fourth most popular responses to White’s 4 e5. Our main ideas are: 1. We delay our natural ... c7-c5 pawn break. 2. We replace it with the plan ... b7-b6 and eventually ... Ba6, after which we swap off our bad bishop for White’s good light-squared bishop, which in turn greatly reduces White’s attacking chances. 3. In this line we offer White a space and development lead, with the following fine print in the contract: There are no visible targets to attack in our

position. If White plays Qg4 at some point, we can actually retreat our bishop to f8, which covers g7. In the 4 ... Qd7 version we can also meet 5 Qg4 with 5..f5, after which our queen on d7 covers g7. Now one bit of advice I offer to some of the comp-worshiping readers: Please ignore the comp’s early evaluation of this line. It will incorrectly claim that White is up around ‘+1.00’ due to White’s space and development lead. In this case we humans understand the position better than the comps: 1. White’s development lead is negated by the fact that Black’s position is devoid of targets and completely closed. 2. White’s space ‘advantage’ is negated by the fact that Black – and not White – controls the where and when of pawn breaks, with ... c7-c7 or ... f7-f6 or ... f7-f5. White’s two natural pawn breaks of c2-c4 and f2-f4 then f4-f5 are far more difficult to engineer. Game 8 E.Joppen-T.Petrosian Belgrade 1954 1 e4 e6 I really hate the ‘Does-anyone-really-care-today-why-Arch-Duke-Ferdinandwas-assassinated?’ theory of chess study. Some of my students ignore history and are not interested in looking at older games like this one, claiming they are out of date. I vehemently disagree and feel that you should first go over the older games of any opening you play to put our present day into context. 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 e5 b6

I need to muster the force of authority before I propose to the reader a nonstandard suggestion. Some of my students argue the tired old bugaboo that if they veer from mainstream theory, it’s certain to be wrong. If this were the case, there would be no new theory. A new belief system has been introduced by Petrosian. 5 Qg4 Alternatively: a) Later in the chapter we look at 5 a3. b) 5 Bd3 (now when Black plays ... Ba6, White will have lost a tempo if he swaps on a6) 5 ... Qd7 6 Nf3 Ba6 7 0-0 (White correctly refrains from the tempo-losing swap on a6) 7 ... Bf8!? (I don’t want to take his knight and don’t want to play ... c7-c5 until my bishop is safe) 8 Bf4 (perhaps he thinks I am about to play ... f7-f6?, which wouldn’t even occur to me when so far behind in development) 8 ... Ne7 9 a4 Bxd3 10 Qxd3 Nbc6 11 Qd2 Ng6 12 Bg3 Bb4! (we must be flexible in this line) 13 Nh4?! (extricating himself from the pin with 13 Qd3 is correct) 13 ... 0-0 14 f4?? (don’t judge White too harshly, as my opponent and ex-student Varun is rated over 2400 today, but at the time he was eight years old and rated just below 2000; here he had nothing better than 14 Nf3) 14 ...

Nxd4! when White is unable to recapture and Black won a key central pawn for free, V.Krishnan-C.Lakdawala, San Diego (rapid) 2009. c) 5 Nf3 Qd7 6 Bd2 Ne7 7 Ne2 (7 a3 Bxc3 8 Bxc3 Ba6 is fine for Black who has the only two pawn breaks in the position, with ... c5-c5 and ... f7-f6) 7 ... Bxd2+ 8 Qxd2 Ba6 9 h4 c5 10 c3 Nbc6 11 Nf4 Bxf1 12 Kxf1 Black stood at least equal and could even castle kingside here, L.Psakhis-N.Short, Hastings 1987/88. d) 5 f4 tends to be popular at the club level. I don’t think it’s so great, since it reduces the scope of White’s dark-squared bishop: 5 ... Ne7 6 Nf3 Nf5 7 Bd3 (7 g4 Nh4 is fine for Black) 7 ... h5 8 0-0 Qd7 9 Ne2 Ba6 10 Bxa6 Nxa6 11 Qd3 Nb8 12 Bd2 Be7 (Black wants to preserve his good bishop) 13 Ng3 g6 14 Be1, T.Thorhallsson-J.Timman, Reykjavik 2000. Black doesn’t look worse after 14 ... Nxg3 15 Bxg3 c5. 5 ... Bf8!

What would Morphy say if he saw Petrosian’s last move? It violates no less than three principles: 1. Don’t move the same piece twice in the opening, unless absolutely necessary (with Black’s coming ... Bf8).

2. Don’t retreat a piece in the opening ( ... Bf8 again). 3. Don’t fall behind in development in the opening (you guessed it: ... Bf8) Yet Petrosian’s last move, I assure you is a good one. The philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein once theorized that if a lion had the power of speech, we humans would still have no idea what it was talking about, since its brain is too far divergent from the human model, and essentially we could never accurately translate the lion’s intent. Petrosian’s line of the French strikes many people this way. It almost feels nonsensical for Black to avoid hitting White’s d4 base pawn with ... c7-c5 and Black’s play looks ridiculously passive. However, keep in mind that that you can say “Dr. Jekyll is gentle and kind”, and you would be right. But haven’t you forgotten about his other side? This line, which I have played for almost five decades, contains a sinister side behind the passive facade. Many of us wish our chess talents would lie elsewhere. I know in my heart that I will never be competent in open positions, so I steer the game to where my abilities lie, in blocked, logic based positions – even when externally they don’t look logical, as in this line. Chess teachers, much like the Greek and Hindu gods, desire obedient, devoted students who trust every word we tell them without question. I have an 11-year-old 2150-rated student named Ming, who has played the French all his chess life. I tried to talk him into playing Petrosian’s line, which would admirably suit his doveish needs, but he keeps telling me: “The line is stupid and Black’s position is ridiculous! I comped the line and it says White is winning.” Then I have Ming play White against me, after which he loses 10 games in a row – most of them without a fight – and still, he refuses to alter his claim. So this line is a tough sell. In heavy theoretical openings like the Winawer, it’s easy to feel like Drew Barrymore, who lost her memory on a daily basis in 50 First Dates. I feel that the 4 ... b6 and 4 ... Qd7 (which we look at later in the chapter) lines are easier to play than main line, 4 ... c5 Winawer, since they are logic/intuition based, rather than memorization/tactically based. Black’s undeveloped pieces may appear to resemble those third rate government office workers who work just enough to not get fired, and no more. The retreat to f8 is, however, far superior to pushing the g7-pawn to g6, or moving the king to f8. Even with White owning space and now a huge development lead, Black’s position is frustratingly target-free and is the equivalent of a bulky, powerfully built fighter throwing a punch at the wind. 6 Nf3 Alternatively, 6 a4 Nc6! (preventing a4-a5) 7 Bb5 Bb7 8 Nf3 (8 a5 is met

with 8 ... a6) 8 ... a6 9 Be2 Qd7 10 0-0 Nge7 11 Nd1 (a move like this shows that White’s development lead isn’t all that valuable in this closed position; GM Sevillano retreats his knight to reposition it on the more active e3-square) 11 ... Nf5 12 c3 was seen in E.Sevillano-C.Lakdawala, San Diego (rapid) 2007. Black looks just fine after 12 ... Na5, intending ... Nb3. This game is annotated in First Steps: French Defence. 6 ... Qd7

Petrosian had a way of shifting a position so that it went well beyond his opponent’s strategic frame of reference. So first he develops and undevelops his dark-squared bishop and then the first piece to be ‘developed’ is the queen, to the seemingly nonsensical d7-square. Actually d7 is the natural square for the queen in this line, since: 1. White may later play for an f2-f4 and f4-f5 break, so on d7 Black reinforces the f5-square. 2. With ... Qd7, Black enables a future ... f7-f5 trick, where the queen controls g7, even if Black’s bishop were not currently on f8. 3. Much later, Black can play ... f7-f6 and our e6-pawn is still protected by our queen.

4. Black usually plays ... 0-0-0, so moving the queen to d7 is a first step in that direction. 7 Nb5?! White plays with the strategic commitment level of a sailor docked in town for the weekend, who meets an alluring woman at a sleazy bar. The awful plan is to play back to a3 if kicked and then he can back up his d4 point with c2-c3. The obvious problem with this move is that it loses a load of time for White. Today, more often seen are: a) 7 Bb5 c6 8 Be2 (8 Ba4 a5 threatens ... b6-b5 and ... a5-a4, trapping White’s bishop, and after 9 a3 Ba6 White’s bishop is misplaced on a4) 8 ... Ba6 9 0-0 Ne7 10 Rd1, M.Müller-R.Vaganian, German League 1998. Black looks no worse after the freeing break 10 ... c5. b) 7 Be2 (the idea behind this move is that when Black plays ... Ba6 and ... Bxe2, White recaptures with the c3-knight, which brings it over to the kingside and also now White can meet ... c7-c5 with c2-c3) 7 ... Ba6 8 0-0 Ne7 9 a4 Bxe2 10 Nxe2 Nbc6 11 Bd2 Nf5 12 Qh3 (thinking about g2-g4) 12 ... h5 13 Rfb1, S.Maze-L.Karlsson, Salou 2008 (not 13 g4? hxg4! and Black obtains more than enough compensation for the exchange), when Black looks fine after 13 ... a5. c) The idea with 7 Bd3 is that when Black plays ... Ba6 and ... Bxd3, White recaptures with the c2-pawn, which opens the c-file. Why is that important? Because Black’s king will almost certainly castle long, since the kingside will be infested with white attackers: 7 ... Ba6 8 0-0 Bxd3 9 cxd3 Ne7 10 Ne2 Nbc6 11 Bd2 was G.Kamsky-I.Zugic, Buenos Aires 2005.

Black looks OK after 11 ... h5 12 Qh3 Nf5!. Remember: on g2-g4, with play ... h5xg4! with a promising exchange sacrifice. d) 7 a4 (the idea is to meet ... Ba6 with Bxa6 and then a4-a5) 7 ... Nc6! (we must be flexible and not play the ... Ba6 plan 100% of the time; Black threatens the annoying ... Nb4) 8 Bd2 Nge7 9 Be2 Nf5 10 0-0 h5 11 Qf4 g6 12 Bb5 Bh6! 13 Ng5 (no choice) 13 ... Nfxd4 and Petrosian won an important central pawn in M.Tal-T.Petrosian, Soviet Championship, Leningrad 1977. e) 7 h4 (White stakes out more kingside space and leaves open a possibility of a rook lift to h3) 7 ... h5 (I think it’s important to check White’s territorial ambitions and not allow h4-h5, even though Black’s last move may later allow White to plant a piece on g5) 8 Qf4 Ba6 9 Bxa6 Nxa6 10 0-0, P.KruglyakovY.Kruppa, Kiev 2005. Black stands at least equal after 10 ... Nb4 11 Qd2 c5. f) In our next game we look at 7 a3. 7 ... Nc6!

Not 7 ... c6?? 8 Nd6+ and Black can’t take the knight since then g7 hangs. 8 c3 a6 9 Na3 f5! In this way Black’s bishop is free to chop White’s a3-knight, inflicting damage to his opponent’s structure. 10 Qg3 After 10 exf6 White may be the one down in development after 10 ... Nxf6 11 Qh4 Bxa3 12 bxa3 0-0. 10 ... Bxa3 This move not only inflicts White with doubled a-pawns, but also weakens c4, later perhaps enabling Black to play ... Na5 and ... Nc4, without fear of b2b3. 11 bxa3 The comp, who is no longer a savant in blocked games, thinks White stands a touch better. He doesn’t. The fact that White’s former b2-pawn now goes à la mode over the a2-pawn isn’t a great sign for White’s structure. 11 ... Bb7

Black’s queenside position is kind of a weird mirror King’s Indian structure, where Black may eventually play for a ... c7-c5 break. Also, take note that it is now Black, not White, who leads in development. 12 Ng5?! Come on buddy, bring out a piece. Any developing move is better. 12 ... 0-0-0 Black has nothing to fear on White’s open b-file and castling is a safe choice. Petrosian, above all else, was a cautious man. I think it would be completely safe to play 12 ... h6 13 Nh3 g5, seizing kingside space. If 14 f4 g4 15 Nf2 h5 White doesn’t have time to try and open the kingside with the misguided 16 h3?! due to 16 ... h4 17 Qd3 g3 18 Nd1 Na5. Black’s control over the queenside light squares offers him a clear advantage. 13 h4 Nh6 The knight will be redeployed on f7. 13 ... Nge7?? hangs an exchange to 14 Nf7. 14 Bd3 Kb8 15 Qf3 Nf7 16 Nh3

Rapid development is certainly not included in Joppen’s philosophy. 16 ... g6 Petrosian is not the kind of player who takes serious risk. Saying this, a knight sacrifice on e5 looks awfully tempting after 16 ... Nfxe5! 17 dxe5 Nxe5 18 Qg3 Nxd3+ 19 Qxd3 e5, and advantage Black. For the piece, Black gets two pawns, a development lead and a massive, rolling centre. 17 Qe2 Attacking a6. 17 h5? is too slow and is met with 17 ... Ncxe5! 18 dxe5 d4 19 Qg3 gxh5 20 f3 dxc3 21 Bc2 Rhg8 22 Qf2 Nxe5 with four pawns for the piece and a wicked initiative. If 23 Nf4?? Black breaks through with 23 ... Rxg2! 24 Nxg2 Nxf3+ 25 Kf1 Nd2+ 26 Bxd2 Qb5+, when White can resign. 17 ... Ka7 18 Bg5? The biggest problem is the one to which the least attention is paid. White gives away his sole asset in his position: his dark-squared bishop, and with it, his control over the dark squares. Correct was 18 Nf4 with an inferior but still playable position. 18 ... Nxg5 19 Nxg5 Alternatively, 19 hxg5 h6 20 0-0-0 Na5 21 Kb2 Bc6! when ... Bb5 is coming

and after that, Black’s knight will land on c4. Now if 22 Bxa6 b5! White’s bishop is trapped. 19 ... h6 20 Nh3 Qe7 With a double attack on a3 and h4. 21 Nf4

Exercise (combination alert): White threatens 22 Nxg6. How should Black respond? Answer: Ignore it and play ... g6-g5. 21 ... g5! 22 Nh3 White realized that the problem with 22 Ng6 is that Black can play 22 ... Qxa3, threatening c3 and then the a1-rook. After 23 Qd2 Rhg8 24 h5 Na5 Black is up a pawn with a strategically won game and White’s knight, far from being a strength, is actually stuck on g6 with no real influence on Black’s position. 22 ... Qxa3 23 Qd2

Exercise (combination alert): Petrosian’s strategic ability was superior to his tactical eye. What did the future world champion miss? 23 ... Qe7?! We reach the close-but-no-cigar moment. While Black’s position is still winning after this move, Petrosian missed the far stronger: Answer: 23 ... Nxe5!! is no impulse buy, since lines open at an alarming rate against White’s undeveloped position: 24 dxe5 d4! (threat: ... Bxg2) 25 0-0 dxc3 26 Qe2 Rd4! (threat: ... g5-g4, trapping White’s knight) 27 Qe3 Rhd8 28 Bc2 (28 Be2 is met with 28 ... Re4) 28 ... Rg4! 29 f3 Rd2! (Black continues to target g2) 30 Rf2 f4 31 Qe1 Bxf3!. After this overloaded defender/pin shot, White is crushed. 24 0-0-0 Rdg8 25 Kb1 Na5 Seizing control over c4. 26 hxg5 hxg5 27 f4 g4! 28 Ng5 Bc6! Intending ... Bb5. 29 Qb2 Nc4 30 Qb4

30 Bxc4 dxc4 turns Black’s formally bad bishop into a monster. 30 ... Qd7! 31 Bxc4 a5! Zwischenzug. 32 Qb2 Likewise, if 32 Qb3 dxc4! (stronger than 32 ... Ba4 33 Bb5) 33 Qxc4 Bd5 34 Qe2 Qc6 35 Rhg1 Rh2 36 Rd2 Qxc3 when White’s game falls apart. 32 ... dxc4 33 Qd2 Bd5

Tremble before the awesome strategic power of Petrosian, the patron saint of blocked positions. It feels as if the best of White’s position was torn out, and in its place was grafted the worst. This is an example of absolute domination on one colour and White’s position is destitute of counterplay. This is the moment in the play where the lights dim for every character, except one: Black’s bishop. Black’s monster ‘bad bishop’ towers over White’s rather useless ‘good knight’. 34 Rdg1 Qc6 35 Rxh8 Also hopeless is 35 Ka1 Rxh1 36 Rxh1 Bxg2 37 Rh6 Bd5. 35 ... Rxh8 36 g3

Exercise (planning): Black has access to two clear winning plans. Find one. Answer: 36 ... Qe8! Plan 1: Transfer the queen to the h-file and infiltrate on h2. Answer no.2: Also winning is 36 ... b5! (play for a queenside pawn breakthrough on b4) 37 a3 b4! (anyway) 38 axb4 axb4 39 cxb4 c3 40 Qd3 Rb8 and Black has a winning attack. 37 Kb2 Qh5 38 Kc2 Qh2 Mission accomplished. The ending is completely hopeless for White. 39 Qxh2 Rxh2+ 40 Kb1 Ka6! 0-1 The next step in Black’s plan is to infiltrate with his king: 41 a4 b5 42 axb5+ Kxb5. Black’s king will reach b3 and if White’s rook protects it with Rc1, then Black plays ... Rg2 and ... Rxg3. Game 9 A.Chisitiakov-T.Petrosian Moscow 1957

1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 e5 b6 5 Qg4 Bf8 At club level we don’t have to play this line as well as Petrosian. Mere competency is good enough to beat most of your opposition, who I predict will not know what to target in your position. 6 Nf3 White can also play a2-a3 one move earlier, as seen in the following Petrosian game: 6 a3 Ne7 7 Nf3 Qd7 8 b4 c6! 9 Rb1 Nf5 (Black waits for White to move his bishop from f1 before playing ... Ba6) 10 Bd3 Ba6 11 b5!? (White avoids the exchange of light-squared bishops at the strategic cost of leaving a hole on c4 and giving Black future control over the c-file) 11 ... cxb5 12 Nxb5 Nc6 13 0-0 h5 14 Qf4 g6 15 h4 Be7 16 g3, R.Bogdanovic-T.Petrosian, Sarajevo 1972. Here Petrosian had the interference shot 16 ... Nb4! 17 axb4 Bxb5 when White stands strategically worse, since the light-squared bishops will be swapped after all, Black will generate pressure down the c-file, and Black can later try and create an outside passed pawn with ... a7-a5. 6 ... Qd7 Petrosian waits for White’s light-squared bishop to move first, and only then will he play ... Ba6, effectively gaining a tempo. 7 a3

Now you may be wondering why White bothers to waste a tempo to play a2a3 when Black’s bishop ran away to f8: 1. White in this line is often plagued by Black’s plan ... Ba6 and then when White swaps, Black plays ... Nxa6, followed by ... Nb4, when White’s c2-pawn can be awkward to defend. The move a2-a3 keeps Black’s knight (or any other black piece) out of b4. 2. Black usually later plays a ... c7-c5 break. So with a2-a3, White prepares a future b2-b4. 3. Black often castles queenside in this line, so White’s future b2-b4 break may be a prelude to an attack on Black’s king. 7 ... Nc6!? Petrosian revisits his proletarian roots with this humble plan. This game is an example of Black’s mirror King’s Indian plan, of avoiding ... Ba6. Black plays ... Nc6, ... Bb7, castles queenside and eventually plays for ... c7-c5, as well as the ... f7-f6 break. More normal is 7 ... Ba6 8 Bxa6 Nxa6 9 0-0 Ne7 10 Ne2 Nb8 11 Bg5 Nbc6 12 b3 Nf5 13 Ng3 h6 14 Bd2 g6 15 Qf4 Be7 16 Rfd1 g5! 17 Qg4 Nxg3 18 Qxg3 0-0-0 19 Bb4 f5! 20 exf6 Bxf6 21 Rac1 h5 22 c4 g4 23 Ne5 Bxe5 24 dxe5 d4!

25 Qf4 a5 26 Bd2 Qh7! (seizing control over e4; Black rules the light squares) 27 Re1 Rhf8 28 Qg3 d3 when Black had a paralyzing bind due to his d-pawn and light-square domination. This game is annotated in Korchnoi: Move by Move, A.Matanovic-V.Korchnoi, Uppsala 1956. 8 Be3 Likewise, 8 b4 Nge7 9 Bd3 Nf5 10 Ne2 Bb7 11 0-0 h5 12 Qh3 (F.CastroJ.Andersen, correspondence 2016) 12 ... 0-0-0 looks playable for Black, despite the comp’s rosy (mis-) assessment in White’s favour. 8 ... Bb7 A glance at Black’s oxygen-deprived position and we feel as if we entered one of those dingy New York offices which are below the level of the sidewalk, where all you see are people’s feet walking past. Don’t be fooled. Black’s position contains more dynamism than first meets the eye, since Black for now has the only viable pawn break with ... f7-f6. Also, despite the lack of space, Black’s structure is in general more flexible than White’s since Black may also later engineer a future ... c7-c5 break. 9 Bb5 This pin doesn’t really bother Black and maybe White’s bishop gets in the way of a future pawn storm. I would post the bishop on d3. 9 ... 0-0-0 10 0-0 Nge7 11 b4 f6! Principle: Prepare a central counter when attacked on the wing. Also fine is 11 ... h5 12 Qf4 Nf5 13 Bd3 Nce7 14 h4 f6!, as in F.Sueess-R.Sciarretta, correspondence 2011. 12 Rfe1 I would retrace my steps with 12 Bd3 to prevent ... Nf5. 12 ... Nf5 13 Qh3 h5! 14 g3? It’s dangerous to mix apathy with ambition. He shouldn’t allow Black to play ... g7-g5, which wreaks confusion in White’s ranks. Another reminder: don’t fear 14 g4?. If your opponent plays it, then sacrifice the exchange with 14 ... hxg4! 15 Qxh8?? (15 Qxg4 is strategically lost, but still better than taking the h8-rook) 15 ... Bxb4 16 Qh5 Bxc3 when Black regains the material with a crushing position. As such, forced was 14 exf6! gxf6 15 Bd3 Nce7, with a sharp position with balanced chances (please, please ignore the comp’s continually favourable assessments for White in this chapter!). 14 ... a6 Hooray! The comp’s assessment just jumped to ‘-1.53’ – a winning game for Black. 15 Ba4

Alternatively, if 15 Bd3 Nxe3 16 fxe3 g5! 17 Qf1 g4 18 Nh4 fxe5 19 Ng6 (this can be met with a powerful exchange sacrifice, but if 19 Bxa6 exd4 and White looks busted) 19 ... Bg7! 20 Nxh8 Rxh8 21 Bxa6 exd4 with a strategically won game on the dark squares for Black. 15 ... g5 Threat: ... g5-g4. 16 g4 This strategically disastrous move is forced, as 16 Qf1 g4 17 Nh4 (after 17 Nd2 fxe5 18 Bg5 exd4! White is crushed) 17 ... Nxh4 18 gxh4 fxe5 19 Bxc6 Qxc6 is hopeless for White.

Exercise (planning): How should Black respond to White’s last move (hint: I already gave you the answer in the notes above!)? Answer: 16 ... hxg4! A strategic exchange sacrifice. Of its own accord Black’s position begins to reveal its secrets. Some things are better felt, than explained. Our eyes simply tells us that White will be overextended after this exchange sacrifice.

17 Qxh8 gxf3 Also strong was 17 ... Bxb4! 18 Qxf6 Bxc3 19 Nxg5 Re8! 20 Kf1 b5 21 Bb3 Bxa1 22 Rxa1 Ncxd4 with an extra pawn and an overwhelming position. 18 Qh5 Alternatively: a) 18 Qxf6 b5 19 Bb3 Qh7! (threat: ... Qh3) 20 Qxe6+ Kb8 and White has no reasonable defence to the coming ... Qh3. b) 18 b5! is White’s best practical chance, but still loses after 18 ... axb5 19 Nxb5 fxe5 20 Na7+ Kb8 21 Nxc6+ Bxc6 22 Bxc6 Qxc6 23 dxe5 d4 24 Bd2 Be7 25 Qh3 Qxc2 with a winning position for Black. 18 ... b5 19 Nxb5!? If you make an appointment with the bank’s loan officer and ask for money because you don’t have any cash or assets, his or her answer is likely to be “No! Get out!”. This desperate piece sacrifice is no better or worse than not sacrificing: 19 Bb3 fxe5 20 Bxg5 Qg7 21 Kh1 Be7 22 Rg1 Rh8 23 Bxe7 Qg2+! 24 Rxg2 fxg2+ 25 Kxg2 Rxh5 26 Bc5 Ncxd4 with an extra pawn and an overwhelming position for Black. 19 ... axb5 20 Bxb5 fxe5 21 Kh1 Qg7 22 Bxc6 22 Bxg5 is met with 22 ... Bd6!. Now White taking Black’s d8-rook would be a candidate for dumbest blunder in the history of blunders, since it allows Black’s queen checkmate on g2. 22 ... Bxc6 23 dxe5 Be7 24 b5 Bb7 The bishop wants to remain on the h1-a8 diagonal. Black is also easily winning if he takes the b5-pawn. 25 Qg4 Rh8 26 Qg1 White’s queen is the ageing, homely spinster who gazes in the mirror, desperate to catch a glimpse of beauty, where none exists. 26 ... d4 Irony alert: now Black’s formally bad bishop is one of the most powerful pieces on the board. 27 Bd2 g4 28 Bf4

Exercise (combination alert): White’s position is full of bereaved people. How did Petrosian finish his opponent off? Answer: Pawn breakthrough. 28 ... g3! 29 Bxg3 Nxg3+ 0-1 30 fxg3(30 Qxg3 Qxg3 31 fxg3 f2+ mates next move) is met with 30 ... f2+ 31 Qg2 Qxg3!, with mate in two moves to follow. Game 10 E.Luethgens-R.Vaganian German Bundesliga 1998 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 e5 b6 5 Qg4 Bf8 6 Bg5

This is a common ‘tempo-gaining’ move, which shouldn’t worry us, since White’s move may actually do the opposite and lose a tempo: 1. White’s bishop chases our queen exactly to the square it wants to go: d7. 2. White’s bishop may later actually lose a tempo when Black plays a future ... h7-h6. Now getting your pawn to h6 may seem like a minor thing, but keep in mind: In this line White often plays h2-h4 and h4-h5, in which case our ... h7-h6 usefully prevents White from playing his or her h-pawn to h6, which would weaken our kingside dark squares. 6 ... Qd7 I like this move much better than blocking with the knight, since as mentioned above, d7 is actually the natural square for our queen. 7 f4 White hopes to eventually achieve an f4-f5 break, which is not to easy to accomplish since Black tends to have more firepower trained on the f5-square. Secondly, with White having tossed in f2-f4, his remaining bishop’s ‘badness’ is enhanced by yet another pawn on the same colour as the remaining bishop, when Black trades off light-squared bishops on a6. Alternatives:

a) 7 h4 h6 (there is our tempo gain) 8 Be3 Ne7 9 Bd3 Ba6 10 0-0-0 Bxd3 11 Rxd3 Nbc6 12 h5 Nf5 13 Nge2 0-0-0 14 Nf4 Kb7 15 Qe2 Nb4 16 Rdd1 c5 17 g4 Nxd4 18 Bxd4 cxd4 19 Rxd4 Bc5 when Black controls the dark squares and has play down the c-file. I already prefer Black’s position, H.Tsang-C.Lakdawala, San Diego (rapid) 2009. b) 7 0-0-0 h6 8 Be3 Ne7 9 f4 Ba6 10 Bxa6 Nxa6 11 Qe2 Nb4 12 Nf3 h5 13 g3 Nf5 14 Bf2 c5 and Black gets play down the c-file and doesn’t look worse to me, E.Vasiukov-R.Vaganian, Telavi 1982. c) 7 Nf3 h6 8 Bd2 Ne7 (Black hopes White will move his light-squared bishop, in which case we gain a tempo with our ... Ba6) 9 h4 Ba6 10 Bxa6 Nxa6 11 Qf4 c5 12 0-0-0? (by castling long White reveals his king position and allows his opponent an attack) 12 ... c4! (Black tries a pawn storm plan, rather than go for play down the c-file) 13 g4 b5 14 a3 b4 15 axb4 Nxb4 16 h5 a5 17 Rdg1 a4 18 g5 hxg5 19 Rxg5 a3 and Black’s attack was far faster than White’s, C.Guillon-E.Mollov, French League 1997. d) 7 Bb5 (White seeks to dodge a swap of light-squared bishops) 7 ... c6 8 Ba4 a5.

Black threatens to trap White’s bishop with ... b6-b5 and ... a5-a4. Following

9 a3 Ba6 10 Nge2 h6 11 Bh4 Ne7 12 0-0 (12 Bxe7 Qxe7 doesn’t bother us; the temporary inconvenience of our gummed-up queen is easily offset by White’s handing us (future) control over the dark squares) 12 ... Nf5 13 Rfd1 h5 14 Qf4 b5 15 Bb3 b4 16 axb4 axb4 17 Nb1, Comp Mephisto Portorose-B.Gulko, Harvard 1989. Black has a winning attack after 17 ... f6! 18 exf6 Bd6! 19 Qg5 Bxe2 (now this is possible since Black’s b8-knight is defended by the bishop on d6) 20 Rxa8 Bxd1 21 fxg7 Rg8. GM Gulko out-calculated the comp! White doesn’t have compensation for the piece. 7 ... Ba6 Black can also try Petrosian’s plan from our previous game with 7 ... Nc6 8 0-0-0 Bb7 9 Nf3 Nge7. 8 Bxa6 Nxa6 9 Nf3 h6 10 Bh4 h5 In order to transfer his g8-knight to f5 without too much fear of White’s g2g4. 11 Qh3 Nh6

Theory ends here. 11 ... Be7 was preferred in Tran Tranh Tu-Tu Hoang Thong, Dalat City 2005. This attempted improvement is no improvement at all. It makes less sense, since Black trades away one of his key assets: his good

bishop for White’s bad one. 12 Bg5 Nf5 13 0-0-0 c5 I already prefer Black (yes, despite the ignoramus comp slightly preferring White; I tell it to shh in blocked positions where it doesn’t know up from down, yet it keeps talking all the same), since White’s king committed to the queenside where Black can attack down the c-file, or via a pawn storm with ... c5-c4 and ... b6-b5. 14 Rhe1 By now we should not be afraid of 14 g4?!: 14 ... hxg4! 15 Qxh8 gxf3 offers Black huge strategic compensation for the exchange. 14 ... Nc7 15 g4?! A truce won’t hold if either side harbours ambitions of complete victory. White apparently didn’t listen to my earlier comments. Happiness isn’t necessarily defined by the absence of unhappiness. White’s position is OK, but he didn’t know what to do and itched for action. 15 ... hxg4!

The position is now far removed from the placid manoeuvring game we were in just a few moves ago. We now know that this strategic exchange sacrifice is

almost always 100% sound. 16 Qxh8 gxf3 17 dxc5 bxc5 Also playable is the riskier entry to complications with 17 ... Nb5! 18 Nxb5 Qxb5 19 Qh3 Qc4! 20 Kb1 f2 21 Rf1 Qe2 22 Rc1 Ne3 23 c6 Nxf1 24 Qxf1 Qxf1 25 Rxf1 Rc8 26 Rxf2 Rxc6. Black has the superior ending since White nurses pawn weaknesses on the kingside. 18 Qh3 Nd4 It won’t be so easy to pick off Black’s f3-pawn. 19 f5?! It’s possible to lose your way with your eyes wide open. White frets over his counterplay absence and goes too far, with an unsound sacrifice made with the belief: In positions of good and evil extremes, there is no room for a lukewarm middle. After this overly ambitious move, Black stands clearly better. White was better off returning the exchange with 19 Re3 Qc6 20 Rxf3 Nxf3 21 Qxf3. The comp calls it even, while I prefer Black due to his attacking chances down the bfile. 19 ... exf5 19 ... Nxf5? gives away one of Black’s key assets after 20 Qxf3. 20 Be3 Nce6 The other knight conveniently occupies the newly opened e6-square to support its counterpart on d4. 21 Bxd4?! After sacrificing his f-pawn unsoundly earlier, now is not the time for White to suddenly develop a conscience and repent.

Exercise (critical decision): Should Black recapture with the knight, preserving his structure and guarding his f3- and f5-pawns? Or should Black recapture on d4 with his c5-pawn, opening lines for a potential attack? Answer: 21 ... cxd4! Black gets a winning attack with the recapture by the c5-pawn. Line-opening and disruption of White’s knight are more important than preserving Black’s structure. 22 Nb1 Qa4! Targeting a2 and c2. 23 Qxf3 Everything loses: a) 23 Qxf5 Qxa2 24 Rf1 Rb8 25 b3 g6! 26 Qxf3 Bh6+ 27 Rd2 (27 Nd2?? Qa1 mate) 27 ... Nf4! 28 e6 d3 29 exf7+ Kf8 is fatal for White. b) 23 a3 Rc8 24 Rd2 d3! 25 c3 Nd4! and White is crushed on the light squares around his king.

23 ... Qxa2 When the opponent’s queen enters the vicinity of our king, we reach that uncomfortable situation of the man sitting on the park bench who doesn’t know where to avert his eyes when the mother sits next to him, breast feeding her baby. 24 Rd3 24 Qxf5 Rb8 25 b3 g6! 26 Qf1 Bh6+ 27 Rd2 Rc8 (threatening mate on c2) 28 Qd3 Nf4! (Black’s wedged knight is the chunk of meat lodged in the throat of a choking victim) 29 Qb5+ (29 Qxd4 Ne2+! wins the queen and mates in three) 29 ... Kf8 (threat: ... Rxc2+!) 30 c3 Ne6 and White can resign.

Exercise (planning): What is the strongest continuation of Black’s attack? Answer: 24 ... g6! The bishop is fed into the attack, via the h6-square. 25 Ra3 It’s not easy to induce a groggy body into motion. White’s position dies a little death with each passing concession. If White attempts to stop ... Bh6+ with

25 Qh3 then 25 ... Rb8 26 Rb3 (26 b3 Rc8 27 Rd2 Nf4 28 Qf3 d3 is crushing) 26 ... Rxb3 27 cxb3 Nc5 28 Rd1 Nxb3+ 29 Kc2 Na1+ 30 Kc1 Qc4+ 31 Kd2 Nb3+ 32 Ke1 Bb4+ wins, since after 33 Kf2 Qc2+ everything hangs in White’s position. 25 ... Bxa3 26 Qxa3 Qxa3 27 Nxa3 White is left two pawns down in the ending. 27 ... a6! “My worth is decided by deeds, not by birth,” announces the a-pawn. This strands White’s knight by depriving entry to b5. 28 Kd2 Kd7 29 b4 Rh8 30 Re2 Rh3! 0-1 31 Nb1 Kc6 threatens ... Kb5 when White’s b4-pawn falls. c3 dxc3+ 33 Nxc3 d4 34 Na2 Nf4 35 Rf2 Nd3 36 Re2 Kd5 is zugzwang. Game 11 A.Shomoev-R.Vaganian European Championship, Istanbul 2003 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 e5 b6 5 a3

In this version White is after Black’s dark-squared bishop and isn’t interested in playing Qg4, when White’s queen can later turn into a target for Black’s pieces and pawns. 5 ... Bf8 Our dark-squared bishop is a valuable asset, so Vaganian chooses to hang on to it by retreating it to its home square on f8. Next game we look at the unbalancing 5 ... Bxc3+. 6 Nf3 6 Bb5+ is an attempt by White to dodge a coming swap of light-squared bishops: 6 ... Bd7 (I like this gain of a tempo over Black’s main line 6 ... c6 7 Ba4) 7 Bd3 (White is willing to give Black a tempo to hang on to the lightsquared bishop) 7 ... c5 8 Nf3 Nc6 9 0-0 Nge7 10 Nb5 (threatening mate on d6) 10 ... Ng6 11 c3 c4 12 Bxg6 (12 Bc2?! Ncxe5! Black wins a pawn) 12 ... hxg6 13 Bg5 f6 14 exf6 gxf6 15 Bf4 Rc8 16 Nd6+ Bxd6 17 Bxd6 Kf7. The game looks dynamically equal. White’s dark-square power is offset by Black’s superior structure and strength on the dark squares, N.De Firmian-D.Bronstein, Oviedo (rapid) 1993. As I mentioned earlier in the book, at club level many opponents love to toss in f2-f4. I am usually happy to see it since White’s intended f4-f5 break is not so easy to achieve. Here 6 f4 Ne7! (f5 must be reinforced; avoid the strategic trap 6 ... Ba6? 7 Bxa6 Nxa6 8 f5! exf5 9 Qd3 when White regains the pawn and Black is in deep trouble since the game just opened up) 7 Nf3 Qd7 8 Be3 h5 9 Bf2 (both sides play a waiting game: Black waits for Bd3 and White waits for ... Ba6; whoever blinks first will lose a tempo) 9 ... Nf5 10 g3 Be7 11 Qd2 was seen in E.Sharapov-A.Kornev, Tula 2001. Now I would try 11 ... c5 12 Bb5 Nc6 13 0-0-0 a6, when I like Black’s chances against White’s king. The idea of 6 b4 is to discourage us from our ... c7-c5 break: 6 ... c5! (we play it anyway, not fearing the slight opening of the position when we lag in development) 7 bxc5 bxc5 8 Nf3 Nc6 9 dxc5 Bxc5 10 Bd3 Nge7 11 0-0 Ng6 12 Re1 0-0 and I prefer Black who owns the superior structure, S.JanovskyE.Bareev, Moscow 1984. Returning to 6 Nf3:

6 ... a5!? The idea is to suppress b2-b4. More normal would be 6 ... Ne7 7 h4 h6 8 h5 a5 9 Bb5+ c6 10 Ba4 Nd7 11 Ne2 b5 12 Bb3 c5 13 c3 Nc6 (now the position resembles an Advance French more than it does a Winawer) 14 0-0 Qc7 15 Re1 c4 16 Bc2 Nb6 17 Bf4 Be7 18 Bg3 Rb8 (notice that Ivanchuk refuses to castle kingside, which would provide Kasparov with a target for an attack) 19 Nh2 Qd8 20 Ng4 b4 21 axb4 axb4 22 cxb4 Nxb4 23 Bb1 Bd7 24 b3?! Ra8! 25 Rxa8 Qxa8 26 bxc4 Nxc4 27 Nc1? (27 Bf4 was necessary) 27 ... Ba4! 28 Qe2 Qa7! 29 Ne3 Qxd4 30 Nxc4 dxc4 31 Qf1 0-0 0-1, G.Kasparov-V.Ivanchuk, Horgen 1995. Black is up a pawn and White’s pieces have been driven into complete passivity. This game, covered in First Steps: French Defence, was the only game Kasparov lost with the white pieces in an eight year period as world champion. 7 h4 White wants to increase his kingside territorial advantage. Instead, after 7 Bb5+ c6 8 Ba4 Ba6 9 Ne2 Bxe2 (Gurevich dumps his bad bishop) 10 Qxe2 b5 11 Bb3 a4 12 Ba2 Nd7 13 c3 Nb6 14 Bb1 Nc4 (this knight sits well on c4; if White ever swaps it off then Black recaptures with either the b-pawn, which puts pressure down the b-file, or with the d-pawn, which clears d5 for his knight) 15

Ng5 g6 16 Qf3 Qe7 17 Qg3 Kd7! Black’s king is safe on the queenside. 18 h4 h5 19 Nh3 Nh6 20 Bg5 Qe8 21 Ra2 Be7 22 Nf4 Kc7 Black stood no worse in M.Carlsen,M-Gurevich, Spanish Team Championship 2004. 7 ... h5!? It’s risky to hand White use of g5. I might be inclined to try the mousey 7 ... h6!? 8 h5, as in L.Yurtaev-M.Tulchinsky, Tomsk 1997. Here I would continue to wait for White’s light-squared bishop to move with 8 ... Ne7. 8 Bb5+ Theory ends at this point: a) 8 Bg5! Be7 9 Bd3 Ba6 10 0-0 was preferred in D.PushkarevD.Obolenskikh, Irkutsk 2009. Here I would play 10 ... Bxg5 11 Nxg5 Bxd3 12 Qxd3 Nh6, when White looks slightly better after 13 Nb5! Nf5 14 c4 Na6. b) 8 Ne2 (the c3-knight is transferred to the kingside) 8 ... Ba6 9 Nf4 Bxf1 10 Kxf1 Qd7 11 g3 Ne7 12 Kg2 g6 13 Nh3 Nf5 14 Bg5, J.Lopez MartinezC.Vernay, Illes Medes 2006. Black looks fine after 14 ... Bg7 15 Nf4 Nc6 16 b3 Nce7. 8 ... c6 8 ... Bd7 makes less sense with Black having tossed in ... a7-a5. 9 Ba4 Ba6 10 Ne2

10 ... Bxe2 Vaganian dumps his light-squared bishop for White’s e2-knight, which could have caused problems if it were allowed to transfer to f4. 11 Qxe2 b5 Now the structure is shifted to favour Black’s remaining bishop. 12 Bb3 a4 13 Ba2 Nd7 14 c3 g6 15 Bg5 Be7 Principles: 1. The cramped side should swap pieces. 2. If your opponent owns the bishop-pair, swap one of them off. 16 Bb1 Nb6 Heading for c4. 17 Bd3 Nc4 18 Kf1 After 18 Bxc4 bxc4 White must eternally worry about pressure down the bfile. 18 ... Kd7!

Black’s king is safest on the side where he controls more space, in this case the queenside. I think Black has equalized (despite the comp’s tiresomely repetitive – and I might add, false – assertions that White always stands better in this line), and chances look dynamically balanced. 19 Re1 Bxg5 It’s a good idea to swap before White plays Bc1. 20 Nxg5 Nh6 21 Qc2 Qe7 22 Rh3 Nf5 23 Re2? 23 Qc1! would prevent Black’s trick.

Exercise (combination alert): In blocked positions it’s easy to miss our opponent’s combination, since the closed nature of the game gives us a false sense of security that nothing harmful can happen to us. White just overlooked something. What did he miss? Answer: 23 ... Nxh4! The h4-pawn gets whacked. Since I freely dispense from a vast, unending reservoir of wisdom, my attire advice to mob killers out there, just in case any of them are readers of this book: try and emulate Black’s h4-knight. Be well dressed to fit in, yet your colours should be drab greys and blues, so that you simultaneously remain inconspicuous. The knight’s undermining trick is simple, yet not so easy to spot, since White simply wasn’t expecting it in such a quiet position. 24 Qc1 White can’t save the pawn with 24 Nxf7 Rhf8 25 Nd6 Nxd6 26 exd6 Qg5. White’s d6-pawn falls and he remains down a pawn all the same. 24 ... Nf5 25 Qf4 Raf8 26 Ke1!?

This may be the beginning of an incorrect plan. White realizes that Black intends to eventually open the kingside, so he transfers his king over to the other wing, which may not be so wise. Did he forget that Black can still open the centre with a ... c6-c5-break? 26 ... Kc7 27 Kd1 Kb6 28 Kc2 Rfg8 29 Re1 h4! Now ... Rh5 is in the air. 30 Qg4 c5!? I would have prepared this with ... Rc8 first. 31 Kb1? He had to play 31 dxc5+ Kxc5!. White is unable to exploit Black’s advanced king, who is the silver-tongued cheating husband, who staunchly denies all charges – despite overwhelming evidence against him – and gets away with it. 31 ... cxd4 32 Bxf5 gxf5 33 Qxd4+ Qc5 34 f4 Qxd4 35 cxd4

Exercise (planning): What is Black’s best plan to make progress? Answer: 35 ... Nd2+! Transfer his knight to e4, via d2, to swap away White’s best piece, his

knight. 36 Kc1 Ne4 37 Nxf7 This pawn win is only temporary. Instead, 37 Nf3?? Rxg2 38 Rxh4 Rc8+ 39 Kb1 Rcc2 is game over. 37 ... Rh7 38 Ng5 Nxg5 39 fxg5 Rxg5 The rook ending is completely hopeless for White, who nurses weak pawns on g2 and d4. 40 Re2 Rg4 41 Rd2

Exercise (planning): Continue to make progress for Black! Answer: 41 ... Rc7+! White won’t survive the rook’s transfer to the c-file. 42 Rc3 Or 42 Kd1 Rc4 43 Rhd3 Re4! and there is only crypt-like silence coming from White’s position, since he is in zugzwang. 42 ... Rc4 43 Rxc4 bxc4 44 Kd1 No better is 44 Kc2 Rg3 45 Rf2 Kb5 46 Rd2 Rd3! 47 Rxd3 cxd3+ 48 Kxd3

f4 (threat: ... f4-f3!) 49 Ke2 Kc4 50 Kf3 Kxd4 51 Kxf4 Kd3 52 Kg5 d4 53 Kf6 Ke4 54 Kxe6 d3 55 Kf6 d2 56 e6 d1Q and White is too slow in the promotion race. 44 ... Re4 45 Kc2 Kb5 0-1 This is that moment for White when the child opens his mouth to voice a complaint and then the adult in authority raises his hand in a gesture of: ‘Keep silent!’. 46 Kc1 Re3 47 Kc2 Rd3! leads to the lost king and pawn ending we saw in the note above. Game 12 J.Nunn-J.Timman Cannes 1992 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 e5 b6 5 a3 Bxc3+ When you love someone, it feels as if they are with you, even when they are away. It’s not a small matter for Black to trade away the dark-squared bishop in the Winawer. In this case our compensation is damage to White’s queenside structure. 6 bxc3 Qd7

This position can transpose to 4 ... Qd7 lines, which we look at next game. Our closed, weakness-free position has a way of frustrating white attackers and leaving them acting like a rich and powerful person renewing his or her driver’s license at the DMV, drumming fingers impatiently while dealing with a bothersomely slow government functionary. 7 Nh3 Here f4 is a good square for the knight since it hovers over Black’s kingside. Next game we look at 7 Qg4 f5. Others: a) 7 a4 (this stops ... Qa4 ideas, while contemplating a future Ba3) 7 ... Ba6 8 Bd3 Bxd3 (I wouldn’t be in any rush to take on d3 and would opt for 8 ... Ne7) 9 cxd3 Ne7 10 Qg4 Nf5 11 Nf3 Nc6 12 Bg5 h6 13 Qh5 Rg8 14 Bf4 0-0-0 15 g4!? Nfe7 16 Bg3 (f7 is immune due to 16 Qxf7?? Rdf8, winning the f4-bishop) 16 ... Rdf8 17 0-0 Qe8! (now ... f7-f5 is in the air) 18 Qh3 Rh8 19 Rfe1 h5! and Black stood clearly better since he seized control over f5 and opened the h-file, S.Zhigalko-Y.Kuzubov, Kharkov 2010. b) 7 Nf3 Ba6 8 Bxa6 Nxa6 9 0-0 (9 a4 looks better, although I still like Black after 9 ... Nb8) 9 ... Qa4! 10 Be3 Rc8 11 Qb1 c5 12 Qb3 Qd7 13 a4 cxd4 14 cxd4 Ne7 and I like Black’s play down the c-file, R.Rieger-M.Tratar, Lienz

2017. 7 ... Ba6 I tend to try and out-wait White’s light-squared bishop, so before playing ... Ba6 would play 7 ... Ne7. 8 Bxa6 And here I would meet 8 Bd3 with 8 ... Ne7 9 0-0 c5. 8 ... Nxa6 9 Nf4 After 9 Qg4 f5 10 Qh5+ g6 11 Qe2 Nb8 12 c4!? Nc6 13 c3 Nge7 14 0-0 dxc4 15 Qxc4 Na5 16 Qe2 Qc6 17 Bg5 Nd5 18 Rac1 Nc4 I prefer Black’s domination of the queenside light squares over White’s dark-square bind on the kingside, S.Petrovic-B.Kovacevic, Zagreb 1999. 9 ... 0-0-0

White can attack all he wants on the kingside: Black’s king is going the other way. That said, I would go for 9 ... Qa4 10 Qg4 g6 11 0-0, as in M.Al SayedJ.Ehlvest, Gibraltar 2007, and here I would play 11 ... Ne7 12 Qh4 h6. Then c2 which will fall and I’m not sure if White’s kingside dark squares make up for that fact. 10 a4

Nunn immediately begins to go after Black’s king on the other side. 10 Qg4 doesn’t make as much sense and can be met with 10 ... f5. 10 ... Ne7 11 Qd3 11 Qe2 Kb7 12 0-0 Nc6 13 Nh5 Rhg8 14 Bg5 Rb8 (c8 is a better square for the rook) 15 Qb5 was preferred in the earlier J.Szmetan-H.Rossetto, Buenos Aires 1972. Black looks fine after 15 ... Qe8! 16 Ng3 (16 a5? is met with the trick 16 ... Nxd4! 17 Qd3 Nc6 18 axb6 Nc5! 19 Qe2 cxb6 and White doesn’t have enough attack for the pawn) 16 ... h6 17 Be3. 11 ... Nb8 12 a5 Before Black can play ... Nbc6 and ... Na5. 12 ... Nec6! The correct knight, since the other one is required to keep watch over a6. 13 axb6 cxb6 White has obtained an open a-file at the cost of handing Black a dangerous passed a-pawn, should an ending later arise. 14 0-0 Na5! Black’s king will be a lot safer once this knight gets to c4. 15 Nh5 15 Rxa5!? is possible, but I suspect the attack is speculative, while Black’s exchange is real: 15 ... bxa5 16 Ba3 Kb7 17 Qg3 Qa4 18 Be7 Rc8 19 Qxg7 Qe8 and I prefer Black, while the comp thinks White has compensation. 15 ... Rhg8 16 Qg3 Nbc6 17 Nxg7?

There is a big difference between what is best for you and what is in store for you. This is in effect a dubious queen sacrifice, where White believes he will get rook, knight, pawn and some pressure for it. We are delighted when we cheat our opponent in a chess game. The danger is when we threaten to cheat ourselves, as in this case. This grab of the g-pawn is too risky since White voluntarily submits himself to a pinned g7-knight. 17 ... Ne7 Threat: ... Nf5. 18 Bh6 Nf5 19 Nxf5 No choice. White must give up his queen. 19 ... Rxg3 20 Nd6+

Exercise (critical decision): What is Black’s best move? Answer: 20 ... Qxd6! Returning the queen to reach a favourable ending as White’s knight gets the brush off from Black’s queen. Nunn may have expected 20 ... Kb8?! 21 fxg3, after which White gets great play for the queen down the f-file. 21 exd6 Rg6 22 Bf4 Kb7 Timman’s point is that the d6-pawn will fall after ... Nc4. 23 Be5 Nc4 24 f4?! This makes matters worse, although I think White is also busted after 24 f3 a5 25 g4 Kc6. Black is in no rush to capture the d6-pawn and can slowly push his a-pawn down the board first. 24 ... f5!? Instead, 24 ... f6? 25 f5! offers White some play, but 24 ... Ne3! 25 Rf2 f6 26 f5 Nxf5 27 Bf4 Nxd6 is hopeless for White, who is now down two pawns. 25 g3 a5 26 Kf2 Nd2

Timman transfers his knight to e4, when it may have been better off where it stood on c4. Moreover, 26 ... h5! 27 Ke2 Kc6 28 Rf3 Rdg8 29 Rb1 Rh6 30 h4 Rhg6 31 Rg1 a4 is hopeless for White. 27 Rfd1 Ne4+ 28 Ke3 Rh6 Avoiding 28 ... Nxc3? 29 Rd3 Ne4 30 Rb3 Nxd6 31 Bxd6 Rxd6 32 Rxa5 when White stands no worse. 29 c4! Into most of our games is placed a series of trials and tests. We don’t have to pass them all, but it helps if you cross the 50% threshold. Brazen/ingenious play is a recipe for wild success or catastrophic failure. This one is somewhere in the middle, since it helps White, yet isn’t enough to save the game. Nunn finds the only route to activate his pieces and Black will have to play accurately now to score the point.

29 ... dxc4 Possible too was 29 ... Rxh2 30 Rh1 Rg2 31 Rxh7+ Ka6 32 cxd5 Rxg3+ 33 Ke2 Rg2+ 34 Ke3 exd5 35 Rc7 Nxd6 36 Bxd6 Rxd6 and Black should convert this ending. 30 d5! Nxd6

Likewise, after 30 ... exd5 31 Rxd5 Rxh2 32 Rb1 Rg8 33 Rdb5 Rxg3+ 34 Kd4 Rd2+ 35 Kxc4 Rxd6! Black should win. 31 dxe6 Rxe6 32 Kf3 Nf7 33 Rxd8 Nxd8 34 g4!

White’s position contains tiny shoots of hope, which may have flourished if the conditions on the board were just slightly less unfavourable. Nunn’s only chance is to generate play with his newly minted passed pawn. 34 ... fxg4+ 35 Kxg4 Nc6 36 Bh8 Re8 37 Bf6 Re2 38 c3 Rxh2 39 f5 Rf2 40 Re1 h5+!

41 Kg5 h4 41 ... b5 42 Kg6 b4 also looks winning. 42 Kg4 h3 43 Bh4! Rd2?! After 43 ... Rc2 44 f6 Nd8 45 Kxh3 Rxc3+ 46 Kg4 Rd3 47 f7 Nxf7 48 Re7+ Kc6 49 Rxf7 c3 Black’s passers will triumph. 44 Kxh3 a4 45 f6 Nd8 46 f7 Nxf7 47 Re7+ Ka6 48 Rxf7 a3! 48 ... Rd3+ is in a way a waste of time since it gives White several tempi to come closer to the queenside after 49 Kg4 Rxc3 50 Kf4.

49 Rf8 Rd7!

Dual purpose: 1. White’s intended Ra8+ will be blocked on a7 with Black’s rook. 2. White is denied Be7 ideas. 50 Rf1 Ka5! White’s rook won’t be able to halt the a-pawn/Black king duo. 51 Kg4 Ka4 Black’s king and a-pawn duo is the blue suit with red tie, which just go well together. 52 Kf5 a2 53 Ke6 Ra7! Endgame Principle: Place your rook behind your passed pawn. 54 Kd5 Kb3 55 Bf6 a1Q 0-1 56 Rxa1 Rxa1 57 Kc6 Rc1 58 Kxb6 Rxc3 wins. Game 13 Y.Sakharov-T.Petrosian Tbilisi 1956

1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 e5 Qd7 We return to this move, which may look even crazier than the previously seen 4 ... b6, but is a mutation/attempted improvement on it. One idea is that Black can meet 5 Qg4, not with 5 ... Bf8 as covered earlier, but rather with the tempo-gaining 5 ... f5, as we’ll see in our next game. 5 Ne2!?

Eccentricity is met with counter eccentricity. White prevents damage to his structure with an artificial move. 5 ... b6 6 a3 Bxc3+ 6 ... Bf8 makes more sense to me, making White waste time with his e2knight to untangle his kingside: 7 Nf4 Ba6 (I like the unplayed 7 ... c5!) 8 Bxa6 Nxa6 9 Qd3 Nb8 10 0-0 Ne7 11 b4 was N.Zdebskaja-S.Mihajlovskij, Odessa 2007. Black has a good position with the thematic break 11 ... c5!, and if 12 dxc5 bxc5 13 bxc5 Ng6 14 Re1 Nxf4 15 Bxf4 Bxc5 16 Qg3 0-0 when Black’s structure is the superior, and if 17 Bh6 f6 I prefer his game. 7 Nxc3 7 bxc3?! Ba6 favours Black, who will swap away light-squared bishops without loss of time.

