1.e4! The Chess Bible Vol.1 - Justin Tan

Table of Contents
Title page
Key to Symbols
Bibliography
Preface
PART I – Alekhine’s Defense
Introduction
Chapter 1 – 5th Move Alternatives
Chapter 2 – The Fianchetto Variation
Chapter 3 – The Alekhine Benoni
Chapter 4 – The Main Line
PART II – Nimzowitsch Defense
Introduction
Chapter 1 – 2nd Move Alternatives
Chapter 2 – 2...d5
PART III – Scandinavian Defense
Introduction
Chapter 1 – 2...Nf6
Chapter 2 – 2...Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd8
Chapter 4 – 2...Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5
PART IV – Pirc and Modern Defenses
Introduction
Chapter 1 – The Modern Defense
Chapter 2 – The Pribyl System
Chapter 3 – The Pirc Defense
PART V – Philidor Defense
Einführung
2
Chapter 1 – Various
Chapter 2 – 4...exd4
3
1.e4!
The Chess Bible
Volume 1
by
Justin Tan
Thinkers Publishing 2021
www.thinkerspublishing.com
First edition 2021 by Thinkers Publishing

Copyright © 2021 Justin Tan
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, mechanical, photocopying, recording or
otherwise, without the prior written permission from the publisher.
All sales or enquiries should be directed to Thinkers Publishing, 9850 Landegem, Belgium.
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.thinkerspublishing.com
Managing Editor: Romain Edouard

Assistant Editor: Daniël Vanheirzeele
Typesetting: Mark Haast
Proofreading: Daniel Fernandez
Software: Hub van de Laar
Cover Design: Kazuyo Chamoun
Graphic Artist: Philippe Tonnard
Production: BESTinGraphics
ISBN: 9789464201123
D/2021/13730/17
4
Key to Symbols
! a good move
? a weak move
!! an excellent move
?? a blunder
!? an interesting move
?! a dubious move
™ only move
N novelty
‰ lead in development
ʘ zugzwang
= equality
∞ unclear position
© with compensation for the sacrificed material
² White stands slightly better
³ Black stands slightly better
± White has a serious advantage
µ Black has a serious advantage
+– White has a decisive advantage
–+ Black has a decisive advantage
‚ with an attack
ƒ with initiative
„ with counterplay
… with the idea of
¹ better is
≤ worse is
+ check
# mate
5
Bibliography
Books:
Opening for White According to Anand 1.e4 (Volume Three), Alexander Khalifman, Chess Stars
2003
Tiger’s Modern, Tiger Hillarp-Persson, Quality Chess 2005
1.e4 vs The French, Caro-Kann and Philidor, Parimarjan Negi, Quality Chess 2015
Smerdon’s Scandinavian, David Smerdon, Everyman Chess 2015
Kaufman’s New Repertoire for Black and White, Larry Kaufman, New in Chess 2019
Electronic/Periodical:
The Week in Chess, Mark Crowther 1994-2020

ChessPublishing 1.e4, Justin Tan and Daniel Fernandez; Thomas Rendle 2010-2020
Mega Database 2020, Chessbase 2019
International Correspondence Chess Federation (ICCF), 2020
6
Preface
If there is one characteristic that binds all great modern chess players, it is their burning desire to
discover the truth. Needless to say, all such players analyse their own games (or other games for
that matter) with tremendous rigour and pinpoint precision. Objective analysis is fundamental for
the development, not only of the player, but also of theory more generally.
Yet, for most of us, ‘the truth’ isn’t necessarily the most important thing in chess praxis: what is
important is simply that we defeat our opponents! The beauty of chess lies in the reality that we
are imperfect beings striving to play the perfect game.
An awareness of our human imperfection – your opponent’s innate fallibility, as well as your own
– is a crucial factor in modern chess preparation. When choosing which line to employ, a strong
practical player considers their opponent’s strengths and weaknesses, preferences and aversions,
biases and so on, all the while asking, “who has the easier position?” These psychological factors,
which we have known from as early as Lasker, are inseparable from the game of chess.
This book aims to marry the two necessary aspects of objectivity and practical play into a
workable and durable repertoire. It strives for the truth while seeking to exploit the limitations of
human nature. I hope my recommendations are comprehensible to the reader, while at the same
time, I have chosen lines which I believe are most challenging for the human opponent.
Why 1.e4?
I have chosen 1.e4 for various reasons. First and foremost, it is the move I have played for the
entirety of my chess-playing life. In the database, I have recorded approximately 400 white games,
of which 350 began with 1.e4! I have also heavily researched the openings covered in this volume,
through my column “1.e4” for ChessPublishing (some of the material in this book expands upon
existing analysis from that column).
Secondly, I believe that Black has a wider margin of error in the closed games than in the open
games. Even if they do not know all the details of a certain line in the former case, they will end
up with only a slight disadvantage in the majority of cases. The same cannot be said about the
defenses to 1.e4. In this book, you will find that Black must tread carefully if they play an offbeat
system, as I have discovered several refutations to the most popular and widely accepted lines
within them.
All Men Are Created Equal
Even though this is a White repertoire, I believe it is important to note from the outset that Black
does not need to achieve equality – they were ‘born’ equal! The traditional assumption that White
is better by virtue of having the first move is slowly but surely subsiding. There is now a
realization that, in fact, there are several viable ways for Black to maintain the balance and it is
just a matter of deciding which one is more playable in practice.
From White’s perspective, this does not mean you shouldn’t try. The point of my repertoire is to
demonstrate that Black must be accurate if they seek to prove equality after 1.e4, and while the
defenses in this volume might be plausible, they tend to be difficult for Black to play against. This
equates to a tangible practical advantage for the first player.
Methodology
For every opening, I have adopted the same method of research. Firstly, I undertake a detailed
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examination of human games, alongside correspondence/email games, with particular regard to the
highest percentage of White wins and the number of games played. The human games allowed me
to gain a natural feeling for the practical elements of the opening in question, while the
correspondence games (essentially human-assisted engine games) covered the necessary element
of objectivity.
The next stage consisted of my own engine analysis, using the Chessbase Engine Cloud to
examine critical but unexplored positions.
Regarding neural networks, I should make a cautionary remark: while it is clear that Leela Zero
(Lc0) and other AIs are revolutionizing chess, the versions available to us are still relatively basic,
and Lc0 – according to the Top Chess Engine Championships – is currently weaker than Stockfish
(SF). Alas, she is still in her infancy! My analysis therefore uses both Cloud SF (CPU: 96) and
Cloud Lc0 (v.26.0, RTX 2080). My evaluations approximate between the two engines’
evaluations, although I sometimes find it more helpful to conclude that White has an attack,
initiative or other advantage.
Finally, I engage as critically as possible with the existing literature, as I hope others will do with
my work in the future.
Structure
At the beginning of every chapter is an overview of the opening, which serves to give the reader
some basic foundations and highlights the general concepts, extracted from the analysis section. If
the reader is in need of a brief summary of a particular opening, I suggest you focus on the
overviews.
The analysis section contains the main body of work. The reader is not expected to memorize
everything by heart; in fact, that is probably not a productive exercise. When going through a
variation, it is best to stop at a point you think is appropriate, and that should always be the point at
which you find that you have fully understood the position.
Each sub-chapter ends with a model game, which gives the reader a simplified picture of the
variation at hand. Similar to the overview chapter, this section is largely illustrative.
Acknowledgements
Finally, I would like to express my gratitude to the following people: Thinkers Publishing, for
approaching me in the first place, and giving me the time to complete my law degree along the
way; my good friend Edmund Player, who took the time to proof-read my work and provide
feedback; and last but not least, my parents, my sister Helena, and Sol, for their ongoing love and
support.
Justin Tan,
Melbourne, 2021
8
Part I
Alekhine’s Defense
Übersicht
1.e4 Nf6
Position after: 1...Nf6
The Alekhine’s Defense does not fight to occupy the center, but immediately surrenders it. It is
thus, a paradigm example of ‘hypermodernism’, a school of thought holding that the center need
not be occupied by pawns in order to be controlled. Essentially, if White can maintain the center
without it being undermined, they will boast a large advantage. Many of the variations in the
Alekhine’s are second rate precisely for this reason.
2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.c4 Nb6 5.f4
The Four Pawns Attack. Although 4.Nf3 is the main line, the Four Pawns Attack is – at least
conceptually – the more critical try. It is also a pragmatic choice in that Black has fewer
reasonable options at his disposal. My findings in this opening are that:
9
Position after: 5.f4
1) Black’s alternatives to the main line are inadequate in dealing with White’s space
advantage. Nevertheless, a couple themes are important to remember in the Fianchetto Variation
and some precision is certainly required against what I have dubbed the ‘Alekhine Benoni’.
2) In the main line, the alternatives to 9...Be7 are all risky, even the fairly popular 9...Bg4,
which gives White a dangerous attack.
3) White has a clear positional plus against the main line. While Black is reasonably solid, their
pieces are constricted, their structure is compromised and it is hard for them to come up with a
plan. Play usually continues
5...dxe5
5...g6 is a relatively important alternative to know – see Chapter 2.
6.fxe5
10
Position after: 6.fxe5
6...Nc6
By far the most common move, although White needs to be aware of 6...c5 as well.
A) 6...Bf5 is usually played with the intention of playing ...e6 and ...Bb4(+). See Chapter 4.
B) 6...c5 7.d5 See Chapter 3. Play here is sharp and concrete. Black has to undermine White’s
pawn center to stay in the game, meaning that White’s aim must be to keep hold of them at all
costs. My analysis shows that White should succeed in their aim, in which case the variation is
somewhat unsound.
7.Be3 Bf5 8.Nc3 e6
For sidelines, see the introduction of Chapter 4.
9.Nf3
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Position after: 9.Nf3
This is the main tabiya of the Four Pawns Attack (dealt with in Chapter 4). Black has a variety of
moves, although the main ones are 9...Bg4 (variation B) and 9...Be7 (variation C). Variation B
puts immediate pressure on White’s center, however it appears to be questionable. Modern engines
show that after 10.Be2 Bxf3 11.gxf3 Qh4+ 12.Bf2 Qf4 13.c5 Nd7
Position after: 13...Nd7
White should enter the middlegame after 14.0-0! (14.Qc1 is far more popular). Once Black castles
queenside, White can initiate a rapid attack against the king.
Instead, the more popular 9...Be7 is sounder, but also somewhat passive:
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9...Be7
Position after: 9...Be7
10.Be2
A) 10.Bd3?! Nb4! [Or 10...Bg4!?„] 11.Bxf5 Nxc4! is a little trick to watch out for!
B) 10.d5 was once considered critical, however modern engines show that Black is OK after
10...exd5 11.cxd5 Nb4 12.Nd4 Bd7 13.e6 fxe6 14.dxe6 Bc6∞
10...0-0 11.0-0 f6 12.exf6 Bxf6 13.Qd2
Position after: 13.Qd2
13
White has a clear positional advantage here, while Black hopes to be able to sit and wait. Perhaps
this is a valid ‘plan’ for an engine, but I believe it is a tricky task for the human player.
General Concepts
Diagram 1.1
The following line illustrates a typical fight for the center in the Alekhine’s.
6...c5 7.d5 e6?!
Black’s strategy is to attack White’s central pawns through dynamic piece play, whereas White
intends to support the pawns at all costs.
8.Nc3 exd5 9.cxd5 c4
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Position after: 9...c4
Intending ...Bb4.
10.d6!
Restricting Black’s dark-squared bishop.
10...Nc6
10...Be6 11.Nf3 etc.
11.Bf4
Unfortunately for Black, there is no way to exploit the ‘overextended’ pawns, and the pieces are
left confined to the back ranks. The only way to undermine the center is
11...f6
However White now launches a tactical onslaught with
12.Nb5! fxe5
Position after: 12...fxe5
13.Be3!
13.Nc7+?! would be hasty. Considering their opening play, Black gains reasonable compensation
for the exchange after 13...Kd7 14.Nxa8 Nxa8 15.Be3 Bxd6.
13...Rb8
15
Now White has time for the casual
14.Nf3
followed by Be2 and 0-0.

Diagram 1.2
On a number of occasions, Black succeeds in undermining the center but at the cost of serious
positional concessions.
9...c5 10.d5!
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Position after: 10.d5!
10...Bxe5
10...Qc7 11.Be2 Qxe5 12.g3 0-0 13.Bf4 Qd4 14.Qb3+–
11.g3+–
Position after: 11.g3+–
It is now clear that Black’s position is hopelessly exposed. White’s development will continue to
be fluid, while Black has problems on all sides of the board.
Diagram 1.3
17
Here is another example (taken from the Fianchetto Variation) in which White gains tremendous
piece play in exchange for the e-pawn.
10...c5 11.d5!
It may seem counterintuitive to sacrifice the e5-pawn, however it is important to perceive this as a
transformation of advantages. First, once the pawn is taken, White will gain an important tempo on
the dark-squared bishop. Secondly, the open e- and f-files will be firmly in White’s control.
Thirdly, the c5-pawn remains a target. Indeed, if it ever falls, White’s pawn chain should decide
the game.
11...Bxe5 12.Qd2 Bf5 13.Nf3
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13...Bg7
13...Bd6 14.Bh6 and Black is probably forced to give up the exchange since 14...Re8 15.Rd1
(nullifying any attempts at counterplay by means of ...e5 or ...e6) 15...N8d7 16.0-0 Nf6 17.Ng5 is
overwhelming.
14.Bxc5 N6d7 15.Bd4 e5 16.Be3±
Position after: 16.Be3±
Maylott, P – Hegde, G ICCF email 2018.

In the main line, the nature of play is independent of that of the other variations: it is quiet,
strategically nuanced and tense. The next few diagrams will illustrate some of the key ideas.
Diagram 2.1
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13...Qe8
The main move is 13...Qe7, and for good reason. The text move is questionable as it allows White
to execute a favorable exchange:
14.Bg5!
Position after: 14.Bg5!
Arguably the f6-bishop was Black’s best minor piece, not only did it exert pressure against d4, it
also performed an important defensive task for the safety of the king.
14...Bxg5
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14...Rd8 15.Bxf6 Rxf6 16.h3±
15.Qxg5 h6 16.Qe3±
Position after: 16.Qe3±
As the next diagram (2.2) will show, this is the ideal square for the queen. White can be certain of
a large advantage as their center cannot really be undermined when Black’s dark-squared bishop is
absent. The next moves are likely to be h3 and Rad1 but after that, you could even think about
swapping the light-squared bishops in order to further weaken the e6-pawn.
Diagram 2.2
Another instructive idea arises after the move
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13...Qd7
Now 14.Bg5 does not work as the d4-pawn is hanging at the end so White plays
14.Rad1 Rad8
Position after: 14...Rad8
At this point, many players would continue with a typical ‘autopilot’ move such as 15.h3 or
15.Kh1 but I was struck by the following maneuver:
15.Bf2!
The e3-square is vacated for the queen. Once the queen arrives there, Ne4 would follow and White
will remain dominant.
15...Qe7
15...Bg4 16.Ne4±
16.Qe3!±
22
Position after: 16.Qe3!±
Note that the maneuver won’t work if Black has already doubled rooks along the d-file – in that
case, the d4-pawn would be an immediate target.
Diagram 2.3
This is Black’s optimal setup. The exchange in Diagram 2.1 is no longer possible (15.Bg5? Bxg5
16.Qxg5 Qxg5 17.Nxg5 Nxd4 simply loses a pawn) and 15.Bf2 is countered by the ambitious
15...g5!.
15.Kh1!?
15.Bf2!? g5! 16.d5 Ne5 17.Nxe5 Bxe5 18.Bg3! apparently gives White a slight advantage but the
game looks quite unclear to the human eye.
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15.Kh1!? Rd7 16.h3
Position after: 16.h3
Notice that on the previous moves, White took the time to neutralize Black’s potential for
counterplay. The move Kg1-h1 effectively prevented the pawn break ...e6-e5 from being carried
out, whereas if the king were still on g1, Black would be able to exploit the fact that the king is
exposed on that diagonal (see Ladron de Guevara Pinto, P – Del Rio de Angelis, S Linares 2018
which I annotated for ChessPublishing). Furthermore, the move h2-h3 serves a dual-purpose: it
prevents Black’s bishop from exerting pressure on the center with ...Bg4 and threatens to win with
g2-g4-g5.
16...h6 17.Qc1 Kh8
More or less a necessary precaution against 18.d5.

17...Rfd8 18.d5! practically forces Black to give up an exchange. 18...exd5 19.cxd5
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Position after: 19.cxd5
A) 19...Nb4 20.Nd4 Bxd4 21.Bxd4 is not really playable since 21...N4xd5 loses to 22.Rde1!
defending the bishop on e2 so that both Rxf5 and discoveries against the queen on e7 are
threatened. [22.Rxf5?? Nxc3 23.bxc3 Qxe2=]
B) 19...Nxd5 20.Nxd5 Rxd5 21.Rxd5 Rxd5 22.Bc4
18.Bg1 Rfd8
Position after: 18...Rfd8
White has made all the standard improving moves and has reached an optimal position, Black has
prevented the key maneuver Qc1-e3 which prepares Nc3-e4, so what next?
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19.c5! Nd5 20.Bb5
Posing some new structural problems to Black and clearing the e-file for White’s rook (on d1, as
the f1-rook is well-placed there) thus, renewing the possibility of the knight jump to e4. The
engines give
20...Qe8 21.Rde1 Qg6 22.a3²
Position after: 22.a3²
White can always continue by taking on c6 and rerouting the dark-squared bishop via h2.
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Chapter 1
5th Move Alternatives
1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.c4 Nb6 5.f4
1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.c4 Nb6 5.f4
This chapter examines some of Black’s alternatives to 5...g6 and 5...dxe5.
5...Nc6
A) 5...e6 is unnecessarily passive: 6.Nc3 Be7 7.Nf3 0-0 8.Bd3 Nc6 9.h4!?ƒ
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B) The Planinc Variation, constituted by the move 5...g5?! is certainly imaginative, but White
has a number of strong continuations.
Position after: 5...g5?!
B1) 6.exd6 exd6 [6...cxd6?! 7.fxg5 Bg7 8.Nf3 Nc6 9.d5 Ne5 10.Nxe5 Bxe5 Schanzenbaecher,
M – Hoexter, H Germany email 2011, 11.Bd3+–; 6...Qxd6 7.Nc3 Bg7 8.Nf3 gxf4 9.Be2 Qe6
10.Bxf4+–] 7.fxg5 Nc6 8.Nf3 Qe7+ 9.Be2±
B2) 6.Nc3 Bg7 [6...gxf4 7.Bxf4±] 7.Nf3 g4 [7...gxf4 8.Bxf4 Nc6 9.exd6 exd6 10.Be2±] 8.Nh4!
A good move.
Position after: 8.Nh4!
White is prepared to sacrifice his e-pawn to hamper the development of Black’s light-squared
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bishop to f5. 8...dxe5 9.fxe5 c5 10.d5! Bxe5 [10...Qc7 11.Be2 Qxe5 12.g3 0-0 13.Bf4 Qd4
14.Qb3+–] 11.g3+–
Position after: 11.g3+–
It is now clear that Black’s position is hopelessly exposed. White’s development will continue
to be fluid, while Black has problems on all sides of the board.
C) 5...Bf5 6.Nc3
Position after: 6.Nc3
Black should now transpose to the main line with 6...dxe5. 6...Nc6 would run into 7.g4!
transposing to 5...Nc6 while 6...e6 7.Nf3 Be7 allows White an additional option to exchange the
light-squared bishops with 8.Bd3!? which is usually incorrect because of ...Nb4 tricks.
29
Let’s return to 5...Nc6.
Position after: 5...Nc6
6.Nc3
A) The one I’d be sure to avoid is 6.d5?! when Black gets what they hoped for with 6...Nb8
7.Nc3 e6∞
Position after: 7...e6∞
Note that after 8.Nf3 exd5 9.cxd5 dxe5 10.fxe5 Bb4 White won’t be able to support their central
pawn mass.
B) 6.Be3 might also be the pragmatic choice as I’m not sure Black has anything better than to
30
transpose to the main line, although it is possible for them to play 6...Bf5 7.Nc3 e6 8.Nf3 Be7
9.Be2 [9.d5 leads to a messier position than I would like: 9...exd5 10.cxd5 Nb4 11.Nd4 Bc8
12.Bb5+ c6 13.dxc6 0-0!] 9...0-0 10.0-0 and now 10...d5!? 11.c5 Nc4 12.Bxc4 dxc4 13.Qa4 Bd3.
6...dxe5
6...Bf5?! is now countered energetically by 7.g4! Bc8 8.d5 Na5 [8...Nb8 9.Be3 and Black has a
very sad position.] 9.Be3 g6
Position after: 9...g6
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A) It is surprising just how many weird and wonderful ideas arise in the Alekhine’s. If White is
hasty in picking up the piece, then Black will seize the initiative. 10.Bxb6? axb6 11.b4 dxe5
Position after: 11...dxe5
12.fxe5 [12.bxa5 Bg7! 13.axb6 exf4 14.Rc1 0-0³] 12...Bg7 13.Qe2 [13.bxa5 Bxe5 14.Rc1 Rxa5³]
13...Nc6!
B) 10.h3 Bg7 11.Nf3 c6 [11...c5 12.Bd3 0-0 13.Qe2+–; 11...0-0 Only now does White grab the
piece: 12.Bxb6 axb6 13.b4 dxe5 14.fxe5+–] 12.Qd4
B1) 12...c5 13.Qe4 0-0 14.f5! White’s pawns suffocate Black’s pieces.
32
B1.1) 14...Nd7 15.e6 fxe6 [15...Nf6 16.exf7+ Rxf7 17.Qc2+–] 16.dxe6 Nf6 17.Qd3+–
B1.2) 14...dxe5 15.0-0-0+–
B2) 12...Nd7 13.Qd2!? [13.b4?! c5] 13...dxe5 [13...Nb6 14.b3 with an overwhelming
advantage.] 14.b4
Position after: 14.b4
A piece is a piece! Black doesn’t have enough for it since 14...exf4 15.Bd4!+– Keeps things
well under control.
7.d5! Nb8 8.c5!? N6d7 9.Nf3
Aiming for quick development.
33
9...Nxc5
9...exf4 10.Bxf4 Nxc5 11.Bc4 is also no good for Black.
10.fxe5
and White has ample compensation for the pawn, for instance
10...e6 11.Bg5 Be7 12.Bxe7 Qxe7 13.Qd4 Nba6 14.Bxa6 Nxa6 15.d6±
Position after: 15.d6±
34
Chapter 2
The Fianchetto Variation
1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.c4 Nb6 5.f4 g6
1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.c4 Nb6 5.f4 g6
Finkels attaches a “?!” to this move and I’d be inclined to agree. Nevertheless, due to its relative
35
popularity, I consider it the primary alternative to the main line.
6.Nc3 Bg7 7.Be3
Position after: 7.Be3
7...Be6
A) 7...dxe5 8.dxe5! Finkel: ‘The endgame is extremely [sic] unpleasant for black, so there is no
point in deviating from [the] queen trade.’ [8.fxe5?! c5! 9.dxc5 N6d7 10.e6 fxe6∞ Neffe, A –
Dankert, P Germany 1998] 8...Qxd1+ [8...0-0 Filipenko, A – Fokin, S Kursk 1987, 9.c5!] 9.Rxd1
Position after: 9.Rxd1
36
A1) 9...Be6 10.b3 f6 [10...c6 11.Nf3 Na6 12.Be2 0-0 13.0-0 Rad8 14.Ng5 Nc7 15.Nce4±
Munoz Pantoja, M – Castillo, P Barcelona 2002] 11.c5! N6d7 [11...Nc8 is met in the same
way.] 12.Nb5 Na6 13.c6! bxc6 14.Nd4 Nac5
Position after: 14...Nac5
Cheparinov, I – Grunberg, M Antalya 2004, 15.exf6 Bxf6 [15...Nxf6 16.Rc1! Nfe4 17.b4+–]
16.b4±
A2) 9...c6 10.Nf3 f6 11.exf6 Bxf6 [11...exf6 12.c5±] 12.Nd4± This is clearly uncomfortable for
Black; a sample line is 12...0-0 13.Be2 e5 14.fxe5 Bxe5 15.c5! N6d7 [15...Nd5 16.Nxd5 cxd5
17.Bf3+–] 16.Bc4+ Kh8 17.Bh6 Re8 18.Bf7 Re7 19.0-0+–
A3) 9...Bg4 10.Rd2 Nc6 11.h3 Be6 12.Nb5 Rc8 13.b3 f6 14.exf6 exf6 15.Nf3±
B) 7...0-0? is the most popular move, but gives White a decisive advantage: 8.c5! N6d7 An
unfortunate square for the knight. [8...dxc5 9.dxc5 changes nothing.] 9.h4!
37
Position after: 9.h4!
Punishing Black for their inaccurate opening choice. According to the engines, Black is
completely losing! 9...dxc5 10.dxc5 c6 [10...h5 11.Qc2 b6 12.0-0-0 Qe8 13.g4 with a crushing
attack. Black’s best chance is 13...Nxe5 14.fxe5 Bxg4 but they certainly do not have enough
compensation for the piece. 15.Be2 Bf5 16.Qb3 Nd7 17.Nf3] 11.h5 Qa5 12.hxg6 hxg6 13.Qg4
Rd8 14.Qh4
Position after: 14.Qh4
14...Nf8 [14...Nxc5 15.f5! Bxf5 16.Qh7+ Kf8 17.Bh6+–] 15.Qxe7+– Rashitov, D – Koch, H
ICCF email 2014
38
8.b3
I am less convinced by 8.d5 Bc8 9.Nf3 c6! [Rendle only considers 9...0-0 in his notes to the game
Moser, E – Fier, A Vienna 2013, but this is strongly met by 10.h4!]
8...0-0
Delaying castling with 8...dxe5 9.fxe5 [9.dxe5 is not so effective now in view of 9...Nc6] 9...c5
leads to very similar consequences. 10.d5 Bf5 [10...Bxe5 11.Qd2 Bf5 is the same; 10...Bc8 11.Qd2
N8d7 12.Bh6! Bxe5 13.Nf3+–]
Position after: 10...Bf5
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A) Black’s move order was tricky, because the natural 11.Nf3 N8d7 12.Bf4 0-0 13.h3
(threatening g4) 13...e6! is suddenly unclear:
Position after: 13...e6!
14.g4 Nxe5! A fantastic, dynamic concept. 15.gxf5 [15.Nxe5? Qh4+ 16.Ke2 exd5–+; 15.Bxe5
Bxe5 16.Nxe5 Qh4+ 17.Ke2 exd5 18.gxf5 Rae8µ] 15...Nxf3+ 16.Qxf3 Qh4+ 17.Bg3 Qh5! and
White is forced to return the piece because the greedy 18.Qd3?? exd5 is winning for Black.
B) In turn, I suggest the subtle 11.Be2!? Preventing 11...N8d7. 11...Bxe5 [11...N8d7?! 12.g4!
Bxe5 13.Qc1 and the bishop on f5 is lost.] 12.Qd2
B1) 12...Na6 is a worthy alternative, although the knight is misplaced here. 13.Nf3 Bf6 14.0-0
40
Nc8 15.Rae1 Nd6 16.Bd3 0-0 [16...Qa5? loses to 17.Ne4! Qxd2 18.Nxd6+ exd6 19.Bxd2++–]
17.Bh6 Bxd3 [17...Qa5 18.Ne5! an important resource, as mentioned above.] 18.Qxd3 Re8
19.Ne4
Position after: 19.Ne4
Now it says a lot about Black’s position that my engine wants to play ...Nb8-d7 but on 19...b5
White wins with 20.Nfg5!+– The idea is to take on d6 and gang up on the f6-bishop with Qf3
and Ne4. For instance 20...Rb8 21.Nxd6 Qxd6 22.Qf3 Qd7 23.Rd1! A finesse which prevents
even the slightest chance of counterplay. Now ...Bd4+ is always met with Rxd4, therefore there
is no adequate defense against the aforementioned knight sortie.
B2) 12...N8d7
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Position after: 12...N8d7
B2.1) 13.g4?! does not win a piece because of 13...Be4!∞

B2.2) Unlike after 12...Na6, Black is hardly suffering in the line 13.Nf3 Bf6 14.0-0 Nc8
15.Rae1 Nd6 16.Bd3 0-0
Position after: 16...0-0
as crucially, 17.Bh6? is met with 17...Qa5! Note that if the knight were on a6, White would be
able to play 18.Ne5!.
B2.3) 13.Rd1! Threatening g4. 13...h5 14.Nf3 Bf6 15.Bd3 Bxd3 16.Qxd3 Nc8 17.Ne4 Nd6
18.0-0
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Position after: 18.0-0
Binas, J – Schmidt, L VWC 2018 White has an overwhelming initiative.

Let’s return to 8...0-0.
9.Be2
Precise play, not allowing Black to take the g4-square for their bishop.
A) 9.Nf3?! runs into 9...c5!„ with the following tactical justification: 10.dxc5 N6d7 11.cxd6 exd6
12.Qxd6 Nxe5!
B) 9.Rc1 is also strong. For example, 9...dxe5 10.fxe5 c5 11.d5 Bc8 12.Nf3 Soumya, S –
Crevatin, L Stockholm 2020.
43
9...dxe5
A) Against 9...c5 10.d5 will probably transpose to 9...dxe5 but it is even better to accept Black’s
sacrifice with 10.dxc5
Position after: 10.dxc5
A1) 10...dxe5!? 11.f5! [In my Chess-Publishing notes to this variation, I only considered
11.cxb6 exf4 12.Qxd8 Rxd8 13.Bd2 axb6] 11...e4 [11...Nxc4 12.Bxc4 Bxc4 13.bxc4 gxf5
14.Nge2±] 12.Qxd8 Rxd8 [12...Bxc3+? 13.Qd2+–] 13.Rc1±
A2) 10...N6d7 11.cxd6 exd6 12.Qxd6 Nc6 13.Rd1 g5 14.Nf3
44
B) 9...Na6 10.Nf3 c5 11.d5 Bg4 12.0-0 The secret to this position is not to be attached to the e5-
pawn. Here, a thematic pawn break is executed after 12...Bxf3 13.Rxf3
Position after: 13.Rxf3
B1) 13...e6 is ugly: 14.dxe6 fxe6 15.Ne4 dxe5 16.fxe5
16...Bxe5 [16...Rxf3 17.Bxf3 Bxe5 18.Rb1 Qc7 19.g3 Rd8 20.Qe2±] 17.Qxd8 Raxd8 18.Rxf8+
Rxf8 19.Rd1±
B2) 13...Nd7 14.Ne4! As in variation B3, White welcomes the capture of the e-pawn.
B3) 13...dxe5 14.f5! A thematic pawn sacrifice. Opening files on the kingside while
45
simultaneously hemming in the bishop on g7.
Position after: 14.f5!
14...Nc8 15.fxg6
B3.1) 15...hxg6 16.Qe1! gives White a winning attack, although an ability to calculate remains
essential of course: 16...Nd6 17.Rh3 f5 18.Qh4 Kf7 19.Rg3!! Immediately targeting the weak
point in Black’s position.
Position after: 19.Rg3!!
19...f4 [19...Rh8 20.Qg5 Rh6 21.Bh5!+–] 20.Rxg6! The point. 20...fxe3 [20...Kxg6 21.Qh5+
Kf6 22.Bg4! Threatening 23.Ne4+ with mate to follow on f5. 22...e6 23.dxe6 Nc7 24.Bxc5+–
The threat of 25.Ne4+ is renewed and this time, it is unstoppable.] 21.Qh7 and wins.
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B3.2) 15...fxg6 16.Rxf8+ Qxf8 17.Qd2 Nd6 18.Rf1 Qd8 19.Bh6±
10.fxe5 c5 11.d5
Position after: 11.d5
It may seem counterintuitive to sacrifice the e5-pawn, however it is important to perceive this as a
transformation of advantages. First, once the pawn is taken, White will gain an important tempo on
the dark-squared bishop. Secondly, the open e- and f-files will be firmly in White’s control.
Thirdly, the c5-pawn remains a target. Indeed, if it ever falls, White’s pawn chain should decide
the game.
11...Bxe5
A) 11...Bc8 12.Rc1 N8d7 13.Nf3 Nxe5 Bruaset, E – Spyropoulos, N Stockholm 2020, 14.Nxe5
Bxe5 15.Bxc5±
B) 11...Bf5 12.Rc1 Bxe5 13.Nf3 Bd6 14.0-0 gives White tremendous compensation. See the
game Abolins Abols, D – Morosi, D ICCF email 2018.
12.Qd2 Bf5 13.Nf3
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13...Bg7
13...Bd6 14.Bh6 and Black is probably forced to give up the exchange since 14...Re8 15.Rd1
N8d7 [15...e5 16.dxe6 Rxe6 17.Nb5+–] 16.0-0 Nf6 17.Ng5 is overwhelming.
14.Bxc5 N6d7 15.Bd4 e5 16.Be3±
Maylott, P – Hegde, G ICCF email 2018.
Model game
48
Abolins Abols, Donalds (2165)
Morosi, Dario (2160)
ICCF email 2018
1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.c4 Nb6 4.d4 d6 5.f4 g6 6.Nc3 Bg7 7.Be3 Be6 8.b3 0-0 9.Rc1 dxe5 10.fxe5
c5 11.d5! Bf5 12.Be2 Bxe5 13.Nf3
13...Bd6?!
13...Bg7 14.Bxc5 might be better objectively, but neither option is enticing.
14.0-0
I give the immediate 14.Bh6 but both moves are strong.
14...N8d7 15.Bh6 Nf6
15...Re8 16.g4! Bxg4 17.Ng5 Bf5 [17...Bxe2 18.Rxf7!] 18.Bg4 and if 18...Bxg4 19.Rxf7! wins.
16.Qd2!?
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Position after: 16.Qd2!?
So threatening is the bishop on h6 that White doesn’t even bother collecting the exchange.
16...Qb8
16...Re8 17.Ng5 threatening Rxf5 followed by Ne6! 17...Qd7 18.h3+–
17.Nb5
On top of all of Black’s problems, he will lose the bishop pair.
17...Re8 18.Nxd6 Qxd6
Of course, ‘improving’ the structure with 18...exd6 is impossible on account of 19.Nh4+–
19.Nh4
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Position after: 19.Nh4
19...Be4
An attempt to stay active.

19...Bd7 20.Qc3 e5 21.Qe3+–
20.Rce1 Nbd7
Only the f6-knight protects the e4-bishop and it also holds the kingside together. The next move,
then, is logical.
21.g4! Rad8 22.Bd1 b5 23.g5 bxc4 24.bxc4
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Position after: 24.bxc4
Black is forced to sacrifice a piece. The game continued
24...Bxd5 25.Nf5!?
25.cxd5+–
25...gxf5 26.gxf6
Position after: 26.gxf6
White threatens mate with Qg5+, while the bishop on d5 is still hanging. Black’s position is
hopeless.
26...Qxf6 27.cxd5 Kh8 28.Kh1 Rg8 29.Bf4 Qh4 30.Bc2 Nb6 31.d6 exd6 32.Bxf5 Qf6 33.Qd3
Qg7 34.Rg1
After the opening, Black did not make any serious mistakes, and yet he was wiped off the board!
This suggests that the Fianchetto Variation is objectively unsound.
1-0
52
Chapter 3
The Alekhine Benoni
1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.c4 Nb6 5.f4 dxe5 6.fxe5 c5
1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.c4 Nb6 5.f4 dxe5 6.fxe5 c5
A sharp continuation. Modern engines show that White’s central pawn mass remains, with best
53
play, unshakeable. That being the case, the move 6...c5 is borderline dubious. Nevertheless, White
must be resolute in his calculations.
7.d5 g6
7...e6?! Black’s strategy is to attack White’s central pawns with dynamic piece play. Unfortunately
for them White is well-equipped to support the pawns. 8.Nc3 exd5 9.cxd5
A) 9...N8d7 is nullified by 10.Bb5 a6 11.Bxd7+ Nxd7 12.Nf3+–

B) 9...Qh4+ 10.g3 Qd4 is innovative but it is flawed on account of 11.Bb5+ Bd7 12.Qe2 The
important tactical justification is that 12...Nxd5 [12...Be7 13.Nf3 Qg4 14.Bf4+–] loses to 13.e6!
54
Position after: 13.e6!
B1) 13...Bxb5 14.Qxb5+ Nc6 15.Qxb7+– Chaplin, E – Gantet, G Paris 1991. Peculiarly, that
game continued 15...Ncb4, after which White took on f7 and won. Slightly more
straightforward would have been 16.Qd7#!
B2) 13...Bc6 14.exf7+ Kxf7 15.Nf3+–
Position after: 15.Nf3+–
B3) 13...fxe6 14.Qxe6+ Kd8 15.Bg5+
Position after: 15.Bg5+
B3.1) 15...Nf6 16.Bxd7 Nbxd7 [16...Qxd7 17.Rd1+–] 17.Rd1+–
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B3.2) 15...Kc8 16.Bxd7+ Nxd7 17.Qxd5+–
B3.3) 15...Be7 16.Qxd5+–
C) 9...c4 Black’s plan is to play 10...Bb4. Thus, 10.d6! is strong, restricting the dark-squared
bishop. [Of course, not 10.Bxc4?? Qh4+; while 10.Nf3 was played in the famous game Bronstein
– Ljubojevic, Brazil 1973. Black’s best response would have been 10...Bb4.] 10...Nc6 [10...Be6
11.Nf3 etc.] 11.Bf4
Position after: 11.Bf4
White is objectively winning. A few lines will illustrate this: 11...f6 [11...g5 allows the
picturesque 12.Ne4! and the pawn on g5 is lost since 12...gxf4 13.Nf6+ wins.; 11...Be6 12.Nf3
h6 13.Be2 g5 14.Bg3 Bg7 15.Nb5 0-0 16.Nc7 Rc8 17.Nxe6 fxe6 18.0-0+–] 12.Nb5! This was not
possible on the previous move in view of ...Qh4+.
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Position after: 12.Nb5!
12...fxe5 13.Be3! [13.Nc7+?! would be hasty. Considering their opening play, Black gains
reasonable compensation for the exchange after 13...Kd7 14.Nxa8 Nxa8 15.Be3 Bxd6] 13...Qh4+
[13...Rb8 is best met with the casual 14.Nf3 followed by Be2 and 0-0.] 14.g3 Qe4 15.Nc7+
Position after: 15.Nc7+
C1) 15...Kf7 16.Qf3+! Qxf3 17.Nxf3 Rb8 [17...Bxd6 18.Nxa8 Nxa8 19.Bxc4++–] 18.0-0-0+–
Black’s position is hopeless.
C2) 15...Kd7 16.Bh3+ Kd8 17.Qe2! and the threat of 18.Bg5 is unstoppable.
C3) 15...Kd8 16.Qe2!
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Position after: 16.Qe2!
Defending the bishop and threatening to win the queen with Bg5+. 16...Qxh1 17.Bg5+ Kd7
18.0-0-0 Bxd6 19.Nxa8 Nxa8 20.Bg2 Nd4 21.Qd2+–
Let’s return to 7...g6.
8.Nc3 Bg7 9.Bf4 0-0 10.Qd2 e6 11.0-0-0 exd5 12.cxd5
Black doesn’t have time to react to White’s impending kingside attack. Thus, even if White were
58
to give up their central pawns, they are likely still to give mate on the h-file.
12...Bg4
12...Re8 loses to the concrete 13.Bg5! Qc7 14.Bb5! White threatens to win the queen with d6!
14...Bd7 [14...Rxe5 15.d6+–] 15.e6!
A) 15...Bxc3 16.Qxc3 fxe6 [16...Bxb5 17.d6!+–] 17.d6 Qc8 18.Bh6 e5 19.Nf3! Bxb5 20.Nxe5
Qe6 21.d7+–
B) 15...fxe6 16.d6 Qc8 17.Bh6 and with this move, White initiates a vicious attack.
13.Re1 c4
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Black’s best chance for counterplay.
14.h3 Bf5 15.g4 Bd3 16.Bxd3 cxd3 17.Qxd3 Na6
Threatening ...Nb4.
18.d6 Rc8 19.Kb1
Position after: 19.Kb1
Black simply doesn’t have enough compensation. The e5-pawn does a good job inhibiting Black’s
60
fianchetto bishop.
19...Nc5
19...Nb4 20.Qd1 Nc4 also leads to sharp play. White should consolidate with 21.Re4! Nxb2
22.Kxb2 Qb6 23.Qd4! Again, White’s aim is to keep things under control. 23...Nd3+ 24.Kc2
Position after: 24.Kc2
24...Nf2 [24...Qxd4 25.Rxd4 Nxf4 26.Rxf4 Bxe5 27.Rf3 Rc6 28.Nge2+–] 25.Qxb6 axb6 26.Rd4
Nxh1 27.d7 Rcd8 28.Ne4+–
20.Qe2 Ne6
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Position after: 20...Ne6
Ilincic, Z – Marinkovic, I Vrnjacka Banja 1989.
21.Bc1 Rxc3
21...Nc4 doesn’t carry a threat. 22.Nf3 Qa5 23.h4 Nxb2 24.Bxb2 Rxc3 25.Bxc3 Qxc3 26.Qe4+–
22.bxc3 Na4 23.Qc2!
Position after: 23.Qc2!
An obvious move, but other ways of defending the pawn could have landed White in danger.
23...Qa5
A) 23...Qb6+ 24.Ka1 Qc6 25.Rh2+–

B) 23...Qd7 24.Nf3 Rc8 25.Bb2 b5 26.Qd2+–
24.Nf3 Rc8 25.Re3
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Position after: 25.Re3
White has more than enough defenders. After 25...Nxc3+ 26.Ka1 Black has no follow up. Another
possibility is
25...Rxc3 26.Rxc3 Nxc3+ 27.Ka1 Bxe5 28.Nxe5 Qxe5 29.Qb2!+–
29.Bb2?? Qd5!³
Model game
Movsesian, Sergei (2646)

Francsics, Endre (2592)
Czechia 2005
1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.c4 Nb6 4.d4 d6 5.f4 dxe5 6.fxe5 c5 7.d5 g6 8.Bf4 Bg7 9.Nc3 0-0 10.Qd2 e6
11.0-0-0 exd5 12.cxd5 Bg4 13.Re1 c4 14.h3 Bf5 15.g4 Bd3 16.Bxd3 cxd3 17.Qxd3 Na6 18.d6
Rc8 19.Kb1 Nb4 20.Qd1 Nc4
63
21.Rh2
I recommend 21.Re4! remaining confident in the fact that there are a good number of pieces
involved in the defense. Now in the event of 21...Qa5 22.Qb3
Position after: 22.Qb3
A) 22...Nxb2 there follows 23.Qxb4! [23.Kxb2?? Nd3+; 23.Qxb2?? Nd3] 23...Qxb4 24.Rxb4
Nd3 25.Nd5!
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Position after: 25.Nd5!
25...Rc5 [25...Nxb4 26.Ne7+ Kh8 27.Nxc8 Rxc8 28.Nf3+–] 26.Ne7+ Kh8 27.Rxb7 Nxf4 28.Nf3
Bxe5 29.Nxe5 Rxe5 30.Rd1±
B) 22...b5 23.Nf3 Nd3 24.Nd5 Nc5 25.Qc2 Nxe4 26.Qxe4± There is still work to do but
objectively, this is close to decisive. Although White has sacrificed an exchange, he has also
reduced most of the pressure against his king. It is also important to compare the inactive g7-
bishop to White’s dominating minor pieces.
21...Qa5 22.Nf3
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22...Rc5
Black should have tried 22...Na3+ 23.Ka1 Nb5 24.Na4 Nxd6!
Position after: 24...Nxd6!
when White would need to find the cold-blooded 25.a3! [25.Qxd6?? Qxa4–+; 25.exd6?? Rc2!! is
suddenly unclear as 26.Rxc2?? would lose to 26...Qxa4 27.Kb1 Qxa2+ 28.Kc1 Bxb2+! 29.Rxb2
Rc8+] 25...Nc2+ 26.Rxc2 Qxa4 27.Rxc8 Qxd1+ 28.Rxd1 Nxc8 etc.
Position after: 28...Nxc8
White is clearly better but Black has small chances of saving half a point.
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23.Rhe2?!
Again the more active centralizing move 23.Re4!+– was simplest.
23...h6
Position after: 23...h6
24.Nd4?
It was admittedly quite difficult to navigate the position already.