7 ... Ne7 8 b4

This move is played so often, yet it never scares me since if Black counters with a ... c7-c5 break, White generally ends up with broken pawns. 8 Qg4 0-0 9 h4 was preferred in M.Santo Roman-L.Roos, Strasbourg 1992. White is unable to support his centre after 9 ... c5 10 h5 Nf5 11 h6 g6 12 dxc5 bxc5 13 Bd3 Qc6 14 Qf4 Nd7. I prefer Black’s structural edge to White’s vague attacking chances on the kingside. 8 ... 0-0 9 Bd3 Likewise, after 9 Be3 c5! 10 dxc5 Nf5 (White must worry about both ... d5d4 and also ... Nxe3) 11 Bf4 bxc5 12 Bd3 Bb7 13 0-0 Rc8 I once again prefer Black’s structural superiority over White’s kingside prospects. 9 ... c5! You must engineer this break when White plays the d4 and b4 formation. 10 0-0 Or 10 dxc5 bxc5 11 bxc5 Na6 12 Be3 Qc6 13 0-0 Nxc5 14 Ne2 Nxd3 15 cxd3 Ba6 and Black stands no worse. 10 ... Nbc6 10 ... cxd4 11 Ne2 Ba6 12 Nxd4 Bxd3 13 cxd3 Nbc6 also looks fine for

Black. 11 dxc5 bxc5 12 bxc5 The ugly sores that appear in White’s structure are knots on an old tree trunk. I’m tempted to preach a righteous sermon on structural morality. White hopes his piece activity will make up for his ugly structure. 12 ... Nxe5!

This is a good deal for Petrosian, who picks up a key central pawn for a wing pawn and also removes the white bishop-pair from the board. 13 Bxh7+ Kxh7 14 Qh5+ Kg8 15 Qxe5 f6 Black’s centre begins to roll forward and he has full compensation for the pawn. 16 Qe2 After 16 Qd6?! Qxd6 17 cxd6 Nf5 18 Nb5 Rd8 19 Re1 Kf7 the overextended d6-pawn falls. 16 ... Rb8 17 a4 Rb4!? Safer is 17 ... a6 18 Ba3 Nc6. 18 Rd1 Qc6 This removes White’s Qxc4 tricks if Black’s rook moves to that square.

19 Nb5! Ba6?! This move allows White the initiative. Correct was 19 ... Qa6!. 20 Qe1! Re4 21 Qa5! The once cloistered nun pole vaults over the convent’s wall to wild freedom outside. 21 ... Rb8 22 Rb1 Black doesn’t stand worse after 22 Nxa7?! Qb7 23 Nb5 Bxb5 24 axb5 Qxb5. 22 ... Ra8 Petrosian is in some trouble and must contort to save his a-pawn. 23 c3 23 Rb4! maintains White’s advantage. 23 ... Qc8! Intending ... Nc6. 24 c4! Nc6?! 24 ... Rxc4! is a strategic exchange sacrifice similar to what Petrosian played later in the game: 25 Nd6 Nc6 26 Qe1 Qd7 27 Nxc4 Bxc4 28 Rd2 d4 and I actually prefer Black. However, Petrosian’s best course is 24 ... Bxb5! 25 axb5 Rxc4 26 Be3 d4! 27 Bxd4 Nf5 28 Qa1 Nxd4 29 Rxd4 Rxc5. 25 Qd2 Rxc4!!

Petrosian’s play was injected with a strategic clarity, denied to all other chess players, except a few blessed ones. He had a genteel way of generating threats so benevolently on his opponents’ positions, that they felt as threatening as tossed rice falling on a newly married bride and groom. The position abruptly shifts from one Petrosian barely tolerated, to one he loves. One and one don’t always necessarily add up to two on the chess board. Petrosian pulls off one of his patented strategic exchange sacrifices, which is so strategically deep, that even the comp gets confused and mistakenly favours White. Petrosian soon disproves the comp’s theory. 26 Nd6 When an incredibly strong player offers you something of value for ‘free’, be careful, since there are almost certainly some unpleasant strings attached. Something terrible is about to happen, but to whom remains a surprise. I wouldn’t describe White’s trap (which Petrosian deliberately fell for) as one which sparkles with Machiavellian lustre, since White’s advantage proves to be an optical illusion. 26 ... Qd7 27 Nxc4 Bxc4 The comp likes White, which I believe is a misassessment. Black’s position

erects five barriers to the fulfilment of White’s wishes. For the exchange Petrosian obtained: 1. A powerful centre with a passed d-pawn. 2. Domination of the light squares. 3. White has weak pawns on c5 and a4. 4. Black’s position is weakness-free. 5. White’s d6-knight is no longer there. With its absence, White’s position loses all its dynamic potential. 28 Qf4 Threatening a cheapo on c4. 28 ... d4 28 ... Rd8 prevents Qd6 ideas. 29 Qd6 Rd8! Not 29 ... Qxd6? 30 cxd6 Rd8 31 Ba3 when Black is losing. 30 Qxd7 Rxd7 31 f3 e5 32 g4??

Exercise (combination alert): White, probably short of time, played his last move

to prevent Black from playing ... f6-f5, followed by ... e5-e4. What did he miss? Answer: 32 ... Be2 A simple double attack. 33 Re1 Bxf3 Black has a pawn for the exchange and a dominating position. 34 h3 Kf7 35 Kf2 Bd5 36 Bd2 g5! Petrosian freezes White’s kingside pawns. 37 a5 e4 38 a6 Intending Rb7. 38 ... Ne5 Threatening a fork on d3. 39 Kg3 Nd3 40 Red1 This harried rook is sick and tired of the beatings at the hands of his interrogators. 40 ... Nxc5 White’s position is lowered into a pauper’s grave. Another pawn falls. Also worthy of consideration is to simply ignore it and play 40 ... Bc6. 41 Bb4 Ne6 42 Rbc1 0-1 42 ... e3 43 Re1 Be4 44 Rcd1 Rd8 45 Re2 Rb8 46 Be1 Rb3 is zugzwang. If 47 Rc1 Nf4 and Black’s pawns crash through. Game 14 F.Olafsson-T.Petrosian Bled 1961 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 e5 Qd7 5 Qg4 White engages his queen, going for our soft spot on g7. 5 ... f5

Now we see a key purpose of playing our queen out early to d7. Instead, 5 ... Bf8 6 Nf3 b6 reaches positions we already looked at. 6 Qg3 Later we look at 6 Qh5+ and don’t be afraid of 6 exf6?! which gives Black a serious development lead, an open f-file and the potential to dismantle White’s centre after 6 ... Nxf6 7 Qh4 c5. 6 ... b6 7 h4 Alternatively: a) 7 Nh3 Ba6 8 Bxa6 Nxa6 9 Nf4 (threat: Nxe6! and Qxg7) 9 ... Bf8 10 Be3 c5 11 h4 c4!? 12 a4 (he wants to suppress ... b6-b5) 12 ... Nb4 13 Kd2?! (13 Rc1 is correct, after which I planned 13 ... 0-0-0 14 b3 Ne7) 13 ... a6 14 Qh3 Ne7 15 g4!? (this opening has a strange effect on some of your opponents, who will try and blow you away, even though your position is solid) 15 ... fxg4 16 Qxg4 Nf5 17 Qh5+ Qf7 18 Qxf7+ Kxf7 19 Nce2 Nc6 when Black has a structural edge and the possibility of expanding later on the queenside, A.HouseholderC.Lakdawala, San Diego (rapid) 2016. b) 7 a3 Bxc3+ 8 bxc3 transposes to a position we look at in a couple of games’ time.

7 ... Bb7!?

If pushed far enough, Eccentric can travel halfway to Crazy. Modern day theory loves the blind follower. The openings of today’s theory-addicted players sometimes appear (at least to me) as anonymously mundane/identical track houses in the suburbs, where it’s difficult to differentiate one from the other. This was never the case with Petrosian, who was always refreshingly creative, even in the opening stage of a chess game. This is another example of the mirror-King’s Indian formation, which is almost more of a first cousin to the KID more than a French. More normal would be 7 ... Ba6 8 Bxa6 Nxa6 9 Nge2 0-0-0. I think Black stands fine, despite the comp’s usual assessment that White holds a clear advantage, K.Malinovsky-P.Haba, Czech League 2011. 8 Bd3 This is logical now that Black committed his bishop to b7. If Black now plays ... Ba6, he will have lost a full tempo. 8 ... Nc6 9 Nge2 0-0-0 10 Bd2 Nh6 Black isn’t afraid of Bxh6 and in this way he completes his development. 11 a3 Be7! 12 Bb5

Black obtains loads of compensation for the pawn in the line 12 Qxg7 Ng4 13 Bg5 h6 14 Bxe7 Rdg8 15 Qf7 Nd8 16 Qh5 Qxe7. Instead, 12 0-0-0 was seen in A.Marquis-H.Cleguer, France 1976. Here Black’s best move may be 12 ... Nf7. If 13 Qxg7 Bxa3! and unplayable for White is 14 bxa3? Rdg8 15 Qf6 Rg6 16 Nxd5 Rxf6 17 Nxf6 Qe7 as he doesn’t get enough compensation for the queen. 12 ... Rdg8 Petrosian intends to generate kingside play with the plan ... Nf7, ... g7-g6, ... h7-h6 and eventually ... g6-g5. 13 Qd3 My inclination would be to risk 13 Bxh6! gxh6 14 Qf3 a6 15 Bxc6 Qxc6 16 g3 Rg4. I prefer White, since his knights are at least as effective as Black’s inactive bishops, since one of them will perch on f4. Of course, the danger with such a line is that later on the position on the queenside may open and Black’s bishops may take over. My intuition, though, leans in the direction that White’s chances feel slightly stronger. 13 ... Nf7 14 0-0-0 Kb8 15 Nf4 Qc8!

I actually prefer Black after this multipurpose move:

1. Black’s queen is extricated from the pin. 2. Black seizes control over a6, which enables him to play ... a7-a6 at any time now. 3. Black may play ... Ncd8, which not only fortifies e6, but also prepares the ... c7-c5 break. 16 Nce2 Ncd8! 17 Qb3? The queen is out of play on b3 and may later lose time to ... c7-c5 and then ... c5-c4. White should play 17 Be3 a6 18 Ba4 c5 19 Qd2 c4 20 c3 Bc6 21 Bc2 Qd7! 22 f3 Ba4 23 Bxa4 Qxa4 24 Qc2 Qd7 and if Black begins a pawn storm on the queenside, White’s king can run over to the kingside, via d2. 17 ... c6! Forcing the white bishop to the tactically vulnerable d3-square. 18 Bd3 c5! Threats: ... c5-c4, winning a piece, and also ... c5xd4, which undermines White’s support for his e5-pawn. 19 dxc5 No choice, since 19 c4? loses to 19 ... cxd4 20 Nxd4 Nxe5. 19 ... Bxc5?! Black wins a pawn, since f2 and e5 hang simultaneously. Petrosian falls prey to the positional player’s disease (of which I am a lifelong sufferer of this ailment) of playing too safely, which reduces his advantage. He should boldly recapture with his b-pawn with 19 ... bxc5! 20 Ba6 Nxe5 21 Rhe1 Re8 when I don’t think White has enough for the pawn. 20 Nh3?! On one side are life and salvation and, on the other side, death. Olafsson misses an opportunity to go for a dark-square bind with 20 Bc3! which seizes control over d4: for example, 20 ... Bxf2 21 Bd4! (White gives up a second pawn to generate a bind) 21 ... Bxd4 22 Nxd4 Nxe5 23 Rhe1 Nxd3+ 24 Rxd3 Qc4 25 Qb4 Qxb4 26 axb4 Bc8 27 Ndxe6 Re8 28 Rde3 Bxe6 29 Nxe6 Rxe6 30 Rxe6 Nxe6 31 Rxe6 when White stands no worse and will hold the draw. 20 ... Nxe5 21 Bf4 Olafsson isn’t able to add enough firepower to the pin. 21 ... Ndf7 22 Bb5 22 Rhe1 Bd6 is fine for Black. 22 ... Ka8 23 Nd4 Ng6 Now Black’s central pawns begin to roll forward. 24 Qa4?! Necessary to avoid sacrificing a piece unsoundly was the admittedly miserable line 24 Bh2 e5 25 Nf3 Qe6 26 Rhe1 e4.

Exercise (combination alert): How did Petrosian force the decisive win of material? Answer: 24 ... Bxd4 Attraction/double attack. By chopping on d4, Black wins a piece on any recapture with ... e6-e5. 25 Bd7 Even worse is 25 Qxd4?! e5 26 Bxe5 Ngxe5 27 Nf4 Ng6 28 Nxd5 Rd8 29 Qc4 Qxc4 30 Bxc4. One pawn is not enough compensation for a piece with queens off the board. 25 ... Qf8!? After this greedy move, the position suddenly offers White fishing chances for the piece. Petrosian should have returned the piece to force a winning ending with the line 25 ... Qc4! 26 Rxd4 Qxa4 27 Rxa4 e5 28 Bd2 Nd6. 26 Rxd4 White puts up a better fight by confusing the issue with 26 Bxe6! Be5 27 Bxd5 Bxd5 28 Rxd5 Qb8 29 Qc6+ Qb7 30 Qxb7+ Kxb7 31 Bxe5 Kc6! 32 Bxg7

Kxd5 33 Bxh8 Rxh8 34 h5 Nge5 35 Nf4+ Kc6, with a technically won ending for Black. 26 ... e5 27 Rb4 exf4 28 Rxb6 Nfe5 Petrosian calculated the exchange sacrifice on b7 doesn’t work for White. Even more efficient is 28 ... Qc5! 29 Rb5 Qd6 30 Ra5 Nfe5 31 Rxa7+ Kb8 32 Bxf5 Ne7. Black’s king is safe and he consolidates his extra piece. 29 Rxb7! The rook takes on the attitude of an outraged landlord evicting a bad tenant. This sacrificial lunge at Black’s king is White’s only practical prayer. 29 ... Kxb7 30 h5? White can keep fighting after 30 Qb5+ Kc7 31 Be6 Qd6 32 Bxd5! Rb8 33 Qa5+ Kc8 34 Ng5 Qb6 35 Qc3+ Qc7 36 Be6+ Kb7 37 Bd5+ Kb6. As scary as it looks for Black’s king, the comp says he will eventually consolidate and win with the extra rook.

Exercise (planning): It feels as if Black’s kingside is crowded with inefficiency, with all the pieces scrunched up, away from their king, all desperate to

escape the congested ghetto in which they currently live. This is a misassessment. If you find one powerful move, then Black consolidates: Answer: 30 ... Qd6! Defensive move/consolidation. Principle: Centralize your pieces when under attack. Black’s queen provides her king sufficient coverage to avoid mate and perpetual check. 31 hxg6 After 31 Bb5 Ne7 White doesn’t have anything for his missing rook. 31 ... Qxd7 32 Qxf4 Nxg6 0-1 White’s attack is at an end and Black is up a rook. Game 15 S.Bjarnason-L.Roos Copenhagen 1981 1 d4 e6 2 e4 d5 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 e5 Qd7 5 Qg4 f5 6 Qh5+

The idea behind this move is to disrupt Black, by forcing either ... g7-g6, which weakens the kingside dark squares, or a block with ... Qf7, which may later make the displaced queen vulnerable to Ng5 ideas. 6 ... g6 6 ... Qf7 is also possible, but the queen feels awkward on f7, due to potential knight attacks on g5: 7 Qf3 b6 8 a3 Bxc3+ 9 bxc3 Ba6 10 Bxa6 Nxa6 11 c4 c6 12 Nh3 Ne7 13 cxd5 cxd5 14 Ng5 Qg8 was I.Saric-F.Jenni, Novi Sad 2009. I prefer White just a shade after 15 Qh5+ g6 16 Qe2 Nb8 17 h4. 7 Qf3 b6 7 ... Nc6 is Black’s main move, but I really don’t understand why, since it deprives our side of our standard ... b7-b6 and ... Ba6 idea to swap off our bad bishop for White’s good model. 8 Nh3 The knight eyes both g5 and f4. Alternatively: a) 8 h4 h6 (this move is critical for Black, who must meet h4-h5 with ... g6g5) 9 Nh3 (intending to pressure both g6 and e6) 9 ... Ba6 10 Bxa6 Nxa6 11 Qd3 Nb8 12 Bd2 Ne7 13 0-0-0 Bxc3!? (I didn’t want him to play Nce2) 14 Bxc3 c5!? (risky, since Black is way behind in development, yet I didn’t see a way for White to open the game in a meaningful way) 15 dxc5 bxc5 16 Kb1 Nbc6 (I thought too about 16 ... Qc6, intending ... Nd7) 17 Qb5 c4 18 Nf4 Rb8 19 Qc5 Kf7? (I’m sorry to confess that your writer’s tactical qualifications are not as shored up as I would like them to be – sigh; it isn’t easy to go through life playing 2700 strength strategically and 1100 strength tactically – and this is a stupid blitz blunder) 20 f3? (a counter-stupid blunder by my opponent; we both forgot that White had the simple 20 Qxc4!) 20 ... a6? (still overlooking Qxc4) 21 g4? (it was Emanuel Lasker who once said that if you blunder and the other side starts thinking, rather than immediately banging out the refutation, it means that he or she will keep missing the idea in perpetuity) 21 ... Rb5? 22 Qf2? (it was his last chance for 22 Qxc4!) 22 ... Rhb8 23 Ka1 Qb7 24 Rb1 Qb6 25 Qg2?? (Roman overestimates his own attack, while underestimating mine; 25 Qxb6 was necessary) 25 ... d4 (Black will get to b2 before White invades down the g-file) 26 gxf5 gxf5 27 Rhg1 Rg8 28 Qd2 dxc3 0-1, R.Dzindzichashvili-C.Lakdawala Internet (blitz) 2018. b) 8 a3 Bf8 (Black wisely hangs on to his dark-squared bishop, now that White induced kingside weakening earlier with ... g7-g6) 9 b4 (9 h4 should be met with 9 ... Nc6 10 Be3 h6) 9 ... Nc6 10 Nge2 Bb7 11 h4 h6 12 Qg3 Nge7 13 f4 0-0-0. Black doesn’t stand worse and can even play for ideas like ... h6-h5, followed by ... Ng8, ... Nh6 and ... Ng4, E.Formanek-M.Sisniega, Las Vegas 1976.

8 ... Ba6! One of the most difficult aspects to our line is when to play for the ... c7-c5 break, and when to hold back. Riskier and perhaps dubious is the immediate 8 ... c5?! 9 a3 Bxc3+ 10 bxc3 (10 Qxc3 cxd4 11 Qxd4 Nc6 12 Qf4 h6 looks OK for Black) 10 ... Qa4 (playing for ... Ba6 soon) 11 dxc5! (principles: Open the position when leading in development; open the position when you own the bishop-pair) 11 ... bxc5 12 Qe3 Nd7 13 Nf4 Qc6 14 a4! and advantage White, since Ba3 and Bb5 are in the air. 9 Bxa6 Nxa6 10 a3 Bxc3+ 11 bxc3 Nb8 Destination: c4. 12 a4

This cuts out ... Qa4, while leaving open possibilities of Ba3 or a4-a5 later on. Still, there is more to be concerned about, than actually like, in White’s position. The downside of a2-a4 is that Black can fix the pawn on that square and then White’s rook must baby-sit the pawn for a long time to come. 12 ... Nc6 13 Nf4 Na5 14 h4 0-0-0 15 g3 15 h5?! allows 15 ... g5 16 Nd3 h6 when Black benefits from the closing of the kingside.

15 ... Nc4 16 Kf1?! I have a feeling this is the point where White’s game begins to go downhill. Maybe White should have gone for it with 16 a5!. What part of ‘leap of faith’ don’t we understand? If the dictatorial action comes first and due process comes later, the law has broken down. We can be attacked in two ways: 1. Physically. 2. Psychologically. Of the two, the latter is more difficult to perceive. This is a case of number two on the list, where Black sees no immediate threats if we grab the exchange, yet we sense the attack to come later on. Just because we get hit with a Talcentrist idea, doesn’t mean we have to cooperate. As Black, I would decline the sacrifice with 16 ... Ne7! (after 16 ... Nxa5!? 17 Rxa5 bxa5 18 0-0 Qc6 19 Bd2 Ne7 20 Rb1 h6 21 Nd3 it’s difficult to gauge, but it feels like White has full attacking compensation for the sacrificed material) 17 axb6 cxb6. So far, Mars hasn’t attacked. At least not yet. Black can follow up with ... Kb8 and ... Rc8, with a safe king and the preferable structural position, since we apply pressure down the c-file and own a passed a-pawn which may become a thing of value should queens later be removed from the board. 16 ... a5! Preventing a4-a5, while eternally fixing a4 as a target. 17 Kg2 Ne7 18 Nd3 h6 To prevent Bg5. 19 Ba3?! The bishop sits on the wrong diagonal, since it loses control over g5. I don’t see easy improvements though: for example, 19 Qe2 Rdg8 20 Nb2 Qc6 and now if White attempts to halt ... g6-g5 with 21 f4?! Black can play it anyway: 21 ... g5! 22 hxg5 hxg5 23 Rxh8 Rxh8 24 fxg5 Ng6 25 Nd3 Qd7 with a dangerous attack down the h-file. 19 ... g5! Now Black’s king feels absolutely safe, while White’s doesn’t. 20 Qe2?! He should have backtracked with 20 Bc1. 20 ... f4!

Kingside lines open and the days of deferential treatment to White’s king are over. 21 Bxe7 21 h5 Rdf8 22 Kh2 fxg3+ 23 fxg3 Rf7 24 Bxe7 Qxe7 25 Rhf1 Rhf8 also heavily favours Black. 21 ... Qxe7 22 gxf4 Accepting the pawn offer only makes his king position worse. White had to try 22 h5 Rdf8 with an admittedly rotten position. 22 ... gxf4 23 Nxf4 Rhg8+ 24 Kf1 Qf7! 25 Nh5 25 Nd3 Rg7 26 Ne1 Rdg8 27 Rd1 Rg4 28 Rd3 Re4 is a winning attack for Black.

Exercise (combination alert): What is Black’s most efficient method of conducting his attack against White’s king? Answer: 25 ... Nd2+! Removal of the guard. White’s position gravely worsens with knights removed from the board. 26 Qxd2 26 Ke1?? hangs the h5-knight to 26 ... Nf3+ 27 Kd1 Qxh5. 26 ... Qxh5?! An inaccuracy. Black’s attack is far stronger with the more disruptive 26 ... Qf3!. This move seeks to delay, rather than refuse. After 27 Rg1 Rxg1+ 28 Kxg1 Qxh5 29 Kf1 Rf8 30 Re1 Qxh4 31 Qe3 Qh5! 32 Qg3 Kb7 33 Kg2 Qe8! the dual threats of ... Rg8 and ... Qxa4 give Black a won game. 27 Qe2 Rg4 28 Re1?! White puts up greater resistance with 28 Qa6+ Kd7 29 Qb5+ Ke7 30 Ke1 Rg2 31 Qe2 Qf5. 28 ... Rf8 29 Rh3?

Commit enough misdemeanours and they can still add up to a stiff jail sentence. This is a blunder which loses several tempi. 29 Rd1 was necessary. 29 ... Qg6! Threatening mate on g1. 30 Rh1 Rg2 Also possible is 30 ... Rgf4 31 Rg1 Rxf2+! 32 Qxf2 Rxf2+ 33 Kxf2 Qxc2+ 34 Re2 Qxc3 with a technically won ending. 31 Qe3 Qg4! Not allowing White’s king to escape, while seizing control over f3. 32 Re2

Exercise (planning): How did Black force the win? Answer: Transfer the f8-rook to h3, via f3. 32 ... Rf3! 33 Qxh6 Rh3! 0-1 White’s rook has no place to go and is overloaded to the defence of g1. If 34 Rxh3 Rg1 mate.

Game 16 U.Eliseev-V.Fedoseev Moscow 2016 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 e5 Qd7 5 a3

White wants one of two things with this move: 1. Black’s dark-squared bishop. 2. A tempo if Black retreats the bishop. 5 ... Bxc3+ Next game we look at preserving the bishop with 5 ... Bf8. 6 bxc3 b6 7 Qg4 f5 8 Qg3 The queen keeps an eye on g7. Why is this important? Because then Black has trouble developing the g8-knight, since ... Ne7 is met with Qxg7. Next game we look at 8 Qh5+. Instead, 8 exf6?! somehow scores 91 % for White, from six games in my database, yet six games is too small a sample and I confidently tell you the move isn’t so great, since it dissipates White’s central territorial advantage and allows us to develop rapidly: 8 ... Nxf6 9 Qh3?! (four out of six of those games went this way) 9 ... 0-0 10 Nf3 Qa4! 11 Bd3 (11 Ne5

Qxc2 is also terrible for White, since 12 Bd2, intending Bd3 next, is met with the crushing 12 ... Ne4 13 Qe3 Qb2 14 Rc1 Rxf2 15 Be2 Ba6, with a winning position for Black) 11 ... e5 12 Bf5 Bxf5 13 Qxf5 exd4 14 cxd4, Jilin ZhangD.Aketayeva, Yerevan 2006. White lags seriously in development and is in deep trouble after 14 ... Nc6. 8 ... Ba6 9 Bxa6 White chops on a6 to gain time. 9 Bd3 Bxd3 10 cxd3 Nc6 11 Ne2 0-0-0 12 0-0 was preferred in R.Fontaine-L.Roos, French League 1999, when Black can successfully complete kingside development with 12 ... Qf7 intending ... Nge7 next. 9 ... Nxa6

10 Ne2 Threat: Nf4 and Nxe6!, targeting g7. Alternatively: a) 10 Qd3 Nb8 11 a4 Nc6 12 Ne2 Na5 13 h4 Nc4 14 h5 Nh6! 15 Rh3 a5 was W.Watson-R.Vaganian, Saint John 1988. This way Black fixes White’s pawn on a4 as an eternal target and also Black doesn’t need to worry about White’s a4-a5 tricks. I prefer Black, while objectively chances are probably about even. b) 10 a4 Nb8 11 a5 Nc6 12 axb6 cxb6 13 Ne2 Qf7! 14 h4 Nge7 15 h5 h6 16

Nf4 was B.Roselli Mailhe-A.De Dovitiis, Vicente Lopez 2003. Black’s chances are no worse after 16 ... Na5 17 Ba3 Nec6 18 Bd6 Nc4 19 Ng6 Rg8 when his king can either castle long or even play to d7. 10 ... Kf7 This move and 10 ... Nb8 are virtually interchangeable. After 10 ... Nb8 11 Nf4 Black has one good and one bad move: a) 11 ... Nc6? allows the aforementioned trap: 12 Nxe6! Qxe6 13 Qxg7 Qg6 14 Qxh8 Qxg2. My buddy and neighbour IM John Watson analyzed this in the pre-comp days in the 1980’s, concluding that Black obtains compensation. As usual, the fun-hating comps ruined everything and analyzed it to a clear win for White. You can either trust me, or I can show you: 15 Rf1 Qg6 16 h4! 0-0-0 17 Bg5 Rd7 (threat: ... h7-h5 and ... Rh7, trapping White’s queen) 18 Rg1 Nd8 (intending ... Nf7) 19 h5! Qf7 20 Bxd8 Rxd8 21 Rg7! and White wins. b) 11 ... Kf7 12 Qf3 Ne7 13 Qh5+ Kg8 14 h4 Nbc6 15 Rh3 Rf8 16 Rg3 Rf7 17 Nh3 Na5 18 Ng5 Rf8 19 Nh3 Rf7 20 Ng5 Rf8. No need to brew any coffee, since the game is about to end soon. “Draw?” I asked in my meekest voice, hoping my opponent would decline and go berserk attacking my super-fortified king. GM Khachiyan declined, but only played on a few more moves before agreeing: 21 Bd2 Nc4 22 Nh3 Rf7 23 Ng5 Rf8 24 Nh3 ½-½, M.KhachiyanC.Lakdawala, Century City 2002. The cold beauty of Black’s defence probably reminds you of a marble statue ... oh, wait, I already used that line earlier in the book. 11 h4 Ne7 12 Bg5 After 12 h5 h6 (Black prevents the puncture of his kingside dark squares by allowing h5-h6) 13 Qd3 Qa4! Black is about to play ... c7-c5 and apply rook pressure down the c-file, which should make up for White’s coming kingside play with Rg1 and g2-g4, H.Froeyman-M.Hovhannisyan, Ghent 2012. 12 ... c5 This move is new, deviating from 12 ... Rhe8 13 Qd3 Qa4! 14 g4 Kg8 15 Bxe7 Rxe7 16 gxf5 exf5 17 Rg1 c5 18 Rg5 Nc7 19 Rxf5 Ne6 and according to the comp, Black has full compensation for the sacrificed pawn, V.ShnyrevV.Silin, correspondence 2010. 13 h5 Rhc8!

Principle: DON’T follow principles blindly, 100% of the time. Factor in the occasional anomaly and allow your intuition be your guide which tells you when to reject a principle in favour of its violation. Normally in this line we nearly always meet White’s h4-h5 with ... h7-h6 to prevent White’s h5-h6, which punctures our kingside dark squares. The main reason we don’t break the rules too often is that when we do, we fear punishment. In this instance following the norm allows White to seize a clear advantage after 13 ... h6?! 14 Bxe7! Qxe7 15 Qg6+ Kg8 16 Nf4 Nc7 17 Rg1!, when g2-g4 which is coming and Black’s h8-rook is tangled up, unable to develop properly. 14 h6 You can tunnel into a bank and approach its vault, jam packed with money. Yet it does you no good if you lack the vault’s combination or explosives to blow it open. This puncturing of Black’s kingside dark squares nets surprisingly little for White. 14 ... g6 We must eye Black’s punctured dark squares the way a jeweller assesses a slightly flawed, yet still sellable precious stone. This looks terribly scary since we envision a white queen invading f6 in conjunction with White’s knight on g5.

The problem is this plan is too slow and Black’s chances in the following position are at least dynamically even, despite the comp’s tiresome claims at a white edge. 15 Rc1 To cover the c2-pawn in case of Black’s ... c5xd4. 15 ... cxd4 16 cxd4 Rc4

White’s kingside dark-square gains are evenly matched by Black’s lightsquare power on the queenside. 17 Bd2 Nc6 18 c3 Rf8 Multipurpose: 1. It keeps White’s queen out of f6 after Black plays either ... Kg8 or ... Ke8. 2. White’s future g2-g4 is less appetizing now that Black’s rook sits on f8, since Black can open the f-file for his rook and also seize control over the f5square. 19 Ra1 He is a bit worried about his a3-pawn. 19 ... Ke8 Is this an exit? Or is it an entrance to a new adventure? Fedoseev probably

correctly surmises that his king will be safer on this strong wing, the queenside, rather than the kingside. 20 Bg5 Qf7 Making room on d7 for his king. 21 Bf6 This bishop looks terrifying, yet it doesn’t attack anything since Black operates solely on the light squares. 21 ... Kd7 22 Nf4 Rc8 23 Qf3 The attempted promotion ‘combination’ 23 Nxg6? fails to 23 ... Nxd4! 24 Nh8 Nc2+ 25 Kd2 Rxh8 26 Qg7 Rf8! 27 Kxc2 Ke8 when ... Rg8 which is coming and Black has a winning position. 23 ... Nc7 24 a4 Discouraging ... b6-b5. 24 ... b5!

Principle: Create confrontation on your strong wing. Our values are not for sale, to be bartered with. It isn’t good enough to simply sense that your position is good; you also need to take action about it. If you get a strong hunch, then the worst thing you can do is to allow it to ferment for a few moves in a time-

sensitive situation. Black, having fought all his position’s demons, bravely opens the queenside, even though doing so endangers his king. 24 ... Na5 is safer, but then Black doesn’t have much to do. 25 Nd3?! Correct was 25 axb5 Nxb5 26 Ne2 a5 27 0-0 a4, although even here I like Black’s chances. 25 ... b4 Perhaps the optimal way to sacrifice the exchange lies in 25 ... Rxc3! 26 Nc5+ Rxc5 27 dxc5 b4. Black has loads of compensation for the exchange and stands clearly better. 26 Nc5+ Ke8 27 Nb7! Black will lose the exchange when White’s knight reaches d6. 27 ... Qg8?! Black writes off the loss of the exchange as a casualty of war, and does it the wrong way. After 27 ... Qd7! 28 Nd6+ Kf8 29 Rc1 Rb8 30 Nxc4 dxc4 31 Qe2 Na5 32 cxb4 Rxb4 despite White’s extra exchange, I prefer Black’s position due to his dominance of the light squares. 28 Nd6+ Kd7 29 Nxc4 dxc4 30 Qe2 Nd5 31 Qxc4 bxc3 32 0-0 White stands better if he finds 32 Rb1! Rc7 33 0-0 Qc8 34 Rfc1 Nxe5 35 Qe2 Nf7 36 Be5 Rb7 37 Rb5. 32 ... Rc7 33 Rab1 Qc8 34 Rb5 He looks to sacrifice the exchange back on d5. 34 ... Ncb4! 35 Qb3 Rc4 36 a5 c2

Black trusts in the power of his passed c-pawn. Also tempting was 36 ... a6! 37 Rc5 Rxc5 38 dxc5 Qxc5. Black’s passed c-pawn looks too strong to me and I don’t think White can save the game. 37 Bg5 f4 He cuts off White’s bishop from the promotion square on c1. 38 Rc1 Rxd4? Black stands no worse after 38 ... a6! 39 Rb7+ Qxb7 40 Qxc4 Qc6. 39 Qa4! Threatening awful discoveries with his b5-rook. 39 ... Qc6! 39 ... Nc6?? hangs Black’s main asset after 40 Qxc2. 40 Rb7+ Nc7 41 Qxb4? White misassesses the power of Black’s queen, in conjunction with the passed c2-pawn. The comp slightly prefers White after 41 Qa1!. 41 ... Rxb4 42 Rxb4

Exercise (planning): Find one strong move and Black obtains a winning position. 42 ... Qd5!! Answer: Double attack. You need to look very deeply to see it. Answer no.2: Also powerful is 42 ... Nd5! 43 Rb2 Qc3 44 Rcxc2 Qe1+ 45 Kh2 Qxe5 White’s bishop falls. 46 Rb7+ Kd6 47 Bh4 Qh5! when White is busted. 43 Bxf4 Na6! 44 Rb2 44 Ra4 loses material to 44 ... Nc5 45 Ra3 Nd3. 44 ... Qd1+ 45 Kh2 Qd4! And there it is: White’s bishop and b2-rook hang simultaneously and the position is a technical win for Black from this point. 46 Rcxc2 The really deep part of Black’s assessment comes in the line 46 Rb7+, which fails to save White after 46 ... Kc6 47 Rf7 Qxf2 48 Rf6 Nc5 49 Bg5 Qe2. There is no defence to an eventual ... Nd3 or ... Nb3.

46 ... Qxf4+ 47 g3 Qe4 47 ... Qf3! is stronger. 48 Re2 Qa8!? A move in harmony with the philosophy: out of sight, out of mind. He worries unnecessarily about a rook invasion along his back rank. Stronger was the more natural 48 ... Qf3!. 49 Red2+ Ke7 50 Rdc2 g5! This powerful defensive move offers the black king refuge on g6. 51 Rc4 Kf7 52 Rd2 Qb7 Covering rook invasion to d7. 53 Rd6?!

Exercise: White’s last move was a mistake in an already poor position. How can Black win material? Answer: 53 ... Qb2! Attacking the f2-pawn since both Black’s knight and a7-pawn are tactically covered.

54 Kg1 Instead, 54 Rxa6?? Qxf2+ 55 Kh1 Qf1+ pops a rook, while if 54 Rd7+ Kg6 55 Rxa7?? Qxf2+ and the a7-rook falls. 54 ... Qa1+ 55 Kg2 Qxe5 56 Rd7+ This must be infuriating for White, who can’t take Black’s knight: 56 Rxa6?? Qd5+ picks up the c4-rook. 56 ... Kg6 57 Rc8 57 Rxa7?? still hangs a rook to 57 ... Qd5+. 57 ... Nc5 Principle: Queen and knight often make a deadly attacking team against a relatively unprotected king. 58 Rxa7 Qe4+ 59 Kf1 Nd3 60 Rf8 Qh1+ 61 Ke2 Nc1+ 62 Kd2

Exercise (calculation): Force either the win of one of White’s rooks, or mate! Answer: 62 ... Qd5+! Double attack. One of White’s rooks is about to fall, no matter where the

white king moves. 63 Ke1 Black queen and knight just won’t leave the white king alone. White’s king is in that annoying situation where you find yourself at the expensive and fancy restaurant, where you take a sip of water and then two waiters fight each other for the privilege of filling your already full glass to the very top. After 63 Kxc1 Qc5+ and Black gets his choice of which rook to chop. 63 ... Qe4+! 0-1 64 Kd1 (or 64 Kf1 Qh1 mate) 64 ... Qd4+ wins the a7-rook, although even simpler was 63 ... Qd3! , which forces mate after 64 Rg7+ Kh5 65 g4+ Kh4. Game 17 A.Costello-C.Lakdawala San Diego (rapid) 2016 1 e4 e6 Thank goodness for the French. When I was a kid, the Najdorf Sicilian and I had a bitter falling out when I foolishly attempted to imitate the great Bobby F’s handling of it. Instead of love, I received only beatings and betrayal. Then I met my beloved French Defence and I have stuck with her for five decades. Any time I play a gifted junior, I run into the comforting arms of the French’s blocked positions, since gifted youths (my opponent was then a 13-year-old master) tend to excel in open tactical positions. 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 e5 Qd7 5 a3 Bf8

The only difference between the 5 Qg4 Bf8 positions and this one is that White’s Qg4 has been replaced with a2-a3, which comes with plusses and minuses: 1. With a queen on g4 White ties Black to defence of g7 and, temporarily at least, prevents Black from developing the f8-bishop (which already moved twice to return to its home square). 2. White’s queen is a hostile force and may be a precursor to a future kingside attack. 3. White’s queen can be interpreted by our side as a target, since she is vulnerable to ... Nh6, ... f7-f5 and ... h7-h5 tempo gains in the future. 4. With a2-a3 effectively a free tempo, White need not fear future ... Nb4 or ... Bb4 ideas. 5. If White castles queenside, then he or she may regret tossing in a2-a3, since it gives Black a sacrificial target, as well as providing a hook to open lines with a future ... b4 pawn break. Conclusion: a2-a3 is neither better nor worse than 5 Qg4 and which to prefer as White is simply a matter of taste. 6 f4!?

A warning for the reader: Even though the f2-f4 push isn’t so popular at the GM level, you get it all the time at the club level, since it looks natural. Keep in mind that when you study a new opening from a book, video or database, it’s someone else’s experience, not yours. My young opponent, so deadly in open tactical positions, finds himself out of his realm of expertise in such a position. The trouble with White’s strategy: 1. The push of the f-pawn hampers White’s own dark-squared bishop’s mobility. 2. White’s intended f4-f5-break is by no means easy, since Black can line up tremendous defensive barriers against it, with ... h7-h5 followed by ... Nh6 and ... g7-g6. These forces, in conjunction with Black’s queen on d7, create a formidable obstacle to White’s intended break. 3. Remember that Black usually plays an eventual ... Ba6, which means the removal of White’s light-squared bishop, who was needed on d3 or h3 to help facilitate the f4-f5 break, making it even less likely for White. 6 Nf3 is White’s main continuation and after 6 ... b6 7 Bb5 c6 8 Ba4 Ba6 9 Ne2 Bb5 (this way Black either swaps bishops or achieves the ... c6-c5 break) 10 Bb3 c5 11 c3 Nc6 12 0-0 Nge7 13 Re1 Bxe2 14 Rxe2 c4 (it’s logical to switch the structure to light squares since Black swapped away his bishop of that colour) 15 Bc2 b5 it will be a battle between White’s kingside play and Black’s on the queenside, S.Atalik-M.Gurevich, New York 1998. 6 ... b6 7 b4!? He attempts to suppress Black’s ... c7-c5 break. Instead, after 7 Nf3 Ne7 8 Be3 h5 9 Qd2 c6 10 b4 Ba6 11 Bxa6 Nxa6 12 0-0 Nf5 13 Bf2 Be7 14 Qd3 Nc7 15 Ne2 a5 16 bxa5?! (he should play 16 c3) 16 ... Rxa5 17 Be1 Ra6 (Black owns the clearly better structure, as well as the better bishop) 18 g3 c5 I took over the initiative, J.Humphrey-C.Lakdawala, San Diego (rapid) 2016. 7 ... c6!?

A new move, but not a new idea in the position which seeks to swap off light-squared bishops with ... Ba6, without fear of White’s block with b4-b5. I considered 7 ... c5!?, but then got nervous about 8 f5!?. The comp thinks Black is fine after 8 ... exf5 9 bxc5 bxc5 10 Bb5 Nc6 11 Nge2, but I wouldn’t feel comfortable here with Black’s development lag, with the game opening up. Instead, 7 ... Ne7 8 Nf3 c6!? (well, I guess my idea wasn’t so new after all, since this game precedes mine by six years) 9 Be3 Ba6 10 Bxa6 Nxa6 11 0-0 Nf5 12 Bf2 was S.Rocha-K.Stupak, Khanty-Mansiysk Olympiad 2010. Black looks OK to me after 12 ... h5. 8 b5!? My opponent is obsessed with preventing ... Ba6. 8 ... a6! This move ensures that my queenside pieces will develop harmoniously. 8 ... cxb5 is OK, but then after 9 Nxb5 I am unable to swap away my light-squared bishop. 9 bxc6 Nxc6 The c-file has opened and I’m looking at future ... Na5 ideas where I can work the c4-square, while pressuring with a rook down the half-open file.

10 Nf3 Nge7 11 Bd3 h5 This move discourages g2-g4 and then f4-f5, and also it allows my knight to sit on f5 without fear of getting it kicked by White’s g-pawn. 12 0-0 g6 13 Be3 Na5 14 a4 He suppresses ... b6-b5 and perhaps hopes to make a target of my b-pawn down the open file. 14 ... Qc7 15 Ne2 Nc4

16 Bxc4!? It’s obviously risky for him to hand over his good bishop. White may have been better off giving up the other one by playing 16 Bc1 Nf5 (threatening a fork on e3) 17 Qe1 Nce3 18 Bxe3 Nxe3 19 Rf2 Nc4 (19 ... Nxc2?? hangs a piece to the simple pin 20 Qc1) 20 Qc3 Bb7. The comp calls it even here. 16 ... dxc4!? I was tempted to open the d5-square and also the a8-h1-diagonal for my buried light-squared bishop. The price I paid is that now White’s knights are given access to e4. The alternative is to go for 16 ... Nf5 17 Bc1 Qxc4, giving Black an edge. 17 Nc3

Fighting for d5, while planning to post on e4. 17 ... Bb7 18 Ng5 His knights jump into the newly-opened e4-square. 18 ... Nd5 The alternative is 18 ... Nf5 19 Bf2 Bb4 20 Nce4 Be7. 19 Nxd5 Bxd5 20 c3 Be7 21 Qe2 Qc6 Keeping tabs over the e4-square, as well as increasing the pressure on g2. 22 Bd2 After 22 Bc1 b5! 23 Ba3 b4! 24 Bxb4 Bxb4 25 cxb4 Rb8 26 Rfb1 0-0 White won’t be able to hang on to his extra pawn and Black’s king is safe. If 27 g4 Qb6 28 gxh5 f6! 29 Nf3 fxe5 30 Nxe5 Rxf4 31 Qe3 Qxd4 32 Qxd4 Rxd4 33 hxg6 c3 34 Rc1 Rd2! when White is busted. 22 ... Kf8 Black needs the rook on the h-file rather than f8, in case White goes bonkers with a g2-g4 thrust. 23 Rfe1 He wants his knight on e4. 23 ... Kg7 24 Ne4 b5 25 Nd6?!

We sense in White a mounting desperation, where he will either fight his way out, or commit suicide. Alex trusts too much in the drawing power of the bishops of opposite colours and gives away two pawns to reach what he believes is a drawish ending. 25 Nf6! is a better way to do it. I would just ignore the knight and proceed on the queenside. 25 ... bxa4 26 Bc1 Bxd6 I must take the knight now, before he gets his bishop to a3. 27 exd6 Qxd6 28 Qe5+? The queen is the faith healer who inadvertently takes on the affliction of the person she attempts to cure. My opponent revels in exactly what he can’t and shouldn’t do. This is a misassessment since the resulting ending is lost. He should keep queens on with 28 Rxa4. 28 ... Qxe5 29 fxe5 Rhb8!? The human move. I give away my front extra a-pawn to gain time and seize an initiative on the queenside. The comp prefers to take the material route with 29 ... Bc6 30 Ba3 Rab8 31 Kf2 Rb3 32 Rec1 h4 33 Ra2 Rh5!, with a winning position for Black. 30 Rxa4 Rb3 Going after his base of his pawn chain on c3. 31 Ra3 a5 Principle: Passed pawns must be pushed. 32 Rxb3!? Man, I love playing kids in the ending. He will not be able to blockade my two passed pawns forever. He was better off with a waiting strategy with 32 Kf2. 32 ... cxb3 33 Bb2 a4

Those two queenside passers force me to quote Joe Cocker: “You (both) are so beautiful, to me.” 34 Ra1 34 Ba3 Rc8 35 Rc1 g5 36 Kf2 Kg6 37 g3 Kf5 38 Ke3 Kg4 39 Kf2 Kh3 40 Kg1 Rb8! 41 Rb1 h4 is hopelessly lost for White. 34 ... Kf8! My king needs to be on b5 to free my rook for use on the other side of the board. 35 Ba3+ Ke8 36 g3 Kd7 37 Rf1 Ke8 Fine. I will protect f7. 38 Kf2 Rc8 39 Rc1 Be4! This way f7 will be shielded with ... Bf5. 40 Ke3 Bc2 41 Kd2 Kd7 42 Rf1 Bf5 43 h4 Rc4 44 Bb2 Kc6 45 Ra1 Kb5 46 Ra3 White rook and bishop are the two senile grandmothers left out of the conversation at the family gathering. They exist, yet to those around here, they are invisible. We witness their spectacular fall from grace, since they both essentially have been demoted to the function of pawns.

46 ... Rc8 47 Ra1 Ra8 48 Ke2 Kc4 49 Kd2 Be4 50 Ke3 Bc6 51 Kd2

Exercise (planning): White’s pieces are dazed survivors of a plane crash, grievously injured but not yet dead. What is Black’s simplest way of breaking into White’s fortress? Answer: Open lines via the temporary sacrifice of the g-pawn and later the f7-pawn 51 ... g5! Principle: It takes money to make money. Answer no.2: Also winning is 51 ... Rg8! 52 Rf1 g5!. 52 hxg5 Rg8 The rook’s hungry eyes feast upon White’s doubled g-pawns, both of which will fall. 53 Rf1 After 53 Rg1 Rxg5 54 Ba3 h4 55 g4 h3 Black’s h-pawn costs White his rook. 53 ... Rxg5 54 Rxf7 Rxg3 55 Rc7 Rg2+ 56 Kc1

56 ... Kd3 The c6-bishop doesn’t require protection since Black threatens mate. 57 Kb1 Rg1+ 58 Bc1 a3! 0-1 Game 18 A.Drei-P.Vezzosi Reggio Emilia 1999 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 e5 Qd7 5 Qg4 f5 6 Qg3 b6 7 a3 Bxc3+ 8 Qxc3!?

Well, this teaching isn’t exactly drawn by a predetermined syllabus. If we think about the fact that there are many mushrooms and berries which can kill us if we eat them in the forest, then we understand that ‘natural’ doesn’t always equate to good. Most masters and above almost always recapture with the bpawn. I wanted to add a game with 8. Qxc3, since it is seen at club level. White wants to preserve his structure, even if it means loss of the initiative and a waste of time. The move is playable, but I see several problems with it since signs of rot appear behind an otherwise affluent facade: 1. The queen is not well placed on c3, since at some point Black may try and open the c-file with ... c7-c5. This means that White loses two tempi to preserve his or her pawn structure. 2. By moving the queen from the g-file, it allows Black to easily develop the kingside forces with ... Ne7 next. 8 ... Ne7 Black’s most accurate move in my opinion, since he immediately takes advantage of the white queen’s absence from g3 to develop his kingside, as White’s queen no longer covers g7. 9 a4

9 h4 is nothing to worry about, as in R.Trubetskoi-J.Kuzmin, Estonia 2002. Here I would just castle: 9 ... 0-0 10 h5 c5! (principle: Create confrontation when lagging in development) 11 h6 (11 dxc5 is met with 11 ... d4) 11 ... cxd4 12 Qxd4 g6 when ... Ba6 is coming and I don’t believe Black stands worse. 9 ... Ba6 10 Bxa6

10 Ne2 looks artificial since White is unable to dodge a swap of lightsquared bishops forever: 10 ... 0-0 11 b3?! c5! 12 dxc5 Rc8 13 Ba3!? (man, this is greedy!) 13 ... bxc5 14 Bxc5, V.Fedoseev-E.Pakhomov, Peterhof 2009. I don’t like White’s game after 14 ... Qe8 intending ... Nd7. 10 ... Nxa6 11 Ne2 11 a5 doesn’t bother Black after 11 ... 0-0 12 axb6 axb6. 11 ... c5 12 a5 Qb5! This is an attempt to make it difficult for White to castle. I already slightly prefer Black. 13 axb6 axb6 14 Qf3 In order for White to castle. The problem is that White has wasted a load of time and still remains behind in development. 14 Nf4?! is overly ambitious: 14 ... Kf7 15 Qd3 Qxd3 16 Nxd3 Nc6! And White’s centre collapses.

14 ... 0-0 15 0-0 Nc6 Also possible is to apply the principle: Create confrontation when leading in development, with 15 ... Nb4! 16 Rxa8 Rxa8 17 Nf4 Nxc2 18 Nxe6 Qc6 19 Qc3 Qxe6 20 Qxc2 cxd4 21 Bd2 Qxe5; while Black’s extra doubled d-pawns are ugly, at least they are extra. 16 Nc3?! White takes his eye off d4. 16 Be3 was necessary to contain Black’s edge. 16 ... Qc4 17 dxc5 Nxc5 18 Rxa8 Rxa8 19 b3 Or 19 Qe2 b5 when ... b4 is coming and White finds himself under strong strategic pressure on the queenside. 19 ... Qd4 The human move. White’s e5-pawn falls. The comp prefers 19 ... Qg4! 20 Qxg4 fxg4 21 Bb2 Nb4 22 Rc1 d4 23 Nd1 d3 and White’s position on the queenside is a mess. 20 Bb2 20 Re1 is met with 20 ... Ra1! 21 Bd2 Rxe1+ 22 Bxe1 Qxe5, with a clean extra pawn. 20 ... Qxe5

21 Na4! Qc7 With 21 ... Qd6! 22 Nxb6 Ra2 23 Rb1 Qd8! 24 Na4 Nxa4 25 bxa4 Rxa4 Black regains the temporarily sacrificed pawn with a winning position. 22 Nxc5?! White can regain the lost pawn with 22 Qe3! Qd6 23 Nxb6 Ra2 24 Rb1 Ne4. Black may still stand better, but at least material remains even. 22 ... bxc5 23 Re1 Qd6 Everyone is secure and Black is up a pawn with the superior position. 24 Qc3 Threatening a cheapo on g7. 24 g4!? also looks rather desperate. 24 ... d4 25 Qc4 Kf7 After 25 ... Qd5! 26 Rxe6 Qxc4 27 bxc4 Nb4 White is busted. 26 Qe2 Ne7?! This retreat may offer White some play. 26 ... Ra2 was indicated. 27 Bc1?! White missed 27 b4! cxb4 28 Bxd4!, freeing his bishop. 27 ... Nd5 28 Bg5 Nc3 29 Qh5+ Kg8 30 g3 e5 It was wiser to seize the h1-a8 diagonal first with 30 ... Qd5!. 31 Qf3 Rf8 Also promising is to sacrifice the f-pawn with 31 ... e4!? 32 Qxf5 Rf8 33 Qh3 d3 34 cxd3 exd3(threat: ... d3-d2) 35 Qe6+ Qxe6 36 Rxe6 Rb8. 32 Qd3 If we see trouble arising in our position, the worst thing we can do is to sit by passively and watch it fester. This feels planless. White should stop dancing attendance to Black’s whims and activate with 32 Qb7! (with ideas of Be7) 32 ... Re8 33 Ra1. 32 ... h6 33 Qc4+ Kh7 34 Bc1 Intending Ba3. 34 ... e4 34 ... Ra8! prevents Ba3 and snuffs out counterplay. 35 Ba3 Rc8 36 b4

A certain way of attracting thieves is to openly display your wealth. This move is clearly White’s best practical try, yet the comps say it’s weak if Black finds the correct response.

Exercise (planning): White looks upon Black’s c5-pawn the way a malnourished cheetah looks upon an obese impala walking along the savannah. Black hopes to exploit the pin of Black’s c5-pawn. This surmise is off the mark. Do you see a powerful idea which combats it? 36 ... Qd5?! White’s death sentence is commuted for now. Black still stands better after this, but much stronger was a strategic exchange sacrifice. Answer: 36 ... cxb4!! (keep in mind the things we force change upon, change us as well; Black’s passed a-pawn will paralyze White) 37 Qxc8 bxa3 38 Qxf5+ Qg6 39 Qd7 (39 Qxg6+ Kxg6 40 Ra1 a2 41 Kf1 Kf5 42 h3 g5 43 Ke1 g4 44 h4 e3 45 fxe3 dxe3 46 Kf1 Ke4 47 Kg2 h5 is zugzwang; Black’s king enters via f3 and eats White’s kingside pawns) 39 ... Qf6 40 Qa7 a2 41 Qa3 d3 42 cxd3 exd3 43 Qb3 Qc6 when White is paralyzed by Black’s passers and knight.

37 Qxd5 Nxd5 38 bxc5 Nc7 Intending ... Ne6 and ... Nxc5. 39 Rb1 39 f3! allows White to activate his king after 39 ... e3 40 Kf1. 39 ... Ne6 40 Rb5 Kg6 41 Kf1 Kf6 42 Ke1 g5 Perhaps contemplating ... f5-f4, ... f4-f3 and ... e4-e3. 43 h3 This is played so that Black’s king doesn’t slip easily into White’s kingside. 43 ... h5 44 Kd2 f4 45 Rb6 Ke5 46 gxf4+ gxf4 47 c6 Nc7 48 Bb2 Kd5 49 Rb4 Ne6 50 Rb5+ Kc4 There was no reason to hand over the h-pawn just yet. After 50 ... Nc5! 51 Rb4 e3+ 52 Ke2 Ne6 53 Rb5+ Kxc6 54 Rxh5 f3+! 55 Ke1 (55 Kxf3 Rf8+ wins) 55 ... Rg8 White can resign. 51 Rxh5 Rxc6 52 Re5 e3+ 53 fxe3 dxe3+ 54 Kc1 Rb6 55 Re4+ Alternatively, 55 Ba1 Nc5 56 Rf5 Nd3+! 57 cxd3+ Kxd3 58 Rd5+ Ke2 and Black’s advanced passers will win. 55 ... Kd5 56 Re5+ Kd6 57 Re4



Exercise (combination alert): Black missed a way to end the game right here. What was it? 57 ... Rb5 Answer: Deflection/removal of the guard: 57 ... Rxb2! 58 Kxb2 Kd5 (White’s rook is kicked off the e-file) 59 Ra4 e2 60 Ra1 f3 forces promotion. 58 c4 Rf5 Principle: Place your rook behind your passed pawn. 59 Ba3+ Kd7 60 Kd1 f3 61 Ke1 White’s king continues to beg for money, a square meal and bus fare. In such positions we become ashamed of our powerlessness, but 61 Rxe3 f2 costs White a rook after 62 Re1 fxe1Q+.