A) 24.Qb3? Nd3∞
B) 24.a4!+– is given by my engine, but I won’t delve into it as it’s not really a move you’d
expect to find, let alone comprehend. I guess the basic point is to shore up the queenside and
prevent random tactics in connection to the pawn on a2.
24...Nd5!
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Position after: 24...Nd5!
25.Ne4
A confusing position!
25.Nxd5? Rxd5µ
25...Nxf4 26.Nb3 Qb4?
Correct was 26...Rd5! 27.Nxa5 Rxd1+ 28.Rxd1 Nxa5 29.Rc2 Ne6∞
27.Nexc5 Nxe2 28.Rxe2 Nxe5 29.Qd5
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White has regained control, ergo, his winning advantage.
29...b6 30.Nd3! Nxd3 31.Qxd3??
31.Re4!+– would have been a brilliant queen trap, justifying the previous move.
31...Rd8 32.d7 Qa4 33.Rd2 Qc6
Position after: 33...Qc6
Black is fine again!
34.Nc1 a5 35.Ne2 Kf8 36.Rd1 Be5 37.Qe3 Qb5??
37...Qe6∞
38.Nc3!
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Position after: 38.Nc3!
...and White is winning once again. After this move, he didn’t let this advantage slip.
38...Qc5
38...Bxc3? 39.Qxc3 Rxd7 40.Qh8+ Ke7 41.Re1+ Kd6 42.Qb8+! Kc6 43.Rc1+ Kd5 44.Rd1+ Ke6
45.Qe8+ and wins.
39.Qxh6+ Bg7 40.Qd2 Qc6 41.Qd3 Bf6 42.Ne4
70
42...Rxd7
The pressure was mounting. 42...Be5 was more tenacious but nevertheless, easily losing.
43.Qxd7 Qxe4+ 44.Qd3 Qg2 45.Rd2 Qh1+ 46.Rd1 Qg2 47.Qb3 a4 48.Qxb6 Kg7 49.a3 Qxh3
50.Qb4 Qg2 51.Rc1 Qe2 52.Ka2 g5 53.Rc5
Position after: 53.Rc5
53...Kg6
53...Be7 54.Qc3+ Bf6 55.Rxg5++–
54.Ra5 Bxb2 55.Qxb2 Qe6+ 56.Ka1 1-0
This game illustrates that although White is objectively close to winning in most lines, he must be
able to calculate precisely or things could get a bit messy. You should also trust the fact that you
have many active pieces near your king and you should continue to play actively. The maneuver
Rh2-e2 was already somewhat slow.
71
Chapter 4
The Main Line
1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.c4 Nb6 5.f4 dxe5 6.fxe5 Nc6
Chapter Guide
1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.c4 Nb6 5.f4 dxe5 6.fxe5 Nc6 7.Be3 Bf5 8.Nc3 e6 9.Nf3
Introduction
A) 9th Move Alternatives
B) 9...Bg4
C1) 9...Be7 (various)
C2) 9...Be7 (with 15...Rd7)
Einführung
1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.c4 Nb6 5.f4 dxe5 6.fxe5
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6...Nc6
The line 6...Bf5 [6...g6 7.Nc3 Bg7 8.c5! Nd5 9.Bc4 c6 10.Qb3 0-0 11.Nf3±] 6...Bf5 7.Nc3 e6
8.Nf3 Bb4?! is tactically flawed. [8...Be7 9.Be3 0-0 10.Be2 f6 11.exf6 Bxf6 12.0-0 transposes to
the main line as Black doesn’t have better than 12...Nc6] 9.Bd3
Position after: 9.Bd3
A) 9...Bg4?! 10.0-0 Nc6 [10...c5 11.Ne4+–] 11.c5 Nd5 12.Ne2 Bxf3 13.Rxf3 Nxd4 14.Nxd4
Bxc5 15.Kh1+– Xiong, J – Bortnyk, O chess.com 2020.
B) 9...Bxd3 10.Qxd3 Nc6 [10...c5? 11.0-0 cxd4 12.Ne4 N8d7 13.Bg5 Qc7 14.c5!+–
73
Position after: 14.c5!+–
Nabaty, T – Zilberman, Y Haifa 2008. If the knight takes, there is 15.Qb5+; if the bishop takes,
15.Rac1 wins easily.] 11.0-0 Qd7 12.Ne4±
C) 9...c5 10.Bg5! [10.Bxf5 cxd4! 11.Nxd4 exf5 12.Nxf5 Qxd1+ 13.Kxd1 0-0 is apparently less
clear.] 10...Qd7 11.Bxf5
Position after: 11.Bxf5
11...cxd4 [11...exf5 Morozevich, A – Bagirov, V Moscow 1995 12.d5+– and 12...Nxc4 13.Qe2
Qxd5 fails to 14.Rd1] 12.Nxd4 exf5 13.Nxf5! A nice tactic – there is a mate on d8 if the queen
captures the knight. 13...Qxd1+ 14.Rxd1 0-0 15.0-0
74
C1) 15...Nxc4 loses in many ways. Simplest is 16.Be7 Bxe7 [16...Nc6 17.Bxb4 Nxb4
18.Rd4+–] 17.Nxe7+ Kh8 18.Rxf7!+–
C2) 15...Nc6 16.Nd5 Bc5+ 17.Kh1 Rae8 [17...Nxc4 18.Rd3 is effectively a mating attack, for
instance 18...N4xe5 19.Nf6+! gxf6 20.Nh6+ Kg7 21.Bxf6+ Kxh6 22.Rh3+ Kg6 23.Rg3+] 18.a3
Position after: 18.a3
The threat of b4 is too strong.

C2.1) 18...Nxc4 19.b4 Bb6 20.b5 N6xe5 21.Be7+–
C2.2) 18...a5 19.b4 axb4 20.axb4 Nxd5 [20...Nxb4 21.Nxb6 Bxb6 22.Be7+–] 21.cxd5 Nxb4
75
22.d6+–
C2.3) 18...Rxe5 19.b4 f6 20.Nh6+! gxh6 21.Bxh6 Be7 22.Bxf8 Kxf8 23.Nxf6+–
7.Be3 Bf5 8.Nc3
8...e6
A) 8...Qd7 9.Nf3 Bg4?? loses precisely because of the misplaced queen: 10.d5!
[Instead 9...e6 transposes to 8...e6.] 10...Bxf3 11.e6! fxe6 [11...Bxd1 12.exd7+ Nxd7 13.dxc6+–]
76
12.Qxf3
Position after: 12.Qxf3
12...Nb4 [12...exd5 13.cxd5 Nb4 14.0-0-0+– Rasidovic, S – Stefanovic, V Caorle 1981; 12...Na5
13.b4! Naxc4 14.Bxb6 Nxb6 15.Bb5+–] 13.0-0-0+– Vollbrecht, J – Woschkat, K CServe email
1999.
B) 8...Nb4 9.Rc1 c5 10.Nf3 e6 11.a3 cxd4 12.Nxd4 Nc6 13.Nxf5 exf5 14.Be2
No matter how Black intends to take on e5, White has more than enough compensation in light of
the development advantage, bishop pair and better pawn structure. 14...Be7 [14...Nxe5 15.0-0±;
14...Nd7 15.0-0 g6 16.g4!? Bg7 17.gxf5 Bxe5 18.Qe1 Nd4 19.Bg4±] 15.0-0 0-0 16.c5 Nd7
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17.b4±
9.Nf3
Black has arrived at a crossroads. The following moves will be analyzed in the remainder of this
chapter:
B) 9...Bg4
C) 9...Be7
1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.c4 Nb6 5.f4 dxe5 6.fxe5 Nc6 7.Be3 Bf5 8.Nc3 e6 9.Nf3
78
9...Qd7
A) 9...f6? is premature as after 10.exf6 Qxf6 [10...gxf6 11.Nh4 Bg6 12.Nxg6 hxg6 13.Qg4 Kf7
14.0-0-0±] the queen is misplaced. 11.c5 Nd5 12.Bg5 Qg6 13.Bb5+–
B) 9...Nb4 10.Rc1 c5 11.Qb3 cxd4 12.Nxd4 Black has a choice between putting the knight or the
bishop on d3.
Position after: 12.Nxd4
B1) 12...Nd3+ 13.Bxd3 Bxd3 14.Na4! Be4 [14...Qh4+ 15.Kd2!] 15.0-0±

B2) 12...Bd3 13.Rd1 Bxf1 14.Rxf1
79
Position after: 14.Rxf1
B2.1) 14...Qh4+? is losing as the queenside is left unguarded. 15.Rf2 Be7 [15...Qxh2 16.Nf3
Qh1+ 17.Ke2 Qh5 18.Nb5!+–] 16.c5! Bxc5 17.Nf5 exf5 18.Bxc5 Nc6 19.Nb5+–
B2.2) 14...Qc7 15.Ndb5 [15.Rf4! is recommended by my computer, but it is unnatural.]
15...Qxe5 16.Ne4! Rd8 [16...Qxe4 17.Nc7+ is mate in one.] 17.Rxd8+ Kxd8 18.Ng5 Qxe3+
[18...Nc2+ 19.Ke2 will transpose.] 19.Qxe3 Nc2+ 20.Ke2 Nxe3 21.Nxf7+ Kc8 22.Kxe3±
C) 9...Bb4 10.Be2 Na5 11.c5 Nd5 12.Bd2 Ne7 13.0-0 0-0 14.Bc1!
Position after: 14.Bc1!
Given the time, White will retreat the c3-knight as well, with the threat of a3, trapping the dark-
squared bishop. 14...Bxc3 15.bxc3 Qd7 16.Nh4 Bg6 [Or 16...Be4 17.Rf4 Bg6 18.Qe1 Nd5
80
19.Nxg6 fxg6 20.Rh4±] 17.Bg5 Nd5 18.Nxg6 fxg6 19.Qd3 with a clear advantage to White.
10.Be2
10...0-0-0
A risky and altogether incorrect strategy.

A) 10...Bg4 11.0-0 see 9...Bg4.
B) 10...Be7 11.0-0 see 9...Be7.
C) 10...Rd8 11.0-0
81
11...Bg4 [Black would like to be able to transpose to a more normal position with 11...Be7? but
this fails to 12.d5! exd5 13.Bxb6 axb6 14.cxd5 Bc5+ 15.Kh1 Ne7 16.Nh4 0-0 17.a3+–] 12.c5!?
Nd5 13.Nxd5 Qxd5 14.Ng5! [14.h3 is also strong, and was played in Ethereal – AllieStein 2020.]
14...Bxe2 15.Qxe2 Rd7 16.Qf2
Position after: 16.Qf2
16...Nd8 [16...Nxd4 17.Rad1 Bxc5 18.Kh1 0-0 19.Nf3 Rfd8 20.Rd2±] 17.Qf4 Be7 18.Ne4± If
Black castles, 19.Nf6+! is a move, leaving Black with little hope of surviving.
11.0-0
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11...Kb8
11...Bg4 12.c5 Nd5 13.Nxd5 Qxd5 14.b4! is crushing.

It is important to meet 11...f6 energetically with 12.d5!
A) 12...exd5 13.Bxb6 axb6 14.cxd5 Nb4 [The e5-pawn is untouchable: 14...Nxe5 15.Nxe5 fxe5
16.Rxf5!+–; 14...Bc5+ 15.Kh1 Nb4 16.Nd4! Bxd4 17.Qxd4 Nc2 18.Qc4 Nxa1 19.Rxf5!+–]
15.d6 cxd6 16.exf6 and wins since 16...gxf6 loses to 17.Nd4
B) 12...Qe8 13.d6!
83
B1) 13...cxd6 14.exf6 gxf6 15.Nb5+–

B2) 13...fxe5 14.c5 Nd5 15.Nxd5 exd5 16.b4! is crushing. 16...Nxb4 [16...a6 17.b5 axb5
18.Bxb5 cxd6 19.cxd6 Bxd6 20.Qa4+–] 17.Qb3 Nc6 18.Rab1! Bxb1 19.Rxb1 b6 20.Ba6++–
B3) 13...Nxe5 14.c5 Nbc4 15.Bf2 Nxf3+ 16.Bxf3
B3.1) 16...Ne5 17.Bxb7+ Kxb7 18.Qb3+ Ka8 [18...Kc8 19.Nb5+–] 19.Nb5+–

B3.2) 16...cxd6 17.c6! d5 18.cxb7+ Kb8 19.Qd4 Nb6 20.a4 e5 21.Qd1+–
C) 12...Nxe5 13.Nxe5 fxe5 14.a4! a5 15.Nb5 Bb4 16.d6+– Kotronias, V – Short, N Catalan Bay
2003.
12.a4!N
84
Position after: 12.a4!N
12...a5
12...Bb4 doesn’t prevent White’s plan... 13.a5! Nxa5 [13...Bxa5 14.Qb3+–] 14.c5 Nbc4 [14...Nd5
15.Nxd5 Qxd5 16.Rxa5 Bxa5 17.Qa4+–] 15.Bc1 Bg4 16.Ra4+–
13.Qb3 Bb4 14.Nb5 Qe7 15.Rad1±
Position after: 15.Rad1±
Note that
85
15...f6?
loses to
16.d5! exd5
16...Nxe5 17.Nxe5 fxe5 18.d6 Bxd6 19.Rxd6 Rxd6 20.c5+–
17.cxd5 Nxe5 18.Nxe5 Qxe5 19.Bf4!
Position after: 19.Bf4!
19...Bc5+
19...Qxe2 20.Bxc7+ Ka8 21.Bxb6+–
20.Kh1+–
The bishop on f5 hangs after Black takes on e2.
Model game
Kotronias, Vasilios (2573)

Short, Nigel D (2690)
Catalan Bay 2003
1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.c4 Nb6 5.f4 dxe5 6.fxe5 Nc6 7.Be3 Bf5 8.Nc3 e6 9.Nf3 Qd7 10.Be2
0-0-0 11.0-0 f6 12.d5!
86
Sharply calculated by the Greek Grandmaster, Black’s position is now a lost cause.
12...Nxe5
12...exd5 loses to 13.Bxb6 axb6 14.cxd5 since 14...Nxe5 is clearly impossible. [14...Bc5+ 15.Kh1
Nb4 16.e6 Qe8 17.Nd4 Bg6 18.Ndb5+– If 18...c6 19.Qa4+–] 15.Nxe5 fxe5 16.Rxf5 Qxf5
17.Bg4+–
13.Nxe5 fxe5 14.a4! a5
The d5-pawn was taboo due to the aforementioned tactic.
15.Nb5 Bb4 16.d6!
87
And again, the d-pawn cannot be taken!
16...Na8
A humiliating move to make.

A) 16...cxd6 17.Bxb6+–
B) 16...Bxd6 17.c5+–
17.c5 Kb8 18.Bf3
White calmly improves his position, safe in the knowledge that he is at least a knight up (not to
mention the structural advantage).
18...c6 19.Na3 e4 20.Be2 b6 21.cxb6 Qxd6
88
Position after: 21...Qxd6
22.Qxd6+!?
White pushes the above point to its limits. Even after mass simplifications, White will essentially
remain a piece up.
It is more or less a matter of style, but many players would prefer to maintain the advantages in a
middlegame with 22.Qb3+–
22...Rxd6 23.Rad1 Rhd8
23...Rxd1 24.Rxd1 e5 25.Nc2 Be7 26.b4! axb4 27.Bc4 Rd8 28.Rxd8+ Bxd8 29.a5+–
89
Position after: 29.a5+–
Although I fall into the category of players who’d prefer to maintain the attack, it’s impossible not
to have an aesthetic appreciation for the more technical approach. White is two pawns down on
paper, but in reality, he has more valuable pawns, more valuable bishops and an extra knight –
remarkable!
24.Rxd6 Rxd6 25.g4
Position after: 25.g4
25...Bd2
25...Bg6 26.Rf8+ Kb7 27.Ba6+ Kxa6 28.Rxa8+ Kb7 29.Ra7+ Kc8 30.Rc7+ Kb8 31.Nc4 Rd1+
32.Kg2+–
26.Bf2! Kb7
26...Bg6 27.Bg3+–
27.Nc4 Rd5 28.gxf5 exf5 29.Rd1 Bb4 30.Be3 g6 31.Kf2 Rxd1 32.Bxd1 c5 33.Bb3 Nxb6
34.Nxb6 Kxb6 35.Bg8
90
Position after: 35.Bg8
Black managed to exchange his dud knight but left his kingside pawns defenseless in the
meantime. A highly instructive win from Kotronias.
1-0
B) 9...Bg4
1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.c4 Nb6 5.f4 dxe5 6.fxe5 Nc6 7.Be3 Bf5 8.Nc3 e6 9.Nf3 Bg4
Position after: 9...Bg4
91
The second most popular move in this position, but not necessarily a good one.
10.Be2 Bxf3
10...Qd7 11.0-0 Be7 [11...Rd8 12.c5!? see 9...Qd7 10.Be2 Rd8] 12.h3 Bxf3 13.Rxf3 Rd8 14.c5
Nd5 15.Bf2±
11.gxf3 Qh4+ 12.Bf2
12...Qf4
12...Qh6 13.c5 Nd7 14.0-0

A) 14...f6 15.f4 0-0-0 16.Bf3! is dangerous for Black.
92
For example 16...Qxf4 17.Bxc6 bxc6 18.Bg3 Qe3+ 19.Kh1 Nxc5 [19...Nxe5 20.Qa4+–] 20.Bf2
Qh3 21.Qe2 Nb7 22.Ne4±
B) 14...0-0-0 15.Qa4
Position after: 15.Qa4
15...f6 [15...Be7 16.Kh1 Bg5 17.Rad1 Bf4 18.Bg1+– followed by b4.] 16.b4! [16.Bb5?! Ndb8
isn’t the same here, since the queen on h6 indirectly protects the e6-pawn.] 16...fxe5 17.dxe5
with a crushing attack, for instance, 17...Be7 18.Ne4 Kb8 19.b5 Ncxe5 20.Rac1 with the simple
plan of Rc3-a3.
93
13.c5
Position after: 13.c5
13...Nd7
Against both this line and 13...Nd5, players and annotators alike have been happy with the ending
arising after 14.Qd2. Instead, I have found that White is almost winning in the middlegame, so
why not go for mate?!
13...Nd5 14.Nxd5 exd5 15.0-0±
14.0-0!
94
Position after: 14.0-0!
Only found 3 times in the databases.
14...0-0-0
14...Be7 15.d5! Exploiting the position of Black’s uncastled king by opening the centre.
15...Ncxe5 16.Bg3 Qe3+ 17.Kh1
Position after: 17.Kh1
17...Qxc5 [17...h5 18.Qa4+–; Black would trap their own queen if they were to choose 17...Nxc5
(or 17...Bxc5) 18.f4!+–] 18.Rc1 This is decisive. The threat is Nc3-b5, therefore Black should play
18...0-0 but then the d7-knight is targeted. [Black cannot afford to move the queen again as their
king would come right under fire. 18...Qe3 19.f4 Ng6 20.dxe6 fxe6 21.Bf2 Qxf4 22.Bg3+–] 19.f4
Ng6 20.dxe6 and wins.
15.Qa4 f6
95
Position after: 15...f6
The only way to create counterplay. Now on high depth, Stockfish maintains that White is winning
after
16.Bb5 Ndb8
A sad necessity.
17.Bc4! Nxd4
Also losing is 17...Qf5 18.b4! when White’s attack is too strong.
Position after: 18.b4!
96
18...fxe5 19.Rad1! Preparing d4-d5. 19...exd4 20.Rfe1 e5 [20...Qg6+ 21.Kh1 dxc3 22.Bxe6+ Nd7
23.Rxd7! Rxd7 24.b5+–; 20...Ne5 21.Rxe5! Qxe5 22.Nb5 wins. For instance, 22...Rd7 23.Nxa7+
Kd8 24.Nb5.] 21.Ne4 The situation in the centre has been clarified, and White can begin attacking
on the queenside again.
21...a6 [21...Qxf3 22.b5 Qg4+ 23.Bg3 h5 24.bxc6 Nxc6 25.Ba6! Threatening 26.Qxc6. 25...Rh6
26.Nd6+!+–] 22.Rb1! Na7 [22...Rd7 23.b5 axb5 24.Rxb5+–] 23.Qb3+– White has time for the
“slow” attack, a2-a4 and b4-b5.
Position after: 17...Nxd4
18.Bxd4 Qxd4+ 19.Kh1 Bxc5
97
White loses the pawn centre but maintains the pressure:
20.Bxe6+ Nd7 21.Rad1 Qxa4 22.Nxa4 Be7 23.exf6 gxf6
23...Bxf6 24.Nc5+–
24.Rg1+–
Position after: 24.Rg1+–
The rook invasion into g7 cannot be prevented without a significant loss of material.
C1) 9...Be7 (various)
1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.c4 Nb6 5.f4 dxe5 6.fxe5 Nc6 7.Be3 Bf5 8.Nc3 e6 9.Nf3 Be7
98
The main move. It is seen more than twice as many times as 9...Bg4.
10.Be2
A) 10.Bd3?! Nb4! [10...Bg4!?„] 11.Bxf5 Nxc4! is a little trick to watch out for! 12.Bc1 exf5
B) 10.d5 was considered by Rendle to be the best move in 2013, however this is not so according
to modern engines. 10...exd5 11.cxd5 Nb4 12.Nd4 Bd7 13.e6 fxe6 14.dxe6 Bc6
10...0-0 11.0-0
99
11...f6
Very logical, though also slightly weakening.

A) 11...Qd7 12.Qd2 Rad8 13.Rad1 Black cannot really do without ...f6.
B) 11...Nb4 12.Rc1 c5
allows White to transform the structure favorably with 13.dxc5! [Also strong is 13.a3 cxd4
14.Nxd4 Nc6 15.Nxf5 exf5 16.c5 Nd7 17.b4±] 13...Nd7 14.a3 Nc6 15.b4 Ndxe5 16.Nxe5 Nxe5
17.Nb5±
C) 11...Bg4 relinquishes control over e4, thus in the event of 12.b3 f6 13.exf6 Bxf6 White has
14.Ne4 Nd7 15.Qd2±
12.exf6 Bxf6 13.Qd2
100
13...Qe7
A) 13...Qe8 is questionable as it allows White to execute a favorable exchange: 14.Bg5! Rd8

[14...Bxg5 15.Qxg5 h6 16.Qe3±] 15.Bxf6 Rxf6 16.h3± White will put the queen on the ideal
square, e3, and centralize all the other pieces.
B) 13...Qd7 14.Rad1 Rad8 15.Bf2!
The e3-square is vacated for the queen. Once the queen arrives there, Ne4 follows, and White
will remain dominant. 15...Bg4 [15...Qe7 16.Qe3!± An instructive maneuver. It does not work if
101
Black has already doubled rooks along the d-file since the d4-pawn would be an immediate
target.] 16.Ne4 Bxf3 17.Nxf6+ Rxf6 18.Bxf3±
Position after: 18.Bxf3±
The pawn on c4 cannot be taken, as 19.Qc3 followed by 20.Bh4 will be decisive. Black’s best
chance is to sacrifice the exchange on f3, and at least weaken White’s structure, although this is
insufficient.
14.Rad1 Rad8
Position after: 14...Rad8
15.Kh1!?
102
The natural inclination was to remove the queen from the d8-rook’s firing line with 15.Qc1.
Practice has shown, however, that Black has enough counterplay there.
With 15.Kh1!? White avoids those tricky ...e5 followed by ...Nd4 ideas and improves the position
incrementally. Invariably, White’s next move will be h3 – a useful prophylaxis against ...g5-g4, as
well as ...Bg4. It should be noted that all the lines arising after this position are very similar,
making it difficult to remember things ‘move-by-move’. I suggest paying attention to the different
themes that crop up.
A) 15.Qc1 e5! 16.d5 Nd4 17.Nxd4 exd4 18.Bxd4 Bg5 19.Qa1 Na4 20.Bf3 Be3+ 21.Bxe3 Qxe3+
22.Kh1 Nxc3 23.bxc3 b6∞ Perunovic, M – Berkes, F Subotica 2019.
B) 15.Bf2!? is a good idea in principle. As above, White wants to play Qe3 and Ne4. On the
other hand, the move does allow the ambitious
Position after: 15.Bf2!?
B1) 15...g5! 16.d5 Ne5 17.Nxe5 Bxe5 when White appears to have a slight advantage still, but
the game looks quite unclear for the human eye: 18.Bg3! Bxg3 19.hxg3 exd5 20.Nxd5 Nxd5
21.cxd5
B2) 15...Kh8 16.h3 [16.Qe3?! Bg4= Abdulla, M – Baburin, A Dublin 2020] 16...e5 [16...h6
17.Qe3±] 17.d5
103
17...Nd4 [17...e4 18.Nd4 Nxd4 19.Bxd4] 18.Nxd4 exd4 19.Bxd4 Bg5 20.Qe1 c5 21.Bf2 Bc2
22.Ra1 and White holds onto the extra pawn.
Position after: 15.Kh1!?
15...h6
Black is recommended to include this prophylactic move at some point in the next few moves.
A) 15...e5? no longer works in view of 16.d5 Nd4 17.Nxd4 exd4 18.Bxd4 Bg5 19.Qe1
B) 15...Bg4? 16.Ne4 Bxf3 17.Nxf6+ Rxf6 18.gxf3! gives White a large advantage.
104
Position after: 18.gxf3!
The broken pawn structure is no problem as the g-file can be used as an attacking front, and the
king remains safe in the corner.
C) 15...Kh8 16.h3
C1) 16...Rd7?? is very careless: 17.g4 Bg6 18.c5! [18.g5?! Bxd4! 19.Bxd4 e5 and White does
not win the piece.] 18...Nc8 [18...Nd5 19.g5+–] 19.Bb5
105
Position after: 19.Bb5
After some preparatory moves, White now threatens to win a piece with g5. 19...h6 [19...Qe8
20.Bxc6 bxc6 21.g5 Be7 22.Ne5+–] 20.h4! and the unstoppable threat of g4-g5 renders the
position hopeless for Black.
C2) 16...Bg6 17.Qc1 Rd7
Position after: 17...Rd7
appears logical, but the omission of ...h6 allows 18.Bg5! Bxg5 19.Qxg5± In general, this is a
favorable trade as it nullifies the pressure against d4 and weakens Black’s dark squares.
16.h3
106
16.Qc1 first is possible as well. Note that 16...e5? no longer works, as several ideas relating to
...Bg5-e3+ don’t exist anymore: 17.d5 Nd4 18.Nxd4 exd4 19.Bxd4 Bg5 20.Qa1 c5 [20...Na4
21.Rde1+– if the king were on g1 here, 21...Be3+ would equalize.] 21.Bg1!
16...g5!?
A) 16...Rd7 17.Qc1 see 15...Rd7.

B) 16...Kh8 17.Bg1 Rd7 18.Qc1 see 15...Rd7.
C) The tactics favor White after 16...Nb4 17.a3 Nc2 18.Bg1 c5 [18...e5 19.d5] 19.d5. For
instance:
107
C1) 19...exd5 20.Nxd5 Nxd5 21.cxd5 followed by Bc4 is strong for White. Note that 21...Bxb2
runs into 22.d6 Qe6 [The queen was forced to protect against Bc4+ 22...Qd7 23.Bc4+ Kh8
24.Bb3+–] 23.Nh4! Bh7 [23...Nd4 24.Rde1!+–] 24.Bg4 Qc4 25.Rxf8+ Kxf8 26.d7+–
C2) 19...Bxc3 20.d6!±
17.d5!
It’s also possible to play quietly with 17.b3.
17...exd5 18.cxd5
18...Ne5
A) 18...Bxc3? 19.Qxc3 Nxd5 20.Bc4 Be6 21.Bxd5 Rxd5 22.Rxd5 Bxd5 23.Bc5+–
B) 18...Bg6 doesn’t change much: 19.Rfe1 Nb4 [19...Bf7 20.Bxb6! axb6 21.Bd3 Ne5 22.Nxe5
Bxe5 23.Qe2 Rfe8 24.Bb5±] 20.Bf1 N4xd5 21.Nxd5 Nxd5 22.Bc4 Bf7 23.Bd4 Qd6 24.Ne5 etc.
C) 18...Nb4 19.Nd4 and if 19...Bxd4 20.Bxd4 N4xd5 21.Nxd5 Nxd5 22.Bc4 Black’s king is
seriously vulnerable.
19.Nd4
The bishop is now forced to abandon the h7-b1 diagonal as otherwise, Nd4-e6 would come.
19...Bc8 20.Qc2
108
Position after: 20.Qc2
And it’s already clear that Black’s king and light-squares are too exposed.
20...Bg7?
It is reasonable to ask why 20...Nxd5 doesn’t just win a pawn. White has a really strong reply in
21.Nxd5 Rxd5 22.Nf3! Rxd1 23.Bxd1!± [23.Rxd1 b6∞]
Position after: 23.Bxd1!±
It is best to keep the rook on the f-file. Now White threatens a couple of things, namely Be3-c5
and Nxe5 followed by a queen invasion into g6.
109
21.Rxf8+ Rxf8 22.Qb3 Nec4 23.Bg1+–
C2) 9...Be7 (with 15...Rd7)
1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.c4 Nb6 5.f4 dxe5 6.fxe5 Nc6 7.Be3 Bf5 8.Nc3 e6 9.Nf3 Be7 10.Be2
0-0 11.0-0 f6 12.exf6 Bxf6 13.Qd2 Qe7 14.Rad1 Rad8 15.Kh1!? Rd7 16.h3 h6 17.Qc1
17...Kh8
A) 17...Rfd8 18.d5! practically forces Black to give up an exchange. 18...exd5 19.cxd5
110
A1) 19...Nb4 20.Nd4 Bxd4 21.Bxd4 is not really playable since 21...N4xd5 loses to 22.Rde1!
[22.Rxf5?? Nxc3 23.bxc3 Qxe2=]
Position after: 22.Rde1!
22...Qh4 [22...Qf7 23.Bg4 Ne7 24.Bc5+–] 23.Bf2 Qf6 24.Bxb6 axb6 25.Nxd5 Rxd5 26.Bc4+–
A2) 19...Nxd5 20.Nxd5 Rxd5 21.Rxd5 Rxd5 22.Bc4
B) 17...Qd8 at least vacates a useful square for the c6-knight. Nevertheless 18.d5! is still very
effective. 18...exd5 19.Nxd5
19...Nxd5 [19...Kh8 20.Nxf6 Qxf6 21.b4!±] 20.cxd5 Ne7 21.Bb5 c6 22.dxc6 bxc6 [White can
111
grab a pawn after 22...Nxc6 with 23.Bxa7] 23.Bc4+ Nd5 24.Bb3±
18.Bg1
18...Rfd8
18...a6 is a logical alternative, preventing the Bb5 idea. In turn, I suggest the waiting move 19.a3!?
to prepare for a queenside expansion. Play might continue 19...Rfd8 20.c5 Nd5 21.Rde1! with Bc4
or b4 to follow. In general, the a6-pawn can be used as a hook for the b-pawn.
White has made all the standard improving moves and has reached an optimal position. Black has
prevented the key maneuver Qc1-e3 which prepares Nc3-e4, so what next?
19.c5! Nd5 20.Bb5
Not only does this pose some new structural problems to Black, but it also clears the e-file for
White’s rook (on d1, since the f1-rook is well-placed there) thus, renewing the possibility of the
knight jumping to e4. The engines give
20...Qe8 21.Rde1 Qg6 22.a3²
112
Position after: 22.a3²
White can always continue by taking on c6 and rerouting the dark-squared bishop via h2.
Model game
Byrne, Michael
Bradney, Raymond (1871)
ICCF email 2017
1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.c4 Nb6 5.f4 dxe5 6.fxe5 Nc6 7.Be3 Bf5 8.Nc3 e6 9.Nf3 Be7 10.Be2
0-0 11.0-0 f6 12.exf6 Bxf6 13.Qd2 Qe7 14.Rad1 Rad8 15.Kh1 Rd7 16.h3 h6
113
17.c5
I give 17.Qc1 instead, however, the resulting positions are roughly the same.
17...Nd5 18.Bg1 Qd8 19.Bh2
A useful maneuver.
19...Rdf7
Perhaps 19...a6 makes sense, preventing Bb5.
20.Bb5!
Position after: 20.Bb5!
20...Bg6
Not an easy move to decipher. To me, this indicates that Black is forced to wait around, without
any real plan. 20...a6 21.Ba4 doesn’t particularly help.
21.Qe2 Qe8 22.Rfe1 Re7 23.Ne4
White is guaranteed the bishop pair now.
23...Bh5 24.g4 Bg6 25.Bg3
114
No hurry!
25...Qf7?
25...Ref7 makes more sense but 26.Nc3!? forces the rook back to the defense of e6. 26...Re7
27.Bc4 Qd7 and here 28.h4! is still promising for White. The next move is likely to be Kg2 when
g4-g5 is already a potential plan.
White’s pieces are all in their optimal positions. White now obtains a static advantage, in the form
of the bishop pair.
26.Nxf6+
115
Position after: 26.Nxf6+
26...gxf6
A) 26...Qxf6 loses to 27.Bxc6 bxc6 28.Ne5 Be8 29.Rf1 Qg5 30.Rxf8+ Kxf8 31.h4 Qe3 32.Qxe3
Nxe3 33.Rd3 Nd5 [33...Nc2 34.Rf3+ Kg8 35.h5+– Black is completely paralyzed!
Position after: 35.h5+–
Note that 35...Nxd4 loses to 36.Rd3 Ne2 37.Bh4] 34.Ra3+–

B) 26...Nxf6 27.Bxc6 bxc6 28.Ne5 Be4+ 29.Kh2 Qe8 30.Rf1 Bd5 31.Qd3+–
27.Nh4 Bh7 28.Bc4 Rfe8 29.Qd2
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29...h5
Desperation.
If 29...Qg7 30.Kh2 nullifying ...h5. 30...Kh8 31.Ng2 Nd8 What else? 32.Bxd5 exd5 33.Rxe7 Rxe7
[33...Qxe7 34.Re1 Be4 35.Qxh6++–] 34.Nf4 and wins: 34...c6 35.Nh5 Qg5 36.Qf2+–
30.g5 Kh8
Position after: 30...Kh8
31.Bd6!
Displacing the rook from e7.

The bishop sacrifice was a necessary ingredient of the tactic as after 31.g6 Bxg6 32.Qh6+
[32.Bd6!] 32...Bh7 33.Bxd5 exd5 Black’s defense is intact!
31...cxd6 32.g6 Bxg6 33.cxd6
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33...Bh7
33...Rd7 is the critical move of course. White now wins with 34.Qh6+ Bh7 35.Bxd5 exd5
36.Rxe8+ Qxe8 37.Rg1! Qe4+ 38.Kh2 and Black cannot defend against the threats of both Ng6+
and Qf8+.
34.dxe7 Rxe7 35.Rg1 Re8
Position after: 35...Re8
For a correspondence game, Black takes a while to throw in the towel!
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36.Bxd5 exd5 37.Qh6 Ne7 38.Rc1
38.Rde1 was simplest.
38...Ng8 39.Ng6+ Qxg6 40.Qxg6 Bxg6 41.Rxg6 Kh7 42.Rcg1 Kh8 43.Rg7 Ne7 44.Rf7 Nc6
45.Rxf6 Kh7 46.Rf5 Kh6 47.Rxd5 Re3 48.Rd6+ Kh7 49.d5 Nd4 50.Rc1 Re7 51.Rd1 Nf5
52.Rf6
1-0
119
Part II
Nimzowitsch Defense
Übersicht
1.e4 Nc6
The Nimzowitsch is another Hypermodern Defense, originally designed to meet 2.d4 with either
2...d5 or 2...e5, thereby giving Black the opportunity to dictate the pawn structure.
2.Nf3!
Position after: 2.Nf3!
This is also the move that Kaufman recommends in ‘Kaufman’s New Repertoire for Black and
White’, although he suggests that 2. d4 is objectively strongest. Having analyzed 2.d4 thoroughly
with both Stockfish and Leela, I disagree. After 2...d5! 3.e5 Bf5 the situation is surprisingly
unclear. The most principled setup there is 4.c3 e6 5.f4, however the rare variation 5...f6 6.Nd2 g5!
leads to astounding complications. Instead, the move 2.Nf3 gives Black a choice of either
transposing to the king’s pawn openings with 2...e5! or continuing down the path of Nimzowitsch
theory with the clearly inferior 2...d5 or 2...d6. My findings are that:
1) 2...d5 leads to a dubious Scandinavian. As will be shown in Chapter 2, the knight is
misplaced on c6 as it allows all sorts of Bf1-b5 and Nc3-b5 ideas.
2) In the line 2...d6 3.d4 Nf6 4.Nc3, the main move 4...Bg4 gives White a large advantage
whereas the Pirc hybrid 4...g6 gives White a strong initiative but puts up a much better fight.
Black has a couple of other alternatives to 2...d5 and 2...d6 which are discussed in Chapter 1. The
main one is 2...Nf6 which transposes to a rare variation of the Alekhine’s Defense after 3.e5 Nd5
4.d4 d6 5.c4 Nb6
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Position after: 5...Nb6
Here, it is important to know the positional pawn sacrifice 6.e6! forcing 6...fxe6 as 6...Bxe6 loses
to 7.d5.
General Concepts
Diagram 1.1
In the Scandinavian-style approach 2...d5 3.exd5 Qxd5 the problem square for Black is b5. In
particular, White’s light-squared bishop will often pose an immediate strategic problem to Black’s
knight on c6.
Moreover, if Black ever leaves the c7-pawn vulnerable, Nc3-b5 appears with even greater effect,
121
for instance
4.Nc3 Qh5? 5.Nb5!
and the only way to defend c7 is
5...Kd8
Sop, S – Kaplan, E Kayseri 2010.

Diagram 1.2
Usually, Black keeps his c7-pawn guarded, in which case we turn to the aforementioned positional
122
approach, Bf1-b5:
A) 4...Qd8 5.d4 Nf6 6.Bb5! Bd7 7.0-0 a6
Position after: 7...a6
8.Ba4 (Also logical is 8.Bxc6 Bxc6 9.Ne5) 8...e6 9.Re1 with 10.d5 to follow.
B) Or 4...Qa5 5.Bb5! Bd7 Black cannot allow the pin to persist. 6.0-0 a6 7.Bxc6 Bxc6 8.d4 0-0-0
9.Ne5 Be8 10.Qf3!
Position after: 10.Qf3!
and Black suffers from serious development issues.

Diagram 2
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The second subtype of the Nimzowitsch, 2...d6 leads to slightly more complicated positions.
In the 4...g6 line, we tend to reach positions like Diagram 2. Generally, White does not release the
tension with dxc6, but instead uses the d-pawn to hamper Black’s pieces. White’s attack will
inevitably begin with g2-g4 and they will almost always want to follow-up with g4-g5 and h4-h5.
Of course, it is not trivial to get the pawns rolling as Black’s knight will attempt to blockade the h-
pawn by perching itself on h5. Thus, the move Bf1-e2 turns out to be an important element in the
attack. For instance
10...Qb6 11.Be2
11...a6
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At this point, Black must already be precise.
11...Bb7 12.Bxg7 Kxg7 13.g4 h6 14.h4! cxd5 [14...Nxg4 15.Nd4+–] 15.exd5 Nxg4
Position after: 15...Nxg4
16.Rf1! [16.Nd4?? is the desirable move but it fails to 16...e5!] 16...Nd7 17.Nd4 White has an
almost decisive amount of compensation according to the engines.
12.g4!
Position after: 12.g4!
12...cxd5
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12...b4 is the better move when 13.axb4 Qxb4 Komarica, B – Latypov, M RUS – ROW 2018,
14.Bxg7 Kxg7 15.Ra4 [Leela prefers 15.0-0] 15...Qxb2 16.0-0 gives White good compensation.
13.Bxg7 Kxg7 14.exd5 Nbd7 15.g5 Ne8
Now the knight cannot go to h5 as after 15...Nh5 16.Nd4 Black’s position collapses.
16.h4±
Position after: 16.h4±
Diagram 3
The main line 4...Bg4 is, in my view, questionable.
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4...Bg4 5.Be3 e6
On 5...e5 (and 4...e5) I recommend transposing to the Spanish Steinitz Defense with 6.Bb5 which
is well-known to give White a positional advantage.
6.h3
It is important to note that the pressure against the f3-knight is no more than illusory and that
6...Bxf3 is Black’s best option.
After the most popular move
6...Bh5?
White wins with
7.d5! exd5 8.exd5
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Position after: 8.exd5
8...Ne5
8...Bxf3 9.Qxf3 Ne5 10.Qe2 This position is already winning. Regardless of Black’s setup here,
White’s kingside pawns are far too menacing. Bohak, J – Mamonovas, V W-ch35 email 2011.
9.g4 Bg6
9...Nxf3+ 10.Qxf3 Bg6 11.0-0-0+–
10.g5!
10.Nd2 is also convincing.
128
10...Nxf3+
A) 10...Bh5 11.Be2 Nxf3+ 12.Bxf3 Bxf3 13.Qxf3 Ng8 Detko, J – Novak, I Slovakia 2012 14.0-
0-0+–
B) 10...Nfd7 11.Nd4 c5 12.dxc6 bxc6 13.h4+–
11.Qxf3 Bh5 12.Qg2
Or 12.Qg3
12...Nd7 13.f4
13...Be7
A) 13...Qe7 14.Kd2+–
B) After 13...f6 simplest is 14.Kd2!+– ‘manually castling’.
14.Ne2+–
The transfer of the knight to g3 is lethal. Bykov, E – Gavrijski, D ICCF email 2010.
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Chapter 1
2nd Move Alternatives
1.e4 Nc6 2.Nf3
Chapter Guide
Chapter 1 – 2nd Move Alternatives
1.e4 Nc6 2.Nf3

A) Various
B) 2...Nf6
A) Various
1.e4 Nc6 2.Nf3
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2...g6
A) The so-called Colorado Gambit 2...f5?! 3.exf5 d5 is strategically incorrect. Instead of hanging
onto the pawn, White should proceed with 4.Bb5 Bxf5 5.Ne5
5...Bd7 [5...Qd6 does not help. 6.d4 Nf6 7.0-0 Nd7 8.Bf4 etc.] 6.Bxc6 Bxc6 7.d4 Nf6 8.Nc3 e6
9.Qe2 leaving Black with a fragile structure.
B) 2...e6 3.d4 d5 4.e5 is a dubious French position. 4...f6 5.Bb5
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5...Bd7 [5...a6 6.Bxc6+ bxc6 7.0-0±] 6.0-0 a6 7.Bd3 fxe5 8.dxe5±
3.d4 Bg7 4.Nc3 d6
4...d5? 5.exd5 Nb4 6.Bb5+ Bd7 7.Qe2
Position after: 7.Qe2
A) The most prosaic response to 7...Nxd5 8.Nxd5 c6 is 9.0-0 cxd5 [9...cxb5 10.Bf4+–] 10.Ne5
Nf6 11.Re1 and on 11...a6 there is 12.Nxd7
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A1) 12...Nxd7? 13.Bg5! f6 14.Bf4! sets up the nasty threat of Bf4-c7. 14...e5 [14...axb5
15.Bc7!] 15.dxe5 fxe5 16.Bxe5+–
A2) 12...axb5 13.Nb6! Ra6 14.Qxb5+ Kf8 15.Na4
B) 7...a6 8.Bc4 Bf5 9.Bb3 Nf6 10.Nh4! Nbxd5 11.Nxd5 Nxd5 12.Nxf5 gxf5 13.0-0 e6 14.Rd1±
5.Be3
A) Now Black’s best move is 5...Nf6 which transposes to variation B.
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B) Otherwise, both 5...Bg4 6.Bb5 a6 7.Bxc6+ bxc6 8.h3 Bxf3 9.Qxf3 Rb8 10.0-0-0± Alekseev, E
– Onischuk, V Kazan 2013; and
C) 5...e5?! 6.dxe5! give White a clear advantage.
Position after: 6.dxe5!
C1) 6...dxe5 7.Qxd8+

C1.1) 7...Nxd8?! 8.Nd5 Ne6 9.Ng5! and wins.
C1.2) 7...Kxd8 8.Bc4±
C2) 6...Nxe5 7.Nxe5 Bxe5 [7...dxe5 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 9.0-0-0+ Bd7 10.Bc4+–] 8.Qd2 Be6 9.0-0-
0 Ne7 10.f4 Bg7 Vastrukhin, O – Mamedov, E Sochi 2019, 11.h3+–
B) 2...Nf6
1.e4 Nc6 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.e5
134
Position after: 3.e5
3...Nd5
3...Ng4?! 4.d4 d6 5.h3 Nh6 6.Nc3
A) 6...e6 7.exd6 Bxd6 [7...cxd6 8.d5 exd5 9.Nxd5 is also hopeless.] 8.Bg5 is decisive: 8...Be7
9.Bxh6 gxh6 10.Bb5
B) 6...a6 7.g4 e6 8.Qe2± gives White an optimal attacking position.
4.d4 d6
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Position after: 4...d6
We’ve now transposed to a sideline of the Alekhine Defense, 1.e4 1...Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.Nf3
Nc6. True, I recommend the Four Pawns Attack against the Alekhine; however, 4...Nc6 is
considered to be risky in light of the positional pawn sacrifice
5.c4 Nb6 6.e6! fxe6
6...Bxe6?? of course loses to 7.d5
7.Nc3
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7...g6
The immediate 7...e5 is inferior: 8.d5 Nd4 9.Nxd4 exd4 10.Qxd4 e5 11.Qe4 g6 12.Bd3 Bg7
13.Qe2±
Kuhne, D – Zanolin, H corr WS/Master class 2012.
8.h4 Bg7 9.Be3
9...e5
137
9...0-0 10.h5 e5 11.d5 Nd4 12.Nxd4 exd4 13.Bxd4 transposes to 9...e5 after 13...Bxd4 14.Qxd4 e5
while other options are questionable, for example 13...g5? 14.Bxg7 Kxg7 15.h6+ Kg8 16.Rh5! e5
17.Qd2
17...g4 [17...Bf5 18.Rxg5+ Bg6 Sacerdotali, S – Stilman, E LSS email 2009, 19.c5 dxc5 20.0-0-
0+–] 18.Qg5+ Qxg5 19.Rxg5+ Kh8 20.Rg7 Ponomariov, R – Ivanchuk, V Moscow 2002.
10.d5 Nd4 11.Nxd4 exd4 12.Bxd4 Bxd4 13.Qxd4 e5
Position after: 13...e5
14.dxe6
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For those of you who prefer direct attacking chess, it’s worth considering 14.Qe3!?.
14...0-0 15.h5 Qf6 16.0-0-0
Position after: 16.0-0-0
16...Bxe6
A) 16...Qxf2?? 17.e7
B) It makes little sense to improve the position of White’s rook voluntarily with 16...Qxd4?
17.Rxd4
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B1) 17...Rxf2? 18.c5! dxc5 19.Rd8+ Rf8 [19...Kg7 20.h6+ Kf6 21.Rf8+] 20.e7+–
B2) 17...Bxe6 18.hxg6 hxg6 [18...Rxf2 19.Ne4 Rf5 20.gxh7+ Kh8 21.Bd3 Rf4 22.b3+–]
especially as White has 19.Rdh4! Kg7 20.Rh7+ Kf6 21.Rxc7+–
17.f3 Rae8 18.Qxf6 Rxf6
Position after: 18...Rxf6
19.b3
A good moment for some pause. White has a better pawn structure and more mobile pieces; they
have pressure along the h-file which they can always trade in for h6 (to fix Black’s pawns on light-
squares). The engines give White an advantage here, but the more important consideration is that
Black is forced to suffer in defense.
19.Rd4 Kg7 20.hxg6 hxg6 21.Rdh4 looks quite promising although Black seems to hold on with
21...Bg8 22.Bd3 Re5! followed by ...d5. Gonzalez Vidal, Y – Narciso Dublan, M Montcada 2011.
19...Kg7
On 19...Bf5 20.hxg6 hxg6 [Or 20...Bxg6 21.Rd4 followed by Kd2 and Bd3.] 21.Rd4! is now more
effective as the f5-bishop is precluded from the defense of the h-file.
140
Position after: 21.Rd4!
At this point, Black cannot hope to be active with 21...Re1+?! as 22.Kd2 Ra1 23.Rdh4 is decisive.
20.Re1!?
Position after: 20.Re1!?
20...Rf7!
Preempting White’s plan of Nc3-e4-g5.