Exercise (planning): The attainment of Black’s hopes is not some faraway place. Black’s pawns require a little help in promoting. How?

Answer: 61 ... Nf4! 0-1 62 h4 (62 Rxe3 Ng2+ 63 Kf2 Nxe3 is a full rook since 64 Kxe3 is met with 64 ... f2) 62 ... Nd3+ 63 Kf1 Re5 64 Rxe5 Nxe5 65 Bc1 e2+ forces promotion. Game 19 C.Milton-C.Lakdawala San Diego (rapid) 2008 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 e5 Qd7 5 Nf3

5 Nf3 is kind of a neutral, default move used mainly by those who don’t know much theory about Petrosian’s Variation of the Winawer. 5 ... b6 6 Bd2 White’s most logical move. Instead, after 6 a3 Bxc3+ 7 bxc3 Qa4! 8 Bd3 Ba6 Black stood at least equal in M.Ondrejat-S.Pestov, Brno 2004. 6 ... Ne7 I’m waiting for his light-squared bishop to move in order to gain a tempo with ... Ba6. 7 Bd3

7 Ne2 is logical, since White swaps away Black’s good bishop, as we saw in note ‘c’ to White’s 5th move in Game 8. 7 ... Ba6 8 Qe2!?

This move is new in the position. Previously, 8 Bxa6 Nxa6 9 Qe2 Nb8 10 00 Bxc3! (this is a good way to create an imbalance to play for a win) 11 Bxc3 c5 12 a4 Nbc6 left the game dynamically balanced in A.Fejzullahu-B.Kelly, European Club Cup, Saint Vincent 2005. 8 ... Bxd3 9 cxd3 With this recapture White opens the c-file for a rook and realizes that Black will play ... c7-c5 sooner or later, undoubling his d-pawns. 9 ... c5 I choose sooner. 10 0-0 0-0 11 dxc5 11 a3 Bxc3 12 Bxc3 (or 12 bxc3 Rc8 intending ... c5-c4, which creates a hole on c4 for White) 12 ... Rc8 also looks fine for Black. 11 ... bxc5 12 a3 Bxc3 12 ... Ba5? allows the cheapo 13 Nxd5!, winning a pawn. 13 bxc3

After 13 Bxc3 Nbc6 14 Rac1 Rab8 15 d4 c4 16 h4 I prefer Black’s long-term structural chances over White’s vague kingside attacking ambitions. 13 ... Nbc6 14 d4?!

This move is in violation of two Principles: 1. Don’t fix your pawns on the same colour as your remaining bishop. 2. Don’t voluntarily create holes, which White does on the c4-square. Instead, 14 Be3 d4 15 cxd4 cxd4 16 Bd2 is approximately even according to the comp, while I slightly prefer Black. 14 ... Na5! I offer my c5-pawn to seize control over the c4-hole. 15 h4!? If you cry “Wolf!” too many times, then when the real wolf arrives, nobody is going to listen to you. If on one side there is a good looking, seductive lie and, on the other, a homely truth, guess which one we are tempted to take? White hopes to generate kingside play, yet this looks more like a gesture of attack than the actual thing since White chances are gravely reduced with the removal of light-squared bishops. I expected 15 dxc5 Rfb8 16 Be3 Nc4 17 Ra2 (covering against ... Rb2) 17 ... Rb7 18 Bd4 Rab8 when Black generates mounting

queenside pressure for the sacrificed pawn. 15 ... Rab8 16 Bg5?! He wants to provoke ... h7-h6, while I interpreted it as a free tempo. Once again I would have played 16 dxc5. 16 ... h6 17 Be3 cxd4 18 cxd4 18 Nxd4 Nc4 leaves White with weak a- and c-pawns. 18 ... Qb5! He has a bad bishop and a weak a-pawn, so I felt that a queen swap was logical. 19 Qxb5 No better is to back down with 19 Qd1. A move made with the thought: If your business fails to turn a profit, then give it some time, rather than shutting it down right away. After 19 ... Nf5 20 Rb1 Qc4 21 Rc1 Nxe3 22 fxe3 Qb3 23 Qe1 Nc4 24 Rc3 Qa2 25 Rf2 Rb2 26 Rxb2 Qxb2 27 Qc1 Rb8 White is just as tied up in this position as he is in the game. 19 ... Rxb5

Wars don’t end on the battlefield. The occupation is just as difficult as winning the war. Black has the clearly better ending for the following reasons:

1. White is stuck with a bad bishop. 2. White’s weak a- and d-pawns could become targets. 3. Black will control the b-file since his rook on b5 can be backed up on b8 with the other one. On the other hand, White is unable to occupy the c-file since Black will block access into his position with ... Nc4. 20 g4!? Now the flaws to White’s structure is acne sticking to a teenager’s face. After this move White’s overextension is too mired in strategic debt to pry himself free. The cost of weakening exceeds his need to keep my knight out of f5. Marginally better is 20 Bd2 Nec6! 21 Bb4! Rc8 22 Rac1 Nc4 23 Bc5 Rb3 with increasing pressure for Black. 20 ... Nc4 21 Bf4 f6! Logical, since now there is a pile-up of white pieces along the f-file. 22 a4 Rb4! X-raying the weak points on d4 and g4. 23 Bg3 Nc6 24 exf6 Rxf6 25 Kg2

Exercise (combination alert): Remove a single brick and the entire structure

is in danger of collapse. How can Black win a pawn? Answer: 25 ... Rxf3! Removal of the guard/attraction/knight fork. The temporary sacrifice of the exchange wins a pawn. 26 Kxf3 Nd2+ 27 Kg2 Nxf1 28 Kxf1 Nxd4 Now I will utter the chess writer’s greatest cliché: And the rest is technique. Not only is Black up a pawn, but White’s a- and g-pawns are also weak. 29 Bd6 Rc4 30 Rb1 Nc6 Also winning is 30 ... Rxa4 31 Rb7 Nf3. 31 a5 Desperation. 31 ... Nxa5 32 Rb8+ Kh7 33 Re8 After 33 f3 h5! 34 gxh5 Rxh4 35 Re8 Rxh5 36 Rxe6 Rh6 rooks come off the board and Black wins. 33 ... Rxg4 34 Rxe6 34 Bc7 Nc4 35 Rxe6 a5 36 Ra6 Rxh4 37 Bxa5 Nxa5 38 Rxa5 d4 is an easy technical win for Black. 34 ... Rg6!

The removal of rooks from the board forces immediate resignation. 35 Rxg6 Hey, I said: “ ... forces immediate resignation!” 35 ... Kxg6 0-1 OK, that’s better. Now he resigned. Game 20 M.Welin-E.Berg Swedish League 2012 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 e5 Qd7 5 Bd2

With this move White intends to accomplish the following: 1. This is the ‘I-won’t-allow-you-to-double-my-pawns’ plan. 2.White preserves his structure while leaving the option open to play a future Nce2. When this move is played Black has a choice of swapping away our good dark-squared bishop, or backing off to f8, losing time. 5 ... b6 6 Bb5 White utilizes the now familiar mechanism to dodge the swap of lightsquared bishops, at the cost of losing time. Alternatively: a) 6 Nf3 Ne7 7 Ne2 Bxd2+ 8 Qxd2 Ba6 transposes once again to the Psakhis-Short note from Game 8. b) 6 a3 Bxc3 (to my mind this is more logical than the more often played retreat to f8) 7 Bxc3 Ba6 8 Bxa6 Nxa6 9 Qg4 f5 10 Qh5+ Qf7 11 Qe2 Nb8 12 Nh3 Ne7 and Black stands at least equal, E.Doluhanova-J.Maiko, Kharkov 2005. c) 6 Qg4 f5 7 Qg3 Ba6 8 Bxa6 Nxa6 9 Nge2 Bxc3! 10 Bxc3 c5 11 0-0 Qf7 when Black completes development with ... Ne7 next, J.Gallagher-A.Huss, Swiss Championship 1995. d) 6 Nce2 Bxd2+ 7 Qxd2 Ba6 and I prefer Black’s position, M.BartelK.Stupak, Warsaw 2012.

6 ... c6 7 Ba4 a5

Threat: ... b6-b5 and ... a5-a4, winning a piece. 8 a3 Bxc3 9 Bxc3 Ba6 10 Qg4 Instead, 10 Ne2 Ne7 11 0-0 0-0 12 Re1 was D.Lampe-M.Willsch, Osterroenfeld 1996. Here I would play 12 ... Qc7 13 Nf4 c5 with equal chances. 10 ... f5 11 Qh5+ After 11 exf6 Nxf6 12 Qh4 0-0 13 Nf3 Qd6 14 Bd2 Ne4 15 Ng5 Nxg5 16 Bxg5 c5! White doesn’t win material with 17 Be7 due to 17 ... Qf4 18 Qxf4 Rxf4 (c5 is safe due to White’s loose bishop on a4) 19 f3 b5 20 Bb3 cxd4. White has compensation for the pawn, since it will probably be won back, but no advantage. Likewise, 11 Qg3 Qf7 intending ... Ne7 next is fine for Black, H.StefanssonV.Topalov, Arnhem 1989. 11 ... Qf7! 11 ... g6?! is dangerous this time due to 12 Qg5 Qf7 13 h4. Black’s weakened kingside dark squares are a source of concern. 12 Qf3 12 Qxf7+ Kxf7 is an equal ending.

12 ... Ne7 13 Bd2

This move is new and not a particularly good one, since it weakens White’s control over d4. White may want to play c2-c3 and then re-route his bishop, but to where? Black has a pawn wall on f5. I feel that Black has comfortably equalized for the following reasons. 1. Black’s ... c6-c5 break is far easier to achieve than White’s possibly undesirable g2-g4 break. 2. White’s bishop-pair doesn’t do him much good in this blocked position. Previously, after 13 Ne2 0-0 14 0-0 Rc8 15 b4 the players agreed to an early draw in this dynamically balanced position, J.Nunn-I.Rogers, Biel 1986. 13 ... 0-0 14 h4 He wants to place his knight on f4, via h3. In this way White avoids ... Bxe2. 14 ... c5 15 Nh3 White ignores d4, since it’s tactically covered. Instead, 15 dxc5 bxc5 16 Nh3 (threat: Ng5 and h4-h5, winning Black’s e6-pawn) 16 ... Nec6! looks fine for Black, whose position I prefer. 15 ... Nec6! Avoiding the trap 15 ... cxd4?? 16 Ng5 Qg6 17 h5 Qh6 18 Nf7 when Black’s

queen is a gober. 16 dxc5 b5 Berg decides to sacrifice a pawn for piece play, but 16 ... Nxe5! is in Black’s favour after 17 Qc3 Ned7 18 cxb6 Nxb6 19 Qxa5 Nxa4 20 Qxa4 Rc8 21 0-0-0 Nc6. White’s king will never be safe with those open queenside lines. 17 Ng5?! 17 Bb3 keeps White’s inferiority to a minimum. 17 ... Qe8 GM Berg misses another opportunity with 17 ... Nxe5! 18 Qf4 Qf6 19 Bc3 Nbc6 20 Bb3 d4!, which is in Black’s favour. 18 Bb3 Nd4 There goes White’s bishop-pair. 19 Qf4 Nbc6 20 Be3?! And this move loses the initiative. White should play 20 Nf3. 20 ... Nxb3 21 cxb3 b4!

Activating Black’s light-squared bishop, while preventing kingside castling. Black stands clearly better and it’s actually difficult to clearly identify the point where White went wrong.

22 Bd4 bxa3 Black wants to make a target of b3 down the newly-opened b-file. 23 bxa3 Rb8 24 Rb1 Bd3 24 ... Qe7! 25 Kd2 Rb7 looks pretty rough on White. 25 Rb2 Be4! A seasoned bazaar haggler makes a shrewd counter-offer well above what his product is actually worth. This move cuts off the white queen’s connection to the now loose d4-bishop and entices White to exchange knight for bishop – a bad bargain – which greatly enhances Black’s attacking chances by opening the ffile. 26 Nxe4? He should cut his losses with 26 Be3 d4 27 Bd2 Bd5 28 0-0. 26 ... fxe4 27 Qd2 Qg6! 28 Rh2 Also hopeless is 28 0-0 Rf3 29 Be3 d4 30 Bg5 Rfxb3.

Exercise: Black has as many as three winning continuations here. Find one. Answer: 28 ... Qg4!

Answer no.2: Even more crushing is to reverse the order with 28 ... e3! 29 Qxe3 Qg4! 30 Rd2 Rf4! with dual threats on d4 and e4. Answer no.3: 28 ... Rf3! also works. Black threatens ... Rd3!, and if 29 gxf3 (29 Be3 d4 30 Bg5 Rfxb3 wins) 29 ... Qg1+ 30 Ke2 exf3+ 31 Kd3 Qxh2 32 Kc2 Qxh4 with a completely winning position for Black. 29 Qe3 Rf3?! It doesn’t help your cause if you are simultaneously focused/misguided. This is way past infatuation. It’s obvious that GM Berg is a man in love with his own attack. The move feels mistimed. Correct was 29 ... Nxd4! 30 Qxd4 Qf4! (if White plays g2-g3, then Black traps the h2-rook with ... Qc1+ and ... Qg1) 31 Rh3 Qc1+ 32 Ke2 Rbc8, winning the c-pawn, since White can’t afford 33 b4 axb4 34 axb4 Ra8 when his king is left to fend for itself, with dwindling defensive resources. 30 gxf3 exf3? This exchange sacrifice offers White survival chances. Black retains the advantage with 30 ... Qg1+! 31 Kd2 Qxh2 32 fxe4 Rf8. White’s position requires time to heal and time is not with him, since Black simply generates too many threats. 31 Kd2 Nxd4 32 Rh1 White stands no worse if he found 32 Rh3!. 32 ... Nf5 33 Qd3 Qg2 34 Qf1 Qg4 After 34 ... Nd4 35 Qxg2! fxg2 36 Rd1 Nf3+ 37 Ke3 g1Q 38 Rxg1 Nxg1 39 b4 axb4 40 axb4 those two queenside passers are rather scary from Black’s perspective. 35 Qd3 Qg2 36 Qf1 This is essentially a draw offer. 36 ... Nxh4

No draw! 37 Rb1 White stands no worse if he makes use of his main asset: his passed c-pawn with 37 c6! Ng6 38 Qxg2 fxg2 39 Rg1 Nxe5 40 c7 Rc8 41 Rxg2 Rxc7 42 Ke3 Kf7. Black has two pawns for the exchange in this dynamically balanced ending. 37 ... Qg5+ 38 Kc2 Ng6 38 ... Nf5 avoids White’s next move. 39 Qh3! With a double attack on h7 and e6. 39 ... Nf8?! After this passive move, White stands better. Black should boldly go for 39 ... Nf4! 40 Qxh7+ Kf7 41 Rbg1 Qxe5 42 Re1 Ne2 43 Qh5+ Qxh5 44 Rxh5 with a completely muddled ending which the comp calls dead even. 40 Qh5! White took his GM opponent’s most vicious punches and still remains vertical within the ring. This is even stronger than chopping on f3. 40 ... Qe7 Black, of course, can’t afford a queen swap since White will create two

queenside passers and win the ending easily. 40 ... Qf4?? 41 Rh4 forces a queen swap. 41 b4 White now stands better, yet from a practical perspective his position isn’t so easy to navigate, due to his perpetually insecure king position. 41 ... Qa7! 42 Qxf3 axb4 43 axb4

43 ... Ng6 In such crazy positions the person with sight in only one eye is capable of ruling a kingdom of the blind. The text is probably inaccurate. Black has better chances to muck it up with 43 ... Qa4+ 44 Qb3 Qb5 45 Kd2 Ng6. 44 Ra1! White seizes control over the a-file, preventing Black’s queen from infiltrating. 44 ... Qd7 45 Rhe1?! 45 Qh5! keeps control over the position since Black is forced to retreat passively with 45 ... Nf8. 45 ... Rf8?! Black may not even stand worse if he found 45 ... Ne7! which amplifies his

counterplay’s intensity, with both ... d5-d4 and ... Nc6 in the air. 46 Qe2 After 46 Qd3! Rxf2+ 47 Kb3 White’s queenside pawns begin to march. 46 ... Rf4? This misplaces the rook, when it should be in a more defensive posture. He should try 46 ... Rb8. 47 Ra8+! Nf8 Forced in view of 47 ... Kf7?? 48 Rea1 Ne7 49 R1a7 Qc6 50 Qh5+ g6 51 Qxh7 mate. 48 Kb3?! 48 Qd2! gives White a winning position. 48 ... Qb7 49 Qd2?? White may still have a technically winning position after 49 Ra4!, although from a practical perspective his position still remains difficult to play.

Exercise (calculation): Up until now Welin clung to an advantage with the tenacity of moss around an oak tree. White, perhaps fatigued by long defence against Black’s pressure, just made an awful oversight. What did he miss?

Answer: 49 ... Rf3+ 0-1 At this point I’m pretty certain that Welin’s face was a study in disgust, since he played so well throughout the game, only to throw it away on a silly blunder. White’s disoriented king and a8-rook now have the appearance of a pair of insomniac owls, who woke up at noon. Game 21 J.Balares-C.Lakdawala San Diego (rapid) 2009 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 e5 Qd7 5 Bd3

You may ask, if Black is going to play ... b7-b6 and ... Ba6, then why did White move the light-squared bishop? Well, White’s reasoning is he doesn’t ever plan to play Bxa6. Instead he leaves the bishop where it sits on d3 and when Black exchanges bishops, he will recapture with the c2-pawn, which disallows Black’s pieces from using c4. 5 ... b6 6 Nf3 Ba6 7 0-0 c5

Possible too is 7 ... Bxd3 8 Qxd3!? (8 cxd3 Bxc3 9 bxc3 Ne7 10 Ba3 0-0 11 Rb1 h6 12 Qd2 Rc8 looks OK for Black) 8 ... c5 9 a3 Bxc3 10 bxc3 cxd4 11 cxd4 Nc6 12 a4 Nge7 13 Ba3 h6 14 Kh1 0-0 15 g4!? f6 when Black had loads of counterplay against White’s risky attack down the g-file, P.Moe-E.Berg, Sagstua 2010. 8 a3 Bxc3 9 bxc3 Qa4!

By now you should be familiar with this idea, which halts White’s a4 and Ba3. 10 Be3 I thought he might try a lunge against my king with 10 Ng5 Bxd3 11 Qxd3 Nc6 12 Qf3?! Nh6 when f7 which is well defended, while White’s centre is under-supported. 10 ... Nd7 Supporting c5, while preparing a future ... Rc8. 11 Qd2 Ne7 12 Rfb1 This indicates that he has pretty much given up on the idea of attacking my king on the other side of the board ... 12 ... Rc8 13 h4

... Or maybe not! Instead, 13 dxc5 bxc5 14 Bf4 0-0 15 h4 Rb8 16 Re1 c4! 17 Be2 Rb2 18 Nd4 Ng6 would have been unclear. 13 ... Bxd3 14 cxd3 If 14 Qxd3 h6 and I will castle, unafraid of his attack. 14 ... 0-0 15 h5 cxd4 16 Bxd4 After 16 cxd4 Qc2 17 Qb4 Nf5 White has nothing better than to swap down into a slightly inferior ending with 18 Qd2. 16 ... Nf5 17 Rb4 Qc6 18 Qg5?! This looks like a waste of time since it hands Black ... h7-h6 for free. 18 a4 looks better. 18 ... h6 19 Qf4?

Exercise (combination alert): White’s last move hung a pawn. How? 19 ... Qc7? Much more annoying than not seeing a combination is to see it and then reject it for some irrational/paranoid reason. I saw the pawn grab: Answer: 19 ... Nxd4! 20 cxd4 Qc3 (double attack) 21 Rbb1 Qxd3 and I have

no explanation why I chickened out, other than the onset of senility. White lacks compensation for the missing pawn. 20 Re1 f6 Black needs a central counter, despite the weakening of the e6-pawn. 21 Qg4 fxe5 22 Nxe5 Nxd4 23 cxd4 Nxe5 24 dxe5!? Now the pressure is off my e6-pawn. I expected 24 Rxe5 Qc1+ 25 Kh2 Rce8 when White must avoid 26 Rxe6?! Qc8 27 Rg6 Qxg4 28 Rxg4 Rxf2 with a tough ending for White due to his numerous pawn weaknesses. 24 ... Rf5 25 Qe2 Qf7?! When we repeat past negative patterns, why do we not experience a warning déjà vu? Your writer at times tends to be both wishy and washy. Simpler is 25 ... Rcf8! 26 f3 Qc3 27 Ra4 Rxh5. White is losing since 28 Rxa7? is met with 28 ... Qd4+! 29 Qe3 Qh4 30 Rf1 d4 31 Qe2 Qh2+ 32 Kf2 Rg5 33 Rg1 Rxe5, with a winning position. 26 Rh4 Qe7! With a double attack on h4 and a3. 27 Rb4 If 27 Ra4 Rcf8 28 Rf1 b5 and White must avoid 29 Ra6? Qh4 with a strong attack. 27 ... Qg5 Black keeps shifting from one white pawn target to another. 28 g4!? A country can suffer a non-military defeat at the hands of a foreign power, when it is goaded into a rash foreign policy. I didn’t think White could survive this weakening of his king, although 28 Ra4 Rcf8 29 Rf1 Rxe5 also looks lost for White. 28 ... Rcf8 29 Rf1 Also lost is 29 Qe3 Rxf2 30 Qxg5 hxg5 31 Ra4 R2f4. 29 ... Rxe5 30 Qc2

Exercise (planning): Work out a forced win for Black: 30 ... Ref5?! The missile is armed, but not yet targeted. I wander aimlessly with my clock dangerously low. Answer: I can completely drive White’s rook off its coverage of g4, starting with 30 ... a5! (removal of the guard) 31 Ra4 b5 32 Rd4 Qf6 33 Qd2 Rg5 34 Qe3 e5 and White must either hand over a rook or allow mate. 31 Kg2?! 31 Qe2 wouldn’t have saved him, but was still better than the move he played. 31 ... e5? Could it be that my normally astounding Sherlockian powers of observation may have let me down just a tad that day? Sigh. It’s a near certainty that generations in the future (as well as the present) won’t be singing praises to my tactical awareness. In time pressure I missed the same idea as in the exercise above with 31 ... a5! (removal of the guard) 32 Rd4 e5 33 Ra4 b5, running the

rook off the fourth rank. 32 Qb3

32 ... Rd8?! Come on man, get it together and wake up! How foolish to squander an already ripened opportunity. The position’s complexity level isn’t as blinding as our own self-deception. There was no reason to fall back on defence. Black’s last move was a demotion on par with a person who begins work as a secretary of a giant corporation, works her way up to CEO and then she leaves and gets a job at another corporation as a junior secretary. There is no logical reason for all this vagrancy and loitering in Black’s camp. Much stronger was to take decisive action with 32 ... e4! (interference) 33 dxe4 Qxg4+ 34 Qg3 Qxg3+ 35 Kxg3 Rg5+ 36 Kh2 Rxh5+ 37 Kg3 Rg5+ 38 Kh2 dxe4 39 Rxe4 Rf3 and Black easily wins the rook and pawn ending. 33 f3 Rf4 34 Rb5?! 34 Rxf4 keeps his king much safer. 34 ... Rd4 35 Qc2 Qe3 White’s scrawny king has no chance against the advances of Black’s heavily muscled queen, who also carried the girth of Queen Victoria and fat Vegas Elvis,

put together. 36 Rf2 Rxd3 37 Qc7 Rf8 38 Qe7 e4 0-1 There is no escape from a prison which has more guards than inmates. White’s king has no chance.

Chapter Three The Tarrasch 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nd2

The Tarrasch is my worst scoring line against French since White doesn’t play fair, as in Chapters One and Two, by taking on pawn weakness in exchange for attacking chances. The Tarrasch may well be White’s safest French, other than the much despised Exchange line, which we look at later. I have tried everything against Tarrasch, from taking on the isolani as Black, to 3 ... Nf6, to 3 ... Nc6 Guimard lines and in my heart never felt confident I could completely equalize as Black. Then I started playing the 4 ... Qxd5 lines (which we examine in depth in a couple of games’ time), and my results dramatically rose. To this day I still can’t find even a trace of an edge for White in this version if Black plays correctly. If the 4 ... Qxd5 line contains within it a flaw for Black, then it is its drawish nature. I find it difficult to beat lower-rated players with it. But when you have the black pieces, we can’t expect to start the game with an

advantage either, so for me it’s the best line Black has at our disposal. Game 22 M.Tscharotschkin-S.Volkov Dubai 2009 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nd2 c5 4 c3

This line is growing in popularity at club level, but I don’t really see why. White takes on an inferior version of an isolani position where he or she must waste several tempi with the d2-knight. Next game we look at a line where White maintains central tension with 4 Ngf3 and then later we cover our main line with 4 exd5 Qxd5. 4 ... cxd4 I suggest we take the simple – and to my mind best – route with 4 ... cxd4, rather than look at 4 ... Nc6. 5 cxd4 dxe4 We immediately hand our opponent an inferior version of an isolani position, where White scores a rather poor 41.6% in my database, which is well below

average. 6 Nxe4 Bb4+ We gain a free tempo, while forcing White’s knight to retreat. 7 Nc3 7 Bd2?! is a dubious pawn sacrifice: 7 ... Qxd4 and White doesn’t have full compensation for the pawn after 8 Nc3 Nf6 9 Nf3 Qd8. 7 ... Nf6 Note that Black is actually ahead in development, since White moved the b1knight three times to get to c3. 8 Nf3

Each side’s plan defines the other’s intent. White wants to eventually generate a kingside attack, using the isolani as a launching pad, while Black seeks to survive the attack and beat White with his superior structure in a late middlegame or ending. Instead, 8 Bd3 0-0 9 Nge2 is a passive set-up for White, who is lucky to escape with equality: for example, 9 ... Nc6 10 0-0 Be7 11 a3 b6 12 Be3 Bb7 when I prefer Black’s game, Wu Wenjin-Xu Jun, Udaipur 2000. 8 ... 0-0 9 Bd3

This is the best square for the bishop. 9 Bc4 can be met with 9 ... Qc7 10 Qb3 Bxc3+! 11 bxc3 Nc6 (threat: ... Na5) 12 Be2 b6 13 0-0 Bb7 when Black stands better since White is liable to get blockaded on the c4-square, starting with ... Na5. 9 ... b6 Black logically fights for control over the d5-square, while developing his light-squared bishop. 10 0-0 Bb7 11 Qe2 Clearing d1-for a rook. After 11 Bg5 Nbd7 12 Rc1 Rc8 13 Re1 Re8 14 Bh4 Nf8 15 Bb5 Re7 16 a3 Bxc3 17 bxc3 Ng6 18 Bg3 Ne4 19 Qb3 Nxg3 20 hxg3 Rec7 Korchnoi equalized and began pounding away at White’s hanging pawns, Z.Lanka-V.Korchnoi, Val Maubuee 1990. 11 ... Nc6

One of the key decisions in the position is: should we post our knight on c6 or d7. Both are fully playable. Here are some of the differences: 1. On c6, Black’s knight increases direct pressure on White’s d4 isolani. 2. On c6, Black’s knight has access to the d5 blockade square, via either e7 or b4.

3. On c6, Black’s knight can fight to blockade the c4-square, via a5, in case ... Bxc3 and b2xc3 have been tossed in. 4. On c6, Black’s knight may help out its king as a defender, via e7 and g6. 5. On d7, Black’s knight negates White’s Bg5 pin on our f6-knight. 6. On d7, Black’s knight doesn’t obstruct the b7-bishop, which means greater control over the d5-square. 7. On d7, Black’s knight can slip over to the kingside for defence of its king, via f8 and g6. 8. On d7, the c-file isn’t blocked for Black’s a8-rook, so after ... Rc8, Black increases the pressure on the c3-knight, threatening to win a pawn with ... Bxc3. Conclusion: The arguments for the c6- and d7-squares are equally strong and it’s simply a matter of taste which square you prefer for your b8-knight. Here is an example of the knight being placed on the d7-square: 11 ... Nbd7 12 Bg5 Rc8 13 Ne5?! (correct is to accept an equal position with 13 Rac1 h6 14 Bh4 Be7) 13 ... Bxc3 14 bxc3 Nxe5! 15 dxe5 Qd5 (in this way Black slips out of the pin by threatening mate on g2) 16 f4 Rxc3 17 Rad1 Ne4 18 Be7 Qd4+ 19 Kh1 Rfc8 and Black won a clean pawn in A.Ivanova-I.Gerasimov, Vladimir 2008. 20 Bb5 is met with 20 ... Qe3 21 Qxe3 Rxe3 22 Rd7 a6 23 Rxb7 axb5 24 Rxb6 h6 25 Rxb5 Rc2 when Black threatens to double rooks on the seventh and White is the one fighting for the draw. 12 Rd1 Now d4 is tactically covered. 12 ... Ne7 This is one of the key elements of placing your knight on c6: it can slip into e7 and from there, either to d5 or g6. 13 Bg5 Ng6 14 h4!? As every manufacturer understands: it’s important to build a high-quality product, at as low a cost to the consumer as possible. But what about the cost to the manufacturer himself? I don’t know whether to interpret this move as a hostile gesture or simply a weakening move. Far safer is 14 Rac1 Be7 15 Bxf6 Bxf6 16 Be4 Bxe4 17 Qxe4 Rc8 and if White tries to bail out with the liquidating 18 d5 exd5 19 Rxd5 Qc7, Black can still play for a win, due to the imbalance of the dark-squared bishop versus a white knight. 14 ... Be7?! Correct was 14 ... Bxc3 15 bxc3 Qc7 16 Bxf6 gxf6 17 Qe3 Rad8 18 Rac1 Kg7. The comp calls it dead even, while I like Black’s chances.

Exercise (combination alert): Black’s natural last move is shockingly, a serious inaccuracy, since it allows White a chance to seize a powerful initiative. How? 15 Ne5?! White has to act at once, or else his opportunity evaporates. Now Black stands better. Answer: White missed his chance to upset a strong GM with 15 d5!!. Line opening. Radical change is a malleable entity, within which can be planted seeds of both future benefit or harm. In this instance the comp’s backs up this unlikely move with exact variations, all which favour White: a) 15 ... Nxd5?? 16 Bxg6 hxg6 17 Nxd5 Bxg5 (17 ... Bxd5 18 Bxe7 Bxf3 19 Rxd8 Bxe2 20 Rxf8+ Rxf8 21 Bxf8 wins the exchange) 18 Nc3! and White wins a piece. b) 15 ... Bxd5 16 Nxd5 Nxd5 17 Bxg6 Bxg5 18 Bxh7+! (zwischenzug) 18 ... Kxh7 19 Nxg5+ Kg8 20 Qe4 g6 Forced. 21 Nxe6! Qe7 22 Rxd5 Qxe6 23 Qxe6

fxe6 24 Rd6 with an extra pawn in the rook ending. c) 15 ... exd5 16 h5 Ng4 17 hxg6 Bxg5 18 gxh7+ Kh8 19 Bf5 Nh6 20 Be4! Re8 21 Qc2! dxe4! 22 Rxd8 Bxd8 when Black has some, but not enough compensation for the queen. 15 ... Nd5 Principle: Swaps benefit the side with the isolani. Now all that Black needs to do is to see that the trains run on time and everything is back in order. 16 Nxg6 Another swap. I would have embraced the anti-free trade argument with 16 Qg4 Rc8. 16 ... hxg6 17 Bxe7?! Why do we not moderate our decisions according to the law of cause and effect, so that our past negative karma doesn’t catch up to us? The lesson isn’t yet learned. White keeps violating the isolani/no swap principle. Taking on a dynamic isolani position and then swapping at every opportunity is the equivalent of hiring a pious person to pray for you, since you feel in your heart that if you do it, the deity won’t listen. Once again preferable was 17 Qg4. 17 ... Qxe7 Threat: ... Nf3, which induces White into swapping once again. 18 Nxd5 Here we go again. 18 Qg4 wasn’t much of an improvement though, as Black stands clearly better. 18 ... Bxd5 19 Qg4 Rad8 Black’s simple plan is to pile up on the isolani and win it. 20 h5 g5!? Simpler was 20 ... gxh5 21 Qxh5 g6 22 Qe5 Qh4 and then just pile up on the isolani. 21 f4?! Now the structural disparity becomes unbridgeable. This move weakens White’s king more than it does Black’s. Correct was 21 Re1. 21 ... gxf4 22 Rf1?! White can minimize his disadvantage with 22 Qxf4 f5.

Exercise (planning): How can Black disrupt White’s position? Answer: 22 ... f3! Simply push the f4-pawn to f3, after which White’s structure is a wreck. 23 gxf3 Qf6 Black has three pawn targets, his king is completely safe and White’s is the opposite. 24 b3 Bb7! Attacking d4, while clearing d5 for rook entry. 25 Rad1 Rd5! 0-1 The rook lift close captions the white king’s future pain. We are reminded of the scriptural admonition: “For unto everyone that hath shall be given and he shall have in abundance. But from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.” Game 23 G.Papp-N.Vitiugov

Karlsruhe 2017 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nd2 c5 4 Ngf3 4 exd5 Qxd5 is White’s most direct method of ensuring either the 4 ... Qxd5 lines or the 4 ... e6xd5 isolani lines, which we don’t cover in this book. 4 ... cxd4 5 Nxd4

Instead, 5 exd5 Qxd5 transposes us into the positions we look at next. 5 ... Nc6 I prefer the direct challenge to d4 over 5 ... Nf6. 6 Bb5 Note too the line 6 Nxc6 bxc6 7 Bd3 Nf6 8 0-0 Be7 9 b3 0-0 10 Bb2 a5! 11 a4 Ba6 when Black removes a potent White attacker with this exchange. Following 12 Bxa6 (12 c4 dodges the swap at the cost of weakening his queenside pawns and creating a hole on b4: 12 ... Bb4 13 exd5 cxd5 14 Nf3 Qe7 15 Ne5 Bb7 and Black stands at least equal) 12 ... Rxa6 13 Qe2 Ra8 14 Rad1 Qb6 15 Kh1 Rad8 (this feels more natural than the 15 ... Rfe8 of E.Perez Pastora-C.Cruz, Barcelona 2014, since with a rook on f8, Black can play for ... f7-f6, should White push his e-pawn to e5) 16 e5 (16 f4 Qb4 will probably

induce Black to push his e-pawn to e5) 16 ... Nd7 17 f4 c5 18 f5?! (this move is in violation of the Principle: Don’t allow your opponent to open the centre when attacking on the wing; I prefer 18 Rf3) 18 ... exf5 19 Rxf5, as in V.MalakhovWang Hao, Ningbo 2010, Black’s king is safe and he stands better after 19 ... Qg6. 6 ... Bd7 7 Nxc6 White would rather lose a tempo than lose his light-squared bishop: 7 Bxc6 bxc6 8 0-0 Bd6 9 Re1 Ne7 10 e5 Bc7 11 N2b3 0-0 12 Bg5 h6 13 Bh4 Bb6 14 a4 a5 15 Qg4 Qe8!. Black stands better since White’s attack isn’t dangerous while Black owns the bishop-pair, with ... c6-c5 to come and then ... Nf5, O.ZakharovK.Weber, correspondence 2008. 7 ... bxc6 8 Bd3 Qc7 I slightly prefer this move order to 8 ... Bd6, since in the ... Qc7 line we don’t lose a tempo on our d6-bishop when White pushes with e4-e5 after 9 Qe2 Ne7 10 Nf3 Ng6 11 e5. 9 Qe2 Or 9 c4 Nf6 10 0-0 Bd6 (making it more difficult for White to achieve f2-f4) 11 h3 (sharper is 11 g3 0-0 12 f4!? e5! 13 f5 Bc8! 14 Qe2 Bb7 15 g4 h6 16 h4 Nh7 17 Nf3 dxe4 18 Bxe4 Nf6, but White’s game feels overextended) 11 ... 0-0 12 Re1 dxe4 13 Bxe4, J.Nunn-S.Webb, Birmingham 1975. Black looks fine after 13 ... Rfe8 14 Bc2 c5, intending ... Bc6 next. 9 ... Ne7

One thing to remember is in this line the g8-knight’s most harmonious post is g6, via e7. 10 Nf3 Ng6

Now ... Nf4 is in the air. 11 e5 White wedges his e-pawn to the fifth rank, while preventing ... Nf4. On 11 00 avoid an immediate ... Nf4, since this would compromise our development. Instead, play 11 ... Bd6 12 Re1 and here I like the rarely played 12 ... f6! which puts an end to White’s e4-e5 intention: 13 c4 d4! 14 Nxd4 Bxh2+ 15 Kh1 Be5 16 Nf3 Bd6 17 Be3 c5 and Black’s control over the central dark squares means that he stood no worse, A.Albesa-V.Orlov, correspondence 2009. 11 ... c5 Now ... c5-c4 is the strategic threat. Likewise, after 11 ... Rb8 12 c3 Be7 13 h4 f6! (Principle: Counter in the centre when attacked on the wing) 14 Bxg6+ hxg6 15 Bf4 f5 16 Bg5 Bxg5 17 Nxg5 c5 White’s position isn’t as good as it looks since his knight, while pretty, doesn’t do much of anything on g5, while Black can play on the queenside. The comp slightly prefers Black, V.MalakhovT.Gharamian, Mali Losinj 2017. 12 c4 12 h4?! is met by 12 ... c4 13 Bxg6 hxg6 with an edge for Black due to his queenside potential.

12 ... dxc4! Principle: Meet a (coming) wing attack with a central counter. Instead: a) 12 ... Be7 13 h4 0-0?! 14 h5 Nh8 15 Ng5 favours White. b) 12 ... d4?! (it’s tempting to grab a protected passed pawn, but this move actually inhibits Black’s central counterplay) 13 h4 and I prefer White’s game. 13 Bxc4 Rb8 14 0-0 Be7

15 b3 The idea is to back up the e5-pawn with a fianchetto and then attack on the kingside. After 15 Re1 Bc6 16 Bd3 0-0 (16 ... Rb4!? is possible too) 17 Be4 Rfd8 18 Bxc6 Qxc6 19 b3, as in W.Wilke-A.Kashlinskaya, Dortmund 2017, Black stands slightly better if she plays 19 ... a5! intending ... a5-a4. 15 ... Bc6 16 Bb2 0-0 17 Ne1 Intending f2-f4. This move feels unnatural, but I don’t really blame him since I can’t even find a clear path to equality for White at this point: for example, 17 Rfd1 Nf4 18 Qe3 Nd5 19 Qe2 a5! and Black already stands better. 17 ... Rfd8 Missing 17 ... Nh4! 18 f4 Rfd8 and White’s problem is that his rooks are unable to connect.

18 f4 Nh4! Now White must contort to connect his rooks. 19 Bd3? As ugly as it looks, White had to try 19 Nf3 Nxf3+ 20 gxf3 g6. It won’t be all that easy for Black to exploit White’s pawn weakness.

Exercise (planning): White intends Be4, but there are problems with this plan. White’s last move is a mistake which allows Black two strong continuations. Find one of them: Answer: 19 ... Qa5! White is virtually in zugzwang and must hand over a pawn. Answer no.2: Even stronger is 19 ... c4!! (line opening) 20 Bxc4 Qa5! (threat: ... Rd2) 21 Bc1 (21 Rf2 is strongly met with 21 ... Bc5) 21 ... Bc5+ 22 Be3 and now Black has the killing shot 22 ... Rd2! 23 Qxd2 Qxd2 24 Bxc5 Nxg2 25 Rf2 Qc3, winning. 20 Rc1!

The only move, otherwise ... c5-c4 hits White hard. 20 ... Qxa2 21 Bc4 Threat: Ra1, trapping Black’s queen. 21 ... Bd5! 22 Rc2 Bxc4 Also possible is 22 ... Rxb3! 23 Bxb3 Qxb3. Black has a winning position, with two pawns for the exchange, the bishop-pair and a dominating position. 23 bxc4 Rb3 24 Bd4 He wants to transfer the bishop to f2 to eject or swap away Black’s annoying knight. 24 ... Qa6 25 Bf2 Nf5 26 Ra2 Qb7 27 Nf3 Nd4!

This move creates a deadly passed pawn which ties White down. 28 Bxd4 Not any better is 28 Nxd4 cxd4 29 h3 d3 and White is busted. 28 ... cxd4 29 Rd1 d3 Principle: Passed pawns should be pushed. 30 Qf1 Bc5+ 31 Kh1 Rb2 Eliminating White’s only active piece. 32 Rxb2 Qxb2 33 Ne1

After 33 Rxd3?? Rxd3 34 Qxd3?? Qc1+ White gets back ranked. 33 ... d2! 34 Nd3 Or 34 Nf3 Be3 35 Qe2 (35 Nxd2 Qc2! is hopeless for White) 35 ... Qc2 when Black simply pushes his a-pawn down the board. 34 ... Qd4 35 Rxd2 Qxc4

Now White is tangled in multiple pins. 36 h3 Be3 37 Rd1 g6 38 g3 Qc2! 39 Nf2 There is nothing better. 39 ... Rxd1 40 Nxd1 Bd4! Now White’s knight is out of squares. 41 Qf3 Qd2! 0-1 Zugzwang. After 42 h4 a5 43 h5 gxh5 44 g4 Qe1+ 45 Kg2 Qg1+ 46 Kh3 Qxg4+ 47 Qxg4+ hxg4+ 48 Kxg4 a4 Black promotes. Game 24 Y.Zherebukh-V.Akobian US Championship, Saint Louis 2017

1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nd2 c5 4 exd5 Qxd5 General Wesley Clark said recently about Donald Trump’s acceptance of North Korea/Kim Jong Un’s de-nuclearization talks: “It would be like a chess game where you first move a pawn and then immediately bring out your queen. You usually don’t do that.” I guess General Clark isn’t familiar with the Scandinavian, or this line of the French either. Black’s early queen move violates the Principle: Don’t bring out your queen early in the game, yet in this case the violation is justified/mitigated by several factors:

1. This recapture with the queen avoids an isolani position by avoiding the ... exd5 lines, although it doesn’t exactly strike us as one filled with Napoleonic ambition. 2. White’s knight is already committed to d2, so there is no normal Nc3, as we see in the Scandinavian. 3. Bc4 is possible, but so what? White’s bishop hits a pawn wall on e6. Also, it may be vulnerable to a future ... a7-a6 and ... b7-b5, as well as ... Rc8. So the bishop may be better placed on d3 or e2, but then is it really a tempo loss for Black?

For most open game-challenged French players, the airing out of central pawns normally arrives with the throb of chronic pain in the bones from an alteration in the weather. This open position is an exception and for some reason we of the French clan don’t get slaughtered, despite the fact that the game is opened, maybe because there remains a controlled, strategic quality to this particular open position. 5 dxc5!? 5 Ngf3 is White’s main move, which we look at next. 5 ... Nf6 It may seem odd that we can capture on c5 with our bishop, but refuse to do so. That is because Black plans to recapture with the queen instead, for the following reasons: 1. Black’s queen is exposed to attack by white minor pieces on d5. So by playing ... Qxc5, it allows her to slip away to c7, our intended destination, where she will be safe. 2. Black’s dark-squared bishop will probably be needed on e7, or perhaps d6. So by taking on c5, the bishop, in an odd way, actually wastes time. 5 ... Bxc5 6 Ngf3 Nf6 7 Bc4 Qc6 transposes to the note to Black’s 6th move, below. 6 Ngf3 Alternatively: a) 6 b4?? would be a gift from the heavens, since 6 ... Qe5+ picks off White’s a1-rook. b) 6 Nb3!? (White tries to hang on to the c5-pawn at the cost of losing time) 6 ... Qxd1+ 7 Kxd1 Bd7 (at some point Black can play ... Bc6 and ... Nbd7, adding heat to c5) 8 f3 Be7 9 Na5 Bc6 10 Be3 Nbd7 11 c3 Bxc5 12 Bxc5 when the players agreed to a draw in this even ending, V.Potkin-N.Vitiugov, KhantyMansiysk 2011. 6 ... Qxc5

As mentioned earlier, this unnatural move makes sense since Black will want his dark-squared bishop on e7 or d6 and his queen on c7. 6 ... Bxc5 is, of course, playable as well: 7 Bc4 Qc6 8 Qe2 (threatening a cheapo on b5) 8 ... 0-0 9 0-0 a6 10 Bd3 Nbd7 11 c3, C.Balogh-Le Quang Liem, Saint Louis 2012. Black achieves equality with 11 ... b6. 7 Bd3 There is no reason to develop the bishop to c4, now that Black’s queen no longer resides on d5. 7 ... Nbd7 Here d7 is better than c6 for the knight, for the following reasons: 1. On d7, the knight reinforces the f6-knight against Bg5 and Bxf6 ideas from White. 2. On d7 the knight doesn’t block the black queen’s access to c7. 3. On d7, the knight may later harass White’s light-squared bishop with ... Nc5. 8 0-0 After 8 Qe2 Qc7 9 Nb3 Be7 10 0-0 0-0 11 a4 b6 12 Re1 Bb7 13 a5 bxa5! 14 Nfd4 (not 14 Nxa5? Bxf3! and White must recapture with the pawn, otherwise ...

Bb4 wins material) 14 ... Nc5 15 Nxa5 Nxd3 16 Qxd3 Kramnik picked up the bishop-pair and his position already looked slightly better, Hou YifanV.Kramnik, Medias (rapid) 2016. 8 ... Qc7

This is the third queen move out of eight by Black’s crazy queen, who strikes us as that lonely old woman who takes in stray cats, naming them after long dead, cherished family members. White, though, isn’t in a position to seriously exploit the development lead, despite the semi-open nature of the position. Why is this? Because Black’s formation is ultra solid and can only be torn apart by some kind of piece sacrifice, which really doesn’t exist. 9 Qe2 Black also develops smoothly after 9 Re1 Be7 10 Ne4 b6 11 Nxf6+ Nxf6 12 Ne5 0-0 13 Qf3 Bd6! 14 Qg3 (not 14 Qxa8? Bb7 15 Qxa7 Ra8 16 Qxa8+ Bxa8 when White’s king will soon be under fire from virtually every black piece, which points in his direction) 14 ... Bb7 15 Bh6? (15 Bd2 is correct) 15 ... Nh5! 16 Qg5 f5! 17 Qxh5 Bxe5 (with a double attack on b2 and the hanging bishop on h6) 18 Bc1 Rf6!. Black took over the initiative and soon won, L.Bruzon BatistaS.Shankland, Havana 2018.

9 ... Nc5 Akobian goes after the bishop-pair. 10 Bc4 10 Bb5+ Bd7 11 b3 Be7 12 Bb2 0-0 13 Bxd7 Ncxd7 14 c4 was preferred in S.Haslinger-M.Sadler, Haarlem 2015. White’s queenside majority doesn’t mean much and Black looks just fine after 14 ... a5. 10 ... Bd6 Akobian develops his dark-squared bishop to the more aggressive d6-square, rather than settle for e7. It feels to me like Black easily equalized already. 11 b3 The c1-bishop will be fianchettoed, taking aim at Black’s king. 11 ... a6 Now ... b7-b5 will pick up the bishop-pair, so White’s next move is virtually forced. 11 ... 0-0 12 Bb2 b6 13 a4 is virtually the same: 13 ... Bb7 14 h3 Rad8 15 Ne5?! (correct was 15 Rad1 Nd5, although even here I like Black, whose central pieces look more active than White’s) 15 ... Nce4! 16 Ndf3 Bc5 17 Qe1? Nxf2 18 Rxf2 Ne4 19 Ng4 f5 20 Ne3 Nxf2 21 Qxf2 f4 22 Qh4 Bxf3 23 gxf3 fxe3 0-1, S.Elistratov-D.Kokarev, St Petersburg 2017. 12 a4 b6 Otherwise White plays a4-a5. 13 Bb2 Bb7! Black’s carefully nurtured image of non-harm is a facade. Akobian’s radical shift in philosophy from defensive to aggressive posture is the person who votes for John F Kenney in 1960, and then in ’64 and ’68, votes for Barry Goldwater and George Wallace. He isn’t afraid of Bxf6 and actually invites it. I like his move better than 13 ... 0-0 14 Bxf6 gxf6 15 Ne4. 14 Rfd1!? This seems an odd choice of rooks: a) 14 Rfe1 reserving the other rook for d1 is far more natural. b) 14 Bxf6!? is awfully risky with Black’s king uncommitted, since it opens the g-file for Black’s rooks. 14 ... 0-0!

This move, which is anathema to everything we are taught about opening norms (Principle: Don’t allow the opponent to damage the structure around your king) is in reality a wink, wink, nudge, nudge way of saying: “Go ahead and chop away on f6. I’m not afraid of your attack.” It takes excellent defensive judgment to see that White’s potential for attack isn’t as dangerous as it looks. White’s position is OK, but it lacks a certain something. And that something is a target in Black’s position. With his next move Zherebukh attempts to create just such a target – at too high a cost. 15 Bxf6?! Attacking inebriation/euphoria is our game’s version of drunkenness, with everyone around you smelling the alcohol on your breath. I think this is an error in judgment and this kind of move is balm to the eyes of a seasoned French player. Black’s bishop-pair and power on the dark squares mean more than whatever attacking chances White hoped to generate against Black’s king. White stands only slightly worse after 15 Nf1. 15 ... gxf6 16 Qe3 He wants to slip into h6, which isn’t about to happen after Akobian’s next move.

16 ... Bf4 17 Qc3 f5 After 17 ... Nd7! (threat: ... b6-b5, winning a piece) 18 Qd4 Rfd8 White’s position threatens to go into strategic freefall. 18 Bf1 Rac8 Now White is faced with pressure down the c-file. 19 b4 There is nothing better. 19 ... Ne4 20 Qxc7 Rxc7 Black’s bishop-pair and c-file offer him a considerable edge advantage in the ending. 21 Nc4 Zherebukh counted on this attack on b6 to give him counterplay, but Black has everything under control after his next move. 21 ... Rb8! 22 Nxb6 Rxc2 Now f2 is under attack. 23 Nd7 Rbc8 24 Bd3 Rb2 24 ... Rxf2?! loses an exchange to 25 Bxe4 fxe4 26 Kxf2 Rc2+, although I still prefer Black, even after the loss of the exchange. 25 Bxe4 Forced. White’s position gets worse and worse due to Akobian’s simple but powerful strategic play. 25 ... fxe4 26 Rd4? 26 Nfe5 was forced.

Exercise (planning): White’s last move was a miscalculation. Why? 26 ... f5?! Akobian believes his opponent. Answer: Black wins if he simply doubles rooks on the seventh with 26 ... Rcc2! 27 Nf6+ (27 Rf1?? fails miserably to 27 ... Rxf2! and if 28 Rxf2 Rb1+ 29 Rf1 Be3+ mates) 27 ... Kf8 28 Rxe4 Bxe4 29 Nxe4 Rxb4 when White can resign. 27 Rad1?! 27 g3 was forced. 27 ... exf3! 28 Rxf4

Exercise (combination alert): Find the killer shot and White must resign. Answer: 28 ... Rd2! 0-1 Weak back rank/overloaded defender/double attack. Game 25 J.De Mauro-H.Elwert Correspondence 1994 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nd2 c5 4 exd5 Qxd5 5 Ngf3 cxd4 6 Bc4 Qd6 Normal, if not forced, as we’ll see in our next game. 7 0-0 For now, the players hurtle down the main line. 7 Ne4 is not terribly useful for White since Black plays 7 ... Qb4+ 8 Nfd2 (8 Ned2 Nc6 9 0-0 Nf6 10 a3 Qb6 11 b4 Bd7 12 Nb3 Bd6 13 Bb2 0-0 14 Nbxd4 Ne5 is at least equal for Black) 8 ... Nd7 9 0-0 Ngf6 10 b3 Be7 11 Bb2 Qb6 12 Nxf6+ Nxf6 13 Nf3 0-0 14 Bxd4, as in M.Bosiocic-A.Saric, Opatija 2015. 14 ... Qc7 is equal after 15 Be5 Qc5 16

Bd4 when Black can choose to repeat or play for a win with 16 ... Qh5. 7 ... Nf6 8 Nb3 Nc6 9 Nbxd4 Nxd4 10 Qxd4

This recapture is played by White for two reasons: 1. White is an endgame specialist and wants to swap queens. 2. White wants to play safely and avoid a loss. With the swap of queens, our chances of getting mated go way down. But also with the queen swap, our chances of a decisive result go down, since I think this line is harder to win for Black than the normal recapture on d4 with White’s knight, which we’ll cover later in the chapter. Remember, the game isn’t drawn just because queens are removed from the board. We can play for a win by eventually pushing forward our kingside pawn majority, while attempting to neutralize White’s queenside majority. 10 ... Qxd4 11 Nxd4 Bd7! Preparing to gain time on White’s c4-bishop with ... Rc8, which is more accurate than 11 ... a6. 12 Bf4 In blitz I get 12 Nb5 all the time. The move is a waste of time and Black stands at least even after 12 ... Rc8 13 b3 a6 14 Nd4 Bc5 15 Bb2 0-0.

12 ... Rc8 13 Bb3 In this way c2 is protected and also White may get in some future piece sacrifice on e6 if Black gets careless, although this second scenario is rather unlikely with queens off the board. Instead, after 13 Be2 (the idea is to re-route the bishop to f3 to take aim at Black’s queenside pawns) 13 ... Bc5 14 Nb3 Bb6 15 c4 Ne4! 16 Rac1 Ke7! (Principle: Don’t hide your king in the corner in an ending by castling; instead, centralize and use it) 17 Bf3 Bc6 Black equalized, L.Vogt-W.Hug, Zurich 1999. 13 ... Bc5 14 Rfd1 0-0

Black equalized easily. That said, 14 ... Ke7!? is risky, but would be my choice, following the aforementioned principle about putting your king to work in an ending: for example, 15 Rd3 Rhd8 16 Re1 Kf8 (evading Nf5 tricks) 17 Red1 Be7 18 c3 a5! 19 a3 a4 20 Ba2 and Black stood no worse, V.NopinA.Prystenski, correspondence 2013. 15 h3 He wants to play Be3 without fear of ... Ng4. 15 ... Rfd8 16 Be3 h6 17 c4 This move cuts Black’s knight out of d5 and also begins the process of

pushing the queenside majority. On the move’s downside, it weakens White’s control over d4 and also his queenside dark squares. 17 ... Kf8 Principle: Centralize your king in the ending. 18 Bc2 a6 A ... b7-b5 break is in the air. 19 b3 Ke7 20 a3 Preparing b2-b4 to roll forward his queenside majority. 20 ... Be8!? Black goads his opponent’s b-pawn forward, hoping perhaps to overextend White in the future. I would be more inclined to toss in 20 ... a5. If the white knight jumps into b5 at some point, then I don’t care and will chop it, gaining the superior pawn majority in exchange for bishop-pair. 21 b4 Bd6 22 Bb3 Be5 23 a4?! This is the ‘Hold-on-a-second-and-let’s-think-this-through’ moment, which is ignored by White and is perhaps the first moment of White’s overextension. After 23 Rac1 the game remains equal. 23 ... a5!