20...Bf7 21.Rxe8 Bxe8 22.h6+ Kf8 23.Bd3±
141
21.Bd3 Rfe7 22.h6+ Kf8 23.Re3±
White is happy to exchange a pair of rooks as the plan Ne4-g5 only increases in strength in that
case. Meanwhile, if Black maintains the impasse along the e-file, White will gradually improve the
position (starting with the moves Kc1-d2 and g2-g4). Note that the natural
23...d5??
loses to
24.cxd5
Or even 24.Bxg6! hxg6 25.h7 Kg7 26.cxd5+–
24...Bxd5 25.Rxe7 Rxe7 26.Bxg6!+–
Model game
Gonzalez Vidal, Yuri (2504)

Narciso Dublan, Marc (2532)
Montcada 2011
1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.Nf3 Nc6
142
This is the usual move-order for the position we reach in the line 1.e4 1...Nc6 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.e5 Nd5
4.d4.
Now take note of the misplaced knight on c6. It immediately gives White the possibility of a
strong positional pawn sacrifice:
5.c4 Nb6 6.e6! fxe6
6...Bxe6?? fails to 7.d5
7.Nc3 g6
The only sensible way to develop the dark-squared bishop.
143
8.h4!
Of course, now that Black has weakened his kingside, we should undermine it at the first
opportunity.
8...Bg7 9.Be3
Black hopes for 9.h5 e5 10.d5 Nd4.
9...0-0 10.h5 e5 11.d5 Nd4
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Black is forced to return the pawn.
12.Nxd4 exd4 13.Bxd4 Bxd4 14.Qxd4 e5 15.dxe6 Qf6 16.0-0-0
The nature of the position has now changed. No longer are we focused on a mating attack, instead
transitioning into a favorable ending.
16...Bxe6
16...Qxf2?? 17.e7+–
Position after: 16...Bxe6
17.hxg6
In my view, this is inaccurate.

I recommend the immediate 17.f3 to maintain flexibility. Indeed in some cases, it makes sense to
fix the h7-pawn with h5-h6. The line continues 17...Rae8 18.Qxf6 Rxf6 19.b3 when Black is
subjected to an unpleasant defense.
17...hxg6 18.f3 Rae8 19.Qxf6 Rxf6 20.Rd4 Kg7
145
Position after: 20...Kg7
21.Rdh4
Again, it was better to play 21.b3.
21...Bg8 22.Bd3 Re5!
It was necessary that Black find counterplay. Now ...d5 is coming and it cannot really be prevented
so objectively, Black has equalized.
23.Kd2
23.Kb1 is offered by the computer but it doesn’t prevent 23...d5. For instance 24.cxd5 Nxd5
25.Nxd5 Rxd5 26.Bc4 Rc5 27.Bxg8 Kxg8 28.Rh8+ Kf7 29.R1h7+ Ke6=
146
Position after: 29...Ke6=
23...d5 24.f4
24...Rh5?!
Narciso Dublan must have been worried that 24...Re7! 25.cxd5 Rd6 would fail to 26.Rg4! Nxd5
27.f5. However, Black does in fact equalize after 27...Nxc3 28.bxc3 Red7 29.Rxg6+ Rxg6 30.fxg6
Rd6! threatening to liquidate with ...Bc4. Now wherever the white king goes, Black will find
counterplay. [The immediate 30...Bc4?? would have lost to 31.Rh7+.]
147
Position after: 30...Rd6!
31.Kc2 [31.Ke3 Rc6! 32.Rc1 Bxa2=] 31...Rf6!= Even this line shows that Black’s defensive task
is far from trivial. It is difficult, in a practical game, to give White’s further advanced g-pawn an
‘indefinite leave to remain’ on g6.
25.Rxh5 gxh5 26.Rxh5 Nxc4+ 27.Bxc4 dxc4 28.Rg5+ Kf8 29.Ke3
Position after: 29.Ke3
It is possible Black has saving chances in this ending, but from a human standpoint, I would be
pessimistic about my chances.
148
29...Rd6
Natural, but probably an error.

29...Re6+ 30.Kf3 c6 31.g4 b5! is offered by the engine.
Position after: 31...b5!
30.Rf5+ Kg7 31.Rg5+ Kf8 32.Rf5+ Kg7 33.Re5 Kf8 34.f5
34...a6?
Apparently, Black can still fight with 34...Rd3+ 35.Ke2 [Importantly, 35.Kf4 isn’t so effective
149
here in view of 35...Rd2 36.Re2 Rxe2 37.Nxe2 b5]
Position after: 35.Ke2
35...c6! [35...a6? 36.Ne4 b5 37.g4+–; 35...Bf7?! 36.Ne4 Bh5+ 37.Kf2±] and now if 36.Ne4 there
is 36...Rd5 [Or 36...Bd5] 37.Rxd5 cxd5
35.g4
35...Rb6
A good practical try.
150
35...b5 36.Ne4 Rd3+ 37.Kf4+–
36.Na4?!
36.g5! Rxb2 37.g6 was decisive.
36...Rb4 37.Nc5 c3
37...Rxb2?? 38.Nd7+ Kf7 39.f6 Kg6 40.Re7 Bf7 41.g5!+–
38.Nd7+
Position after: 38.Nd7+
38...Kg7??
A losing mistake.
Black probably could have held with 38...Kf7 39.bxc3 Rxg4 40.f6 Kg6 41.Re7
151
and now the cold-blooded 41...Bxa2! [But not 41...Bf7?? 42.Rxf7 Kxf7 43.Ne5++–] 42.Rg7+ Kf5
43.f7 Bxf7 44.Rxf7+ Ke6 45.Rh7 Kd6
39.Re7+ Kh8 40.bxc3 Rxg4 41.Ne5 Rg7 42.f6+–
Position after: 42.f6+–
White’s pieces dominate their counterparts.
42...Rg2 43.c4 b5 44.Kf3 Rg1 45.Kf2 Rg5 46.f7 Rf5+ 47.Kg3 Kg7
152
And now came the picturesque finale:
48.f8=Q+! Kxf8 49.Ng6#
1-0
153
Chapter 2
2...d5
1.e4 Nc6 2.Nf3 d5
1.e4 Nc6 2.Nf3 d5 3.exd5 Qxd5
In this variation, the problem square for Black is b5. In particular, White’s light-squared bishop
will pose an immediate strategic problem to Black’s knight on c6.
4.Nc3
154
4...Qa5
A) 4...Qd8 5.d4 Nf6 6.Bb5! Bd7 7.0-0 a6 [7...e6 8.Re1 a6 9.Ba4 transposes to 7...a6, although
9.Bd3 is even stronger here.]
8.Ba4 [Also logical is 8.Bxc6 Bxc6 9.Ne5 e6 10.Nxc6 bxc6 11.Re1] 8...e6 9.Re1 Be7 10.d5
Nxd5 11.Nxd5 exd5 12.Qxd5 0-0 13.c3ƒ
B) 4...Qd6 5.d4 Bg4 [5...Nf6 see Part III, Chapter 3] 6.Nb5!
155
B1) 6...Qe6+?! is strongly met by 7.Ne5! Qxe5+ [7...Nxe5 8.Nxc7+ Kd7 9.Nxe6 Bxd1
10.Nxf8+ Rxf8 11.Kxd1+–] 8.dxe5 Bxd1 9.Nxc7+ Kd7 10.Nxa8+–
B2) 6...Qd7 7.Bf4
7...Rc8 [7...0-0-0 attempts to stir things up, but it is more or less a bluff: 8.Bxc7 Bxf3 9.gxf3
Qe6+ 10.Be2 Rd7 11.c4 Nxd4 12.Nxd4 Qf6 13.Bg3 Rxd4 14.Qa4+–] 8.h3 Bxf3 9.Qxf3 Nf6
10.0-0-0 e6 11.d5! exd5 12.Bc4+–
C) 4...Qh5? leaves the c7-pawn in danger: 5.Nb5! forcing the black king to d8. 5...Kd8 6.d4 Bg4
[6...a6 7.Nc3 Bg4 8.Be2 Nf6 9.0-0+– Bensch, P – Suren, P Bad Koenigshofen 2000] 7.Bf4
156
[Alternatively 7.d5 Ne5 8.Be2 also wins: 8...Nf6 9.Nxe5 Qxe5 10.Be3 h5 11.h3 Bxe2 12.Qxe2
a6 13.Nc3+–] Black now has a few ways to sacrifice the c7-pawn, but no effective guard against
d5.
C1) 7...Nf6 8.d5! is crushing. 8...Bxf3 9.Qxf3 Qxf3 10.gxf3 Nb4 11.0-0-0 a6 [11...Na6
12.c4+–] 12.Nxc7 Rc8 13.a3 Nh5 14.Be5+–
C2) 7...Bxf3 8.gxf3 a6 Kosteniuk, A – Boyer, M chess.com 2020, 9.d5!
C3) 7...a6 8.d5! [8.Nxc7? Rc8 9.d5 Bxf3! 10.Qxf3 Qxf3 11.gxf3 Nb8 botches the advantage.]
8...Bxf3 9.gxf3 Ne5 10.Nd4+– Sop, S – Kaplan, E Kayseri 2010
5.Bb5! Bd7 6.0-0
157
6...a6
In the event of 6...0-0-0 7.d4 Nf6 [7...a6 8.Bxc6 Bxc6 9.Ne5 see 6...a6.] White can cement the
bishop into b5 with 8.a4!
Position after: 8.a4!
8...a6 [8...Bg4 9.Bxc6 bxc6 10.h3 Bh5 11.g4 Nxg4 12.hxg4 Bxg4 13.Qd3+– Socko, B – Hernando
Rodrigo, J ICC 2000; 8...e6 9.Ne2 a6 10.Bd2 Qb6 11.c4!+– Carr, T – Reed, A ICCF email 2015]
9.Bd2! Qb6 10.d5 axb5 11.Be3+–
7.Bxc6 Bxc6 8.d4
158
8...0-0-0
A) 8...Qh5? 9.d5! 0-0-0 10.Qd4! see the model game, Felgaer – Vlassov, Moscow 2004.
B) The unnatural 8...f6 is offered as an alternative by my engine (with the clear intention of
stopping Ne5). However, White has a strong stronge response in 9.d5! since 9...0-0-0 10.Qe2
Bxd5
Position after: 10...Bxd5
loses to the ‘typical’ 11.b4! Qxb4 12.Nxd5 Rxd5 13.Qe6+ Rd7 14.Rd1 Qb5 15.Rd3 etc.
C) 8...e6 9.Ne5 Bd6 [9...Nf6 10.Nxc6 bxc6 11.Qf3±] 10.Nxc6 bxc6 11.Qg4
159
Position after: 11.Qg4
11...Ne7 [11...Kf8 12.Qf3 Ne7 13.Ne4± Krupnov, A– Kokorin, V ICCF email 2017] 12.Qxg7
Rg8 13.Qxh7 and Black lacks compensation.
9.Ne5 Be8 10.Qf3!
10.b4!? is just as strong, but I don’t see Black surviving a practical game against the recommended
line.
10...f6
A) 10...Nf6 is most natural but after 11.b4! Qb6 12.Be3 e6 13.Rfb1 Black is busted.
B) 10...Rxd4 11.Nxf7 Bxf7 12.Qxf7 Nf6 13.Qe6+ Kb8 [No less repulsive is 13...Nd7 14.Re1
Qb6 15.Qh3 Qg6 16.Be3 Rc4 17.Rad1 e6 18.Bd4] 14.Be3 Rd6 15.Rad1!+–
Returning to 10...f6, the most clear-cut is
11.d5!
160
cutting the queen off, and hampering the development of Black’s other pieces.
11...fxe5
It is even worse to allow the knight to come to c4. For example 11...e6 12.Nc4 Qc5 13.b3
(Threatening 14.Ba3). 13...b5 14.a4!
14...bxc4 15.Ba3 Qxa3 16.Rxa3 Bxa3 17.dxe6+– Ananskikh, E – Kokorin, V ICCF email 2012.
12.Qxf8 Bg6 13.Qxg7 Nf6 14.Qxe7 Nxd5 15.Qxe5 Rhe8 16.Qg5+–
161
Position after: 16.Qg5+–
Model game
Felgaer, Ruben Alejandro (2554)

Vlassov, Nikolai (2476)
Moscow 2004
1.e4 Nc6 2.Nf3 d5 3.exd5 Qxd5 4.Nc3 Qa5 5.Bb5 Bd7 6.0-0 a6 7.Bxc6 Bxc6 8.d4 Qh5? 9.d5!
9...0-0-0
162
9...Rd8 was probably rejected because of 10.Bf4 Bxd5 11.Bxc7 Rd7 12.Ne5 Qxd1 13.Raxd1 Rxc7
14.Nxd5±
10.Bf4?!
Only enough for a slight pull. 10.Qd4! would have been strong since 10...Nf6 11.Qa7 Nxd5
12.Rd1 e6 13.Nxd5 exd5 14.Bf4 is decisive. Nd4 will follow shortly.
10...Bxd5
10...Nf6! 11.Ne5 Qxd1 12.Raxd1 Be8 was better.
White has the more pleasant position however Black’s bishops will increase in strength as the
game is prolonged.
11.Ne5!?
11.Ng5! would have been very unpleasant as Black is more or less forced to enter a depressing
ending: 11...Nf6 12.Qxh5 Nxh5 13.Nxd5 Rxd5 14.Nxf7 Rg8 15.Be3²
11...Qxd1 12.Rfxd1 Be6 13.Ne4
163
White appears to have a great deal of pressure and Vlassov quickly collapses.
13...Nh6?
With accurate defense, Black could have held with 13...Rxd1+ 14.Rxd1 f6 15.Nc5 Bxa2! 16.b3!
fxe5 17.Ne6 b5 18.Bxe5 Nf6 It is exactly this sort of variation which indicates that Black’s
defensive task is far from intuitive.
14.Rxd8+ Kxd8 15.Nc5±
Position after: 15.Nc5±
164
15...Ke8
15...Kc8 was marginally better although White has a significant advantage either way.
16.Rd1 Nf5
16...Bc8? is still impossible on account of a neat trick 17.Nc6! bxc6 18.Bxc7 f5 19.Rd8+ Kf7
20.Rxc8+–
17.Nxe6 fxe6 18.Rd7
Position after: 18.Rd7
An unenviable situation for Black!
18...Nd6 19.Rxc7 Kd8 20.Rc3 g6 21.Rd3!
White continues to create threats in order not to give Black time to develop his bishop.
21...Ke8?!
Again 21...Kc8 was better. At least here, the queenside pawns won’t drop off so easily.
22.Nf3 Rg8
165
Position after: 22...Rg8
23.Ng5
23.Rb3! was even stronger as 23...b5 24.Ra3! presents yet another problem.
23...Bh6 24.Nxe6 Bxf4 25.Nxf4
Position after: 25.Nxf4
Not only has White obtained a one-pawn lead, but he also has the better structure. The Argentinian
Grandmaster exhibits impeccable technique hereafter.
166
25...Kf7 26.Rh3 h5 27.Rf3 Rc8 28.c3 h4 29.h3 b5 30.Nd3+ Kg7 31.Rf4 Nf5 32.Kf1 Kf6 33.Ke2
g5 34.Rg4 e5 35.Re4 Re8 36.Nc5 Nd6 37.Rg4 e4 38.Nxa6 Kf5 39.Nc5 Rc8 40.Nb3 Kf6 41.Nd2
Kf5 42.f3 exf3+ 43.Nxf3 Re8+ 44.Kd3 Nf7 45.Rb4 Rd8+ 46.Nd4+ Kf4 47.Ke2 Kg3 48.Kf1
Kh2 49.Nf3+ Kh1 50.Rd4 g4 51.hxg4 b4 52.Rxd8
1-0
167
Chapter 3
2...d6
1.e4 Nc6 2.Nf3 d6
Chapter Guide
1.e4 Nc6 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 Nf6 4.Nc3

Einführung
B1) 4...g6 (various)
B2) 4...g6 (with 8...0-0)
C) 4...Bg4
Einführung
1.e4 Nc6 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 Nf6 4.Nc3
168
Black has two main moves here.

A) The most popular is 4...Bg4 covered in variation C. In my view, it is not very sound. I
recommend 5.Be3 (Much stronger than Kaufman’s 5.d5 which only gives a slight advantage after
5...Ne5).
B) 4...g6 transposes into Pirc territory, though I cover it in this chapter (see variation B).
1.e4 Nc6 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 Nf6 4.Nc3
169
4...e5
This move allows White to transpose the game into an Old Steinitz Defense of the Spanish, a
variation which modern theory deems to be somewhat passive.
A) 4...e6!? Paehtz, E – Nabaty, T Douglas 2018 is not as silly as it looks. If White plays 5.Bd3,
the bishop will be restricted by its own pawn on e4 once Black plays ...e5. If 5.Be2, ...d5
followed by ...Ne4 will give Black a fighting game. A strong alternative, therefore, is 5.g3!?
Position after: 5.g3!?
Now if Black plays for ...e5, we’ll transpose to a Glek position where Black has not only lost a
tempo but they have also employed a passive defense. On the other hand, if they play for ...d5,
we enter an improved King’s Indian Attack, in which both the white knights can play a part in
the attack. 5...Be7 6.Bg2 0-0 7.0-0 d5 [Or 7...e5 8.h3 Re8 9.Re1 with a clear advantage.] 8.e5
Ne4 9.Ne2 b6 10.c3 Ba6 11.Re1 Na5 12.h4 c5 13.Nh2ƒ
170
Position after: 13.Nh2ƒ
B) 4...a6 is a semi-useful waiting move. 5.d5 [5.g3 is not so effective here in view of 5...Bg4]
B1) 5...Ne5?! 6.Nxe5 dxe5 7.f4 Qd6 8.Qf3 Nd7 At a time, the late IM Zvonomir Mestrovic was
‘the expert’ in this line, having reached this exact position no less than 10 times!
171
Still, the defense hardly holds out. 9.f5 g6 Miles, A – Mestrovic, Z Bad Woerishofen 1990
[9...Nf6 also fails to 10.g4+– Vratonjic, S – Mestrovic, Z Kladovo 1991] 10.g4! gxf5 11.exf5 b5
12.Be3 Bb7 [12...e4 13.Nxe4 Qb4+ 14.c3 Qxb2 15.Rd1+– and no matter what Black’s queen
does on the queenside, the development issues will persist.] 13.0-0-0+–
B2) 5...Nb8 Once again, White has various options here, but I’m most fond of 6.g3!?
when play might follow 6...g6 [6...e5 7.dxe6 Bxe6 8.Bg2 is very pleasant for White.; 6...c6
7.Bg2 probably won’t lead to an independent line as 7...g6 is Black’s best move.] 7.Bg2 Bg7
8.0-0 0-0 9.Re1
172
9...c6 [Similarly, after 9...e6 10.e5! and Black is forced to suffer in an ending: 10...dxe5
11.Nxe5 exd5 12.Nxd5 Nxd5 13.Qxd5 Qxd5 14.Bxd5 c6 15.Bb3±] 10.e5 Nxd5 11.Nxd5 cxd5
12.Qxd5±
5.Bb5
5...exd4
If 5...Bd7?! 6.Bxc6! Bxc6 7.Qe2! is terribly strong as the e5-pawn cannot be defended
173
comfortably. 7...exd4 [7...Qe7 8.0-0ƒ] 8.Nxd4 Be7 and now White can immediately launch an
attack with 9.g4!? d5 [9...Nd7 10.Be3 Bf6 11.0-0-0‚] 10.e5 Nd7 11.Bf4 0-0 12.0-0-0±
6.Nxd4 Bd7 7.0-0
7...Be7
7...Nxd4?! is a positional mistake as the queen will be incontestable on d4. 8.Bxd7+ Qxd7
[8...Nxd7 9.Qxd4±] 9.Qxd4 Be7 10.Rd1 Qe6 11.Nd5! Bd8 12.Bg5±
8.Nxc6 Bxc6
8...bxc6 9.Bd3 0-0 10.f4 d5 11.e5 Ng4 12.Kh1ƒ and the engines give a large advantage.
9.Bxc6+ bxc6 10.f4 0-0 11.Qf3
174
White has a solid advantage.
11...Nd7 12.b3 Bf6 13.Bb2 Bd4+ 14.Kh1 Re8 15.Rad1 c5 16.Na4 Bxb2 17.Nxb2²
Model game
Cernousek, Lukas (2438)

Hracek, Zbynek (2585)
Ostrava 2019
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 Be7 5.Nc3 d6 6.d4 exd4 7.Nxd4 Bd7
175
Position after: 7...Bd7
8.Nxc6
It is surprising to me that 8.Bxc6 is the more common capture.
8...bxc6
8...Bxc6 is better.
9.Bd3 0-0 10.f4
10...Qb8?
10...Rb8 would have been more natural, although Black eventually runs out of useful moves.
11.Kh1 Re8 12.Qf3±
11.Qf3 Qb4
No more than pseudo-active.
12.Kh1 Rab8 13.Rb1 Qa5
176
Position after: 13...Qa5
14.Bd2
14.Qg3!? might have been better, so as to meet 14...Qh5 with 15.f5! Ne8 (White was threatening
to win the queen with 16.Be2) 16.Qe3 c5 17.Rf3! and Black’s queen remains in trouble.
Position after: 17.Rf3!
14...Qh5 15.Qg3 Qh6
177
Position after: 15...Qh6
Very awkward play.
16.Be2
16.h3 Nh5 17.Qf2±
16...g6
16...Rfe8 17.Rbd1 Qg6 [17...Rxb2?? 18.f5+–] 18.Qd3 Bg4 19.Bxg4 Qxg4 20.b3±
17.b3
178
17...Rfe8?
The more active 17...d5 is initially offered by the engine but it doesn’t seem tenable either after
18.e5 Nh5 19.Qf2 Ng7 20.Bd3± [Or 20.Qxa7±]
18.Rbd1 Qg7 19.h3
19.e5! dxe5 20.fxe5 Nd5 21.Bf3 and Black’s position is at breaking point. If 21...Be6 22.Ne4 wins
easily.
19...Be6
Black should have essayed 19...d5 20.e5 d4!.
20.Qf3
Slightly unnatural.
20.Bf3 d5 21.e5 Nd7 22.Ne2 would have been extremely hard to meet, for instance 22...c5
23.Ba5! Nb6 24.Bxb6 axb6 25.Bxd5+–
20...d5 21.e5 Nd7
179
22.Be3?
Squandering almost all of the advantage!

22.Bd3 f6 23.exf6 Bxf6 [23...Nxf6 24.Ne2±] 24.Na4 is still advantageous.
22...f6! 23.exf6 Bxf6 24.Na4 Bf5?
Shockingly, Black missed the opportunity to change the nature of the game with 24...d4! 25.Bg1
Bd5„
25.Bd3±
180
Position after: 25.Bd3±
25...Bxd3 26.Rxd3
26.cxd3!?
26...Nb6?
Clearly cooperative although the position was uncomfortable all the same.
27.Nc5+– Qe7
Position after: 27...Qe7
28.Bg1
28.f5! is apparently best as 28...d4 29.Na6! dxe3 30.Nxb8 e2 31.Re1 Rxb8 32.Rxe2 wins.
Nevertheless, 28.Bg1 is more reasonable. There isn’t a real need to create an imbalance here.
28...Qe2
Black could still try 28...Nd7 29.Nxd7 Qxd7 but even here, the situation is dire since White can
simply grab the a7-pawn: 30.Bxa7 Ra8 31.Qf2+–
29.f5! Qxf3 30.Rdxf3
181
Position after: 30.Rdxf3
30...gxf5
30...g5 31.a4 a5 32.Ne6+–
31.Rg3+! Kh8 32.Rxf5 Bg7 33.Rf7 Be5 34.Rg5 Rbd8
Position after: 34...Rbd8
Hastening defeat.
35.Rxc7!?
182
35.Nd3+–
35...Bxc7 36.Bd4+ Be5 37.Bxe5+ Rxe5 38.Rxe5 Nd7 39.Nxd7 Rxd7 40.Re8+ Kg7 41.Rc8
and White converted easily.
41...Rd6 42.Rc7+ Kf6 43.Rxh7 Ke5 44.Rxa7 Kd4 45.Re7 c5 46.g4 Kc3 47.Re2 d4 48.g5 c4
49.bxc4 Ra6 50.Rg2
1-0
B1) 4...g6 (various)
1.e4 Nc6 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 Nf6 4.Nc3 g6
183
Slightly less popular than 4...Bg4 but in my opinion, more critical. It can also arise from the Pirc
Defense: 1.e4 1...d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Nf3 Nc6.
5.Be3 Bg7 6.d5
The best way to exploit Black’s early knight move.
6...Nb8
6...Ne5 7.Nxe5 dxe5 8.Qd2 0-0 9.f3 Bd7 10.0-0-0±
7.Qd2 c6
7...c5 8.h3 0-0 9.Bc4 Na6 10.0-0 Nc7 11.a4± Emms, J – Mortazavi, A London 1990
8.h3
184
This move prevents ideas like ...Ng4 and ...Bg4, while it also prepares an attack with g2-g4.
8...Qa5
A) 8...b5? Nemcova, K – Olafsson, F Marianske Lazne 2008 Most likely, Olafsson’s

unrestrained opening play confused his opponent. 9.dxc6! would have been strong. White was
probably concerned about 9...b4 10.Bb5!
A1) 10...0-0?! is not so tenacious: 11.Nd5 Nxd5 [11...Nxe4? 12.Qxb4+–] 12.exd5 Bxb2 13.0-
0!+– and Bd4 will follow.
185
A2) 10...Qa5! but after 11.Nd5! Nxd5 [11...Nxe4 12.Qd3+–; 11...Qxb5?? 12.Nc7++–] 12.Qxd5
0-0 13.c7! the tactics favor White.
Position after: 13.c7!
A2.1) 13...Na6 14.Bc6!+– [14.Qxa8?? Nxc7∞]

A2.2) 13...Bxb2 14.Rb1 b3+ [According to the engine, other moves are losing. 14...Bc3+
15.Bd2 Na6 16.Bc6!+–] 15.Bd2 bxa2 16.0-0! axb1=Q 17.Bxa5± White will regain the rook on
a8 and maintain the pawn on c7.
Position after: 17.Bxa5±
B) 8...Nbd7 Hovhannisyan, R – Gelashvili, T Gyumri 2009, 9.Bh6! Bxh6 10.Qxh6
186
Position after: 10.Qxh6
B1) 10...a6 11.dxc6 bxc6 12.Bc4+–

B2) 10...cxd5?! 11.exd5 tends to help White more than Black since the Black king is exposed
along the e-file. 11...a6 12.Bd3 b5 13.0-0 Bb7 14.Rfe1+–
B3) 10...Qa5 11.0-0-0 and White will probably centralize the f3-knight next. Note that 11...Nc5
12.e5! is an issue for Black as 12...Nxd5 is met by 13.Rxd5! cxd5 14.exd6
B3.1) 14...Bd7 15.dxe7+–

B3.2) 14...exd6 15.Bb5+ Bd7 16.Re1+ Ne6 17.Qg7! 0-0-0 [17...Rf8 18.Rxe6++–]
187
18.Bxd7++–
B3.3) 14...Ne6 15.Bb5+ Bd7 16.Bxd7+ Kxd7 17.Ne5+ Ke8 18.d7+ [18.Re1! appears to be
even stronger, but less humanly.] 18...Kd8 19.Nxf7+ Kxd7 20.Nxh8 Rxh8 21.Rd1±
B4) The Armenian youngster probably didn’t like his prospects after 10...Qb6 likely
overlooking that 11.0-0-0! Qxf2 12.Bd3 is crushing.
9.a3
Pre-empting ...b5-b4 which will generally be answered with Nc3-a2.
9...0-0
9...b5 is very tempting. However, it leads to an uncomfortable ending for Black. 10.dxc6! b4
11.Na2! Nxe4 [11...Nxc6? 12.axb4 Qc7 13.Bd3+–] 12.Qxb4 Qxb4+ 13.axb4 Nxc6 14.Bd3 f5
15.b5 Nb8 16.c3 Bb7 17.Nd2! removing Black’s best piece.
188
A) 17...Nxd2 18.Kxd2 Bxg2 19.Rhg1

A1) 19...Bxh3? 20.Rg3 f4 [20...Bg4 21.Rxg4! fxg4 22.Be4 is an essential tactical point.]
21.Bxf4+–
A2) 19...Bb7 20.Nb4!± Rather than taking on f5 (20.Bxf5) (which would merely lead to an
exchange of pawns after 20...Bxc3+), White immediately increases the pressure on the
queenside. Next, they will double the rooks along the a-file.
B) 17...a5 18.f3 Ng3 19.Rg1 Nd7 20.Nc1 0-0 21.Ne2ƒ
10.Bh6! b5
10...Bxh6 11.Qxh6 Nxe4?? 12.b4+– and the point of White’s 9th move is revealed.
11.Bxg7 Kxg7
189
Position after: 11...Kxg7
12.dxc6 b4
12...Nxc6 13.Bxb5 Nxe4?? 14.Qe3 Nxc3 15.Bxc6+– The c3-knight has no good discoveries.
13.Na2! Qb6
13...Nxe4?? 14.Qd4+ Nf6 15.axb4 and wins.
14.Qxb4 Qxc6 15.Nc3±
Position after: 15.Nc3±
190
B2) 4...g6 (with 8...0-0)
1.e4 Nc6 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 Nf6 4.Nc3 g6 5.Be3 Bg7 6.d5 Nb8 7.Qd2 c6 8.h3 0-0 9.Bh6
Position after: 9.Bh6
9...b5
A) 9...Bxh6?? 10.Qxh6 Qb6 11.0-0-0 Qxf2 12.Bd3 Nbd7 13.Rdf1 Qc5 14.Ng5+– Liang, A –
Sharafiev, A chess.com 2018.
B) 9...cxd5 10.exd5 e5 11.dxe6 fxe6
191
is a good transformation of the pawn-structure for White. Both Black’s central pawns are now
targets and their kingside is even more vulnerable. 12.Bxg7 Kxg7 13.0-0-0 d5 14.h4!?±
C) 9...Nbd7 Lyngsjo, H – Reid, G Vaxjo 2018, 10.0-0-0 Nc5 11.Bxg7 Kxg7 12.Qd4 Qb6 13.g4
h6 14.Rg1‚ White is ready to push h4.
10.a3
10...Qb6
10...a6 11.Bxg7 Kxg7 12.g4 cxd5 [12...h6 should not end well generally. 13.Rg1 Qb6 14.g5 hxg5
15.0-0-0±; 12...c5 13.Be2 is also difficult for Black. My engines give 13...Kh8 hinting at ...b4 but
14.g5 Nh5 15.Nh2 Ng7 16.h4 Nd7 17.h5 gxh5 18.f4 is more than uncomfortable for Black.]
13.exd5 Bb7 14.0-0-0 and White should be quite a lot faster in their attack.
192
A) Black cannot really play 14...Nbd7 in view of 15.g5 Nh5 16.Be2+–.

B) 14...e6 15.Bg2! and on 15...Nxd5 16.Nd4 is powerful.
C) The engine’s top line is 14...e5 15.h4! h5 16.gxh5 Nxh5 17.Ne4 Nf4 18.h5 and White
probably has a decisive advantage already.
The point is that 18...Bxd5 19.Rh4! Bxe4 20.Rxf4!+– is over-whelming.
11.Be2
193
Covertly aggressive.
The bishop is generally useful on this square for the advancement of the kingside pawns. For
instance, it obviously supports h4-h5 but it also supports g4-g5, as the response ...Nh5 is indirectly
targeted by the bishop.
11...a6
Black must be so precise that I think they will have a tough time even reaching this position.
A) 11...b4? 12.axb4
Position after: 12.axb4
194
A1) 12...Bxh6 13.Qxh6 Qxb4 14.Ra4! Qxb2 15.Kd2! Qb6 16.Rb1
Position after: 16.Rb1
is completely winning for White. 16...Qc5 [16...Qxf2 17.Rf1 Qxg2 18.Ng5+–] 17.Ng5 The
essential problem for Black is that the knight on f6 is overloaded. To that end, White threatens
e4-e5 followed by Nc3-e4 while if 17...Nbd7 18.Rc4 wins.
A2) 12...Qxb4 13.Bxg7 Kxg7 14.0-0 Nxe4 15.Nxe4 Qxe4 16.c4±
B) 11...Bb7 12.Bxg7 Kxg7 13.g4
13...h6 [13...b4 14.axb4 Qxb4 15.Ra4 Qb6 16.g5 Nfd7 17.h4±] 14.h4! cxd5 [14...Nxg4
195
15.Nd4+–] 15.exd5 Nxg4 16.Rf1! [16.Nd4?? is the desirable move but it fails to 16...e5!]
16...Nd7 17.Nd4
Position after: 17.Nd4
White has an almost decisive amount of compensation. Note that White doesn’t particularly want
to restore the material balance by taking on b5 as this will give Black some chances of a
counterattack. A couple lines from both Stockfish and Leela will illustrate how the game should
proceed. 17...Ndf6 [17...Ngf6 18.h5+–; 17...Nde5 18.h5 Bc8 19.0-0-0 Nc4 20.Qe1 Bd7 21.Rg1
etc.] 18.Bxg4 Nxg4 19.0-0-0
19...Rab8 [19...a5 20.h5! b4 21.Na4 Qa7 22.Rg1 Bc8 23.Rde1 Qb7 24.Nc6] 20.Rfe1± [The
196
immediate 20.h5 is also tempting.] Now Black’s best is to give back the e7-pawn as 20...Rfe8
21.h5 will be crushing.
12.g4!
12...b4
12...cxd5 13.Bxg7 Kxg7 14.exd5±
13.axb4 Qxb4
Komarica, B – Latypov, M RUS – ROW 2018.
14.Bxg7 Kxg7
197
Position after: 14...Kxg7
15.Ra4
Leela prefers 15.0-0 Nxe4 16.Qf4 cxd5 [16...f5 17.gxf5 Bxf5 18.Bd3 Qxb2 19.Nxe4 cxd5
20.Neg5±] 17.Nxd5 Qc5 18.Qxe4 Bb7 19.c4 e6 20.Ng5 exd5 21.Qe7 Qc8 22.cxd5 Bxd5
23.Qxd6ƒ
Position after: 23.Qxd6ƒ
In both cases it seems that White obtains an advantage and the easier position to play.
15...Qxb2 16.0-0 Qb6 17.Rb1 Qc7 18.g5 Nfd7 19.dxc6 Nxc6 20.Nd5 Qd8 21.Qc3+ Nce5
22.Rc4!±
198
Position after: 22.Rc4!±
White has a considerable amount of pressure for the pawn.
Model game
Ragger, Markus (2686)

Kadric, Denis (2543)
Batumi 2018
1.e4 Nc6 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 Nf6 4.Nc3 g6 5.Be3 Bg7 6.Qd2 0-0 7.d5 Nb8 8.Bh6 c6 9.h3 a6 10.g4
199
10...Bxh6??
A puzzling decision.
10...b5 is critical. Even so, 11.Bxg7 Kxg7 12.a3 cxd5 13.exd5 Bb7 14.0-0-0 gives White the faster
attack.
11.Qxh6
Position after: 11.Qxh6
11...b5
200
A) 11...cxd5 12.Ng5! would be no better.
B) 11...e5 12.Ng5 Qe7 might have been Black’s best bet although White still has a decisive
attack. 13.0-0-0+–
12.Ng5!
Position after: 12.Ng5!
Deadly. 13.e5 is threatened.
12...e5
A) 12...b4 13.e5! dxe5 14.Nce4 Nbd7 15.dxc6+–

B) 12...cxd5 13.Nxd5 Nbd7 14.e5! dxe5 15.0-0-0+–
13.dxc6
201
Vacating the d5-square for the knight.
13...Be6
13...Nxc6 14.Nd5 Re8 15.c3! Be6 16.Nxf6+ Qxf6 17.Qxh7+ Kf8 18.Nxe6+ Rxe6 19.Qh6+ Kg8
20.Qe3+–
14.h4!
Neither minor piece can capture on g4. 14.f4+– also wins easily.
14...Ra7 15.h5
White threatens 16.hxg6 and the bishop will be hanging on e6.
202
15...Bxg4
The bishop couldn’t protect the d5-square anyway.
16.Nd5 Re8 17.c7 Rxc7 18.Nxc7 Qxc7
Position after: 18...Qxc7
19.Nxh7!
Ultimately, the attack culminates in the sacrifice of White’s most dangerous piece.
203
19...Qe7 20.hxg6
1-0
C) 4...Bg4
1.e4 Nc6 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bg4
The main line, although arguably the least convincing out of those covered.
5.Be3 e6
A) 5...g6?! is now illogical. 6.h3 Bxf3 7.Qxf3
204
A1) 7...e5 8.dxe5 Nxe5 [8...dxe5 9.Rd1 Nd4 10.Bxd4 exd4 11.e5! Qe7 12.Bb5+ c6
13.Bxc6++–] 9.Qe2+–
A2) 7...e6 8.0-0-0 is already decisive as 8...d5 fails to 9.Bg5+–
A3) 7...Bg7 8.0-0-0 e5 [8...0-0 9.g4+– with an overwhelming attack.]
and now comes the routine 9.dxe5! Nxe5 10.Qe2 with a decisive advantage.
B) 5...d5?! 6.e5 and on 6...Ne4
205
7.Nxe4! dxe4 8.h3 Bh5 9.g4 Bg6 10.Nh4 is clearly better for White.
C) 5...e5 once again, is best met with 6.Bb5! which is even stronger than it was in the variation
4...e5, as the bishop on g4 is misplaced.
C1) 6...Nd7 7.d5 Ncb8 8.h3

C1.1) 8...Bh5 9.g4! Bg6 10.h4 h5 11.g5 c6 12.Be2
206
White can follow with Nf3-d2, a2-a4 and in general, the king will be safe on the queenside.
Black is strategically losing – their position is cramped and in particular, both bishops are
heavily restricted.
C1.2) 8...Bxf3 9.Qxf3 Be7 10.Qg3 0-0 Here White can improve upon the game Sumets, A –
Lazic, M Algiers 2015 with
11.h4! c6 12.Be2 White will attack with both the h- and the g-pawns, which are difficult to
arrest (even the f-pawn can be pushed if you prefer a more direct approach.
C2) 6...exd4 7.Qxd4! not fearing ...Bxf3 as the king is headed to the queenside anyway. 7...Be7
207
8.h3 Bd7 9.Qd2 a6 10.Bd3 Ne5 11.0-0-0 White has a clear advantage.
For instance:
C2.1) 11...0-0 12.Nxe5 dxe5 13.Kb1 Be6 14.g3 followed by f2-f4.
C2.2) Leela originally contended that 11...Nxd3+ 12.Qxd3 0-0 was playable, but it seems that
Stockfish’s aggressive style is better suited here: 13.g4!? Re8 14.Kb1 Bf8 15.Bg5 h6 16.Bxf6
Qxf6 17.Nd5 Qd8 18.g5! hxg5 19.Rhg1 and Black is in serious trouble.
6.h3
208
6...Bh5?
The ‘main line’, but a losing one.

6...Bxf3 is necessary, after which 7.Qxf3 d5 8.0-0-0 Nxe4 [8...Bb4 9.e5 Nd7 10.Ne2 Ne7 11.c3
Ba5 12.Qh5±] 9.Nxe4 dxe4 10.Qxe4 Qd5 11.Qxd5 exd5 12.g3 0-0-0 13.Bg2
is better for White, thanks to the bishop pair, and the more active pieces.
7.d5! exd5 8.exd5
209
8...Ne5
8...Bxf3 9.Qxf3 Ne5 10.Qe2 is already decisive as White’s kingside pawns are extremely mobile.
A) 10...Be7 11.0-0-0 0-0 is also hopeless. 12.f4 Ned7 13.g4 c5 14.g5 Ne8 15.h4 a6 16.f5
I find this instructive. Speed trumps all other factors in this position: it does not matter that Black
is given the e5-square if their king is about to be mated! 16...b5 17.Ne4+–
B) 10...a6 11.0-0-0 b5 12.f4 Ng6 13.g4 b4 14.Bd4+ Be7 15.Bxf6 gxf6 16.Ne4 0-0 17.Qd2+–
Position after: 17.Qd2+–
Bohak, J – Mamonovas, V W-ch35 prel04 email 2011.
210
9.g4 Bg6
9...Nxf3+ 10.Qxf3 Bg6 11.0-0-0+–
10.g5!
10.Nd2 is also convincing.
10...Nxf3+
A) 10...Bh5 11.Be2 Nxf3+ 12.Bxf3 Bxf3 13.Qxf3 Ng8 Detko, J – Novak, I Slovakia 2012, 14.0-
0-0+–
B) 10...Nfd7 11.Nd4 c5 12.dxc6 bxc6 13.h4+–
11.Qxf3 Bh5 12.Qg2
Or 12.Qg3.
12...Nd7 13.f4
211
13...Be7
A) 13...Qe7 14.Kd2 followed by Re1 is crushing. If 14...0-0-0 you can also play 15.Bxa7+– since
15...b6 runs into mate.
B) Or 13...f6 14.Kd2!+– anyway, to castle manually.
14.Ne2!
Position after: 14.Ne2!
14...0-0
212
A) 14...Bxe2 15.Bxe2+– Adam, C – Andaburskis, A ICCF email 2009.
B) 14...h6 15.h4 c5 [15...Nc5 16.Bd4+–] 16.dxc6 bxc6 17.Nd4+– White’s king will be perfectly
safe on f2.
15.Ng3 Bg6 16.0-0-0
Of course, not 16.f5? Bxg5 after which Black survives.
16...f6 17.h4+–
Position after: 17.h4+–
Bykov, E – Gavrijski, D ICCF email 2010.
Model game
Carlsson, Pontus (2514)

Zakarian, David (2346)
Kalamaria 2008
1.e4 Nc6 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bg4 5.Be3 e6 6.h3
213
6...Bxf3
Black’s best line after 4...Bg4. The main line, 6...Bh5, is losing.
7.Qxf3 d5 8.0-0-0 dxe4 9.Nxe4 Nxe4 10.Qxe4 Qd5 11.Qxd5 exd5 12.c3
12.g3² is more to the point.
12...0-0-0 13.Bd3 Bd6 14.h4 h5 15.g4!?
214
Wasting no time in opening the position.
15...Ne7
15...hxg4 16.Bf5+ Kb8 17.Bxg4 and White’s advantage persists.
16.gxh5 Rxh5 17.Rdg1
17.Be2 would have been more precise, now on 17...Rh7 18.h5 Black’s g-pawn is fixed.
17...g6 18.Bg5 Rf8 19.Be2 Rh7 20.h5 f6 21.Bg4+
Position after: 21.Bg4+
21...f5?!
21...Kd8 would have given Black good chances of holding. 22.hxg6 Rxh1 23.Rxh1 Nxg6 [Not
23...fxg5?? 24.g7 Rg8 25.Rh8 with Be6 to follow.] 24.Be3 Rh8 25.Rxh8+ Nxh8
22.Bxe7?!
Both players missed 22.hxg6! Rxh1 23.Rxh1 Nxg6 [23...fxg4 24.Bxe7 Bxe7 25.g7 Rg8 26.Rh8
and wins.] 24.Bd1!
215
Position after: 24.Bd1!
Bishops thrive in open positions and the exchange of one pair with 24...Bf4+ 25.Bxf4 Nxf4
26.Kd2± doesn’t help.
22...Rxe7 23.Bf3 gxh5 24.Rxh5 c6
Black has equalized.
25.Kd2 Bf4+ 26.Kd3 Kc7 27.Rg6 Rff7 28.Rh4 Bd6 29.Rhh6 Bf4 30.Rh4 Bd6 31.Rhh6 Bf4
32.Rh1 Rg7
216
32...Rh7! was a straightforward draw.
33.Rf6 Rgf7 34.Rg6 Rg7 35.Rf6 Rgf7 36.Rxf7 Rxf7 37.b3 b5 38.Rh4 Bc1 39.Rh1 Bf4 40.Rh4
Bc1 41.Rh5 Bf4 42.c4
Eventually White needed to make a pawn break.
42...dxc4+ 43.bxc4 bxc4+ 44.Kxc4 Bd6 45.Rg5 f4
Unnecessary.
45...Be7=
46.Be4 Rf6 47.a4 Bf8 48.a5 Kb7 49.f3
White still has slight pressure but Black calmly defends for several moves.
217
49...Bh6 50.Re5 Bf8 51.Rh5 Bh6 52.Bd3 Bf8 53.Rh7+ Ka6 54.Rh5 Bg7 55.Rg5 Bf8 56.Kc3+
Kb7 57.Rg1 Kc7 58.Rb1 Rf7 59.a6 Kd6 60.Kc4 Bg7 61.Rg1 Kc7 62.Be4 Rd7 63.Rg6 Bxd4
64.Rxc6+
Position after: 64.Rxc6+
64...Kd8??
Finally Black errs.