The weakened c5-square is the tumour which grows silently beneath the kidney, while the doctors only focus upon the patient’s heart. This endgame pawn sacrifice is well justified in that it punctures White’s queenside dark squares and also his structure if White accepts. 24 bxa5 This is an expensive pawn to grab. 24 b5 gives Black control over c5 at no material cost after 24 ... Nd7. 24 ... Ne4 White must watch for invasions on c3 and c5. 25 Kf1?! You don’t always need a principle cause in determining your loss. Instead, a series of minor contributing factors, when added together, can be just as fatal. 25 Rac1 was correct. 25 ... Rd6?! Black missed an opportunity with 25 ... f5! intending ... f4-f4: 26 f4 (or 26 f3 f4 27 Bg1 Ng3+ 28 Ke1 Bc7 and White’s position is wretched) 26 ... Bf6 27 Rac1 g5 when Black has the initiative and White’s position if full of holes. 26 f4!? The structural abuse reaches epidemic proportions. White’s overextension may look a tad reckless, but no better is 26 f3 Nc3 27 c5 Rdd8 28 Rd3 Nb5! 29 Rad1 Bxd4 30 Bxd4 Nxd4 31 Rxd4 Rxd4 32 Rxd4 Rxc5. White is in deep trouble due to his weak a5-pawn. 26 ... Bf6 27 Rac1 Ra6 He wants to regain his earlier investment. 28 Nb5 Rxa5 29 Bb6 Ra6 30 Bc7 Kf8! 31 Bc2 Ng3+ 32 Kf2 Bh4! 33 a5 For now Black’s knight has no useful discovery. 33 ... Bc6 34 Bb6 Threat: Nc7, winning the exchange. White hopes that tangling up and picking off the a6-rook will compensate the coming loss of his f-pawn. It doesn’t. 34 ... Nh5+

Black picks up the f4-pawn and White looks busted. 35 Kf1 Nxf4 36 Nc7 It doesn’t help to protect g2 with 36 Rd2 Bxg2+! 37 Rxg2 Nxg2 38 Kxg2 Rxc4 and now 39 Nc7? is met with 39 ... Rxb6 40 axb6 (threat: Nxe6+ and Rxc4) 40 ... Bf6! 41 Nb5 Bb2, which wins. 36 ... Bxg2+ 37 Kg1 Bf3! The dual threats of ... Bxd1 and ... Ne2+ and ... Nxc1 mean that Black will win back some material. 38 Nxa6 bxa6 39 c5 Ne2+ 40 Kf1 Nxc1 41 Rxc1 White’s only prayer is that he will make something of his passed c-pawn. 41 ... Bg5 42 Rb1 Bf4 43 Bd3 Ra8!

Humans don’t like to make such servile moves, but egoless comps do if they see that in the end it benefits them. Black’s rook for now is willing to work the minimum wage job of protecting a6, while his light-squared bishop will blockade on c6. 44 Bc4 Ke7 45 Kf2 Bc6 46 Rd1 g5 If you have an unopposed 4:1 pawn majority, then push it down the board. 47 Be2 f5 48 Kf1 h5! 49 Bxh5 Rh8 50 Be2 Rxh3 51 Bd8+ After 51 Bxa6 g4 Black’s pawns are too fast. 51 ... Kf7 52 Bxg5 Sorry. I am unable to answer your question on just what prompted White to play this move. You may need to consult a qualified therapist to get the answer. How do you hang a piece in a correspondence game? I suppose everyone is entitled to a little joke before resigning. 52 Bxa6 g4 53 Rd3 g3 is curtains for White. 52 ... Bxg5 0-1 Game 26 B.Baker-C.Lakdawala

San Diego (rapid) 2008 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nd2 c5 4 exd5 Qxd5 This line is sort of the surrogate parent to the Scandinavian. 5 Ngf3

Simple development, ignoring the threat to d4 is White’s main move. The d4-pawn isn’t really sacrificed, since Black, who is already behind in development, lacks the time needed to hang on to it. 5 ... cxd4 We take the pawn, not so much to grab it, but to make White work to regain it. 6 Bc4 Don’t concern yourself with this loss of tempo for the following reasons: 1. Black’s queen is uncomfortably placed on d5, so by chasing it, White forces us to move a piece we already wanted to move. 2. White’s bishop is generally not well posted on c4, since it hits a wall on e6. 3. White will almost certainly lose time with the bishop later on, since it is

vulnerable to ... a7-a6 and ... b7-b5, and also since it just floats there on c4. So it will probably move to b3 at some point. 6 ... Qd8 Instead: a) 6 ... Qd6 is Black’s main move, but I don’t really see much difference between d6 and d8, since our final destination for the queen is generally c7. b) A few GMs have toyed with the odd-looking 6 ... Qd7!? which also looks fully playable, although I wouldn’t play it, since the queen may be uncomfortable on the d-file and later need to play to c7, which constitutes the loss of a tempo. After 7 0-0 Nc6 8 Nb3 Nf6 9 Nbxd4 Nxd4 10 Nxd4 a6 11 Re1 Bc5 12 Be3 0-0 13 Bb3 b6 Black looks completely equal to me, S.ErenburgR.Edouard, Helsingor 2013. 7 0-0 Next game we look at the ultra-aggressive 7 Qe2 lines where White intends to castle queenside. 7 ... Nc6 8 Nb3 White simply loaned us the d-pawn and now wants it back. 8 ... Nf6 9 Nfxd4 It doesn’t matter which knight White chooses to capture d4, since we reach the same position after 9 Nbxd4 Nxd4 10 Nxd4 a6. 9 ... Nxd4 Every swap helps reduce White’s attacking potential. 10 Nxd4

It’s logical for White to keeps queens on the board, since our opponent’s development lead may translate into an attack on our king. 10 ... a6 11 c3 This mild move doesn’t bother Black much. In a few games’ time we look at the position arising from 11 Re1 Qc7 12 Bb3 Bd6 13 Nf5 with leads to irrational complications. We also look at 11 a4 later in the chapter. Instead, 11 Bf4 may be an argument for Black playing our queen to d6, rather than d8, but I don’t believe it’s a problem for Black: 11 ... b5 12 Be2 (after 12 Bb3 Bb7 13 Re1 Be7 I don’t think any of the sacrifices on e6 work for White and 14 a4! 0-0! 15 Be5 Qb6 looks fine for Black) 12 ... Bb7 13 Bf3 Bxf3 14 Qxf3 Qd5 still looks equal to me, G.Hlgatian-C.Gervais, Yerevan Olympiad 1996. 11 ... Qc7 As promised earlier, we pick up a tempo on White’s c4-bishop. Now we transpose to the position which Black gets if he played the 6 ... Qd6 move order. 12 Qe2 Bd6

This move gains a tempo due to the attack on h2. 13 h3 Alternatively: a) 13 Kh1 0-0 14 Bg5 Ne4! 15 Be3 b5 16 Bd3 Bb7 17 a4 bxa4! 18 Bxe4 (18 Rxa4?! is met with 18 ... Nc5) 18 ... Bxe4 19 Rxa4 Bb7 when Black picked up the bishop-pair and an open position, T.Tolnai-L.Keitlinghaus, Berlin 1987. b) 13 g3 look dangerous since Black can later try to line up a queen/bishop battery along the h1-a8 diagonal: 13 ... 0-0 14 Bg5 Ne4! (we use the same tempo-gaining trick as in line ‘a’) 15 Be3 b5 16 Bd3 Bb7 and I already prefer Black, due to White’s weakened kingside light squares, K.Persson-V.Tukmakov, Stockholm 2013. 13 ... 0-0 14 Bg5 Bh2+ I’m not afraid of White’s Bxf6 and actually encourage the move. Another reliable equalizer is our now familiar theme 14 ... Ne4! 15 Be3 b5 16 Bd3 Bb7. 15 Kh1 Bf4 16 Bxf4 My opponent is playing for a draw, so he avoids the unbalancing 16 Bxf6 gxf6 17 Bd3 Qe5 18 Qf3 of S.Sjugirov-E.Alekseev, Kirishi 2005. Chances are probably balanced after 18 ... Qg5.

16 ... Qxf4 17 Qf3 OK, now there is no question he is playing for a draw, which as I mentioned earlier, can be a problem for the higher-rated player playing the black side of the Tarrasch. We have a few things in our favour though, if we seek to play for the full point: 1. The structure is unbalanced, with our kingside pawn majority versus White’s queenside majority. 2. A lot of pieces still remain on the board. So this kind of position is by no means an automatic draw, despite its current serenity. 17 Rfe1 b5 18 Bd3 Bb7 looks equal as well. 17 ... Qc7 I had no interest in 17 ... Qxf3 which makes the game even more likely to end in a draw. 18 Bb3 Bd7 19 Rad1 Rad8 20 Kg1 Bc8 21 Rfe1 Rfe8 At some point I want to start pushing my kingside pawn majority. 22 Nc2

The idea is twofold: 1. White’s goal is to draw, so he wants to swap major pieces down the d-file.

2. If Black plays ... e6-e5 at some point, White’s knight can transfer to e3, where it keeps watch over both the d5- and f5-squares. 22 ... Bd7 23 Nd4 Draw? 23 ... h6 Not yet. 24 Re3 Bc8 25 Nc2 Rxd1+ 26 Qxd1 Bd7 I want to keep a few pieces on the board and avoid 26 ... Rd8 27 Rd3 which only leads to more swaps. 27 Rd3 Bb5 28 Rd4 If 28 Rd2 Ne4 29 Rd4 Bc6 30 Qe2 Nc5 31 Nb4 Nxb3 32 axb3 Bd7 and at least in this line I get a bishop versus knight imbalance. 28 ... e5 I finally push my e-pawn forward. 29 Rd6 29 Rd2 Ne4 30 Rd5 Bc6 31 Rd3 Nc5 gets me the bishop versus knight imbalance. 29 ... Ne4 30 Rg6? Grovelling for a draw/sudden ambition, isn’t a good mix. When you are ‘attacked’ by your friend’s Chihuahua, it isn’t all that difficult to disengage your flesh from those not-so-terrifying teeth. I knew when he played this move that the chances of his rook being trapped, or placed out of play, were much higher than the chances of generating a successful attack on my king. White should have allowed the bishop versus knight imbalance with the line 30 Rd5 Bc6 31 Rd3 Nc5. 30 ... Kh7 Also worthy of consideration is the line 30 ... Kf8 31 Rg4 Rd8 32 Qe1 Nc5 when White is in serious trouble. 31 Rg4 f5 32 Rh4

Exercise (judgement): The critical position in the game. What is Black’s best plan here? 32 ... Nf6?! This is still good enough for an edge, but not Black’s best continuation. Answer: Attack f2: 32 ... Qb6! 33 Ne3 (after 33 Qe1 Bc6 34 Ne3 g5 35 Rxe4 Bxe4 White doesn’t have enough for the exchange, or 33 Qf3 Qf6 34 Qh5 g5 35 Rxe4 fxe4 36 Ne3 Rf8 37 Ng4 Qg6 38 Qxg6+ Kxg6 39 Nxe5+ Kg7 and once again White doesn’t get enough for the exchange) 33 ... Nxf2! 34 Qf3 f4 is a winning position for Black. 33 Ne3 Bd7?! I’m throwing away my advantage with inaccuracies. 33 ... g6! keeps White under pressure. 34 Rc4 Now his rook slips out and White is almost even again. 34 ... Qb8 35 Rb4 Qc7 36 Rc4 Qb8 Even more embarrassment awaits Black.

37 Rb4 This rook is persistent. When is he going to learn that a pair of enemies is not going to agree to share the same living space? 37 ... Qc8? This is the moment where the criminal, racked with guilt for the crimes he committed, begins a confession letter and as soon as it’s finished, crumples it up and tosses it into the wastebasket. The move is naiveté, mixed with denial that I have really blown things. It’s the wrong way to play for the win. 37 ... b5 38 c4 a5 39 Rxb5 Bxb5 40 cxb5 Qxb5 41 Ba4 Qxb2 42 Bxe8 Nxe8 is equal. 38 Rb6? If a class of kindergarteners put on a play, then don’t have expectations that it will be Broadway quality. Both our clocks are low. 38 Nc4! turns the game around: 38 ... Qc7 39 Nd6 Rb8 40 Rc4 Qb6 41 Qd3! (stronger than taking the repetition draw with 41 Rb4) 41 ... g6 42 Rb4 Qc7 43 Rh4! h5 44 Rc4 Qb6 (44 ... Bc6 45 Nxf5! favours White) 45 Nf7 and Black is in deep trouble. 38 ... Bc6 39 Nc4 Rd8 40 Qe1 40 Qb1 is marginally better, but won’t save White after 40 ... e4 41 Na5 Nd5 42 Nxc6 bxc6 43 Bxd5 Rxd5 44 c4 Rd3 45 Rb3 Qd8 46 Rxd3 exd3 47 Kf1 Qd4 48 b3 Kg6, with a huge advantage for Black in the queen ending. 40 ... Nd5 41 Qxe5 A better way to lose the exchange is 41 Rxc6 Qxc6 42 Qxe5 Qf6. 41 ... Nxb6 42 Nxb6

Exercise (calculation): This is the position White calculated when he sacrificed the exchange. How does Black save his f5-pawn? Answer: 42 ... Re8! Zwischenzug. 43 Qf4 g5! 44 Qd2 Qd8 45 Nd5 Re5 After 45 ... Qd6! 46 c4 Qe5 47 Ne3 f4 Black dominates. 46 c4 Bxd5 The comp doesn’t like this move and prefers 46 ... Qd6. 47 cxd5 Qe7 48 d6? 48 Kf1 was forced. 48 ... Re1+ 49 Kh2 Qe5+ 50 g3 White is also lost after 50 f4 gxf4 51 Qd5 Qxd5 52 Bxd5 Rd1 53 Bxb7 Rxd6.

Exercise (calculation): How does Black force the win? Answer: 50 ... Qe4 Mating net/double attack. White’s king is the person in the wrong place, at the wrong time, and in grave danger of soon not being anywhere at all. 51 f3 After the game a spectator asked if White stood better if he played 51 Bd5??. I showed him 51 ... Rh1 mate and replied so very cleverly: “No, I believe Black stands quite a bit better.” 51 ... Re2+ 0-1 Game 27 C.Clawitter-C.Lakdawala San Diego (rapid) 2016 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nd2 c5 4 exd5 Qxd5 5 Ngf3 cxd4 6 Bc4 Qd6 7 Qe2

The aggressive choice. 7 ... Nf6 8 Nb3 Nc6 9 Bg5 Be7 10 0-0-0 a6 11 Nbxd4 Nxd4 12 Nxd4 I was relieved when he recaptured this way, instead of 12 Rxd4 Qc5. One flaw with this line is that White can try and force a draw by chasing Black’s queen with 13 Be3 Qc7 14 Bf4 Qa5 15 Bd2 Qc5 16 Be3. If Black plays for a win with 16 ... Qc6!?, the queen then becomes vulnerable to a future Ne5, although the comp calls it even here. 12 ... Qc5 12 ... Qc7 13 Rhe1 0-0 14 Nf5 Bb4 (14 ... Bd8 15 Nd6 Be7 16 Nf5 is drawn by repetition) 15 Nxg7!? Kxg7 16 Bxf6+ Kxf6 17 Qg4 Ke7! 18 Bxe6 Bxe1 19 Qh4+ Kxe6 20 Rxe1+ Kd6 21 Rd1+ Kc6 22 Qe4+ Kb6 23 Qe3+ is another draw, this time by perpetual check. 13 Be3 Qc7 14 g4?!

So sweetly innocent is your writer, that when I die, I am certain to be recruited to sing in the celestial choir in heaven. The trouble is my style is so outwardly unthreatening that it convinces even much lower-rated players the best way to go after me is to complicate – even when it’s dubious and it means entering a Faustian bargain, as in this case. How much easier my life would be if only my infernal opponents stopped trying to checkmate me. There comes a moment in every person’s life where he or she must place blind trust into a belief. Well for White, this is not that time. There is a fine line between being a fighter and simply being reckless. This move is new and not so scary, since White’s chances to overextend seem higher than his chances to deliver mate to Black’s solid king. Safer is 14 Bb3 0-0 15 Kb1 Bd7 16 Bg5, as in B.Socko-K.Piorun, Stockholm 2013. Black is just fine after 16 ... Rfe8 which covers against Nf5 tricks. 14 ... b5 15 Bb3 Bb7 16 Bxe6?!

Cave bestia – Beware the beast! Do you vow to renounce the devil and all his works? My National Master opponent’s answer is an emphatic “No!”, since faith doesn’t require hard evidence. This move, which certainly refuses to accurately weigh costs versus benefits, follows Mikhail Tal’s most sacred chess Principle: Blessed are those who are oblivious to their own position’s limitations. This sacrifice is unsound, yet still dangerous for Black, especially at a G/45 time control, where the defender eats up the clock at a record pace. Still, I refuse to file White’s crazy last move under the category of ‘so-crazy-that-it-just-might-work’. I expected the more sober 16 f3 Nd5 when Black stands slightly better. 16 ... fxe6!? I realized this move wasn’t as strong as taking White’s rook on h1, but in this line I saw that queens would likely come off the board. This practical reason influenced my choice over the objectively superior 16 ... Bxh1! 17 g5 Nd5 18 Bxf7+ Kxf7 19 Rxh1 Rhd8 when White doesn’t get enough attack for a full rook’s investment. I also contemplated the safe move 16 ... 0-0. Your will less writer realized long ago that life works out better when I don’t argue and always do as I’m told.

But then I decided that this line was even too gutless for me, the king of the doves. 17 g5!? Even Caligula or Commodus would frown upon such wild, hedonistic excess. I expected 17 Nxe6 Qc4! 18 Qxc4 bxc4 19 Rhe1 Kf7 20 Ng5+ Kg6 21 Ne6 Bf3! (halting f4) 22 Rd4 c3 23 Nf4+ Kf7 and White doesn’t have enough for the piece. 17 ... Bxh1 18 gxf6 Bxf6 19 Nxe6 If 19 Rxh1 0-0! and 20 Nxe6?? is met with 20 ... Qc6! with a fatal double attack on the white rook and knight. 19 ... Qe5! Principle: Centralize your pieces when your king is under attack. 20 Qg4! White’s best practical try. Clawitter’s confusion-at-any-cost strategy throughout this game reminds us of the final scene of Enter the Dragon, where Bruce Lee fights the evil Han in the hall of mirrors. The mirrors confuse Bruce and save Han only for a short time, until Bruce learns to break the mirrors of confusion. His line: “Destroy the image and you will break the enemy.” 20 ... Qxb2+ 21 Kd2 The king’s serpentine effort to reach the safety of the kingside is probably not going to end well.

Exercise (calculation): What is Black’s best defensive move? Answer: 21 ... Kf7! This move was really difficult to find and burned a lot of time off the clock. I considered a bunch of failed lines: a) 21 ... g6? 22 Nc7+ Kf7 23 Qd7+ Kg8 24 Qe6+ with perpetual check. b) 21 ... Bb7?? would be a spectacularly Mr. Magooish blunder. White forces mate with 22 Nxg7+! Bxg7 23 Qe6+ Kf8 24 Bc5 mate. c) 21 ... Rg8?? 22 Nc7+ Kd8 23 Ke1+! (this is a rather odd looking attacking move) 23 ... Kxc7 24 Qd7+ Kb8 25 Qd6+ Kb7 26 Qb6+ Kc8 27 Qe6+ Kb8 28 Qxg8+ Kc7 29 Qf7+ Kc8 30 Qe8+ Kc7 31 Rd7+ Kc6 32 Qe6 mate. 22 Bd4 22 Ng5+ Bxg5 23 Qd7+ (or 23 Bxg5 Rhe8 consolidating) 23 ... Be7 24 Qf5+ Qf6 and Black avoids perpetual check. 22 ... Rhd8! 23 Ke1 Rxd4 24 Nxd4 Qc3+ 25 Kf1 Qc4+ 26 Kg1 Rd8 27 c3 Bb7 28 Qh5+ Kg8 0-1

Game 28 K.Yang-C.Lakdawala San Diego (rapid) 2016 In a clash of generations, youth tends to be the odds-on favourite. My young master opponent is a former Southern California High School Champion, who may be able to beat old IMs soon – but luckily, not just yet. 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nd2 c5 4 exd5 Qxd5 5 Ngf3 cxd4 6 Bc4 Qd6 OK, I’m back to the ... Qd6 move order. 7 0-0 Nf6 8 Nb3 Nc6 9 Nbxd4 Nxd4 10 Nxd4 a6 11 a4

This is a bit of a milquetoast line which shouldn’t worry us. White expends a tempo to prevent Black’s future ... b7-b5. It’s too slow to extract an advantage. 11 ... Qc7 12 Bd3 White’s bishop takes aim at the kingside. Others: a) 12 Qe2 Bd6 13 h3 0-0 14 Bg5 Ne4! (we are familiar with this trick by now in the book) 15 Be3 (15 Bh4 is met with 15 ... Nd2!, picking up the bishoppair) 15 ... b6 16 c3 Bb7 with an excellent position for Black, F.Pleyer-

L.Keitlinghaus, Bad Wörishofen 1997. b) 12 b3 Bd6 13 h3 0-0 14 Bb2 b6 15 Qe2 Bb7 16 Rad1 Rfe8 17 Rd3 Nd5 18 Bxd5 Bxd5 when White has no attack and Black picked up the bishop-pair, A.Kopinits-V.Malakhatko, Oberwart 2006. 12 ... Bd6 13 h3 0-0 14 c3 14 Bg5 can be met with 14 ... Nd5 15 Qh5, as in S.Kantinti-E.Emojong, Kampala 2013. Now Black can play 15 ... g6 16 Qf3 Bh2+ 17 Kh1 Bf4 18 Bh4 Be5 19 c3 b6 when his king is well defended. 14 ... b6 15 Bg5 Nd5 16 Be4

This Willy Loman-like line is relentlessly middle-class, in that I don’t think it’s all that difficult for Black to equalize against Tarrasch, yet it’s simultaneously not so easy to play for the full point as Black. White’s last move is new. Black’s position is a mixture of the desirable and the undesirable: 1. I equalized easily. 2. There isn’t much imbalance to play for a win against a lower-rated player. Instead, 16 Re1 Bb7 17 Qh5 g6 18 Qh4 was M.Panchanathan-D.Kuljasevic, Richardson 2007. Black equalizes with 18 ... Bh2+ 19 Kh1 Bf4. 16 ... Bb7 17 Qe2 h6 18 Bd2 Rfd8

Also possible is to move the other rook with 18 ... Rad8 19 Nf3 Rfe8 and slowly push the kingside pawns. 19 Rfd1 Rac8 20 Bd3 Ra8 21 Be4 Oh, no. Not again. A non-verbal draw offer to repeat moves by a lower-rated player. 21 ... Be5 No draw. 21 ... Rac8 22 Bd3 Ra8 is a repetition draw. 22 Nf3 Bf6 23 c4!? We begin to see a hint of ambition from White. 23 ... Ne7 It may be better to enter the line 23 ... Bxb2! 24 cxd5 Bxa1 25 Rxa1 Bxd5 26 Rc1 Qb7 27 Bc2 Bxf3!? (27 ... Rac8 28 Ne1 is also dynamically balanced) 28 gxf3 Rac8. The comp calls it dead even in this dynamically unbalanced position where the sides must weigh Black’s rook and two pawns versus White’s bishops and damaged kingside structure. 24 Bf4! The game gets more interesting now that we have bishops of opposite colours. 24 ... Qxf4 25 Bxb7 Rxd1+ I didn’t want to give up a pawn with 25 ... Rab8 26 Bxa6 Nf5 27 Bb5 Nd4 28 Nxd4 Bxd4. 26 Rxd1 Ra7 27 Be4 Threatening a back rank mate on d8. 27 ... g6 28 g3 Qc7 29 b3

The game is approximately even. I still had hopes to find a way to win due to the attacking potential of the bishops of opposite colours. 29 ... Kg7 30 Qd2 Nf5!? I’m provoking g4, which is dangerous for Black. 30 ... Qc5 is even. 31 g4!? I like my game after 31 Bxf5 gxf5. 31 ... Ne7?! I’m taking my win-at-all-costs philosophy too far and gave White a promising attack because I didn’t want to trade knights after the correct 31 ... Nh4! 32 Nxh4 Bxh4 33 Qd6 Be7 34 Qxc7 Rxc7. Black is effectively up a pawn since White’s queenside majority is frozen. Still, I thought White would hold the draw, even though Black stands slightly better here with the superior bishop. 32 h4! Now Black is in trouble. I get outplayed tactically by many people. When I get outplayed strategically (especially by a kid!), it always comes as a stinging slap across the face of my self-image as a capable strategist. 32 ... Ng8!?

My king requires defenders and I’m in full dove mode. I didn’t like the look of the ending after 32 ... Be5 33 Nxe5 Qxe5 34 Qe3 f5 35 gxf5 gxf5 36 Bg2 Qxe3 37 fxe3. 33 g5 hxg5 34 hxg5 Be7 35 Qd4+ Kf8 36 Ne5? White exerts some pressure after 36 Kg2 a5. 36 ... Qc5? When we blunder, the pain which follows isn’t so much from the loss of the game, as much as from the awful thought which pops into our collective heads: “I am nothing special”. I offer the exchange, but the trouble is White doesn’t have to accept it. At the board, I wasn’t able to assess the ending after 36 ... Bxg5! 37 Nd7+ Qxd7! 38 Qxd7 Rxd7 39 Rxd7 Nf6 40 Rd4 e5 41 Rd8+ Ke7 42 Ra8 Nxe4 43 Rxa6. The comp calls it even following 43 ... Bh4 44 f3 Nd2 45 Rxb6. 37 Nd7+? White’s mask of strength is about to fall off. He gets greedy and incorrectly sells his initiative for material, wrongly rejecting 37 Qxc5! bxc5 38 f4 when it’s tough for Black to unravel in the ending. 37 ... Rxd7

If you spend your money quickly, this doesn’t always mean it is spent unwisely. Black gets wicked compensation for the exchange. 38 Qxd7 Qxg5+

Black obtains loads of compensation for the exchange: 1. One pawn. 2. Dark-square control, enhanced by the applied Principle: Oppositecoloured bishops favour the attacking side. 3. A weakened white king. 39 Bg2 Kg7! I allow Qd4+ and Qxb6, sacrificing my b6-pawn, hoping he interprets my last move as a time pressure blunder. 40 Qd4+ Nf6 41 Qxb6?! He takes the bait. He should try 41 Qe3 Qxe3 42 fxe3 Bc5 with an approximately balanced ending. 41 ... Bc5 Target f2. The players’ intents are simultaneously aligned/opposite. White seeks to evade mate and consolidate his extra material, while Black goes all out for the white king. Even though I’m no longer a kid, I would like to remind the

reader that I was once a former child and therefore still get a thrill if I sense that an attack is brewing. White’s under-protected king will face the full brunt of Black’s queen, bishop and knight. 42 Qb7? He had to try 42 Qd8 Qg3 43 Qd2 Qxb3. 42 ... Ng4 Black has a winning attack due to his debilitating pressure on the dark squares around White’s king. 43 Qf3

Exercise (critical decision): Should Black take on f2 with knight or bishop? 43 ... Bxf2+?! Still winning but not Black’s best continuation. It isn’t easy to go through life as an IM with the attacking intuition of a 800-rated player. After the game several masters (who all attack at a 2200 level and above, unlike your writer) all pointed out the far superior: Answer: 43 ... Nxf2! 44 b4 (44 Rd7 Ng4+ 45 Kh1 Qh4+ 46 Bh3 Qe1+ 47

Bf1 Ne5 wins) 44 ... Nxd1+ 45 bxc5 Qxc5+ 46 Kh1 Ne3 with an easy win for Black. 44 Kh1 Bc5 45 Rf1 Qh4+ 46 Bh3 f5 47 b4 A desperate attempt to divert the bishop. 47 Qc3+ Kh7 48 Rf3 Nf2+ 49 Kh2 Ne4 50 Qd3 Ng5 51 Rg3 Qf4 52 Bg2 Bd6 53 b4 Qh4+ wins. 47 ... Bxb4!? It’s not such a tragedy if you set out to cure pancreatic cancer, fail to do so and then accidentally stumble on to a cure for Alzheimer’s. This still wins. I was low on the clock and took this pawn for practical considerations. The comp points out the stronger 47 ... Bd4! 48 b5 e5 with a winning attack. 48 Kg2 Ne5 49 Qf4 49 Qe3 Kf6 50 Rf4 Qg5+ 51 Qg3 Qxg3+ 52 Kxg3 g5 is a lost ending for White, who doesn’t have a chance against Black’s three connected passed pawns.

Exercise (combination alert): The design of White’s haphazard forces seems to be the work of a drunken tattoo artist. How did Black force the win?

Answer: 49 ... Qxf4! Trapped piece. Step 1: Swap queens. 50 Rxf4 g5! Step 2: Gain a tempo on White’s rook. 51 Rd4 g4 0-1 Step 3: Smother White’s remaining bishop. Please now prepare yourself for the theoretically most complicated line in the entire book. Game 29 V.Laznicka-C.Lupulescu European Championship, Yerevan 2014 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nd2 c5 4 exd5 Qxd5 5 Ngf3 cxd4 6 Bc4 Qd6 7 0-0 Nf6 8 Nb3 Nc6 9 Nbxd4 Nxd4 10 Nxd4 a6 11 Bb3 This innocuous looking move is the gateway to a really wild position. Note too that 11 Re1 Qc7 12 Qe2 Bd6 (Black can also play the safer 12 ... Bc5, since with Qe2 replacing Bb3, White creates dangerous sacrificial possibilities on e6: 13 c3 0-0 14 Bg5 Nd5 15 Bxd5 exd5 16 Nb3 and I very slightly prefer White) 13 Nf5?! (13 Bg5 0-0!? 14 Bxf6 gxf6 15 Bd3 f5 16 Qh5 Kh8 17 Nf3 f6 looks fine for Black) is unsound: 13 ... Bxh2+ 14 Kh1 0-0! 15 Nxg7 (as per our main game) 15 ... Kxg7 16 Qe3 Ng8! and after this important defensive move, White comes up short. 11 ... Qc7 The only real way to evade White’s coming sacrificial line is to enter the no less risky 11 ... Bd7 12 Re1 0-0-0, which we don’t cover in this book and which essentially means we are pushed into enforced bravery with the game’s continuation. 12 Re1 Heading for the sacrificial line. 12 ... Bd6 13 Nf5

Here we go. Everyone please pay attention, since I come with profound wisdom to impart: A theoretically unprepared chess player is a bird with broken wings. The single most infuriating question a misguided student can ask me is: “Why do I have to learn this?” This variation is not a learn-as-you-play-it kind of system. Partial knowledge can actually be the cause of our misery. If you know the theory to here and then plan to wing it from this point on, your odds of survival are close to 0% against a booked-up opponent. If you haven’t thoroughly comped this line to kingdom come, you will be going home early. So put this tabiya position at the head of your list for positions to study for this chapter. 13 ... Bxh2+ It’s too late to back down now. 14 Kh1 0-0 We won’t look at the chicken-out/weak line 14 ... Kf8?! 15 g3 exf5 16 Bf4 Qc6+ 17 Kxh2 Be6 18 Qd6+ Qxd6 19 Bxd6+ Ke8 20 Bb4. For the (temporary) pawn sacrifice, White gets the bishop-pair and a development lead – too much in my opinion. 15 Nxg7

Here it comes. 15 ... Rd8! This is an important zwischenzug to remember for our side in this sacrificial line. We must avoid the knee jerk 15 ... Kxg7? 16 Qd4! e5 17 Qh4 Ng4 18 f3 when Black is busted, A.Volzhin-J.Veresagin, Volgograd 1994. 16 Qf3 Kxg7 I never had the desire to join the gambit/sacrifice fraternity, but if offered material, my answer is a hearty “Yes, please!” 17 Bh6+ Are you worried yet? Well, don’t be. The comps tell us Black is OK. 17 ... Kg6 No choice. 17 ... Kxh6?? would be a wee bit of a misjudgement after 18 Qxf6+ Kh5 19 Re3 and Black can resign. 18 c3

I have a confession to make: I kind of fibbed (I didn’t want to scare you) saying that our tabiya position was on move 13. Depressingly the actual tabiya position starts here, on Black’s 18th move. We must comp the living daylights out of this position and understand Black’s defensive issues in their totality. We

can’t play this line like a person who plans an unplanned vacation/adventure by throwing a dart at a map and vowing to go on vacation wherever it lands. 18 ... Nh5 Also tried are the lines 18 ... e5 and 18 ... Nd5?!, which we don’t have the room or inclination to look at, since one complicated line to study and memorize is enough for us. 19 Be3 Threat: Qg4+ and Qg5 mate. I know exactly what you are thinking: “Why didn’t I study a simpler line for Black, like the Najdorf Sicilian or the Dragon?” I realize this line is theoretically daunting, but keep in mind, the longer you play it as Black, the more familiar it gets. Next game we look at 19 Bc1. 19 ... f5!

19 ... Bf4? is a known mistake, which of course I once fell for: 20 Bc2+? (luckily my opponent didn’t know the refutation, which is 20 g4! Ng3+ 21 fxg3 Bxe3 22 Qxe3 Bd7 23 Kh2 Bc6 24 Bc2+ Kg7 25 Qg5+ Kf8 26 Rxe6! and Black is busted) 20 ... Kh6 21 g3 Bxe3?! (21 ... e5 was necessary) 22 Qxe3+ Kg7 23 Qg5+ Kf8 24 Qxh5 Bd7. In this line we can’t get away with our childhood

protests of either unawareness or innocence when we screw up, since there is only one person to blame: us. Black is completely busted, but somehow I escaped by a miracle to draw the game, R.Bruno-C.Lakdawala, San Diego (rapid) 2007. 20 g4 Alternatively: a) 20 Rad1 Rxd1 21 Bxd1 Nf6 22 g3 Bd7!? (ambitiously rejecting 22 ... Ng4 23 Qg2 Bxg3 24 Bxg4 fxg4 25 Qe4+ Kh5! 26 fxg3 Qc6! with a likely drawn ending) 23 Kxh2 Bc6 24 Qe2, A.Pichot-Le Quang Liem, Gibraltar 2018. The position is an unclear mess after 24 ... Ng4+ 25 Kg1 Re8. b) 20 Bc2? (threat: Qg4+) 20 ... Nf6 21 g4 h5! 22 gxf5+ exf5 23 Qg2+ Ng4 24 f3 Bg3! 25 fxg4 hxg4 and White is busted, despite Black’s tantalizingly exposed king: 26 Bd4 Rxd4! 27 cxd4 Bd7 28 Kg1 Rh8 29 Re3 Rh3 30 Qd5 Bf2+! 0-1, G.Sax-V.Tukmakov, Pula 2001. c) 20 g3?! Bxg3 21 fxg3 Bd7 (threat: ... Bc6) 22 Kh2? (correct was 22 Bd4! Re8 23 Kh2 with an edge for Black) 22 ... Bc6 23 Qf2 Nf6 24 Bb6 Qg7! (threat: ... Qh6+ and ... Qh1 mate) 25 Qf4 Ng4+ 26 Kg1 e5 27 Qc4 Rd2 28 Qe6+ Qf6 29 Qxf6+ Kxf6 and White can resign here, J.Mitrovic-S.Milanovic, Serbian Team Championship 2006. 20 ... Nf6 21 gxf5+ exf5 22 Rg1+?

After the initial commitment to attack the opponent is made, the second decision to pay for your war tends to be a more difficult one. On the other hand, if an addict’s drug of choice is cut off, he or she will be tempted to look for a substitute. If you take a drug, is there a real difference between dependency and abuse? Tenacity is no virtue when you cling tenaciously to an incorrect assumption. White sees only the vague outline of his would-be attack, which remains devoid of detail and blurs around its perimeter. This is an over-press since Black can survive the assault. White’s correct continuation runs 22 Qg2+! Ng4 23 f3 b5 24 Bd4? (even GMs forget their theory in this line, this being S.Sevian-S.Vidit, Martuni 2015; correct was 24 Bc2 Kf6! 25 Bd4+ Rxd4 26 cxd4 Bb7 27 Bxf5! Nf2+! 28 Qxf2 Qf4! which the comp helpfully assesses at ‘0.00’ – now do you believe me about having to study this line hard?), when GM Vidit could have reach a winning position if he had found 24 ... Kg5!. 22 ... Bxg1 23 Rxg1+ Ng4 24 Qh3 Threatening a nasty check on h6, which is easily covered with Black’s next move. 24 ... h5!

White’s queen is denied admission to h6, while Black simultaneously reinforces g4, a square which is the axis upon which Black’s game turns. 25 f3 Qe5! Principle: Centralize your most powerful piece when your king is under attack. 26 fxg4 26 Bd4 is met with 26 ... Rxd4 27 cxd4 Qxd4 28 fxg4 hxg4 and White is busted. 26 ... fxg4 And not 26 ... hxg4?? 27 Qh6 mate. 27 Bd4 Qe4+ 28 Rg2 Threat: Bc2. 28 ... Bf5! 29 Qg3 29 Bc2?? is met simply with 29 ... Qxc2! 30 Rxc2 gxh3, with an extra rook for Black. 29 ... Rxd4!

A move made with the thought: “If Adam and Eve had just killed the serpent in the garden, their lives would have been so much easier. This move destroys

White’s most potent attacker and seizes a vicious initiative. 30 cxd4 Qxd4 31 Kh2 White’s war chest is empty. 31 ... Rd8 0-1 We take inventory of White’s grief: Black is up two pawns with a safe king and the initiative. Game 30 A.Kuthan-M.Sebenik Austrian Bundesliga 2018 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nd2 c5 4 exd5 Qxd5 5 Ngf3 cxd4 6 Bc4 Qd6 7 0-0 Nf6 8 Nb3 Nc6 9 Nbxd4 Nxd4 10 Nxd4 a6 11 Re1 This order too is very likely to lead to the sacrificial line. White simply swaps around his 11th and 12th moves. 11 ... Qc7 12 Bb3 Bd6 13 Nf5 Bxh2+ 14 Kh1 0-0 15 Nxg7 Rd8 16 Qf3 Kxg7 17 Bh6+ Kg6 18 c3 Nh5 19 Bc1 Believe it or not, I find this odd move, the idea of which may be to lift the rook to e4, far tamer than its violent 19 Be3 cousin line, which we looked at last game. In fact (dare I say it?), the line is rather drawish, since the next few moves are forced for both sides.

19 ... Bf4 This move, which is a suggestion, not a decree, is Black’s safest route to equality. 19 ... f5!? has also been tried: 20 Bxe6 (20 g4!? is best met by returning the piece with 20 ... Bd7! 21 gxh5+ Kg7 22 Rxe6! Bxe6 23 Bxe6 Re8 24 Bxf5 Kh8 25 Bg5 Rf8 with approximately even chances) 20 ... Ng7 21 Bxc8 Raxc8 22 g3 Bxg3 23 fxg3 Qc6 24 Qxc6+ Rxc6 and the ending is equal, M.WomackaP.Harikrishna, Pardubice 2002. 20 g4! This move regains the piece, but I don’t believe White can extract an advantage. 20 ... Ng3+! This kamikaze sacrifice devalues White’s kingside pawns. 21 fxg3 Bxc1 22 Raxc1

The results of White’s gamble are mixed at best, since I believe Black easily holds his own in this starting(!) position in the line. 22 ... Bd7 Threat: ... Bc6. 22 ... b6 is also played here: 23 Bc2+ Kg7 24 Be4 Ra7 25 Rc2 Bb7 26 Rh2 Bxe4 27 Qxe4 Qb7! 28 Rxh7+ Kg8 29 Qxb7 Rxb7 30 Rh2 Rd3 with an equal ending, despite White’s extra pawn, Lu Shanglei-C.Lupulescu, Bazna 2014. 23 Bc2+ 23 Qe3 is White’s main line. After 23 ... Bc6+ 24 Kh2 h6 25 Rf1 Rd7 26 Rf4 Rad8 27 Rcf1 Rd2+ 28 R1f2 Rxf2+ 29 Rxf2 Qe7 the game remains even, J.Siigur-V.Turkov, correspondence 2006. 23 ... Kg7 As always in this variation, White’s outstretched fingertips come perilously close to the black king’s throat. Yet in reality the black king remains relatively safe, despite outer appearances, mainly since White lacks dark-square power. 24 Be4 I had several blitz games which went 24 Qe3 Bc6+ 25 Kh2 Qe7. I already prefer Black due to his superior structure. My king feels safe enough after 26

Rf1 h6. 24 ... Bc6 25 Bxc6?! Despite outer appearances this swap helps Black, who now stands better. White remains equal with 25 Re2. 25 ... Qxc6 26 Qxc6 bxc6 Well, this position isn’t the movie we were expecting, which featured danger and heroism. 27 Rcd1 Rd5!

Now we see the benefit of Black’s broken structure: he can support a rook on d5, which may harass White along the fifth rank. 28 c4 White also fights for a draw if he improves Black’s structure with 28 Rxd5 cxd5. 28 ... Ra5! 29 a3 Rb8 30 Re2 Rg5 31 Rd4 After 31 Rd7 Rxg4 32 Rf2 Rf8 33 c5 Rxg3 34 Rc7 a5 35 Rxc6 a4 Black has winning chances with his extra pawn. 31 ... c5! 32 Rf4 a5! White is driven into passivity by defending targets on b2 and g4.

33 Rd2 Threat: Rd7. 33 ... Rb7 34 Re4 Kg6 35 Kg2 Rb3 36 Rf4 We note the white rooks’ waning authority, as they are both slowly tied down to defence of weak pawns in their camp. Likewise, if 36 Kh3 a4 37 Rd8 Kg7 38 Rd7 Rg6 39 Re2 Rh6+ 40 Kg2 Rf6 41 Kh2 Rf1 42 Ra7 Rb1 43 Rxa4 R1xb2 and White will have a difficult time holding the ending. 36 ... Re5!

Threat: ... Ree3. 37 Rdf2 Otherwise, 37 Rd7?? Rxb2+ 38 Kf1 f6 leaves White busted, while 37 Rf3 Ree3 38 Rxe3 Rxe3 (threat: ... Rd4) 39 Kh3 Rb3 40 Re2 a4 41 Re5 Rxb2 42 Rxc5 Rb3 wins a pawn. 37 ... Rb7 Black’s one weakness is easily covered. 38 Rf6+ Kg7 39 R6f4 Re3 40 R4f3 Reb3 Also promising is the line 40 ... Rxf3 41 Kxf3 Rd7 42 Ke3 a4. 41 Rf4 h6!

41 ... Rxb2? is a trap, allowing White to escape with 42 Rxf7+. 42 Rf6 Rd3 43 Kh3 a4 44 Kh4 Rd4 45 R6f4 Rbd7 46 g5 We are always happy to swap a miserable known for an unknown. White undoubles his forward g-pawn and it doesn’t do his position a bit of good, but 46 Kh3 Rb7 47 Re2 Rb3 48 Rxd4 cxd4 49 Kg2 Kf6 50 c5 Rb5 51 Rc2 d3 52 Rd2 Ke5 53 Rxd3 Rxb2+ is also lost for White.

Exercise (planning): Black has two viable continuations to win. Find one of them. Answer: 46 ... Rxf4+! Answer no.2: Also strong is 46 ... e5! 47 Rxd4 cxd4 48 gxh6+ Kxh6 49 Kg4 d3 50 Rd2 Rd4+ 51 Kf5 e4 52 Kf4 Rxc4 and wins. 47 Rxf4 White puts up greater resistance with 47 gxf4 Rd1 48 gxh6+ Kxh6, but Black is still winning even here. 47 ... hxg5+ 48 Kxg5 Rd2 The b2-pawn falls and Black wins easily.

49 b4 Or 49 Re4 Rxb2 and the intended Re5 is impossible due to ... f7-f6+, picking off the rook. 49 ... axb3 50 Rf3 b2 51 Rb3

Exercise (combination alert/planning): The ground beneath White’s feet feels constructed of marshmallows. Black has access to two solutions to convert to a win, one tactical, the other a powerful plan. Find one of them: Answer: 51 ... Rd3! 0-1 Overloaded defender. The rook takes a circuitous route to its final destination. With this move Black treats White’s weak pawns as a refillable prescription. 52 Rxb2 Rxg3+ 53 Kf4 Rxa3 54 Rb5 f5 55 Rxc5 Kf6 56 Rc6 Rd3 57 c5 Rc3! is zugzwang. White must hand over his c-pawn. Answer no.2: 51 ... Rf2! is more difficult to see, since it requires in-depth planning, as well as sharp calculation to see that Black wins the promotion race if his rook cuts off White’s king: 52 a4 e5 53 a5 e4 54 a6 e3 55 a7 e2 56 Rxb2

e1Q 57 Rxf2 Qe7+! and wins.

Chapter Four The Advance Variation 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 e5

The Advance Variation is becoming more and more popular for White, who grabs space and attempts to squeeze us. While it is one of White’s more dangerous lines, I still believe that Black has adequate resources to generate counterplay. Game 31 J.Hodgson-N.Short Groningen 1996 1 d4 e6 2 e4 d5 3 e5 c5 The position’s normalcy is obvious ... 4 Nf3!?

... until now. I’m tempted to give his move the dubious mark, which it probably deserves. Let’s first get some of White’s sidelines out of the way, all of which I believe are gimmicky attempts to surprise Black, and in all of which White is lucky to equalize. 4 ... cxd4 If White allows us to swap our wing c-pawn for the central d4-pawn, I believe we should do so. Some players ignore White’s last move provocation and invite the main lines with 4 ... Nc6. 5 Bd3 A gambit, as every junkie understands, is an expensive habit to support. White may or may not be able to regain the sacrificed d4-pawn. Just because we know better, doesn’t mean we are going to act upon it. This is an anachronistic throwback (and in my opinion, shady) idea where White sacrifices the d4-pawn to seize space with the e5-pawn. White then proceeds to overprotect e5, in case Black counters with ... f7-f6. Instead, after 5 Nxd4 Ne7 6 Nc3 Nbc6 7 Bb5 a6 8 Bxc6+ bxc6 9 0-0 c5 10 Nf3 Ng6 11 Re1 Be7 12 g3 Bb7 13 h4 h6 14 h5 Nf8 I love Black’s position, since he controls greater central territory, owns the bishop-pair and has strong

potential on White’s weakened light squares, T.Brueske-P.Allerberger, correspondence 2013. 5 ... Nc6 6 0-0 Nge7 6 ... f6 is also possible, but it feels too early to me to open the centre when White leads in development. 7 Bf4 Nimzowitsch-approved overprotection of e5. 7 ... Ng6 The principled move, gaining a tempo, while unravelling the kingside for development. I would stay away from pawn grabbing at the cost of development with ideas like 7 ... Qb6!? 8 Nbd2 Qxb2 9 Nb3 Qa3 10 h4. Yes, Black is up material, but he or she also lags seriously in development. 8 Bg3 Be7

Black logically completes development before venturing either ... f7-f6 or ... f7-f5. 9 a3?! This feels too slow. White protects himself from ... Nb4 ideas, while contemplating a future plan of Nbd2, b2-b4, Nb3, b4-b5 and Nbxd4. The trouble

is this takes an eternity and Black isn’t going to be twiddling his thumbs in the meanwhile. More direct is 9 Nbd2 0-0 10 Nb3 Nb4 (Black takes advantage of the fact that White omitted a2-a3) 11 Be2 (White wants to preserve this important lightsquared bishop) 11 ... f5! 12 exf6, as in A.Toman-Ji.Houska, correspondence 2007. I prefer Black’s game after 12 ... Bxf6 13 Nfxd4 e5 14 c3 Nc6 15 Nc2 Be6! when he shouldn’t fear 16 Nc5 Bf7 17 Nxb7? Qe7 18 Ba6 Nb8 19 Qe2 Nxa6 20 Qxa6 Rab8 21 Na5 Rb6 22 Qd3 Rxb2, leaving White strategically lost. 9 ... 0-0 10 Re1 10 b4 a6 11 Re1 f5! is similar to the game continuation. 10 ... f5! Threat: ... f5-f4. 11 h3 Black’s provocations are endured, rather than welcomed, and now White’s would-be kingside attack is the 17-year-old high school kid who brags about his sexual exploits to his friends, while secretly remaining a virgin. Black owns the board after this meek move. Not much better is 11 exf6 gxf6! which gives Black a powerful, rolling centre, not to mention his extra pawn. White gives away a lot if he wants it back: 12 Bxg6?! hxg6 13 Nxd4 e5 and Black has a close to strategically won game, with a strong centre and the bishop-pair. 11 ... Bd7 11 ... a5! 12 Nbd2 a4! leaves White without counterplay. 12 b4 a5! This creates holes in White’s position. 13 b5 Na7 14 a4 Bb4 After 14 ... Bc5 15 Nbd2 Nc8 16 Nb3 Bb4 17 Nbxd4 Bc3 I don’t believe White will generate full compensation for the exchange. 15 Re2 15 Nbd2 Bc3 16 Ra2 Nc8 is also rather miserable for White. 15 ... f4! 15 ... Qb6 is tempting too. 16 Bh2 Avoiding 16 Bxg6? fxg3 17 Bd3 Rxf3! 18 gxf3 Qg5 19 Nd2 gxf2+ 20 Kh1 Bc3 when Black has massive strategic and attacking compensation for the sacrificed exchange. 16 ... Nh4!

It becomes clear that Hodgson’s opening surprise has been a complete failure on the well-prepared Short, who enjoys an enduring initiative. 17 Nbd2 17 Nxh4 Qxh4 18 f3 Nc8 also looks rather miserable for White, whose forces are tangled, and he still hasn’t regained the sacrificed d4-pawn. 17 ... Bc3 18 Ra2 White’s position is locked in Black’s painful embrace; a2 is obviously a sorry post for the rook, but if he takes it off the file, then he is in danger of hanging his a4-pawn after Black plays ... Nc8 and ... Nb6. 18 ... Nxf3+ 19 Nxf3 Be8! Intending to swing the once bad bishop around to h5. 20 Nd2 f3! The law of the jungle: Might is right. This powerful disrupting move ensures the win of the exchange. Also strong was to get the a7-knight into play with 20 ... Nc8. 21 Nxf3 Bh5 22 Nd2! Just because your position is rotten doesn’t mean you stop looking for good moves. White can’t afford 22 g4? Rxf3 23 gxh5 Qh4 with a killing attack/bind.

22 ... Bxe2 23 Qxe2 Qg5! 24 Nb3 Dodging 24 Nf3?? Rxf3! 25 Qxf3 Qc1+ 26 Bf1 Rf8 27 Qe2 Nc8 28 Bg3 Nb6 29 Kh2 Nc4 30 h4 Nd2 31 Kg1 Qb1 32 Ra3 Nxf1 33 Qxf1 Qxc2, as well as 24 f4 Rxf4! 25 Bxf4 Qxf4 26 Nf3 when White is busted on the dark squares. 24 ... Rf7 Short plans to double rooks on the f-file. 25 g3! A strong defensive move. At some point he wants to shut down the f-file with f2-f4. 25 ... Nc8 26 h4 Qh6 27 f4 Ne7 Fighting for control over f5. 28 Kg2 Nf5 29 Bxf5! White can’t avoid this concession, since Black’s knight can’t be allowed to enter e3. 29 ... Rxf5 30 Bg1 At last, d4 will fall. 30 ... Qg6!

Threat: ... Rxf4. Short begins to work the light squares in White’s camp, now

that White’s light-squared bishop is off the board. 31 Kh2 Rf7 32 Nxd4 Rc7?! The target is c2, but his is probably the wrong rook: 32 ... Rc8! and if White goes for the same plan with 33 h5? Qh6 34 Qg4 Bxd4 35 Bxd4 Rf5, he is busted. 33 h5 Qf7 34 Qg4 Re8 I would have played 34 ... Bxd4 to eliminate White’s most potent piece. 35 Ne2! Rec8 36 Bd4! Black’s bishop gums up White’s position, so Hodgson makes an effort to eject it. 36 ... Bb4 37 c3 At last, some freedom for White. 37 ... Bc5 38 Bxc5 Rxc5 39 Nd4 Rxc3!

Excellent judgement. Short understands the loss of his base pawn is less important than rook entry into White’s position. 40 Nxe6 d4! Black makes use of a new asset: a passed d-pawn. 41 f5

In case you didn’t notice, 41 Nxd4?? hangs the a2-rook to 41 ... Qxa2+. 41 ... d3 Principle: Passed pawns should be pushed. 42 Kh3 Not 42 h6?? Rc2+ 43 Rxc2 dxc2 44 Nxg7 c1Q 45 Nh5+ Kf8 when Black’s king is safe and White’s isn’t. 42 ... R3c4 43 Qf3

Exercise (combination alert): Short missed a sparkling combination which ends the game. What should Black play? 43 ... g6!? Still winning, but not Black’s best move. Answer: Stronger was 43 ... Rc2! 44 Ra1 Rf2!! when White’s queen receives an undignified nudge to her rear end. Principle: Make certain you have a competent accomplice if you plan a two-person heist. This move allows Black’s queen into f5, with devastating results. Both sides most certainly missed this deflection/removal of the guard/pinned piece shot: 45 Qxf2 Qxh5+ (forcing

White’s king to g2, after which Black wins White’s queen) 46 Kg2 Rc2 wins. 44 g4?! 44 Rd2! Qxf5+ 45 Qxf5 gxf5 46 Rxd3 Rxa4 is a technical win for Black, with some difficulty. 44 ... gxf5 45 gxf5 Kh8 The comp likes 45 ... Rc2! 46 Ra3 d2 47 Rd3 Kh8. 46 Rg2

Exercise (combination alert): The position is the raised hand with the knife, with the promise of death for White. How did Black force the win? Answer: 46 ... d2! Clearance. Threat: ... Rc3. 47 Ng5 47 Rxd2 Rc3 48 Rd3 Rxd3 49 Qxd3 Qxh5+ 50 Kg3 Rg8+ 51 Kf2 Qh2+ wins White’s queen. 47 ... Qe8 48 Qe2 Rd4! 0-1 With 49 Rg1 Rc3+ 50 Kh2 Rc1 51 Rd1 Rxd1 52 Qxd1 Qxe5+ Black forces

mate and White’s king, like a carton of milk, has an expiration date printed on his forehead. Game 32 S.Reh-R.Buhmann Schwäbisch Gmünd 2013 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 e5 c5 4 Qg4?!

To me, reason feels absent in this line. This is an old Nimzowitschian concoction, which today is known to be dubious, although it is still dusted off occasionally by club level players as a surprise weapon, so we must be ready for it. The idea is to keep Black tied down to defence of g7 at the too high cost of violating principle by developing the white queen too early. She will be vulnerable to tempo loss and also White’s d4-pawn isn’t properly supported. 4 ... Nc6 Possible too is 4 ... cxd4 5 Nf3 Nc6 6 Bd3 Qc7 7 Qg3 Nge7 8 0-0 Ng6 9 Re1 f6! 10 Bxg6+ hxg6 11 Qxg6+ Qf7 12 Qg3 (an exchange of queens leads to a

highly favourable ending for Black, who owns the bishop-pair and dominates the centre), D.Castano-L.Comas Fabrego, Dos Hermanas 2002. Black stands clearly better after 12 ... Be7 13 Bf4 Bd7 with the bishop-pair, greater central control and an open h-file. 5 Nf3 5 c3? drops material to 5 ... cxd4 6 cxd4 Qb6 7 Nf3 Nh6! 8 Qf4 (8 Bxh6?? loses to 8 ... Qxb2) 8 ... Nf5 and Black wins a pawn. 5 ... Nge7 Also fine is 5 ... cxd4 6 Bd3, transposing to the above note. 6 c3!? To my mind this move just leads to a normal position from the Advanced French, except that White tossed in the undesirable Qg4. Once again, instead 6 Bd3 cxd4 7 0-0 Ng6 8 Re1 Qc7 9 Qg3 f6! transposes to the above note, favourable to Black. 6 ... cxd4

7 Bd3 It doesn’t take much to tear down a human being’s barrier for violence, especially when we feel threatened. White infuses the position with a hoped-for

chaos agent. When we gambit a pawn in dubious fashion, we give away our future in exchange for a more pleasant present. We can’t buy a game’s outcome, although people who follow politics may disagree. White wants to play it kind of like a poor man’s Smith-Morra Gambit against French. I just don’t believe in the line’s soundness. 7 cxd4 also looks miserable for White after 7 ... Bd7 8 Nc3 Nb4 9 Rb1 Qb6 10 a3 Nc2+! 11 Kd1 Qb3 12 Nd2 Ne3+ 13 Ke2 Qxc3 14 fxe3 Qc2. 7 ... Ng6 I don’t believe in White’s compensation after 7 ... dxc3 8 Nxc3 Ng6. 8 Qg3 Even more miserable for White is 8 cxd4?! Nb4 9 Bxg6 hxg6 10 Na3 Nd3+ 11 Ke2 Nxc1+ 12 Rhxc1 Qb6 13 Rab1 which is met with 13 ... Qa6+ 14 Ke3 Be7 and is rather awful for White. 8 ... dxc3 Black accepts the pawn, which transposes to the 7 ... dxc3 note. 9 Nxc3

We rarely spot combinations in the opening, mainly since we don’t believe they exist this early and tend not to look.

9 ... d4?! Just because we see a combination, doesn’t automatically mean we should play it. I’m actually not so convinced that this is a good move, even though it picks up a second pawn, since Black falls behind in development and it also allows White to greatly increase the level of complications. I would ignore it and just keep developing if I played Black. Indeed, I would just try and consolidate with 9 ... Bd7! 10 0-0 (even worse for White is 10 h4? Qc7 11 Nb5 Qa5+ 12 Bd2 Nb4!) 10 ... Be7 11 Re1 0-0 and I don’t see White’s compensation. His present initiative feels temporary, yet his future pain may be eternal. 10 Ne4 After 10 Nb5 a6 11 Nd6+ Bxd6 12 exd6 e5 13 h4 Qf6 14 h5 Nf4 15 Bxf4 exf4 16 Qh4 Qxd6 Black picks up the second pawn. 10 ... Ngxe5?! It isn’t easy to keep a handle on the procedural nuances. More accurate is to take with the other knight: 10 ... Ncxe5! 11 Nxe5 Qa5+ 12 Bd2 Qxe5 and in this version White doesn’t have some of the tactics he could have obtained in the game’s continuation. 11 Nxe5 Qa5+ Black regains the piece. 12 Bd2?! White should complicate with 12 b4! Qxe5! (12 ... Bxb4+? 13 Kf1 Nxe5 14 Qxg7 isn’t so clear) 13 Bf4 Qh5 14 Nd6+ Kd7 when Black’s position just got a lot scarier. 12 ... Qxe5 13 f4

Playing his bishop to f4 is also an idea. 13 ... Qc7?! This isn’t a great square for the queen, since it faces a white rook on c1. 13 ... Qd5! is correct. 14 0-0 f5 A big concession. If he didn’t play it, then Black experiences trouble developing his kingside. 15 Ng5 Threat: Nxh7. Completely unchastened by the fact that he is down two pawns, White pushes on with the air of a person who isn’t as sorry as he previously claimed to be. 15 ... h6 After 15 ... Be7 16 Nxh7! Kf7 17 Ng5+ Bxg5 18 Qxg5 Qd8 19 Qg3 Bd7 20 b4 White has some compensation for his missing pawn. 16 Nf3 Bd6 17 Rac1?! 17 Qg6+! offers White reasonable compensation for his missing pawns: 17 ... Kf8 (17 ... Qf7? 18 Bxf5! regains a pawn) 18 Rac1 Qf7 19 Qg3 and Black remains tangled up.

17 ... 0-0 18 Rfe1 Bd7 19 b4 Threat: b4-b5. 19 ... Qb6 20 a3 Rae8?!

Inaccurate. Black should play 20 ... a6!. 21 Ne5! Qd8 After 21 ... Nxe5? 22 fxe5 Be7 23 Bxh6 White won back one of his two lost pawns and has some compensation, while after 21 ... Bxe5?! 22 fxe5 Kh8 23 b5 Ne7 24 Rc4! Nd5 25 a4 Rc8 26 a5 Qd8 27 Rxd4 Rc5 Black still stands better, but he gave away one of his two pawns, as well as his bishop-pair. 22 Nc4 Be7 23 b5! Nb8 24 a4 Black can match White’s complaints with two of his own. He may be up two pawns, yet his position feels like the old, sagging bellows of an accordion. 24 ... Bc8 25 Qf2? Now there is no continuity to White’s initiative. Following 25 Ne5 Nd7 26 Ng6 Nc5! 27 Bb4! (when it comes to revenge, patience is your ally, with the thought: ‘If not today, then I will get you tomorrow’; after 27 Nxf8!? Rxf8 Black has good compensation for the exchange) 27 ... b6 28 Bc4! White’s knight is so strong that it’s better not to take Black’s f8-rook. White continues to exert

pressure. 25 ... Nd7! 26 Ne5 26 Rxe6?? is met with 26 ... Nc5. 26 ... Nxe5 This exchange brings welcome relief to Black’s position and White no longer has any compensation for his missing pawns. 27 fxe5 b6 28 Qf3 Rf7 29 Rc2 Bf8 30 Bc4 Bb7 31 Qg3 Kh7! Covering against infiltration to g6. 32 Bd3 Be7 33 Qf2 Kg8 34 Be2??

Exercise: It takes hours to play a game and just one second to throw it away. Threat: Bh5, except White forgets about Black’s counter threat. It’s Black to play and win. Answer: 34 ... d3 0-1 A simple double attack, winning a piece. Game 33

A.Westermeier-K.Darga German Bundesliga 1981 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 e5 c5 4 dxc5?!

When I was a kid, mon père had firmly instructed me not to hand over central control without good reason. In this instance his advice was correct. It’s difficult to vouch for this line’s respectable parentage, since it’s another gimmicky/crappy line we see at the club level. White’s move is made with the belief: Principles are mere suggestions, not sacrosanct cosmic laws. He gives away a good central pawn for Black’s wing pawn, while weakening e5, for no discernible compensation. My feeling is that Black already stands better if you know the theory. 4 ... Nc6! An important in-between move for us to remember. I learned long ago that 4 ... Bxc5?! is inaccurate due to 5 Qg4 and here I grudgingly played 5 ... Kf8!?. I just turned White’s semi-dubious opening into perfectly acceptable one, due to my inaccuracy, A.Rendon-C.Lakdawala, San Diego 1980. 5 Nf3 Bxc5

Now that White’s Qg4 is cut off, this move is safe to play. 6 Bd3 f6! I like this move better than 6 ... Nge7 7 0-0 Ng6 8 Re1 Qc7 9 Qe2 Nd4 10 Nxd4 Bxd4 11 Bxg6 fxg6! 12 c3 Bb6 13 Nd2 0-0 14 Nf3 Bc5 15 Be3. White controls d4 and his position is fine, A.Westermeier-H.Reefschlaeger, Menden 1974. 7 Qe2 7 exf6?! assists Black’s development: 7 ... Nxf6 8 0-0 0-0 9 c4 dxc4! 10 Bxc4 Qxd1 11 Rxd1 Ng4 12 Rf1 Nd4! 13 Nbd2 b5 14 Bd3 Bb7 and White’s position was under tremendous pressure in D.Barlov-J.Ambroz, Prague 1981. 7 ... fxe5 Also worthy of consideration is 7 ... Qc7 8 Bf4 g5! 9 Bg3 g4 10 Nfd2 Nxe5. I have doubts about White’s full compensation for the pawn, B.Budimir-I.Zaja, Zagreb 2006. 8 Nxe5 Nxe5 9 Qxe5 Nf6 Threat: ... Bxf2+, and if the bishop is captured, then a knight fork on g4. 10 Bb5+ Kf7 Renewing the ... Bxf2+ threat. The loss of castling doesn’t bother Black, for two reasons: 1. Black can castle by hand with ... Rf8 and ... Kg8. 2.The bishop check on b5 represents an equivalent loss of time for White. One player in the database fell for 10 ... Bd7?? 11 Qxe6+ and White suddenly stood better. Please remember this and try not to be number two in the database who fell for this silly trap. 11 Qe2

A new move. Normal was 11 0-0 Rf8 12 Nd2, as in D.Fernando-D.Martinez Martin, Mondariz 1999, when Black stands clearly better after 12 ... Kg8 (threat: ... Ng4) 13 Qe2 e5!. 11 ... Rf8 12 0-0 Kg8 That wasn’t so hard. Black’s position is active with an open f-file and the stronger centre. 13 Nd2?! White minimizes his disadvantage with 13 Be3. 13 ... e5! 14 h3 The e-pawn is poisoned, in view of 14 Qxe5?? Ng4. One possible line runs 15 Qc3 Bxf2+ 16 Kh1 Qd6 17 g3 Nxh2! 18 Kxh2 Qh6+ 19 Kg2 Qh3 mate. 14 ... a6 15 Ba4 Forced since moving to d3 hangs a piece to ... e5-e4. 15 ... e4! 16 c4

Exercise (planning): Before this point Black’s attacking plan was merely a stick figure drawn by a small child. Now comes the time to add texture, with the details of flesh and bone. Find a potent attacking set-up for Black. 16 ... b5 The idea is to deflect pressure from d5. Not bad, but even stronger was: Answer: 16 ... Qc7! intending ... Qg3: 17 Kh1 (or 17 cxd5 Qg3! 18 Kh1 Qh4) 17 ... Ba7! 18 cxd5 Bb8! with a winning attack for Black. 17 cxb5 Qe8 He wants to swing the queen over to g6, while pinning White’s b5-pawn. GM Darga once again misses the idea 17 ... Qc7! 18 Nb3 Bxh3! 19 Nxc5 Ng4. 18 Nb3 Bd6 19 Re1 Also unpleasant for White is 19 Rd1 Qe5 20 f4 exf3 21 Qxe5 Bxe5 22 gxf3 Bd7. 19 ... Qg6 Threat: ... Bxh3. 20 Qe3!

White reinforces h3. 20 Kh1? is strongly met with 20 ... Nh5!, intending ... Bxh3! followed by ... Rf3. 20 ... Bd7 Black had a stronger continuation in 20 ... Nh5! 21 Kh1 Nf4 22 Qg3 Qxg3 23 fxg3 Nd3 24 Rg1 Bxg3 25 Be3 Nxb2 26 Nc5 Nxa4 27 Nxa4 axb5 28 Nb6 Ra5 29 Nxd5 Be6 30 Rgd1 Rfa8. White is busted. 21 Nd4 Rac8 More accurate is 21 ... Kh8! 22 Bb3 axb5. 22 Bb3 axb5 23 Qg5?? 23 Bd2 was necessary.

Exercise (combination alert): White remains deaf to the time bomb’s ticking. What did he just overlook? Answer: 23 ... Rxc1! 0-1 Removal of the guard/deflection. 24 Qxc1 Bxh3 is crushing.

Game 34 V.Topalov-F.Caruana London 2016 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 e5 c5 4 c3 This version of the Advanced French is located in the ‘respectable’ part of town. Legitimacy at last. Backing up d4 with the c-pawn is White’s only reliable try to extract an advantage. 4 ... Nc6 5 Nf3 Bd7 For several decades I played 5 ... Qb6 automatically in this position (I’m a slow learner), but now plan to switch to 5 ... Bd7, since it’s more flexible. Now why wouldn’t Black want to play 5 ... Qb6, which pressures d4? Because Black’s queen can be played there later on. The early placement makes her vulnerable to tempo loss, especially in the a2-a3 and b2-b4 lines, when Black’s queen may later be vulnerable to White’s Nc3 and Na4. Essentially 5 ... Bd7 is a wait-and-see strategy. We may later place our queen on b6, and we may not. It all depends on how White is going to set up his pieces and pawns. 6 Be2 This is White’s old main line, which has recently been passed in popularity by 6 a3. Later in the chapter we look at both that and 6 Bd3. 6 ... Nge7 Black left the c5-pawn hanging, which isn’t much of a worry, since if White takes it, we win White’s more important e5-pawn in exchange. The reason we don’t exchange early on d4 is that if we do so, then White’s b1-knight has access to the c3-square. 7 h4

The ideas behind this move: 1. White wants to probe Black’s kingside with a future h4-h5 and h5-h6. 2. If Black’s knight plays to g6, then h4-h5 arrives with tempo gain. 3. If Black plays the e7-knight to f5, then White has the option of booting it out with g2-g4, without allowing Black’s knight entry to h4. Next game we look at 7 Na3. Others: a) 7 0-0 Ng6 (7 ... Nf5 is also played here) 8 g3 Be7 9 h4 0-0! 10 h5 Nh8 (Black’s knight will later emerge on f7) 11 h6 g6 12 c4 (perhaps superior is 12 dxc5 Bxc5 13 c4 f6 14 cxd5 Nxe5 15 Qb3 Nxf3+ 16 Bxf3 e5; chances were approximately balanced in this sharp position, J.Timman-L.Ljubojevic, Amsterdam 1999) 12 ... cxd4 13 cxd5 exd5 14 Na3 f6 15 exf6 Bxf6 and Black already stood considerably better, A.Grischuk-M.Carlsen, Internet (blitz) 2017. b) 7 a3 Nf5 8 b4 cxd4 9 cxd4 Qb6 (only now do we play our queen to b6) 10 Bb2 Be7 11 0-0 0-0 12 Qd3 f6 13 Nbd2 fxe5 14 dxe5 Be8!. Black’s former bad bishop emerges on g6 and he achieved a decent position in J.AmbrozE.Vasiukov, Prague 1980. c) 7 dxc5 Ng6 (we are happy to give away our c5-pawn in exchange for White’s e5-pawn) 8 Be3 Ngxe5 9 Nxe5 Nxe5 10 0-0 Be7 11 f4 Ng6 and the

chances are balanced, R.Forbis-W.Lapham, correspondence 1998. 7 ... Qb6!?

We must be flexible about playing or not playing ... Qb6. In this case it looks right, since White’s h2-h4 was not a developing move. You can also cut out White’s d4xc5 option by first tossing in 7 ... cxd4 8 cxd4 and only then playing 8 ... Qb6 which should transpose to the game continuation. 8 Na3 Alternatively, 8 dxc5!? Qc7 9 Na3 Nxe5 10 Nxe5 Qxe5 11 Be3?! (White should try 11 g3) 11 ... Nf5 12 Bd4 Qe4! 13 Qd3!? (Black also stands better after 13 Kf1 b6! 14 cxb6 Bxa3 15 Bd3 Qf4 16 Bxf5 Qxf5 17 bxa3 axb6) 13 ... Qxg2 14 0-0-0 Rc8 and Black stood clearly better in E.Lehner-H.Teske, Passau 1997. 8 ... cxd4 I think it’s wise to cut out White’s d4xc5 options. 9 cxd4 Nb4

A new move, the idea of which is to intercept White’s intended Nc2. Likewise, after 9 ... Nf5 10 Nc2 Nb4 11 Nxb4 Bxb4+ 12 Kf1 h5 Black stood no worse, A.Shirov-M.Gurevich, Prague (rapid) 2002. 10 h5 h6 Caruana doesn’t want to allow White h5-h6, puncturing his kingside dark squares. 11 Bd2 Intending to transfer to c3, reinforcing d4. 11 ... a6 12 Bc3 Nec6 12 ... Nf5 is a vulnerable square for the knight, since g2-g4 is always in the air. 13 Rh3 Topalov’s rook can later transfer to g3, or even swing to centre or queenside if necessary. 13 ... 0-0-0 14 Kf1 14 Nb1 intending a2-a3 is met with 14 ... Na7. 14 ... Kb8 15 Qd2?! This natural looking move gets White into trouble. Correct was 15 Nb1 Na7.

15 ... f6! At last, Black challenges White’s e5-pawn. I already slightly prefer Black. 16 exf6 gxf6 17 Rg3 17 Qf4+?? loses to 17 ... e5 with a double attack on the white queen and h3rook. 17 ... Be8! 18 Nh4 After 18 Qf4+? Bd6 19 Qxf6 Bxh5 20 Rh3 Bg4 21 Rxh6 Rxh6 22 Qxh6 Bxf3 23 Bxf3 Nxd4 Black stands clearly better. 18 ... Bd6 Preventing Qf4+. Stronger was 18 ... e5! 19 Ng6 Bxg6 20 hxg6 Rg8 21 Nc2 Nxc2 22 Qxc2 e4 when Black stands considerably better. 19 Rg7 e5?!

More accurate was 19 ... Bf8! 20 Rg3 e5 21 Ng6 Bxg6 22 hxg6 Rg8 23 dxe5 fxe5 24 Bh5 Bd6 when ... e5-e4 which is coming and Black stands better. 20 dxe5 fxe5 21 Ng6 Bxg6 22 hxg6 e4 23 Rf7 Rhg8 24 g7! The passed pawn is exceedingly dangerous and the advantage has swung to White. 24 ... Ka7

After 24 ... d4 25 Nc4 dxc3 26 bxc3 Be5 27 Nxb6 Rxd2 28 Rf8+ Rd8 29 Rxd8+ Rxd8 30 Nd7+! Ka7 31 Nxe5 Nxe5 32 cxb4 Rg8 33 Rd1 Rxg7 34 Rd5 White stands better in the ending. 25 Qxh6 Nd3!? 26 Bxd3 exd3 27 Re1 Bc5? Black should try and mess matters up with 27 ... d2! 28 Bxd2 (28 Qxd2? is met strongly with 28 ... d4) 28 ... Qxb2 29 Bc1 Qb4. 28 Re6 Threat: Rxc6, but missing 28 Qg6! d2 29 Bxd2 and now 29 ... Qxb2?? is met by 30 Qxc6 with a winning position. 28 ... Rc8 29 Qg5?! 29 Qf6 was the correct square for the queen. 29 ... Bd4?! Black stands better if Caruana had found 29 ... Bxa3 30 bxa3 Qb5! 31 a4 Qc4 32 Bd2 Nd8. 30 Re1?!

Well, the position isn’t exactly a feast of reason and the complications are too much, even for two of the strongest players of our time. White maintains his advantage after 30 Qxd5! Bxc3 31 bxc3 Rgd8 32 Rd7.

30 ... Bxc3?! Missing 30 ... Rxg7! 31 Bxd4 (31 Rxg7?? is met with 31 ... Rh8!, threatening mate, and if 32 g3 Bxc3 33 bxc3 Rh1+ 34 Kg2 Rxe1 when White is busted) 31 ... Rxg5 32 Bxb6+ Kxb6 33 Rd1 Ne5 when White is in trouble due to Black’s passed d3-pawn. 31 bxc3 Qb2 32 Nb1 Rce8 The game is once again equal. Threat: ... Rxe1+ and ... Qe2 mate. 33 Qd2 Rxe1+ 34 Qxe1 d4 35 Nd2? Madness tends to begin as a seed which grows and later wells up to take complete possession of the mind. Most people have the image of a scientist when they think of a strong chess player, and the truth is that many more resemble a mad poet instead. This idea pushes White’s position past tolerable limits. Topalov’s move is made with the thought: when Opportunity presents herself before you, don’t linger. Just reach out and grab her. This brilliant/incorrect move would be a double exclam, if only it worked. The attempted punishment is disproportionate to the presumed crime. This is the start of a brilliant yet unsound idea/combination on Topalov’s part. The game remains an uneasy mess after the correct 35 a4. 35 ... dxc3! 35 ... Qxc3? removes all the promotion danger from White, who now stands clearly better after 36 g3. 36 Nc4 White’s position is a marriage between heaven and hell. On the one hand, Black’s queen is attacked and White threatens a crushing sequence, beginning with Qe3+. On the other hand, White’s entire plan doesn’t work. Black’s position is the situation where you commit a minor traffic violation and the cop who pulls you over, scolds you, yet lets you off with just a scary warning, rather than an actual ticket. Only your ego was banged up, rather than your bank balance and your insurance records. White’s position is a lot scarier than it actually appears on the surface.

Exercise: This is the position Topalov envisioned when he began his flawed combination. White threatens both Nxb2, and also Qe3+, which sends Black’s king to the back rank and allows Rf8+. For Black, this is not the time to turn deaf ear or blind eye to the warning signs. Do you see Black’s miracle saving move which turns the attack around on White? Answer: 36 ... Re8!! Overloaded defender/deflection/pawn promotion/weak back rank. Black relies on a pincer movement by coming at White’s king from both sides. Somehow tragedy bypasses Caruana’s position and his previous mistakes are permitted to disappear into the darkness. After this crushing move, White’s position reaches the stage of the terminally ill patient who will never get better and never leave the hospital again. How vexing for Topalov, when he felt he held his end up by continuing his attack in what he believed to be in principled fashion. And then the hated geometric anomaly pops up and works its havoc, turning the hoped for result upside down.

And certainly not 36 ... Qxa2?? 37 Qe3+ Kb8 38 Rf8+ Nd8 39 Qxd3 when Black is mated. 37 Rxb7+ Nothing works for White: a) 37 Qxe8 Qc1+ 38 Qe1 d2 wins. b) 37 Nxb2 Rxe1+ 38 Kxe1 cxb2 39 g8Q b1Q+ 40 Kd2 Qc2+ 41 Ke3 Qe2+ 42 Kf4 Qxf2+ 43 Ke4 Qd4+ 44 Kf5 d2 and Black promotes. c) 37 g8Q Rxe1+ 38 Kxe1 Qc1 mate. 37 ... Qxb7! 38 Qxe8 Qb1+! 39 Qe1 c2 0-1 With 40 g8Q White gets a new queen and it doesn’t do his king any good at all: 40 ... Qxe1+ 41 Kxe1 c1Q mate. Game 35 A.Shabalov-A.Shirov Edmonton 2005 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 e5 c5 4 c3 Nc6 Instead, after 4 ... Bd7 5 Nf3 Qb6 (this will soon transpose to our variation) 6 Na3 cxd4 7 cxd4 Ne7 8 Be2 Nbc6 9 0-0 Rc8 10 b3?! (correct was 10 Nc2) 10 ... Nb4 (now White’s knight is stuck on a3) 11 Bb2 Ng6 12 g3 Be7 13 h4 0-0 14 h5 Nh8 15 Qd2 f6 16 Rfe1 Nf7 White’s knight remains out of play on a3 and Black already stood better, B.Baker-C.Lakdawala, San Diego (rapid) 2011. This game is annotated in First Steps: French Defence. 5 Nf3 Bd7 6 Be2 Nge7 7 Na3

Since c3 isn’t open for the knight, c2 is the next best thing. The knight swings from a3 to c2 to reinforce d4, which will soon be the base of his pawn chain. 7 ... cxd4 There is no need to retain central tension if the c3-square is out of the equation for White’s knight. 8 cxd4 Nf5 9 Nc2 9 g4?! is premature: 9 ... Bb4+ 10 Kf1 Nh4 and White’s game already exudes an overextended feel. 9 ... Qb6 Well timed, since there is no Nc3 and Na4 affecting the black queen in this version. 10 0-0 Black doesn’t mind. After 10 g4!? Nfe7 White may later regret the decision to play g2-g4 if he overextends. 10 ... Na5!? The idea is to swap away Black’s bad bishop for White’s good model with a coming ... Bb5. Black’s main line runs: 10 ... Rc8 11 g4 Nfe7 12 Nh4 Ng6 13

Ng2 f6 14 exf6 gxf6 with a complex middlegame with balanced chances, Y.Solodovnichenko-E.Gleizerov, Voronezh 2006. 11 g4!? Here he comes. This gain of a tempo comes at the high cost of potential future overextension. 11 b3 is more restrained. Black looks equal after the thematic 11 ... Bb5.

11 ... Ne7 12 Nfe1 The idea is to block a swap of light-squared bishops with Nd3. 12 ... Bb5 13 Nd3 h5! This pawn sacrifice is a good investment for Black. 14 gxh5 Nf5 For the pawn, Black obtained: 1. White’s h-pawns are doubled and require protection. 2. White lost control over f5, allowing Black’s knight to occupy the square. 3. With Black’s knight now on f5, White must work harder to keep d4 protected. 15 Be3 Nc6 Also to be considered was 15 ... Nc4 16 b3 Ncxe3 17 fxe3 Be7.

16 a4?!

This is White main move, but I still consider it incorrect since White’s pawn pushes will come at a big cost of potential overextension later on. I prefer the more restrained 16 Kh1. 16 ... Bc4 17 b4 Qd8 The black queen has done its work on the queenside and transfers back to her home square. 17 ... Ncxd4?? would be a catastrophic misjudgement: 18 Nxd4 Nxd4 19 Kh1! (so that ... Nxe2 doesn’t come with check) 19 ... a5 20 Nc1 and Black loses his knight for not enough compensation. 18 Bg4 It’s more accurate to first toss in 18 b5 Na5 and only then play 19 Bg4. 18 ... Nxe3 19 fxe3 Qg5! Black’s queen acts with impunity along the kingside dark squares. 20 h3 Rxh5 Black regains the sacrificed pawn and stands slightly better. Even stronger is 20 ... g6! 21 Kh1 (21 hxg6?? Bxd3! 22 gxf7+ Ke7 23 Qxd3 Rxh3 24 Qe2 Rg3+ wins a piece) 21 ... gxh5 22 Be2 when White’s king doesn’t appear too safe. 21 Qf3 0-0-0! 22 Qxf7??

Ah yes, the old impulse purchase. This move is the mob boss who walks into the priest’s confessional and declares: “Thinking back over my life, there isn’t a single sin or evil thought I ever remember committing.” When we feel threatened, two reactions are possible: 1. We either retreat or dig in for arduous defence. 2. We take on an aggressive posture and decide to fight. Shabalov, who obviously picked number two on the list, believes this is the wild, wild West, where laws go unenforced and the fastest gun rules. His move is a serious misjudgement. White should try 22 Rad1 Rh6 23 b5 Ne7 24 Qg2 when his king position isn’t exactly Windsor Castle, nor is it a slum. White’s position is inferior, but still a playable game. 22 ... Rxh3 23 Qxe6+ Kb8 24 Rxf8 If you are starving, you will look for food wherever you can find it. Shabalov counted on this trick, which fails, since imagination is no substitute for actual resources. 24 ... Rg3+ Not 24 ... Rxf8?? 25 Qd6+ and it is White who wins.

25 Kf2 Rxg4 26 Qd6+ Ka8 26 ... Kc8 also works. 27 Rxd8+ Nxd8 28 Qd7 Threatening a back-rank mate. If there is going to be a 100 metres race between an elderly Brontosaurus and the Flash, you would be wise to put your money on the super hero. Black is way ahead in the mutual king hunt. 28 ... Rg2+ 29 Ke1 Qg3+ 30 Kd1 Qf3+ 0-1 When compared to Black’s queen, White’s queen is the runt of the litter, unlikely to get her fair share of nourishment: 31 Kc1 Rxc2+! 32 Kxc2 Qe2+ 33 Kc1 Qxe3+ 34 Kc2 (or 34 Kb2 Qd2+ 35 Ka3 Qc3 mate) 34 ... Qxd3+ 35 Kc1 Qc3+ 36 Kb1 Nc6! when there is no mate for White and Black consolidates. Game 36 S.Movsesian-M.Gurevich New York Open 1998 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 e5 c5 4 c3 Nc6 5 Nf3 Bd7 6 a3

White’s a2-a3 and then b2-b4 is one of the most popular plans. In this

version we profit from holding our queen back from b6 for two reasons: 1. Without a black queen on b6, when pawns are exchanged on d4 and the c3-square opens, White lacks the normal Nc3 and Na4 tempo-gaining mechanism. 2. With Black’s queen on d8, Black has access to plans involving ... b7-b5 and ... a7-a5, in an attempt to dismantle White’s queenside bind, as occurred this game. 6 ... Nge7 Just to be consistent, we stick with the same ... Nge7 set-up. We won’t cover the also playable 6 ... f6 and 6 ... c4. 7 b4 cxd4 8 cxd4 Nf5 9 Bb2 Next game we look at a position where White places the bishop on e3, rather than b2. 9 ... b5! This is the point where we profit from our refusal to bring our queen out early to b6. Remember this important idea: 1. Our b5-pawn is tactically covered. 2. If White doesn’t chop the b5-pawn, then next move we dismantle White’s queenside bind with ... a7-a5!. 10 Nbd2 Alternatively: a) 10 Bxb5?! allows the tactic 10 ... Nxe5! 11 Bxd7+ Nxd7 which is a good deal for Black for the following reasons: 1. We swapped away a wing pawn for White’s more important e5-pawn. 2. We swapped away our bad bishop for White’s good bishop. b) 10 Nc3 is met with 10 ... a5! 11 Nxb5 axb4 12 a4 and Black stood at least equal in M.Saltaev-I.Glek, German League 2005. c) 10 Bd3 a5! 11 bxa5 Nxa5 when Black’s knight is about to enter into the c4-hole and Black already stands a shade better, I.Berzina-A.Sumets, Warsaw 2007. d) 10 g4? merely overextends White after 10 ... Nh4. 10 ... a5!

This is Step 2 of our plan: White’s queenside bind disintegrates and I already prefer Black. 11 Bxb5 Worse is 11 bxa5?! Nxa5 when Black’s knight enters c4. 11 ... axb4 12 a4 This move supports the b5-bishop which disallows our ... Nxe5 intent. 12 axb4?! is met with our other trick: 12 ... Nxe5! 13 Bxd7+ Nxd7. White’s b-pawn is a weakness more than a strength and we unloaded our bad bishop. 12 ... Be7 Don’t fear White’s g2-g4, which only weakens if our knight is allowed to slip into h4. 13 0-0 0-0 14 h3 White wants to fight for control over c4 and avoids 14 Nb3 Na5 15 Bxd7 Qxd7 16 Nxa5 Rxa5. White’s a4-pawn will fall, F.Montoliu Cervero-N.Sedlak, La Roda 2013. 14 ... Na5!

A swap of bishops will weaken White’s a4-pawn. 15 Bd3 Rc8?! I don’t like this since it removes the pressure from a4. Black stands clearly better after 15 ... Qb6! 16 Qe2 Rfc8 17 Rfb1 Rab8 with ... b4-b3 coming next, with a huge queenside bind. 16 Qe2?! Some injuries to our position are not immediately apparent and they are only noticed several moves later. This move loses control over the key b3-square, allowing Black to later push his b-pawn there. White minimizes his disadvantage with 16 Nb3! Nc4 17 Qb1. 16 ... Qb6 17 g4 Nh6!? It’s hard to fault Black for this artificial move, since it prevents White from a kingside pawn storm. The comp prefers 17 ... Nh4! which most humans wouldn’t play, since it allows White a temporary initiative after 18 Nxh4 Bxh4 19 f4 (threat: g4-g5 and Qg4, trapping Black’s dark-squared bishop) 19 ... Be7 20 f5 exf5! 21 gxf5 Qh6 22 Rf3 Bg5 23 Nf1 Nb3 24 Rb1 Bxa4. I doubt White’s kingside attacking chances make up for Black’s extra and passed b-pawn on the other side of the board.

18 Bb1 Intending Qd3. 18 ... Rc7 19 Qd3 g6 20 Nb3?! 20 Qe3 avoids Black’s combination.

Exercise (combination alert): White’s last move overlooks a tactic: 20 ... Nxb3 Black still stands better after this move, but much stronger was: Answer: 20 ... Rc3! (interference/double attack) when both parties’ claims over the b3-square overlap. The rules of chess state that a square can only be occupied by one piece at a time. In this case, it is Black who will end up with possession of the square: 21 Bxc3 Nxb3 (double attack) 22 a5 Qb8 23 Bb2 Nxa1 24 Qe3 Kg7 25 Bxa1 Qa7 and White’s a-pawn falls for zero compensation. 21 Qxb3 Ra8 Threat: ... Rca7 and ... Bxa4. 22 Qd1! In order to support his a-pawn with Bc2 next.

22 ... Kg7! 22 ... b3?! is met with 23 a5! Rxa5 24 Rxa5 Qxa5 25 Qxb3 when White is OK again. 23 Bc2 b3! Gurevich understands that Black remains better, even with the queenside pawns cleared out. 24 Bxb3 Bxa4 Risky is to sacrifice a pawn with 24 ... Rb8!? 25 Nd2 Bb4 26 Nf3 Bc3 27 Bxc3 Rxc3 28 Bc2 Qa6. Black stands slightly better, despite White’s extra pawn. 25 Qd3?? White should hold the game after the correct 25 Bxa4 Qxb2.

Exercise (combination alert): Even GMs make simple errors if their clocks run low. White’s last move blunder could also be the product of simple exhaustion from previous rounds. What did White overlook?

Answer: 25 ... Bb5 When you get away with it, theft is more profitable than fair trade. This simple skewer wins not the exchange, but instead, White’s h-pawn, leaving him down a pawn and hopelessly overextended on the kingside. 26 Qe3 Bxf1 27 Rxa8 Bxh3 28 g5 Otherwise he loses another pawn. 28 ... Nf5 29 Qd3 Bg4 Threat: ... Bxf3 and ... Rb7, winning a piece. 30 Nh2 Be2! This trick sticks White with a remaining bad bishop. A slightly more accurate version of Black’s trick is to first toss in 30 ... Qb7! 31 Ra1 (after 31 Re8 Bh5 White can barely move), and only now play 31 ... Be2! 32 Qxe2 Qxb3. 31 Qxe2 Qxb3 32 Ng4 Qb7! 33 Re8

Exercise (calculation): Can Black get away with chopping White’s g5 pawn? Or is it better if Black plays it safe with 33 ... Rc8, swapping away White’s active rook? Which move would you play?

33 ... Rc8 Gurevich reasons that a venomous snake is still a danger to touch, even if it is barely alive. He is understandably nervous about White’s rook on his first rank. Answer: The truth is that Black can grab the g5-pawn with impunity with 33 ... Bxg5! (a radical shift in the game’s tempo dictates a bold approach) 34 Ba3 h5! 35 Nf6 (one side is a highly trained armed force, while the other a drunken group of farmers who threatens to attack with farm implements; White’s ragged and undisciplined rabble isn’t about to get past Gurevich’s solid defensive barrier) 35 ... Qb1+!. Now if White tries to avoid an exchange of queens, he gets mated with 36 Kh2 (or 36 Kg2 Nh4+ 37 Kh3 Qh1+ 38 Kg3 Nf5 mate) 36 ... Bf4+ 37 Kg2 Nh4+ 38 Kh3 Qh1 mate. 34 Nf6 White makes up in determination that which he actually lacks in resources. 34 ... Rxe8 35 Nxe8+ Kf8 36 Nf6 Kg7 37 Ne8+ Kh8 No draw. 38 Nf6 h6! Gurevich discovers the position’s internal meaning. This move breaks up White’s bind on the kingside. 39 Qc2 39 gxh6 Bxf6 40 exf6 Qb4 is hopelessly lost for White. 39 ... hxg5 40 Qc3 Bxf6 It’s time to get rid of White’s dangerous knight. 41 exf6 g4 Preventing White’s queen from swinging into h3. 42 Qc5

Exercise (calculation): Can Black get away with chopping White’s free bishop on b2 and allowing White’s queen into f8? Is this deal overpriced or undervalued? 42 ... Qb8 Gurevich can’t seem to sever his relationship with always remaining safe. There is no profit without a customer. Sometimes our opponent has no more desire to sacrifice, than we do to accept it. Answer: The deal is undervalued. Black can call White’s bluff with 42 ... Qxb2! 43 Qf8+ Kh7 44 Qxf7+ Kh6 45 Qxe6 Qc1+ 46 Kh2 Qf1 47 Qxd5 Qh3+ 48 Kg1 Nh4 and White will be mated before he can do anything with his passed f-pawn. 43 Bc1 g5! In such positions our king safety is a commodity as valuable as gold. This is an excellent practical move. By handing back one of his two extra pawns, Black’s king reaches a state of absolute safety on the kingside light squares.

44 Bxg5 Kh7 45 Bc1 g3 46 Qc3 Not 46 f3? Qb3! when Black forces mate in five moves. 46 ... gxf2+ 47 Kg2 Also hopeless for White is 47 Kxf2 Qh2+ 48 Ke1 Qg1+ 49 Ke2 Nxd4+ 50 Kd3 e5.

Exercise: What is Black’s clearest path to victory? Answer: 47 ... Qg3+! Overloaded defender/simplification. Black’s queen creeps forth in whispery greeting. 48 Qxg3 Nxg3 49 Kxf2 Nh5 0-1 White’s f-pawn falls, after which he is down two pawns for zero compensation. Game 37 O.Iturbide Arnedo-D.Martinez Martin Madrid League 2015

1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 e5 c5 4 c3 Nc6 5 Nf3 Nh6 Ignore Black’s move order. We get to the position via 5 ... Bd7 6 a3 Nge7 7 b4 cxd4 8 cxd4 Nf5 which transposes. 6 a3 Nf5 7 b4 cxd4 8 cxd4 Bd7 9 Be3

In this version White feels that his bishop is a bit of a clunker on b2. So he plays it to e3, allowing Black the bishop-pair with ... Nxe3 at any time, in exchange for an open f-file for his attack. I don’t believe this is necessarily always a good deal for White. 9 ... a5 It’s critical to disrupt White’s queenside bind at some point. This move loosens up and creates holes in White’s position. Also playable are: a) 9 ... Nxe3 (Black grabs the bishop-pair right away) 10 fxe3 a5! 11 b5 Na7 12 a4 Bb4+ 13 Nbd2 Nc8 when White’s queenside feels overextended and the position transposes to the Gaujens-Krabbe note below. b) 9 ... b5 is consistent with Gurevich’s strategy last game: 10 Nc3 a5 11 Nxb5 axb4 was M.Llaneza Vega-D.Forcen Esteban, Escaldes 2017. I prefer Black’s chances after 12 Bg5 Qb8 13 a4 b3!, and if 14 Qxb3 Bb4+ 15 Kd1 (if

White blocks with a piece, he loses his d4-pawn) 15 ... 0-0 when Black’s attacking chances are easily worth the sacrificed pawn. 10 b5 Na7 11 a4 Bb4+

More accurate is to remove White’s dark-squared bishop first with 11 ... Nxe3. 12 Nbd2 White should play 12 Bd2! with approximate equality. 12 ... Nc8 Again, there was 12 ... Nxe3!. 13 Bd3 White should jump on his chance to preserve his dark-squared bishop with 13 Bg5. 13 ... Nxe3 At last. White’s open f-file won’t fully make up for Black’s enhanced control over the dark squares. 14 fxe3 Nb6 15 0-0 Rc8

Advantage Black, who owns the bishop-pair, dark squares, pressure down the c-file and White is tied down to defence of his a4-pawn. White’s vague kingside attacking chances don’t make up for Black’s solid strategic plusses. 16 Ra2 Qe7 Black is nervous about castling, but maybe he shouldn’t be: 16 ... 0-0 17 h4 f5! 18 exf6 gxf6! was A.Gaujens-W.Krabbe, correspondence 2010, when I prefer Black’s chances after 19 e4 Be8!. 17 h4?! This move weakens in the name of an attack he won’t ever achieve. 17 ... h6 Very cautious, instead of 17 ... f6!? 18 Qb1 f5 and now it looks safe for Black to castle. 18 g4!? White, deciding to go Captain Ahab on Black’s king, reasons: ‘Why attempt to rebuild a structure in which there is nothing left to salvage?’ Our flights of fancy are rarely overruled by practical considerations. By pushing his kingside ‘attack’ too far, White actually pushes his opponent to react later on in a way exactly opposite to White’s intentions. White acts as if Black already committed

his king to the kingside. 18 ... Rc3 White’s king looks worse off than Black’s after 18 ... f5! 19 gxf5 exf5 20 Kh1 0-0 21 Rg1 Be8!. 19 Nb1 Rc7 20 Raf2 Kd8!

“Adios muchachos! Bye! Take care! See you later! I will be thinking of you!” The centre of gravity suddenly shifts to our left. Black realizes that his king will be safer on the other side of the board and so he castles by hand. Now White’s would-be kingside attack is undifferentiated from ashes from a long dead fire. 21 h5 Kc8 22 Nfd2 It’s easy to protect f7. 22 ... Be8 23 e4!? Useful moves tend to be in short supply in a souring position. Now White’s king is in even greater danger of exposure to the elements. If White refrains from this move though, then Black leisurely builds for a break with ... Rf8 and ... f7f6. 23 ... Kb8

Black’s king is perfectly safe. 24 exd5 Nxd5 Threat: ... Ne3. 25 Qf3 This move loses a pawn. White is highly unlikely to survive 25 Nc4 Qg5 26 Qf3 f5! 27 exf6 gxf6. 25 ... Nb6! Now a4 is under attack, while Black clears the way for major pieces to attack d4. 26 Nb3 White must hand over the a4-pawn. Backtracking fails to help: 26 Qd1 Qg5 27 Ne4 Qe3 28 Bc2 Nxa4! overloads White’s light-squared bishop. 26 ... Nxa4 27 Ra2 Nc3 28 Nxc3 Rxc3 29 Nxa5

Exercise (combination alert): White believes he won his pawn back. He didn’t. Black has access to combination which wins material. This one is easy:

Answer: 29 ... Bxb5 Pin. 30 Bxb5 Hopeless, as are 30 Qxb7+ Qxb7 31 Nxb7 Bxd3 32 Rxf7 Rc7, which consolidates, and 30 Rd1 Rd8 31 Qe3 Rxd4! when Black’s rook is immune since taking it loses White’s queen to ... Bc5. 30 ... Rxf3 31 Rxf3 Bxa5! 32 Rxa5 Qb4 Double attack. 33 Rfa3 The recognition of a problem is still a million miles away from actually discovering its solution. White saves his piece at the high cost of most of his pawns, which brings us to the realization that it does our position no good if reinforcements arrive after the battle has been decided in your opponent’s favour. 33 ... Qxd4+ 34 Kf1 Rd8 35 Ra8+ Kc7 36 Rxd8 Qf4+ 37 Kg2 Qxg4+ 0-1 Game 38 V.Lykov-I.Smikovski Omsk 1996 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 e5 c5 4 c3 Qb6 Hey, you are messing up my book with your move order! Our move order runs 4 ... Nc6 5 Nf3 Bd7 6 Bd3 cxd4 7 cxd4 Qb6. 5 Nf3 Nc6 6 Bd3

Darkness may allow a semi-sound idea a bit of cover. When a person plays a shady gambit, he or she does so with the unconscious belief they are somehow smarter than the variation’s hard facts and are certain to get away with the crime. My advice to students who are tempted by such gambits are: “Don’t say I didn’t warn you!” White’s last move is the gateway into the Milner-Barry Gambit, which from a theoretical standpoint is one of those undependable 15-year-old hand-me-down cars given to teenagers. It may get her to the destination, and it may not. If you study the line hard and comp them to the end, I assure you Black comes out on top. The problem is at club level, this line tends to work well for White, who catches many French players unprepared. So let’s not fall into this category. An unsound line is incapable of surviving the passage of time. Yet the Milner-Barry continues to hang around, since it falls into the gauzy middle ground category of a semi-sound gambit, where there is no outright refutation. Where is the sweet voice of reason? Unfortunately, the sensible of the chess world tend to be the ones victimized by those who aren’t. White gets fishing chances, even when you master the theory as Black. So don’t underestimate the Milner-Barry’s power to surprise an unprepared opponent – but not us!.

6 ... cxd4 This is our most accurate move order, since 6 ... Bd7 allows 7 dxc5 Bxc5 8 0-0 when b2-b4 which is in the air and White has a playable game. 7 cxd4 Bd7 When my younger brother Jimmy and I were playing GM Walter Browne in a simul in Montreal in 1976, the goof played 7 ... Nxd4?? and I groaned silently to myself when the game continued 8 Nxd4 Qxd4?? (sigh, it’s better to be down a piece, than a queen; therefore correct is 8 ... Bc5) 9 Bb5+. Then Jimmy embarrassed me further by refusing to resign down a queen to a GM and played on until mate. 8 Nc3 It’s too late to back down from the sacrifice now. Next game we look at the modern continuation 8 0-0 Nxd4 9 Nbd2 (9 Nxd4 Qxd4 10 Nc3 brings us back into the realm of our present game). Otherwise: a) 8 Be2?! Nh6 is a book line in the Advanced French, except that White is a full move down, since he took two moves to develop his bishop to e2: 9 Nc3 Nf5 10 Na4 Qa5+ and now if White plays the ‘normal’ reply, a move down with 11 Bd2? then 11 ... Bb4! wins White’s d4-pawn. b) 8 Bc2?! Nb4 picks off White’s important light-squared bishop, since White is unable to play 9 Ba4? Qa6!. White is in terrible trouble on his central light squares. 8 ... Nxd4 From the Sheriff of Nottingham’s perspective, Robin Hood stole from the successful and gave to those who failed. 9 Nxd4 Qxd4 Just because we own wealth doesn’t automatically mean that respect will follow. Our opponent is down a pawn, yet intent on mating us with his development lead and extra space. Yet I have always believed that players who like and continue to play the “absolutely sound”(!) Milner-Barry Gambit are the type who believe that professional wrestling is real. 10 0-0 a6

I have always played this move over the far more risky 10 ... Qxe5!? 11 Re1 when White either regains the d5-pawn or increases his or her development lead. 11 Qe2 White guards e5, while possibly making room on d1 for a rook. 11 ... Ne7 Heading for c6. 12 Kh1 In preparation for f2-f4, rather than 12 Rd1 Nc6! 13 Bxa6 Qxe5 14 Bxb7 Qxe2 15 Nxe2 Rb8 16 Bxc6 (16 Ba6 Nb4 picks up the light-squared bishop all the same) 16 ... Bxc6 17 Nd4 Bd7.

This tabiya ending is known to be favourable to Black for the following reasons: 1. Black owns the bishop-pair. 2. Black’s central majority is of more value than White’s queenside pawn majority. 3. Black’s king is already placed in the centre in the ending, while White’s is off to the side. The comp rates Black up about two thirds of a pawn here. 12 ... Nc6 13 f4 Before the comps, it was incorrectly thought that White had decent compensation for the pawn. This assessment altered when Black’s next move was discovered. 13 ... Nb4! This disruptive move alters the assessment clearly in Black’s favour. 14 Rd1 This hands over a powerful potential attacker and weakens White’s light squares. 14 Bb1?! loses the initiative to 14 ... Qc4! 15 Qd1 d4! 16 Ne4 d3! and White was busted, D.Bastijanic-G.Dizdar, Pula 1993.

14 ... Nxd3 15 Rxd3 Qb6 16 Be3 Bc5!

Well OK, this is our good bishop and it does break up our bishop-pair, yet the move is good for the following reasons: 1. It allows Black not to fall too far behind in development. 2. Black’s remaining light-squared bishop may be activated with a vengeance if Black achieves ... d5-d4 and ... Bc6. 3. It follows the principle: The defending and material-up side should seek swaps to dilute the opponent’s attack. 17 Bxc5 Qxc5 18 f5 White must open lines, otherwise Black consolidates. 18 ... Bc6! Now ... d5-d4 is in the air. 19 Qd2 After 19 Qg4 d4! 20 Ne2 (not 20 Qxg7?? 0-0-0 with dual threats on c3 and also to put a rook on g8, when g2 falls) 20 ... exf5! 21 Qxg7 0-0-0 Black has a raging attack and the overwhelmingly superior minor piece. 19 ... Qe7 In my opinion this isn’t Black’s best continuation. Stronger is the unplayed

19 ... d4! activating Black’s once bad, and now good, bishop: 20 Rxd4 Qxe5 21 fxe6 0-0! 22 exf7+ Rxf7. Black has by far the superior minor piece and also the safer king since White’s back rank is a bit wobbly. 20 a4?! On the one hand, White’s position continues to sour. Unfortunately for him, there is no ‘on the other hand’. This move doesn’t make sense, since Black wasn’t planning to play ... b7-b5 any time soon. After the preferable 20 Rf1 exf5! 21 Nxd5 Bxd5 22 Rxd5 Qe6 White should just slide his rook to e1, since 23 Rd6? is met with 23 ... Qxa2. 20 ... exf5! 21 Nxd5 Bxd5 22 Rxd5 0-0

Black is up a healthy pawn with a safe king. 23 Rd1 23 Rd7 Qxe5 24 Rxb7 Rfd8 is also very good for Black. 23 ... Rac8 24 h3 g6 25 b3 25 Rd7 is still met with 25 ... Qxe5. 25 ... Rfe8 26 Qe2 Rc7 There is no need to defend. Black can play 26 ... Rc3!. 27 Qd2 Qe6 28 Qg5 Kg7 29 Qd2 Qc6 30 Qg5 h6 31 Qh4 g5!?

I would simply pile up on White’s e5-isolanani with 31 ... Rce7. 32 Qf2 Qe6 33 Qd4 f4! Now ... f4-f3 is in the air. 34 Re1 f3 34 ... Qf5! 35 Kg1 Re6 also looks winning for Black. 35 Rd6 fxg2+ 36 Kxg2 Rc2+ 37 Kg1 Qxh3 38 e6+ f6! White’s king is far more exposed than Black’s. 39 Rd7+ Kg8 40 Rg7+ Desperation. There is no perpetual check for White. 40 ... Kxg7 41 Qd7+ Kg6 42 Qf7+ Kf5 43 Qh7+ After 43 Rf1+?? Kg4 White’s checks run out even sooner and he is mated. 43 ... Kg4 44 Qxc2 So White regains his sacrificed rook, yet he remains too many pawns down. 44 ... Qg3+ 45 Kf1

Exercise (critical decision): Our candidate moves are 45 ... f5, and 45 ... Re7. One consolidates, while the other allows White back into the game. Which one would you play? 45 ... Re7? Answer: 45 ... f5! consolidates: 46 Re2 Qd6 47 Rg2+ Kh5 and if 48 Qxf5 Rf8 49 Rh2+ Qxh2 50 Qxf8 Qh3+ 51 Kf2 Qxe6 wins. 46 Re2! Threat: Rg2. 46 ... Qf3+ 47 Kg1 f5 48 Qd1! White’s attack emerges, seemingly without warning or pattern. Threat: Rg2+, followed by Rf2. 48 ... Kg3! Black finds the only move to save himself. 49 Qe1+ Kg4

Exercise (critical decision): Should White take a repetition draw with 50 Qd1, or should he go for the full point with 50 Re3?. 50 Re3?? It has been my observation that natural optimists tend to be equipped with weak consequence-management skills. This is White’s ‘What-are-you-going-todo-about-it?’ moment. He incorrectly sacrifices stability for non-existent opportunity. When our earlier risky gamble seems to have paid off, we tend to become emboldened to try to push things and try it again. It’s unwise to toss in an unnatural idea to accelerate that which was previously a natural process. White crosses the invisible barrier which separates brave from foolhardy and over-presses. Answer: He should just take the draw by repeating moves with 50 Qd1! Kg3 51 Qe1+ Kg4 52 Qd1. In this position there is but one road to salvation. A holding action may feel incomplete, yet is far superior to an incomplete solution, as White went for in the game’ continuation.

50 ... Qf4! 51 Qd1+ Kh4 52 Rf3 Qe4 Seizing control over e1. 53 Kf2

Exercise (planning): White threatens mate in two moves, starting with Qh1+. How does Black defend and consolidate? Answer: 53 ... g4! Defensive move/luft. Black’s king is given air on g5 and White’s attack is at an end. 54 Re3 If at the end of your job interview they tell you: “Thanks and good luck!” it pretty much means you didn’t get the job. 54 ... Qf4+ 55 Ke2 Qh2+ 0-1 56 Ke1 f4 57 Re2 Qg1+ 58 Kd2 Qxd1+ wins. Game 39

R.Bergstrom-K.Bischoff World Senior Championship, Acqui Terme 2017 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 e5 c5 4 c3 Bd7 5 Nf3 Qb6 6 Bd3 cxd4 7 cxd4 Nc6 8 0-0 Nxd4 9 Nbd2!?

Some people wear their gambits as a badge of their manhood or womanhood. I just don’t believe in White’s full compensation from this position. Just because something hasn’t been done before, doesn’t mean that someone won’t come along and try doing it. This move is newer and perhaps an improvement, and is the more modern interpretation of how to handle the white side of the MilnerBarry. White reasons that a knight posted on c3 will be shut out of play with Black’s ... a7-a6. So White instead posts it on d2, where it has access to b3, so that it fights for control over the critical d4- and c5-squares. A single truth may contain two sides. While I believe the position objectively favours Black with comps playing both sides, just remember: We humans aren’t comps and being placed on the defensive tends to produce errors with our clocks ticking away. So White does get serious practical chances with the improved 9 Nbd2 line.

If we follow GM Bischoff’s swap-at-every-chance-you-get strategy, we should be able to endure White’s pressure and eventually convert. But also keep in mind that our torturous premise is based on the idea that we will play perfectly and every defensive step will go as planned, when everyone knows that in real life it doesn’t work that way. So try and keep the double mindset when playing Black against Milner-Barry: 1. The line is only semi-sound for White. 2. White gets excellent practical chances to confuse us! 9 ... Nxf3+ Principle: The material up side should swap pieces. My 11-year-old 2150rated student Ming prefers 9 ... Nc6 10 Nb3 Nge7 11 Be3 Qc7 12 Rc1 Ng6 13 Nc5 Bxc5 14 Bxc5 Ngxe5. The comp says the position is even, despite Black’s two extra pawns. I would be nervous defending Black here. 10 Nxf3 h6!

It seems odd to be lagging in development and then bang out a seemingly random pawn move. In this case it’s justified since it eliminates White’s Ng5 tricks. 11 Be3

11 a3 feels a touch slow: 11 ... a5 (I don’t like this move since it gives White a contact point to try and open the game; I would play 11 ... a6) 12 b4 Ne7 13 Be3 Qd8 14 Qd2 Nc8 (A.Rodriguez Vila-V.Rakhmanov, San Cristobal 2012; 14 ... g6 may be an improvement, planning ... Bg7) and I like White’s compensation after 15 Rfb1. 11 ... Bc5 We lose some time. In exchange we achieve another swap. 12 Bxc5 Qxc5 13 Rc1 Qb6 14 b4?!

Theory ends here. White’s last move feels like a waste of time. I don’t believe in White’s full compensation for the pawn since Black’s game remains solid. 14 Qd2 is an improvement: 14 ... Ne7 15 Rc3 Nc6 16 Rb3 Qc7 17 Rc1 0-0 18 Bb1 (intending Qd3) 18 ... f5! 19 exf6 Rxf6, Q.Fontaine-K.Noiroux, Charleroi 2013. I still prefer Black after 20 Qd3 g6 21 h4 Kg7! 22 h5 e5! 23 Qxd5 Be6 24 Qe4 Bxb3 25 axb3 Rd8 26 hxg6 when I don’t feel like White gets full attacking compensation for the exchange. 14 ... Ne7 15 a3 a6 16 Re1 Nc6 GM Bischoff is nervous about castling kingside. I think he should have gone

for it and absorbed the brunt of White’s attack. Let’s look: 16 ... 0-0! 17 Bb1 Rac8 18 Qd3 Ng6 19 h4 Bb5 (this move knocks the queen off the b1-h7 battery) 20 Qd2 Ne7 21 Nd4 Rfd8 and I like Black’s chances of a successful defence. 17 Qd2 Nd4! White’s initiative declines as quickly as it ascended. With each swap, all which White cherishes is slowly taken away from him. 18 Nxd4 Qxd4 19 Rc7 Qb6 20 Rc5 Ke7!