64...Kb8=
218
65.Bf5
A terrible oversight from Zakarian. Due to the king’s unfortunate placement on d8, the Black rook
cannot defend the d4-bishop. The rest is trivial.
65...Be3 66.Bxd7 Kxd7 67.Kd5 Ke7 68.Rh6 Kf7 69.Ke5 Kg7 70.Rc6 Kf7 71.Rf6+ Ke7
Position after: 71...Ke7
72.Re6+
72.Rxf4+–
72...Kd7 73.Rf6 Kc7 74.Kd5 Bd2 75.Ke4 Bc3 76.Rxf4 Kb6 77.Kd3 Bh8 78.Rh4 Bg7 79.Rg4
Be5 80.Rg6+ Kc7 81.Ke4 Bd6 82.Kd5 Bf4 83.Rc6+ Kd7 84.Rf6 Be3 85.Rf7+ Ke8 86.Ke6 Kd8
87.f4 Kc8 88.Kd6
1-0
219
Part III
Scandinavian Defense
Overview
The Scandinavian Defense, characterized by the move 1...d5, is one of the oldest openings in the
book. While it has always been considered second rate, it has never been fully refuted, thus
standing the test of time as one of the most uncompromising, yet relatively sound defenses against
1.e4.
That said, there are certain lines, as in any opening, that push the boundaries too far – these are
brutally dismantled by modern engines. My findings in this opening are:
1) 2...Nf6 is objectively inferior to 2...Qxd5 and White obtains a significant advantage in almost
all the lines after 3.d4.
2) Within 2...Qxd5, the queen retreats to d6 and d8 lead to passive positions for Black and
clear advantages to White. The former is quite popular these days, but in my view, White’s
position is much easier to play there.
3) 3...Qa5 is the correct choice for Black, where I suggest that the side line 4.Bd2!? is
promising. In those lines, Black’s queen is awkwardly placed on b6, which should cause any
Scandinavian player to be quite uncomfortable. Thus, White’s initiative guarantees an advantage,
although Black’s position remains playable.
1.e4 d5 2.exd5
A) 2...e6? 3.dxe6 Bxe6 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.Nc3±

B) 2...c6?! 3.dxc6 Nxc6 4.Bc4 Nf6 5.Nf3 Bg4 6.h3 Bh5 7.Be2 Qc7 8.0-0 e5 9.c3!
220
B1) 9...e4 10.Nd4 Bxe2 11.Qxe2 Ne5 [11...Nxd4 12.cxd4] 12.Nb5 Qe7 13.d4 exd3 14.Qe3±
B2) 9...Bd6 10.d4 0-0 11.Nxe5 Bxe2 12.Qxe2 Nxe5 13.dxe5 Bxe5 14.Na3±
C) 2...Nf6 (Chapter 1) A gambit White is ill-advised to entertain. Black hopes for something like
3.c4 c6 4.dxc6? Nxc6 where they would gain a substantial lead in development and full control
over the center. 3.d4
Here, Black’s main options are 3...Bg4 (see variation A) and 3...Nxd5 (see variation B).
C1) 3...c6?! no longer makes sense as White has already staked a claim in the center with 3.d4
221
(compare with 3.c4). 4.dxc6 Nxc6 5.Nf3
5...Bg4 [5...e5 is a desperate plea for counterplay. White shouldn’t be greedy: 6.Bb5 exd4
7.Nxd4±] 6.Be2 Bxf3 7.Bxf3 Nxd4 8.Bxb7 Rb8 9.Bf3±
C2) 3...Qxd5 4.Nf3!?
Position after: 4.Nf3!?
In contrast to the line 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nf3 Nc6! 4.d4 Bg4, there is no pressure against
White’s center. [It is also possible simply to play 4.Nc3 invariably transposing to 2...Qxd5
3.Nc3.] 4...Bg4 5.Be2 Nc6 6.0-0 0-0-0 7.c3 e5 8.c4 Qd7 9.d5 Bxf3 10.Bxf3 Nd4 11.Nc3²
222
C3) 3...Bg4
The so-called ‘Portuguese variation’, which is the premise for my compatriot’s book
‘Smerdon’s Scandinavian’. It is no secret that the gambit is unsound and this is explicitly
accepted by Smerdon. In variation A, I seek to rationalize the ‘Correspondence Refutation’
(Smerdon) of the Portuguese variation, arguing that the sharp, albeit winning, positions that
arise do make sense from a human perspective (see Diagram 1 below).
C4) 3...Nxd5 4.c4! [The move-order 4.Nf3 was recommended by Khalifman in book 3 of the
‘Opening for White According to Anand’ series. However, I believe this is imprecise as it
allows 4...Bf5!] 4...Nb6 5.Nf3
223
Here, Black’s two main ways of playing are 5...g6 and 5...Bg4.
D) 2...Qxd5 3.Nc3
Black now has three main moves to choose from: ...Qd8, ...Qd6 and ...Qa5.
D1) Note that both of Black’s available checks merely accelerate White’s development:
3...Qe5+ 4.Be2 c6 5.Nf3 Qc7 6.d4 Nf6 7.0-0±
D2) 3...Qe6+ 4.Be2 Qg6 5.Nf3! Qxg2 6.Rg1 Qh3 7.Rg3 Qd7 8.d4 and due to the 4-1 ratio in
development, White is practically winning.
D3) 3...Qd8 (Chapter 2) where White should continue with the natural 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3.
D4) 3...Qd6 (Chapter 3) has risen to popularity in recent times (particularly through the efforts
of Dutch Grandmaster Sergey Tiviakov) and is now considered a respectable alternative to the
main line 3...Qa5. Notably, Magnus Carlsen plays it frequently in rapid and blitz, and he also
played it against Fabiano Caruana in the Olympiad in 2016. The main line continues 4.d4
224
D4.1) 4...Nc6? runs into 5.Nb5! Qd7 6.Bf4 e5 7.dxe5±

D4.2) After 4...c6 5.Nf3 Black’s best is surely to transpose with 5...Nf6. If they’ve played
4...c6 however, they might be the kind of ‘dodgy’ player to head into the line 5...Bg4?! 6.h3!
A pawn sacrifice. 6...Bxf3 7.Qxf3 Qxd4? 8.Bf4! Supporting the powerful tactical idea of Nb5.
Black is in trouble – see variation A.
D4.3) 4...Nf6 5.Nf3
Theory establishes three distinct main lines here: 5...g6, 5...c6 and 5...a6. Variation B covers
various sidelines.
225
On 5...g6 I recommend a positional approach: 6.Nb5!? Qb6 7.a4!? - see variation C.
5...c6 is, in my opinion, the most testing move here. Now the aggressive 6.Ne5 is the main
line; however, I believe it is somewhat overrated. Instead, I suggest 6.g3 – see variation D.
5...a6 is currently the most popular move but given recent trends, 5...c6 may soon be
considered the main line. White should play 6.g3 – see variation E.
D5) And of course, the main move 3...Qa5 (Chapter 4). 4.d4 Nf6
Initially 5.Nf3 was my recommendation; however, the modern main line 5...Bf5! gave me some
headaches. The critical line there seems to be 6.Ne5 c6 7.Bc4 e6 8.g4 Bg6 9.h4 Nbd7 10.Nxd7
Nxd7 11.h5 Be4 12.0-0 Bd5 13.Nxd5 cxd5 14.Bd3 which I’ve analyzed in a couple of
ChessPublishing articles, concluding that White has the better prospects.
226
I probably hold the same view today, although in principle, Black has a perfectly sound
position: they have no weaknesses and the pawn structure accommodates the knight quite well.
As mentioned above, I recommend the sideline 5.Bd2!? Instead.
Position after: 5.Bd2!?
D5.1) The immediate 5...Qb6 6.Nf3 Bg4 7.h3 Bh5 is best met with 8.g4! Bg6 9.Qe2 e6
[9...Qxb2?? 10.Rb1 Qxc2 11.Qb5+ Nbd7 12.Rc1+–; 9...Bxc2?? 10.Rc1 Qxb2 11.Qb5++–]
10.0-0-0±
D5.2) 5...c6 will transpose to the classical main line of the Scandinavian after 6.Bc4 [I also
offer 6.Bd3!? as an alternative.] 6...Bf5 7.Nf3 see variation B.
D5.3) The most common defense is 5...Bg4 which is practically a given if your opponent plays
the topical 5...Bf5 against the main move 5.Nf3. 6.f3 Bd7! [6...Bf5 7.g4! Bg6 8.f4 see
variation C1.] 7.Bc4 Qb6 8.Nge2 e6 9.Be3
227
An important tabiya, for which I cover three moves in detail: the engines’ top move 9...a6
(variation C2.1), 9...Be7 (variation C2.2) and 9...Nc6 (variation C2.3).
General Concepts
Diagram 1
The Portuguese Gambit epitomizes the spirit of the Scandinavian as a whole – dynamic, daring
and a bit anti-positional. While it’s easy for White to go wrong very quickly, engines show that the
gambit is unsound following
4.f3 Bf5!
228
Position after: 4...Bf5!
The best practical try.
5.g4!
The concrete explanation for this thrust is that it enables White to hold onto their further
advanced d-pawn by means of c4 and Nc3. That is because ...c6xd5 or ...e6xd5 can always be
met with g5!
White must be careful to avoid the incorrect move order 5.c4 e6 6.Nc3 [Not 6.g4? Nxg4! 7.fxg4
Qh4+ 8.Kd2 Be4 9.Nf3 Qf2+³; while 6.dxe6 Nc6! gives Black excellent compensation.] 6...exd5
7.g4 Be6! with unclear play.
5...Bg6
Almost exclusively played.
6.c4
229
6...e6
6...c6 7.Nc3 cxd5 8.g5 Nfd7 [It’s worth noting the thematic trick after 8...Nh5
Position after: 8...Nh5
9.f4! and Black’s knight on h5 is trapped (Be2 is threatened).] 9.cxd5± [9.Nxd5? e6 10.Nc3 Nc6„]
7.Nc3!
7.dxe6? fxe6 8.Nc3 Nc6 gives Black a surprising amount of compensation.
230
7...exd5 8.g5
8...Nfd7
8...Nh5 9.f4! As seen in the note above, Black cannot prevent Be2, winning the knight on h5.
9.Nxd5 Nc6 10.h4
This position is objectively winning. On the other hand, the ensuing positions are sharp, giving
231
Black particularly good practical chances for a swindle. For the details, see Chapter 1, variation A.
Diagram 2.1
The 3...Nxd5 variation promises a slower game. White’s aim is to target Black’s weak points,
which tend to be the b7-, e7- and f7-pawns. Consider the following position. Black has just
played the move 5...Bg4 which prompts White to play
6.c5!
and on
6...Nd5?! 7.Qb3!
Position after: 7.Qb3!
232
is strong, as Black has no convenient way to defend the b7-pawn.
Diagram 2.2
Even if Black keeps their bishop at bay on c8, the move c4-c5 is usually played, creating more
space for the pieces and, as a corollary, restricting the opponent’s pieces. In some cases, the c5-
pawn is used as a distraction from the main area of concern...
7.c5 N6d7 8.Bc4 0-0 9.0-0 b6 10.Re1!
Position after: 10.Re1!
Playing against the e7- and f7-pawns. Note that cxb6 is hardly ever a good idea, as this would
simply release the tension and allow Black’s pieces some breathing space.
233
10...Bb7
10...bxc5 11.Bg5
A) 11...Bf6 Schmitz, T – Heinzel, O Boeblingen 2008, 12.Nd5!
12...Bxg5 [12...Nc6 13.Bb5!+–; 12...cxd4 13.Nxe7++–] 13.Nxg5 e6 14.Nxe6! fxe6 15.Rxe6 Kg7
16.Qd2+– and Black is busted.
B) 11...Nf6 12.dxc5± Jones, G – Jaunooby, A Leeds 2011.
11.Bg5 Nf6 12.Ne5+–
234
Position after: 12.Ne5+–
Kadric, D – Marcetic, P Neum 2014. White’s pieces are perfectly placed, while Black’s centre and
kingside remain vulnerable.
Diagram 2.3
More common is the active
7...Nd5
but our approach is the same.
8.Bc4 Nxc3
The other move is 8...c6 9.0-0 0-0 10.Re1
235
A) and if 10...Bg4 then 11.Bg5! Nf6 12.h3 Bxf3 13.Qxf3 Qxd4 14.Rxe7! is dangerous for Black.
B) 10...Be6 11.Qb3 As in previous examples, White immediately targets the b7-pawn once the
c8-bishop departs. [A thematic sacrifice is 11.Rxe6!? fxe6 12.Ng5] 11...b6 12.Ng5!±
Position after: 12.Ng5!±
9.bxc3 0-0 10.0-0
10...Nc6
236
10...b6 11.Re1! as in the previous example, it is more important to attack the opponent’s
weaknesses than to tend to the defense of c5. 11...bxc5 12.Bg5 etc.
See the model game Kasparov, S – Zasypkin, A Fagernes 2012, covered in Chapter 1.
11.Re1 Bg4
11...b6 is still answered with 12.Bg5!
12.Bg5!
and White has a clear advantage.

Let us now examine the themes relating to the main line 2...Qxd5, covered in Chapter 2, 3 and 4.
Diagram 3.1
It is well-known that the Scandinavian queen is often a liability, prone to attacks and wasted tempi.
I also discovered a second problem piece for Black in the light-squared bishop, which is often
subjected to entrapment in the following way:
6... Bh5?!
6...Bxf3 7.Qxf3 c6 is the better continuation, but then there is no question as to White’s advantage.
6...Bh5?! 7.g4! Bg6 8.Ne5 e6 9.Bg2 c6 10.h4!
237
Due to the knight on e5, Black’s standard defensive mechanisms ...h6 and ...h5 are not possible.
10...Bb4 11.0-0
and Black is in trouble. The logical solution to the problem bishop on g6 is
11...Bxc3 12.bxc3
but now Black’s dark squares are far too vulnerable.

Diagram 3.2
Here is another example:
238
5...Bf5? 6.Ne5!
White threatens Qf3, which would force the bishop back to c8.
6...e6
Now, again, the bishop is chased with
7.g4! Bg6 8.Bg2
8...c6
8...Nbd7 is necessary but clearly desperate. 9.Bxb7 Rb8 10.Bc6±
9.h4+–
Diagram 3.3
239
In connection to the problem bishop, there is another underlying weakness in these lines in the b7-
pawn. If it is captured, the whole queenside tends to collapse. This theme is most common in the
4...Qd6 lines in which we fianchetto the bishop to g2.
12...Qb4 13.c3!
and
13...Qxb2
is not to be feared. Even if White sacrifices two pawns, the overriding factor is that the b7-pawn is
lost.
14.Rb1 Qxa2 15.Rxb7±
240
Position after: 15.Rxb7±
It is then clear that Black’s queenside collapses. 15...Nbd7 is the best move here when White
happily collects the c6-pawn.
Diagram 3.4
In the following position, which is a hybrid of the ...c6 and ...a6 lines of the 4...Qd6 variation,
there is a bucketful of this one theme.
13...Be7
13...Qxb2? 14.Rb1 and Black’s queenside collapses.
13...Be7 14.Ne4! Nxe4
14...Nbd7? 15.Nd6+ Bxd6 16.Bxd6 Qxb2 17.Rb1+– White achieves their aim of demolishing
Black’s queenside.
15.Rxe4 Qxb2 16.Ree1!
241
Position after: 16.Ree1!
White’s agenda is simple: attack the b7-pawn!
16...Qxc2
A) 16...Qxa2 17.Qc3! with the double threat of Qxg7 and Ra1. 17...Bf6 18.Qb4 The weak b7-
pawn! 18...Qb2 19.Qd6+– Black can resign as they cannot stop Rxe6, which would wipe out
their defenses entirely.
B) 16...Qa3 17.Re3 Qxa2 18.Rb3! and White achieves their main objective.
17.Rb1! 0-0 18.Rxb7±
Diagram 3.5
242
Finally, let’s return to the notorious Scandinavian queen. She is not particularly safe in any
location, whether it’s on the queenside, the kingside or the center, which is exactly what makes the
Scandinavian such a provocative defense. Note that, as in the previous examples, there are usually
repercussions for grabbing the b2-pawn.
9...Qxb2? 10.Rb1 Qa3 11.Rb3! Qa5 12.Bd2!
Giving the queen no respite!

12.Rxb7? is premature because of 12...Bb4
12...Bb4 13.a3! Bd6
243
14.Bd3±
It’s remarkable how problematic the Black queen is – it completely disturbs Black’s chances of
healthy development.
14.Rxb7± is sufficient.
The point of White’s last move is revealed in the variation
14...0-0??
14...Qh5?? A hopeful escape plan. 15.h4! with g4 to follow.
Position after: 14...0-0??
15.Nb5!
I find 15.Ne4! equally instructive: 15...Qh5 [15...Qa4 16.Nxf6+ gxf6 17.Qc1+– White plans an
invasion of the queen into Black’s kingside with Bc3, Qh6.] 16.Nxd6 cxd6 17.Nf4 Qh4+ [Or
17...Qg5 18.h4 Qg3+ 19.Kf1+–] 18.g3 Qg5 19.Ng6+–
244
Position after: 19.Ng6+–
So doomed is the queen’s fate that after 19...Qh5, even better than picking up the exchange is
20.Ne7+! Kh8 21.h4! and the queen is lost. For instance 21...e5 22.Be2! exd4 23.Bg5+– A perfect
illustration of the theme in question!
15...Qa4 16.Nec3 Qa5 17.Ne4 Qa4 18.Nxf6+ gxf6 19.f4
with a crushing attack.

Diagram 3.6
245
There are also some thematic queen traps. Consider
11...Qxb2 12.a4!
If Black doesn’t immediately withdraw their queen, she will be lost as Bb3! is threatened. 12.a4
was necessary as otherwise the queen would have an escape square on a3.
12...Qb6 13.a5 Qc6 14.Bb3±
Position after: 14.Bb3±
The queen impedes the development of the black queenside.

Diagram 3.7
246
The final example is taken from the game Ivanchuk – Karpov; it illustrates how precariously the
queen sits in the center of the board.
8.Bf4!
Supporting the powerful tactical idea of Nb5.
8...e5
A) 8...Nd7 9.Rd1
A1) 9...Qb6 10.Bc4+– [10.Rxd7! also wins. 10...Kxd7 11.Bc4+–]
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A2) 9...Qb4 10.a3 Qxb2 11.Bc4 0-0-0 12.0-0 It is already clear that this is too dangerous for
Black. 12...e5 13.Bc1 Qxc2 [13...Qb6 14.Qxf7+–] 14.Bxf7+– A neat point is that White
threatens to win the black queen with Rd2!
B) 8...Nf6 9.Nb5! cxb5 10.Bxb5+ Nbd7 11.Qxb7 Rd8 12.Bc7 Qe4+ 13.Qxe4 Nxe4 14.0-0-0 a6
15.Bxa6
Position after: 15.Bxa6
15...Nxf2 [15...Nef6 16.Bxd8 Kxd8 17.Bb5+–] 16.Rhf1 Nxd1 [16...Ra8 17.Bc4+–] 17.Rxd1 Ra8
18.Bb5+–
9.Bg5!
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Continuing to create powerful threats (Rd1-d8).
9...Be7
Or 9...Nd7 10.Rd1 with the same sort of play.
10.Rd1 Qb6 11.Bc4 Nf6 12.Bxf6 gxf6
Ivanchuk, V – Karpov, A Cap d’Agde 2013.

12...Bxf6 would have lost to 13.Ne4 Note that 13...Qb4+ 14.c3 Qxc4 drops a queen. 15.Nd6+
13.Qg4!
Position after: 13.Qg4!
Preventing Black from castling kingside and threatening a deadly check on c8.
13...Na6 14.0-0+–
Black’s king is stuck!
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Chapter 1
2...Nf6
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6
Chapter Guide
Chapter 1 – 2...Nf6
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.d4

A1) 3...Bg4 (various)
A2) 3...Bg4 (with 7...exd5)
B1) 3...Nxd5 4.c4 Nf6
B2) 3...Nxd5 4.c4 Nb6 5.Nf3 Bg4
B3.1) 3...Nxd5 4.c4 Nb6 5.Nf3 g6 (with 8...c6)
B3.2) 3...Nxd5 4.c4 Nb6 5.Nf3 g6 (with 8...Nxc3)
A1) 3...Bg4 (various)
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.d4 Bg4
The premise for Smerdon’s book, ‘Smerdon’s Scandinavian’. For 3...c6 and 3...Qxd5 refer to the
overview.
4.f3
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4...Bf5!
The best practical try.

A) 4...Bh5 transposes to 4...Bf5 after 5.g4, however additionally, White can play 5.c4.
A1) 5...e6 6.dxe6 fxe6 [6...Bb4+ 7.Bd2 Qe7 8.Qa4+ Nc6 9.d5+–] 7.Nc3 Bb4 8.Nge2±
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Position after: 8.Nge2±
A2) 5...c6 6.Nc3 cxd5 7.Qb3

B) 4...Bc8 5.c4 c6 [5...e6 6.dxe6 Bxe6 7.Nc3 Bb4 8.d5 Bd7 9.Qe2+ Be7 10.Bf4 0-0 11.Qd2 Re8
12.0-0-0+–] 6.dxc6 Nxc6 7.d5 Ne5 8.Qd4 Ng6 9.Be3
9...e6 [9...e5 10.Qd2 b5 does not really work in view of 11.c5!±] 10.Nc3 Bb4 [10...exd5 11.0-0-
0!±] 11.0-0-0 0-0 [11...exd5 12.Nxd5 Nxd5 13.cxd5 Bd6 14.Bb5+ Bd7 15.Bxd7+ Qxd7
16.Kb1±] 12.Bg5±
C) 4...Bd7 is also unnatural. Play should continue 5.c4 c6 6.Nc3 [6.dxc6 is now quite unclear:
6...Nxc6 7.d5 Ne5 8.Qd4 Ng6 9.Be3 e6 and if 10.Nc3 exd5 11.0-0-0 Black has 11...dxc4
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12.Bxc4 Rc8∞] 6...cxd5 7.cxd5
7...e6 [7...Na6 8.Bxa6 bxa6 9.Nge2 g6 10.Bf4 Bg7 11.d6 0-0 12.dxe7 Qxe7 13.Qd2±] 8.dxe6
Bxe6 9.Bd3 Nc6 10.Nge2±
5.g4!
‘The Correspondence Refutation’ (Smerdon). The concrete explanation for this thrust is that it
enables White to hold onto their further advanced d-pawn by means of c4 and Nc3. That is
because ...c6xd5 or ...e6xd5 can always be met with g5!
White must be careful to avoid the incorrect move order 5.c4 e6 6.Nc3 [6.g4? Nxg4! 7.fxg4 Qh4+
8.Kd2 Be4 9.Nf3 Qf2+³; 6.dxe6 Nc6! gives Black excellent compensation] 6...exd5 7.g4 Be6! with
unclear play.
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5...Bg6
Almost exclusively played.

A) 5...Nxg4? 6.fxg4 Qxd5 [6...Be4 7.Nf3+–] Petrie, D – Tagesen, P SEMI email 1999, 7.gxf5
Qxh1 8.Nf3 and Black will lose their queen after White develops all their bits.
B) 5...Bc8 is not really playable. 6.c4
6...e6 [6...b5 7.g5 Ng8 8.Nc3 bxc4 9.Bxc4+– Mamedjarova, Z – Argaya Urdaniz, M Pamplona
2004] 7.dxe6 Bxe6 8.d5 Bd7 9.Nc3 Bc5 10.Qe2++–
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C) 5...Bd7 is an alternative offered by Smerdon. 6.c4 c6 [6...e6 7.Nc3 exd5 8.g5 Nh5 9.Qe2+
Be7 10.f4 g6 11.Nxd5+–] 7.dxc6 Nxc6 8.d5 Na5 [8...Ne5 loses to 9.g5 Ng8 10.Nc3]
Position after: 8...Na5
C1) 9.b4 is given by Smerdon. It might be objectively strong, but it gives Black unnecessary
counterplay: 9...e6! [9...Qc7 10.bxa5 Qe5+ 11.Ne2 Qxa1 12.Qb3+–] 10.bxa5
Position after: 10.bxa5
10...Nxd5! A double piece sacrifice, although hardly a ‘pure’ one since Black picks up the rook
on a1. 11.cxd5 Qh4+ 12.Kd2 Qg5+ 13.Ke2 Qe5+ 14.Kf2 Qxa1
C2) 9.g5! Effectively improving upon Smerdon’s line. 9...Nh5 10.b4 Peculiarly, this was
omitted by Smerdon here but not on the previous move. 10...Nxc4 [10...e6 11.bxa5 and Black
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has no compensation for the piece.] 11.Bxc4 Qc7 12.Bb3 Qe5+ 13.Ne2 Qxa1 14.Nbc3+–
Position after: 14.Nbc3+–
The important point of White’s play is that the Black queen is trapped on a1, thus White merely
needs to get the king castled and clear the queen and bishop from the last rank.
6.c4
Black now has four ways to challenge the center: 6...e5, 6...c5, 6...c6 and 6...e6.
6...e6
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A) 6...e5?! is straightforwardly unsound. 7.dxe5 Nxg4 8.fxg4 Qh4+ 9.Ke2 Qxg4+ 10.Nf3
Black simply doesn’t have enough for the piece. 10...Qxf3+ [10...Be4 11.Nbd2+–; 10...Qe4+
11.Kd2+–; 10...Nd7 11.Qd4+–; 10...Bh5 11.Kf2+–] 11.Kxf3 Bh5+ 12.Kg3 Bxd1 13.Nc3+–
B) 6...c5 7.h4! h6 8.h5 Bh7 [8...Bxb1 9.Rxb1+–] 9.dxc5
9...e6 [9...Qa5+ 10.Nc3 Qxc5 11.Bf4+–] 10.d6 Qa5+ 11.Nc3 Qxc5 12.Nb5! Nc6 13.a3!±
Prophylaxis. Black was hoping to jump with the knight to b4. [13.Nc7+?? Kd8 14.Nxa8 Nb4µ]
C) 6...c6 7.Nc3 cxd5 8.g5 Nfd7 [8...Nh5 9.f4! A thematic trick- Be2 is threatened.] 9.cxd5
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[9.Nxd5? e6 10.Nc3 Nc6„] 9...Na6
Position after: 9...Na6
10.h4 [10.a3 is possible, but the point of 10.h4 is to show that ...Nb4 here is not a real threat.]
10...Nb4 11.Kf2 e5 [There’s no need to fear 11...Nc2? 12.h5! Bf5 13.Bh3! winning on the spot.
13...Bxh3 14.Qxc2+–] 12.dxe6 fxe6 13.Bh3 e5 14.Nge2 exd4 15.Nxd4+– It is certainly not
White’s king that is in danger here.
7.Nc3!
7.dxe6? fxe6 8.Nc3 Nc6 gives Black a surprising amount of compensation.
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7...c5
A further attempt to confuse us. The alternatives were uninspiring:

A) 7...Bd6 8.Be3 A positional approach. At any point, ...exd5 will be met with c5, cramping
Black’s position. [8.Nge2 is given by Smerdon as ‘the only move to ensure White stays on top’,
although in my view, 8.Be3 is a simpler route to an advantage.] 8...exd5 [8...0-0 9.Qd2 and again,
we wait for them to take on d5. 9...Re8 10.0-0-0 exd5 11.c5 Bf8 12.h4 h5 13.g5 Nfd7
14.Nge2+–] 9.c5! The Scandinavian player’s worst enemy is passivity!
9...Be7 10.h4 h6 11.Nge2±

B) 7...Be7 8.h4! h6 9.h5 Smerdon starts with 9. dxe6, but 9. h5 is more precise. 9...Bh7 10.dxe6
Nc6 [10...fxe6 11.Bd3+–] 11.Be3 fxe6 12.Bd3 0-0 13.Qd2±
8.Nge2
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Position after: 8.Nge2
8...cxd4
8...exd5 9.g5 Nfd7 [9...Nh5 10.Nxd5+–] 10.Nxd5 Nb6 11.h4!? Given the time, White would like
to play h5 and Ng3. [More natural is 11.Nec3 Nxd5 12.Qa4+! Qd7 13.Qxd7+ Nxd7 14.Nxd5 0-0-0
15.Bf4 cxd4 16.0-0-0±] 11...Nxd5 12.cxd5 Qxd5 13.Nc3! A good example of Black’s problem
queen. 13...Qxd4
Position after: 13...Qxd4
14.Qe2+ [14.Qxd4 cxd4 15.Nb5 is also strong.] 14...Be7 15.Be3 Qe5 16.f4 Qe6 17.Bh3 Bf5
18.Bxf5 Qxf5 19.0-0-0+–
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9.Nxd4
9...Bc5
9...exd5 10.g5 Bc5!? 11.Nb3! [11.gxf6?! is also winning, but gives Black what they want.
11...Qxf6 12.Be3 0-0] 11...Nfd7 [11...Qe7+ 12.Qe2+–] 12.Nxc5 Nxc5 13.Qxd5 Nbd7 14.Be3 Qb6
15.Qd2 0-0-0 16.Nd5 Qe6 17.Kf2+–
Position after: 17.Kf2+–
10.h4!
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Although this move is not covered by Smerdon, it is certainly a logical one. Black is immediately
forced to reckon with the threat of h5.
10.g5 Nfd7 11.h4 Bh5! (Smerdon). A shifty way to activate the bishop.
10...h5
A) 10...Qd6 11.Be3+–
B) 10...h6 11.h5 Bh7 12.Nb3 Bb4 [12...Bd6 is against the spirit of the variation. 13.Bd3] 13.g5!
hxg5 14.Bxg5
Position after: 14.Bxg5
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White now has h6 in mind. Black can evade the unpleasant pin against their f6-knight with
14...Qc7 (or 14...Qd6) however, the equanimous response 15.Kf2!+– prevents all counterplay in
relation to the queen check on g3.
11.g5
The point of this move order is revealed. Black was never given the opportunity to complicate
matters with ... Bh5, and is instead forced to play the useless move ...h5.
11...Nfd7 12.dxe6 Ne5 13.Nb3 Qxd1+ 14.Kxd1 Na6 15.Nxc5 Nxc5
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Now to assert the winning advantage, White should play the precise
16.e7! Kxe7 17.Nd5+ Kf8 18.Bf4+–
A2) 3...Bg4 (with 7...exd5)
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.d4 Bg4 4.f3 Bf5 5.g4! Bg6 6.c4 e6 7.Nc3! exd5 8.g5
8...Nfd7
8...Nh5 9.f4! As previously seen, Black cannot prevent Be2, winning the knight on h5. 9...Nc6
[9...Qe7+ 10.Kf2 doesn’t help.] 10.Be2
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10...dxc4 [10...Nb4 11.Bxh5 Nc2+ 12.Kf2 Nxa1 13.Bxg6 hxg6 Oreopoulos, K – Bensiek, N ICCF
email 2011 14.Nf3 White will pick up the knight on a1.] 11.Bxh5 Bxh5 12.Qxh5 Nxd4 13.Kf2
Position after: 13.Kf2
13...g6 [13...Bc5 14.Be3 Qe7 15.Na4 Ne6 16.Bxc5 Nxc5 17.Nxc5 Qxc5+ 18.Kg3 0-0 19.Nf3+–
De Waele, W – Bukharin, A LSS email 2010] 14.Qd1 Bg7 Popov, I – Laylo, D Quezon City 2014,
15.Be3+–
9.Nxd5 Nc6
9...c5 Hutchinson, N – Stimpson, P Solihull 2019, 10.Bf4+–
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10.h4!
This position is objectively winning. On the other hand, the ensuing positions are sharp, giving
Black particularly good practical chances for a swindle.
10...Nb6
10...Bd6 11.Ne2 0-0 Krakovsky, P – Tleptsok, R ICCF email 2009 12.Kf2 Re8 [12...f6 13.h5 Bf7
14.g6 hxg6 15.hxg6 Bxg6 16.Nef4+–] 13.h5 Bf5 14.Ne3! Qxg5 15.Nxf5 Qxf5 16.Bh3 and White
wins.
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For instance 16...Rxe2+ [16...Qf6 17.Bxd7+–] 17.Kxe2 Qf6 18.Bxd7 Qe7+ 19.Be3 Qxd7
20.Kf2+–
11.Qe2+ Be7 12.h5
12.Nxe7 leads to a clearly better ending for White. Keep this in mind if you don’t feel like
sacrificing your queen. 12...Nxd4 13.Nc6+ Nxe2 14.Nxd8 Nxg1 15.Rxg1 Rxd8 16.b3±
12...Bf5
12...Nxd4 13.Qe5! Allowing the fork on c2 to capture the bishop on g6. [13.Qxe7+ is adequate
also. 13...Qxe7+ 14.Nxe7 Nc2+ 15.Kf2 Nxa1 16.hxg6 Kxe7 17.gxh7±]
A) 13...Nxd5 14.hxg6 [But not 14.Qxd4? Nb4!µ] 14...Nc2+ 15.Kf2 transposes.
B) 13...Nc2+ 14.Kf2 Nxd5 [14...Nxa1 15.hxg6+–] 15.hxg6
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Position after: 15.hxg6
15...Ndb4 [15...Nxa1 is clearly losing after 16.Qxg7 Bc5+ 17.Kg2 Rf8 18.gxh7+–] 16.Qxg7
B1) 16...Bc5+ 17.Kg2 Ne1+ 18.Kg3 Bd6+ [18...Qd6+ 19.Bf4+–] 19.Kh4!+–
B2) 16...Qd4+ 17.Qxd4 Nxd4 18.gxh7+–
13.Nxe7 Nxd4 14.Nxf5+ Nxe2 15.Nxe2
Position after: 15.Nxe2
Smerdon doesn’t necessarily reject 7...exd5 because of the queen sacrifice, instead being more
concerned over 12.h5. This is reasonable given the mandate of his book – no one is playing the
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Scandinavian to reach an unpleasant ending! The purist in me, however, sticks to this as the main
variation. The position is sharp and to some extent confusing, but it can be reduced to essentially
one problem: the safety of White’s king. Indeed, if the g5-pawn were on e4, the assessment would
be uncontentious – White is winning! White’s only goal, therefore, is to achieve king safety. To
that end, the ideal plan is to play Rh4, Kf2, Neg3-e4 and develop the remaining pieces. As my
main line will illustrate, this is by no means an unrealistic goal.
15...0-0
A) 15...g6 16.Ng7+! Even here, the goal is to improve king safety. The knight on g7 prevents a
rook check to e8. 16...Kf8 17.h6 Nxc4 18.Nc3+–
B) 15...Nxc4 16.Nc3 Ne5 17.Kf2 and White is close to achieving full king safety.
16.Rh4!
Defending the c4-pawn, activating the rook and ensuring one more piece is itself defended.
16.Kf2? Nxc4 17.Nc3 Nd2! becomes a mess!
16...Re8 17.Kf2
Position after: 17.Kf2
The king is neatly tucked away on f2, but it could be safer.

White’s next idea is to play the e2-knight to e4.
17...Qd1
17...c5 18.Neg3! Qd1 19.Be2 [Or 19.Ne4 Qc2+ 20.Kg1 This position is winning for White but
relatively tricky after 20...Qd1 which is why I prefer 19.Be2.] 19...Rxe2+ 20.Nxe2 Re8 21.Ne3+–
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18.Rd4 Qa4
18...Qc2 19.Ne3+–
19.Neg3 Rad8
19...Qc2+ 20.Rd2 Qa4 21.b3 Qa5 22.Rd3 Finally, the smoke is starting to clear. 22...Rad8 23.Bd2
Qc5+ 24.Be3 Rxe3 25.Rxe3+–
20.b3 Qb4 21.Be3 c5 22.Rxd8 Rxd8 23.Ne4+–
Position after: 23.Ne4+–
At long last, White achieves their goal and can be sure of victory.
B1) 3...Nxd5 4.c4 Nf6
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.d4 Nxd5 4.c4! Nf6
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Far less common than 4...Nb6 although it has been played by a number of strong players, Tiviakov
included.
5.Nf3 Bg4
A) 5...c5 invites a Benoni structure, which I suggest should not be provoked. Instead, White can
enter an advantageous ending with 6.Nc3 cxd4 7.Qxd4
Position after: 7.Qxd4
A1) Black is under significant pressure if they insist on keeping the queens on the board:
7...Bd7 8.Bf4 Nc6 9.Qe3
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9...g6 [9...Ng4 10.Qe2 Qa5 11.h3 Nf6 12.Rd1²] 10.Be2 Bg7 11.Rd1 0-0 12.0-0 Qb6 13.Qc1!ƒ
A2) 7...Qxd4 8.Nxd4 a6 [8...e5 9.Ndb5 Na6 Neri, E – Roynet, S ICCF email 2016, 10.a3±;
8...Bd7 9.Ndb5 Na6 10.Be2 Bc6 11.0-0 g6 12.Nd4± Ross, M – Keller, H Germany 2004]
9.Na4!? Nbd7 10.Be2 e5 11.Nc2 Rb8 12.b4
12...Be7 [12...b5 13.cxb5 axb5 14.Nc3 Bb7 15.Bxb5 Bxg2 16.Rg1 Bf3 17.a4²] 13.0-0 0-0 14.a3
b6 15.Rd1²
B) 5...g6 6.Nc3 Bg7 7.Be2 0-0 8.0-0 c6 9.Bf4 Bf5 10.Qd2
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10...Na6 [10...Ne4 11.Nxe4 Bxe4 12.Rad1 Na6 13.Rfe1 Nc7 Belenkaya, D – Tomilova, E Sochi
2015, 14.Qe3 Bf5 15.h3±] 11.Rad1 Nc7 12.Rfe1 Ne6 13.Be5 Ne4 14.Nxe4 Bxe4 15.Qe3 Bxf3
16.Bxf3± Heberla, B – Kulicov, O Kavala 2006.
C) 5...e6 6.Nc3
6...c5 [6...Be7 7.Bd3 0-0 8.0-0 b6 9.Bf4 Bb7 10.Qe2± Carlsen, M – Nakamura, H chess.com
2018] 7.Be2 cxd4 8.Qxd4 Be7 9.Qxd8+ Bxd8 10.Nd4 Bd7 11.0-0 Nc6 12.Ndb5 0-0 13.Rd1 Bb6
14.Bg5 with a clear advantage.
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6.Be2 e6 7.Qb3!
7...Qc8
A) 7...b6 is always a displeasing move to make. 8.Nc3

B) 7...Nc6 8.Qxb7 Nb4 9.Qb5+ c6 [9...Qd7 10.Qxd7+ Nxd7 11.Na3±] 10.Qa4 Bf5 11.Na3±
8.h3 Bh5
Position after: 8...Bh5
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Tiviakov has reached this position twice with Black, Morozevich lost on the White side and the
notorious Rausis only drew. In all these games, White played the nondescript 9.Nc3 followed by
the development of the dark-squared bishop.
Out of 28 games, only one game has proceeded ‘correctly’ – a game between club players!
9.g4! Bg6 10.Nc3
10...Nbd7
Instead of this, the engine suggests 10...Nc6, but such a development appears unpromising after
the natural 11.Be3.
10...c5 11.d5
A) 11...exd5 12.cxd5 [12.Bf4? dxc4 13.Bxc4 Be7 14.Nh4 0-0 and Black is out of the woods.]
12...Nbd7 13.0-0 Bd6 14.Nd2+–
B) 11...Bd6 12.h4! Nxg4 13.h5 Bf5 14.Nb5 Be7 15.Bg5! The bishop cannot be taken because of
Nd6+.
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B1) 15...f6 16.Bf4 e5 17.d6! Bd8 [17...exf4 18.dxe7 Kxe7 19.0-0-0+–] 18.d7+! Qxd7 19.Rd1+–
B2) 15...a6 16.Bxe7 axb5 17.Bd6±
11.Nh4!
According to Stockfish, this is already winning!