Black’s king is safest in the centre on e7. Bischoff managed to swap off a lot of minor pieces and I just don’t see White’s compensation. 21 Qc3 Rhc8 22 Rc1 Rxc5 More swaps. 23 bxc5 White desperately strives to retain pieces on the board. 23 Qxc5+ Qxc5 24 Rxc5 f6! should be a technically won ending for Black. 23 ... Qc7 24 f4 Bb5! Bischoff ruthlessly follows his simple yet effective swapping policy. 25 a4!? 25 Bxb5 axb5 only benefits Black, who has two pawn targets to pick on.

25 ... Bxa4 Thanks! 26 f5 exf5 Neither do I believe in White’s attack after 26 ... Bb5 27 f6+ gxf6 28 exf6+ Kd7. 27 Bxf5 Re8 Intending to castle by hand with ... Kf8 next. 28 e6 Bergstrom does his best to try and disrupt. He just doesn’t have enough pieces on the board to attack effectively. 28 ... f6 Black clogs lines. 29 Qd4 Qe5 30 Qf2 30 Qg4?? loses instantly to 30 ... Qe3+. 30 ... Bc6 31 Re1 Qc3 Preventing Qg3 ideas. 32 Kh1 d4 33 Rd1 Qe3 34 Qh4? Also hopeless was 34 Qa2 d3! 35 Bxd3 Rd8.

Exercise (combination alert): Just because something is invisible doesn’t mean it’s not there. White just blundered in a lost position. What should Black play? Answer: 34 ... Bxg2+! Attraction/double attack, which wins more material. It was Franz Kafka who predicted: “The Messiah will come when he is no longer needed.” It’s not such a tragedy if Black doesn’t see the combination, since he is also winning by not playing it with something like 34 ... Qg5 35 Qf2 Rd8. 35 Kxg2 Qe2+ 36 Kg3 Qxd1 37 Qf4 Threat: Qc7+, followed by mate on f7. 37 ... Qe1+ 38 Kg2 Qe2+ 39 Kh1 Qe5 Blocking out White’s intended queen entry. 40 Qf3 Rc8! 41 Qh5 Threatening to sneak into f7. 41 Qxb7+ Rc7 42 Qf3 Rxc5 is also hopeless for White. 41 ... Rf8 Worse than the actual faults in our position are the ones imagined. If you are going to worry, then pick a subject which is worth worrying about. Black can actually allow White’s queen in with 41 ... Qe1+ 42 Kg2 Rxc5! (this is that awkward moment when your mother sends you a Facebook request and regrettably, you are inclined to delete it, rather than friend her) 43 Qf7+ Kd6 44 Qd7+ Ke5 45 e7 (White is about to promote to a new queen, but the size of your army is of no help if it’s far away from your lone king) 45 ... Qe2+ 46 Kg3 Rc3+ and Black mates in two moves. 42 Qf3 Qc7 42 ... Rc8! 43 Qg4 g5 44 Qf3 Qc6! 45 Be4 Buying time before your inevitable resignation doesn’t count as a solution. 45 ... Qxc5 0-1 Game 40 A.Mrugala-R.Lutzenberger correspondence 1998 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 e5 c5 4 c3 Nc6 5 Nf3 Bd7 6 Bd3 cxd4 7 cxd4 Qb6 8 0-0 Nxd4 9 Ng5?!

The passage of time tends to bring on strange mutations in every opening. It was John Wayne who said “A man’s got to do what he’s got to do.” We can love an opening line just this side of suicide, but this doesn’t mean that the line will love us back. Some people just refuse to abide by the Geneva Convention and sometimes I think we chess players prefer to reverse the process, where we are firmly entrenched in our opinion and we interpret the data to simply reinforce this existing opinion. With this move, a waste of ammunition, White misplaces his future. He wants to attack and to hell with the principles he violates. This is yet another (in my opinion, gimmicky) white try in the Milner-Barry Attack, which is in violation of the Principle: Don’t move the same piece twice in the opening, unless necessary. The move also neglects to protect White’s e5-pawn. White’s last move doesn’t feel all that ‘necessary’ to me. The entire idea brings us to that dramatic situation where the defendant gives the impassioned speech to the judge: “Your honour, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I should be freed, since I only tried to kill my wife. I didn’t succeed, so there is no question of my ‘not guilty’ verdict.” With his last move White intends the following:

1. White dodges Black’s intended swap on f3. 2. White’s knight on g5 may endanger Black’s king, in conjunction with either Qh5 or Qf3 ideas. 3. If White gets away with Nxh7, then he regains his lost pawn, at the cost of opening the h-file for Black. 4. If Black leaves his or her knight on d4, then White may later have Be3 pin tricks. 9 ... Nc6 It’s best to retreat this vulnerable knight and not worry about our king or h7pawn. Now e5 is under attack. 10 Re1 Quite simply e5 must be protected: a) 10 Qh5?? (this wild lunge fails miserably) 10 ... Nxe5 11 Re1 Nf6 when White is down two pawns for nothing. b) With 10 Nxh7?, which sells White’s initiative for a mere pawn, we are reminded to heed the scriptural warning: “What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” After 10 ... Bc5 11 Qh5 (threat: Nf6+) 11 ... 0-0-0 White is strategically lost, and if 12 Qxf7?? Nxe5 13 Qxg7 Nxd3! 14 Qxh8 Bxf2+ 15 Kh1 Bd4! he can resign. 10 ... Bc5

Targeting f2. 11 Qf3 Aggression from a position of inferiority is a way to mask our unease. 11 ... Nh6 The f7 point is easily defended. 12 Nc3 Na4 is in the air, as well as the potential to sacrifice the knight on d5, followed by the line-opening e5-e6. Have no fear of thieves or burglars. It’s not such a great loss if White takes the time to pick off our h7-pawn: a) 12 Nxh7?? Ng4! 13 Qxg4 Bxf2+ 14 Kf1 Bxe1 15 Kxe1 Nxe5 16 Qe2 Qg1+ 17 Kd2 Nxd3 18 Qxd3 Qxg2+ and White can resign. b) 12 Bxh7? Bd4! (targeting the far more important e5-pawn, as well as b2) 13 Be3 Qxb2 14 Nd2 Qxa1 15 Rxa1 Bxa1 16 Bf4 Rc8 when White is losing. 12 ... Nd4 We harass White’s queen with tempo and also cover the a4-square. 13 Qf4 After 13 Qd1 Nhf5 14 Na4 Bxa4 15 Qxa4+ Nc6 White doesn’t have enough for the pawn, K.Delaney-J.Mejdini, Rhodes 2013.

13 ... Nhf5 14 g4 Otherwise White has nothing to do but sit by passively while Black consolidates his extra pawn. 14 ... h6!

Now White’s disorganized forces cannot be accurately be described as a dignified lot. 15 Nxe6 15 Nxf7?? loses heavy material to 15 ... g5!. This is the part of the movie where the sunlight hits the pale vampire’s skin, just before she bursts into flames. White’s queen has no place to go and of no help is the ‘sacrifice’ 16 Nxg5 hxg5 when White’s queen still has no place to go, due to the fork on f3. 15 ... fxe6 16 gxf5 Nxf5 17 Bxf5 0-0 It becomes clear that White’s position is seriously overextended. 18 Nxd5 Forced. 18 ... exd5 19 e6

Exercise (combination alert): Black has access to a forcing line which seizes the initiative, while retaining a material advantage. How should he continue? Answer: 19 ... Rxf5! Strategic exchange sacrifice/attraction. With this move White’s main defender of the light squares is destroyed. At the same time, White’s queen is lured up the f-file, which means trouble on f2. 20 Qxf5 Rf8 21 exd7 Forced. When we first decide to cut our losses, in a way we also decide to cut our hopes as well. 21 Qxd5?? Bxf2+ 22 Kf1 Bb5+ 23 Re2 Bh4+ 24 Kg2 Bc6 is game over. 21 ... Rxf5 22 Re8+ This looks a bit scary at first, until we realize that White is unable to promote to a new queen. 22 ... Rf8 23 d8Q Bxf2+!? Simpler and stronger was 23 ... Qxd8! 24 Rxd8 Rxd8, with a healthy extra

pawn and the superior position in the ending. 24 Kg2 Qg6+ 25 Bg5! Qxe8 26 Qxe8 Rxe8 27 Kxf2 hxg5 28 Rd1 Re5

In this version Black is up two pawns, but it’s a rook ending, which increases White’s chances for a draw. Secondly, Black must nurse three isolanis. Lastly, Black must watch out for white rook infiltration on c7. 29 a4?! 29 Rd3 is stronger. 29 ... Kf7 30 a5 Ke6 31 Rd3 Kd6 32 Rb3 Kc6 33 Rc3+ Kb5! 34 Rc7 b6! 35 axb6 axb6 36 Rxg7

A dying man in the desert isn’t carrion yet, but keep in mind: the vulture’s great virtue is patience. So now White is only down one pawn, yet there is good reason for despondency. Black is still winning due to two factors: 1. White’s king is cut off by Black’s rook. 2. Black’s king is active and will simultaneously help his passed d-pawn down the board, while menacing White’s weak b-pawn. 36 ... Kc4 37 Rc7+ Kd3! 38 Rc3+ Kd2 39 Rc6 d4! Black’s b-pawn isn’t important since Black’s passed d-pawn is too fast. 40 Rxb6 d3 Now the d-pawn marches forward with the mindless gaze of a zombie. 41 h3 Kd1 41 ... Kc2 is easier. 42 b4 d2 0-1 43 Rc6 Rb5 44 Rc4 Rf5+ 45 Kg3 Ke2 and the d-pawn costs White his rook.

Chapter Five King’s Indian Attack and 2 Qe2 1 e4 e6 2 d3

In this chapter White is a player who is comfortable with a King’s Indian setup as Black and seeks to play it as White, against our French. Game 41 I.Labib-K.Bischoff Bled Olympiad 2002 1 e4 c5

French oui, Sicilian non! Dammit people, please cooperate. This is a French Defence book. As you may have guessed, our move order would be 1 ... e6 2 d3. This move

leads to entry into the King’s Indian Attack versus French: 2 ... d5 3 Nd2 Nf6 4 Ngf3 c5 5 g3 Nc6 6 Bg2, transposing. 2 Nf3 e6 3 d3 Nc6 4 g3 d5 5 Nbd2 Nf6 I am recommending the main line, but with a twist. 6 Bg2 Be7 7 0-0 0-0 This is likely going to be a classic battle between White’s kingside ambitions and Black’s on the queenside. 8 e5 Drums bang and bugles blow. White’s army is on the march in the campaign against our elusive king. Now next move I’m going to show you our secret weapon, but you must promise not to tell anyone. 8 Re1 b5 9 e5 should transpose. 8 ... Ne8!?

If your first impression is this move is a bit too refined and probably harmless, then please keep in mind that a hired killer for the Yakuza may, on the outside, have perfect manners. In the opening we are encouraged to suppress any independent thought. Once I got a taste of this line, I kept coming back for more. My job here is to win the hearts and minds of readers, and encourage you to

switch over. In my opinion the true annotation for this move should be ‘!’. This is 8 ... Nd7’s fratricidal (and unpopular) brother, which has never been in vogue. Actually, I believe this move deserves a full exclam and have the (perhaps delusional) belief that it is White who now fights for equality. I have played this move in online blitz and routinely beat confused IMs and GMs with it. This move, GM Bischoff’s speciality against the KIA, is also my secret weapon and the little twist I propose for our side. Here are a few of the reasons to pick e8 over d7: 1. Your opponent is unlikely to be ready for it, since the move is played far less often (the main line 8 ... Nd7 is played at a 20 to 1 ratio over moving the knight to e8). 2. White is unlikely to understand our convoluted (but effective) plan: Black’s plan is rather difficult to explain or understand at this stage, but I will give it a shot: Black plans ... b7-b5, ... b5-b4, ... Nc7, ... Nb5, ... Nbd4 and ... Nf5. Now you may argue that f5 doesn’t seem a square worthy of so much time expenditure from Black, but I assure you it is. Our knight on f5 is weirdly powerful and keeps our king far safer than in the main line. Also White’s g3-g4 will always be met with the annoying ... Nh4. The plan’s power will become more apparent as we get closer to its actual fruition. 3. On d7, Black’s knight gets in the way if White plays c2-c4, pressuring d5. If we push our d-pawn to d4, then White’s pieces get access to e4. On c7, White’s c2-c4 push is meaningless and without application of pressure, since we as Black just leave our d-pawn on the well-covered d5-square. 4. From e8, our knight moves to c7. Why is c7 an important square for our knight? Because with a knight on c7, we can play either ... f7-f6 or ... f7-f5 with impunity – a luxury not always afforded those who move their knight to d7. 9 Re1 White’s normal plan in this line is to mass pieces on the kingside with Nf1, h2-h4, Bf4 and then go after Black’s king. 9 ... Bd7 I would dispense with this move and play 9 ... b5 right away. 10 h4 Nc7 11 Nf1 11 a4 prevents Black’s plan to transfer the knight to b5, but this isn’t such a great tragedy. Black can respond with 11 ... f5. Now if 12 exf6 Bxf6 we see a secondary point of playing ... Ne8 and ... Nc7: the knight covers our backward pawn on e6. 11 ... b5 12 N1h2 a5 I would play 12 ... b4, intending ... Nb5 next. If White plays a2-a4 to stop it, I will take en passant to open the queenside and clear the b5-square.

13 Ng4 b4

All according to plan; ... Nb5 comes next. The alternative is to abandon our admittedly lengthy ... Nb5 plan and play to prepare ... f7-f5 with 13 ... Ra6, as in O.Coser-K.Bischoff, Hamburg 1995. 14 Bf4 a4 Come on man, get that knight to b5! Black intends ... a4-a3 next, creating dark-squared punctures on White’s queenside ... 15 a3 ... which White blocks. 15 ... Nb5! This plan feels dangerously out of context for Black’s defensive requirements, yet from my experience in the line, it works. 16 Ng5 White’s kingside build-up looks imposing, yet I feel that Black already stands clearly better. Note too that 16 h5 h6! 17 Qd2 Nbd4 18 Nxd4 Nxd4 19 Bxh6? is unsound: 19 ... gxh6 and if White’s queen swoops in with 20 Qxh6? Bg5! 21 Nf6+ Qxf6!, Black wins. 16 ... Ncd4!

Mission almost accomplished. This is the correct knight to move to d4: 1.The b5-knight pressures a3 and covers against c2-c3. 2. The d4-knight pressures c2 and can switch over to f5 at a moment’s notice. I already like Black’s very real chances on the queenside, against White’s maybe-maybe-not attack on the kingside. 17 Ne3 Multipurpose: 1. White covers against Black’s intended ... Nf5. 2. By moving the knight, White clears the way for either Qg4 or Qh5. 17 ... Be8! The idea is to discourage Qh5. 18 Qg4 After 18 Qh5? h6 19 Nh3 f5 20 Qd1 g5 Black wins a piece. 18 ... Ra6 Reinforcing e6. Bischoff may be my German doppelganger (or maybe I’m his?), since we both are Petrosianic defensive players, both love the French and both play the 8 ... Ne8! line (yes, it’s now been upgraded with a full exclam) against the KIA. Also worthy of consideration is 18 ... h6 19 Nh3 Kh8. White

has no logical follow-up to his kingside attack, while Black will make progress on the other side. 19 Nh3 Threat: Bh6. 19 ... Kh8 20 h5 Intending h5-h6. 20 ... Rg8!

Petrosian lives! 20 ... h6 is also playable, but this gives White a plan of pushing his g-pawn to g5. 21 Kh2 White doesn’t know what to do, which happens often in the 8 ... Ne8! line. 21 h6?? loses on the spot to 21 ... g5, winning a piece. 21 ... bxa3 Black begins to chip away at White’s weakened queenside, while White is unable to direct commensurate fire power at the other side of the board. 22 bxa3 Nc3 Preventing either white rook from going to b1. 23 Ng1 Rb6

Intending to invade b2 and menace White’s c2-pawn. White’s attack is paralyzed, while Black’s queenside assault is in full steam. 24 Rec1 A core tenet of repentance is that you must own up to past misdeeds. But where were they? If you have to play such a move on the white side of a KIA, then something has gone terribly wrong. Unhappy outcomes rarely resemble one another, since there are millions of ways to lose a chess game. 24 ... f5!

We sense the funereal in White’s camp. White’s previously clear plan to attack Black’s king has gone totally haywire. Black completely dominates and I ask the important question: Where did White go wrong? None of White’s previous moves represent incontrovertible evidence of his decline, yet when collected, they are. I’m convinced that the 8 ... Ne8 line is far superior to its more popular cousin 8 ... Nd7, and after 8 ... Ne8! it is White who is magically fighting for equality in most of the games I play from Black’s side. 25 Qh3 Not 25 exf6?? gxf6 26 Qh3 e5 27 Bh6 Bd7 28 g4 f5! when White’s h6bishop and the g4 pawn are simultaneously under fire and he can resign.

25 ... Rb2 26 Bf3 26 g4?? gets forked by 26 ... Nce2 27 Nxe2 Nxe2 28 Qf3 Nxc1 29 Rxc1 g5! 30 hxg6 fxg4 31 Nxg4 Rxg6. White has no attack, which means no compensation for the exchange. 26 ... Rf8 Discouraging g3-g4. Even stronger is 26 ... Bc6!, and if White plays his intended 27 g4 Nxf3+ 28 Qxf3 Qe8! (threat: ... d5-d4, winning a piece) 29 Qg3 g5! 30 hxg6 fxg4 31 gxh7 Rg7 White is strategically crushed. 27 Qg2 27 g4?? is met with 27 ... fxg4 28 Qxg4 Bxh5! 29 Qxh5 Rxf4 when White’s game falls apart. 27 ... Bc6! 28 g4!? Desperation and a mistake in an already hopeless position. If he does nothing, he will lose in any case. 28 ... Nxf3+ 29 Qxf3 Qe8! Threat: ... d5-d4. 30 Qg3 fxg4 31 Qxg4



Exercise (combination alert): Black missed a knockout punch here. What should he play? 31 ... Qf7 Sometimes one lesson is insufficient to teach us the folly of our ways. I lecture my students ad nauseum on the evils of playing moves which are not in harmony with your natural style. But this harmony can be taken too far and it’s possible to play too much in your own style. This last move is symptomatic of the extreme positional player’s disease, from which I also suffer: We love to build, but hate to strike. Answer: Bischoff missed the crushing 31 ... Rxf4! (strategic exchange sacrifice/removal of the guard) 32 Qxf4 Qxh5+ 33 Kg3 d4 34 Ng2 (or 34 Ng4 Qh4 mate) 34 ... Qg6+ 35 Qg4 Qxg4+ 36 Kxg4 Bxg2 37 f3 Bh1! 38 Nh3 (38 Kg3 Bg5 wins) 38 ... h5+! and game over. 32 Nh3 Rbb8?! Nobody approaches the boss to complain that the pay is too high. Retreats are rarely a good idea in overwhelming positions, so why would the winning side sneak off and run? Black missed 32 ... Bb5! 33 Bg3 d4 34 Nd1 Nxd1 35 Qxd1 Bc6 with killing light-square pressure. 33 Rg1 Rg8 34 Rg3 White is starting to generate counterplay, while Black’s assessment steadily recedes. 34 ... Rbf8 35 Rag1 h6 Insurance to keep White’s pieces out of g5. 35 ... Bd8! was stronger. 36 Ng2 Intending Nh4 and Ng6+. This allows an exchange of queens, but I don’t see anything better. 36 ... Qf5! Black retains better chances in the ending due to White’s weakened queenside. 37 Qxf5 Rxf5 Black threatens to fork with ... Ne2 and also threatens ... Rxh5. 38 Bd2?! In life our major, life-altering decisions are rarely made in haste. Yet over the board our low clock forces us to do just that. Lack of details tends to keep our plan fuzzy at the edges. Why give away that which you could sell? This exchange sacrifice turns out to be unsound. White missed his best chance to save the game with 38 Bxh6! gxh6! (38 ... Rxh5 39 Bg5 is OK for White) 39 Rxg8+ Kxg8 40 Ne3+ Rg5 41 Nxg5 hxg5 42 Ng4, with chances to hold the ending.

38 ... Ne2 39 Ngf4 White counted on this trick. 39 ... Nxg1 39 ... Nxf4! 40 Nxf4 Kh7! leaves White strategically busted. 40 Ng6+ Kh7 41 Nxe7 Nf3+ 42 Rxf3 Rxf3 43 Nxc6 Rgf8 As it turns out, Black’s two rooks are superior to White’s three minor pieces since White is unable to protect his pawns forever. 44 Kg2 R3f7 45 Na5 Kg8 46 Kg3 46 Nc6 is also lost, but has the benefit of avoiding Black’s coming combination.

Exercise (planning): White’s game is an ocean of sorrow. After White’s last move, a mistake, Black has a clearly winning plan. What would you play? Answer: 46 ... Rf3+! Step 1: Give check on f2. 47 Kg4 Rxh3! Step 2: Sacrifice the exchange on h3.

48 Kxh3 Rxf2 Step 3: Infiltrate f2 and pick off White’s pawns. 49 Be1 Rxc2 We notice a multiplying effect of Black’s rook infiltration to the second rank. 50 Nb7 Kf7 Black slouches toward his goal. It wasn’t necessary to cover against Nd8 and Nxe6: 50 ... Rc1! 51 Ba5 c4 52 dxc4 dxc4 53 Nc5 c3 54 Nd3 Ra1! 55 Nb4 Rxa3 and White’s pieces are unable to hold off Black’s queenside passers. 51 Bh4 White intends to place as many barriers as possible between Black and his intent. This renews the Nd8+ threat. 51 ... Ke8 52 Kg4 Rc3 Good enough, but 52 ... c4! is more direct. 53 Bf2 d4 54 Kf4 Kd7! Principle: Activate your king in the ending. Black didn’t want to allow 54 ... Rxd3 55 Nxc5 Rxa3 56 Bxd4 Kf7 57 Ke4 Ra2, although even here Black should win. 55 Ke4 Kc7 56 Nd6 Kc6 57 Nc4

Exercise (planning): What is Black’s winning plan? Answer: Target h5, which White is unable to defend. 57 ... Rc1! 58 Bg3 58 Kf4 Rh1 59 Kg4 Rd1! picks off the d3-pawn. 58 ... Rh1 59 Nb2 Rh3 60 Kf4 0-1 If 60 ... Rxh5 61 Nxa4 Rf5+ 62 Kg4 Rf1 63 Nb2 Kd5 64 a4 Rb1 65 Nc4 Rb3 66 a5 Rxd3 and the vultures pick clean the carcass. Black removes his opponent’s base of operations and now owns too many extra pawns. Game 42 J.Landaw-C.Lakdawala Southern California Championship, Century City 2008 1 e4 e6 2 d3 d5 3 Nd2 Nf6 4 Ngf3 Sometimes White plays for an early f2-f4 plan, as seen in the following game: 4 g3 c5 5 Bg2 Nc6 6 Ne2 Be7 7 0-0 0-0 8 h3 b5 9 a3 a5 10 f4 Ba6 11 e5 Nd7 12 Nf3 a4 13 Bd2 Nb6 14 Qe1 b4 15 axb4, C.Silvestre-C.Lakdawala, San Diego (rapid) 2018. Black’s chances look slightly superior after 15 ... Nxb4 16 Qd1. 4 ... c5 5 g3 Julian is a specialist in the KIA set-ups. 5 ... Nc6 6 Bg2 Be7 7 0-0 0-0 8 e5 Ne8! This time the move gets a full upgrade to ‘!’ rather than merely ‘!?’. 9 Re1 b5

I like the immediate implementation of our long-winded yet effective plan. 10 h4 Alternatively, 10 Nf1 b4 11 h4 a5 12 Bf4 a4 13 a3 bxa3 14 bxa3 Nc7 15 N1h2 Nb5 16 Ng5 h6 17 Qh5? (unsound; correct was 17 Nh3 Nbd4 when the comp says equal, while I’m biased about this line and prefer Black’s chances) 17 ... hxg5 18 hxg5 Nbd4 (18 ... g6! 19 Qh4 Nbd4 20 Ng4 Nf5 21 Qh3 Kg7 is a total refutation of White’s sacrifice) 19 Ng4 Nf5 and White didn’t have enough for the sacrificed piece, A.Morozevich-S.Karjakin, Moscow (blitz) 2013. 10 ... Nc7 11 a3!

This is a clever new idea, where he plans to thwart my ... b5-b4 with a3-a4!, denying the c7-knight access to b5. Otherwise, 11 Nf1 b4 12 N1h2 Nb5 more or less follows the path of the last game in the book. 11 ... Bd7 In the 8 ... Nd7 lines this bishop nearly always plays to a6. In our 8 ... Nc7 version we tend to play our light-squared bishop to d7, allowing our side greater possibilities of tossing in an ... f7-f6 or ... f7-f5 break, both of which make our king considerably safer from White’s coming assault. 12 Nf1 a5 13 N1h2 a4! In this way I avoid White’s idea 13 ... b4 14 a4!, which denies my c7-knight access to b5. 14 Ng5 Intending to loosen Black’s kingside structure with Qh5. The effects of such a move are enough to chill the blood of a brave man or woman, so just imagine its effects on me, a non-brave man. I don’t mind defending Black’s position after 14 h5 h6 15 Ng4 b4 16 Nxh6+ gxh6 17 Bxh6 f5. 14 ... Nd4!

A knight on f5 will halt the white attack. Now White faces a major decision: Defiance or cooperation? 15 Ngf3! White asks himself: “What is the higher priority: revenge, or mere survival? He chooses survival. This wishy-washy looking retreat costs White time, yet it may be necessary. Weirdly enough, it’s Komodo’s first choice. White wisely decides not to cross the bridge and attack with the unsound/dangerous line 15 Qh5?! h6 16 Nh3 Nxc2! (I actually intended to play the practical move 16 ... Nf5!?; I doubt if I had the guts to go for the objectively superior 16 ... Nxc2) 17 Bxh6 gxh6 18 Qxh6 Ne8! 19 Ng5 (or 19 Ng4 Nd4 20 Ng5 Bxg5 21 hxg5 Nf5 22 Qh5 Kg7! when ... Rh8 is coming and Black defends successfully) 19 ... Bxg5 20 hxg5 Nd4 21 Ng4 Nf5 22 Qh5 Kg7! and Black should consolidate. The physical exertion involved in calculating such an arduously dangerous line turns us into the obese person entering the gym for the first time: it won’t be pleasant, but he knows he needs it. 15 ... Nf5! After this move White’s intended attack is infuriatingly difficult to execute. 16 Ng4

The comp prefers the quieter 16 h5 h6 17 Bd2. 16 ... b4 Now the black queenside assault felt faster to me. 17 Bg5 I’m not sure what good this does him, but I don’t have any great suggestions. 17 Ne3 also looks better for Black after 17 ... Nxe3 18 Bxe3 Nb5 19 Qd2 bxa3 20 bxa3 d4 21 Bg5 Bc6. 17 ... Nb5 18 Bxe7 Qxe7 19 axb4?! This allows Black a passed pawn with a coming ... a4-a3. Maybe he should try 19 Qd2. 19 ... cxb4 20 d4 a3 21 bxa3 Rxa3!?

The comp actually likes this move. With hindsight, I don’t. I wanted to remove as many pieces off the board, to weaken White’s intended kingside attack, but 21 ... bxa3! gives Black a winning position after 22 h5 h6 23 Qd2 Ra4, with a winning bind on the queenside. 22 Ne3 Nxe3 23 Rxe3 Nc3 Stronger was 23 ... Rfa8 24 Rexa3 bxa3. 24 Qe1 Rfa8 25 Rc1 Bb5 26 Nd2 Qa7?!

At the board I thought White was on the verge of collapsing here. Better is 26 ... Na2! 27 Ra1 Qc7 with enduring pressure for Black. 27 Nb1!!

A fantastic defensive resource which I totally overlooked. After a long think I was worried that Black no longer had a win. Even more depressing was the fact that Landaw found 27 Nb1 in desperate time trouble. 27 ... Nxb1?! Is it possible for both sides to be dispirited? We shouldn’t attempt to graft our natural style (in this case, safety first) on to a position which demands its opposite. In this case Black should go for the exchange sacrifice: 27 ... Qxd4! 28 Nxa3 Rxa3 29 Bf1 h6 when I don’t see how Black can lose and at least in this version I can play on. 28 Rxb1 b3 After 28 ... Qxd4 29 Qxb4 Qxb4 30 Rxb4 Rxe3 31 fxe3 Bc4 White should hold the ending, despite his ugly structure. 29 Rexb3 Rxb3 30 Rxb3 Bc4 31 Rb4! Qxd4 32 Bf1! h6 33 c3 Qc5 ½-½ The lesson we learn is far more important than our win or loss (or in this case, draw), although it doesn’t feel that way when we finish a botched game.

The game will likely end in a draw after 34 Bxc4 dxc4 35 Qe4 Rc8. Game 43 A.Fedorov-A.Rustemov Mikenas Memorial, Vilnius 1997 1 e4 e6 2 Qe2

Bob Dylan would agree: The times, they are a changing. Our move choices are governed by our desires and this externally bizarre looking move actually makes some sense. The idea of this move order is to discourage Black’s natural 2 ... d5 and perhaps also throw Black off theoretically. 2 ... Nf6 In this way we seek to play ... d7-d5 and if White exchanges, then we have the option to recapture on d5 with our knight. In First Steps: French Defence, I advocated the also very playable line 2 ... e5, which gets us into a double king’s pawn opening where White is given the free but possibly undesirable move Qe2. I consider 2 ... d5 to be a slightly inferior, but still playable Scandinavian-like position for Black after 3 exd5 Qxd5 4 Nc3 Qd8 5 g3.

3 Nf3 White holds back on pushing to e5 and simply develops, hoping for a King’s Indian Attack style position after d2-d3 and g2-g3. Next game we look at 3 e5 Nd5. 3 ... d5 This is fine for us, as long as we can recapture with our knight. 4 e5 4 d3 Be7 5 e5 (or 5 g3 c5 6 Bg2 0-0 and now when White pushes the e-pawn to e5, we have e8, rather than d7, available for our knight, which will likely transpose to the previous games we saw in this chapter) 5 ... Nfd7 6 g3 c5 7 Bg2 Nc6 8 h4 transposes to our game position. 4 ... Nfd7

I know what you are thinking: ‘We play our knight to e8, not d7 against KIA, so haven’t we been tricked?’ The answer is no, we haven’t been tricked. With this move order, later on we have a trick prepared for White, which involves an early and disruptive ... g7-g5!, which threatens to undermine White’s e5-pawn. 5 d3 Alternatives:

a) 5 g3 c5 6 Bg2 Nc6 7 0-0 (7 h4? Qc7 leaves White’s e5-pawn in a desperate situation, and if 8 0-0 Ndxe5 9 Nxe5 Qxe5) 7 ... g5! is our trick. We toss in ... g7-g5 to undermine White’s e5-pawn. Following 8 h3 h5 (renewing the threat to play ... g5-g4) 9 Re1 (not 9 g4? hxg4 10 hxg4 Bg7 when e5 falls and White is completely busted) 9 ... g4 10 hxg4 hxg4 11 Nh2 Ndxe5 12 Nxg4 Nxg4 13 Qxg4 e5 White’s centre has been dismantled and Black stands clearly better, Wang Chen-J.Sadorra, Manila 2013. b) 5 d4 leads to a silly looking Advanced French-like position where White’s queen looks poorly placed on e2: 5 ... c5 6 c3 Nc6 is just an inferior Advanced French for White, M.Szendeff-G.Papp, Hungarian League 2016. 5 ... c5 6 g3 Standard. 6 c4 Nc6 7 Bf4 was preferred in E.Vasiukov-G.Arzhenkov, Odintsovo 2011. Black stands clearly better after 7 ... Be7 with ... g7-g5 in the air: for example, 8 h4 0-0 9 g3 (or 9 Nc3 Nd4! with a miserable position for White) 9 ... f6 is heavily in Black’s favour. 6 ... Nc6 7 Bg2 Be7 White may believe he reached a normal KIA with Black’s knight on d7. Our ... g7-g5! idea alters the calculation and I believe in our favour. 8 h4 8 0-0 is met with our familiar theme 8 ... g5! 9 h3 h5 10 g4!? (a desperate attempt to halt ... g5-g4, which weakens both the f4- and h4-squares, as well as White’s king) 10 ... hxg4 11 hxg4 Nf8 12 c3 Ng6 and White is in real danger, D.Navara-Z.Rahman, Gibraltar 2014. 8 ... h6!

Warning White that if he castles, then ... g7-g5! will follow. 9 c4 Or 9 Bf4 b5 10 Nbd2 Nb6 11 Nf1 when White still can’t castle, A.Rodriguez Vila-A.Giaccio, Sao Paulo 2004. I like Black’s game after 11 ... c4, and if 12 d4?! Na4 13 c3 (13 Rb1 Qa5+ 14 Bd2 c3! also favours Black) 13 ... b4 with strong queenside pressure for Black. 9 ... dxc4 9 ... b5 is another good option: 10 0-0 (10 cxb5?! Qa5+ 11 Nc3 Nd4 favours Black) 10 ... bxc4 11 dxc4 Ba6 12 Na3 0-0 13 Rd1, as in P.GirinathR.Khusnutdinov, Bhubaneswar 2009. I prefer Black’s game after 13 ... Rb8. 10 dxc4 Nd4! This move gives Black a passed d-pawn and also opens the c5-square for Black’s pieces. 11 Nxd4 11 Qe4 0-0! 12 Nxd4 cxd4 13 Qxd4 Qa5+ 14 Nc3 Nxe5 is at least equal for Black. 11 ... cxd4 12 Bf4 Qb6

Black backs up the d-pawn while pressuring b2. 13 Nd2! The rote 13 0-0? is met strongly with 13 ... g5, while 13 b3 is passive and Black looks better after 13 ... Nc5 14 Nd2 Bd7 15 h5 0-0-0! 16 0-0 Bc6. 13 ... Nc5 Black declines the offer: 13 ... Qxb2 14 Nb3! Bb4+ 15 Kf1 Qxe2+ 16 Kxe2 Bc3 17 Rab1! f6! 18 exf6 gxf6 and it looks to me like White’s pressure on the bfile and against b7 offers him full compensation for the sacrificed pawn. 14 Rb1 Protecting b2, while contemplating b2-b4. 14 ... a5 15 h5 This is the only way White can castle. 15 ... Bd7 16 0-0

At last. 16 ... 0-0 The human move. Black’s passed d-pawn and grip on the queenside dark squares give him the edge in my opinion, while the comp calls the game even. The crazy comp wants to castle the other side with 16 ... 0-0-0!?. 17 b3!? White intends a2-a3 and b2-b4, which I feel is the commencement of a slightly inferior plan, since this loosens White’s queenside. He was better off with 17 Qg4! Kh8 (dodging White’s cheapo attempt on h6) 18 Nf3! (White must try and eliminate Black’s powerful passed d-pawn) 18 ... Bc6! (18 ... d3 19 Rfd1 Bc6 20 Ne1 looks OK for White) 19 Nxd4 Bxg2 20 Kxg2 Nd3 21 Nb5 Qc6+ 22 Qf3 Nxf4+ 23 gxf4 Qxc4 and I still prefer Black’s game. 17 ... Rfd8 Now d4 is reinforced. 18 a3 Consistent, but in my opinion, incorrect, although 18 Ne4 Bc6 is also in Black’s favour. 18 ... Bc6 19 b4

Consistency isn’t such a great virtue when you are on the wrong path. 19 ... Bxg2 20 Kxg2 20 bxc5?? hangs material to 20 ... Bxf1. 20 ... Na4 21 c5?! White overextends and his position slouches back to its former apathetic state. White minimizes his disadvantage with 21 bxa5. 21 ... Qc6+ Another tempting continuation is to head for a highly favourable ending with 21 ... Nc3! 22 cxb6 Nxe2 23 Ne4 axb4 24 axb4 Rd5. 22 Qf3 Nc3 23 Rb2 Qb5!

There is no defence to the coming ... Bxc5. 24 g4!? This is a violation of the Principle: Don’t try and launch an attack from a position of inferiority. White’s army goes into warrior mode while Black’s takes on the stance of the guardian. The problem is White’s kingside enterprise finds itself desperately short on personnel. Not much better is 24 Rc1 Bxc5 25 Nb1 Ba7. 24 ... Rd5!

I like this move, which discourages White’s coming g4-g5 and follows the Principle: Centralize when under attack. 24 ... Bxc5 at least offers White some fishing chances after 25 g5. 25 Ne4 Nxe4 26 Qxe4 Qc6!? There is a difference between ‘can’t’ and ‘won’t’. Situations arise where we are tantalizingly close to our goal. Then we inexplicably hesitate to take what is ours. We are so sure of everything. Then our clock runs low and there comes the realization that we are sure of nothing. Why not take the free pawn on c5? Black’s last move was made with the reasoning: ‘If your wishes go a bit too smoothly during a game, then the suspicious type should suspect a trap.’ The trouble is in this instance, there is no trap. Black can bring the rebellion to a close with 26 ... Bxc5! 27 a4 Qb6 28 b5 d3 ( ... Rd4 is in the air) 29 g5 must have been the move which got Rustemov nervous, but Black easily avoids any problems with 29 ... hxg5 30 Bxg5 Bd4. White is busted. 27 Qf3 axb4 28 axb4 Ra4?! Black should activate the Principle: Passed pawns should be pushed, with 28 ... d3!. 29 Rc1 White intends b4-b5. Black won’t give him time. Perhaps White should take his chances in the line 29 Rd1! Qb5! 30 Qd3 Rxc5 31 Qxb5 Rxb5 32 Rxd4 Raxb4 33 Rbxb4 Rxb4 34 Rxb4 Bxb4. Black should win eventually, but then the question arises: How long is ‘eventually’? 29 ... Qb5! Threat: ... Bxc5. Now Black is back on the right track. 30 Qb3 d3 The further this pawn is pushed, the more tied down White gets. 31 Qc4 Qd7! Threat: ... Rxc5!. 32 Qb3 Likewise, if 32 c6 bxc6 33 Qxc6 Qxc6 34 Rxc6 Rxb4 35 Rxb4 Bxb4 36 Rc1 Rd4 37 Kg3 d2 and White is busted.

Exercise (combination alert): White’s position lives the bare subsistence existence of a spiritual hermit, meditating in a cave, while living off roots, wild nuts and berries. Black has two very strong continuations. Find one of them. Answer: 32 ... Bxc5! Pin. White’s bishop is loose on f4 at the end of the equation. Answer no.2: Also winning is 32 ... Rd4! (double attack) 33 Bg3 d2 34 Rd1 Rd3 35 Qc2 Qd5+ 36 Kh2 Raa3 when White is paralyzed and 37 Rbb1 Bh4! undermines the defender of e5. 33 Rxc5 Rxc5 34 bxc5 Rxf4 “No just God would allow this to happen,” was the final thought of the late bishop’s life. 35 Qxb7 35 f3 d2 36 Rb1 Qc6 threatens ... Rxg4+ and 37 Kg3 Rd4 38 Rd1 Qxc5 is hopeless for White. 35 ... Rxg4+ 36 Kf1

36 Kf3? Qa4! is a killer. 36 ... Qa4! Threatening mate on d1. 37 Ke1 Or 37 Rb1 d2 38 Ke2 Rd4 39 Rd1 Qc4+ 40 Kf3 Qc3+ 41 Kg2 Rg4+ 42 Kh2 Qxe5+ 43 Kh3 Qxh5 mate.

Exercise (calculation): Black has a murderous move here. What should he play? 37 ... Qa5+ 0-1 Black’s game bursts with the trappings of wealth. Good enough, since White’s c-pawn, his only asset, falls. Answer: The computer points out a mate, starting with 37 ... Qf4!. “It’s a glorious feeling to rule through fear,” thinks Black’s queen. White has no reasonable defence to the dual threats of ... Rg1 mate and ... Qc1 mate. Game 44

N.Matinian-S.Volkov Khanty-Mansiysk 2016 1 e4 e6 2 Qe2 Nf6 3 e5

With a single move the idea of a King’s Indian Attack goes by the wayside and the position looks more like an Alekhine’s Defence on LSD. 3 ... Nd5 4 d4 Possible too is 4 c4 Nb6 5 d4, as in A.Dewi-Y.Santiago, Albena 2014. Here I like the comp’s unplayed suggestion, 5 ... d5! 6 c5 N6d7 7 Qc2 c6 8 b4 b6 9 a3 a5 10 Bb2 f6. Having played Alekhine’s Defence through the 1980’s and ’90’s, I would feel very comfortable with Black’s counterattacking chances here. Also, the bad light-squared bishop can be unloaded for White’s good model on a6, just as we do in Petrosian’s Variation of the Winawer French. 4 ... c5 5 Nf3 5 c4 Nb4 6 dxc5 is correct (6 a3?? Qa5! wins the exchange, since after 7 Bd2 Nc2+ 8 Kd1 Qa4! White is busted, just as he is after 7 Nc3 cxd4), after which Black looks good after 6 ... Bxc5 7 a3 Qa5! 8 Nc3 Bd4 9 Nf3 N8c6 10 Qe4 Bxc3+ 11 bxc3 Na6. I prefer Black’s structure over White’s space, bishop-pair

and potential for dark-square control. Objectively the game looks dynamically balanced. 5 ... Nc6 6 dxc5! This look correct since White doesn’t want to be saddled with a weak d4pawn. Instead, 6 c3?! looks like a line out of the c3-Sicilian where White decided to play the absurd Qe2. After 6 ... cxd4 7 Nxd4 (7 cxd4 Qb6 also looks favourable for Black) 7 ... Nxd4 8 cxd4, as in L.Roberts-C.Santos Almonte, Tromsø Olympiad 2014. Black stands better after 8 ... Qa5+ 9 Bd2 Qb6. 6 ... Bxc5 7 g3

The preparation to fianchetto is a new move. Previously: a) 7 c4 was D.Frick-A.Laubscher, Johannesburg 2005. Here Black should play 7 ... Nde7, and if 8 a3?! Nd4 9 Nxd4 Bxd4 when White is seriously behind in development. b) With 7 a3 White wants to play c2-c4 and b2-b4 in one go: 7 ... Qc7 8 Nbd2 (8 c4?! is met with 8 ... Nd4! 9 Nxd4 Bxd4 when Black stands better) 8 ... Nd4! 9 Nxd4 Bxd4 10 Nc4 was I.Tkachenko-G.Anderson, correspondence 2013. Black stands better due to his development lead after 10 ... 0-0. 7 ... 0-0 8 Bg2 f6!

In this way White’s final central pawn is exchanged away. 9 c4 Nb6 The comp likes this move over 9 ... Nde7 10 exf6 gxf6 11 0-0. 10 0-0 fxe5 11 Nxe5 Nd4! This annoying move gains time and also a pawn. 12 Qd1! White must sacrifice his c-pawn, as if 12 Qd3?! Qf6 13 Ng4 Qf5! 14 Qxf5 exf5 15 Ne3 Ne2+ 16 Kh1 f4 17 gxf4 Nxf4 when he is in trouble. 12 ... d6 13 Nd3 Nxc4 14 Nxc5 dxc5 For the pawn White gained the bishop-pair and forced an e6 isolani upon Black. Your greedy writer and the greedy comp both still prefer Black’s chances. 15 Nc3 Bd7!

The b7-pawn isn’t really hanging due to Black’s attack on b2. 16 Bxb7?! I think it’s unwise to activate Black’s pieces any further. The preferable alternative is 16 b3 Nd6 17 Bf4 Bc6 18 Bxc6 bxc6 19 Qg4 e5! 20 Be3 Qf6, although here Black’s powerfully posted d4-knight, coupled with the fact that he is up a pawn, mean more than White’s superior structure.

16 ... Rb8 17 Be4 Nxb2 18 Qh5 Nf5?! Black missed 18 ... Rf5! when White is unable to play 19 Bxf5? exf5 20 f3 Bc6 21 Rb1 Nd3, with massive pressure for the exchange. 19 Bxb2?! He shouldn’t give up bishop-pair and allow Black’s rook into b2. 19 Rb1 gives White some compensation for the pawn due to his bishop-pair and Black’s isolanis. 19 ... Rxb2 20 Rad1 I would challenge Black’s rook with 20 Rab1. 20 ... Qe7 21 Qf3 A sign that White has no useful moves. 21 ... Nd4 22 Qh5 Nf5 22 ... g6! 23 Qe5 Bc6 is better for Black. 23 Qf3

23 ... g6?! The knight should have gone back to d4 and then entered the above variation with 22 ... g6. 24 Bxf5! gxf5

Instead, 24 ... Rxf5 25 Qa8+ Be8 26 Rd8 Rf8 27 Ne4 Rxa2 28 Rb1 offers White full compensation for his two missing pawns, while 24 ... exf5 gives up control over d5, but is still playable for Black. 25 Rfe1 Qg7 25 ... Bc8! is better. 26 Rd6?! 26 Ne2! Rxa2 27 Qe3 offers White full compensation for the two missing pawns. 26 ... Bc8 27 Qe3?! White looks OK if he plays 27 Na4 Rxa2 28 Nxc5 f4 29 g4 Ra1. 27 ... f4 28 Qc1? He had to settle for 28 Qe5! fxg3 29 fxg3 Qxe5 30 Rxe5 c4 when White has an inferior but still playable ending.

Exercise (combination alert): White’s idea was to boot Black’s rook off his second rank. He missed the muzzle flash of the sniper’s rifle poking out from the second floor of the building. Black has a shot here. What would you play?

Answer: 28 ... Rxf2! Rook sacrifice/annihilation of defensive barrier. Black gets a wicked attack and sends White’s king into the centre. Answer no.2: Also deadly is 28 ... fxg3! 29 fxg3 Rxh2! 30 Ne4 (acceptance of the offer is fatal after 30 Kxh2?? Rf2+ 31 Kh1 Qg4 32 Rd8+ Kg7; White is out of useful checks and there is no reasonable defence to the coming queen check on h3) 30 ... Rh3 with a huge attack for Black. 29 Kxf2 White’s king led a sheltered life, until now. 29 ... fxg3+ 30 Ke3? Necessary was 30 Ke2! (not 30 Kg1?? gxh2+ 31 Kh1 Rf2! 32 Rg1 Bb7+ and White is unable to cover the long diagonal) 30 ... gxh2 31 Kd1 Qg3! (threat: ... Qxe1+ and h1Q) 32 Qd2 Bb7 33 Rdxe6 h1Q 34 Rxh1 Bxh1 when Black is up two pawns with a relatively safe king.

Exercise (combination alert): Black can win the game immediately. How?

30 ... Bb7? A thickening mist obscures the truth from both sides’ minds. Answer: Black missed 30 ... Qe5+!, a double attack. When authoritarians seize power, the first thing they say is that elections are now obsolete and unnecessary. Black wins heavy material after 31 Ne4 Bb7 (pinned piece/overloaded defender) 32 Qc3 Rf3+! (attraction) 33 Kxf3 Qxc3+ 34 Kf4 Bxe4 35 Rxe4 g2 36 Rd1 Qh3 37 Ree1 h5! 38 Rg1 h4 when h2 falls and Black wins easily with his deeply passed h- and g-pawns. 31 Kd3 Qg6+ 32 Kc4 gxh2 Black’s h-pawn will regain him his lost rook, while he remains ahead on the pawn count. 33 Qe3 h1Q 34 Rxh1 Bxh1 35 Rxe6

Now it comes down to whose king is safer. 35 ... Qg4+ 36 Kb3 36 Kxc5?? Rc8+ 37 Kb5 Rb8+ 38 Ka6 Qc4+ forces mate in three moves. 36 ... Qd4! This move keeps Black’s king safe on the dark square h8. 37 Qg3+

After 37 Qxd4 cxd4 38 Ne4 (38 Nb5?? Bd5+ skewers king and rook) 38 ... Rf4 Black will consolidate his two extra pawns. 37 ... Kh8 38 Rd6 Qg7 Stronger was 38 ... Qb4+! 39 Kc2 Qf4. 39 Qh3?! White can fight on with 39 Qe3!. 39 ... Qb7+! 40 Kc2 And not 40 Ka3?? Qb4 mate. 40 ... Rf2+ 41 Rd2 White, sensing that his king is about to be waterboarded, allows a swap, which is also in Black’s best interests, but 41 Kd1 Qf3+ is decisive; Black’s hpawn will win the game. 41 ... Rxd2+ 42 Kxd2

Exercise (planning): What is Black’s winning idea? Answer: Simplification. Black wins easily if queens are removed from the board.

42 ... Qg2+! 43 Qxg2 Bxg2 44 Nb5 a5 45 a4 Kg7 46 Nd6 Kf6 47 Nc4 Bd5! 0-1 The voice of dissent dies away. White’s knight is paralyzed if he chops the a5-pawn.

Chapter Six The Exchange Variation 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 exd5 exd5

We accept the flaws in our openings the way we accept old, character-flawed friends: we are friends because that person has been in our life for a long time. I like playing the black side of the Exchange French as much as any chess player can, in that I despise it only a little. Luckily, my boredom threshold is exceedingly high, so I find positions which make most people yawn, completely fascinating. Our main goal against those spoil-sport people (i.e. your writer when I’m White against French), who ruin our French fun with the Exchange line, is to constantly create as many imbalances as possible to play for a win with Black. In this chapter we look at some of these enlivening ideas for Black against the Exchange French. Most people consider the Exchange French, played from White’s side, a

second rate institution. But is it really? Having bad-mouthed the line, I must also sing its praises. When I play White against French, most of the time I also play the Exchange line, for two reasons: 1. What could be more joyful than to play a French Defence from White’s side, up a tempo over what I’m used to as Black? 2. I’m going to let you in on a little secret all French players understand: We all grit our teeth with impotent rage when our loathsome opponent plays the Exchange French, since it greatly reduces the normal dynamism we are accustomed to in other French lines. Normally French books tend to fluff off the hated Exchange line. Not here though. I decided to cover it with an unheard of nine games, since the drawing issues associated with the line are a reason many people who want to play French, drop it and play some other opening in exasperation. Let’s face our enemy head on in this chapter and give the line the full coverage it really deserves. Game 45 R.Bruno-C.Lakdawala San Diego (rapid) 2006 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 exd5 exd5 If you play the French and your dastardly opponent plays the Exchange, then don’t expect a lot of poetry in your life that day. On the other hand, the Exchange Variation doesn’t have to be a drug whose main effect is to depress our central nervous system. This line isn’t much of a theoretical threat to Black, yet if we are ambitious and want to play for a win with the black pieces, then we must realize that our chance for a truly unbalanced game is Spartan. My suggestion is to go as asymmetrical as possible. If the opponent develops his or her knight to f3, then you develop yours to e7, and vice versa, just to keep the position alive to play for a win as Black. 4 c4 I always breathe a sigh of relief when they play this since it means it will be an unbalanced game, usually involving White taking on an isolani. Likewise, after 4 Nf3 Bd6 5 c4 Nf6 6 Nc3 0-0 7 cxd5 Re8+ 8 Be2 Nbd7 9 0-0 h6 10 Bc4 Nb6 11 Bb3 Bg4 12 h3 Bh5 13 Be3 Qd7 14 a4 a5 15 Rc1 Qf5! Black stood no worse in G.Kasparov-C.Lakdawala, Internet (blitz) 1998. Yes, so strong is the French, that even a world champion has trouble getting an edge versus an infinitely weaker opponent. 4 ... Nf6 5 Nc3

5 ... Be7 I’m not a big fan of 5 ... Bb4 since: 1. I don’t really want to take the c3-knight, and give my opponent the bishop-pair while strengthening White’s centre. 2. I feel that Black’s bishop is needed on e7 to defend against White’s possible Bg5 pin. 6 Bd3 I think White has a better chance to squeeze something out of 6 Nf3 0-0 7 Be2 dxc4 8 Bxc4 Bg4 (8 ... Nbd7 is also possible) 9 Be3 Nbd7 10 h3 Bh5 11 0-0 Nb6 12 Bb3 c6 13 g4!? Bg6 14 Ne5 Nfd5. White’s chances for an attack/initiative are counterbalanced by Black’s chances to overextend his opponent, R.Djurhuus-E.Gausel, Munkebo 1998. 6 ... dxc4 7 Bxc4 0-0 8 Nge2

White is playing a Tarrasch French a move up. The only problem is my opponent National Master Ron Bruno doesn’t play the French as Black, so I’m not so sure his extra tempo as White will cushion him from his lack of experience in the line. 8 ... Nbd7 9 0-0 Nb6 10 Bb3!? 10 Bd3 would align with the Tarrasch. 10 ... c6 11 Re1 Bf5! A provocation. 11 ... Re8 would be more normal. 12 Ng3 Bg6 13 f4?! He takes the challenge. White gets attacking chances in exchange for some weaknesses he creates. To me though, the position looks like a bad Caro-Kann for White, with colours reversed, where his isolated d-pawn is weaker than it normally is. 13 ... Bd6 14 Qf3 14 f5? is unsound: 14 ... Bxg3 15 fxg6 Bxe1 16 gxf7+ Kh8 17 Qxe1 Nbd5 when White’s prize f7-pawn falls and he doesn’t nearly have enough for the exchange. 14 ... Qd7

Reinforcing f5. 15 Rf1!? This violates the Principles: Don’t retreat or move twice a piece in an open position. I expected 15 Be3 Rad8 16 Rad1 Nbd5! 17 Bxd5 Nxd5 18 Nxd5 cxd5 19 Qxd5 Bxf4 20 Qxd7 Bxe3+ 21 Rxe3 Rxd7 22 d5 when I only slightly prefer Black. 15 ... Bf5!

Sometimes principles must deliberately be violated. Here the violation is: Don’t hand your opponent the bishop-pair in an open position. My justification of my move was that swaps help the defending side and the side playing against the isolani. 15 ... h6!? 16 f5 Bh7 17 Nge4 Be7 18 Be3 is passive, but also playable for Black. 16 Nxf5 16 h3 Be6 looks better for Black. 16 ... Qxf5 17 h3 h5 Oh, no you don’t. It’s important to halt g4. 18 Qf2

Idea: Bc2. The comp frowns on this move, preferring 18 Bd2 Rad,8 after which I still like Black. 18 ... Rad8 19 Bc2 Qd7 20 Ne4?! A violation of the Principle: Avoid swaps when you have taken on an isolani (not to mention weakened e4 with his f2-f4). Instead: a) 20 f5?! is met with 20 ... Bc7!, and if 21 Be3 Nc4 is greatly in Black’s favour. b) 20 Bb3 fighting for control over d5 looks like White’s best move. 20 ... Nxe4 21 Bxe4 Rfe8 22 Bc2 Bc7! I also considered 22 ... Be7 intending to transfer the bishop to f6. 23 Rd1 Otherwise: a) 23 Be3? is met with 23 ... Nc4. b) 23 Qf3? is tempting, but unsound: 23 ... Qxd4+ 24 Kh1 h4 25 Qh5 g6 26 Qxh4 (the sacrifice on g6 is unsound since Black has access to the future block ... Qg7) 26 ... Qc4! (double attack on c2 and f2; Black must see this move before entry into this line) 27 Rf2 Re2 28 Bb3 Re1+ 29 Kh2 Qd4 and White’s queenside pieces are in a hopeless tangle. 23 ... Nd5 24 Qf3 Attacking h5. 24 ... Nf6

White is in a bad way strategically: 1. His attack is pretty much over. 2. He is stuck with weaknesses on d4, d5, f5 and e4. 3. He continues to lag in development. 25 Kh1 25 Be3 is met with 25 ... Qd5. 25 ... Qd5 26 Qg3!? In his desperate bid to keep queens on the board, he allows my rook entry into his second rank. 26 Qxd5 Nxd5 is strategically lost for White. 26 ... Re2! This looks meaningless, since White can kick the rook out. Except there is a problem with that plan. 27 Bb3 27 Bd3? was the move he intended, but the rook doesn’t have to leave: 27 ... Ne4! 28 Qf3 (or 28 Bxe4 Qxe4 when Black dominates) 28 ... Nf2+ 29 Kg1 Qxf3 30 gxf3 Nxh3+ wins. 27 ... Ne4! OK, fine. It’s not a real queen ‘sacrifice’ and not all that brilliant, but for

your tactically undernourished writer, comparisons of Paul Morphy, Alexander Alekhine and Mikhail Tal came to mind. The non-dazzling 27 ... Qe4 is also strong. 28 Bxd5 After 28 Qf3 Nf2+ 29 Qxf2 Rxf2 30 Bxd5 Rxd5 White can barely move, while 28 Qh4 Qf5 29 Kg1 Bb6 is decisive. 28 ... Nxg3+ 29 Kh2 Rxd5 30 Kxg3

Exercise (combination alert): Your tactically blind writer, low on the clock as usual, missed a simple tactic. What should Black play? 30 ... Bb6? The annoying thing is: if I was doing online tactical exercises, I would have spotted the answer in a split second. The problem during the game was, nobody tapped me on the shoulder and told me there was a combination, so I didn’t even look. While your writer is a consummate artist of dull, lifeless positions, I’m grudgingly forced to admit that I’m a wee bit less consummate when it comes to

tactical awareness. The problem with the G/45 time control is that you sometimes don’t see simple lines like: Answer: 30 ... Rg5+! 31 Kf3 Rgxg2 with a hopeless position for White. 31 Kf3 Rc2 32 Be3 Or 32 Rd2 Rc4 33 Re2 Bxd4 34 Re8+ Kh7, and if 35 Re7? Bc5! when White is unable to take either pawn. 36 Rxf7? Rd3+ 37 Ke2 Rg3 is hopeless, since Black’s c4-rook will slip into c2 if White covers g2 with his king. 32 ... Rxb2 33 Rdb1 Rc2 34 Rb4 If 34 Rc1 now I can swap, since his rook can’t chop my b7-pawn: 34 ... Rxc1 35 Rxc1 Bxd4 wins. 34 ... Rc3 Threatening to harvest d4. 35 Ke2 After 35 Rb3 Rxb3 36 axb3 a6 White is a pawn down and nursing multiple pawn weaknesses. 35 ... Ra3 36 h4 I’m not sure why he puts all his pawns on the wrong colour, but I suppose there is no such thing as a bad move in a position where everything loses. 36 Rb2?? is met with 36 ... Rxe3+! 37 Kxe3 Bxd4+ and 36 Rb3 Rda5 is also completely miserable. 36 ... Kf8 37 Rb3 Rxb3 38 axb3 Bxd4 39 Bxd4 Rxd4 40 Rxa7

Exercise (calculation): This one is easy. How can Black win a second pawn? Answer: Force White’s rook back on the defensive. 40 ... Rb4! 41 Ra5 If 41 Ra3 then 41 ... Rxf4. 41 ... g6 0-1 Black wins a second pawn. Game 46 C.Lakdawala-D.Aldama San Diego (rapid) 2014 1 d4 e6 2 e4 d5 3 exd5 Is it my fault if I believe in a society with equality for all? Pipe down comrades. I can’t hear you if you all yell at once. OK, my last move is guaranteed to alienate some of the readers (especially since in the previous game I trashed grovelers who play Exchange French with the white pieces), so let me

explain: I force my tactical IM opponent into an Exchange French. Isn’t that punishment enough for him? Look, don’t expect thunderbolts hurled by one of the Greek gods, since I’m no longer young, and never was hot-headed. I’ve grown both old and soft, and in case you didn’t know it, your writer is a poet laureate of boring positions. The Exchange line is the perfect home for the fun-hating, the cautious, the conventional, and those who hate chess among us, since only by draining a position of its inherent dynamism can the talentless like your writer survive in this harsh world. 3 ... exd5 4 Nf3 If White plans to play c2-c4, then it’s better to play the 4 Nf3 move order, rather than the 4 c4 order, since by not declaring our options we may induce Black’s bishop early to d6. Another of my games with my IM opponent saw: 4 c4 Nf6 5 Nc3 Bb4 (as I mentioned before, I feel that the b4-square is less desirable than e7, since after White plays a2-a3, Black must either hand White the bishop-pair, or lose a tempo, as occurred in this game) 6 Bd3 0-0 7 Nge2 dxc4 8 Bxc4 h6 9 0-0 Nbd7 10 a3 Bd6!? (this feels too direct, as Black isn’t going to get some kind of attack on White’s king; therefore it may have been better to slide the bishop back to e7) 11 Nb5 Nb6 12 Nxd6 cxd6 13 Bd3 Be6 (Black obtains undisputed control over d5 as compensation for handing White the bishop-pair) 14 Re1 Rc8 15 Nf4 Bc4 16 Bf5 (Principle: When you own the bishop-pair, don’t swap one of them off) 16 ... Rc7 17 Bd2 Nbd5 18 Rc1 Nxf4 19 Bxf4 Nd5 20 Bg3.

White stands better since the d6-weakness must be watched closely. After 20 ... Qg5?! (Black should play 20 ... Bb5) 21 Qg4! Qxg4 22 Bxg4 Rd8 23 Bf3 (threat: Rxd5 and Bxd5) 23 ... Ba2 24 Rxc7 Nxc7 25 Re7 (stronger is the immediate 25 Bxb7!) 25 ... Ne6 26 Rxb7 in the final round game C.LakdawalaD.Aldama, San Diego (rapid) 2014, I reached a close to winning ending. Then my wife Nancy showed up and told me that we were getting late for a Boz Scaggs concert and so I should offer a draw and share first place with Aldama, rather than win clear first myself. If any reader out there has a spouse more bossy than mine, please let me know. 4 ... Bd6 This move deprives White of Bf4. We won’t look at 4 ... Nf6 or 4 ... Bg4. 5 c4

A splash of colour is introduced into an otherwise drab life. IM Aldama, who won the 2017 National Open, is a player who revels in open positions. So why am I opening the game and threatening to take on an isolani? It’s because White gets a mild initiative by taking on the isolani, so essentially I am depriving my opponent of the candy he craves. The reverse argument is, for an IM, I’m pathetically weak in open positions and when entering them, remind onlookers of the effect of releasing a mild-mannered domestic pet with zero survival skills into the wild, to fend for itself. If 5 Bd3 remember the trick of asymmetry, 5 ... Ne7. It’s our only chance to play for a win as Black against an opponent determined to hold us to a draw using the Exchange French: for example, 6 0-0 0-0 7 c3 Nbc6 (asymmetry!) 8 Qc2 g6 9 Re1 Bf5! (swapping off White’s good bishop) 10 Bh6 Re8 11 Nbd2 Qd7 12 Nf1 f6 13 Ne3, M.Pap-J.Granda Zuniga, Llucmajor 2016. The fact that Black will swap away White’s good bishop isn’t much to play on, if in search for a win, but at least it’s a start and sure enough Granda ground out the win. 5 ... Nf6 6 Nc3 0-0 7 cxd5 7 c5 takes the pressure off our centre: 7 ... Re8+ 8 Be2 Bf8 9 Bg5 c6 10 0-0 h6 11 Bh4 Bf5 is about even, Du Yuxin-Ning Kaiyu, Chinese League 2016.

7 ... Bb4!? It looks inferior to move this bishop twice. More thematic is 7 ... Nbd7 8 Be2 h6 9 0-0 Nb6 with a typical isolani position to follow, V.Bologan-B.Socko, Khanty-Mansiysk 2011. 8 Bg5 Qe8+ 9 Be2 Nxd5 10 Bd2 Bxc3?! He shouldn’t hand over the bishop-pair like this and also strengthen my centre. 10 ... Be6 looks correct. 11 bxc3 c5 Otherwise White plays c4 and Black just has an awful game. I obsessed over the stupid 11 ... b5? fearing some dazzling Nimzowitchy blockade. However, after 12 0-0 Nb6 13 Re1 the comp just has Black down as busted: 13 ... a6 14 a4! Nxa4 15 Bd3 Qd8 16 Qe2 (threat: Qe4) 16 ... g6 (16 ... Bb7? is crushed with 17 Bxh7+! Kxh7 18 Ng5+ Kg6 19 Qd3+ f5 20 Qg3) 17 Bg5 Qd7 18 Bh6 Rd8 19 Qe5 f5 20 Qf6 Nc6 21 Rxa4! wins a piece, since 21 ... bxa4?? 22 Bc4+ forces mate. 12 0-0 I chicken out. I looked at the greedy line 12 c4! cxd4 13 cxd5 d3 14 Bb4 dxe2 15 Qd2 b6 16 Bxf8 Qxf8. I saw to this point and chickened out, fearing that my king would get stuck in the centre. Komodo says White has a huge advantage after 17 Nd4 Ba6 18 Nxe2 Qe8 19 f3! Nd7 20 Kf2 Nc5 21 Nf4. White will consolidate. 12 ... cxd4 13 Nxd4 Nc6 14 Nxc6?! This move throws away what remains of my advantage. I mistakenly rejected 14 Bf3! Nxd4 15 Bxd5 Qe5 16 c4 Ne2+ 17 Kh1 Nc3 18 Bxc3 Qxc3 19 Rb1. White continues to apply pressure due to his development lead. 14 ... Qxc6 15 c4 Nb6 White’s bishop-pair is compensated by the fact that Black gets to pick on my isolated c-pawn. 16 Qb3 Komodo suggests 16 Bf3!? Qxc4 17 Rc1 Qxa2 18 Bb4 Re8 19 Qd4 Qa4 20 Ra1 Qb5 21 Bc3 f6 22 Rfb1. Still, two pawns is a lot to sacrifice just for piece pressure. 16 ... Be6 17 Rfc1 Rac8 18 Be3 Both b6 and b7 will become targets for White, to compensate Black’s pressure on c4. 18 ... Rfd8 My opponent is convinced that I am a doddering old man. So he rejected the line 18 ... Bxc4 19 Qa3 Qe6 20 Qxa7 Bxe2 21 Qxb6 which is a likely draw. 19 Bf3 Qc7

Here too 19 ... Bxc4 20 Bxc6 Bxb3 21 Bxb7 Rxc1+ 22 Rxc1 Bxa2 23 Ra1 Be6 24 h3 Rd7 25 Bxb6 Rxb7 26 Rxa7 Rxa7 27 Bxa7 is a dead draw. 20 Qa3 Nxc4 21 Qxa7 Bd5 Aldama’s hand hovered over his b-pawn, while I prayed for it. 21 ... b5?? loses instantly to my intended cheapo 22 Qxc7 Rxc7 23 Bb6!, winning the exchange. 22 Bg4!? 22 Bxd5 Rxd5 23 Rab1 Qd6 24 Qxb7 Rd8 25 Re1 is OK for White. During the game I was seized by a paranoid fear of Black generating some kingside attack where I got mated. After 25 ... Nxe3 26 Rxe3 Rd1+ 27 Re1 Rd2 28 a4 Black’s activity should hold the draw. On the other hand, White clearly isn’t going to lose. 22 ... Ra8 23 Qd4!?

I’m playing for the full point. 23 Qc5 Qxc5 24 Bxc5 Ne5 25 Be2 Rxa2 26 Rxa2 Bxa2 27 Bb6 Re8 28 f4 Nc6 29 Bf3 is drawn. 23 ... b5 24 Qf4 Or 24 Bg5 f6 25 Bf4 Qc6 26 Rd1! and the game remains tensely even. 24 ... Qb7

24 ... Qc6 is a better square for the queen. 25 Bd4! Having taught young kids for almost four decades, I have become a master at identifying deceit and lies. I ignore the false threat to g2 and target g7. 25 ... Bxg2 Safer was 25 ... f6 26 Re1 Bxg2 27 Be6+ Kh8 28 Qxf6! Bc6 and it’s anybody’s game.

Exercise (calculation): How should White continue? Answer: Piece sacrifice/annihilation of defensive barrier. 26 Bxg7! No, no, please. There is no need to congratulate me on my non-cowardly moral fortitude. I wasted my life on chess and should have been an actor, since my brilliant portrayal of an attacker is so believable. In reality I viewed this as drawing sacrifice, rather than one whose intent is to go after Black’s king. Aldama blundered with his clock under a minute here by playing: 26 ... Rd6?

If there is a story to be told, then rest assured IM Aldama will deliver it as theatrically as possible. Black takes a wild gamble to evade the correct line 26 ... Kxg7! 27 Qg5+ Kf8 28 Qh6+ Ke7! (if 28 ... Kg8?! 29 Bf5! f6 30 Be6+ Kh8 31 Qxf6+ Qg7 32 Qxg7+ Kxg7 33 Kxg2 and only White has winning chances) 29 Re1+ Be4 30 Bf3 Nd2 31 Bxe4 Nxe4 32 f3 Rd4 33 Qh4+ when White regains the lost piece, with a likely draw. 27 Rxc4!? “Confused, are we?” asked my mind. “Shut the hell up and get me out of this mess,” I replied. I chickened out of 27 Bf6! Qe4 28 Qg3 Rxf6 29 Bf5+ Kf8 30 Bxe4 Bxe4 31 Kf1. Even though the comp says Black is worse, a human would have a very difficult time defending White, especially with a low clock. 27 ... bxc4?? If you are a young woman and Bill Cosby offers you a drink, you would be wise to decline. Your writer’s mind is in proper working order in positions where reason presents itself. Not so much in positions of irrationality, where the laws of physics cease to operate as they once did, like this one. In a shocking reversal of the norm, it was my opponent this time, and not me, who got confused and blundered. 28 Qxd6 Kxg7

Exercise (combination alert): Black’s last move loses by force. How? Answer: 29 Qg3! Double attack. White threatens both Qxg2 and Bf3+, so Black must hand over a piece. My impersonation of an attacker is finally over and this combination will be recounted and sung by bards in ages to come. On the other hand, maybe not. 29 ... Qb2 30 Kxg2! 1-0 30 ... Qxa1 31 Bf3+ leaves White up a piece. Game 47 C.Lakdawala-D.Aldama San Diego (rapid) 2018 1 e4!? The things I do for my country. At the time of the game I was writing a 1 e4 repertoire book for Everyman, so I bravely pushed my e-pawn two squares,

rather than chicken out with my traditional 1 Nf3 and 1 d4 Colle/London. When I turned 30 and at my party received geriatric-themed gifts and cards, it was pretty funny. Now that I am only two years away from age 60, it isn’t so funny anymore. My goal is to keep playing semi-decent chess well into my 60’s, which isn’t going to be so easy to fulfill. Sometimes I expect to wake up as my eightyear-old self and then realize my entire adulthood and old-age-hood has just been a dream. 1 ... e6 Double question mark, for the following reasons: 1. Aldama’s lifetime score against me on the black side of French is a dismal 1½/4. 2. Aldama had taken a first round bye, so I essentially needed a draw for a near-certain clear first place in our weekly Gambito G/45 tournament. You see what is coming don’t you: The Exchange Variation. 2 d4 d5 So my 1 e4 White repertoire book calls for me to play the Advance Variation. And then I realized I was leading IM Aldama by a half point and played my not-so-brave next move. I have now played the Exchange French in three out of four encounters with Aldama, since the position’s inherent dullness saps away his tactical superiority. 3 exd5 Cry “Havoc!” and let slip the dogs of ... oh, sorry, false alarm. Now do you understand why I was always picked last for childhood sports by the neighbourhood kids, who always considered me a liability, rather than a teammate? Your writer is a peaceful man, who even feels there is too much violence in hockey. I am not a creature of rash impulse and very few people have compared your timid writer to Alexander the Great, or William the Conqueror. Now you know why. 3 ... exd5 4 Nf3 Nf6 This was even more surprising, since this is Black’s most drawish continuation. I expected one of the following lines: 4 ... Bd6, 4 ... Bg4 or 4 ... c5. 5 Be2!?

Have you ever read a boring novel where you realize that you just read 30 pages with almost zero comprehension of what went on, since you were simultaneously daydreaming? My games tend to have this effect on people. This is even more cowardly than my third move, but I really wanted a draw to secure first place in the tournament. In our previous two games from this position I played the more dynamic 5 c4. If not this, then I should go for 5 Bd3. 5 ... Bf5 6 0-0 Bd6 7 Bg5 0-0 8 Nbd2 h6 A new move. Previously played was 8 ... Nbd7 9 c3 c6 10 Re1 with a really boring position. 9 Bh4 Re8 10 c3 Nbd7 11 Re1 Nf8 He wants to plant a knight on f4. 12 Nf1 I also considered 12 Bg3 Ng6 13 Nf1 Nf4. Here White can try 14 Ne5 Nxe2+ 15 Rxe2. The game is approximately equal, despite Black’s bishop-pair. 12 ... Ng6 13 Bg3 Nf4 14 Ne3 Be4 15 Nd2 I thought Black stood slightly better after 15 Ne5!? Nxe2+ 16 Qxe2 c6 17 f3 Bh7. 15 ... Bg6 16 Bxf4 Bxf4 17 Ndf1 Ne4 18 g3 Bg5 19 Bd3

The comp says it’s even, while I didn’t feel particularly comfortable here, due to his pieces congregating around my king. 19 ... Qd6 20 f3

20 ... Bxe3+ I was hoping to sucker him into the dubious 20 ... Nxg3? 21 hxg3 Bxe3+ 22 Rxe3 Rxe3 23 Nxe3 Qxg3+ 24 Ng2 Bh5 25 Be2 Re8 26 Qe1. Black doesn’t have enough for the piece. 21 Rxe3 I hallucinated and thought 21 Nxe3 failed to 21 ... Nxg3?. I only calculated 22 hxg3 Qxg3+ 23 Ng2 Rxe1+ 24 Qxe1. Even this favours White, while I mistakenly miscounted and thought White hung a piece. Yet here I clearly see two pieces on White’s side and only one on Black’s. I also missed the inbetween move 22 Bxg6!, and if 22 ... Qxg6 23 hxg3 Qxg3+ 24 Ng2 Rxe1+ 25 Qxe1 Qxf3 26 Qe7 when White threatens both Rf1 and Qxc7 and stands clearly better. 21 ... Ng5 22 Qe2?! My first real mistake. Correct was 22 Bxg6 Qxg6 23 Qe2 Nh3+ 24 Kh1 Rxe3 25 Nxe3! Re8 26 Re1. Black is unable to exploit the pin and the position is

even. 22 ... Rxe3 23 Qxe3 Bxd3?! 23 ... f5! 24 Kg2 f4 25 Qd2 Bxd3 26 Qxd3 Re8 offers Black a serious initiative. 24 Qxd3 Re8 25 h4 Nh7 26 Kf2 g5!? He is desperate to complicate and risks overpressing. 27 Ne3?!

I hate you, Time. Because of you my hair is grey and my brain no longer functions as it once did. On top of it all, you eat up my clock and seduce me into dubious move-choices in time pressure. I started to incorrectly think he was overextending. I was 10 minutes behind on the clock at this point and should have played 27 hxg5! Nxg5 28 Ne3 when White stands a shade better due to his superior structure. 27 ... gxh4 28 gxh4 Qh2+ After 28 ... Nf6! 29 Qf5 Re6 30 Rg1+ Kf8 31 Rg2 Ne4+! 32 Kg1 Nxc3 33 bxc3 Rxe3 34 Qc8+ Re8 35 Qxb7 Black stands slightly better since his king is safer than White’s. 29 Ng2 Re6

I had the feeling that Aldama thought he was winning here, especially due to my low clock, but the comp calls it dead even. Black’s king is just as exposed and his queenside pawns are vulnerable to queen raids, via f5 and c6. 30 Qf5 Rg6 31 Rg1 Qg3+ 32 Kf1 c6 I hoped he would slip on a banana peel and walk into the cheapo 32 ... Rf6?? 33 Qc8+ Nf8 34 Ne1. Black loses his queen. 33 Qf4! Qh3 34 Kf2 Nf8 35 Ne3 Rxg1 36 Kxg1 Ng6 37 Qxh6 Qxf3 38 Qg5! Qf4

39 Ng2?! White has winning chances in the line 39 Qxf4! Nxf4 40 Kh2! (I completely missed this move) 40 ... Nd3 41 c4! dxc4 42 Nxc4 (threat: Na5). If 42 ... b6? 43 Ne5 Nxb2 (43 ... Nxe5? loses the king and pawn ending: 44 dxe5 Kg7 45 Kg3 c5 46 a4 a6 47 Kf4 b5 48 axb5 axb5 49 Ke4 Kg6 50 Kd5 c4 51 Kc5 Kf5 52 Kxb5 Kxe5 53 Kxc4 Ke4 54 h5 f5 55 h6 and White promotes) 44 Nxc6 a5 45 d5 Nc4 46 Nd4 Nd6 47 Kg3 b5 48 Nc6 a4 49 Kf4 when only White has winning chances: 1. Black’s queenside majority is frozen. 2. White has much the better king position, with possibilities of entry to c5.

3. White has an outside passed h-pawn. 39 ... Qxg5 40 hxg5 Nf8 41 Nh4 Rejecting 41 Nf4! Kg7 42 Kf2 Nh7. I thought I was lost in this variation and missed the trick 43 g6! fxg6 44 Ne6+ Kf6 45 Nd8 when White stands no worse. 41 ... Ne6 42 g6 f6 43 Nf5 Nf4 44 Nd6 b5 45 Ne8 Nxg6 Alternatively: a) 45 ... f5 46 Nd6 and the f-pawn falls all the same. b) 45 ... Nh5! is Black’s best try: 46 Kf2 Kf8 47 Nd6 Nf4! (not 47 ... Kg7? 48 Nf5+! Kxg6 49 Ne7+ Kg5 50 Nxc6 a6 51 Nb4 with excellent winning chances for White) 48 Kf3 Nxg6 49 Kg4 Ne7 50 Kf4 Kg7 51 Nb7 Kf7 52 Nd8+ Ke8 53 Nb7 and I don’t think Black can make progress. 46 Nxf6+ Look, I’m pretending to be interested with the remainder of the game, to the best of my acting ability. I get oddly elated when I’m struggling to defend a slightly inferior position against a strong player, and I note the frustration on the opponent’s face when they fail to make progress. I knew the position was drawn and was tempted to offer it, but rejected the idea since I was certain the offer would come in a choirboy’s soprano voice. So I waited for him to make the offer.

46 ... Kf7 47 Ng4 Ke6 48 Kf1 Kf5 49 Nf2 Nf4 50 Ke1 Ne6 51 Kd2 Kf4 52 Ke2 a5 53 a3 Kf5 54 Ke3 Nf4 55 Kf3 ½-½ Game 48 B.Posedaru-C.Balogh Romanian Team Championship 2015 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 exd5 exd5 4 Bd3

This is White’s most common response. 4 ... Nc6 Let’s try and break the symmetry as quickly as possible. So let’s not encourage boredom by making it even more boring by playing 4 ... Bd6, which is almost a promise of an uneventful game to follow. 5 c3 White is unable to dodge playing c2-c3 with 5 Nf3 Bg4 when h3 has nothing better than to toss in 6 c3 5 ... Bd6 6 Nf3 Next game we look at 6 Qf3 and the one after at 6 Ne2.

6 ... Nge7 Our sacred rule against the Exchange line is: Break the symmetry – even slightly – whenever possible. In this way we frustrate many of our opponents’ attempts to drain the game of life and hold a draw. Since White moves his knight to f3, Balogh develops his to e7. 7 0-0 Now that we know the white king’s address, it is our cue to castle on the opposite side of the board. 7 ... Bg4 8 Re1 Qd7 In preparation for castling long. 9 Nbd2 0-0-0

There is a world of difference between asleep and dead. Black’s game suddenly blossoms to life and the two sides now live in worlds very different from the other. Clearly, the game can no longer be described as drawish. 10 Qc2 10 b4 is White’s main move. After 10 ... Ng6 (the knight eyes f4, while making room on e7 for the c6-knight, in case White tosses in b4-b5) 11 b5 Nce7 White has:

a) 12 a4 Nf4 13 Bf1 Neg6 14 Qb3 Rhe8 15 Re3 Qf5 when I prefer Black’s attacking chances to White’s since so many of his pieces have gathered in the vicinity of White’s king, L.Locio-O.Lizarzaburu, correspondence 2005. b) 12 Qa4 Kb8 13 Ne5 Bxe5 14 dxe5 d4! 15 c4 Nf4 16 Bf1 was B.PeterssonG.Meier, Vaxjo 2015. Black has achieved an unbalanced and dynamically even game which is certainly no longer drawish. 10 ... f6 In preparation of a pawn storm with ... g7-g5. 11 b4 White begins his own storm. 11 ... g5 12 b5 I don’t like this move since it removes the flexibility from White’s pawn storm. Instead, 12 a4 Rde8 (clearing d8 for the c6-knight) 13 a5 Kb8 14 b5 Nd8 15 a6 (15 b6 can be ignored with 15 ... Ng6) 15 ... b6 16 Ba3 was S.DroriG.Battaglini, Kiryat Ono 2013. Black stands better after 16 ... Bxa3 17 Rxa3 Bf5! 18 Nf1 Bxd3 19 Qxd3 Ne6, since White’s queenside attack stalled. 12 ... Na5!

The knight helps fight for the c4-square, since White at some point will

probably need to play c3-c4. This new move is a clear improvement over the unnecessarily passive 12 ... Nb8?, as in A.Teodorescu-S.Foisor, Tusnad 2004. White looks clearly better after 13 c4!. 13 Qa4 This move creates a weakness in Black’s camp which is difficult to exploit. 13 ... b6 14 Ba3 I prefer Black after this move. White has an unexpected improvement with 14 Ne5! fxe5 15 dxe5 Bc5 16 Nb3 Nxb3 17 axb3, which offers serious attacking chances for the piece. I think the chances are approximately even. 14 ... Kb8 15 Bxd6 Qxd6 16 c4!?

If you are a fairy tale character, then my advice is: Stay the hell away from the dark forest, since both the witch and ogre live there. Enthusiasm for our would-be initiative/attack tends to outweigh such petty concerns like: ‘Is it sound?’. The comp doesn’t really like this move which creates weakness. If it isn’t played then White has nothing to do but await Black’s coming attack on the other side of the board. 16 ... dxc4 17 Nxc4 Nxc4 18 Qxc4 Bc8!? It’s not cowardice if you decide to take refuge from a future storm. He feels

better with the bishop by his king’s side. Perhaps Black should risk 18 ... Bxf3! 19 gxf3 Nd5 20 Rac1 Rhe8 21 Rxe8 Rxe8 22 Be4 Nf4. White’s game groans beneath the weight of its own strategic issues. I prefer Black’s long-term chances over White’s vague attacking chances on the queenside light squares. 19 Rac1 Nd5 20 Nd2 The knight is re-routed to e4. 20 ... Rhe8 21 Rxe8 Rxe8 For Black, this is that situation where you are maybe not so sure what you should do, and then luckily, our opponent makes the decision for us. 22 Bxh7? There is fantasy and then there is the real world. The trouble arises when we are no longer able to discern the difference between the two. White should have read the fine print before agreeing to this dubious deal. Principle: Don’t grab pawns in front of your king. Rather than this impulse decision, White should consider 22 Ne4 Qd8 when I only slightly prefer Black’s game.

22 ... Rh8 Even stronger is 22 ... Nf4! 23 Bd3 Bb7 24 g3 Nxd3 25 Qxd3 Qd5 26 f3

Qxa2. 23 Be4?? A tragedy is difficult enough to endure; a tragedy of our own making is even more painful. Sometimes we are not the best judge of our own declining position. Before making our move, we need to ask ourselves: ‘What does my position need?’ White had to first chase Black’s queen away from her eye on h2 with 23 Ne4 Qd8 24 Bg6 Nf4 25 Bf7. 23 ... Qxh2+ 24 Kf1 Bb7! 24 ... Be6! is even stronger. 25 g3 25 Bxd5 Bxd5 26 Qxd5 Qh1+ 27 Ke2 Qxc1 wins. 25 ... Qh3+ 26 Kg1

Exercise (combination alert): The last few moves have not passed pleasantly for White. Every drama requires its big reveal. Find a forcing sequence which leads to mate. Answer: 26 ... f5! Step 1: Chase the bishop to f3.

27 Bf3 The bishop is homeless, with no stable square. 27 Bxd5 allows 27 ... Qh1+! 28 Bxh1 Rxh1 mate. 27 ... g4! 0-1 Step 2: Chase the bishop to g2: 28 Bg2 Qxg2+! (Step 3: Queen sacrifice/mating net) 29 Kxg2 Nf4+ 30 Kg1 Rh1 is mate. Game 49 A.Horvath-R.Rapport Hungarian League 2014 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 exd5 exd5 4 Bd3 Nc6 Let’s try and break the symmetry as quickly as possible. So let’s not make boring, even more boring by playing 4 ... Bd6. 5 c3 Bd6 6 Qf3!?

White assumes an aggressive posture, attacking our d5-pawn, while in flagrant violation of the Principle: Don’t bring your queen out early in the game, especially before you complete development. Next game we look at 6 Ne2.

6 ... Be6! I like this response, which is made with the following ideas: 1. We reinforce our d5-pawn. 2. Black intends ... Qd7, after which White must watch out for ... Bg4 ideas. 3. After a coming ... Qd7, we plan to castle queenside, presuming White castles short, as is normal in such a structure. 4. If White plays Ne2, Nf4 and Nxe6, picking up the bishop-pair, we don’t mind since White loses time and after ... f7xe6 we open the f-file for our rooks, while strengthening our centre. Instead, 6 ... Nge7 7 Ne2 Be6! can transpose. 7 Ne2 Qd7 8 h3 He doesn’t want to worry about ... Bg4 ideas. After 8 Bf4 Be7! (oh, no you don’t! we dodge a swap and retain our good bishop) 9 Nd2 g5! (White’s plans for a boring game are going south) 10 Bg3 0-0-0 11 Qe3 (or 11 0-0-0 Nh6 12 Nf1 Nf5 13 Ne3 Ng7! 14 h3 f5! and Black already stands better) 11 ... Nh6! 12 Nf3 f6 13 h4 Nf5! (this sacrifice of a pawn for the bishop-pair and light squares is completely sound) 14 Bxf5 Bxf5 15 hxg5 fxg5 16 Nxg5 Rde8 17 Nf3? (correct was 17 Nf7 Bf6 18 Ne5 Qg7) 17 ... Nb4! White was busted, since he was forced to hand over an exchange, B.Dauth-M.Bluebaum, Pardubice 2014. 8 ... 0-0-0 9 Be3 9 Bf4 can once again be met with 9 ... Be7 intending ... g7-g5!. 9 ... Nge7 10 Bf4!?

White attempts to impose order on his opponent’s coming anarchy. This confusing move is the tourist who asks the local: “Do you speak English?” The question isn’t a great conversation starter unless the local speaks English in the first place. After this new move our dark-squared bishop is unable to back off and we must swap. The game gets a shade duller, just as White is playing for. Of course his fun-killing move doesn’t come for free since White gave away a full tempo make sure e7 wasn’t available as a retreat square for Black’s bishop. Previously played was 10 Nd2 f6 11 0-0-0 Rdf8 12 Nb3 g5 when I already prefer Black, who picked up useful space, P.Skovgaard-O.Bengtsson, Copenhagen 2002. 10 ... Bxf4 11 Nxf4 g5!? Rapport, refusing to disarm, insists on mischief. 12 Nxe6!? Up until now White has done a good job of making the game as dull as humanly possible. Here he violates his own philosophy. This is probably not a great decision since it opens the f-file for Black’s rooks, while allowing Black to break with ... e6-e5 later on. 12 Nh5 looks correct: 12 ... g4 13 hxg4 Bxg4 14 Qf4! (this is not the time to

get greedy; 14 Qxf7?? Rdf8 15 Qg7 Qe6+! 16 Kf1 Rhg8 17 Qxh7 Rh8 18 Qg7 Rfg8 wins the queen, since 19 Qf6?? is met with 19 ... Qxf6 20 Nxf6 Rxh1 mate) 14 ... Ng6 15 Qg3 f5!. I slightly prefer Black who is active and still leads in development, which means more than his slightly ragged kingside structure. 12 ... fxe6 13 Nd2?! Now White’s is a position of servitude. Maybe he was better off trying 13 Qg3. 13 ... e5!

Principle: Open the game and create confrontation when leading in development. Black’s position feels the joy of liberation of a third grader who discovers that school is out that day due to a snowstorm. 14 dxe5 Of course this only helps Black. Perhaps he should go for 14 Qg4 exd4 15 cxd4 Nb4! 16 Bb1 h5! 17 Qxd7+ Kxd7. Black’s development lead lasts even in the ending. 14 ... Nxe5 15 Qg3 Nxd3+ 16 Qxd3 Ng6 The knight eyes the e5-, f4- and h4-squares. 17 0-0-0

White mirrors his opponent’s plan and discovers that peace cannot always be found in the avoidance of a problem. The question of the white king’s safety remains unresolved. As it turns out in the game, White’s king is no safer on the queenside than on the kingside. Also unpleasant was 17 0-0 Nf4 18 Qf3 h5 with the initiative and attacking chances for Black. 17 ... Rhf8! After 17 ... Nf4 18 Qf3 Rhf8 19 Nb3 Rde8 (threat: ... Ne2+, winning White’s queen) 20 Qg4 Qxg4 21 hxg4 Nxg2 22 Rxd5 Rxf2 23 Rxg5 Nf4 24 Rd1 b6 25 Rd2 Ree2 26 Kc2 White has good chances to save the game. 18 Qd4?! Correct was 18 g3! Ne5! (18 ... Rxf2?! 19 Qd4 Qf5 20 g4 Qf4 21 Qxa7 is fine for White) 19 Qe3 Qf5 with pressure for Black.

Exercise (planning): With his last move White covered f2, while attacking a7. What is Black’s strongest response? Answer: 18 ... Rf4!

Swinging the rook into the queenside via f4. This powerful shot tells White that his threat to chop a7 isn’t such a big worry. 19 Qxa7 Ra4 20 Qe3 Rxa2 21 Nb3 Losing. White puts up more resistance with the line 21 Qxg5 Qb5 22 Qg4+ Kb8 23 Qb4 Qa6 24 Nb3 Ne5 25 Nc5 Qa7 26 Kb1 Ra1+ 27 Kc2 Nc6 28 Qxb7+ Qxb7 29 Nxb7 Rxd1 30 Rxd1 Kxb7, although by now White only has two pawns for the piece. 21 ... Nf4 22 Kb1 After 22 Rhg1 Re8 23 Qc5 Qf5 White’s queenside light squares leak, and if 24 Nd4 Ra1+ 25 Kd2 Qd3 mate. 22 ... Qa4! White’s wobbly knight is unstable. 23 c4 If 23 Kc2 Re8 24 Qd4 Re2+ 25 Rd2 Rxd2+ 26 Qxd2 c5!, when there is no remedy to the coming ... c5-c4, or 23 Nc1?? Ra1 mate. 23 ... Re8! After 23 ... dxc4?? 24 Rxd8+ Kxd8 25 Qd4+ Ke8 26 Re1+ Kf7 27 Re5! Ng6 28 Re4 Nf4 Black is the one fighting for a draw. 24 Qc3 dxc4 White’s knight is unable to move. 25 Rhe1!

White’s last move is a good final cheapo attempt. Exercise (combination alert): Find one strong move and White’s game collapses. 25 ... Ne2! 0-1 Answer: Interference. 26 Rxe2 Rxe2 27 Qh8+ Re8 28 Qd4 cxb3 leaves White down a rook. Game 50 A.Manukian-S.Vidit Internet (rapid) 2018 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 exd5 A decision made with the philosophy: When we are hopelessly outgunned in rating, the first thing we need to do for our psychological benefit is to drop the pretence that the game is some epic battle between equals. White is an almostmaster rated player, facing a titan GM with a FIDE rating surpassing the 2700

mark. So under the circumstances, the Exchange French is probably a good decision on the lower-rated player’s part. 3 ... exd5 4 Bd3 Nc6 5 c3 Bd6 6 Ne2

Our opponents usually play this way when they are intent on a draw. The idea is to make the game deadly dull with Bf4 next. 6 ... Qf6! This is virtually the same game we saw last game, except with the colours reversed. Our move prevents White’s intended Bf4, which our opponent achieves after the robotic 6 ... Nge7 7 Bf4. 7 Nd2 Nge7 8 Nf3 Otherwise, 8 Nf1 Bd7! (in this way we continue to prevent White’s Bf4 intention) 9 Nfg3 0-0-0 10 Be3 (if 10 Nh5 Qh4 and White must play a knight to f4, since the greedy 11 Nxg7?? is immediately punished by 11 ... Rdg8 12 g3 Qf6 13 Nh5 Qf3, winning a piece due to the double attack on h1 and h5) 10 ... g6 looks even and, more importantly from our perspective, complicated. 8 ... Bg4 Possible too is 8 ... h6 (preventing Bg5) 9 Be3 Bg4 10 Ng3 Bxf3 11 Qxf3 Qxf3 12 gxf3 g6 when Black’s structural advantage is counterbalanced by

White’s bishop-pair, K.Georgiev-Y.Vladimirov, Groningen 1977. 9 Neg1?!

A new move and an unimpressive one. White’s efforts to preserve his structure just cost him several tempi and Black already stands better. 9 Bg5 looks preferable: 9 ... Qe6 10 Qd2 Bxf3 11 gxf3 Qh3 12 Ng3 h5 13 0-0-0 h4 was A.Herzog-R.Knaak, Bad Wörishofen 1993. I prefer Black’s structure over White’s bishop-pair after 14 Ne2 0-0-0. 9 ... h6 White is denied Bg5 ideas. 10 h3 Bf5 This is the one swap we don’t mind. Vidit offers to trade off his inferior bishop for White’s good one. 11 Be3 0-0-0 12 Ne2 Back again. 12 ... Rde8! The correct rook, for the following reasons: 1. The d8-square is open for the c6-knight in case White plays b2-b4 and b4b5.

2. If White castles kingside, then Black’s h-rook is open for transfer to g8, followed by the push of his g- and h-pawns to go after White’s king. 13 Qd2 Bxd3 14 Qxd3 Nf5 15 Kd2? He is worried about covering e3 and in doing so, endangers his king greatly, but even after the superior 15 0-0-0! Re4! 16 Bd2 Rhe8 17 Rhe1 a6 White’s pieces trip over each other and Black stands better. 15 ... Re4!

Dual-purpose: 1. Black prepares to double rooks on the e-file. 2. Black fights for control of f4, preventing Bf4 ideas. 16 Rae1 Rhe8 17 Nc1 g5?! This preserves Black’s advantage yet it is far from the best move. Vidit misses the far stronger plan 17 ... Nxe3! 18 fxe3 Ne7!, intending ... Nf5. Now if 19 Re2? Nf5 20 Rhe1 Bg3 when e3 falls and White is crushed. 18 Re2 Qg6 He once again misses the correct plan 18 ... Nxe3! 19 fxe3 Ne7! 20 Ne1 Nf5 (threatening a fork on g3) 21 Rf1 Qe6 (renewing the fork threat) 22 Rf3 Ng3 23 Ref2 f5 when ... f5-f4 is coming and White is busted.

19 Ne1 19 Kd1! intending Bd2 forces 19 ... Nxe3+ 20 fxe3 Qe6 (this time the 20 ... Ne7?! plan doesn’t work since Black loses control over e4: 21 Nd2 Re6 22 e4! and White looks OK) 21 Rhe1 Bg3 22 Rf1 Rxe3 23 Rxe3 Qxe3 24 Qxe3 Rxe3 25 Ne2 Bd6 26 Ne1. Conversion of the extra pawn won’t be easy for Black. 19 ... h5 Your guessed it. Black once again is blind to the plan 19 ... Nxe3! 20 fxe3 Ne7. 20 Nc2 g4 21 hxg4 Rxg4!? I would have recaptured with the h-pawn. 22 g3 Rge4 23 Nb3 h4 24 gxh4 Nxh4 25 Kc1

Black has squandered away the bulk of his previous advantage through inaction. 25 ... f5 26 Nd2 Qg2? Now Black stands worse. Correct was 26 ... Rg4 27 f3 Nxf3 28 Nxf3 f4 29 Qxg6 Rxg6 when Black will regain his sacrificed piece with an equal position. 27 Rd1? 27 Ree1! Nf3 28 Ref1 f4 29 Nxf3 fxe3 30 fxe3 leaves White with all the

winning chances with his extra pawn. 27 ... R4e6 28 c4?? The concept of tomorrow is an overrated wish to a desperate person. When we are under pressure and low on the clock, we become the insane person who believes he can fly. So he jumps off the cliff’s edge and as he falls, thinks to himself: “So far, so good!” White feels he needed to make a stand. This move is certainly not the way to do it. Correct was 28 f3 Qg6 29 Ree1 Ng2 30 Rg1 Bh2 31 Rxg2 Qxg2 32 Qxf5 with some chances to hold the game.

Exercise (combination alert): This is an unjustified attempt to seize the initiative and looks like a time pressure blunder. What did White overlook? Answer: 28 ... f4! Black packs the contents of all his energy on to the e3 point and now comes his ‘You-can’t-say-I-didn’t-warn-you’ moment. White’s bishop is pinned due to his unfortunately posted e2-rook. 29 f3 Maybe White counted on this resource, thinking that he would regain

material with c4xd5. Black’s next move dispels the illusion. 29 ... Qg5! Now White’s disembodied intent hovers like a ghost, attempting to haunt people who don’t believe in ghosts and therefore don’t see it. When I was a kid, my mother would always agree to whatever I asked of her. The problem always came on the delivery of her promises. Black’s queen covers d5, which means Black doesn’t lose a piece and White does. 30 cxd5 Qxd5 31 Qc4 Ne7 White’s pinned bishop isn’t going anywhere. Even stronger was 31 ... Nb4! 32 Nxb4 Qxc4+ 33 Nxc4 Bxb4 when White loses a piece. 32 Qa4 The double attack on e8 and a7 isn’t much of a concern for Black, but if 32 Bf2 Qxc4 33 Nxc4 Rxe2 34 Bxh4 Rh8 when Black is up a clean exchange with initiative. 32 ... Nef5! 33 Qxa7 Black’s king is quite secure, since he travels with multiple bodyguards and everyone knows there is safety in numbers. 33 ... Nxe3 34 Ne4 Rxe4!

A practical decision, to sacrifice an exchange to eliminate White’s only well-placed piece. 35 fxe4 Qxe4 36 Nxe3 fxe3 37 Qa8+ Kd7 38 Qa4+ Qc6+! Simplification. The ending is an easy win for Black, whose passed e-pawn paralyzes White. 39 Qxc6+ Kxc6 40 d5+ Kd7 41 Rd4 Ng6 The knight will land on f4, destroying the blockade on e2. 42 Rg4 Nf4 43 Rg7+ Kd8 0-1 44 Re1 (or 44 Rh2 e2 when the e-pawn costs White a rook) 44 ... Nd3+ forks. Game 51 S.Tatai-V.Korchnoi Beersheba 1978 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 exd5 exd5 4 Bd3 c5!?

Luke, if I have told you once, then I have told you a thousand times: Don’t underestimate the power of the dark side. I’m not one of those players who is

quick to take on an isolani, as in the ... exd5 lines of the Tarrasch. This position I make an exception for two reasons: 1. The majority of our opponents who play the Exchange line want to draw. By taking on an isolani, we immediately sharpen the game and thereby frustrate our opponent’s intent. 2. I don’t think d3 is a good square for the bishop in the isolani versions of Tarrasch French. Now you may declare this position arose from the Exchange line and not the Tarrasch, but this is a difference in semantics. In essence we get a Tarrasch ... exd5 line where White, rather than playing his or her bishop to either e2 or b5, places it on d3, after which we can pin their (future) f3-knight with ... Bg4, obtaining a slightly superior version. 3. We have options of ... c5-c4, which now gains a bonus tempo on the d3bishop. 5 Nf3 Illogical is 5 dxc5?! which gives us a move-up position since we didn’t waste a tempo with ... Bd6 first. 5 ... Nc6 5 ... c4 is also completely playable since we gain a tempo on White’s bishop: 6 Be2 Bd6 7 0-0 Ne7 8 b3 cxb3 (foolish is 8 ... b5? 9 a4 after which our entire queenside structure gets undermined) 9 axb3 0-0 10 c4 Nbc6. Black scores over 60% in my database from this position and has equality at a minimum. 6 Qe2+!? This is greedy. Tatai hopes to maybe hang on to his extra pawn. He won’t and all he will accomplish is to place his queen on the open e-file, which will clearly lose time to a future ... Re8. 6 0-0 is wiser: 6 ... c4 (if you insist upon an isolani position then also perfectly fine is 6 ... cxd4 7 Re1+ Be7 when White must strain to regain Black’s now extra d4-pawn) 7 Re1+ Be7 8 Bf1 Nf6 9 b3 cxb3 10 axb3 0-0 and I don’t believe that White has anything, V.PetrienkoV.Eingorn, Berlin 1993. 6 ... Be7 7 dxc5 Nf6 8 h3?!

Principle: Don’t fall behind in development in an open position. Flaunt the law and the law has a way of coming after us. When one of my students rated around 1600 falls behind in development and loses because of his transgression, then I, like Jesus before me, scold the student for the transgression and declare: “Go and sin no more!” It amazes me that even titled players occasionally forget the original sin and fall behind in development, by chasing some shiny object in the opening, as we see here. White wants to block out ... Bg4, at the cost of another precious tempo; too much of a concession in my opinion. White would have been wiser to go for 8 Nbd2! 0-0 9 Nb3 Re8 10 Be3 a5 11 a4 d4 12 Nfxd4 Nxd4 13 Nxd4 Bxc5 14 c3 Bg4 15 Qc2 Bxd4 16 cxd4 Qxd4 17 0-0, with approximate equality. 8 ... 0-0 9 0-0 9 Be3? makes no sense since Black can play 9 ... Re8, intending ... Bxc5. 9 ... Bxc5 10 c3? Now White loses the initiative at an alarming pace. White should go into damage control mode with 10 Nc3 Re8 11 Qd1 Ne4 12 Bxe4 dxe4 13 Qxd8 Nxd8 14 Re1 f5. Black stands a bit better, but not anywhere near as overwhelmingly as in the game’s continuation.

10 ... Re8 11 Qc2 Qd6! The queen, broadcasting her ‘secret’ plan with a loudspeaker, eyes the g3square. 12 Nbd2 12 Bf5 Ne4 13 Bxc8 Raxc8 also looks miserable for White, who lags too far behind in development. 12 ... Qg3! Threat: ... Bxh3. 13 Bf5? In order to try and heal pain, we must first acknowledge its source. He had to try 13 Nd4 (threat: ... fxg3) 13 ... Nxd4 14 cxd4 Bxd4 15 Qb3! Qd6 16 Nf3 with a clean extra pawn for Black.

Exercise (planning): White’s position is an aggregation of a lifetime of poor choices. Find one powerful move and White’s game collapses! Answer: 13 ... Re2! Orchestrating a hostile take-over of f2. Korchnoi produces a seemingly

inexhaustible supply of conscripts for his war effort. 14 Nd4 Nxd4 0-1 When a player is capable of taking out a GM on the black side of an Exchange French in 14 moves, our expression is one we normally reserve for the fireworks display on July 4th. If 15 cxd4 (15 fxg3 Nxc2+ 16 Kh2 Bxf5 17 Rxf5 Nxa1 leaves White down a rook and a knight) 15 ... Bxd4 and if 16 Bxc8 Bxf2+ 17 Kh1 Bb6 when there is no way to protect g2 and White is mated in three moves. Game 52 B.Baker-C.Lakdawala San Diego (rapid) 2007 1 e4 e6 White’s idea in this game is similar to a line in the 2 ... Nf6 Scandinavian: 1 ... d5 2 exd5 Nf6 3 Bb5+ Bd7 4 Bc4 when White will try and hang on to the d5pawn. 2 c4

With this move White veers from the officialdom of main line theory. The move can simply lead to the c2-c4 line of the Exchange French, or as in this case, if White double captures then we get a slightly different version where White takes on an isolani. 2 ... d5 Vive la France! No self-respecting Frenchman or Frenchwoman would opt to transpose to a Sicilian with 2 ... c5?? (for the record, this is my third Sicilian transposition joke of the book, so I promise it will be my last one!) 3 Nf3 Nc6 4 d4 cxd4 5 Nxd4, which turns the game into a Taimanov Sicilian. 3 cxd5 3 exd5 exd5 4 d4 simply transposes to the c2-c4 lines of the Exchange French, which we already looked at. 3 ... exd5 4 exd5 White’s d-pawns look as if they suffered a serious spinal cord injury. It’s going to turn into a pure isolani position. 4 ... Nf6 We want to recapture with the knight, not with our queen. I am utterly amazed that 480 players in the database here played the completely illogical, tempo-losing 4 ... Qxd5?! 5 Nc3 which is an awful Scandinavian for Black. Why? Because the position is far more open here than in a normal Scandi. 5 Bb5+ Alternatively, 5 Nc3 Nxd5 6 Bc4 Nb6! (I would avoid 6 ... Be6 7 Qb3) 7 Bb3 Nc6 8 Nge2 Bd6 9 d4 0-0 10 0-0 was Y.Masserey-S.Kindermann, Horgen 1995. I slightly prefer Black’s game after 10 ... Bf5. 5 ... Nbd7 I’m in no rush to regain my pawn. White can’t hang on to it forever. 6 Nc3 Be7 7 d4 Otherwise: a) Next game we look at 7 Qf3 where White tries to make the d5 acquisition permanent. b) 7 Nf3 0-0 8 d4 Nb6 9 h3 Nbxd5 10 0-0, M.Vachier-Lagrave-F.Caruana, Paris (blitz) 2016. Black looks completely equal after 10 ... c6. c) 7 Nge2 0-0 8 0-0 Nb6 transposes to the game continuation. 7 ... 0-0 8 Nge2 8 Nf3 will probably transpose to note ‘b’ above. 8 ... Nb6 9 Qb3?!

Up until now it wasn’t clear if White’s taking on an isolani is a defect or an asset. After this move the distinction becomes clear, as his would-be initiative takes on the consistency of Jello. This is a new move and not a well thought out one, typical of a G/45, where we don’t have much time to reflect deeply upon every decision. Everyone else in the database castled at this point. White’s last move is inaccurate since Black will soon gain a tempo on White’s queen with a future ... Be6. 9 ... Nfxd5 10 0-0 Be6 11 Nxd5?! How wonderful when our opponent does our work for us. You can only know good when you first understand evil. In a weird way I understand my opponent’s motive, yet this knowledge doesn’t make it any less irrational: You can’t declare “I refuse to back down” while simultaneously backing off. By taking on an isolani, you pretty much are committed to a complex position with pieces remaining on the board. By voluntarily swapping he saps his energy. Principle: Every swap hurts the side with the isolani. There comes a point where the mere absence of immediate pain becomes our only pleasure. He should backtrack with 11 Qd1 which is a psychologically difficult move to play, since it is an open confession of a past

transgression. 11 ... Qxd5 12 Qxd5 The scriptures warn us that if we look upon the object of our desire with lust in our hearts, we have already committed adultery without even touching. I felt the same way about every swap. This time he couldn’t dodge it with 12 Qd3?? c6 13 Nc3 Qd7 14 Ba4 Bc4 which picks up a full exchange. 12 ... Nxd5 13 Nf4?! We can grow accustomed to captivity. He designs a system of selfenslavement where his position is unable to free itself of strategic debt. Same problem. Each exchange gets Black closer to his goal of picking up the d4 weakling. White should play 13 Bc4 and keep as many pieces as possible on the board. 13 ... Nxf4 14 Bxf4 c6 15 Be2 Rfd8 16 Rfd1 Rd7 Man, I love mindless positions like this one where even a below average chimp grasps the correct plan. Black’s forces slowly gravitate to d4. The isolani is doomed, since White doesn’t have enough force to guard it due to his need to protect a2. 17 Be3 Rad8 18 d5!?

I never really understood the premise of pouring in so many resources to try and save Matt Damon in Saving Private Ryan. I mean, the military lost 10 or 12 good men just to save Matt, who wasn’t even a real soldier. Here my opponent feels the same way and just hands over his position’s Matt Damon, deciding he isn’t worth the effort. This is not an even swap since Black picks up a2. Instead, 18 Rd2 is met with 18 ... c5 19 Rad1 Bxa2 20 dxc5 Rxd2 21 Rxd2 Rxd2 22 Bxd2 Bxc5, with a clean extra pawn for Black in the bishop ending. 18 ... Rxd5 19 Rxd5 Bxd5 20 Bxa7 Ra8 I get a2 right back. 21 Bd4 Rxa2 Easy come, easy go. I regain the pawn and remain up one. 22 Rxa2 Bxa2 23 Kf1 Bd5 24 g3 f5 25 h4 He probably should hold his h-pawn back. 25 ... f4 26 Bg4 Kf7 27 Ke2 c5 28 Be5 fxg3 29 fxg3 Bf6 I felt it would be easier to convert with a pair of bishops off the board. 30 Bxf6 Kxf6 31 Ke3 Ke5

White’s position is soaked in misery since Black has king position and an extra pawn.

32 Be2 Bc6 33 Bd3 h6 34 Be2 b5 35 Bd3 b4 36 Bg6 36 b3? fails to prevent the creation of a passed pawn after 36 ... Bd5 37 Bc2 c4. 36 ... Bd5 37 Bd3 Bb3 This wasn’t necessary. I can play the immediate 37 ... c4 38 Bc2 Be6 39 Bg6 Bf5 40 Bf7 c3 41 bxc3 bxc3 42 Be8 Kd5 43 Ba4 Kc5 44 Bb3 Kb4 45 Bd1 (after 45 Bf7 Ka3 White can’t even sacrifice his bishop for the pawn) 45 ... Ka3 46 Kd4 Kb2 47 Ke5 c2 48 Bxc2 Bxc2 49 g4 (49 Ke6 h5! 50 Kf7 g6 seals the deal) 49 ... Kc3 50 h5 Kd2 51 Kf4 Bd1 52 Kf5 Ke3 53 Kg6 Kf4! 54 Kxg7 Kg5 and wins. 38 Bg6! Be6 Fine. Have it your way. I will go back. 38 ... c4?! 39 Bf7! unnecessarily complicates Black’s task. 39 Bc2 c4 40 Bg6 40 Ba4 Bf5 is also winning for Black. 40 ... Bf5 41 Bf7 41 Bxf5 Kxf5 42 Kd4 c3 43 Kd3 cxb2 44 Kc2 Kg4 wins. 41 ... c3 This shot arrives with the bone jarring impact of ... oh, forget it. Sorry. I was trying to enliven a dull/technical game and realized it’s just not possible, since putting lipstick on a pig doesn’t suddenly transform it into a beautiful woman. 42 bxc3 bxc3 43 Bh5 Kd5

The king heads for b2. 44 g4 Not pushing the pawn also loses. 44 ... Bh7 45 g5 hxg5 46 hxg5 Bf5 47 Bf7+ Ke5! The simplest. I will pick up his g-pawn. 48 Be8 g6 49 Bf7 c2 50 Kd2 Kf4 0-1 I wish all my games went this smoothly, without, unpleasantness, adventure or bloodshed. Game 53 D.Polozotti-C.Lakdawala San Diego (rapid) 2008 1 e4 e6 2 c4 d5 3 exd5 exd5 4 cxd5 Nf6 5 Bb5+ Nbd7 6 Nc3 Be7 7 Qf3?!