Its evaluation is understandable, given the passivity of Black’s setup.
11...c6
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A) 11...c5 12.d5 exd5 13.Bf4! Power play! White threatens Nb5. 13...dxc4 [13...d4 14.Nb5+–;
13...Be7 14.g5! and 15.Nxd5 will follow once the knight leaves f6.] 14.Bxc4 and Black is
defenseless against the pressure upon f7.
B) 11...e5 12.Be3 exd4 13.Bxd4 Nc5 14.Bxc5 Bxc5 15.g5 Nd7 16.Bg4+–
12.g5!
Making use of the fact that 12...Nh5 loses to 13.Qd1.
12...Ng8 13.Bf4 Ne7 14.0-0-0+–
Position after: 14.0-0-0+–
B2) 3...Nxd5 4.c4 Nb6 5.Nf3 Bg4
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.d4 Nxd5 4.c4! Nb6 5.Nf3
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Black’s two main moves now are 5...Bg4 and 5...g6 (see next subchapters).
5...Bg4
A) 5...Nc6 6.Nc3 Bf5 is met with 7.d5 Nb4 8.Nd4
which practically forces the concrete variation 8...Bg6 9.a3 e5 10.axb4 exd4 11.Qxd4 Bxb4
12.Qxg7 Qe7+ 13.Be3 0-0-0 14.Be2±
B) 5...Bf5 6.c5!
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B1) 6...N6d7 7.Qb3 also leads to a passive defense since 7...b6? loses to [7...Qc8 8.Nc3 e6
9.Nh4!±] 8.Qd5+–
B2) 6...Nd5 7.Qb3 b6 [7...Nc6 8.Bb5±] 8.Nc3 Nxc3 9.bxc3 is a typical scenario.
White can and should leave the pawn on c5, relying on piece play and tempi to undermine
Black’s defenses.
B2.1) 9...bxc5? loses to the thematic 10.Ne5! e6 [10...Be6 11.Bb5+ c6 12.Nxc6+–] 11.Bb5++–
[Or 11.Qb7+–]
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B2.2) 9...c6 10.Bg5!
Another instructive motif. The pin on the e7-pawn hinders Black’s development, while a
weakening of the kingside (for instance with ...h6 and ...g5) is provoked. 10...Be6 11.Qa4
bxc5 12.dxc5 Nd7 13.Qxc6 Rc8 14.Qa4 Rxc5 15.Bb5±
B2.3) 9...e6 10.Ne5! c6 11.Be2 The c5-pawn is still taboo due to Qb7. 11...Be7 12.Bf3 Qc8
13.g4!
Exerting maximal pressure, Black’s position is now hopeless. 13...Bg6 14.h4 f6 15.Nxg6 hxg6
16.cxb6 axb6 17.Qxb6+–
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6.c5
6...N6d7
6...Nd5?! once again runs into the thematic 7.Qb3 when Black has no convenient way to defend
the b7-pawn.
A) 7...b6? 8.Ne5 Be6 9.Bb5++–

B) 7...Bc8 8.Bg5! paralyzes Black’s kingside. On 8...h6 [8...c6 9.Nc3+–] Dolana, A – Salimova,
281
N Cap Aurora 2017, White has the zwischenzug 9.Bc4! c6 10.Bh4+–
C) 7...Bxf3 loses to 8.Qxb7
Position after: 8.Qxb7
C1) 8...Ne3 9.Qxf3 [9.gxf3 also wins.] 9...Nc2+ 10.Kd1 Nxd4 [10...Nxa1 11.Bb5+ Nd7
12.Bxd7+ Kxd7 13.Qd5+ Ke8 14.Qc6+ Qd7 15.Qxa8++–] 11.Qxa8 Nb3+ 12.Nd2 Nxa1
13.Bb5++–
C2) 8...Nd7 9.gxf3 e6 10.Nc3+– Steinberg, N – Danchevski, O Eilat 2012.
D) 7...Nc6 8.Qxb7 Ndb4 [8...Bd7 9.a3+–] 9.Bb5 Bd7 [9...Bxf3 10.gxf3+–] 10.d5!
282
10...Nc2+ [10...Rb8 11.dxc6! Nc2+ Priasmoro, N – Sean, W Yogyakarta 2019, 12.Ke2+–]
11.Kf1 Rb8 [11...N6b4 12.Bxd7+ Kxd7 13.Ne5+ Ke8 14.Qb5+ c6 15.Nxc6+–] 12.dxc6 Rxb7
13.cxd7+ Qxd7 14.Bxd7+ Kxd7 15.c6+ Kxc6 16.Ne5+ Kb6 17.Nxf7 Rg8 18.Ke2 Nxa1 19.Bd2!
The only way! White prevents the knight on a1 from escaping (as 19...Nc2 is now met with
20.Kd3). 19...e6 20.Rc1+–
7.Bc4
7.Be2 is another possibility. 7...e6 8.Qb3 b6 9.0-0
283
A) 9...bxc5 10.Qb7 Nb6 11.Bb5+ N8d7 [11...c6 12.Ne5!+–] 12.Ne5 Bh5 13.Nxd7 Nxd7
14.Bxd7+ Kxd7 Wolke, R – Buchholz, R Hamburg 2013, 15.dxc5+–
B) 9...Be7 10.Rd1 0-0 11.Nc3 c6 12.Bf4 Nf6
Baramidze, D – Pakleza, Z Germany 2019, 13.h3 Bxf3 [13...Bh5 14.g4! Bg6 15.Ne5 Nd5
16.Nxd5 exd5 17.Rac1±] 14.Bxf3 Nd5 15.Nxd5 cxd5 16.Rac1±
Back to 7.Bc4.
Position after: 7.Bc4
7...e6
284
7...Nc6? runs into 8.Bxf7+! Kxf7 9.Ng5+ Ke8 10.Qxg4 Nf6 11.Qe6 Qd5 [11...Qxd4 12.Qf7+ Kd7
13.Nc3+–] 12.Qxd5 Nxd5 13.Nc3 Ndb4 14.d5! Nc2+ [14...Nd4 15.0-0+–] 15.Kd1 Nxa1
16.dxc6+–
8.Nc3
White does not obtain much after 8.h3 Bxf3 9.Qxf3 Nc6 10.Be3 Qf6.
8...Be7
8...Nc6 9.Be3 Be7 10.h3 Bh5 11.Qe2 transposes.
9.h3 Bh5
9...Bxf3 10.Qxf3 Nc6 11.Be3 see 9...Bh5.
10.Qe2! Nc6 11.Be3
11...0-0
A) 11...Bxf3 is probably necessary, although even here, White has an overwhelming advantage.
12.Qxf3 0-0 13.0-0-0±
B) 11...Na5 12.Bb5 c6 [12...a6?! 13.Bxd7+ Qxd7 14.g4 Bg6 15.Ne5 is crushing.] 13.Bd3 Bxf3
14.gxf3 [Of course not 14.Qxf3 Nxc5!] 14...b5 Petr, M – Pisk, P Brno 2006, 15.Rg1 g6 16.Ne4±
285
Position after: 16.Ne4±
12.g4! Bg6 13.0-0-0 Na5 14.h4! Nxc4 15.Qxc4 h5 16.d5 exd5 17.Rxd5 c6
Starke, H – Williams, S corr 2000.
18.Rxd7! Qxd7 19.Ne5+–
B3.1) 3...Nxd5 4.c4 Nb6 5.Nf3 g6 (with 8...c6)
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.d4 Nxd5 4.c4! Nb6 5.Nf3 g6 6.Nc3 Bg7 7.c5
286
7...Nd5
7...N6d7 8.Bc4 0-0 9.0-0 b6 [9...c6 10.Re1 Nf6 11.h3 b5 12.Bb3 a5 13.a3 Na6 De Firmian, N –
Azmaiparashvili, Z Yerevan 1996, 14.Ne5 Bb7 15.Bg5+–] 10.Re1!
Position after: 10.Re1!
Black has at least a couple of weak points in their position: the e7- and f7-pawns. White’s play
generally revolves around these weaknesses.
A) 10...bxc5 11.Bg5
A1) 11...Bf6 Schmitz, T – Heinzel, O Boeblingen 2008. Now White should have gone for
287
12.Nd5!
12...Bxg5 [12...cxd4 13.Nxe7+ Kg7 14.Qd2+–; 12...Nc6 13.Bb5!+–] 13.Nxg5 e6 14.Nxe6! fxe6
15.Rxe6 Kg7 16.Qd2+–
Position after: 16.Qd2+–
and Black is busted, for instance 16...c6 17.Re7+ Rf7 18.Rxf7+ Kxf7 19.Nc7++–
A2) 11...Nf6 12.dxc5 Qxd1 13.Raxd1 e6 14.Nb5
288
Position after: 14.Nb5
14...Na6 [14...Ba6 15.Nxc7 Bxc4 16.Nxa8 Na6 17.Ne5 Bb5 18.a4 Bxa4 19.Ra1 Nxc5 20.Nc7±]
15.c6+– Jones, G – Jaunooby, A Leeds 2011.
B) 10...Bb7 11.Bg5 Nf6 12.Ne5+– Kadric, D – Marcetic, P Neum 2014.
8.Bc4
Black now has two main moves. 8...c6 is covered here, while 8...Nxc3 is analyzed in the next
subchapter.
289
8...c6 9.0-0 0-0
9...Be6 10.Qb3 Nxc3 11.bxc3 Bxc4 12.Qxc4 0-0 13.Re1
13...Nd7 [13...b6 14.Bg5 Re8 15.Rad1 h6 16.Bh4±] 14.Bg5 Re8 15.Rad1 Nf6 16.Qb3 Qc7 17.Ne5
e6 18.Nc4 b6 19.Nd6 Reb8 20.Qa3 bxc5 21.dxc5±
10.Re1
10...Bg4
290
A) 10...Nxc3? 11.bxc3 b6 12.Bg5 Bf6 13.Bh6 Bg7 [13...Re8 14.Ng5 Bxg5 15.Bxg5+–] 14.Bxg7
Kxg7 15.Qe2 bxc5 16.dxc5+–
B) 10...Be6 11.Qb3 [11.Rxe6!? fxe6 12.Ng5 is sometimes an idea, but it’s unnecessary here.]
B1) 11...b5 12.Bxd5 Bxd5 13.Nxd5 Qxd5 14.Rxe7+– Zhigalko, A – Muzychuk, M Warsaw
2008.
B2) 11...Qd7 12.Ne5
B2.1) 12...Qc7 13.Bg5 Nd7 [13...f6 14.Nxg6 hxg6 15.Rxe6+–] 14.Bxd5 cxd5 15.Nd3±
Remde, A – Tritt, M LSS email 2009.
B2.2) 12...Bxe5 13.Rxe5 Nxc3 Farkas, G – Nemsak, D Stara Lubovna 2015.
291
14.Bxe6 Qxd4 15.Re1 fxe6 [15...Nb5 16.Bh6 Na6 17.Bxf8 Rxf8 18.Rad1 Qxc5 19.Bc4+–]
16.Be3 Qd7 17.bxc3+–
B3) 11...b6 12.Ng5! b5 13.Bxb5! Nxc3 14.Nxe6 fxe6 15.bxc3 cxb5 16.Rxe6 Kh8 17.Bg5 Bf6
18.Bxf6+ Rxf6 19.Rxf6 exf6 Socko, M – Muzychuk, M Wroclaw 2009, 20.Qxb5 Qd7 21.Qxd7
Nxd7 22.Rb1+–
11.Bg5
11...Nf6
A) 11...h6 12.Nxd5 cxd5 13.Bxe7+–

B) 11...Bf6 12.Bh6 Bg7 13.Bxg7 Kxg7 14.Bxd5 cxd5 15.Qb3 Bxf3 16.Qxb7 e6 17.gxf3 Nd7
18.Ne2±
12.h3 Bxf3 13.Qxf3 Qxd4 14.Rxe7! Nbd7 15.Bb3 Qxc5 16.Bxf6 Nxf6 17.Rxb7±
B3.2) 3...Nxd5 4.c4 Nb6 5.Nf3 g6 (with 8...Nxc3)
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.d4 Nxd5 4.c4! Nb6 5.Nf3 g6 6.Nc3 Bg7 7.c5 Nd5 8.Bc4 Nxc3 9.bxc3 0-0
10.0-0
292
10...Nc6
10...b6 11.Re1! It is more important to attack the opponent’s weak points than to tend to the
defense of c5. 11...bxc5 [11...Bb7 12.Bg5 Bf6 13.Bh6 Bg7 14.Bxg7 Kxg7 15.Ne5±] 12.Bg5 Bf6
13.Bh6 Bg7 14.Bxg7 Kxg7 15.Ne5± See the model game Kasparov, S – Zasypkin, A Fagernes
2012.
11.Re1 Bg4
A) 11...e5?! gives White an initiative after 12.Bg5 Qd7 13.Nxe5 Nxe5 14.dxe5
Position after: 14.dxe5
293
14...Qf5 [14...Qc6 15.Qd4±] 15.Qd2 Bxe5 16.Bh6 Bg7 17.Bxg7 Kxg7 18.Qd4+ Qf6 19.Re7±
B) 11...h6 creates additional weaknesses on the kingside. 12.Bf4 e6 13.Qd2
13...Kh7 [13...g5 14.Bg3±] 14.h4 b6 15.Bd3 bxc5 16.h5 cxd4 17.cxd4 Nxd4 18.Ne5! Bxe5
19.Rxe5 Nf5 20.Rc5+–
C) 11...b6 12.Bg5
C1) 12...h6 13.Bh4 Bf6 Vorobiov, E – Nureev, G Moscow 2002, 14.Qd3 Bf5 15.Qe3 g5
16.Bg3
294
Black has far too many weaknesses now. 16...Na5 [16...bxc5 17.dxc5+–] 17.Ba6 Qd5 18.c4! the
pawn is poisoned: 18...Nxc4 19.Qb3
C2) 12...bxc5 13.d5! h6 14.Bh4 g5 15.Bxg5! hxg5 16.Nxg5
Position after: 16.Nxg5
16...Ne5 [16...Bf5 17.dxc6±] 17.Rxe5! Bxe5 18.Qd3 f5 19.Qh3 Rf7 20.Re1 Bd6 21.Qh8+!
Kxh8 22.Nxf7+ Kg7 23.Nxd8±
D) 11...Na5 12.Bd3 b6 Vilimek, P – Stanek, M Czech Republic 1999, 13.Ba3!? Re8 14.Ne5±
Let’s return to 11...Bg4.
295
12.Bg5 h6 13.Bh4 g5 14.Bg3 e5
This is definitely Black’s best line – aiming to liquidate as quickly as possible. Nevertheless,
White keeps an initiative in the following manner:
15.h3 Bxf3 16.Qxf3 exd4 17.cxd4 Qxd4 18.Rac1
Position after: 18.Rac1
18...Ne5
18...Qf6 19.Qxf6 Bxf6 20.Bxc7²
19.Bxe5 Bxe5 20.g3 Kg7 21.Bb3 Rad8 22.Kg2²
Model game
Kasparov, Sergey (2503)

Zasypkin, Alexey (2233)
Fagernes 2012
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nxd5 4.d4 g6 5.c4 Nb6 6.Nc3 Bg7 7.c5 Nd5 8.Bc4 Nxc3 9.bxc3 0-0
10.0-0
296
10...b6?
10...Nc6 is the main line and the more testing move.
11.Re1! bxc5 12.Bg5!
12...Bf6
12...Nc6 13.d5 h6 14.Bh4 g5 is best met by 15.Bxg5! hxg5 16.Nxg5 Ne5 17.Rxe5! Bxe5 18.Qd3
297
f5 19.Qh3 Rf7 20.Re1 Bd6 and now the well-known trick 21.Qh8+! Kxh8 22.Nxf7+±
13.Bh6! Bg7
13...Re8 14.Ng5+– is even worse.
14.Bxg7 Kxg7 15.Ne5
Black has several vulnerable points and none of them can be properly defended.
15...c6 16.d5 Bb7
16...Qc7 had to be played here although 17.dxc6 e6 18.Bb5 is not exactly promising.
17.Rb1 Qc8
298
18.Qf3?!
18.Nxf7! Rxf7 19.d6 exd6 20.Bxf7 Kxf7 21.Qxd6 would have ended the game immediately.
18...Nd7 19.Nxc6
19.Nxf7! was still best: 19...Rxf7 20.Qxf7+ Kxf7 21.dxc6+ Kf8 22.cxb7+–
19...Bxc6 20.dxc6 Nb6 21.Bb5 e6 22.Qe3
22.h4!?+–
22...a6
299
23.Qe5+?!
23.Bd3 still keeps a large advantage. 23...Qxc6 24.Qe5+ f6 25.Qxe6 Qxe6 26.Rxe6±
23...Kg8??
23...f6 24.Qxc5 axb5 25.Qxb6 Ra6 26.Qxb5 Rxc6 and Black is only slightly worse.
24.Be2
300
24...Nd5
Perhaps Black realized too late that 24...Qxc6 25.Bf3 Nd5 26.c4 loses a piece.
25.Bf3 Rd8 26.c7 Re8 27.Bxd5 exd5 28.Qxe8+
1-0
301
Chapter 2
2...Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd8
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd8
Chapter Guide
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd8 4.d4 Nf6

B) 5...Bg4
302
Position after: 3...Qd8
As mentioned in the overview, this is a passive continuation.At the same time, its appeal lies in the
clarity of plans available.For instance, the main continuation is 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 Bg4, when Black
intends to exchange both their bishops, set up a light-squared pawn formation and expand on the
queenside. By nature then, the variation is theoretically sparse and it’s likely to attract lazy players
(I, myself, have been guilty of employing 3...Qd8 to avoid theory). On closer inspection however,
I have found that White can exert considerable pressure on their opponent’s position.
4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3
303
5...c6
This is imprecise because of 6.Bc4!, which prevents Black from bringing their bishop out to the
active g4-square.
A) 5...Bf5 6.Ne5!
A typical reaction. White’s main idea is to play Qf3 now, with a double attack against the bishop
on f5 and the pawn on b7. A natural response is 6...e6 (6...c6 7.Bc4 transposes to 5...c6);
however, then the bishop on f5 becomes short of squares and White can immediately capitalise
with 7.g4 Bg6 8.Bg2 c6 9.h4 see 5...Bg4 6.h3 Bh5 7.g4 Bg6 8.h4.
B) On 5...g6!? 6.Bg5!? is promising.[Or 6.Bf4!? Van Foreest, J – Hera, I chess.com 2020, with
the same intention.] 6...Bg7 7.Qd2
304
B1) 7...h6 8.Bf4 a6 Grischuk, A – Duda, J Paris 2019, 9.0-0-0 b5 10.Bd3 Bb7 11.Rhe1±
B2) 7...Bf5 8.0-0-0
B2.1) After 8...Nd5 9.Bc4 Nb6 [9...Nxc3 10.Qxc3 changes little.] 10.Bb3 Black is practically
lost.
B2.2) 8...0-0 9.Ne5! Nbd7 10.f3! White prepares to launch their offensive.
Black should probably try to counterattack with 10...c5 11.Nxd7 Bxd7 12.dxc5 Qa5 13.a3 Be6
but White keeps the extra pawn with 14.Ne4±
305
Another possibility for Black is 10...Nxe5 11.dxe5 Nd7 [11...Qxd2+ 12.Rxd2 Nd7 13.Nd5±]
12.Nd5 Re8 13.Bc4 c6 [13...Nxe5 14.Nxe7+ Qxe7 15.Bxe7 Nxc4 16.Qf4 Bxb2+ 17.Kb1+–]
14.Nxe7+ Rxe7 15.g4!±
B3) 7...0-0 8.0-0-0 c6 9.Bh6
B3.1) 9...b5 10.h4 Bg4 11.h5! is dangerous for Black, for instance 11...Nxh5 [11...Bxh5
12.Bd3±] 12.Bxg7 Kxg7 13.Be2 b4 14.Ne4 Qd5 15.Ng3! Qxa2 16.Nxh5+ Bxh5 17.Qf4 Qa1+
18.Kd2 Qxb2 19.Ke1 with g4 next.
B3.2) 9...Bg4 10.Be2 Nbd7 11.h3 Bxf3 12.Bxf3 Nb6 13.h4 Nc4 14.Qg5 Qd6 15.Rd3ƒ
6.Bc4!
306
6...Bf5
A) 6...Bg4?? 7.Bxf7++– [7.Ne5+–]

B) 6...b5 simply creates weaknesses in Black’s position. 7.Bd3 g6 8.0-0 Bg7 9.Re1 0-0
Khudyakov, S – Rudometov, M Moscow 2019, 10.Bg5±
7.Ne5!
Keep this operation in mind as it often crops up in the Scandinavian. The attack upon f7 is purely
instrumental to the following kingside offensive:
7...e6 8.g4! Bg6 9.h4
307
In such a position, it is unfortunate for Black that ...h6 or ...h5 is never really viable as the structure
after Nxg6 fxg6 is hopeless (not to mention that here the e6-pawn would fall immediately).
9...Bb4
A) 9...Be4 loses to 10.Nxe4 Nxe4 11.Nxf7! (natural developing moves were also decisive)
11...Kxf7 12.Qf3+ Nf6 13.g5 Qxd4 14.gxf6 gxf6 [14...Qxc4 runs into mate: 15.fxg7+ Kxg7
16.Rg1+] 15.Qh5+ Ke7 16.Be3
16...Qe5 [16...Qxc4 17.Bc5+ Kd8 18.0-0-0+ and wins.] 17.Qxe5 fxe5 18.0-0-0+–
308
B) 9...Nbd7 10.f3! A quiet but crucial move! White prevents the g6-bishop from escaping via e4.
10...Nxe5 11.dxe5 Nd7 12.h5 Nxe5 13.Be2+–
10.f3!
Again, the killer move.
10...Nd5
10...Bxc2 is flawed on account of 11.Qxc2 Qxd4 12.Qe2! Bxc3+ 13.bxc3 Qxc3+ 14.Kf2 Qxa1
15.Rd1 Qc3 16.Bb2 Qb4 17.Nxf7! 0-0 18.Bxf6 gxf6 19.Qxe6 Perez Rodriguez, L – Lopez
Martinez, J Varadero 2000.
11.Bd2
Also quite strong is 11.Bxd5 cxd5 12.h5 f6 13.hxg6 fxe5 14.gxh7±
309
11...Bxc3
11...f6 12.Nxd5 Bxd2+ 13.Qxd2

A) 13...fxe5 14.Ne3 Qxd4 [14...exd4 15.0-0-0+–] 15.0-0-0 is positionally winning.
B) 13...cxd5 14.Bb5+ Kf8 15.Nxg6+ hxg6 16.0-0-0+– Steiger, W – Utzinger, K ICCF email
2015.
12.bxc3
310
12...b5
Objectively better is 12...f6 13.Nxg6 hxg6 14.Bd3 g5 [14...f5 15.Qe2+– Fluvia Poyatos, J –
Monell Camarasa, D Andorra 2004] 15.Qe2 Qd6 16.Rb1 b6 17.h5±
13.Bxd5 Qxd5 14.h5 f6 15.hxg6 fxe5 16.Rxh7 Rg8 17.Rh5 Nd7 18.Qe2 Rf8
Position after: 18...Rf8
Ragger, M – Laznicka, V Novy Bor 2017.
19.Bg5!
Preventing their opponent from long-castling and thus, locking down the Black king. According to
Stockfish, White’s advantage is nearly equivalent to a whole rook! I suppose it is incredibly
difficult for Black to move any of their pieces and White’s king is in fact quite secure on f2.
19.dxe5?? was played in the aforementioned rapid game (Ragger – Laznicka) and Black quickly
took over the initiative after 19...0-0-0∞
19...Rxf3
19...c5 is suggested by the engine, and White’s ‘easiest’ win is 20.dxe5 Qxe5 21.Rd1
311
A) 21...Qxc3+ 22.Kf2 Qe5 [22...Qc4 23.Rd3 Nb6 24.Qe5! is mate in 7!] 23.Qxb5+–
B) 21...a6 What else? 22.f4 Qxe2+ 23.Kxe2+–
Instead, taking the f-pawn leads to dire straits for Black after
20.0-0-0 Rf8 21.dxe5 Qxa2 22.Qe4 Qa3+ 23.Kb1 Qxc3 24.Rh7+–
Position after: 24.Rh7+–
B) 5...Bg4
312
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd8 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 Bg4 6.h3
6...Bxf3
6...Bh5?! should now be a cause for suspicion to the reader: 7.g4 Bg6 8.Ne5 e6 9.Bg2 c6 10.h4!
Bb4 11.0-0 and Black is in trouble.
A) 11...Nbd7 12.Qe2!+– [12.Nxd7?! Qxd7 13.h5 Bxc3 14.bxc3 Be4]

B) 11...Nfd7 12.Nxd7 Nxd7 13.h5 Qh4 14.hxg6 hxg6 15.Bf4+–
313
C) The logical solution to the problem bishop on g6 is 11...Bxc3 12.bxc3 but now Black’s dark
squares are far too vulnerable.
12...Nd5 13.c4 Nc3 14.Qe1 Qxd4 15.Bb2 Ne2+ 16.Qxe2 Qxb2 17.h5 Qxc2 18.Qe3+–
7.Qxf3 c6 8.Be3 e6 9.a3!?
Position after: 9.a3!?
Preventing the exchange of Black’s second bishop.
9...Nbd7
314
9...Be7 10.0-0-0
A) 10...Nd5 can be met with the energetic 11.Nxd5 cxd5 [11...Qxd5 12.Qg3 Bf6 13.c4 Qa5
14.Bd2 Qd8 15.Bf4ƒ] 12.c4!
12...0-0 13.Kb1 Nc6 14.cxd5 exd5 [14...Qxd5 15.Qxd5 exd5 16.g3 with a pleasant advantage
into the endgame.] 15.Bd3 Qb6 16.Qf5 g6 17.Qxd5 Bxa3 18.Qb5±
B) 10...0-0 11.h4 Nd5 12.Bd2
B1) 12...Nxc3 13.Qxc3!? [13.Bxc3 Qd5 forces the queens off, as White cannot allow the black
315
queen to invade via a2.] 13...Nd7 14.h5 h6 15.g4‚
B2) 12...b5 13.h5 h6 14.g4‚
10.0-0-0
10...Nb6
10...Be7 11.Kb1 0-0 12.h4! Nd5 13.Bc1 b5 14.Nxd5 cxd5 15.h5 h6 [15...b4 16.a4! immediately
halts Black’s play on the queenside.] 16.g4‚ with an attack.
11.Kb1 Nbd5 12.Bc1 Nxc3+ 13.Qxc3
316
Position after: 13.Qxc3
13...Be7
13...Nd5 14.Qd3! b5 15.f4 Be7 16.f5 exf5 17.Qxf5±
14.Qg3!?
Provoking Black to castle kingside, after which h4-h5 is more promising.

14.g4?! gives Black time to generate counterplay with 14...Nd5! 15.Qg3 [15.Qf3 b5] 15...b5 16.h4
Rb8„
Position after: 14.Qg3!?
14...0-0
14...Ne4!? 15.Qe3 Nf6 16.g4 The difference between this continuation and the immediate 14.g4 is
that after 16...Nd5 White has the precise 17.Qe5!
317
effectively forcing Black’s bishop to f6 where it will be the object of attack. 17...Bf6 [17...0-0
18.c4 Nc7 19.Bd3±] 18.Qe4 b5 19.h4
Now the engine suggests 19...Be7, but if 19...Rb8 20.g5 Be7 21.Rh3! White is both well-placed
against Black’s queenside attack and ready to attack on the kingside. 21...b4 22.axb4! a5 23.c4
Nxb4 24.Bf4 Bd6 25.h5±
Or indeed 19...Be7 20.h5! Bxa3 21.h6! Bf8 [21...g6 22.Qe5! Kd7 23.bxa3 Nc3+ 24.Ka1 Nxd1
25.Qe1+–] 22.hxg7 Bxg7 23.Rxh7±
318
15.h4!
15...b5
15...h5 is too risky now. 16.Bh6 Ne8 17.Bg5 Nf6 18.Be2±
16.h5 Bd6 17.Qf3 Nd5
17...b4 can always be met with 18.a4 [Apparently even 18.axb4 works here, but there’s no need.]
18...Qa5 [18...Nd5 19.Bc4±] 19.h6+–
18.Bd3
319
18...Rb8
18...b4 is still met with 19.a4 and on 19...Qa5 there follows 20.Qe4! Nf6 21.Qxc6.
19.c3 b4
19...Bxa3? 20.bxa3 Nxc3+ 21.Ka1 Nxd1 22.Rxd1+–
Position after: 22.Rxd1+–
20.c4! bxa3 21.cxd5 cxd5
320
21...axb2 22.Bf4!
22.Bc2!
Unlike in Puccini – Kuybokarov, White has serious attacking possibilities here, especially in
connection to Qd3.
Model game
This was an online game played during the COVID-19 pandemic. As Marcus was my teammate, I
had sent him some of my analysis in preparation for the game.
Harvey, Marcus Ross (2440)
Arkell, Keith C (2429)
Lichess.org 2020
We had suspected Keith would play this variation.
4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 Bg4 6.h3 Bxf3 7.Qxf3 c6 8.Be3 e6
321
9.a3!?
White wants to castle queenside, but doing so immediately allows ...Bb4.

A) 9.Bd3 is the most popular move.
B) 9.0-0-0 Bb4 10.Ne4 Nxe4 11.Qxe4 Qd5 12.Qxd5 cxd5 13.c4 dxc4 14.Bxc4 Nd7
Dominguez Perez, L – Pichot, A chess.com 2018 is quite solid for Black.
9...Nbd7 10.0-0-0
322
10...Nb6
10...Be7 11.Kb1 0-0 12.h4! is my recommendation. Note that Black’s king is already castled here
so the ...h5 idea will always be dubious. Palladino, M – Nicotera, A ICCF email 2014.
11.Kb1 Nbd5 12.Bc1 Nxc3+ 13.Qxc3
13...Be7
323
A game between two of my fellow countrymen went 13...Nd5 14.Qe1 [14.Qd3! b5 15.f4 Be7 16.f5
exf5 17.Qxf5±] 14...b5 15.f4?!
Position after: 15.f4?!
This setup does not effectively support f5 (compare with 14.Qd3) since Black responds with the
natural 15...Be7 16.g4? 0-0 17.c3 and now either:
A) 17...b4!? 18.c4 [18.axb4 a5! 19.b5 cxb5 20.Bxb5 a4 with a decisive attack.] 18...bxa3!
19.cxd5 axb2 20.Bxb2 [20.Bd2 cxd5 The problem is that White isn’t generating an attack any
time soon so his position remains difficult.] 20...cxd5
Position after: 20...cxd5
Stockfish on a low depth is giving zeros here but I think this is extremely unpleasant to face over
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the board.
B) Or 17...a5 18.Bd3 Kuybokarov, T – Puccini, J Sydney 2020.
And as in the previous note, Black can play 18...b4!? 19.c4 bxa3! 20.cxd5 axb2 21.Bxb2 cxd5
with full compensation.
Back to 13...Be7.
14.h4!?
This is the concept I introduced to Marcus. In this line, Black usually hopes for nonchalant,
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‘healthy moves’ from the opponent; however, there is absolutely no reason why White shouldn’t
play for an attack. Keith’s response 14...h5! was not considered by either of us. The way Marcus
handled the position was instructive, but we had overlooked an important resource (15...Ne4!).
White is still better, but the idea prompted me to appreciate the subtleties and adjust my
recommendation.
A) 14.g4?! gives Black time to generate counterplay with 14...Nd5! 15.Qg3 [15.Qf3 b5] 15...b5
16.h4 Rb8„
B) I suggest 14.Qg3!? provoking Black to castle kingside, so that h4-h5 becomes more of a
threat.
14...h5! 15.Qg3
15...g6?!
Correct was 15...Ne4! 16.Qf3 [16.Qxg7?? Bf6 and the queen is lost.] 16...Nf6 and White is forced
to come up with a different plan.
16.Bf4 Qd7 17.Be5
Forcing Black to move the king’s rook.
17...Rg8 18.Be2 0-0-0
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Position after: 18...0-0-0
19.Rd3?!
It was possible to grab the pawn with 19.Qf4 Nd5 20.Qxf7 Rdf8 21.Qh7 Bd6 22.Qxd7+ Kxd7
23.Bf3.
19...Nd5?!
19...Bd6! was most tenacious. White is only slightly better.
20.c4 Nc7 21.Rhd1
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Position after: 21.Rhd1
21...Bd6
The engine suggests 21...f6 22.Bf4 Bd6 but the structure on the kingside remains suspicious.
22.Rf3 Bxe5?!
Black could have held out for some time before changing the structure.
23.dxe5 Qe7 24.Rd6!
24...Ne8
Black quickly collapses, illustrating that such ‘sit-and-wait’ positions are extremely unpleasant to
defend. Black probably should have tried 24...Rd7.
25.Rxd8+ Kxd8 26.Qf4+– Rg7 27.Qd4+ Kc7 28.Qxa7 Qxh4 29.Rb3
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A clean win!
1-0
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Chapter 3
2...Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd6
Chapter Guide
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd6 4.d4

A) 4...c6
B) 4...Nf6 5.Nf3 (various)
C) 4...Nf6 5.Nf3 g6
D) 4...Nf6 5.Nf3 c6
E1) 4...Nf6 5.Nf3 a6 6.g3 (various)
E2) 4...Nf6 5.Nf3 a6 6.g3 Bg4 (various)
E3) 4...Nf6 5.Nf3 a6 6.g3 Bg4 (with 8...Nc6)
A) 4...c6
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd6 4.d4
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After
4...c6 5.Nf3
Black’s best is surely to transpose with 5...Nf6. However, if they’ve played 4...c6, they might be
the kind of ‘dodgy’ player to head into the line
5...Bg4?!
5...Bf5 6.Nh4!? poses a question to Black’s awkward light-squared bishop. 6...Be6 [6...Bc8 7.Bc4
Nf6 8.0-0 b5 9.Bb3 e6 10.Re1±] 7.Be2 Nf6 8.0-0 g6 9.f4±
6.h3!
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A pawn sacrifice.
6...Bxf3
As was illustrated in Chapter 2, Black’s bishop very often ends up suffocated when it retreats to
h5: 6...Bh5?! 7.g4 Bg6 8.Ne5 Nd7 9.Nc4 Qc7 [9...Qe6+ 10.Be3 and d5 to follow, or on 10...Ngf6
11.f4!+–] 10.Qf3
Here the problem is not only the bishop on g6, but the substantial lag in development caused by
the ambitious Scandinavian queen! 10...e6 11.Bf4 Qd8 12.0-0-0 Black is dead lost.
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7.Qxf3
7...Qxd4?
This has in fact been tried by a rather senior and evidently less risk averse Anatoly Karpov (in a
rapid game against Vassily Ivanchuk). Although he did win that game, he was losing out of the
opening.
A) 7...Nf6 appears natural but loses to 8.Bf4! Qd8 (8...Qxd4 transposes to 7...Qxd4) 9.d5!
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White is adamant. 9...Nxd5 is also dire: [9...cxd5 10.Bxb8 Qxb8 11.Bb5+ Kd8 12.0-0-0 e6
13.Bc4!+– and White will sacrifice on d5 no matter what Black tries.] 10.0-0-0 e6 11.Nxd5
A1) 11...cxd5 12.Bxb8 Qxb8 13.Bb5+ Ke7 14.Rhe1 and wins.
Position after: 14.Rhe1
A perfect execution of the winning advantage was seen in Horvath – Fauland after 14...a6
15.Qxd5 axb5 16.Qg5+ Ke8 17.Qxb5+ Ke7 18.Qg5+ Ke8 19.Qb5+ Ke7 20.Rd7+ Kf6
21.Rxf7+! Kxf7 22.Qd7+ Be7 23.Qxe6+ Kf8 24.Qxe7+ Kg8 25.Qe6+ Kf8 26.Qf5+ Kg8
27.Qd5+ Kf8 28.Qf5+ Kg8 29.Re7! Qe8 30.Qd5+ Kf8 31.Rxe8+ Rxe8 32.Qxb7+– Horvath, R
– Fauland, P Deutschlandsberg 2018.
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A2) 11...exd5 12.Qg4! (or the immediate 12.Qg3) ensuring Black’s dark-squared bishop is tied
to the defense of the g7-pawn. 12...Qd7 13.Qg3+– Dragomirescu, R – Spulber, C Mamaia 2019.
B) 7...e6 is probably best, but Black is forced into a tempo down ...Qd8 Scandinavian (covered in
the previous chapter). 8.Bf4 Qd8 9.0-0-0 Nf6 10.Kb1 Bb4 11.Bc1±
8.Bf4!
Supporting the powerful tactical idea of Nb5.
8...Nf6
A) 8...Nd7 9.Rd1
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A1) 9...Qb6 10.Bc4 The situation is already clear and the rest is merely illustrative. [10.Rxd7!
also wins. 10...Kxd7 11.Bc4+–]
A1.1) 10...e6 11.Rxd7! Kxd7 12.Be3 Qb4 [12...Qxb2 13.Qxf7+ Ne7 14.0-0 Qxc3 15.Bxe6+
mates.] 13.Qxf7+ Qe7 14.Bxe6+ Kd8 15.Qf5+–
A1.2) 10...Ngf6 11.Bxf7+! Kxf7 12.Rxd7 Qxb2 13.0-0+–
A1.3) 10...Ndf6 11.Nb5!!
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Position after: 11.Nb5!!
11...cxb5 [11...e5 12.Be3 Qa5+ 13.c3 Rd8 14.b4 Rxd1+ 15.Qxd1 Bxb4 16.cxb4 Qxb4+
17.Bd2+– Again, 17...Qxc4 loses to 18.Nd6+] 12.Bc7! The queen is overloaded. 12...Qc6
13.Qd3!+– Black cannot prevent the dual threats of 14.Qd8+ and 14.Bxb5.
A2) 9...Qb4 10.a3 Qxb2 11.Bc4 0-0-0 12.0-0
It is already clear that this is too dangerous for Black. 12...e5 13.Bc1 Qxc2 [13...Qb6
14.Qxf7+–] 14.Bxf7+– A neat point here is that White threatens to win the black queen with
Rd2!.
B) 8...e5 was played in the aforementioned Karpov game. 9.Bg5! Continuing to create powerful
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threats (Rd1-d8+).
B1) 9...Nd7 10.Rd1 with the same sort of play:

B1.1) 10...Qc5 11.Nb5! cxb5 [11...Rc8 12.Qf5+–] 12.Qxb7 Qc8 13.Rxd7!+–
B1.2) 10...Qb6 11.Rxd7! and wins: 11...Kxd7 12.Qxf7+ Be7 13.Bc4 Qxb2 14.0-0+–
Position after: 14.0-0+–
B2) 9...Be7 10.Rd1 Qb6 11.Bc4 Nf6 12.Bxf6 gxf6 Ivanchuk, V – Karpov, A Cap d’Agde 2013
[12...Bxf6 would have lost to 13.Ne4 Note that 13...Qb4+ 14.c3 Qxc4 drops a queen. 15.Nd6+]
13.Qg4!
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Preventing short castling and threatening a deadly check on c8. 13...Na6 [13...Qc7 14.0-0+–]
14.0-0+– Black’s king is stuck!
9.Nb5! cxb5 10.Bxb5+ Nbd7 11.Qxb7 Rd8 12.Bc7 Qe4+ 13.Qxe4 Nxe4 14.0-0-0 a6 15.Bxa6
15...Nxf2
15...Nef6 16.Bxd8 Kxd8 17.Bb5+–
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16.Rhf1 Nxd1
16...Ra8 17.Bc4+– White has a decisive advantage.
17.Rxd1 Ra8 18.Bb5+–
Position after: 18.Bb5+–
B) 4...Nf6 5.Nf3 (various)
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd6 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3
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5...Bg4
A) As we know, 5...Bf5? is a mistake because of 6.Ne5! e6 7.g4 Bg6 8.Bg2
8...Nbd7 is necessary but clearly desperate. [8...c6?! 9.h4] 9.Bxb7 Rb8 10.Bc6 Ke7 11.Nxg6+
hxg6 12.Bg2 Rxh2 13.Rxh2 Qxh2 14.Qf3±
B) 5...Nc6 During the COVID pandemic, a whole host of elite tournaments were played online.
Dubov was particularly inspiring in the Lindores Abbey rapid event (which he won), coming up
with a variety of offbeat yet dangerous variations. For example, he employed 5...Nc6 against
Sergey Karjakin, caught him off guard and gained a winning position after just 11 moves! The
game illustrates that we cannot underestimate objectively incorrect but practically dangerous
continuations. 6.Nb5 Qd8
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B1) 7.Bf4 was already an inaccuracy from Karjakin. Play continued 7...Nd5 8.Bg3 a6 9.Na3?
[9.Nc3 gives an edge still.] 9...e5!
Position after: 9...e5!
and whichever way White captures, 10...Bb4+ gives Black a fine position. Karjakin, S – Dubov,
D chess24.com 2020.
B2) 7.d5! Nb4 8.c4
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B2.1) 8...Na6 9.Nbd4 e6 10.dxe6 fxe6 [10...Bb4+ 11.Bd2 Qe7 12.Bd3±] 11.a3±
B2.2) 8...e6 9.a3 Na6 10.Qa4 c6 Practically the only move, though it is clearly a concession.
[10...Bd7 11.dxe6 fxe6 12.Qc2+–] 11.dxc6 bxc6 12.Nc3 Nc5 Hoping for 13.Qxc6+?? Bd7.
13.Qc2 e5 [13...Be7 14.Bf4 0-0 15.Rd1 Qb6 16.Be2 a5 17.0-0±] 14.Be3
14...Qc7 [14...e4 15.Rd1 Qc7 16.Nd2 Bf5 17.Be2 Be7 18.0-0 Ng4 19.Bxg4 Bxg4 20.Rb1 and
the e4-pawn is indefensible, for example 20...f5 21.Bxc5 Bxc5 22.Ndxe4!] 15.b4 Ne6 16.Bd3
Be7 17.0-0 0-0 18.Rfe1 and White has a clear advantage in light of their control of the center
and the queenside spatial advantage.
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6.h3
6...Bh5
6...Bxf3 7.Qxf3 Nc6 is bad in view of [7...c6 8.Bf4! see 4...c6.] 8.Bf4!
8...Qe6+ [8...Nxd4 loses to 9.Qxb7 Nxc2+ 10.Ke2 Nd4+ 11.Kd1!+–; 8...Qd7 loses to 9.0-0-0 e6
10.d5!+–] 9.Be3 0-0-0 [9...Nxd4 10.Qxb7 Nxc2+ 11.Kd2+–] 10.0-0-0 Nb4 11.d5!
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11...Nfxd5 [11...Nbxd5 12.Bc4 c6 13.Bxa7+–] 12.a3! Forcing an opening of the position to the
detriment of Black’s king. [But not 12.Bc4?? Qg6!]
A) 12...Nxe3 13.Rxd8+ Kxd8 14.Qxb7! Nxf1 [14...Qf5 15.Qa8+ Kd7 16.Bb5+ Ke6 17.Ba4+–]
15.Rxf1+–
B) 12...Nxc3 13.Rxd8+ Kxd8 14.axb4 Ne4 [14...Na2+ 15.Kb1 Nxb4 16.Qxb7+–] 15.Bd3 f5
16.Rd1 Kc8 17.Kb1+–
7.g4 Bg6 8.Bg2
8.Ne5!? is also possible. 8...Nbd7 9.Qe2! Qxd4 10.Nxd7 Qxd7 11.f4±
8...Nbd7
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Position after: 8...Nbd7
8...c6 9.Ne5 Nbd7 10.f4 e6 11.0-0 Be7 [11...0-0-0 12.a4! and White’s queenside attack will be too
fast.]
12.a4! White threatens to gain a significant spatial advantage across the whole board. [It may be
possible to go directly for the bishop chase with 12.h4 0-0-0 13.h5 but Black’s only idea, to
sacrifice their bishop, 13...Bxc2! 14.Qxc2 Qxd4+ 15.Kh1 Nxe5 16.fxe5 Nxg4 is perhaps
unnecessary to allow.] 12...a5 [12...0-0 13.a5 a6 14.Ra4! This is better than defending d4 with Be3
as the queen exerts serious pressure against the e6-pawn after Qe2 and h4.] 13.Ra3!
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Position after: 13.Ra3!
13...0-0 [13...Bxc2 14.Qxc2 Qxd4+ 15.Kh1 Bxa3 16.Nxd7 Qxd7 17.bxa3±] 14.Rb3 Qc7 15.h4 h5
16.g5 Ng4 17.Nxg6 fxg6 18.Qe2+–
9.Nh4
9.g5!? is also very strong and it was played in the model game Laznicka, V – Kovalenko, I
Yerevan 2014.
9...c6 10.f4
Not yet threatening to win the bishop due to ...Qg3+ but once we’ve castled, the threat will be
imminent.
10...e6
10...0-0-0 11.0-0 e6 transposes.
11.0-0 0-0-0 12.f5 exf5 13.Nxf5 Qc7 14.Bf4 Qb6 15.Bh2
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It is virtually impossible for Black to create any counterchances here as ...h5 is always met with
g5. The computer initially tries
15...Nc5
15...Qxb2? is immediately losing because of 16.Qf3.
16.Kh1 Ne6
but White wins with the straightforward
17.d5!
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17...cxd5
17...Nxd5 18.Nxd5 cxd5 19.c4+–
18.Nxd5 Nxd5 19.Bxd5 Nc7 20.c4+–
Model game
Laznicka, Viktor (2681)

Kovalenko, Igor (2626)
Yerevan 2014
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd6 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 Bg4 6.h3 Bh5 7.g4 Bg6 8.Bg2 Nbd7 9.g5!?
9.Nh4 is the move I recommend (see variation B for more details) – a matter of taste.
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9...Nd5?
A) 9...Nh5 10.Nh4
A1) 10...e5 11.Bxb7 Rb8 12.Nxg6 hxg6 13.Bd5 Nb6 [13...c6 14.Bg2 exd4 15.Ne4 Qc7
16.Qxd4±] 14.dxe5 Qxe5+ 15.Qe2±
A2) 10...c6 11.Nxg6 hxg6 12.d5
12...cxd5 [12...Qe5+ 13.Qe2 cxd5 14.Bxd5 would be similar.] 13.Qxd5 Qxd5 14.Bxd5 Rb8
15.Bd2 e6 16.Bg2±
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B) 9...Ne4 10.0-0 Nxc3 [10...e6 11.Nh4 transposes.] 11.bxc3 e6 [11...Qa6 12.Nh4±] 12.Nh4 Qa6
13.a4±
10.Nxd5 Qxd5 11.0-0
Black is now forced to move the queen once again (if not on this move, then on one of the next).
11...Qc4 12.c3 0-0-0 13.Nh4 e5 14.Nxg6 hxg6 15.Qf3
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Evidently, Laznicka prepared well and gained a large, if not decisive, advantage out of the
opening.
15...c6 16.Rd1 Nb6
The engine prefers 16...Bd6 17.b3 Qe6 18.d5 cxd5 19.Rxd5
but in that case, Black would need to defend by gifting his e-pawn: 19...e4 20.Qxe4 Qxe4
21.Bxe4±
17.a4 Qd5 18.Qe2 Qc4 19.Qg4+ Nd7 20.Be3 Be7 21.b4 f5 22.gxf6 gxf6 23.d5!
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Simple and strong, the transition into the ending should be cleanest.
23...Qxg4 24.hxg4 cxd5 25.Rxd5
25.Bxa7+– was even stronger.
25...Rh4
25...Nb6 26.Rb5!+–
26.g5
26.Bxa7 Rxg4 27.a5 was also strong.
26...f5 27.Bxa7
27...Rc4
27...e4 28.a5 Rg4 29.Kf1 Rxg5 30.b5 and the queenside majority will decide the game.
28.Rb5 e4 29.Bd4?!
Solid but not the most efficient.

29.f3! Bxg5 [29...b6 30.a5!+–] 30.fxe4+–
29...Kc7?
29...Nf8 offers chances for Black.
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30.f3!
After this move, the win was never in doubt.
30...exf3 31.Bxf3 b6 32.a5 bxa5 33.Raxa5 Bxg5 34.Rb7+ Kd6 35.Ra6+ Ke7 36.Rxg6 Bf4
37.Bf6+ Kf7 38.Bh5
A great example of a queenside demolition and the triumph of the bishop pair!
1-0
C) 4...Nf6 5.Nf3 g6
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd6 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 g6 6.Nb5!?
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Position after: 6.Nb5!?
A solid variation.
6...Qb6
A) 6...Qd8 7.Bf4
A1) 7...Nd5 8.Be5 f6 9.Bg3 c6 10.Na3 It is quite obvious that White has a strategic advantage
here. The line might continue 10...Bh6 11.Bd3 [Or simply 11.c3 0-0 12.Bd3] 11...Qa5+ 12.Kf1!
0-0 13.h4!? Bg4 14.h5! Bxh5? [14...gxh5 15.c3± White’s king is safe on f1, while the rook on
h1 plays an important attacking role.] 15.Qe2
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White has the positional threat of taking on h5 and penetrating with Qe6+, for instance 15...Na6
16.Rxh5 gxh5 17.Qe6+ Rf7 [17...Kh8 18.Qf5 Rf7 19.Nc4 Qd8 20.Nce5+–] 18.Bxh7+ Kf8
19.Nc4 Qd8 20.Bg6 Rg7 21.Qf5+–
A2) 7...Na6 8.Nc3!? Having lured the enemy knight to a dubious square, the knight can return
to its standard location.
Position after: 8.Nc3!?
A2.1) 8...Bg7 can be met with 9.Bb5+ [Slightly more precise than 9.Bxa6 bxa6 10.0-0] 9...c6
[9...Bd7 10.Bxa6 bxa6 11.0-0 0-0 etc.] 10.Bxa6 bxa6 11.Qd2 0-0 12.0-0 with a clear
advantage.
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A2.2) 8...Nb4 9.a3 Nbd5 10.Nxd5 Nxd5 11.Be5 Nf6 12.Be2 Bh6 13.0-0 0-0 14.c4 c6 15.Re1
Be6 16.h3 and White has a clear advantage. Sveshnikov, E – Tiviakov, S Tallinn 2015.
B) 6...Qe6+? is bad due to 7.Ne5! as White threatens 8.Bc4.
7.a4!?
A positional approach aimed at exploiting Black’s adventurous play with their queen.
7...a6
7...c6 8.a5 Qd8 9.Nc3 leads to a typical advantage for White, slightly enhanced by the added space
on the queenside. 9...Bg7 10.Be2 Bf5 11.0-0 0-0 12.Re1 Nd5 13.Bc4 Na6 14.Bg5 Re8 15.h3 Be6
16.Rxe6! fxe6 17.Ne4±
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See the model game Pavlov, V – Bode, D ICCF email 2014.
8.Na3 Bg7 9.Nc4
9...Qa7
A) 9...Qe6+ Kovalenko, I – Bykova, A Dombai 2013, 10.Be2 0-0 11.0-0±

B) 9...Qc6 10.Nce5 Qd6 11.Bc4 0-0 12.0-0
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Black has wasted far too many tempi in this line. Play might continue 12...Nc6 13.c3 Nxe5
14.dxe5 Qxd1 15.Rxd1 Ne4 16.Be3 Bf5 17.h3 h5 18.a5±
10.Be2 0-0 11.0-0
Slowly but surely, White will create a bind against all sources of active counterplay. The e5-square
is already firmly in control, but White would like to discourage their opponent from carrying out
the ...c5 break as well.
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11...Be6
A) 11...Rd8 Srinath, R – Plenkovic, Z Djenovici 2018, 12.a5! preventing 12...c5. 12...Nbd7

13.c3±
B) 11...Bf5 12.c3 Nbd7 13.b4±
C) 11...Nd5 12.Ne3 Nf4 [12...Nf6 13.b4! b6 14.Bb2 Bb7 15.c4± Tillett, R – Fels, B ICCF email
2016] 13.Bc4
13...Nc6 [13...c5? 14.d5 Nd7 15.Nf5! Nh3+ 16.gxh3 gxf5 17.Kh1+–] 14.c3 e5 15.Nxe5 Nxe5
16.dxe5 Qc5 [16...Bxe5 17.g3 Nh3+ 18.Kg2+–] 17.g3 Nh3+ 18.Kh1 Qxe5 19.Bd5±
12.a5 Nbd7
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Position after: 12...Nbd7
13.Ne3
It is also possible to play 13.c3 Rfe8 14.Be3 Bd5 15.Nce5 Malashenkov, A – Cornel, M 2016.
13...Rad8 14.Re1
More than just a developing move, 14.Re1 shows foresight in deterring the pawn-break ...e7-e5.
14...Nb8
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A) 14...c5 15.d5! Nb8 16.c4±
B) 14...c6 Potrata, J – Fels, B ICCF email 2018, 15.Ra3!? A clever way to activate the rook.
[White needs to be wary of Black’s counterplay. Thus 15.b4?! would be premature in view of
15...Nd5! 16.Nxd5 Bxd5 17.c3 e5!]
Position after: 15.Ra3!?
B1) 15...Nd5 16.c4 Nxe3 17.Bxe3±

B2) 15...Ne8 16.b4 [16.c4?! Ne5!] 16...Ne5 17.Nxe5 Bxe5 18.c3±
B3) 15...Rfe8 16.c4± Having prevented ...Nd5, White is now prepared to create the bind with
b4.
15.b4! Nd5 16.Nxd5 Bxd5 17.c3
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It is important to note that because the knight left the d7-square momentarily, we were given the
opportunity to create this bind without fear of ...e5.
17...b5
17...Nd7 18.Bf1 Rfe8 19.Bf4± [19.Bg5!?±]
18.Bd3±
Egelstaff, R – Fels, B email 2016.
Model game
Pavlov, Viktor Aleksandrovi (2420)

Bode, Dorel Ioan (2334)
ICCF email 2014
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd6 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 g6 6.Nb5 Qb6 7.a4 c6 8.a5 Qd8 9.Nc3 Bg7
10.Be2 Bf5 11.0-0 0-0 12.Re1 Nd5 13.Bc4 Na6 14.Bg5 Re8 15.h3 Be6
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This game illustrates a thematic exchange sacrifice.
16.Rxe6! fxe6 17.Ne4
Similar to the Sicilian sacrifice on c3, White does not need to follow up concretely – instead, they
can slowly build the position and increase the pressure.
17...Rf8 18.Bh4
The bishop no longer has any function on the h4-d8 diagonal, so it is rerouted to g3.
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18...Nac7
Black could try resisting the bind with 18...e5 19.dxe5 Nac7 but this is somewhat desperate.
Moreover 20.Bb3± introduces a new problem: the knight is not stable on d5.
19.Bg3
Black has no counterplay.
19...Qc8 20.Qe2 Rf5 21.Nc5 Bh6 22.c3 Bf4 23.Ne5 b5 24.Bb3 Na6 25.Ncd3
Position after: 25.Ncd3
Certainly not allowing Black to exchange the knights, for the knight on d3 is significantly better
than its counterpart.
25...Bxg3 26.fxg3 Qc7 27.g4
A new asset!
27...Rf6 28.h4 Qd6 29.g5 Rf5 30.h5
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30...Raf8
30...Rxg5 31.hxg6 hxg6 32.Rf1 Rf5 33.g4! Rf6 34.g5 Rf5 [34...Rxf1+ 35.Qxf1 Rf8 36.Qh3+–
Black’s pieces are warded off from the king’s defense; 34...Rff8 35.Qh2+–] 35.Rxf5 exf5
[35...gxf5 36.Qh5 mates.] 36.Nf4!+–
31.hxg6 Rxg5 32.Rf1 Rxf1+ 33.Qxf1 Nf6
33...Rf5 34.gxh7+ Kxh7 35.Qe1+–
34.gxh7+ Kxh7 35.Qf3
366
The effects of the pawn sacrifice continue to exist in the fact that the black king has no shelter,
while the black queen cannot return to its defense.
35...Nc7 36.Qh3+ Kg8 37.Qh6 Nh7 38.Bc2 Rg7 39.Nf4 Nf6 40.Nfg6 Nh7 41.Qh5 c5 42.Ng4
Kf7 43.N6e5+ Kg8 44.Nh6+ Kf8 45.Bxh7 Rxh7 46.Qf3+ Ke8 47.Qg3
Truly an instructive game and a positional masterpiece.
1-0
D) 4...Nf6 5.Nf3 c6
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd6 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 c6
6.g3
Against 5...c6, this is not a particularly common approach. I suggest however, that the forceful
nature of the main line 6.Ne5 has obscured the true evaluation of the position, ergo obscuring the
evaluation of the quieter alternative 6.g3. In fact, after delving into the theory of the mainline, I’m
unconvinced that the main line offers an advantage. On the other hand, White can be confident of
a clear and solid advantage when following my recommendation. Black has three sensible options:
6...g6, 6...Bf5 and 6...Bg4. Other moves are not worth considering.
For completeness, the main line runs 6.Ne5 Nbd7 7.Nc4 Qc7
367
8.Qf3 [8.a4 is probably worth investigating further. My provisional conclusion is that 8...Nb6
9.Ne5 a5 10.Bd3 g6 11.Bf4 Qd8 12.0-0 Bg7 is playable for Black.] 8...Nb6 9.Bf4 Qd7 10.Nxb6
[10.0-0-0 Qg4! 11.Qxg4 Bxg4 12.f3 Be6 13.Nxb6 axb6] 10...axb6 11.0-0-0 e6 with a double-
edged game.
6...g6
A) 6...Bf5 7.Bg2
368
A1) 7...h6 8.0-0 e6 can now be met with the thematic 9.Na4! Nbd7 Grandelius, N – Andreikin,
D Porto Carras 2018 [9...Qc7 10.c4± Dunlop, G – Stephan, J Germany 2018] 10.c4±
A2) 7...e6 is more common, but slightly inaccurate in view of 8.Nh4!
A2.1) 8...Bg6 9.Nxg6 hxg6 10.0-0 Be7 11.Ne2 0-0 Baklan, V – Mateuta, G Mamaia 2015,
12.Bf4 Qb4 [12...Qd8 13.c4± Note that 13...Bd6?! fails to 14.Qb3!] 13.c3
369
The moves following 11.Ne2 are not very important from a theoretical perspective; however,
these positions are instructive from the standpoint of overarching themes. Here 13...Qxb2 is
not to be feared. Even if White sacrifices two pawns, the overriding factor is that the b7-pawn
is lost. [13...Qb6 14.Qc2±] 14.Rb1 Qxa2 15.Rxb7± It is then clear that Black’s queenside
collapses.
A1.2) 8...Bg4 9.Qd3 Be7 10.h3 Bh5 11.g4 Bg6 12.Nxg6 hxg6 13.Bd2 with a clear advantage.
Palac, M – Jovanovic, Z Porec 2016.

B) 6...Bg4 7.Bg2 e6 8.0-0 h6 9.Re1 Be7 10.Na4!? Qc7 11.c4
370
11...0-0 Hall, R – Stephan, J ICCF email 2009 [11...Nbd7 12.h3 Bh5 13.Qb3 0-0 14.Bf4 Qc8
15.Rad1± Turkov, V – Stephan, J ICCF email 2013] 12.h3 Bf5 [12...Bxf3 13.Qxf3±; 12...Bh5
13.g4!? Bg6 14.Ne5 Bh7 15.Bf4±] 13.Bf4 Bd6 14.Bxd6 Qxd6 15.Qe2
with a solid advantage, of which many Catalan players would dream.
7.Bg2 Bg7 8.0-0 0-0 9.Re1
371
9...Bg4
I once faced 9...Na6 10.Bf4 Qd8 11.Qd2

A) 11...Re8 Horvath, A – Czebe, A Sydney 2013, 12.h3 Nc7 13.Bh6
A1) 13...Bh8 is a very natural human response, as we’re used to seeing the same defensive
mechanism in almost all fianchetto positions. In this case however, it is ill-advised since the
bishop on h6 remains a strong attacking piece while notably, the h8-bishop is really quite bad.
14.Na4! Nd7 15.Rad1+–
372
A2) 13...Be6 14.Rad1 [14.Na4 is not so clear in view of 14...Bxh6 15.Qxh6 Bd5! 16.c3 Ne6]
14...Qd6 15.a3 [Or 15.Na4 Bxh6 16.Qxh6 Bd5 17.Nc5 Ne6 18.Nxe6 Bxe6 19.Ne5±] 15...Rad8
16.Na4!
Position after: 16.Na4!
16...Na6 [16...Bd5 17.Nc5±] 17.Bf1 b5 [17...Bd5 18.Bf4 Qd7 19.Ne5 Qc8 20.c4 Be6 21.g4 h5
22.f3±] 18.Nc3±
B) 11...Bf5 12.h3! Nb4?! Probably an oversight. [12...Nc7 13.g4 Be6 14.Bh6±] 13.g4!
B1) 13...Bxc2 14.Bg3! (or 14.Bh2) and Black loses material. [Not 14.a3?? Nd3+–]
373
B2) 13...Bc8 Tan, J – Vakhidov, J London 2016, 14.Na4! Na6 [Or 14...Nbd5 15.Bh6] 15.Bh6
with an overwhelming advantage.
10.Bf4 Qd8 11.Qd2
11...Nbd7
It’s peculiar that most games have continued obligingly with 11...Bxf3 12.Bxf3 e6 13.Rad1 Nbd7.
Perske, T – Nisipeanu, L Tegernsee 2018. Now I prefer 14.Nb1! to Perske’s 14.Ne4, keeping
pieces on the board to maintain the pressure.
12.h3
I presume Black players are worried about 12.Ne5 Nxe5 13.Bxe5 but this seems reasonably solid
for Black after 13...Qd7.
12...Bxf3 13.Bxf3±
Model game
Turkov, Vladimir Sergeevich (2544)

Stephan, Juergen (2565)
ICCF email 2013
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd6 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 c6 6.g3 Bg4 7.Bg2 e6 8.0-0 h6 9.Re1 Be7
10.Na4!?
374
Position after: 10.Na4!?
A strong maneuver in this variation.
10...Qc7
Black preempts Bf4. Otherwise, if 10...Nbd7 11.h3 Bh5 then 12.Bf4 Qb4 13.c3 Qb5 14.g4 Bg6
15.Ne5± is awkward for Black.
11.c4 Nbd7 12.h3 Bh5 13.Qb3 0-0 14.Bf4
375
14...Qc8
Passive but 14...Qa5 15.Nc3± was not much better.
15.Rad1 Bg6 16.Nc3 Re8 17.Ne5 Nxe5 18.Bxe5 Nd7 19.Bf4 Bf8 20.a3 a6 21.c5
Generally a double-edged transformation of the pawn structure as it relinquishes control over the
d5-square. In this case, Black can never really exploit the d5-square since ...Nf6 would always be
met with Na4-b6.
21...Be7
21...e5 would be desirable; however, the forcing variation 22.Bxe5 Nxe5 23.dxe5 Bxc5 24.Na4!
Ba7 25.Nb6 Bc2 26.Qxc2 Bxb6 27.Bf1!± is clearly in White’s favor.
22.Na4 Bh5 23.Rd2 Bg6
376
What comes is a number of slow moves from both sides, though notice it is only White who
improves his position.
24.Bf3 Bf5 25.Rde2 Bg6
25...Bxh3?! 26.g4 h5 27.gxh5± merely assists White’s major pieces, which will quickly find
employment along the g-file.
26.Kg2 Ra7 27.Rd1 Qd8 28.Be5 Ra8 29.Be4 Bxe4+ 30.Rxe4 Qa5 31.Qc2 Qd8 32.Re3 Qa5
33.Rf3 Rf8 34.h4
377
Almost always a useful move in this day and age!
34...Qd8 35.Rb3 Ra7 36.Qe2 a5 37.Qg4
Finally White forces some concrete action.
37...Nf6 38.Bxf6 Bxf6 39.Nb6
A good knight against a bad bishop, a bad queen and two bad rooks!
39...Qc7 40.a4 Ra6 41.Nc4
41.Rf3 Bd8 42.Nc4?! would be inaccurate in view of 42...Qd7 43.Qh5 b5!=
41...Qd8 42.Qh5 Qd7
42...Qd5+ 43.Qxd5 exd5 44.Nb6 is unplayable for Black, whose queen’s rook is redundant.
43.Nb6 Qc7 44.Qe2
378
Again, standard regrouping from both players. Karpov famously used this strategy to tire his
opponents, although I somehow doubt this is an element in email games.
44...Ra7 45.h5 Rd8 46.Qe3 Be7 47.Rd2 Bf6 48.f4 Qe7 49.Kh3 Qf8 50.g4
White finally sets his pawns in motion.
50...Qe7 51.Rd1 Ra6 52.Qg1 Qe8 53.Nc4 Qd7 54.Qg2 Ra7 55.Re3
379
55...Qd5
If Black were to continue waiting, say 55...Ra6 then at last, White’s space advantage comes to
fruition with 56.g5! hxg5 [56...Bxd4 57.Ne5 Qd5 58.Re4+–] 57.fxg5 Bxd4 58.Qg4
58...Qd5 [58...e5 59.Qxd7 Rxd7 60.Rxe5!+–] 59.b3 Qxc5 [59...e5 60.Rxe5+–] 60.Re4 and White
collects the black bishop.
56.Qxd5 Rxd5
A) 56...cxd5 57.Nb6+–
B) 56...exd5 57.Nb6+–
57.Re4
380
57...Rd8
It is particularly sad that 57...Ra8 is still impossible on account of 58.Nb6.
58.Kg3
58.Nb6?! Be7! is an easy trick to fall into. Black threatens ...Bxc5 so 59.Rc1 Bf6 60.Rc4 is
necessary. Then it is not clear whose pieces are restricted, given that three of White’s pieces are
effectively stuck.
58...Raa8
58...Be7 is now countered by 59.Rd2.
59.Kf2 Kf8
59...Re8 60.Rd3 Rad8 61.Ke3+–
60.Rd3 Kg8 61.Ke2 Kf8 62.Kd2 Kg8 63.Kc3 Rf8 64.Rf3
381
Position after: 64.Rf3
White finds an important pawn break.
64...Bd8 65.f5 exf5 66.Rxf5 Bg5
66...Bf6 67.Rxf6! gxf6 68.Re7 Rfe8 69.Rxe8+ Rxe8 70.Nxa5+–
67.Nd6 Rab8 68.Rf3 g6 69.Kc4
Position after: 69.Kc4
Black cannot avoid the loss of material. Rb3 is threatened, but the f8-rook is tied to the defense of
382
f7. The bishop also cannot move: if it leaves the c1-h6 diagonal, Ref4 wins; if it leaves the h4-d8
diagonal, Re7 wins.
69...b6
Effectively forced.
69...Bd8 70.Ref4+–
70.b3 gxh5 71.gxh5 Rbd8 72.Nf5
72...bxc5
72...Rb8 73.cxb6 Rxb6 74.Kc5 Rb4 75.Nd6+–
73.Kxc5 Kh7 74.Nd6
Once again, returning to the 6th rank to dominate Black’s rooks.
74...f5 75.Re6 f4 76.Kxc6
383
Position after: 76.Kxc6
In this line, White certainly has a positional advantage. I hope the reader is inspired to adopt a
Karpovian style of play to earn the full point!
1-0
E1) 4...Nf6 5.Nf3 a6 6.g3 (various)
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd6 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 a6
384
The most common move. Traditionally, Black aims for quick pressure against the d4-pawn by
means of ...Nc6, ...Bg4 and long castles. Weaker players will often try to defend the d4-pawn with
the passive Be3, or even Ne2 if they are overborne by the pressure. This is the incorrect approach
and it is exactly what Black hopes for. Instead, there is a very concrete way to deal with Black’s
setup which renders it borderline dubious.
6.g3 b5
This move was adopted by a number of strong Grandmasters in the early – 2000s (notably,
Beliavsky, Zsuzsa Polgar, Sermek, Gofshtein and Kotronias). Although the idea to challenge
White’s kingside fianchetto, it also leaves the queenside practically indefensible.
A) 6...Bf5?! 7.Bg2 Nc6 8.0-0 is already practically winning for White.
A1) 8...0-0-0 fails to 9.Ng5! Bg6 10.d5

A1.1) 10...Ne5 11.Bf4 h6 12.Bh3+ Kb8
385
Position after: 12...Kb8
13.Nxf7! Bxf7 14.Re1 Bh5 15.Bxe5 Bxd1 16.Bxd6 exd6 [16...Bxc2 17.Be5 Nxd5 18.Nxd5
Rxd5 19.Rac1+–] 17.Raxd1+–
A1.2) 10...Nb4 11.Bf4 Qc5
Gusakov, V – Abramov, A ICCF email 2009, 12.Na4 Qa5 [12...Qb5 is met with 13.c4
anyway.] 13.c4 h6 [13...e6 14.Bd2! exd5 15.a3+–] 14.a3!+–
A2) 8...e6 9.Bf4 Qb4 [9...Qd8 10.Ne5+–] 10.d5! 0-0-0 [10...exd5 11.Nxd5 Nxd5 12.Qxd5 Be6
13.Rfe1 Qxb2 14.Rxe6+ fxe6 15.Qxe6+ Be7 16.Re1 Qf6 17.Qb3 0-0-0 18.Ne5+–] 11.a3! Qxb2
12.Na4
386
Position after: 12.Na4
12...Qxc2 [12...Qb5 13.c4! Qxc4 14.Nd2+– wins a piece. Polovnikov, Y – Abramov, A ICCF
email 2009] 13.Qxc2 Bxc2 14.dxc6 Bxa4 15.cxb7+ Kb8 16.Ne5 Be8 17.Rab1+– Hoehne, V –
Owens, J LSS email 2013.
B) The immediate 6...Nc6 is considered inaccurate in view of 7.Bf4
B1) 7...Qb4? 8.a3 Qb6 [Keep in mind the typical trap 8...Qxb2 9.Na4+–] 9.d5! Ng4 10.Qd2 e5
Supposedly, this is the point behind Black’s play however, the tactics are heavily in White’s
favor. 11.dxc6 exf4 12.0-0-0 Bd6
387
Kasparov, S – Ramon Perez, J Balaguer 2008, 13.Qe2+! Be6 [13...Kf8 14.Rxd6! cxd6 15.Nd5
Qd8 16.c7 Qe8 17.Nb6+–] 14.Nd4+– White threatens to take on e6 and on g4, winning a piece.
B2) 7...Qe6+? merely serves to give White an extra tempo on development as after 8.Be2 the
threat of d5 needs to be dealt with. Thus 8...Nd5 9.Nxd5 Qxd5 Schmittdiel, E – Kekelidze, M
Dortmund 1998, 10.0-0+– is overwhelming.
B3) 7...Qd8 8.Bg2 e6 [8...Bg4 is met with 9.d5 Nb4 10.h3] 9.0-0 Be7 10.Ne2 Nd5 11.Ne5 Nxe5
12.Bxe5 0-0 [12...f6 13.Bf4±] 13.c4 Nf6 14.Qc2±
Position after: 14.Qc2±
Ljubicic, A – Eckhardt, T corr Germany 2011.
388
C) 6...g6 7.Bg2 Bg7 8.0-0 0-0 9.Bf4 Qd8 10.Qd2 White has a number of healthy moves at their
disposal.
Note that when Black plays ...Nd7-b6, b3! is a good restrictive move, preventing the knight’s
entry into the c4-square.
C1) 10...Nc6 11.Rfe1 Re8 12.Rad1 Bg4 13.h3 Bxf3 14.Bxf3 e6 15.Bg5 Qd7 16.Bg2± Krebs, J
– Gray, G ICCF email 2016.
C2) 10...Re8 was played by Tiviakov when he was at his peak. 11.Rfe1 c6 Arakhamia Grant, K
– Tiviakov, S Birmingham 2005, and by now, you know the drill... 12.Na4! Nbd7 13.c4
389
One concrete question is how to respond to 13...b5 in such a position. [13...Nb6 14.Nxb6 Qxb6
15.h3 Bf5 16.Re3±] The answer is to play aggressively with 14.Ne5! and 14...bxa4 [14...Bb7
15.Nc3 Nxe5 16.Bxe5±; 14...Nxe5 15.dxe5+–] loses to 15.Nxc6 Qb6 16.c5 Qb5 17.Rxe7
Position after: 17.Rxe7
C2.1) 17...Bb7 18.Rxe8+ Rxe8 [18...Nxe8 19.Ne7+ Kf8 20.Bf1+–] 19.Na7! Qc4 20.Bxb7+–
C2.2) 17...Bf8 18.Rxe8 Nxe8 19.Nd8! Ra7 20.Bf1 An amazing queen trap!
C3) 10...Nbd7 11.Rfe1 Nb6 12.b3! c6 Eswaran, A – Ramya, K Las Vegas 2017, 13.Bh6 Bg4
14.Bxg7 Kxg7 15.Ne5 Bf5 16.h3 h5 17.Ne2±
390
D) 6...c6 7.Bg2
D1) 7...Bf5 8.0-0 e6 [8...h6 9.Na4! This knight sortie is even stronger than it was in variation D
as the b6-square has been weakened.] 9.Nh4! Bg6 10.Nxg6 hxg6 11.Na4! Nbd7 12.c4±
D2) 7...Bg4 8.0-0 e6 9.Bf4 Qd8 10.h3 [10.Ne2!?; 10.Na4!?] 10...Bxf3 [10...Bh5 11.g4 Bg6
12.Ne5 Nbd7 13.Nxg6 hxg6 14.Ne2±]
Position after: 10...Bxf3
And here, if you don’t want to bother sacrificing all your pawns 11.Bxf3± suffices for an
advantage. I also want to add however, the instructive variation 11.Qxf3! Qxd4?! [11...Bd6
12.Be5 0-0 13.Na4!?ƒ] 12.Rad1 Qb6 13.Rfe1
391
Position after: 13.Rfe1
13...Be7 [13...Qxb2? is clearly too much: 14.Rb1 and, as was seen in variation D, Black’s
queenside collapses once their b7-pawn is lost; 13...Nbd7 14.g4! highlighting the awkwardness
of Black’s position, characterized by bad development and an unsafe king. 14...Be7 15.g5 Nd5
16.Nxd5 cxd5 17.c4!±] 14.Ne4!
D2.1) 14...Nbd7? 15.Nd6+ Bxd6 16.Bxd6 Qxb2 17.Rb1 Qxc2 [17...Qd4 18.Qa3+–]
18.Rxb7+–
D2.2) 14...0-0 15.Bg5 Nd5 [15...Qxb2 16.Rb1 Qa3 17.Re3 Qxa2 18.Rxb7+–] 16.c4!+–
D2.3) 14...Nxe4 15.Rxe4 Qxb2 16.Ree1 White’s agenda is simple, attack the b7-pawn!
392
Position after: 16.Ree1
16...Qxc2 [16...Qxa2 17.Qc3! with the double threat of Qxg7 and Ra1. 17...Bf6 18.Qb4 Again,
that weak b7-pawn! 18...Qb2 19.Qd6+– Black can resign as Rxe6 is unstoppable; 16...Qa3
17.Re3 Qxa2 18.Rb3! and again, White achieves their main objective.] 17.Rb1! 0-0 18.Rxb7
Bf6 19.Reb1 e5 20.Be3
20...a5 [20...Qxa2 21.Qf5! Qe6 22.Qxe6 fxe6 23.Ba7!+–] 21.a3 Qc3 22.Qe4 Qxa3 23.Qc4+–
7.Bg2 Bb7 8.0-0
393
8...e6
8...Nbd7?! 9.Bf4 Qb6 allows White to play 10.d5!
A) 10...c6 11.d6! and Black struggles to move. 11...e6 12.a4 b4 13.a5 Qd8 14.Na4 c5 15.Re1+–
Scherbakov, Y – Nicholls, M ICCF email 2011, 15...Qxa5 16.c4 bxc3 17.bxc3 c4 [17...Bc6
18.Ne5+–] 18.Rb1 Bc6 19.Rb4
B) 10...b4 is excessive: 11.Na4 Qa5 12.c4 bxc3 13.Nxc3 Nxd5 14.Ne5 Nxe5 15.Bxe5 e6 16.Qb3
0-0-0 17.Rfd1 Yloenen, O – Munoz, L ICCF email 2011.
394
C) 10...e6 Fernandez, J – Stolz, S LSS email 2011, 11.Nd4! Black cannot afford to open the e-
file so the d5-pawn must be ignored.
C1) 11...0-0-0 12.a4 b4 [12...e5 is still met with 13.Nc6+–] 13.a5 Qa7 14.Bxc7!+– The bishop
is taboo in view of the knight check on b5.
C2) 11...e5 12.Nc6! Bd6 13.Be3 Bc5 14.Bd2 a5 (otherwise b4 comes) 15.Qe2+–
9.Ne5!
395
This move indicates that Black’s whole plan to challenge the fianchetto bishop is flawed.
Although the bishops are traded after
9...Bxg2
9...Qb6 10.d5! Bc5 11.dxe6 fxe6 runs into the charming 12.Nc4!
12...bxc4 [12...Qa7 13.Bxb7 Qxb7 14.Na5 Qa7 15.Qe2 Rasmussen, E – Nicholls, M ICCF email
2011] 13.Na4 Qa7 14.Bxb7 Bxf2+ 15.Rxf2 Qxb7 16.Nc5 Qd5 17.Qxd5 exd5 18.Bh6! gxh6
19.Rxf6± Kurnosov, I – Tzermiadianos, A Warsaw 2005.
10.Kxg2
396
Position after: 10.Kxg2
White simply substitutes the role of the light-squared bishop for the queen which is perfectly
situated on f3!
10...Be7
A) 10...c5? 11.Qf3 Ra7 12.Bf4! Qb6 13.d5+–
Position after: 13.d5+–
B) 10...b4? 11.Qf3! c6 12.Ne4 Qd5 13.Re1
397
13...Nbd7 [13...Be7 14.c4 bxc3 15.bxc3 0-0 16.c4! White is winning since 16...Qxd4 is met with
17.Bg5!+–] 14.c4 bxc3 15.bxc3 Nxe5 16.dxe5 Nxe4 17.Rxe4+– Iula, M – Bacino, G LSS email
2013.
C) 10...Nbd7 11.Qf3 Rc8 12.Bf4 Qb6 13.Rfe1± Kotlyanskiy, E – Sanchez, E rapid 2008.
D) 10...Ra7 as played in De Vreugt, D – Gofshtein, L Tel Aviv 2000, transposes to 10...Be7 after
11.Qf3 Be7.
11.Qf3 Ra7 12.Bf4
12...Nd5
By now it is obvious that 12...Qb6 induces 13.d5! exd5 and here White has the precise 14.Be3! d4
[14...c5 15.Nxd5+–] 15.Nd5! Qb7 16.Bxd4 c5 17.Nxe7
398
17...Qxf3+ [17...cxd4 18.N7c6+–; 17...Qxe7 18.Nc6+–] 18.Nxf3 cxd4 19.Nf5+–
13.a4!
Giving Black no time to consolidate.
13...Nxf4+ 14.Qxf4 f6 15.Ne4! Qd5 16.Nf3±
Position after: 16.Nf3±
Black’s pawn structure is too fragile.
399
E2) 4...Nf6 5.Nf3 a6 6.g3 Bg4 (various)
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd6 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 a6 6.g3 Bg4
7.h3!
In practice, 7.Bg2 is seen around three times more than 7.h3. However, the inclusion of 7.h3 and
7...Bh5 leads to a substantial advantage, whereas the immediate 7.Bg2 only leads to a slight edge.
7.Bg2 Nc6 8.0-0 0-0-0 9.d5 Ne5 10.Bf4 Nxf3+ 11.Bxf3 Bxf3 12.Qxf3 e5! 13.dxe6 [13.Bg5 h6
14.Bxf6 Qxf6 15.Qe3 Kb8] 13...Qxe6 14.Bg5 is better for White, but not by much.
400
7...Bh5?!
This has been played in over 300 games whereas 7...Bxf3 has only been played in around 80. As
I’ve found in many Scandinavian lines now, the latter option is objectively better, but gives White
an easy game with a clear advantage. The more popular 7...Bh5 generally runs into concrete
problems in relation to the ‘Scandinavian bad bishop’ and, concomitantly, the weak b7-pawn.
7...Bxf3 8.Qxf3
A) 8...Nc6 no longer exerts real pressure against the d4-pawn. 9.Be3 0-0-0 [9...e5 10.dxe5 Qxe5
11.0-0-0 Bb4 12.Bf4 Qe6 Velicka, P – Galego, L Figueira da Foz 2005, 13.Bxa6!+–] 10.0-0-0 e6
11.Bg2±
B) 8...c6 9.Be3 e6 10.0-0-0 The game Jones, G – Megaranto, S Almaty 2016, continued
10...Nbd7 11.Bf4 Qb4 and here, rather than Jones’ extravagant 12.Bc7!? I prefer the simple
12.Kb1.
401
Position after: 12.Kb1
B1) 12...Nd5 13.Nxd5 cxd5 14.c4! dxc4 [14...Nb6 15.c5 Nd7 16.Bd3±] 15.Rc1 Rc8 16.Bg2
Bd6 17.Qxb7 Qxb7 18.Bxb7 Rc7 19.Bxd6 Rxb7 20.Rxc4±
B2) 12...Be7 13.g4 Nd5 14.Nxd5 cxd5 15.h4!?±
8.Bg2
Remember that in this instance 8.g4 Bg6 9.Ne5 doesn’t work in view of 9...Nc6!
8...e6?!
402
This loses to 9.g4. An alternative is 8...c6 9.Bf4 [Also possible is 9.g4 Bg6 10.Ne5 Nbd7 11.Nc4]
A) 9...Qb4?! shouldn’t worry us of course. 10.0-0 and 10...Qxb2 is clearly losing. 11.Qd2 Qa3
[11...Bg6 12.Rfb1 Qxc2 13.Qxc2 Bxc2 14.Rxb7+–] 12.Rab1+–
B) Here 9...Qd8 would transpose to 6...c6 if White were to play 10.0-0; however, they can also
play 10.g4 Bg6 11.Ne5 Nbd7 12.Qe2 which is even stronger.
9.g4 Bg6 10.Ne5
403
10...Nc6
Dechant, G – Baumann, M Willingen 2017.

A) 10...c6 11.h4+–
B) 10...Nd5 Kotronias, V – Ieshchenko, U Larnaka 2019, 11.h4! Nb4 [11...f6 12.Nxg6 hxg6
13.Qd3 f5 14.Nxd5 exd5 15.gxf5+–] 12.h5!
12...Bxc2 [12...Nxc2+ 13.Kf1 Nxa1 14.hxg6+–] 13.Qf3 f6 14.Qxb7 and White wins: 14...Qxd4
15.Qc8+ Ke7 16.Qxc7+ Ke8 17.Qc8+ Ke7 18.Bxa8 Qxe5+ 19.Be3+–
C) 10...Qb6 11.0-0 [11.h4 Bb4 was Black’s point, although they are also losing here after 12.0-0]
11...c6 12.h4 Bd6 13.h5 Bxc2
404
Position after: 13...Bxc2
14.Nc4! Qb4 15.Qe2 Bc7 Chomet, P – Bauer, C Meribel 1998, 16.Bd2 Qe7 17.Rfc1+–
11.Bxc6+! bxc6 12.h4
12...c5
A) 12...Rd8 13.h5 Be4 14.Nxe4 Nxe4 15.Qf3 f6 16.Qxe4 fxe5 17.Qxe5 and White is a healthy
pawn up.
Position after: 17.Qxe5
405
B) 12...h5 13.Bf4 Qb4 14.Nxg6 fxg6 15.Qd3 hxg4 [15...Kf7 16.0-0-0+–] 16.a3! [16.Qxg6+ Kd7
17.0-0-0 Rb8 is slightly awkward.]
B1) 16...Qxb2 17.0-0!+– Developing with tempo as Rfb1 is a threat. [17.Qxg6+?? Kd7µ]
B2) 16...Qa5 17.Qxg6+ Kd7 18.Be5! Nd5 19.Kd2+–
13.Qf3!
13...Rb8
13...Rd8 14.Bf4 Qb6 15.d5! [15.dxc5 Qxc5 and the rook on d8 prevents White from castling long.]
406
15...exd5 [15...Qxb2 16.0-0 Nxd5 17.Nxd5 exd5 18.Rab1 Qxc2 19.Nxg6 Qxg6 20.Bxc7+–;
15...Nxd5 16.0-0-0+–] 16.Nxg6 hxg6 17.0-0-0+–
14.Bf4! Qb6 15.dxc5
After this move, ...Qxb2 is never an option due to Qc6+.
15...Qxc5
15...Bxc5 16.h5 Bxc2 17.Rc1+–
16.0-0-0+–
White has a decisive advantage.
E3) 4...Nf6 5.Nf3 a6 6.g3 Bg4 (with 8...Nc6)
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd6 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 a6 6.g3 Bg4 7.h3! Bh5?! 8.Bg2 Nc6 9.d5!
407
9...Nb4
9...Ne5? tends to be Black’s response in the parallel line 7.Bg2 Nc6 8.d5 (i.e. the main line) but
here it is completely losing: 10.g4 Nxf3+ 11.Qxf3 Bg6 12.0-0
A) 12...0-0-0 13.Re1 h5 14.g5 Ne8 Hoffmann, F – Marx, P ICCF email 2015, 15.Bf4 Qb4
[15...Qd7 16.Ne2 Nd6 17.Nd4+–] 16.a3+–
B) 12...Bxc2 13.Bf4+–
C) 12...h5 13.g5 Nd7 14.Bf4 Qb6 15.Na4 Qa5 Klek, H – Repkova, E Balatonszarszo 2017,
408
16.b3+–
10.Bf4
10...Qc5
The only attempt to stay in the game.

A) 10...Qb6?? To, N – Tsay, V Budapest 2018, was an inexplicable blunder, as 11.a3 wins a
piece. More astonishingly, White chose to repeat moves with 11.Be3? Qd6 12.Bf4 Qb6?? and a
draw was agreed.
B) 10...e5? 11.Bxe5
409
Position after: 11.Bxe5
11...Bxf3 [11...Qxe5+ 12.Nxe5 Bxd1 13.Rxd1 Nxc2+ 14.Kd2 Nd4 15.Rhe1+–] 12.Bxd6 Bxd1
13.Bxf8 Rxf8 14.Rxd1 0-0-0 [14...Nxc2+ 15.Ke2+– Vazquez Reyes, R – Mensing, F Istanbul
2012] 15.Rd2+–
C) 10...Bxf3 11.Qxf3! Nxc2+ [11...e5 12.dxe6 Qxe6+ 13.Kf1 Be7 14.Re1 Qd7 15.Qxb7 0-0
16.Qxc7+– Tabatabaei, M – Cori Tello, D chess.com 2020] 12.Kf1 Qb4 13.Rd1+–
11.Be3
11...Qa5
On 11...Qd6 it is time to sacrifice the d5-pawn for an overwhelming development advantage.

12.Qe2 Nbxd5 [12...Nfxd5 13.Nxd5 Qxd5 14.0-0+–] 13.Nxd5
410
A) 13...Nxd5 14.Rd1 Threatening c4 and Black cannot get out of the pin. [14.0-0-0 Qe6 15.Qd2
(Note that 15.g4 would be strong if not for 15...Nf4! Hence why it is better to have the king on
e1) 15...c6 is less clear.] Their best try is 14...e6 [14...c6 15.c4 Nxe3 16.Rxd6 Nxg2+ 17.Kf1+–;
14...Qe6 15.g4 Nxe3 16.fxe3 Bg6 17.Ng5 Qc8 18.0-0+–] 15.0-0! [More precise than 15.c4 Nxe3
16.Rxd6 Nxg2+ 17.Kf1 Bxd6 18.Kxg2 0-0]
Position after: 15.0-0!
A1) 15...Qb4 (Hoping for 16.Rxd5 exd5 17.Bc5 Qe4!) 16.a3! Qe4 [16...Qxb2 17.Rxd5+–]
17.g4 Bg6 18.Ne1 Qe5 19.Bxd5 exd5 20.f4+–
A2) 15...b5 16.g4 Bg6 17.Nd4 Be7 18.f4 c5 19.Nb3 c4 [19...Bxc2 20.Rxd5!+–] 20.Nd4+–
411
B) 13...Qxd5 14.0-0 [Or 14.g4 Bg6 15.0-0]
14...c6 [14...e6 15.g4 Bg6 Hartl, D – Stagl, M Velden 2010, 16.Nd2 and White wins because the
b7-pawn falls; 14...0-0-0 15.Rfd1 Qa5 16.Rxd8+ Kxd8 17.g4 Bg6 18.Nd2+–] 15.g4 Bg6 16.Nd2!
A clever maneuver.
Upon noticing that Black’s dark-squares are unprotected, White directs his knight straight to the
vicinity of the newly created hole. 16...Qb5 [16...Qe6 17.f4 Bxc2 18.Nc4 Be4 19.f5+– Black
cannot avoid losing the exchange since Nb6 will fork the queen and rook wherever the queen
goes.] 17.Nc4 [Or 17.c4 Qa5 18.f4+–] 17...e6 18.a4 Qb4 19.Rfd1 Nd5 20.Bxd5 cxd5 21.Rxd5!
412
Rc8 22.Rd4+– Borodin, S – Groenhout, R ICCF email 2014.
12.0-0
12...Rd8
12...Nbxd5 13.Nxd5 Nxd5 14.Bd2 Qc5 [14...Qa4 also loses: 15.b3 Qd7 16.g4 Bg6 17.c4 Nf6
18.Ne5 Qc8 19.Re1 e6 20.h4+–] 15.g4 Bg6 16.Ne5
16...0-0-0 [16...e6 17.c4+–; 16...Rd8 17.c4 Nb6 18.Re1 f6 19.Nxg6 hxg6 20.b3+–] 17.c4
413
A) 17...Nb4 18.Qf3 c6 19.Nxg6 hxg6 [19...fxg6 20.Qe2 Nc2 21.Qe6+ Kb8 22.Rad1+–]
20.Rad1+–
B) 17...Nb6 18.Re1 c6 19.b4 Qd6 [Likewise 19...Qd4 20.b5!] 20.b5! Black’s pieces are so poorly
developed and the king so exposed that this sacrifice wins on the spot. 20...axb5 [20...Qxd2
21.bxc6+– is the same deal.] 21.cxb5 Qxd2 22.bxc6 Qxd1 23.cxb7+ Kb8 24.Raxd1+– Llorente, J
– Wittal, W CL1 2017.
13.Qe2 Nbxd5 14.Nxd5 Nxd5 15.Bd2
15...Qc5
15...Qb6 16.c4 Nf6 [Also inadequate is 16...Bxf3 17.Qxf3 Nf6 18.Be3+–] 17.Be3
A) 17...c5 18.Rfd1 e6 19.Rxd8+ Qxd8 20.Rd1 Qb6 21.g4 Bg6 22.g5 Nd7 23.Bf4
414
23...f6 [23...Be7 24.Ne5 Nxe5 25.Qxe5 0-0 26.Rd7+–] 24.Nh4 Be7 25.Nxg6 hxg6 26.Bg3+–
Ozols, A – Owens, J ICCF email 2016.
B) 17...Qa5 18.b4! Hoping to swap the b-pawns.
18...Qf5 [18...Qxb4 19.Rab1 Qa4 20.Rxb7+–] 19.g4 [For some reason 19.Rfd1 James, A –
Vachtfeidl, P England 2017, is technically more accurate, but a piece is a piece so I’d prefer to
cash in as soon as possible.] 19...Nxg4 20.hxg4 Bxg4 21.Rfd1+–
16.c4
415
16...Nb6
16...Nf6 17.Rad1 e6 18.g4 Bg6 19.Bc3 Be7 20.Ne5+– h4 is coming next, or on 20...Nd7 21.b4
Qa7 22.c5 Bf6 23.h4! Nxe5 [23...Bxh4 24.Nxd7 Rxd7 25.Rxd7 Kxd7 26.f4+–] 24.Bxe5+–
17.b3 e6 18.Rfd1 Be7 19.Be3 Qa5 20.Rxd8+ Kxd8 21.Bd2 Qc5 22.a3+–
Position after: 22.a3+–
Roubaud, D – Eckhardt, T ICCF email 2011.

This quiet move puts Black’s queen in danger as the threat of Bb4 is difficult to parry.
416
Model game
Roubaud, David (2476)

Eckhardt, Thorsten (2459)
ICCF email 2011
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd6 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 a6 6.g3 Bg4 7.h3
In this position Black played
7...Bh5?!
7...Bxf3 is the lesser evil option. 8.Qxf3 c6 9.Be3±
8.Bg2 Nc6
A refuted defense.
9.d5!
417
9...Nb4
9...Ne5 doesn’t work here as White has 10.g4 which is the point of including 7.h3.
10.Bf4 Qc5 11.Be3 Qa5 12.0-0 Rd8
Or 12...Nbxd5 13.Nxd5 Nxd5 14.Bd2 Qc5 15.g4! Bg6 16.Ne5+–
13.Qe2 Nbxd5 14.Nxd5 Nxd5 15.Bd2 Qc5 16.c4 Nb6 17.b3 e6 18.Rfd1 Be7 19.Be3 Qa5
20.Rxd8+ Kxd8 21.Bd2 Qc5 22.a3
418
The game hardly requires any more commentary. Black’s position is clearly lost.
22...Bf6 23.Rd1 Kc8 24.g4 Qxa3
24...Bg6 25.Bb4+–
25.gxh5 Qxb3 26.Ng5 Qxc4 27.Qf3 Qd5 28.Qg3 Qd7 29.Ne4 Nd5 30.Be3 Be7 31.Qxg7 Qe8
32.Qd4 f5 33.Ng5 Bxg5 34.Bxg5 Rg8 35.h4
1-0
419
Chapter 4
2...Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5
Chapter Guide
Chapter 4 – 2...Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.d4 Nf6 5.Bd2

B1) 5...c6 6.Bc4 --
B2.1) 5...c6 6.Bc4 Bf5 (with 9...Qxf6)
B2.2) 5...c6 6.Bc4 Bf5 (with 9...gxf6)
C) 5...Bg4
C1) 5...Bg4 6.f3 Bf5
C2) 5...Bg4 6.f3 Bd7
C2.1) 5...Bg4 6.f3 Bd7 (with 9...a6)
C2.2) 5...Bg4 6.f3 Bd7 (with 9...Be7)
C2.3) 5...Bg4 6.f3 Bd7 (with 9...Nc6)
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.d4
420
4...Bf5
A) 4...e5?! 5.Nf3! Assertive play. [5.dxe5 is more popular but it doesn’t offer much after 5...Bb4!
6.Bd2 Qxe5+ 7.Qe2 Qxe2+ 8.Bxe2 Nf6]
Position after: 5.Nf3!
A1) 5...Bb4 is probably best, though the line remains unplayable after 6.Bd2 exd4 7.Nxd4 Qe5+
8.Qe2 Qxe2+ 9.Bxe2 and we have the ending seen above (5.dxe5) with several tempi to the
good.
A2) 5...exd4 6.Qxd4 Nc6 7.Bb5 Nge7 8.Qf4 Bd7 9.Rb1! Nd5 10.Qe4+ Be6 11.0-0+– Piacenti,
421
L – Cosentino, A ICCF email 2016.
A3) 5...Bg4 6.Bc4! threatening Bxf7.
6...Bb4 [6...Nf6 7.dxe5 Bxf3 8.Qxf3 Qxe5+ 9.Be3 Bb4 10.0-0+– Flam, G – Moskovich, D
Jerusalem 2015] 7.0-0 Bxc3 8.Bxf7+! Kxf7 9.Ng5+ Kf8 10.Qxg4+–
B) 4...c6 5.Bc4 Bf5 6.Bd2 and if 6...e6, we transpose to 4...Bf5 while if 6...Nf6 we transpose to
5...Nf6 6.Bd2 c6.
This leaves other moves such as 6...Nd7? [against 6...Qc7? the simplest is 7.Bxf7+! Kxf7 8.Qf3
422
e6 9.g4 Ne7 10.gxf5 Nxf5 11.0-0-0+–] which loses to the unexpected 7.Qh5! g6 [7...e6 8.Bxe6!
and the bishop cannot be taken by the pawn nor the bishop (as this would leave the Black queen
hanging).] 8.Qe2+– Black has developed three pieces, yet they are all misplaced.
5.Bd2
5...e6
A) 5...Nf6? doesn’t work against 5.Bd2 because of 6.Qf3! Neelotpal, D – Gurung, R Majitar
2019, forcing the bishop back to c8 since Nb5 is threatened.
B) 5...c6?! 6.g4! Bg6 [One game went 6...Bc8 7.Bc4 h5 8.Qf3 e6 9.g5+– Thinius, M – Schuette,
M Bad Zwesten 2006] 7.f4 e6 8.Qe2 Be7 Le, Q – Nia, X China 2019, 9.Bh3! setting the devilish
trap of 9...-- 10.f5 exf5 11.gxf5 Bxf5 12.Ne4! (attacking the queen) (12...Qd5) followed by
13.Bxf5 Qxf5 14.Nd6+.
423
Position after: 9.Bh3!
B1) 9...Bxc2 10.Rc1 Ba4 [10...Bg6 11.f5 exf5 12.gxf5 Bxf5 13.Ne4! Qd5 14.Bxf5+–] 11.Nf3±
B2) 9...Nf6 10.0-0-0+– [10.f5? exf5 11.gxf5 Bh5!∞]
6.Bc4
6...c6
6...Qb4 is too greedy. 7.Qe2

A) 7...Qxb2 8.Rb1 Qxc2 [8...Qa3 9.Rb3 Qd6 10.Rxb7+–] 9.Nf3+– White will simply castle next
424
while Black’s army remains undeveloped.
B) 7...Nc6 8.Nf3 0-0-0 9.a3
and now 9...Qxb2 is brutally refuted by 10.0-0 Nxd4 [10...Qxc2 loses to 11.Ra2+–] 11.Nxd4
Rxd4 12.Nb5 Rd7 [12...Re4 13.Qd3+–] 13.Nxa7+ Kd8 14.Rab1 Qxc2 15.Bg5+ Be7 16.Rxb7+–
Kunze, H – Ster, P GER email 2008.
Now strongest seems to be the uber-aggressive
7.g4 Bg6 8.Qe2 Bb4 9.f4
425
9...Ne7
9...Bxc2? 10.Rc1 Ba4 11.f5+– Krueger, H – Lautenbach, A IECG email 2004.
10.0-0-0 Nd7
Nunn, J – Keitlinghaus, L Germany 2003.
11.a3
11...Bxc3
11...Bxa3 12.h4! [12.bxa3?? is obviously too risky. 12...Qxa3+ 13.Kb1 b5 14.Bd3 Rb8 15.Na2 b4]
12...h5 loses to [12...Bb4 13.h5+–] 13.f5!
426
13...exf5 14.Nd5 Qd8 15.Nf4 Bd6 16.Ngh3! hxg4 17.Nxg6 fxg6 18.Ng5+– A peculiar pawn
structure for Black!
12.Bxc3 Qc7 13.Nh3 Nb6 14.d5! exd5
Position after: 14...exd5
Hector, J – Nakamura, H Sigeman & Co Malmo/Copenhagen 2005.
15.Bb3
427
Maintaining the threat of f5.
15...f6 16.f5 Bf7 17.Rhe1 h6 18.Ba5!+–
Position after: 18.Ba5!+–
Black is paralyzed.
B1) 5...c6 6.Bc4 --
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.d4 Nf6 5.Bd2!? c6
428
6.Bc4
A trickier move order than 6.Nf3 as 6...Bg4 here is dubious.