Such a move appeals to the criminal classes (the seed of which is in all of us), since when we steal a pawn, there arises a natural desire to hang on to our loot. Yet the move is in clear violation of the Principle: Don’t go off on an adventure with your queen early in the game without good reason. And attempting to hang on to a silly looking, doubled isolani isn’t good enough a reason. This level of greed feels unsustainable. His attempt to hang on to the d5pawn on a permanent basis looks overly optimistic, since in doing so, White must hand over several serious concessions, like development and eventually his light-squared bishop. 7 ... 0-0 8 Bxd7 It’s generally unwise to trade away a long-term asset for a short-term gain. The trouble is this is the only way to try and hold on to his extra pawn. In doing so White falls dangerously behind in development and hands over control over the light squares. Instead, if 8 Nge2?! and Black can either play it safe with 8 ... Nb6, or go for a promising adventure with 8 ... Ne5! 9 Qg3 Nfg4! (threat: ... Bh4) 10 0-0 a6 when ... Bh4 is coming and White is in deep trouble. As such, 8 d4 is probably White’s best move, although after 8 ... Nb6 9 h3 Nbxd5 Black still stands better

since White’s bishop is misplaced on b5 and everyone is wondering what his queen is doing on f3. 8 ... Bxd7 There go his light squares. In 1968 all my cheapskate father was willing to shell out was 25 cents per week for my allowance. It did, however, teach me the value of money and how difficult it is to get your hands on it. So today I exalt in the concept of thrift and rarely gambit a pawn. This case is an exception, since Black gets plenty of strategic compensation for the pawn. A pragmatist picks his or her battles carefully. In this case we can still put concrete details on an abstraction. Black’s sacrifice is justified for the following compensation: 1. Bishop-pair. 2. Light-square control. 3. White’s extra pawn is both doubled and isolated. 4. Black leads significantly in development. Conclusion: the sacrificed pawn was a good deal for Black. 9 h3! 9 Nge2?! leads to even more trouble after 9 ... Bg4 10 Qd3 Qd7 with a wretched position for White. 9 ... b5!

When we merely manoeuvre, it’s no more than a pretend war. Soon we grow impatient and long for the real thing. So when we anticipate checkmating our opponent in the near future, each mateless moment which passes is a wasted moment. Principle: Create confrontation when leading in development. Black’s coming ... b5-b4 disrupts White’s easy development. The effort of pretending to be who we are not can be exhausting, but not here. I am no gambit player, and yet am completely comfortable, since the advance comes from a sound strategic basis. So a pure strategist is still completely in his element, even if it involves slight risk. The dormant spirit of the long dead Great Romantics still live in all of us, even in a normally ultra-safe strategist/dove like me, and even when it’s only a tiny spark. No need for proof. Our eyes just tell us that White’s extra pawn is worth far less than Black’s many benefits. 10 Nge2 b4 11 Nd1 The knight hopes to emerge on e3. 11 Ne4 Nxe4 12 Qxe4 Re8 leads to even more lost time for White. 11 ... Bb5 12 Ne3 Bc5?! Once again I prove that I am the most incompetent IM in the world when it

comes to handling the initiative. Correct was 12 ... Bd3! 13 Ng4 Bxe2 14 Qxe2 Nxg4! 15 hxg4 Qxd5 16 0-0 Bd6 17 d3 Rae8 18 Be3 f5! with an attack brewing. 13 0-0?! He misses his chance to unravel with 13 d4! Bxe2 14 Kxe2 Bxd4 15 Rd1 Bc5 16 Kf1. White’s game suddenly looks just fine. 13 ... Nxd5!?

Fancy doesn’t always equate to better. The comp actually prefers to maintain the bind with 13 ... Bd3 which looks more accurate. 14 Nxd5?! He was better off playing 14 d4! Bxe2 15 Qxe2 Bxd4 16 Rd1 Bxe3 17 Bxe3 Qd6 and it will be hard for Black to convert his extra pawn. 14 ... Bxe2 15 Qxe2 Qxd5 Now White lags seriously behind in development and his d-pawn presents a clear target. 16 d3 Maybe he should go with the Saving Private Ryan allegory explained in the last game and just give away the pawn with 16 Re1 Rad8 17 d3 Qxd3 18 Bf4. 16 ... Rfe8 17 Be3 Rad8 18 Rfd1

18 Rac1 Bb6 19 b3 Qxd3 20 Qxd3 Rxd3 21 Bxb6 cxb6 22 Rc2 g6 gives Black decent winning chances. 18 ... Rd6! The rook can slide over to e8 or g6. 19 Rac1 Rg6 20 Qf1 20 g3?? would be a catastrophic error: 20 ... Rxg3+! 21 fxg3 Bxe3+ 22 Kh2 (or 22 Kf1 Qh1 mate) 22 ... Bg1+ wins the queen and, even worse, mates in two moves. 20 ... Rxe3 21 Rxc5 Inaccurate is 21 d4? Rxh3 22 dxc5 Qg5 23 Rc4 Rgh6. 21 ... Qxc5 22 fxe3 Qxe3+ 23 Kh1 h6 24 Qe1

Exercise (planning/critical decision): Should Black swap into a rook ending with 24 ... Qxe1+, or should he retain queens on the board with the centralizing 24 ... Qd4? One line is favourable for Black but may end in a draw, while the other is winning. Which one would you play? Be careful with this one, since even the computer gets fooled by its horizon effect into the wrong line.

Answer: 24 ... Qd4! In chess we take what we should and discard the remainder. In this way Black orchestrates a transfer of both power and wealth from his opponent, to himself. I think this decision is the only move since the rook ending may be impossible to convert: for example, 24 ... Qxe1+? 25 Rxe1 Ra6! 26 a3! (26 Re8+? Kh7 27 Re7 Rxa2 28 Rxc7 a5 29 Ra7 f5 30 d4 f4 31 d5 Kg6 32 d6 Kf6 is an easy win for Black) 26 ... bxa3 27 bxa3 Rxa3 28 Re8+ Kh7 29 Re7 Kg6 30 Rxc7 a5 31 d4 a4 32 Ra7 Ra1+ 33 Kh2 a3 34 d5 Kf6 35 d6 Ke6 36 d7 Ke7 37 d8Q+ Kxd8 38 Rxf7 a2 39 Ra7 g5 40 Kg3 h5 41 Kf2 (also drawn is 41 Kh2 h4 42 Ra8+) 41 ... h4 is zugzwang. Black’s king is freed, but it doesn’t do him any good since the black rook is stuck in front of its passed h-pawn and the game is drawn: 42 Ra8+ Kd7 43 Ra5 Ke6 44 Ra8 and Black is unable to free his rook. 25 Rd2 Kh7 I didn’t think I needed to prevent Qe4 with 25 ... Re6. 26 Qf2 After 26 Qe4 Qxe4 27 dxe4 Rc6 28 Kh2 Kg6 29 Kg3 Kf6 30 Kf4 Ke6 31 h4 Rc5 32 g4 Ra5 33 b3 g5+ 34 hxg5 hxg5+ 35 Ke3 Rc5 36 Rd4 a5 37 Rd8 Rc3+ 38 Kd2 f6 39 Rd5 Rg3! 40 Rxa5 Rxg4 41 Ke3 Rg3+ 42 Kd4 c6 43 Ra6 Kd6 White is busted. If 44 Ra8 c5+ 45 Kc4 Rc3+ 46 Kb5 Ke5 and Black’s g-pawn will convert. 26 ... Qe5 27 Re2 27 Qxa7?? Qe1+ pops the loose d2-rook. 27 ... Rf6! 28 Qe1 28 Rxe5 Rxf2 29 Ra5 Rxb2 30 Rxa7 c5 31 Kh2 Kg6 32 Ra6+ f6 33 Ra5 Rc2 34 Kg3 f5 35 Kf3 Kg5 36 g3 Rc3 37 h4+ Kf6 38 Ke3 c4 is a winning rook ending for Black. 28 ... Qd4 29 Qd2 29 Qc1 Qxd3 30 Qc2 Qxc2 31 Rxc2 Ra6 is a lost ending for White since this time he is two pawns down.

Exercise (calculation): We all see the warning signs of White’s impending doom. How does Black pick up another pawn? Answer: 29 ... Rf1+ Step 1: Give check on f1. 30 Kh2 Qd6+ Step 2: Give a queen check on e5, which forces White to weaken his king’s cover. 31 g3 Rf3 Step 3: Double attack on g3 and d3, which picks up pawn number two. Also winning is 31 ... Qd5 32 Rg2 Qxa2 33 Qe2 Qb1! 34 g4 Rh1+ 35 Kg3 Qe1+ (simplification) 36 Qxe1 Rxe1 37 Rc2 Re3+ 38 Kf4 Rxd3 39 Rxc7 f6 40 h4 h5 41 gxh5 Rd4+ 42 Kg3 a5 and White is busted in the rook ending. 32 Rg2 Rxd3 White’s former need morphs into outright hunger. Black is two pawns up, with the far safer king.

33 Qf2! The fact that he wins a pawn back fails to save him due to his weakened king’s position. 33 ... Qd5! 34 Qxa7 Rd2! Or 34 ... c5! 35 b3 Rd1 36 Qa6 Re1 (threat: ... Qd1 and ... Rh1 mate) 37 Qc4 (forced) 37 ... Qxc4 38 bxc4 Rc1 Black re-re-regains (yes, I’m certain this is a real word) the pawn and will be two pawns up with an easy win. 35 Qg1 35 Rxd2 Qxd2+ 36 Kg1 Qc1+ 37 Kf2 Qxb2+ 38 Kf3 Qa3+! (simplification) is a lost king and pawn ending for White, since his king doesn’t have the time to walk over to a3 and chop the pawn, before Black promotes on the kingside. 35 ... Qxg2+ Even easier is 35 ... c5! 36 Rxd2 Qxd2+ 37 Kh1 c4. 36 Qxg2 Rxg2+ 37 Kxg2 Kg6 38 a4 38 Kf3 Kf5 39 Ke3 Ke5 40 Kd3 Kd5 is also lost for White.

Did Black miscalculate and is his king outside the square of White’s passed a-pawn? 38 ... bxa3

The answer is no, since luckily I invoke the en passant rule that demotes the a4-pawn to a3, which places Black’s king back into the square of White’s passed pawn. 39 bxa3 Kf5 40 Kf3 40 a4 is a move in need of a simple lesson in arithmetic: 40 ... Ke4 41 a5 Kd5 42 a6 Kc6 43 a7 Kb7. Sorry buddy, you aren’t going anywhere. 40 ... Ke5 41 Ke3 Kd5 42 g4 42 Kd3 f5 43 a4 g5 44 a5 c5 45 a6 Kc6 46 Kc4 f4 wins. 42 ... Kc4 43 Ke4 g6 44 Ke5 Kb3 45 Kf6 45 Kd5 Kxa3 46 Kc6 f5 also wins. 45 ... c5 46 Kxf7 g5 0-1

The race isn’t even going to be close.

Chapter Seven The Two Knights Variation 1 e4 e6 2 Nf3 d5 3 Nc3

In the Two Knights Variation White takes the Principle: Develop your knights before your bishops, literally. It’s normally kind of a default line for people who don’t want to study vast French theory when playing White. There are several ways for us to attain dynamic equality. Game 54 J.Antoli Royo-S.Ganguly Spanish Team Championship 2009 1 e4 e6 2 Nf3 d5 2 ... c5 allows White an Open or c3-Sicilian, which we, of course, disdain. 3 Nc3

This is not a memory-dependent opening and is one for those who want to play White simply with the belief that a two to zero development lead can’t be bad. It isn’t that great either though, since Black has multiple routes to equality. Although in this book, we only look at one, just to keep it simple. 3 ... Nf6 We won’t use space to examine 3 ... d4 4 Ne2 c5 which is also OK for Black. 4 e5 Instead: a) 4 exd5 would be a dirty trick, which flips it back to the last chapter into an Exchange Variation subset: 4 ... exd5 5 d4. All you need to know is that you already equalized and should be looking for imbalances if you are playing for a win against your cowardly opponent. I would try something unbalancing like 5 ... Bb4 6 Bd3 Qe7+. If White blocks on e2 with the queen, then it’s an equal ending, so 7 Be3 was seen in G.Garcia-V.Eingorn, Saint John 1988. Here Black can create an imbalance with 7 ... Ng4. b) 4 d3 is another annoying/cowardly system, where White is begging to remove queens from the board. I would just ignore the offer to enter a dry ending. We can inject some life on to the board with 4 ... c5, with a comfortable

position. 4 ... Nfd7 5 d4 c5 We logically undermine White’s d4 point. 6 dxc5 After 6 Bb5 Nc6 7 0-0 a6 (I think it’s worth a tempo to pick up White’s important light-squared bishop, while strengthening our centre) 8 Bxc6 bxc6 9 b3 (intending Ba3) 9 ... cxd4 10 Qxd4 c5 11 Qg4 Bb7 12 Re1 h6 our bishop-pair and enhanced central control easily make up for White’s kingside bind, A.Martorelli-L.Psakhis, Catania 1995. 6 ... Nc6 7 Bf4 Be7

I have always favoured recapturing on c5 with the knight, not bishop, for the following reasons: 1. The move unravels our queenside development and allows for the plan ... a7-a6, ... Bd7 and ... b7-b5. 2. We may or may not play a future ... f7-f6. If we do, I want to recapture on f6 usually with my e7-bishop, rather than the d7-knight, since this plan helps fight for control over the e5-square and also allows us possibilities of ... Bxc3 if White later castles queenside.

3. By capturing on c5 with our knight, we normally pick up the bishop-pair since e2 is a passive square for the bishop, so White normally places it on d3 anyway. 4. If White refuses to play his or her bishop to d3, we have possibilities of the disruptive ... Ne4 idea. As such, we won’t look at 7 ... Bxc5 which also equalizes, but next game we look at the immediate 7 ... Nxc5. 8 h4 Preventing ... g7-g5. Next game we see what happens when White allows that plan. 8 ... Nxc5 9 a3 Intending b2-b4. I’m not really sure what this accomplishes besides loosening White’s queenside. Still, 10 players in the database played the move. Surely it is better to get on with development with 9 Bd3, which is well met with 9 ... f6! 10 exf6 (or 10 Qe2 when I still like Black after 10 ... fxe5 11 Nxe5 0-0 12 Bg3 Nxd3+ 13 Nxd3 Bf6) 10 ... Bxf6 11 Qe2 Nxd3+ 12 cxd3 0-0. By now Black stood clearly better with the bishop-pair, greater central influence, an open f-file and the safer king, C.Boschetti-R.Chakravarthi, Locarno 2018. 9 ... 0-0

Black’s king is rather safe, since White’s bishop can’t sit on d3 without being chopped. 10 b4!? Irritation tends not to be a sound basis upon which to make a decision. I suppose ‘B’ normally follows ‘A’. But should it if ‘A’ wasn’t such a great idea to begin with? This move makes a contorted set of assumptions (“I’m pushing my opponent around and I have the initiative”) in order to fit White’s pre-existing theory. The problems with the move: 1. b2-b4 gravely weakens White’s queenside pawns, since they are vulnerable to a coming ... a7-a5. 2. It also virtually eliminates queenside castling as an option for White. That said, 10 Bd3 f6! also favours Black. 10 ... Ne4?! Unforced retreats are not so popular with strong GMs. In this case it’s an improvement: 10 ... Nd7! (on the surface this feels like an inferior mollifying gesture, but it isn’t; Black’s knight, having provoked White into weakening, now retreats to d7 where Black will fight for control over the e5-square with a coming ... f7-f6) 11 Bd3 h6! (11 ... f6? is premature due to the shot 12 Ng5!

which is heavily in White’s favour) 12 Qd2 f6! 13 exf6 the sacrifice 13 Bxh6? can be ignored 13 ... fxe5! which favours Black) 13 ... Bxf6 14 Bd6 Nde5! 15 Bxf8 Nxf3+ 16 gxf3 Qxf8 with fantastic compensation for the exchange:

1. Black owns the vastly superior structure. 2. White’s king will be unsafe wherever it goes. 3. Black owns the bishop-pair in an open position. 4. Black dominates the dark squares. 11 Nxe4 dxe4 12 Nd2? Clearly it is in White’s best interests to remove queens from the board with 12 Qxd8 Bxd8 13 Nd2 Bc7, with an approximately even ending. 12 ... Qc7! 13 Nxe4 Nxe5! White is unable to exploit this pin. 14 Qd2 14 Qd4? fails miserably to 14 ... Nf3+ 15 gxf3 Qxf4 with a strategically won game. 14 ... f5 14 ... a5! 15 b5 Rd8 16 Qe3 f5 17 Nd2 Bd6 also favours Black. 15 Qd4

White relied on this move which doesn’t fully equalize. 15 ... Qxc2 16 Bxe5 Qxe4+ 17 Qxe4 fxe4

Black is up a doubled e-pawn which may not look like much, but consider: White must waste energy to regain it, so Black should stand better. 18 Rh3?! 18 Bc4 looks correct. 18 ... a5! This weakens White’s position, especially the c5-square. 19 b5 Rf5! White obtains some play after the inaccurate 19 ... Bc5?! 20 f4 exf3 21 gxf3 b6 22 Bc4. 20 Bd4 Covering against ... Bc5. 20 ... Bd7 Attacking b5 with tempo, but 20 ... e5! 21 Bc4+ Rf7! 22 Bxe5 Bxh3 23 gxh3 Rc8 24 Be6 Rc2 25 Bd4 Kf8 26 Bxf7 Kxf7 is a won ending for Black whose pieces are far more active and whose structure is superior. 21 Rc1

21 Rg3 g6 doesn’t bother Black. 21 ... Rd5! 22 Bb2 Bxb5 23 Rc7 Rd7! 24 Rxd7 Bxd7

White is just two pawns down and losing. 25 Rg3 Bf8?! There is no reason to tie the bishop down to defence. Stronger is 25 ... g6! 26 h5 g5. 26 h5?! White had to regain a pawn and try his luck after 26 Rg5 b6 27 Re5 Rc8 28 Rxe4 Rc2 29 Re2 Rxe2+ 30 Bxe2, when Black’s extra pawn will require technical accuracy to convert. 26 ... Rc8 Threat: ... Rc2. 27 Kd2 If you are in the boxing ring, it isn’t a great idea to place your jaw in the trajectory of your opponent’s swinging fist. 27 Be2 was better, but wouldn’t have saved White. 27 ... Ba4! 28 Bc3

Exercise (calculation): White’s king is bereft of refuge. How did Ganguly coast to the finish with ease? Work out Black’s winning variations! Answer: 28 ... Rd8+! The simple rook check on d8 throws White’s already disharmonious position even more off track. Now there is no way to clear the rubble from White’s bomb-damaged streets. 29 Ke1 This move is the equivalent of an accidental butt-dial of 911 on our smartphone. One dark menace is removed and another immediately materializes to take its place. However, if: a) 29 Ke3 Bc5+ 30 Kf4 Rf8+! 31 Kxe4 Bc6+ 32 Ke5 (the fact that White’s king sits not-so-comfortably on e5 underlines his state of exile) 32 ... Bd5 (defending e6 while threatening mate on f5) 33 Bd3 Rd8! (threatening a nasty check on d6) 34 Rg4 Bd6+ 35 Kd4 Bb4! 36 axb4 Bf3+ wins. b) 29 Ke2 Rd1! 30 Bxg7 Rb1! and there is no good defence to the coming ...

Bb5+. 29 ... Rd1+ 30 Ke2 Rb1! 0-1 As in the above variation, Black’s bishop check on b5 costs White more material. Game 55 A.Haast-R.Van Kampen Wijk aan Zee 2015 1 e4 e6 2 Nf3 d5 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 e5 Nfd7 5 d4 c5 6 dxc5 Nc6 7 Bf4 Nxc5

In this version Black chops the c5-pawn with his knight, before 7 ... Be7, as in our last game in the book. 8 Bd3 Development looks more logical than the contorted a2-a3 plan which we saw last game. Instead, 8 Be2 preserves the bishop at the cost of playing a really wimpy move: 8 ... Be7 9 0-0 a6 10 Re1 0-0 (10 ... g5!? is also possible) 11 Bf1 was A.Granovski-D.Swiercz, Krakow 2007. Black achieves a decent game after 11 ... f5! (intending ... Ne4) 12 exf6 Bxf6 13 Qd2 b5 14 a3 Ra7 15 Ne5 Nxe5 16

Bxe5 Raf7 with chances for both sides. 8 ... Be7 9 0-0!? White invites ... g7-g5, interpreting it as a weakening of Black’s position, rather than a precursor to an attack. Instead, after 9 h4 a6 10 a3 b5 11 h5 f5 12 Ne2 the position looks balanced to me, F.Perez Ponsa-L.Bruzon Batista, Montevideo 2011. 9 ... g5!?

Bicycles and tops only wobble when they slow down. Anger is a foreign emotion to your normally peace-loving writer, yet if given a chance I generally go for this violent reaction with ... g7-g5, especially if White already committed to castling kingside. 10 Bg3 h5 Threat: ... h5-h4. 11 h3 Qb6 This move fights for control over the d4-square, now that White’s darksquared bishop is unable to participate. 12 Rb1! This move gets Black nervous, especially if he castles long, since now b2-b4

is in the air. 12 Qd2 is played more often and I think it’s slightly inaccurate: 12 ... Nxd3 13 cxd3 Rg8 14 Ne2 Bd7 15 Rac1 g4 16 hxg4 hxg4 17 Nh2 0-0-0! and I prefer Black’s chances. 12 ... Bd7 13 b4 Nxd3 14 Qxd3?!

This move was new and I believe inferior, since it weakens c4. Previously, 14 cxd3 g4! (don’t fear the loss of this pawn; our open h- and g-files easily make up for it) 15 hxg4 hxg4 16 Nh2 Nd4! 17 Qxg4 Nf5 18 Rfc1 was seen in D.Nguyen-T.Kracik, Kouty nad Desnou 2011. Black has full compensation for the pawn after 18 ... Rc8 19 Ne2 Rxc1+ 20 Rxc1 Qa6! 21 Nd4 Qa3 22 Rd1 Nxg3 23 Qxg3 Qxb4. Black regained the pawn with the superior chances due to his better majority and bishop-pair. 14 ... g4! The human move. The greedy comp wants 14 ... Nxb4!? 15 Qd2 Qc5 16 a3 Nxc2! 17 Qxc2 Rc8, when Black will favourably regain the piece. 15 hxg4 hxg4 16 Nh2 Rh5 Attacking e5. GM Van Kampen wants to attack. Also possible is to once again get greedy with 16 ... Nxb4! 17 Qd2 Qa5 with a clear advantage for Black. 17 Rfe1 Nxb4

He wants the pawn after all. 18 Qd2 Qa5 Cutting off the a2-a3 threat. 19 Ne2 19 Nxg4? can be met with 19 ... Nxa2 (also possible is to just play for mate with 19 ... 0-0-0!?) 20 Ne4 Qxd2 21 Nxd2 b5 22 Nf6+ Bxf6 23 exf6 a5, with a difficult ending to hold for White, due to Black’s passed a-pawn and White’s weak c-pawn. 19 ... Nc6! This move ensures that Black will obtain the better ending. 20 Qxa5 Nxa5 21 Nxg4 Rc8

Advantage Black, due to: 1. Pressure on c2. 2. Black’s pieces control c4. 3. White also must worry about her isolated a-pawn. 22 c3 Now White’s e2-knight must baby-sit the c3-pawn. 22 ... Rc4 23 f3 Rh8!

This retreat is the mark of a flexible mind. Van Kampen realizes that his previous dream of attack is over and that his h5-rook is out of play, so he retreats it in order to swing it over to the c-file at some point. 24 Bf2 24 Nf6+ will be met with 24 ... Kd8!. 24 ... b6 25 Bd4 Nc6 Adding pressure to d4. 26 Kf2 Kd8! The king wants to move to c7. 27 Rec1 Ba3 28 Ne3 Ra4 29 Rc2 White’s a- and c-pawn isolanis are the overprotected children, fawned over by their parents. White undertakes a cumbersome project in trying to secure her weak pawns. The defence holds temporarily, although nobody know how long ‘temporarily’ is. 29 ... Ke7

Clearing the way for the h8-rook to get back into play on c8. I think the king belongs on c7. 30 g4! There is no motivation to delay her counterattack by even one move. 30 ... Rc8 31 f4 Nxd4!? This tempting move reduces Black's advantage. He should just retain the tension a bit longer. 32 cxd4 Kf8 33 Rxc8+ Bxc8 34 f5! White defended very well and now may have close to equal chances. 34 ... Ba6 Threat: ... Bxe2 and ... Rxd4. 35 Rb3? This looks like a time pressure blunder. 35 fxe6! is White’s escape route: 35 ... Bxe2 (35 ... fxe6 36 Nf4 Ke7? 37 Rh1! leaves Black fighting for the draw) 36 Kxe2 fxe6 37 Rf1+ Kg7! (37 ... Ke7?! 38 Nc2 Bb2 39 Kd3 even favours White) 38 Rf6 Bc1 39 Nc2 Rxa2 40 Kd3 Rb2 41 Rxe6 Rb3+ 42 Ke2 Bg5 43 Rd6 Rb2 44 Kd3 Rb3+ 45 Ke2 Rb2 would be a repetition draw.

Exercise (combination alert: Black’s winning move isn’t likely to strain your combinational ability to its limits. Find one simple move and White loses pawns without compensation. Answer: 35 ... Be7! Clearance/double attack. Black simultaneously threatens ... Rxa2 and also ... Bxe2, followed by ... Rxd4. 36 Nc3? Otherwise, 36 Nf4 Rxd4 37 Kf3 Bg5 38 Nh3 Bxe3 39 Rxe3 Ra4 when White is busted with only practical chances to save the game, while 36 f6 can be ignored with 36 ... Rxa2 37 fxe7+ Kxe7. The e2-knight falls and Black will be two pawns up. 36 ... Rxd4 0-1 White is down a pawn with a wrecked position.

Chapter Eight Second Move Alternatives 1 e4 e6

In this chapter we look at 2 b3 and 2 f4, neither of which should worry us much. Game 56 A.Schetinin-A.Riazantsev Kurnosov Memorial, Chelyabinsk (rapid) 2016 1 e4 e6 2 b3

The orthodox outlook frowns upon even a slight deviation from the norm, and in case you didn’t notice, this is more than a ‘slight’ deviation. This line is a nocturnal creature who only hunts under the cover of the darkness of a relatively unplayed sideline. With this move White is about to offer a gambit. In this book I suggest that we decline and just get a normal French structure where White’s fianchettoed bishop may be ineffective if we goad the e4-pawn to e5. 2 ... d5 3 Bb2 Nf6 In this version we refuse to get sucked into White’s gambit and insist on a real French position, even if White isn’t quite co-operating with his strange second move. In First Steps: French Defence I covered the greedier/riskier 3 ... dxe4!?. 4 e5 White’s most dynamic move. Every once in a while a spoil-sport opponent will throw a wet blanket on the position with 4 exd5. Yes, another obnoxious delayed Exchange Variation is reached: 4 ... exd5 5 Nf3 Be7 6 Be2 0-0 7 0-0 Bg4 (more dynamic is to take on an isolani position with 7 ... c5 8 d4 Nc6) 8 d4 with easy/boring equality for Black, Yu Shaoteng-M.Ulybin, Beijing 1996. 4 ... Nfd7

5 d4 Next game we look at 5 f4 c5 6 Nf3. 5 ... c5 6 c3 It usually doesn’t work out well for White when he or she clears d4: for example, 6 Nf3 Nc6 7 dxc5 Bxc5 8 Bd3, as in G.Makropoulos-V.Bukal, Dortmund 1988. I like Black after 8 ... Qc7 9 Qe2 g5!, and if 10 h3 Ndxe5! 11 Nxe5 Nd4! 12 Qd2 Qxe5+ 13 Kf1 Qg7 when I don’t believe in White’s compensation for the missing d-pawn. 6 ... Nc6 7 Nd2 7 f4 f6 8 Bd3 Qb6!? 9 Qh5+ Kd8 10 Nf3 cxd4 11 Nxd4 (11 cxd4?! is met with 11 ... Nb4) 11 ... Nc5 12 Nxc6+ bxc6 13 Bc2 was preferred in V.PodinicD.Jacimovic, Novi Sad 2012. Black stands well enough after 13 ... Nd7 14 Nd2 Qe3+ 15 Qe2 Qxe2+! 16 Kxe2 fxe5 17 fxe5 Nxe5 18 c4 Bd6, when White has compensation for the sacrificed pawn, but no advantage. 7 ... f6 Black chips away at White’s space. 8 f4 b6!?

A new idea. Black plans to fianchetto and eventually castle long. 8 ... Qb6 9 Ngf3 a5 10 a4 cxd4 11 cxd4 Bb4 12 Bb5 fxe5 13 fxe5 0-0 also looks nice for Black, since 14 0-0 can be met with 14 ... Ndxe5 15 Nxe5 Nxe5 16 Rxf8+ Bxf8 17 Nf3 Ng6. White has compensation for the pawn, yet we French players are the greedy type and often take pawns like this. Moreover, the comp even slightly favours Black. 9 Bd3 Now Qh5+ is a threat, since Black is unable to block with a pawn on g6. 9 ... Qe7 9 ... f5 is also an idea. 10 a3 Bb7 11 Qh5+!? I’m not sure it makes a lot of sense for White to swap queens since he is the one with extra space, although 11 Ngf3 fxe5 12 fxe5 g6 13 0-0 Bh6 14 Qe2 0-0 also looks OK for Black. 11 ... Qf7 12 Qxf7+ Kxf7 Chances look even to me in this ending, since White’s space ‘advantage’ is offset by his potential to overextend. 13 Ne2

He wants to keep the f-file unobstructed and leave f3 vacant for his d2knight. 13 ... Be7 14 0-0 f5 Black doesn’t want to worry about White playing for an f4-f5 break on every turn. 15 Rac1 h6 16 b4 c4 Now Black releases the central tension and plays for his own queenside space. 17 Bc2 b5 18 a4?!

Principle: Don’t engage the opponent on his strong wing. I prefer Black just a touch after 18 Nf3 a5 19 h3 Nb6. 18 ... bxa4! If White is looking for a fight on his weak wing, then GM Riazantsev is happy to oblige. 19 Bxa4 a5 20 bxa5 20 b5? eventually dooms the b-pawn after 20 ... Na7 21 Ra1 Nb6 22 Ba3 Bd8 23 Bc2 Nxb5 24 Bc5 a4! 25 Rfb1 Bc6 with a healthy extra pawn. If White attempts to regain it with 26 Bxb6? Bxb6 27 Bxa4?? he is crushed after 27 ...

Nxc3! 28 Rxb6 Nxe2+ 29 Kf2 Nxd4. 20 ... Rxa5 21 Bc2 Ra2 22 Rb1 Rha8 23 Nc1 He ejects the intruder from his territory. 23 ... R2a7 23 ... R2a6 looks like a superior square since it increases Black’s options, like with ... Nb6 and ... Rb8 in the future. 24 g4?

This time White follows the Principle: Create confrontation on your strong wing, yet it’s a blunder, since a pawn sacrifice in the opening or middlegame is not nearly as serious as giving away a pawn with queens off the board. The g2g4 break required preparation. 24 ... fxg4! Black correctly refuses to chicken out with 24 ... g6?!. 25 f5 Bg5! 26 fxe6+ Kxe6 27 Bf5+ Ke7 28 Ba3+! Deflection. White finds his only move, and not 28 Bxd7?? Kxd7 when White’s d2-knight has no place to go. 28 ... Rxa3 29 Rxb7 R8a7 The knight on d7 is easily covered.

30 Nb1

Exercise (critical decision): With his last move White simultaneously covered the threats on d2 and c3, at the cost of a miserable placement for his knight. Black has a choice between two variations: 30 ... Ra1 and 30 ... Rxb7. One of the lines gives Black an edge while the other gives him a winning position. Which one would you play? 30 ... Ra1? This move throws away an opportunity. Black missed the winning idea: Answer: 30 ... Rxb7! 31 Nxa3 Rb2 32 Bxg4 Ndxe5! 33 dxe5 Be3+ 34 Kh1 Nxe5 35 Bh3 Bc5! 36 Re1 Kd6. White’s a3-knight is trapped and he must return it with 37 Nxc4+ dxc4, with an extra pawn and a dominating position for Black. 31 Rxa7 Nxa7 32 Ne2 In this version White was allowed to unravel a bit. 32 ... Nb6?! Missing 32 ... h5! 33 Bg6 Nc6, and if 34 Bxh5? Ncxe5! 35 dxe5 Nxe5 White

can barely move. After 36 h3 Ra2! 37 Rf5 Bf6 38 Nf4 Kd6 39 hxg4 Ra1 Black regains the piece and White is busted. 33 Bxg4 White has regained his sacrificed pawn and now shouldn’t lose. 33 ... Na4?! 33 ... g6 was necessary. 34 Bh5 Now White even stands better. Even stronger, though, was 34 h4! Be3+ (the bishop must prevent Nf4) 35 Kg2 Nc6 36 Kf3! h5 37 Bxh5 Bh6 38 Bg4, when Black is the one fighting for the draw. 34 ... Nb5 35 Ng3?! White has some winning chances after 35 h4! Bxh4 36 Nf4 Bg5 37 Nxd5+ Ke6 38 Bf7+ Kd7 39 Kg2. He hangs on to his c3-pawn, unlike in the game continuation. 35 ... Naxc3 36 Nf5+ Kd7 37 Nxc3 Rxf1+ 38 Kxf1 Nxc3 39 Nxg7

White, who is outrated by exactly 500 points, looks like he is about to score a massive upset by holding a draw against a strong GM. Our interest in a dramatic story tends to wane at the mention of the word ‘almost’. I can’t tell you

how many times students have excitedly rushed up to me and declared: “I almost beat a master!” or “I almost drew an IM, but blew it!”. My standard response: “Who cares if you ‘almost’ won or ‘almost’ drew. Come back went you actually win and draw!”, which leads me to believe that being supportive may not be my strong suit as a teacher. 39 ... Na2 40 Ke2 Nb4 41 Bg4+ Black’s king is better off on c6 than d7, so I don’t really see the point in this check. Still, no harm is done – yet. Instead, 41 Be8+ Kd8 42 Ba4 c3 43 Kd1 looks like a certain draw. 41 ... Kc6 42 Nf5??

After this move White’s pieces trip over each other and Black’s c-pawn costs him a piece. 42 h4! Bxh4 43 Kd2 Bf2 44 Nf5 Kc7 45 e6 Nc6 46 Bh5! (intending e6-e7) 46 ... Kd8 47 Bf3 Bxd4 48 Ke2! Bc5 49 Bxd5 Ne7 50 Nxe7 Kxe7 51 Bxc4 is dead drawn. 42 ... c3 Oops. Black controls both the c2- and c1-squares, with nothing in the way of his promotion. 43 e6

43 Ne3 c2 44 Nxc2 Nxc2 is an easy win for Black. 43 ... c2 44 e7 Kd7 White has no useful discovery. 45 Ne3+ Kxe7 46 Nxc2 46 Kd2?? Bxe3+ promotes. 46 ... Nxc2 47 Kd3 Nb4+ 48 Kc3 Nc6 49 Bf3 Kd6 0-1 Game 57 M.Ornolfsson-M.Zumsande Reykjavik 2013 1 e4 e6 2 b3 d5 3 Bb2 Nf6 4 e5 Nfd7 5 f4 c5 6 Nf3

In this version White doesn’t play for d2-d4. 6 ... Nc6 7 Bb5 This move virtually commits White to handing over the bishop-pair. Alternatives are: a) 7 Be2 Be7 8 0-0 0-0 9 d4 cxd4 10 Nxd4 Qb6 11 Kh1, J.Marti PericotI.Foote, correspondence 2009. Here for some bizarre reason the database shows

Black resigning. Maybe he realized that he hated correspondence chess. Anyway, Black looks fine after 11 ... Nc5! intending ... Na4. b) 7 g3 is also harmless for Black: 7 ... Be7 8 Bg2 b5 (a good move, seizing queenside space to counter-balance White’s central space) 9 0-0 Bb7 10 d3 Nb6 11 c3 Qd7 12 Nbd2 0-0 13 Qe2 a5 14 h4 a4 and Black’s queenside play clearly looks more dangerous than White’s on the kingside, A.Tiwari-D.Sengupta, New Delhi 2007. 7 ... Qb6 This is more useful than kicking the bishop with the a7-pawn. 8 Bxc6 Stalling with 8 c4 fails to benefit White: 8 ... a6 9 Bxc6 Qxc6 10 d3 dxc4! 11 bxc4!? (or 11 dxc4 Qe4+! 12 Qe2 Qxe2+ 13 Kxe2 b5 when the ending is slightly better for Black due to the unopposed light-squared bishop) 11 ... b5 12 Nbd2 Be7 13 0-0 0-0, L.Paichadze-P.Vorontsov, Kocaeli 2017. Here I prefer Black, who can follow up with ... Nb6, ... Bb7 and a rook to d8. 8 ... bxc6!?

Now we see one of the benefits of placing the queen on b6: the attempt to stiffen the structure for White’s knights with c2-c4 just loses a pawn to ... d5xc4.

A structural purist would, however, be more inclined to play 8 ... Qxc6 and then fianchetto the light-squared bishop. 9 0-0 After 9 c4!? dxc4 10 Na3 Ba6 11 Bc3 cxb3 12 axb3 Bd3 White does receive compensation for the pawn, although I still prefer Black’s extra pawn. 9 ... Ba6 I also prefer Black after 9 ... c4+ 10 Bd4 c5 11 Bf2 Ba6. 10 Re1 c4+ Positional player, heal thyself. This ensures that Black will not end up with doubled c-pawns. 11 Kh1 g6

Black wants to make certain White won’t toss in f4-f5. Possible too is 11 ... Bc5 12 d3 cxd3 13 cxd3, as in R.Barkhudarian-O.Bulakh, Dnipropetrovsk 2004. Black stands a shade better after 13 ... Bb4 14 Bc3 Be7 15 d4 c5. 12 Nc3 Be7 13 Na4 Qc7 14 Qe2 Pinning the c4-pawn. 14 ... Nc5 I don’t think Black’s bishop belongs on c5. A pawn should occupy that

square. Therefore better would be 14 ... c5! intending ... Qb6, with an edge for Black due to the bishop-pair. 15 Nxc5 Bxc5 16 bxc4!? I would have kept my queenside structure intact with 16 Bc3, intending b3b4 next. 16 ... Bxc4 17 d3 Ba6 18 Qd2 Rb8 19 Bc3 Be7! Clearing the way for ... c6-c5. 20 Rab1 0-0 21 Rbd1?

Why play your rook to b1 and then next move, move it again to d1? When it comes to a battle between rational and irrational, we must note that rational doesn’t always win. Indecision can lead to mental paralysis. White minimizes his disadvantage with 21 Ba5! Qd7 22 Rb3 c5 23 Reb1 Rb7 24 Rxb7 Bxb7 25 d4! (White wants a central dark-squared blockade) 25 ... Ba8 26 dxc5 Qa4 27 Bc7 Bxc5 28 Bd6! Bxd6 29 exd6 Qc6! 30 Qb4 d4! with the superior chances for Black, due to the better minor piece and healthier pawns. 21 ... c5 22 f5! Going after Black’s king is White’s best practical chance. If he doesn’t play this move he will lose slowly.

22 ... exf5 23 Qh6 Both e5-e6 and Ng5 are in the air, although 23 d4! looks better. 23 ... Rfe8 23 ... d4?! only chases White’s bishop to the place where it wants to go after 24 Bd2, when White’s attack is dangerous. 24 e6 White’s bishop is misplaced and I would transfer it with 24 Bd2. 24 ... f6 Black seizes control over both e5 and g5. 25 Qh4

Attacking f6, which is small consolation since there are no good attacking ideas here for White. However, 25 Ng5?? simply hangs a piece after 25 ... Bf8 or if 25 d4 c4 26 Bd2 Rb2 27 Bf4 Qc6 and White will soon begin to hang pawns, with no compensating attack. 25 ... d4 Covering f6 with tempo, while opening the h1-a8 diagonal for Black’s lightsquared bishop. 26 Bd2 Rb2

White’s queenside pawns are unguarded. 27 c4 Bb7 A less spiritually inclined player would have taken the materialistic route with 27 ... Rxa2. 28 Bf4 Qb6 28 ... Qc6 threatening ... Rxg2 can be met with 29 Rd2. 29 Qg3 Bf8! The e6-outlier is a goner. 30 e7 30 Bc7 Qa6 doesn’t bother Black. 30 ... Rxe7 31 Rxe7 Bxe7 32 Bc1 Re2 Is there nothing sacred left? Maybe I think oddly, but as a lifelong pawn/material grabber, I have always interpreted disdain for material as a form of inverted snobbery, the way a young silicon valley CEO billionaire will dress like an impoverished college student in faded, torn T-shirts and distressed, even more faded and even more ripped jeans and sneakers. Black takes the spiritual route once again, rather than chopping the a2-pawn and allowing White’s rook to move to the e-file. 33 Re1?

Exercise (combination alert): White’s last move is a blunder in an already lost position. Why? 33 ... Bxf3?! Still winning, yet Black misses that it’s time to pick up a sledgehammer, since you can only inflict so much damage with your hands alone. Answer: 33 ... Bd6! and now if White refuses to hand over the queen, then follows 34 Qh4 and now comes the crystallization of Black’s hopes: 34 ... Bxf3! (removal of the guard/undermining). Black wins a clean piece after 35 Rxe2 Bxe2 36 Qxf6 Bf8. 34 gxf3 Rxe1+ 35 Qxe1 Kf7 Black is up two clean pawns with a straightforward win. 36 Qd2 g5 Keeping White’s queen out of h6. 37 Kg2 Bd6 38 Qe2 Qb1 39 Ba3 White is completely tangled up and down heavy material. 39 ... h5 40 Qd2 Qb7

Intending ... g5-g4. 40 ... Bf4! 41 Qb2 (not 41 Qe2?? Be3! 42 Qf1 Qxa2+ and the double attack picks up White’s loose bishop) 41 ... Qd1! (threat: ... Be3) 42 Qb7+ Kg6 43 Qe7 g4 would have been even stronger, as there is no perpetual check: 44 fxg4 Qxg4+! 45 Kf1 Qf3+ 46 Ke1 Qh1+ 47 Ke2 Qxh2+ 48 Kf1 Qh1+ 49 Ke2 Qg2+ 50 Ke1 Qd2+ 51 Kf1 Be3! 52 Qe8+ Kg5 53 Qg8+ Kh4 54 Qg2 Qd1 mate. 41 h3 Qe7 Intending ... Qe5. 41 ... g4 is also winning. 42 Qf2 Qe5 43 Kf1 Qf4 44 Ke2 g4!

45 fxg4 45 Bb2 gxh3 fails to help White. 45 ... Qxf2+ When my wife Nancy gets the notion that we should add a few more fruit trees to our gigantic backyard, I quite sensibly ask: “Why? We are both pushing 60 and by the time the trees produce fruit we will both either be senile or dead.” So with the same idea in mind, White should save energy and resign here. 46 Kxf2 I don’t think you heard me. I just advised: “White should save energy and

resign here!” Fine. We will have to play it out. 46 ... fxg4 47 hxg4 hxg4 48 Bc1 Kg6 49 Bd2 Bc7 It wasn’t really necessary to keep White’s bishop out of a5, but this is exactly the same ultra-safe move I would play. 50 Kg2 f5 51 Bc1 f4 52 Bd2 Kf5 53 Be1 Bd8 54 Bd2 Bh4 55 Ba5 f3+ 56 Kh2 Or if 56 Kg1 g3 57 Bc7 g2 58 Bd6 Kg4 59 Bxc5 Kh3 60 Bxd4 Bg3! 61 Bxa7 f2+! 62 Bxf2 Bh2 mate. 56 ... g3+ 57 Kh3 57 Kg1 Bg5 58 Be1 Be3+ forces promotion. 57 ... g2 58 Kh2 Bf2 0-1 Game 58 I.Glek-I.Khairullin Russian Rapid Championship, Sochi 2016 1 e4 e6 2 f4

This is not a convincing performance of normalcy. No opening variation has

a monopoly on the word ‘best’, yet I can assure you with my hand on my heart that this is not White’s objectively best move here. Is it one of the seven signs of the apocalypse when really goofy openings are held in high esteem by GMs? This odd move is nothing to worry about and is usually the product of White merely attempting to dodge French theory. Although in this case the GM playing the white pieces is a French specialist as Black, so his choice of opening is odd. 2 ... d5 I was about to write: “Of course not 2 ... c5??”, but then I remembered that I already promised not to tell any more Sicilian transposition jokes in this book. 3 e5 Otherwise: a) 3 exd5. is an Exchange French transposition we actually don’t mind, since f2-f4 is clearly an inferior substitute to the normal d2-d4. b) With 3 Nc3 White maintains the pawn tension. Simplest here is 3 ... dxe4 4 Nxe4 Nd7 5 Nf3 Ngf6 with easy equality since White kind of got a goofy Rubinstein French with f2-f4 trading places with the superior d2-d4. 3 ... c5 We toss this in before White solidifies his centre with d2-d4. 4 Nf3 4 c3 Nc6 5 d4?! is an inferior Advanced Variation for White, who is in essence down a full move due to his – you guessed it – f2-f4 move: 5 ... Nh6 6 Nf3 Qb6 7 Bd3 (or 7 Na3 cxd4 8 cxd4 Bxa3 9 bxa3 Nf5 when White loses a pawn and his enhanced control over the dark squares isn’t enough compensation) 7 ... cxd4 8 cxd4 Bd7 9 Bc2 Nb4 looks quite wretched for White since he must trade away his steward of the light squares, A.Shankovsky-V.Iakymov, Chervonograd 2009. 4 ... Nc6 5 c3 Nh6!

This move will usually scare White away from his intended d2-d4. 6 Na3 The laborious idea is Nc2 and d2-d4. Instead, 6 d4?! Qb6 transposes to the above note, which is favourable for Black. 6 ... Bd7 7 Nc2 Qb6 8 d3 This is White’s most popular move, but I don’t really understand why. It makes sense, only if you don’t think about it too long. If for the entire game you have worked to achieve d2-d4 and then the opportunity arrives, why back off now? After 8 d4 cxd4 9 cxd4 Nf5 10 g4 (almost forced since the passive 10 Be2?! h5 favours Black, who ties White down to coverage of d4) 10 ... Nfe7 11 Bd3 h5! (closing the kingside favours Black, who normally operates on the queenside in Advanced French positions) 12 g5 g6 13 Bd2 Nf5 14 Bc3 Be7 15 a4 Na5 16 Bxa5 the players agreed to a draw in a position where I slightly prefer Black, L.Grego-T.Pepermans, correspondence 2013. 8 ... f6

This confrontational move chips away at White’s centre. 9 exf6 This move is White’s second choice, yet I consider it inferior since it virtually guarantees attacks on opposite wings, unfavourable for White. 9 g3 in my opinion is the superior choice, even though I’m not that crazy about White’s game in this version either: 9 ... fxe5 10 fxe5 Be7 11 Bg2 Nf5 12 Qe2 0-0 (I also like castling long) 13 0-0 a5 14 Ne3 and Black stood no worse, T.BaerwinkelA.Bracker, Hamburg 2010. 9 ... gxf6 10 g3 0-0-0 11 Bg2 Nf5 12 0-0 In positions of opposite wings attacks, your instructions are rather straightforward: Mate the opponent before he or she mates you. 12 ... Bd6 13 Kh1 A new move. Previously played was 13 Bh3 Nce7 14 Qe2 h5, which was quite similar to our game’s continuation in T.Wippermann-M.Zumsande, German League 1998. 13 ... h5

I already prefer Black for the following reasons: 1. Black’s king looks the safer and his attack looks a touch faster than White’s. 2. At some point Black can play for an ... e6-e5 break, seizing central space. 14 Bh3 h4!? 14 ... d4! looks dangerous for White, since it opens the h1-a8 diagonal. 15 g4 Nfe7 16 g5! 16 Rb1?! Ng6! 17 f5 exf5 18 gxf5 Nge7 favours Black. 16 ... Ng6 17 gxf6 Nxf4 18 Ng5? You are unable to pull off a difficult task if you are equipped with inadequate tools. Now White’s link to counterplay grows cadervously thin. It looks suicidal to hand over the light-squared bishop, which is the key defender of White’s king. White can minimize his disadvantage with 18 Bxf4! Bxf4 19 Nfd4! Nxd4 20 Rxf4 Nf5. 18 ... Nxh3 19 Nxh3 d4! Opening a path for Black’s bishop on c6. 20 Ng5 Ne5 21 cxd4 Bc6+ 22 Ne4 22 Kg1 avoids Black’s coming combination, yet fails to save White’s

severely exposed king after 22 ... cxd4 23 f7 Rdf8 24 Rf2 Qc5! 25 Qe2 Qd5 26 Qe4 Nxd3!, when White’s position collapses.

Exercise (combination alert): Black has a crushing idea. What should he play? Answer: Undermining/overloaded defender. 22 ... Nxd3! Step 1: Sacrifice your knight on d4, undermining White’s e4-knight’s pawn support. 23 Qxd3 Qa6! Step 2: Removal of the guard. For the longest time I never could figure out why Jodi Foster needed to team up with a psychopathic serial killer, in order to catch another psychopathic serial killer. Now I think I understand. 24 Qxa6 White’s queen is overloaded, since 24 Qf3?? loses instantly to 24 ... Bxe4 25 Qxe4 Qxf1 mate. The Black queen’s behaviour reminds us of that scene from Gone with the Wind at Missus Melanie’s party, where the guests shun/snub Miss

Scarlett since they all know she has been shamelessly flirting with Mr. Ashley, who just happens to be Missus Melanie’s husband. 24 ... Bxe4+ 25 Kg1 Boy, you talk about a high visibility factor. White’s king doesn’t look so healthy here. 25 ... Rdg8+ 26 Kf2 bxa6 Black threatens both the knight and also infiltration on g2. 27 Ne1 cxd4 Black is a pawn up with his bishops sweeping the board. 28 Ke2 Bxh2?! This move reduces Black’s advantage. More accurate is to eliminate White’s one source of counterplay with 28 ... Rg6! 29 Bd2 Rf8 and White can resign. 29 f7 Rf8 30 Bf4 Bxf4 31 Rxf4 Bd5 32 Nd3 Rh5 Intending to consolidate with ... e6-e5. 33 Rxd4 Rxf7 34 Nf4 Likewise, after 34 Rc1+ Kb8 35 Rb4+ Rb7 36 Nc5! Rxb4 37 Nxa6+ Ka8 38 Nxb4 Bb7 39 Nc6 h3 40 Nd8! Rb5! 41 b3 Bd5 42 Kf2 Rb8 43 Kg3 Rxd8 44 Kxh3 Black wins.

Exercise (combination alert): How can Black put White away with a combination? 34 ... Re5+ Answer: Khairullin misses 34 ... Rxf4! (simplification/pawn promotion) 35 Rxf4 h3 36 Rc1+ Kd8 37 Rff1 h2 38 Rh1 Bxa2! 39 Kf2 Bd5 40 Kg3 Bxh1 41 Rxh1 Kc7. The rook ending is completely hopeless for White, whose rook is in thrall to Black’s h-pawn. 35 Kd3 35 Kd2 puts up greater resistance. 35 ... h3! 36 Nxd5 36 Nxh3?? hangs a piece to 36 ... Rf3+. 36 ... Rxd5 37 Rxd5 exd5 38 Rh1 Rh7 39 Kd4 39 Rh2 Rh4 is also totally lost for White. 39 ... Rh5 40 Rh2 Kd7 41 Kc5 Ke6 42 Kc6 d4 43 Kb7 Rh7+ 44 Kxa6 Ke5 45 b4 d3 46 b5 Kd4 47 a4 Kc3 48 a5 d2 0-1 It becomes clear just who is going to promote and who isn’t.

Index of Complete Games Andreikin.D-Vitiugov.N, Saratov 2011 Antoli Royo.J-Ganguly.S, Spanish Team Championship 2009 Baker.B-Lakdawala.C, San Diego (rapid) 2007 Baker.B-Lakdawala.C, San Diego (rapid) 2008 Balares.J-Lakdawala.C, San Diego (rapid) 2009 Bergstrom.R-Bischoff.K, World Senior Championship, Acqui Terme 2017 Bjarnason.S-Roos.L, Copenhagen 1981 Bruno.R-Lakdawala.C, San Diego (rapid) 2006 Chisitiakov.A-Petrosian.T, Moscow 1957 Clawitter.C-Lakdawala.C, San Diego (rapid) 2016 Costello.A-Lakdawala.C, San Diego (rapid) 2016 De Mauro.J-Elwert.H, Correspondence 1994 Drei.A-Vezzosi.P, Reggio Emilia 1999 Eliseev.U-Fedoseev.V, Moscow 2016 Fedorov.A-Rustemov.A, Mikenas Memorial, Vilnius 1997 Glek.I-Khairullin.I, Russian Rapid Championship, Sochi 2016 Haast.A-Van Kampen.R, Wijk aan Zee 2015 Hodgson.J-Short.N, Groningen 1996 Horvath.A-Rapport.R, Hungarian League 2014 Hou Yifan-Mamedyarov.S, Wijk aan Zee 2018 Iturbide Arnedo.O-Martinez Martin.D, Madrid League 2015 Ivekovic.Z-Martinovic.S, Zagreb 2011 Jobava.S-Ivanchuk.V, Leuven (rapid) 2017 Joppen.E-Petrosian.T, Belgrade 1954 Kuthan.A-Sebenik.M, Austrian Bundesliga 2018 Labib.I-Bischoff.K, Bled Olympiad 2002 Lakdawala.C-Aldama.D, San Diego (rapid) 2014 Lakdawala.C-Aldama.D, San Diego (rapid) 2018 Landaw.J-Lakdawala.C, Southern California Championship, Century City 2008 Laznicka.V-Lupulescu.C, European Championship, Yerevan 2014 Luethgens.E-Vaganian.R, German Bundesliga 1998 Lykov.V-Smikovski.I, Omsk 1996 Manukian.A-Vidit.S, Internet (rapid) 2018 Martinez.M-Bhat.V, US Online League 2013

Matinian.N-Volkov.S, Khanty-Mansiysk 2016 Milton.C-Lakdawala.C, San Diego (rapid) 2008 Misailovic.N-Mihic.B, Serbia Team Championship 2010 Movsesian.S-Gurevich.M, New York Open 1998 Mrugala.A-Lutzenberger.R, correspondence 1998 Nunn.J-Timman.J, Cannes 1992 Olafsson.F-Petrosian.T, Bled 1961 Ornolfsson.M-Zumsande.M, Reykjavik 2013 Papp.G-Vitiugov.N, Karlsruhe 2017 Polozotti.D-Lakdawala.C, San Diego (rapid) 2008 Posedaru.B-Balogh.C, Romanian Team Championship 2015 Reh.S-Buhmann.R, Schwäbisch Gmünd 2013 Sakharov.Y-Petrosian.T, Tbilisi 1956 Schetinin.A-Riazantsev.A, Kurnosov Memorial, Chelyabinsk (rapid) 2016 Sevillano.E-Lakdawala.C, San Diego (rapid) 2006 Shabalov.A-Shirov.A, Edmonton 2005 Shomoev.A-Vaganian.R, European Championship, Istanbul 2003 Tatai.S-Korchnoi.V, Beersheba 1978 Topalov.V-Caruana.F, London 2016 Tscharotschkin.M-Volkov.S, Dubai 2009 Welin.M-Berg.E, Swedish League 2012 Westermeier.A-Darga.K, German Bundesliga 1981 Yang.K-Lakdawala.C, San Diego (rapid) 2016 Zherebukh.Y-Akobian.V, US Championship, Saint Louis 2017