6.Bd3!? is a move worth noting, but I’ve decided not to investigate it in depth as my recommended
6.Bc4 provides a well-established path to an advantage. In any case, the variation of interest is
6...Bg4 [6...Qb6 is also playable and is perhaps the more pragmatic choice. 7.Nf3 Bg4 8.Na4 Qc7
9.h3 Bh5 10.0-0 e6 11.c4 Nbd7 12.Re1 Bd6 13.Nc3 White stands slightly better.] 7.Ne4!? Bxd1
8.Bxa5 Bh5 9.Nxf6+ gxf6 10.f4 e6 11.f5 c5 12.d5!²
Position after: 12.d5!²
Black continues by sacrificing the e6-pawn and activating their pieces but it all looks suspect. Note
that the d5-pawn cannot be taken as the bishop on h5 would be in trouble after h3.
Let’s return to 6.Bc4.
429
6...Bg4?!
is a wasted move since 7.f3 technically forces the bishop to retreat back to c8.
A) 6...Qc7 7.Nf3 Bg4 8.h3 Bh5 9.g4! Bg6
would now be met with 10.Ne5 e6 11.Qe2 Nbd7 [11...Bxc2?? 12.Bf4] Kolodziejski, M –
Semmler, R ICCF email 2012, 12.f4 b5 13.Bb3 b4 14.Na4
B) 6...Qb6 7.Nf3 Bf5 8.Nh4 Bg4 [Or 8...Bg6 9.Nxg6 hxg6 10.Qe2 e6 11.0-0-0 with a clear
advantage.] 9.f3
430
9...Bc8 [9...Qxd4 10.Bxf7+ Kxf7 11.fxg4±] 10.Qe2 Qxd4 11.f4 e6 12.0-0-0 b5 13.Bb3+–
7.f3 Bf5?!
7...Bc8 is better, but who would play this? 8.Qe2
8...Qc7 [8...e6?! is wrong for a number of reasons. Simplest is 9.d5 cxd5 10.Nxd5 Qd8 11.Nxf6+
Qxf6 12.0-0-0±] and now White has a choice between keeping the queens on or heading straight
into the ending with 9.Qe5!? [9.0-0-0 b5 10.Bd3] 9...Qd6 10.Qxd6 exd6 11.0-0-0 d5 12.Bd3 Bd6
13.Re1+ Kd8 14.g4 with a strong initiative.
431
8.g4!
8...Bg6?!
This loses though it’s natural. White is also much better after 8...Bc8 9.Qe2±.
9.h4
The immediate 9.f4 e6 10.f5! exf5 11.Qe2+ Be7 12.g5 is also decisive:
432
12...Nh5 [12...Bh5 13.Nf3+– Perske, T – Naotunna, D Al Ain 2013; 12...Nfd7 13.h4 h6 14.h5 Bh7
15.Nb5 Qd8 16.Nd6+ Kf8 17.Nxf7+– Hunold, R – Jung, M Buesum 2016] 13.0-0-0+–
9...h6
9...h5 10.g5
10...Nfd7 [10...b5 11.Nxb5 Qb6 12.Nc3+–] 11.Nd5 Qd8 12.Nf4+–
10.f4
433
10...e6
A) 10...Qb6 11.f5 Qxd4 12.Qe2 Bh7 13.Nf3+– Note that 13...Qxg4 is impossible on account of
14.Bxf7+.
B) 10...Qc7 11.f5 Qg3+ 12.Kf1 Bh7 13.g5 Ng4 14.Bxf7+! Kxf7 15.g6+ Ke8 16.Qe2 wins since
16...Bg8 is answered by 17.Ne4+–
11.f5! exf5 12.Qe2+ Be7 13.Nd5 Qd8 14.Nxf6+ gxf6 15.h5 Bh7 16.0-0-0 fxg4 17.Qxg4+–
Position after: 17.Qxg4+–
Black’s position is hopeless.
B2.1) 5...c6 6.Bc4 Bf5 (with 9...Qxf6)
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.d4 Nf6 5.Bd2!? c6 6.Bc4 Bf5 7.Nf3
434
We’ve now transposed into the old main line of the Scandinavian that usually arises after the
moves 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 c6 6.Bc4 Bf5 7.Bd2.
In general, Black encounters one of two problems in this variation. Either they are forced to
relinquish the bishop pair, or they fall behind in development. In practice, these problems are
difficult to reconcile, especially as the center tends to be easy to open up.
I am not convinced by 7.Nd5 Qd8 8.Nxf6+ exf6 9.Qe2+ Be7 10.Nf3 0-0 11.0-0-0 Bd6.
7...e6
A) 7...Qc7? 8.Ne5 e6 9.g4! Bg6 10.Qe2 Nbd7 11.f4 0-0-0 12.h4 is everything the Scandinavian
player hopes to avoid.
435
B) 7...Nbd7 is rare in comparison to 7...e6, but it is the better move. 8.Nd5 doesn’t achieve
anything here as Black recaptures on f6 with the knight. 8.Qe2 Qc7 [Note that Black obviously
cannot take the pawn on c2: 8...Bxc2?? 9.Nb5 and the check on d6 will end the game.] 9.0-0-0 e6
10.Nh4 Bg6 11.Nxg6 hxg6
Position after: 11...hxg6
12.d5 [Opening the center is not the only way to gain an advantage, for instance 12.h4 Nb6
13.Bb3 a5 14.a4 Bb4 15.Qf3 Nbd5 16.g4ƒ Sherwood, R – Sherwood, A BCCA – SchM 2016]
12...cxd5 13.Nxd5 Nxd5 14.Bxd5
Position after: 14.Bxd5
436
14...0-0-0 [14...Rc8 15.Kb1 Be7 16.Be4 0-0 17.c3²] 15.Bf3² [Also tempting is 15.Bg5 exd5
16.Bxd8 Qxd8 17.Rxd5 Rh5 18.Rxh5 gxh5 19.Qxh5² Tacke-Ungruh, R – Offenborn, H RSS7E
high – 53 2008] White enjoys a stable advantage thanks to the two bishops and the pressure
against Black’s queenside.
8.Nd5
Interesting but perhaps a bit unnecessary is 8.Ne4!? Qd8 9.Ng3 Bg6 10.h4.
8...Qd8 9.Nxf6+ Qxf6
Position after: 9...Qxf6
The queen is misplaced here.
10.Qe2 Bg4
A) 10...Nd7 11.0-0-0 [11.d5 is premature: 11...cxd5 12.Bxd5 Be7 13.Bc3 Bb4! is the point.]
437
A1) 11...Nb6?! runs into concrete problems. 12.Bg5 Qg6 13.h4! and Black cannot play
13...h6?! [13...Be7™ 14.Bxe7 Kxe7 15.Bd3±] In view of 14.Ne5 Qh7 15.d5! Nxc4 [15...hxg5
16.dxc6 bxc6 17.Bb5!+–] 16.dxc6 b5 17.c7+–
A2) 11...Bg4 12.d5! Bxf3 13.gxf3 cxd5 14.Bxd5 0-0-0 15.Be4 Bd6 16.Kb1±
A3) 11...h6 Now that the g5-square is covered, the dark-squared bishop relocates: 12.Bc3! Qe7
13.Rhe1 Nb6 Van der Weide, K – Gelashvili, T Dieren 2000, 14.Ne5 Nxc4 15.Qxc4±
Position after: 15.Qxc4±
A4) Black’s best option is 11...Be7 12.Bg5 Qg6 13.Bxe7 Kxe7 Nevertheless, White is
comfortably better after 14.Kb1 Rhd8 15.h3 Kf8 16.g4 Be4 17.Bd3 Bxf3 18.Qxf3 Qf6 19.Qe4±
438
B) 10...Bxc2? is flawed on many levels. Martin’s 11.Rc1 Bf5 12.d5 and Volzhin’s 11.d5 are
strong, while modern-day engines are more compelled by the unspectacular 11.0-0+–.
11.d5! Bxf3 12.gxf3
Position after: 12.gxf3
12...cxd5
12...Qxb2 13.0-0 cxd5 14.Bxd5

A) 14...Nd7 15.Rab1 Qxc2 [15...Qe5 16.Qxe5 Nxe5 17.Bxb7±] 16.Rxb7+– Kiefer, G – Wilkeite,
439
H Berlin 2015.
B) 14...Nc6 15.Rab1
Position after: 15.Rab1
B1) 15...Qd4 16.Be4 Qd7 17.Rfd1 Qc7 [17...Be7 18.Qb5+–] 18.Qb5 0-0-0 19.Bf4!+–
B2) 15...Qxc2 16.Be4 Nd4 17.Qe3 Qc4 18.Kg2+–
13.Bxd5
13...Nd7
440
A) 13...Nc6?! 14.Bxc6+ bxc6 15.Qe4 Rc8 16.0-0-0 gives White a large advantage. 16...Ba3 is
flashy but insufficient. 17.c3 Bc5 18.Rhg1 0-0 19.Bg5 Qg6 20.Qh4 Kh8 21.b4! f6
Gukesh, D – Savic, M Paracin SRB 2018, and now simplest is 22.Bh6! [22.Bd2 Qf5 23.bxc5 Rb8
24.Qe4 Qxc5 gives Black some chances.] 22...Qxh6+ 23.Qxh6 gxh6 24.bxc5 Rfd8 25.Rd6! with
a winning rook ending.
B) 13...Qxb2?! 14.0-0 Nc6 15.Rab1 Qd4 16.Be4 etc.
14.0-0-0 0-0-0
14...Ba3? 15.c3 0-0 16.Be4 Be7 Shirov, A – Salov, V Madrid 1997, 17.h4 h6 18.Rdg1+– is an
overwhelming attack.
15.Be4 Qe5
This is a slight waste of time.

A) 15...Nc5 16.Be3²
B) 15...Bd6 16.Bc3 Qe7 [16...Qh6+ 17.Kb1±; 16...Qf4+ 17.Kb1 Nf6 18.Bxf6! Qxf6 19.Qb5 Qe7
20.Rd3±] 17.Bxg7 Qg5+ 18.Kb1 Qxg7 19.Rxd6²
16.Bc3 Qc7 17.Kb1 f6
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18.Rhg1
Probably more accurate than 18.f4 as it immediately arrests the f8-bishop.

18.f4 Bd6 19.f5 exf5 20.Bxf5 Kb8 Shirov, A – Bauer, C Pamplona 2006.
18...Kb8 19.f4 Nc5
19...Qxf4?? 20.Bxb7 Kxb7 21.Qb5+ Kc8 22.Ba5+–
20.Rxd8+ Qxd8 21.Rd1 Bd6 22.Bg2±
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Position after: 22.Bg2±
The pressure from White’s light-squared bishop is hard to parry. Zidu, J – Quinones Borda, J
Remote email 2013.
B2.2) 5...c6 6.Bc4 Bf5 (with 9...gxf6)
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.d4 Nf6 5.Bd2!? c6 6.Bc4 Bf5 7.Nf3 e6 8.Nd5 Qd8 9.Nxf6+
gxf6 10.0-0
10...Nd7
A) 10...Bd6? 11.Nh4 Bg6 12.Re1 and the e6-pawn is too vulnerable, thus 12...Nd7 13.Bxe6! fxe6
14.Rxe6+ Be7 15.Qe2 Kf7 [15...Nf8 16.Re3 Kf7 17.Re1 Bd6 18.c4+– Rangel García, R –
Schmidt, T CUB – GER 2016] 16.Re1 Re8 [16...Ne5 17.dxe5 Kxe6 18.exf6+ Kxf6 19.Qe6+ Kg7
20.Nf5+ Van Haastert, E – Schwarz, D Novi Sad 2016] 17.g4!
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White threatens Nf5, as the opening of the g-file will create more problems for Black’s king. This
move also prevents all counterplay in connection to ...f5.
17...Nb6 [17...Nf8 18.Re3+– Legrand, M – Plyusnin, V ICCF email 2014; 17...Bf8 18.Rxe8
Qxe8 19.Qc4++–] 18.Nxg6! A change of plans. [18.Nf5?? Bf8! is suddenly better for Black. The
point is that 19.Rxe8 Qxe8 20.Qc4+?? hangs the queen now.] 18...hxg6 19.Qd3
Now the threat is Qh3-h7+ as ...Rh8 would leave the bishop on e7 hanging. Black has two ways
to defend against this:
A1) 19...Nd7 20.Qb3! [20.Qh3? Nf8!] 20...Kg7 21.Qh3 It is important to draw the king to g7 so
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that 21...Nf8 can be met with 22.Bh6+. Instead, if 21...Kg8 then 22.g5 wins.
A2) 19...Nd5 This defends the bishop on e7, so that 20.Qh3? could be answered with 20...Rh8.
Nevertheless, White has another resource: 20.h4!+– Dumortier, T – Delahaye, M ICCF email
2015. The e8-rook is still tied to the bishop on e7 because of c4, so h4-h5 cannot be prevented.
B) 10...Rg8 11.Re1 [11.Bf4 also makes a lot of sense as the bishop sits well on g3. 11...Bd6
12.Bg3±] 11...Bg4 12.Kh1 Nd7 [12...Bxf3?? 13.Qxf3 Qxd4 14.Bxe6! fxe6 15.Rxe6+ Kd7
16.Re4 Qxd2 17.Rd1+–] 13.h3 Bh5 14.Qe2 Be7 Practically forced. 15.a4±
11.Re1
11...Qc7?
The most popular and most natural move, alas a losing one.
A) 11...Bd6? 12.Nh4 Bg6 13.Bxe6! see 10...Bd6.
B) 11...Nb6 12.Bb3 is unlikely to lead to an independent line. Only 12...Qd7 could differ,
although the move is illogical.
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13.c4 0-0-0 14.Qe2 Rg8 15.a4 Na8 16.Bc3 Bh3 17.g3+– Sherwood, H – Wilczek, R ICCF email
2014.
C) 11...Rg8 12.Bf4! preventing ...Qc7. [12.Nh4 Bg4 13.Be2 h5 is Black’s idea. Still, White must
be better here but at least Black has some activity.] 12...Nb6 13.Bb3
13...Bd6 [Another game continued 13...a5 14.a4 Bd6 15.Bg3 Bg4 16.Qd3 Firsching, G –
Quiñones Borda, J RSS7E top – 95 rapid 2017, though the Black king will be slightly less safe
after castling, due to the a5-pawn.] 14.Qd2 Nd5 15.Bg3± This is a solid setup in response to
Black’s rook move.
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Kietzmann, S – Hengel, H ICCF 2017.

D) Perhaps Black should play the modest 11...Be7 after which, White has many good options.
The most logical to me is 12.Bf4 preventing ...Qc7. 12...Bg6 13.c3 0-0 14.a4 a5 15.Bb3±
12.Nh4
12...Bg6
12...Nb6 13.Bb3 Bg6 14.a4! Be7 [14...a5 15.Qf3 Be7 16.c4+–] 15.a5 Nd5 16.Qf3+– Karachurin, S
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– Wallinger, M ICCF email 2017.
13.Bxe6!
Black’s king is totally exposed after this sacrifice. This should be seen as more of a pawn sacrifice
than a bishop sacrifice, since White obtains at least two pawns in return. Some correspondence
games have ended with Black resigning a couple of moves from here, whereas ironically, the
database reveals that a ‘grandmaster draw’ was agreed before White’s 13th move! The refutation
is hardly seen in human games; however, it is fitting that Christian Bauer, one of the leading
experts on the Scandinavian, executed the move against another renowned expert Eric Prie.
13...fxe6 14.Rxe6+
Position after: 14.Rxe6+
14...Kf7
A) 14...Be7 15.Qe2 Nb6 [15...Nf8 16.Re3 Kf7 17.Re1 Bd6 18.c4+–] 16.Bb4 Nc8 (or 16...Nd5)
17.Re1+– Crook, G – Dechant, C ICCF email 2009.
B) There are several ways to play after 14...Kd8. Perhaps the most elegant is the calm 15.Nxg6
hxg6 16.h3+– Black’s king will never find shelter.
15.Qe2
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15...Nb6
A) 15...Rg8 16.Re1 Kg7 17.Nxg6 hxg6 18.Qg4 Chilson, S – Delahaye, M ICCF email 2016.
Keeping in mind that 13.Rxe6 is a pure sacrifice, White simply improves the position gradually.
B) 15...Qd8 16.Re1 Rg8 17.f4 Kg7 18.Nxg6 hxg6 19.f5! Nb6 20.Bg5! Qxd4+ 21.Kh1 Nd5 22.c3
Savon, V – Duran Rubies, J ICCF email 2013, 22...Qc5 23.c4!+–
16.Re1
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16...Nd5
A) 16...Qd8 17.c4 Kg7 18.Qg4 Nxc4 19.Bc3 Nb6 20.f4+– Hohlbein, M – Cosentino, A ICCF
email 2017.
B) 16...Kg8 17.Rxf6 Bg7 18.Re6+– Legemaat, G – Cosentino, A ICCF email 2015. White has
plenty of pawns!
17.c4 Nf4 18.Qg4 Nxe6 19.Qxe6+ Kg7
The following is a beautiful finish.
20.Bh6+! Kxh6 21.Qxf6 Qd8 22.Nf5+ Kh5 23.g4+ Kxg4 24.Re4+ Kf3 25.Re3+ Kg4 26.Rg3+
Kh5 27.Rg5#
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Position after: 27.Rg5#
Bauer, C – Prie, E Montpellier 2014.
C) 5...Bg4
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.d4 Nf6 5.Bd2!? Bg4
6.f3
I also considered recommending 6.Nf3 Qf5 7.Bd3 Bxf3 8.Bxf5 [8.gxf3 Qd7 9.Ne4 Qxd4 10.Qe2
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gives definite compensation for the pawn, although it is unclear at this point how much.] 8...Bxd1
9.Rxd1 e6 10.Bh3 c6 11.Ne2² This is an adequate alternative for those who are big believers in the
two bishops. I am one of those people so I wouldn’t mind entering into this; however, objectively,
it may not be the most challenging option.
After 6.f3 Black has a choice between the most popular but dubious 6...Bf5 and the stronger
6...Bd7!.
A) 6...Bf5?! 7.g4! (Variation C1)
B) 6...Bd7! 7.Bc4 (Variation C2)
C1) 5...Bg4 6.f3 Bf5
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.d4 Nf6 5.Bd2!? Bg4 6.f3 Bf5?! 7.g4!
7...Bg6
7...Bd7 might be a safer bet, although after 8.g5 Nd5 9.Ne4 Qa4 10.c4 Qxd1+ 11.Rxd1 Stevic, H –
Kovacevic, B Zagreb 2013, White has a big space advantage.
8.f4 e6 9.f5!
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The standard pawn sacrifice, as we have seen. The light-squared bishop is hemmed in and the e-
file is opened up.
9...exf5 10.g5
10...Nfd7
This is the most natural response and therefore my main line.

In fact, 10...Nc6!? below may be the more challenging try.
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A) 10...Nd5? 11.Qe2+
Position after: 11.Qe2+
A1) 11...Kd7 12.Nxd5 Qxd5 13.Bg2 Qxd4 14.0-0-0+– White has a decisive advantage
A2) 11...Ne7 12.Bg2 c6 13.h4 f4 14.d5! Qc7 [14...Bxc2 15.Ne4 Qd8 16.d6+–] 15.0-0-0 Budkin,
G – Cosentino, A ICCF email 2008.
A3) 11...Be7 Nataf, I – Sanchez, J Belfort 2012, 12.Qe5! c6 13.Bc4 f6 14.gxf6 gxf6 15.Qe2+–
B) 10...Nc6!? This knight sacrifice could be worth a punt although it is insufficient: 11.gxf6 0-0-
0 12.Nb5! Qb6 [12...Bb4 13.Nf3 a6 14.c3! axb5 15.cxb4 Qb6 16.Bc3 Bh5 17.Be2+–] 13.c3 gxf6
14.a4 a6
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B1) White should not fall for 15.Na3? Nxd4! [Or 15...Bxa3 16.Rxa3 Rhe8+ 17.Ne2 Bh5©]
16.cxd4 Qxd4; instead returning the piece with
B2) 15.Nh3! highlights the futility of Black’s bishop on g6. 15...Kb8 16.a5! Nxa5 17.Qa4 Nc6
18.Bf4 Rd7 19.Kd2! Kc8 20.Bg2! Qxb5 21.Qxb5 axb5 22.Rhe1+– White is effectively a bishop
up.
11.Qe2+ Kd8 12.0-0-0+–
Position after: 12.0-0-0+–
Sogin, D – Dulany, L ICCF email 2014. A disastrous opening for Black.
C2) 5...Bg4 6.f3 Bd7
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.d4 Nf6 5.Bd2!? Bg4 6.f3 Bd7!
455
Position after: 6...Bd7!
7.Bc4
7.f4!?N has the benefit of surprising the opponent and changing the nature of the game to one
which is easy to understand from White’s perspective. 7...Qb6 8.Nf3 e6 9.Bc4 Bc6 10.a4! A tricky
move.
Black must now be confident in the line 10...Nbd7! [The natural 10...a5? fails to 11.f5! for
instance 11...exf5 12.Ng5+– or 11...Bxf3 12.Qxf3 Nc6 13.fxe6 fxe6 14.Nb5! An important detail.
Without the inclusion of 10.a4 a5 the knight would not be able to occupy the b5-square for too
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long; Likewise 10...Bb4 loses to 11.a5! Bxa5 12.Rxa5 Qxa5 13.Nd5+–] 11.a5 Bxf3 12.axb6
[Further investigation is needed for the pawn sacrifice 12.Qxf3 Qxd4 13.Ra4] 12...Bxd1 13.Rxa7
Nxb6 14.Rxa8+ Nxa8 15.Kxd1
Position after: 15.Kxd1
My engines gives a slight advantage to White, although in honesty, Black should be fairly content
with such a position. Nonetheless, this is a nice sideline if you want to test the opponent’s defense
against the bishop pair. It’s also worth noting that the position was by no means easy to reach for
Black.
7...Qb6
The only move worth considering at length.

A) 7...c5 8.d5± is unhelpful.
B) 7...c6 8.Qe2 Qc7 is somewhat passive. 9.Ne4 a5 10.c3 Na6 11.a4 e6 12.Nh3±
8.Nge2
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Position after: 8.Nge2
8...e6
8...a6 is likely to transpose to the variation 8...e6 9.Be3 a6. The only independent line I can find is
9.Be3 Nc6 10.a3 e5 but this is questionable: 11.Qd2 exd4 12.Nxd4 Ne5 13.Ba2
Position after: 13.Ba2
A) 13...Qxb2 14.0-0 Qb6 15.Rab1 Qa5 16.Rxb7± gives White too much play, and the greedy
16...Qxa3? gets punished quickly: 17.Ra1! Qd6 [17...Qe7 18.Re1+–] 18.Re1+–
B) 13...c5 14.0-0-0!±
458
9.Be3
A) 9...Qxb2? runs into the principled 10.Rb1 Qa3 11.Rb3! Qa5 12.Bd2! giving the queen no
respite! [12.Rxb7? is premature because of 12...Bb4]
A1) 12...Na6 13.0-0! As they say, the threat is stronger than the execution. [Although here too,
White gains a clear advantage with 13.Rxb7 Bb4 14.Bxa6 Bxc3 15.Bc4±] 13...Rb8 and at this
point, my engine is screaming out that White is winning with the caveman attack 14.f4!
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For example 14...Be7 15.f5! exf5 16.Ng3+– The decisive factor is the immobility of the queen
on a5 and the constant threat of a discovery from the c3-knight. Indeed, Black cannot castle as
17.Nd5 would pick up the undefended bishop.
A2) 12...Bd6 13.0-0±
A3) 12...Bb4 13.a3! Bd6
14.Bd3± It’s remarkable how problematic the black queen is: it completely disturbs Black’s
chances of healthy development. Black’s best is, according to Stockfish, to retreat their bishop
back to e7 (this wasn’t possible before because of the knight jump to d5) but I don’t see any real
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prospects for Black in a practical game. [Also possible was 14.Rxb7 0-0 15.0-0 Qh5 16.Nf4
Qh6 17.Nh3 Qh5 18.Nb5±] The point of White’s last move is revealed in the variation 14...0-
0?? [14...Qh5?? A hopeful escape plan. 15.h4! with g4 to follow.]
Position after: 14...0-0??
A3.1) 15.Nb5! Qa4 16.Nec3 Qa5 17.Ne4 Qa4 18.Nxf6+ gxf6 19.f4 with a crushing attack.
A3.2) I find 15.Ne4! equally instructive: 15...Qh5 [15...Qa4 16.Nxf6+ gxf6 17.Qc1+– White
plans an invasion of the queen into Black’s kingside with Bc3, Qh6.] 16.Nxd6 cxd6 17.Nf4
Qh4+ [Or 17...Qg5 18.h4 Qg3+ 19.Kf1+–] 18.g3 Qg5 19.Ng6+–
Position after: 19.Ng6+–
So doomed is the queen’s fate that after 19...Qh5, even better than picking up the exchange is
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20.Ne7+! Kh8 21.h4! and the queen is lost. For instance 21...e5 22.Be2! exd4 23.Bg5+–
B) 9...Bb4 Juhasz, B – Konopka, M Germany 2019, 10.Qd3 Nd5 gives White a couple of ways to
obtain an advantage.
B1) Simplest is probably 11.Bxd5 exd5 12.a3 Bxc3+ 13.Nxc3 Be6 14.0-0-0ƒ
B2) Also strong is 11.Bf2 Nxc3 12.bxc3 [12.Nxc3 Nc6 13.a3 Qa5 14.0-0²] 12...Bd6 13.0-0 Qa5
14.Rfb1 Bc6 15.a4 a6 16.Qe3 0-0 17.Bd3 Nd7 18.c4² Black still hasn’t resolved the situation
with their queen.
C) 9...c5 Sosa, T – Munoz Pantoja, M Vallfogona de Balague 2019, 10.d5! is generally a
favourable structure for White.
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10...Qb4 11.Qd3 b5 12.dxe6 bxc4 13.exd7+ Nbxd7 14.Qd2 Be7 15.Rb1±

D) The main moves for Black (9...a6, 9...Nc6 and 9...Be7) will be analyzed in the following
subchapters.
C2.1) 5...Bg4 6.f3 Bd7 (with 9...a6)
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.d4 Nf6 5.Bd2!? Bg4 6.f3 Bd7! 7.Bc4 Qb6 8.Nge2 e6 9.Be3 a6
The engine’s top move, though it is very odd! I can see that in some lines Black can grab the b2-
pawn, when all of White’s pieces are prevented from using the b5-square.
Still, I do not think the move is better than the others just because the engine suggests it.
10.0-0
On 10.Qd3 Qxb2! is possible. 11.Rb1 Qa3 12.Rb3 [12.Rxb7 Nc6 Notice that if the pawn were on
a7, 13.Nb5 would win on the spot. 13.Rb3 Qd6] 12...Qa5 13.Bd2 Nc6 Now Black threatens ...Nb4,
highlighting that the queen on d3 is poorly placed. 14.Nd5 exd5! 15.Bxa5 dxc4 16.Qxc4 Nxa5
17.Re3+ Be6∞
10.a4!? (Daniel Fernandez’s recommendation) avoids 10...Bb5 and could be worth considering as
well.
10...Be7
A) 10...Qxb2 11.Rb1 Qa3 12.Rb3 Qa5 13.Bd2 is now bad for Black as 13...Nc6 14.Nd5 exd5
15.Bxa5 dxc4 loses to 16.Re3+
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B) 10...Bb5 is logical but shouldn’t be feared. 11.Bb3 Nc6 12.Na4 Bxa4 [12...Qa5 13.c4 and
White obtains a pleasant two bishop advantage] 13.Bxa4 0-0-0 14.c3
14...e5! The only critical try. [14...Qxb2?! is clearly too risky. 15.Bxc6 bxc6 16.Rb1 Qxa2
17.Ra1 Qd5 18.Ra4! (18.Rxa6?! Kd7! only helps Black.) with c4 and Nf4-d3 will follow.]
15.Bf2 exd4 16.Re1! There is no rush to capture on d4, and White would prefer to avoid an IQP.
If Black plays too mildly, White can follow up with b2-b4, Qb3, and only then a capture on d4.
16...Qxb2 [But not 16...Be7?! when indeed 17.Nxd4 works well, as the bishop on e7 is hanging.]
17.Bxc6 dxc3! [17...bxc6?! 18.Rb1 Qxa2 19.Ra1 Qd5 20.Qa4 Qb5 21.Qa2‚] 18.Qa4 c2™
19.Rac1 bxc6 20.Qxc6 Rd2 21.Be3
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Black has had to play extremely precisely to reach this position, and even here, their position is
practically very difficult. Play might continue 21...Rd5 [21...Rd6 22.Qc4 Nd5 23.Bd4 Qb7
24.Rxc2‚] 22.Rxc2 Qb7 23.Qc4‚
11.Ne4
11...0-0
11...Qxb2 12.a4! White has the devious threat of 13.Bb3, trapping the queen. 12...Qb6 13.a5 Qc6
14.Bb3 b5 [14...Nxe4 15.d5! exd5 16.fxe4 is very dangerous for Black. For example, 16...Bc5
17.Qd2 0-0 18.exd5 Qd6 19.Bxc5 Qxc5+ 20.Kh1±] 15.Nxf6+ Bxf6 16.Qd2 Qb7 17.Bg5! Bxg5
18.Qxg5 0-0 19.Nf4 Qa7 20.c3±
12.a4
12.Qd2 Qxb2!
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12...Nxe4
A) 12...Qxb2?? 13.Nxf6+ [Or 13.Bb3 immediately.] 13...Bxf6 14.Bb3+– and 15.Ra2 will win the
queen.
B) 12...Nd5?! 13.Bf2 Nc6 14.Ba2 Rfd8 [14...Qxb2?? 15.Bb3!] 15.Qd2 Be8 16.c3±
C) 12...Nc6 13.c3 Na5 [13...Nd5 14.Bf2 Na5 15.b3! Rfd8 16.Rb1 Next, the bishop will be
rerouted to the b1-h7 diagonal.] 14.Nxf6+ Bxf6 15.Bd3 e5 16.b4 Nc6 17.a5 Qa7 18.Bf2 exd4
19.Qc2
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and White has a pleasant position: 19...g6 20.Be4 Rfe8 21.Bxc6 Bxc6 22.Nxd4²
13.fxe4 Nc6 14.c3 Na5 15.Bd3 c5 16.e5
After this move, White gains easy access to the kingside.
16...cxd4
16...Qxb2? falls for the trap 17.Bxh7+! Kxh7 18.Qd3+ Kg8 19.Rfb1 c4 20.Qd1±
Position after: 20.Qd1±
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Black can still fight on with 20...Qb3, but their compensation is limited.
17.Nxd4‚
White’s pieces are on more natural squares and it is easy to attack. Black still cannot take on b2
due to the aforementioned trap.
C2.2) 5...Bg4 6.f3 Bd7 (with 9...Be7)
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.d4 Nf6 5.Bd2!? Bg4 6.f3 Bd7! 7.Bc4 Qb6 8.Nge2 e6 9.Be3
Be7
A natural, non-committal move.
10.Qd3 0-0
A) 10...Nc6 Warmerdam, M – Van Wely, L Amstelveen 2019, 11.a3 Na5 12.d5! is difficult to
defend against.
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12...c5 [12...Bc5?? 13.Bxc5 Qxc5 14.Ba2+– and 15.b4 cannot be prevented; 12...Qd6 13.Nb5
Bxb5 14.Bxb5+ c6 15.dxc6 Nxc6 16.Qxd6 Bxd6 17.Nd4±] 13.dxe6 fxe6 14.0-0-0 Nxc4 15.Qxc4
Qc6 16.a4²
B) 10...Na6 Warmerdam, M – Laznicka, V Skopje 2018, 11.a3 c5 12.0-0-0 0-0 13.g4 is slightly
unpleasant for Black.
For instance 13...Bc6 14.g5 Nd7 [14...Nd5 15.Bxd5 exd5 16.Qf5 Nc7 17.h4±] 15.d5 Ne5 16.Qe4
Nxc4 17.Qxc4 exd5 18.Nxd5 Bxd5 19.Rxd5 Qe6 20.Bf4 b5 21.Qe4²
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11.0-0-0
Of this position, there is only one game in the database – a high-level encounter between two 2650
GMs.
It continued
11...Nc6?!
11...c5 is probably best. 12.g4! Bc6 [12...Rd8 13.g5 Ne8 14.d5 Nc6! Nice try! 15.Bf4 Na5 16.dxe6
Bxe6 17.Bd5²] 13.g5 Nfd7 14.Bf4 cxd4 15.Nxd4 Nc5 16.Qe2ƒ
12.a3!N
Black’s defense is now difficult. The move d4-d5 is always looming, but the more pressing idea is
to play g2-g4-g5, continuing to attack.
There is no need to rush into 12.d5 Ne5 13.Bxb6 Nxd3+ 14.Rxd3 axb6 Ragger, M – Laznicka, V
Novy Bor 2017.
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Position after: 12.a3!N
The most natural continuation I can think of is
12...Rfd8
A) 12...Na5 13.Ba2±
B) 12...Qa5 13.Ba2 and 13...Rab8? is bad in view of 14.Bd2 b5 15.d5 Ne5 16.Qd4 Bd6 17.Ne4
Qb6 18.Nxf6+ gxf6 19.Qxb6 Rxb6 20.Nf4+–
13.g4 Na5 14.Ba2
and now Black can sacrifice a piece with
14...c5 15.dxc5 Bxc5 16.Bxc5 Qxc5 17.b4 Qe7 18.bxa5 Qxa3+ 19.Kb1 Qxa5 20.Qe3+–
471
Position after: 20.Qe3+–
but according to the engines, Black has insufficient compensation as White has a good number of
defenders around their king.
C2.3) 5...Bg4 6.f3 Bd7 (with 9...Nc6)
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.d4 Nf6 5.Bd2!? Bg4 6.f3 Bd7! 7.Bc4 Qb6 8.Nge2 e6 9.Be3
Nc6 10.a3
10...Ne7
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10...Na5 11.Ba2 Qa6 doesn’t achieve all that much. [11...Qxb2?? 12.Bb3! Nxb3 13.cxb3 Nd5
14.Bd2+– Murray, D – Zeidler, S Skopje 2015] 12.Bf2 Nc4 13.Rb1
13...Bd6 [13...Be7 14.0-0 0-0 15.Nf4²] 14.0-0 0-0 [14...0-0-0 15.Qd3 Nb6 16.Qxa6 bxa6
17.Rfe1±] 15.Qd3 b5 [15...Nb6 16.Qxa6 bxa6 17.Rfe1²] 16.a4 c6 17.Ng3 Nd5 18.Nge4 Nb4
19.Qe2 Nxa2 20.Nxa2 Be7 21.Nc5 Qc8 22.b3 Nd6 23.a5 Nb7 24.Nxb7 Qxb7 25.b4²
11.Bf2
I believe this is the most flexible move – White has the option of castling on either side of the
473
board.
11...Ned5
11...Nf5 12.Qd3 prepares to castle long. This is the reason 11.Bf2 should be preferred over 11.0-0.
12...Be7 13.g4! Nd6 14.Bb3 0-0 15.0-0-0 and White develops a strong attack in this line. 15...a5
16.h4 a4 17.Ba2±
12.0-0
Probably the simplest route.
It is also possible to castle long with 12.Qd3 Be7 13.0-0-0 0-0 although in my opinion, this is
Black’s best version of an opposite-side castling scenario, thanks to the active knight on d5.
12...Be7
12...0-0-0 13.b4 h5 14.Ne4 Nxe4 15.fxe4 Nf6 16.Bd3 Ng4 17.c4 e5 18.c5 Qh6 19.d5± White is
dominating in the center and queenside. See the model game Edouard, R – Bauer, C Switzerland
2012.
13.Qd3 0-0 14.Ne4ƒ
474
Position after: 14.Ne4ƒ
Ba2 is likely to come next, followed by c2-c4. White’s initiative is self-evident and the position is
easy to play.
Model game
Edouard, Romain (2627)

Bauer, Christian (2660)
Switzerland 2012
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.d4 Nf6 5.Bd2 Bg4 6.f3 Bd7 7.Bc4 Qb6 8.Nge2 e6 9.Be3 Nc6
10.a3 Ne7
475
11.0-0
I recommend 11.Bf2 first, so that on 11...Nf5 12.Qd3 we can castle queenside.
11...Ned5
11...Nf5 12.Bf2 c5!? is possible here. 13.d5 0-0-0
12.Bf2
Now the game has transposed back to our repertoire.
12...0-0-0
Position after: 12...0-0-0
Probably too risky for Black, as the game shows.
13.b4
13.Ne4 is also very strong since 13...Nxe4 [13...Bb5 14.b3! Bxc4 15.bxc4 Nxe4 16.fxe4 Nf6
17.Qd3±] 14.fxe4 Nf6 15.Nc3 gives White a firm grip in the center.
13...h5 14.Ne4 Nxe4 15.fxe4 Nf6 16.Bd3 Ng4 17.c4
476
This position highlights the risk involved in playing the Scandinavian. The Black queen could be
in a great deal of trouble, although in this case, it wriggles out with
17...e5! 18.c5 Qh6
Nevertheless, White continues to dominate in the center and queenside:
19.d5
477
19...Nxf2
Initially, the engine suggests that Black can put up resistance with 19...Kb8 20.Kh1 h4 but this is
superficial, and indeed after 21.Bg1 h3 22.g3± Black is going nowhere.
20.Rxf2 Qe3
20...h4 21.Nc3±
21.Ng3
Position after: 21.Ng3
21...g6?
It is easy to criticize this move, but what else was there? 21...Rh6 22.Nf1 Qd4 is the engine’s
choice. Given that White has several positional advantages, the exchange of queens with 23.Bc2
suggests itself.
22.Nf1! Qd4
The alternative is no better: 22...Qh6 23.c6 Bg4 [23...bxc6 24.Qa4+–] 24.Qa4 and wins.
23.Rc1
478
The queen is trapped so the next move is forced
23...b5
23...Bg4 24.Qb3+–
24.Qc2!
Most precise. White threatens Rd1 and Be2.
24...a5
Saving the queen but at the cost of a more important piece...
25.c6 Bg4 26.Bxb5 axb4 27.Qa4 Kb8 28.axb4 Qxb4 29.Ra2
A flawless victory from our very own chief editor!
1-0
479
Part IV
Pirc and Modern Defenses
Übersicht
1.e4
The defenses in this chapter are characterized by uncompromising pawn structures and dynamic
piece play. In the Modern and Pirc Defenses, Black fianchettoes the king’s bishop in order to
directly target the white center. Meanwhile, in the Pribyl System, it is possible for Black to stake a
claim in the center with an early ...e7-e5, much in the style of a Philidor Defense. In response to
the Modern and Pirc Defenses, I recommend a classical setup that doesn’t necessarily seek to
refute the openings, but instead guarantees a stable advantage and an easy position to play, starting
with the moves 1...g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nf3 d6 4.Nc3 a6 5.Be2 and 1...d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7
5.Be2. A combination of my own analyses, practical tests and correspondence games indicates to
me that:
1) The Modern Defense, when faced with this system, is clearly inferior to the Pirc Defense.
Such a divergence between the two defenses is rare – in fact, I find that the Modern is better
equipped than the Pirc to deal with aggressive setups such as the 150 and Austrian Attacks. In our
case, the explanation is relatively obvious. White’s central pressure is efficiently built up, whereas
the usual scheme in the Modern, ...a6, ...b5 is simply not powerful enough to produce good
counterchances.
2) In the Pirc Defense, Black usually aims for ...e5, either by supporting it with the knight to c6
or to d7. That approach is timely enough to prevent immediate and aggressive action from their
adversary but nevertheless, leads to suboptimal versions of other openings such as the King’s
Indian or Philidor Defense.
1.e4
A) The Modern Defense is covered in Chapter 1: 1...g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nf3.
480
A1) Although it is dubious, 3...c5?! is probably the only line within variation A that merits
proper consideration. The most convincing response is 4.dxc5 Qa5+ 5.c3 Qxc5 6.Na3! which
appears to fall for 6...Bxc3+?? but as is shown in variation A, it is Black who loses if they enter
that line!
A2) The Gurgenidze System with 3...c6 4.Nc3 d5 is a solid alternative to the main line. I
recommend 5.h3 which prevents ...Bg4. Then Black has three independent options, 5...Nh6,
5...Nf6!? and 5...dxe4. The latter is the most reliable of the three, though it gives White a risk-
free advantage. See variation B.
A3) At this point, the most popular and natural move is 3...d6 4.Nc3
481
A3.1) 4...Nd7 5.Be2 is most likely headed towards a Hippo structure, but if 5...Ngf6? 6.e5!
forces the knight back to g8, as 6...dxe5?! 7.dxe5 Ng4 8.e6! is already a big/decisive
advantage for White.
A3.2) On 4...c6 the pragmatic response is 5.h3 as Black should transpose into the 6...c6 line of
the Pirc. Note that against the usual Pirc move order (to the line)1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Nf3
Bg7, I do not recommend the immediate 5.h3 0-0 6.Be2 because of 6...c5! and Black equalizes
comfortably. In this move order, however, Black has played less flexibly, and ...c6-c5 will
merely amount to a loss of a tempo. 5...Nf6 [5...b5 is premature. 6.Bd3 Nd7 7.0-0± Black will
never be able to develop his kingside comfortably as the move ...Ng8-f6 will run into e4-e5.]
6.Be2 0-0 7.0-0 see Chapter 3, variation E.
A3.3) 4...a6 5.Be2
There are now two distinct routes for Black. One of them is 5...Nd7 6.0-0 e6 7.Be3 Ne7 8.Qd2
h6 9.Rfe1 b6 – see variation C and Diagrams 1.1 to 1.5.
The other option is 5...b5 6.0-0. In this line, White enjoys a clear advantage due to the fact that
the b-pawn is an easy target. For instance 6...Bb7 7.Re1 Nd7 [7...b4?! 8.Nd5 Bxd5 9.exd5 Nf6
10.h4! is extremely dangerous for Black. See Diagram 1.7.] 8.a4; strangely, this move is not
covered by Hillarp-Persson in his book, Tiger’s Modern. 8...b4 9.Na2
482
The exchange of Black’s b-pawn for White’s e-pawn is highly favorable for White in this
system – the rook on e1 suddenly comes to life and the a6-pawn becomes isolated.
B) The Pribyl System, constituted by the moves 1...d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 and now 3...c6 does not
exert enough pressure against White’s center.
As such, I provide a completely different approach that punishes Black for what I believe is an
inaccurate move order:
B1) 4.f4! Black now has two main moves and a number of sidelines. In all cases, White’s big
center is overwhelming. For 4...Qb6 and others – see variation A; 4...g6 – see variation B;
483
4...Qa5 – see variation C.
B2) Practically speaking, it also makes sense to play 4.Nf3 as this is very likely to transpose to
our main repertoire after 4...g6. It might also be the better choice if your opponent is the type to
play 4...Bg4 since 5.h3
B2.1) 5...Bh5 6.g4! Bg6 7.Qe2 puts Black under serious pressure.
7...e6 8.h4 h5 9.g5 Nfd7 10.Bh3±

B2.2) Instead, Black should opt for 5...Bxf3 6.Qxf3 e5 [6...d5 7.e5 Nfd7 8.Bg5 Qb6 9.0-0-0±]
7.Be3± when White has a risk-free advantage.
C) The Pirc Defense is covered in Chapter 3: 1...d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Be2 0-0 6.0-
0
484
C1) There are some sidelines such as 6...e6 and even the immediate 6...e5 which should not be
underestimated – see variation A. Personally, I never felt the need to examine such lines, but of
course I have included them for the reader!
C2) 6...Nc6 which invites the space-gaining 7.d5 Nb8 8.h3 c6 9.Nd4² – see variation B.
C3) 6...a6 which leads to an improved KID structure for White after 7.a4 Nc6 8.a5!? e5 9.d5
Ne7 10.Nd2 – see variation C.
C4) 6...Bg4 which also leads to a KID structure, but one in which Black has conceded the
bishop pair: 7.h3 Bxf3 8.Bxf3 e5 9.d5 Nbd7 10.g3!?N – see variation D.
C5) And the main move 6...c6 which leads to a pleasant Philidor structure for White after 7.h3
Nbd7 8.a4 e5 9.dxe5 dxe5 10.Bc4. Black usually plays 10...Qe7 which I think is a slight
inaccuracy in view of 11.b3 followed by 12.Ba3 – see variation E.
General Concepts
Diagram 1.1
In the Modern, the two main possibilities for Black are the ‘Hippopotamus’ setup and the direct
4...a6 followed by 5...b5. The former is established by reaching the following formation:
485
Diagram 1.2
Our response, in turn, will be to reach the following setup.
Black is now required to develop their plan. In general, there are three typical plans for them: a
kingside expansion with ...g5, a queenside expansion with ...b5 or the supposed improvement of
their king’s position with ...Kf8 (aiming to manually castle). The first two plans weaken the pawn
structure whereas the latter plan gives White time to maneuver. Let’s consider each plan in turn.
11...g5 12.d5!?
486
Position after: 12.d5!?
An attack on the flanks should be met with an attack in the center! This was also the strategy
employed in Nepomniatchtchi – Wei Yi. White aims for a favorable KID with full control over the
light-squares.
12...e5
A) 12...Ng6 13.Nd4 Bxd4 14.Bxd4 0-0 15.Bg4±

B) Opening the center with 12...exd5 13.exd5 0-0 seems incongruous with the move ...g5 and
there’s a specific reason for why it’s dangerous: 14.h4! Bxc3 15.bxc3 Nxd5 16.hxg5 Nxe3
17.Qxe3±
13.Nh2N 13...Ng6 14.Nf1!±
487
Position after: 14.Nf1!±
The knight is headed to the outpost on f5.

Diagram 1.3
Similarly, against
11...b5
I suggest
12.d5
12.b4?! is the usual plan, preparing a2-a4, but 12...Nb6 is probably acceptable for Black.
488
12...e5
12...b4 is risky. 13.dxe6! fxe6 14.Na4 Nc6 15.c3 bxc3 16.bxc3± In general, Black would prefer to
keep the position closed.
13.Bd3
This is not dissimilar to the Ruy Lopez. Black has a slightly overextended pawn on b5 which
White should target as quickly as possible. The pawn push d4-d5 also has the effect of blocking
the b7-bishop from the action, a typical motif in the Ruy Lopez.
13...Nb6
13...f5 14.exf5! gxf5 15.Nh4
489
Yet another analogy could be drawn here, this time to the King’s Indian Defense. Although Black
was able to make their aggressive pawn thrust, they are left with a fragile pawn structure. The idea
to attack the f5-pawn in this manner is typical in the KID (see the Makagonov system for
example). 15...e4 16.Nxe4! [16.Be2±] 16...fxe4 17.Bxe4±
14.a4!
A positional pawn sacrifice.
14...bxa4 15.Ne2
490
Preparing to overhaul Black’s queenside with the push of the c-pawn.

Diagram 1.4
11...Kf8 12.Bd3
12.d5!? may not be as effective here as in the lines 11...b5 and 11...g5 as after 12...e5 there are no
immediate weaknesses to exploit. Nevertheless one plan is 13.Nh2 and on 13...f5 14.f4! should be
strong.
12...Kg8
12...c5 leaves the d6-pawn vulnerable to attack. 13.dxc5 Nxc5 14.Bf4! Qc7 15.Bf1 e5 16.Bg3±
13.Ne2
An important maneuver, anticipating the king’s journey to h7 and enabling the c-pawn to bolster
the center.
491
13...Kh7 14.Ng3 c5 15.c3
White has an excellent Ruy Lopez structure. Sooner or later, the h-pawn will be launched up the
board, and the king on h7 will be left in a state of discomfort.
Diagram 1.5
Transitioning to the second option at Black’s disposal (5...b5) I’d also like to highlight a positional
technique in the event that Black combines the two systems:
9...b5 10.b4!
Owing to the fact that Black has played somewhat slowly, White is afforded the time to fix
492
Black’s queenside pawns.
10...Nb6
10...f5 11.a4 bxa4 12.Rxa4±
11.a4±
Position after: 11.a4±
and Black cannot avoid the ruining of their pawn structure.

Diagram 1.6
The following position is standard in the main line of the Modern. Black has the option of
defending the pawn (after which White generally reinforces the pawn structure with c3) or
exchanging it for White’s e-pawn. The former leads to easy play for White and hardly warrants an
explanation, whereas the latter is more unique. The key point is that Black’s a6-pawn becomes a
critical target and White’s a-pawn, a crucial asset. In many instances, the whole game revolves
around this one file.
493
9...Bxe4?!
9...Ngf6 10.Nxb4 a5 [10...Nxe4?! 11.Bxa6±] 11.e5! axb4 [11...dxe5? does not help. 12.dxe5 axb4
13.exf6 Nxf6 14.Qxd8+ Rxd8 15.a5+–] 12.exf6 Nxf6 13.Bd2 Nd5 and now White can already net
a pawn with 14.Bb5+ [14.a5±] 14...c6 15.Bc4±
9...Bxe4?! 10.Nxb4
Position after: 10.Nxb4
10...Bb7
Black would like to prevent the pawn fix with 10...a5 but then White has 11.Ng5!
494
A) 11...Bb7 loses to 12.Bc4 [Or 12.Bf3+–]
B) 11...axb4 12.Nxe4+–
11.a5!
White has a clear positional advantage.

Diagram 1.7
Another instructive theme arises from the very natural
7...b4?!
Although this is dubious, it is seen frequently in practice and it’s the move I have encountered
most often in blitz.
8.Nd5 Bxd5 9.exd5 Nf6 10.h4!
495
A particularly satisfying move to make, alongside the forthcoming 12.a3. The main idea of this
pawn sacrifice is to gain time and open the position as quickly as possible. Furthermore, from h5,
the pawn has the option of creating a wedge with h6.
It is also possible to start with 10.a3.
10...Nxd5 11.h5 0-0 12.a3!
An inventive way to activate the rook.
496
12...Nd7
12...bxa3?! 13.Rxa3 e6 14.Ng5! and the rook is ready to swing over to the kingside. My engines
give White a decisive advantage.
13.h6 Bf6 14.axb4 Nxb4 15.c3 Nd5 16.Rxa6±
Diagram 2.1
Against the Pribyl system, 4.f4 indicates that White is ready to launch a rapid attack and the
position below is a good illustration of this.
11.f5!
On the one hand, White relinquishes all control over the e5-square but on the other, they enable
their kingside attack to flourish.
11...Ne5 12.Qh4 Nfd7 13.Be3±
Not 13.f6? Nxf6 14.Rxf6?? Qd8!
497
Apart from the immediate threat of f6, White has numerous possibilities. One of these is to play
Rad1, Nf3 and Be2, removing the minor pieces from the d-file in order to target the d6-pawn.
Another idea is to activate the dark-squared bishop with Bg5.
Diagram 2.2
As mentioned above, Black does have the option of deploying their kingside bishop to e7 rather
than g7 but this is not particularly beneficial.
11.Ne2
Planning 12.c3.
498
11...exd4 12.Nxd4 Rfe8
And now even the caveman attack
13.g4!?
is strong.
13...g6
13...Nc5?! 14.Nb3! Grigoryev, V – Otte, H ICCF corr 2002.
14.c3±
Typically White continues with Ne2-g3, Kg2, natural development and an eventual h4-h5 or g5.
Diagram 3.1
In the Pirc Defense, I draw a frequent parallel to the King’s Indian Defense (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6
3.Nc3 Bg7), so a couple of points are worth highlighting to that end. Consider the position below.
499
Although 1.e4 players are unlikely to be experienced in KID structures, White can often reach a
favorable version of them, in which the queenside attack is much faster than the opponent’s
kingside offensive. A very early a4-a5 has left both sides committed to the fixed a-pawns on a5
and a6, whereas in the Bayonet Attack of the King’s Indian, Black is generally advised to keep the
a-pawn at bay, unless obliged to do so. Alternatively, they sometimes opt for ...a5, which is
conveniently eliminated from this position.
10.Nd2 Nd7
10...Bh6?! is a typical strategic device, aiming to trade off the bad bishop or discourage the d2-
knight from moving. In this instance however, the move enables White to launch an attack in the
center with a timely f4. 11.Nc4 Bxc1 12.Qxc1 Nd7 13.f4!
500
A) 13...f6 14.f5± As soon as White restricts the activity on the kingside, they should have a
winning attack on the queenside.
B) Black could try to sit tight with 13...exf4 14.Qxf4 f6 but after 15.b4 Ne5 [15...Kg7 16.Bg4
Ne5 17.Bxc8 Qxc8 18.Ne3±] 16.Nxe5 fxe5 17.Qe3 White dominates on both sides.
C) 13...f5 14.fxe5 Nxe5 15.Qd2 Bd7 16.Rae1± Black has too many weak squares in their
position.
Position after: 16.Rae1±
Ermolaev, A – Piersig, K email 2011.
11.Na4
A unique maneuver, available because of the extra space on the a-file.
11...f5 12.c4 Nf6 13.b4
501
13...Nxe4
A) 13...f4? 14.c5 g5 15.cxd6 cxd6 16.Nb6 Rb8 17.b5 axb5 18.Ba3±

B) 13...Bh6!? is now very logical in light of the pressure upon the e4-pawn. 14.Nc3 fxe4 [On
14...c6? 15.c5! the tactics favor White.] 15.Ndxe4²
14.Nxe4 fxe4 15.Nc3 e3
15...Nf5 16.Nxe4 Nd4 17.Bg5 Qe8 18.Bd3²
16.fxe3!²
Ensuring the d4-square is controlled.
502
Position after: 16.fxe3!²
The variations I analyze wind up in somewhat simplified positions, and yet, White’s pressure on
the queenside invariably persists.
Diagram 3.2
In the 6...Bg4 variation, the nature of play also tends towards a KID structure and in this version, I
argue that the added advantage is that Black’s light-squared bishop has been exchanged. Apart
from that, the setup I’ve chosen gives Black slim chances of generating an attack, much like the
g3-system against the KID.
12...f4
Black’s safest solution, although it gives White a risk-free advantage.
503
12...h6?! 13.h5 g5 14.exf5 Rxf5 15.Be4 Rf8 16.f3 is strategically unplayable for Black.
12...f4 13.h5 g5
13...Nef6 14.Rh1 Qe7 allows 15.h6 Bh8 16.Qe2
14.Rh1
Or 14.Bg4 Bh6 15.f3 Ndf6 [15...Ng7 would allow the favorable exchange 16.Bxd7 Qxd7 17.g4±]
16.Bf5 Ng7 17.g4
14...Bh6 15.g4²
504
Position after: 15.g4²
Not many players would opt for such a passive position with Black. Perhaps they can defend, but
they rely on just one saving trick: the fortress. Meanwhile, White has various possibilities on the
queenside and there are still many pieces on the board leading me to the conclusion that White is
certainly better in practice.
Diagram 3.3
Finally, we turn to the most common line, 6...c6 where the most appropriate parallel to be drawn is
to the Philidor Defense.
In contrast to the previous examples, where White heads into complex pawn structures, the best
approach here is to obtain a simple and semi-open position with
9.dxe5 dxe5
Meanwhile, if Black recaptures with the knight: 9...Nxe5 it is important to avoid mass
simplifications and keep pressure against the d6-pawn with 10.Bf4!²
10.Bc4
As the saying goes, White’s position plays itself, whereas in practice, Black has struggled to come
up with a constructive plan. The main move is
10...Qe7?!
which is probably incorrect in view of
11.b3!
505
11...Nc5
11...b6 12.Ba3 c5 features in the model game Zhigalko, S – Nijboer, F Rhodes 2013.
12.Ba3 b6
12...a5 13.Qd2 Nh5 14.Qe3 b6 15.b4! axb4 16.Bxb4+– Grabner, J – Lahdenmaeki, L ICCF email
2015
13.Qe1±
506
The queen could have also gone to e2 or d2, with roughly the same ideas.
White will follow up with a5 and Na4, which is not easy to prevent, while the white queen will be
perfectly placed on e3, where it puts more pressure on the c5-knight. If the black queen leaves the
a3-f8 diagonal, then Bxc5 will severely damage Black’s queenside pawn structure.
(back to the text)

Note that against the usual Pirc move order 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7, I
do not recommend the immediate 5.h3 0-0 6.Be2 because of 6...c5! and Black equalizes
comfortably.
507
Chapter 1
The Modern Defense
1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7
Chapter Guide
Chapter 1 – The Modern Defense
1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nf3

A) 3rd Move Alternatives
B1) The Gurgenidze System (various)
B2) The Gurgenidze System (with 5...dxe4)
C1) Hippopotamus (various)
C2) Hippopotamus (with 11...Kf8)
D1) 3...d6 4.Nc3 a6 5.Be2 Nd7
D2) 3...d6 4.Nc3 a6 5.Be2 b5
A) 3rd Move Alternatives
1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nf3
508
3...c5?!
Not a very sound defense, though the reader should be aware of it.
A) 3...d5 is likely to transpose to Scandinavian territory after 4.exd5 Qxd5 5.Nc3 [White can also
consider 5.Be2 followed by 0-0 and c2-c4.] although, in the line 5...Qd6 6.Nb5 Qb6
Position after: 6...Qb6
there is a small drawback to Black’s move order: 7.Bf4! With a knight on f6, Black would have
had the response 7...Nd5. Now Black is forced to play 7...Na6 8.a4 Bg4 [8...Nf6?! 9.a5 Qe6+
10.Be2±] 9.Bc4 (preventing ...Qe6+) 9...c6 10.a5 Qd8 11.Nc3±
509
B) 3...a6 4.Nc3 b5?! is premature. White is now given the time to attack with 5.h4!
B1) 5...d6 6.h5±

B2) 5...h5 6.e5! This would not have been possible if Black had played 3...d6. 6...Nh6 [6...Bb7
7.Bd3+–] 7.a4 b4 8.Nd5±
B3) 5...h6 and at this point, they have a range of good options, for instance 6.b4!? A typical
move (see later). [6.e5±] 6...d6 7.a4 bxa4 8.Rxa4 Bb7 9.Bd3± Note that if 9...c5? 10.bxc5 dxc5
11.e5 would be overwhelming.
C) 3...Nf6?! 4.e5 Nd5 5.c4 Nb6 is too provocative.
510
As the reader surely learned from Part III, Chapter 1 (The Scandinavian with 2...Nf6) White
gains a large advantage with the constrictive 6.c5! Nd5 7.Bc4 c6 8.Nc3 0-0 9.0-0 Nxc3 10.bxc3±
4.dxc5!
Position after: 4.dxc5!
4...Qa5+
A) 4...Na6? is fancy but time-wasting: 5.Bxa6 Qa5+ Demchenko, A – Troyke, C chess.com 2020
6.Nc3! Bxc3+ [6...Qxa6 7.Nd5+–; 6...bxa6 7.Qd5 Rb8 8.Ne5!+–] 7.bxc3
511
7...Qxa6 [7...bxa6 8.Qd5! Qxc3+ 9.Ke2 Rb8 10.Bd2 Qxc2 11.Nd4 Qa4 12.Qe5+–] 8.Qd4 f6
[8...Nf6 9.e5 Nh5 10.Bh6+– Polovnikov, Y – De Magalhaes, J ICCF email 2006] 9.c4+– Cutting
the queen from the f1-a6 diagonal in order to castle kingside.
B) 4...Nf6 5.Nc3 Qa5 6.e5!
6...Ne4 [6...Ng4 7.Qd4 d6 8.Bb5+ Nc6 9.cxd6 0-0 10.Bxc6 bxc6 11.d7+–] 7.Qd4 Nxc3 8.Bd2 b6
9.Bxc3 Qxc5 10.Qxc5 bxc5 11.0-0-0± A transformation of material advantage into a clear
positional one.
5.c3 Qxc5 6.Na3!
512
Immediately punishing the queen for its early venture. The knight is headed to b5 (or c4 in certain
cases), when the black queen is slightly short of breathing space.
6...Nf6
A) 6...Bxc3+?? 7.bxc3 Qxc3+ 8.Qd2 Qxa1 loses to the knight maneuver 9.Nb5! Na6 10.Nc3! as
the queen is trapped on a1.
Black can try 10...Nc5 but after 11.Nd4 [Or 11.Bc4 Nf6 12.0-0 Ncxe4 13.Nxe4 Nxe4 14.Qe2
Nc3 Pilgaard, K – Rasmussen, K Helsinge 2003, 15.Qc2+–] 11...Nf6 12.f3 they will be forced to
return material.
B) I once suffered a painful swindle against the weak 6...Qc7? 7.Nb5 Qd8 8.Bc4 which
immediately gives White a winning position.
513
B1) 8...Nf6 9.e5 Ng4 10.h3 a6 [10...Nxe5 11.Nxe5 Bxe5 12.Qd5+–] 11.Nd6+! exd6 12.hxg4
Qe7 13.Qxd6+– Lastin, A – Savchenko, B Voronezh 2005.
B2) The aforementioned game continued 8...Nh6 9.Bf4 d6 10.Qd2 Ng4 11.h3 a6 [11...Nf6
12.e5+–] 12.Nxd6+ exd6 13.hxg4+– Tan, J – Akshat, K North Geelong 2012.
C) 6...Qa5 7.e5! Nc6 8.Nc4 Qc7 9.Qe2 Black now has to reckon with Nd6+.
9...f6 [9...Kf8 10.Bf4 doesn’t help.; 9...Qb8 10.a4 b6 11.Bf4± remains unpleasant for Black as
the king’s knight cannot be developed (11...Nh6? fails to 12.Qd2).] 10.Nd6+! Kf8 11.exf6 Nxf6
12.Nxc8 Rxc8 13.g3 with a near decisive advantage.
514
D) 6...Nc6 7.Nc4 Na5 8.Ne3! Nc6 [8...d6 9.Be2 and in any case, Black will have to start thinking
about retreating with the queen or knight.] 9.Nd5 Qa5
10.Nd2! Qd8 11.Nc4 Six consecutive knight moves to drive Black’s queen into passivity! Never
follow principles too dogmatically. 11...d6 12.Be2 and Black probably needs to waste even more
time with 12...h6 since 12...Nf6 13.Nxf6+ Bxf6 allows 14.Bh6!.
Note that 14...g5 would be strong if not for 15.g4! Rg8 16.h4 gxh4 17.g5! Bg7 18.Bxg7 Rxg7
19.f4±
E) 6...b6 7.Be3 Qc7 8.Bc4 threatening Qd1-d5. 8...Bb7 9.Qb3+–
F) 6...d6 7.Nb5 a6 8.Be3 Qc6
515
9.Na7! Qc7 10.Nxc8 Qxc8 11.Qb3 Nf6 12.e5 Ng4 [12...dxe5 13.Nxe5 0-0 14.Nxf7! Rxf7 15.Bc4
e6 16.Bxe6 Qe8 17.0-0+–] 13.e6!
Threatening to win the knight on g4 with 14.Qa4+.

F1) 13...Qxe6? 14.Bc4+– [Or 14.Qxb7 Nxe3 15.fxe3 Qxe3+ 16.Kd1]
F2) 13...fxe6? 14.Qa4+ Nd7 15.Qxg4 is the point.
F3) 13...Nxe3? 14.exf7+ Kf8 15.fxe3 Nd7 16.Bc4 Nc5 17.Qd1 Qg4 18.Qe2+–
F4) 13...f5 14.Bb6 0-0 15.Bc4 a5 16.a4±
7.Nb5
516
7...b6
A) 7...Nxe4? 8.Be3 Qc6 loses to 9.Nfd4! which forces

A1) 9...Bxd4 10.cxd4 0-0 11.d5 Qf6 12.Qc2 Qe5 13.Nc7+–
A2) because 9...Qb6 loses to 10.Nf5 [and 10.Ne6]
B) 7...0-0 8.Be3 Qc6 9.Nfd4 and Black is forced to give up the exchange. 9...Qxe4 10.Nc7 b6
11.Be2 Qb7 12.Nxa8 Qxa8 13.Bf3 Bb7 14.0-0± Bruzon Batista, L – Malakhov, V Yerevan 2000.
8.b4 Qc6 9.e5 Ne4 10.Nfd4 Qb7 11.Bd3
11.f3 does not win a piece in view of 11...a6!
517
With 11.Bd3, White prepares to trap the knight.
11...d5
A) 11...a6 12.Qe2 forces Black to give up material. 12...Nc5 13.bxc5 axb5 14.Be4 Nc6 15.Qf3
Ra4 16.Nxc6 Rxe4+ 17.Qxe4 bxc5 18.0-0+– Bellanger, M – Claridge, J WC – 2017 – Q-00013
2014.
B) It is too ambitious for Black to play 11...Bxe5? 12.Qe2 d5 13.f3. One tactical point is that
13...Bxd4 14.cxd4 Nf6?! automatically loses to 15.Nd6+. On the other hand, 13...a6 14.fxe4 axb5
15.Bh6 is also unplayable for Black.
12.exd6!
A change of plans! White will now play against the IQP. Also tempting is 12.f3 a6 13.Qe2 which I
give in my personal files from around ten years ago(!).
518
In my view, Black has greater chances to survive here, after the forcing sequence 13...Nc5!?
[13...axb5 14.fxe4 0-0 15.exd5 Qc7 16.Nxb5 Qxe5 17.Qxe5 Bxe5 18.Bh6±] 14.bxc5 bxc5
15.Nd6+ exd6 16.exd6+ Kf8
Position after: 16...Kf8
And indeed, Black managed to hold in a recent correspondence game.
12...0-0 13.0-0 Nxd6
13...exd6 is impossible: 14.Bxe4 Qxe4 15.Nc7+–
519
14.Nxd6 exd6 15.Bf4
15...d5
15...a6 16.Bxd6 Rd8 17.Bg3± Strömberg, H – Silva, F blitz 2017.
16.Re1 Nc6 17.Nb5 Qd7 18.Nc7 Rb8 19.Bb5 Bb7
19...d4 20.Ne8! Rxe8 21.Bxb8+–
20.Nxd5 Rbd8 21.c4±
520
Position after: 21.c4±
White keeps an extra pawn and dominates the center. Black cannot afford to take on a1 as the
bishop is too valuable! Zidu, J – Mondry, M RSS7E top – 89 2015.
B1) The Gurgenidze System (various)
1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nf3 c6 4.Nc3 d5 5.h3
5...Nf6!?
An underrated move.
5...Nh6 6.Bf4 f6 [6...dxe4 7.Nxe4 Nf5 8.c3 0-0 9.Bd3±; 6...0-0 7.Qd2 dxe4 8.Nxe4 Nf5 9.c3²] is a
superficial development, which White can immediately punish with 7.exd5!? cxd5 8.Nb5!
521
A) 8...0-0 inviting 9.Nc7.

A1) 9.Nc7? e5 10.Bxh6 [10.Nxa8?? exf4–+] 10...Qxc7∞ is a mess.
A2) 9.c4! e5 [On 9...a6 10.Nc7 really wins material now since the knight has an escape square
on b6. 10...e5 11.Nxa8 exf4 12.Qb3+–] 10.dxe5 fxe5 and now simplest is 11.Bxh6 Bxh6
12.Qxd5+ Qxd5 13.cxd5±
B) 8...Na6 9.c4
B1) 9...Nf7? 10.cxd5 Qxd5 11.Nc3 Qf5 [11...Qa5 12.Bb5++–] 12.Bh2+–
522
B2) 9...0-0 10.Qd2 Nf7 [10...Nf5 11.Be2±; 10...g5 11.Bh2±] 11.cxd5 Qxd5 12.Nc3 Qa5 13.Bc4
Nc7 14.0-0 White has a large advantage. The problem for Black is that the pawn break 14...e5
only weakens the structure. 15.dxe5 fxe5 16.Bxf7+ Rxf7 17.Bh6±
6.e5 Ne4 7.Nxe4 dxe4 8.Ng5 c5
9.dxc5!?
9.c3 is another option. 9...cxd4 10.Qxd4! Nc6 [10...Qxd4?! 11.cxd4 Nc6 12.Be3 0-0 Bifulco, M –
Rotstein, A Gioiosa Marea 2018, 13.a3±] 11.Qxd8+ Nxd8 12.Bb5+ Nc6 13.Nxe4 Bxe5 14.0-0 0-0
15.Be3²
523
Position after: 15.Be3²
There’s still a lot to play for here. White has the more active pieces and the easier game, though
objectively speaking, Black should be able to hold.
9...Qa5+
Black has two alternatives here.

A) 9...Qxd1+?! 10.Kxd1 Nc6 11.c3 Nxe5 12.Nxe4 f5 [12...Bf5 13.f3 is rock solid for White.]
A1) 13.Ng5 h6 14.Nf3 Nc6 [14...Nxf3 15.gxf3± The kingside structure is relatively unimportant
in light of the specific dynamic factors at play. White is ready to target the g6-pawn with Rg1.]
15.Nh4!
524
A1.1) 15...g5? 16.Ng6 Rh7 17.Bc4 Bf6 [17...e6 18.h4+–] 18.h4! Rg7 19.hxg5 hxg5 20.Nf8!
An incredible resource, White is winning.
A1.2) 15...Kf7 16.Bc4+ Kf6 17.Kc2 g5 18.Nf3 Rd8 19.b4 e5 20.Bb2 e4 21.Nd4 Ne5 22.Be2±
Black’s kingside majority is immobile and their king is in a risky spot.
A2) Also possible is 13.f4!?
A2.1) 13...fxe4 14.fxe5 Rf8 15.Be3 Bxe5 [15...Be6 16.Bb5+ Kd8 17.Bd4±] 16.Bc4±
A2.2) 13...Nd7 14.Ng5 Nxc5 15.Be3 b6 16.Bxc5!? bxc5 17.Bc4²
B) 9...Qc7 10.Bc4 0-0 11.0-0
525
B1) 11...Qxc5 12.Bb3 Nc6 13.Bf4 e3!? [13...Nxe5 14.Nxe4 Qc6 15.Bd5 and White stays on
top: 15...Qb6 16.Qe2 Qxb2 17.Rab1 Qa3 18.Rfe1ƒ] 14.fxe3
14...h6 [14...Nxe5 is flawed: 15.Bxe5 Qxe3+ 16.Kh1 Bxe5 17.Rxf7 Rxf7 18.Qd8+ Kg7
19.Nxf7 Bxh3 20.Qd3! Qxd3 21.cxd3± Gerola, G – Pareschi, R ICCF email 2016] 15.Nxf7
Rxf7 16.Bxf7+ Kxf7 17.Qd3
This is practically dangerous for Black. 17...Kg8 [17...Bf5 18.Qb3+ Kf8 19.g4 Na5 20.Qa4
Bxc2 21.Qd7±] 18.Qxg6 Nxe5 19.Qe8+ Kh7 20.Rad1ƒ
B2) 11...Nc6 12.Re1 Qxe5 Ward, R – Herriot, B ICCF email 2018 [12...Nxe5 13.Bb3 Qxc5
526
14.Nxe4ƒ] 13.Rxe4 Qxc5 14.Be3 Qa5 15.c3
If there were fewer pieces on the board, Black would be very happy with the structure, but as it
stands, White has a menacing attack. 15...Qc7 [15...Bf5? 16.Nxf7! Rxf7 (or 16...Bxe4 17.Ng5+
Kh8 18.Nxe4 and White has tremendous compensation.) 17.Bxf7+ Kxf7 18.Qb3+ Kf8
19.Rf4+–] 16.Qf3 Ne5 17.Qf4
17...Bf5 [17...Qd6 18.Rxe5! Bxe5 (18...Qxe5?! 19.Bxf7+ Kh8 20.Qh4 h6 21.Bxg6 is crushing)
19.Bxf7+ Kg7 20.Qh4 h5 21.f4 Bf6 22.Bb3±] 18.Nxf7! Bxe4 19.Nxe5+ Qxc4 20.Qxf8+ Kxf8
21.Nxc4±
527
10.c3 Qxc5 11.e6!
Throwing a spanner in the works.
11...f5 12.Be3 Qa5 13.Qb3 0-0 14.0-0-0
Both players managed to keep their central e-pawns though White’s e6-pawn is more threatening.
14...f4
528
This is technically wrong but it does lead to some wild complications.
Better is 14...Nc6 15.g3. Now if Black plays the position slowly, White follows up with h4-h5.
Instead 15...b5 [15...Qe5 16.h4 h6 17.Nf7 Qf6 18.Nxh6+±] is an interesting line: 16.Bxb5 Rb8
17.Rd5 Ne5 18.Be2! Qc7 19.Rc5!
Position after: 19.Rc5!
forcing a queen trade. 19...Qxc5 [19...Qd6 20.Nf7 and if 20...Nxf7?! 21.exf7+ Rxf7 22.Rd1!
wins.] 20.Bxc5 Rxb3 21.axb3 h6 22.Nf7
and in spite of the fact that White will lose their extra pawn, they are more or less winning because
of their queenside majority and the weak a7-pawn. 22...Nd3+ 23.Bxd3 Bxe6 24.Bc4 Bxc4 25.bxc4
529
Kxf7 26.Kc2+–
15.Rd5 Qc7
16.Rd7!! Qe5
16...Qa5 is the same; 16...Bxd7? leads to a quick collapse: 17.exd7+ Kh8 18.Ne6 Qxd7 19.Nxf8
Bxf8 20.Bxf4.
17.Rxe7!
Three of White’s pieces are attacked at once, but as the saying goes, only one can be taken at a
time!
17...fxe3
17...Bf6?? 18.Rxh7 Bxg5 19.e7++–

17...Qxg5 18.Rc7! Kh8 19.e7 is a transposition after 19...fxe3.
18.Rc7!!
530
Position after: 18.Rc7!!
Brilliant tactics, only discoverable with the help of an engine. White removes the rook in order to
create the threat of 19.e7+.
18...Qxg5
A) 18...Qxc7?? 19.e7+ Kh8 20.Nf7+! Rxf7 [20...Kg8 of course allows the standard smothered
mate: 21.Nh6+ Kh8 22.Qg8+! Rxg8 23.Nf7#] 21.Qxf7+–
B) It transpires that Black’s best move is the stunning 18...e2! 19.e7+ Be6 20.Qxe6+ Qxe6
21.exf8=Q+ Bxf8 22.Bxe2!
Position after: 22.Bxe2!
531
22...Bh6 [A natural queen move would lead to mate of course. 22...Qb6 23.Bc4+ Kh8 24.Rxh7#]
23.Bc4 Bxg5+ 24.Kc2 Qxc4 25.Rxc4 Nc6 26.Rxe4± The dust has settled and White is clearly
better!
19.e7+ Kh8 20.exf8=Q+ Bxf8 21.Qf7! e2+
21...Nd7 22.Bc4 will be mate.
22.Kc2 Nd7 23.Bxe2+–
Position after: 23.Bxe2+–
White will activate their remaining heavy piece and continue pursuing the enemy king.
B2) The Gurgenidze System (with 5...dxe4)
1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nf3 c6 4.Nc3 d5 5.h3 dxe4
The most solid approach.
6.Nxe4
532
6...Nd7
6...Nf6!? 7.Nxf6+ exf6 is a popular structure these days. White obtains a slight plus following
some healthy moves. 8.Bd3 0-0 9.0-0 Re8 10.Be3 Nd7 11.c4 f5 12.Re1 Nf6 13.Qc2 a5 14.b3
A) 14...Qc7 15.Rad1²
B) Note that the knight jump 14...Ne4?! is no more than pseudo-active. 15.Bf4 Nf6 [15...Bxd4??
16.Nxd4 Qxd4 17.Rad1+–; 15...a4 16.b4 only helps White.] 16.Be5 Nd7 17.Bxg7 Rxe1+
18.Rxe1 Kxg7 19.c5 and White has a clear advantage.
533
7.Bc4 Ngf6 8.Nxf6+
Position after: 8.Nxf6+
8...Nxf6
A) 8...Bxf6? 9.Bh6±
B) 8...exf6 is still very much a possibility. 9.0-0 0-0 Now I like 10.a4!? Re8 11.a5 A modern way
of exerting pressure. 11...Nf8 [11...b5 seems unnatural. 12.axb6 Nxb6 13.Ba6 Bxa6 14.Rxa6²]
12.d5 Bd7 13.Be3 f5 14.Bg5 Qc8 [14...Bf6 15.h4²] 15.d6!
534
Making good use of the extra central pawn. 15...Be6 [15...b5 16.axb6 axb6 17.Be7²] 16.Bxe6
Rxe6 17.c3² The pawn on d6 is easily defended by the dark-squared bishop.
9.0-0 0-0 10.Re1
10...Bf5
10...b6 11.Ne5 Bb7 was a peculiar development in one high-level game. 12.Bg5 Nd5 13.Bh4 Rc8
Leko, P – Kamsky, G Beijing 2013, 14.Bf1±
11.c3
535
In these positions, you can be sure of a stable advantage with White. Black’s main problem tends
to be the light-squared bishop, therefore White should ensure it doesn’t get exchanged.
11...Be4 12.Ne5 Bd5 13.Bd3 Nd7 14.Ng4! Nf6 15.Bg5²
Position after: 15.Bg5²
Trofimov, N – Latta, H email 2013.
Model game
Navara, David (2646)

Neuman, Petr (2444)
Czechia 2009
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 g6 4.Ngf3 Bg7 5.h3 dxe4 6.Nxe4 Nd7 7.Bc4 Ngf6 8.Nxf6+ Nxf6 9.0-0 0-0
10.Re1 Nd5
536
One of many possibilities for Black. In every case, White has a stable advantage.
11.a4 a5
The inclusion of these moves is slightly to White’s benefit as the a5-pawn (and the dark-squares
around it) is weaker than its counterpart. There are at least two reasons for this: White has access
to the c4-square – imagine a knight landing there in the future, and he has control over the c5-
square. The same cannot be said for Black.
12.c3 Re8 13.Bd2 Qd6 14.Ng5
537
Potentially eyeing f7, although more importantly, the knight is headed to e4.
14...h6
This may seem like an unnecessary weakening, but Black didn’t have many options.
15.Ne4 Qc7 16.Qf3 b6
Shoring up the c5-square. The downside is that it softens the structure.
17.Rad1
The direct 17.Bb3 is somewhat preferred by the engine.
17...Bb7?!
The bishop is poorly placed on the long-diagonal as ...c5 can never be realized effectively.
17...Bd7 was better. Having said that, the bishop also has no scope on this square.
18.Bb3
18...Rad8?
18...c5 was necessary. Naturally, Black was reluctant to head into the line 19.c4 Nb4 20.d5! which
is clearly better for White, though he probably didn’t consider the active 20...f5 21.Nc3 e5!
19.c4 Nf6
538
19...Nb4 is desirable but 20.Bf4 Qc8 [20...e5 21.Bxe5+–] 21.c5! is already winning. If 21...bxc5
22.Bxh6! wins, for instance 22...Bxh6 23.Qxf7+ Kh8 24.Qxg6.
20.Nxf6+ Bxf6
The position after 20...exf6 21.Bf4 Qd7 22.c5+– is so passive that Black preferred to give up the
h6-pawn.
21.Bxh6
Position after: 21.Bxh6
21...c5
A) 21...Bxd4 loses trivially: 22.c5 Bf6 23.Bf4 Qc8 24.Be5 Qf5 25.Qxf5 gxf5 26.Rxd8 Rxd8
27.Bxf6 exf6 28.Re7+–
B) While 21...Rxd4 runs into 22.Qxf6! exf6 23.Rxe8+ Kh7 24.Rxd4 Kxh6 25.Rh8+ Kg7
[25...Kg5 26.Rg4+ Kf5 27.Re8! and mate follows on c2.] 26.Rdh4
539
Position after: 26.Rdh4
26...g5 [26...f5 27.c5!+–] 27.R4h7+ Kg6 28.Rh6+ Kg7 [28...Kf5 29.Re8! is mate once again.]
29.c5! Qe5 30.R8h7+ Kg8 31.Bxf7+ Kf8 32.Bh5+–
22.d5 Bxb2
A futile pawn grab.
23.Bf4
23.h4 is most natural to me; however, Navara found a neat tactic in the game continuation.
23...Qc8 24.Qg3 Bf6
24...Rd7 25.Re6!+– is similar to the game.
540
Position after: 24...Bf6
25.Re6!
Obviously not the only winning move, but the most stylish one.
Most likely, Neuman intended to meet 25.Bc7 with 25...Bh4 26.Qf4 Bg5 27.Qxg5 Qxc7 although
here too, White executes the crushing 28.Re6!+–
25...Kg7 26.Rxb6 e6 27.Bc2 Rd7 28.Rdb1 Ba6
Position after: 28...Ba6
Black resigned before White could take on e6.
541
1-0
C1) Hippopotamus (various)
1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nf3 d6 4.Nc3 a6 5.Be2 Nd7 6.0-0 e6 7.Be3
7...Ne7
A) It should be borne in mind that ...b5 in these ‘almost complete’ hippo structures can often be
met with b4!, fixing the queenside pawns and preparing to undermine them with a4. 7...b5 8.b4!
[Also possible is 8.d5 Bb7 9.dxe6 fxe6 10.a4 b4 11.Na2 Ngf6 12.Nxb4 Nxe4 though you have to
play with the precision of an engine: 13.Nd4! Qf6 14.Bg4 Nec5 15.Nbc6 e5 16.c3] 8...c5 9.bxc5
dxc5 10.a4 b4 11.Na2±
542
Position after: 11.Na2±
Black has somewhat stirred the position, but their queenside is about to be dismantled as dxc5 is
inexorable (not fearing ...Bxa1 of course).
B) 7...b6 would only lead to an independent line in the event of the king’s knight developing to
f6 rather than e7. 8.Qd2 Bb7 9.Rfe1 h6 10.h3 Ngf6 11.Bd3
B1) 11...c5?! 12.d5! e5 [12...g5 13.dxe6 fxe6 14.Rad1±] 13.a4±

B2) 11...b5 12.a3 Rc8 [12...Nb6 13.d5! e5 14.a4 is decisive.] 13.d5! exd5 14.Nxd5!
543
Position after: 14.Nxd5!
14...Kf8 [14...0-0? 15.Bxh6 Nxd5 16.Bxg7 Kxg7 17.exd5 Bxd5 18.Bxb5+–] 15.Nxf6 Nxf6
16.Bf4±
8.Qd2 h6 9.Rfe1
9...b6
9...b5 again is met with 10.b4! Nb6 [10...f5 11.a4 bxa4 12.Rxa4±] 11.a4 Nc4 12.Bxc4 bxc4
13.Qe2±
544
10.Rad1 Bb7
Position after: 10...Bb7
Black has formed the desired ‘Hippopotamus’ structure. They hope White will run out of useful
moves. As it transpires, it’s harder for Black to make progress here. The typical ideas are ...c5,
...g5 and ...Ng6, ...b5 and ...Nb6, and manual castling with ...Kf8-g8-h7. Let’s go through all of
those plans.
11.h3
545
Against both
11...b5
and the parallel 11...g5, I recommend changing the structure with 12.d5.
A) 11...c5?! tends to be quite risky as it leaves the d6-pawn weak. 12.dxc5 Nxc5 [12...dxc5
doesn’t solve the problem, now the whole d-file is in White’s control. 13.Bf4 e5 14.Bg3±]
13.Bd4 [It is also possible to enter the direct line 13.Qxd6 Qxd6 14.Rxd6 Nc8 15.Rd2 Bxc3
16.bxc3 Nxe4 17.Rd3 b5 18.Ne5±] 13...e5 14.Be3 Nxe4 15.Nxe4 Bxe4 16.Qb4 Bd5 17.Bxb6+–
B) 11...g5 12.d5!?
12...e5 [12...Ng6 13.Nd4 Bxd4 14.Bxd4 0-0 15.Bg4±; Opening the center with 12...exd5 13.exd5
0-0 seems incongruous with the move ...g5 and there’s a specific reason why it’s dangerous:
14.h4! Bxc3 15.bxc3 Nxd5 16.hxg5 Nxe3 17.Qxe3±] 13.Nh2N 13...Ng6 14.Nf1! Nf6 15.Ng3
Nf4 16.Nf5 Bf8 17.Bf1±
546
Position after: 17.Bf1±
Black cannot really attack since ...h5 will always be met with g3 and the g5-pawn will fall.
12.d5
12.b4?! is the usual plan, preparing a2-a4, but 12...Nb6 is probably acceptable for Black.
12...e5
12...b4 is risky. 13.dxe6 fxe6 14.Na4 Nc6 15.c3 bxc3 16.bxc3± In general, Black would prefer to
keep the position closed.
13.Bd3
547
This is not dissimilar to the Ruy Lopez. Black has a slightly overextended pawn on b5 which
White should target as quickly as possible. The pawn push d4-d5 also had the effect of blocking
the b7-bishop from the action, a typical motif in the Ruy Lopez.
13...Nb6
13...f5 14.exf5! gxf5 15.Nh4
Yet another analogy could be made here, this time to the King’s Indian Defense. Although Black
was able to get their aggressive pawn thrust in, the pawn structure is fragile. The idea to attack the
548
f5-pawn in this manner is typical in the KID (see the Makagonov system for example). 15...e4
16.Nxe4! [16.Be2±] 16...fxe4 17.Bxe4
14.a4!
A positional pawn sacrifice.
14...bxa4 15.Ne2
The idea is clear, White wants to push the c-pawn.
15...c6
16.dxc6
If the reader prefers to keep some control then 16.c4 is also possible when the game could
continue 16...c5 17.Ra1 Bc8 18.Ng3. Still, it seems that Black can keep their extra pawn, but
White shouldn’t worry too much about that and instead, should turn their attention to the kingside
(Nf3-h2 and f2-f4).
16...Nxc6
16...Bxc6 17.c4 Nd7 [17...Rb8 18.c5 dxc5 19.Bxc5 0-0 20.Bxa6 Qxd2 21.Rxd2 Rfe8 22.Nc3±]
18.Bc2
549
18...Nc5 [18...Rb8 19.Qxd6 Rxb2 20.Ned4! is a cool tactic: 20...exd4 21.Bxd4 Rxc2 22.Bxg7 Rg8
23.Bf6+–] 19.Qxd6 Qxd6 20.Rxd6 Bxe4 21.Bxc5 Bxc2 22.Ng3±
17.Nc3!?
17.c4 is also possible.
Position after: 17.Nc3!?
Now that the pawn structure has changed, White aims at the new weakness created on d6.
17...Nd4 18.Bf1! Nxf3+ 19.gxf3 Bf8 20.Ra1 Bc6 21.f4±
550
The nature of the position has changed but one thing still remains the same: the Black king is not
safe.
Position after: 21.f4±
C2) Hippopotamus (with 11...Kf8)
1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nf3 d6 4.Nc3 a6 5.Be2 Nd7 6.0-0 e6 7.Be3 Ne7 8.Qd2 h6 9.Rfe1 b6 10.Rad1
Bb7 11.h3 Kf8
Position after: 11...Kf8
12.Bd3
551
12.d5!? may not be as effective here as in the lines 11...b5 and 11...g5 as after 12...e5 there are no
immediate weaknesses to exploit. Nevertheless one plan is 13.Nh2 and on [13.Nb1 f5 14.exf5
gxf5„] 13...f5 14.f4! should be strong.
12...Kg8
12...c5 13.dxc5 Nxc5 14.Bf4 Qc7 15.Bf1 e5 16.Bg3 Nc8 17.b4 Nd7 [17...Ne6 18.Nd5 Bxd5
19.exd5+–] 18.Nd5 Bxd5 19.Qxd5±
13.Ne2
A straightforward maneuver. The knight will be transferred to the kingside and the centre can
always be bolstered with c2-c3.
13...Kh7
A) 13...c5 14.c3 Kh7 15.Ng3 transposes.

B) 13...e5 14.c3 Ra7 15.Bc2 Qa8 16.dxe5 Nxe5 17.Nxe5 Bxe5 18.Bxh6 Bxe4 19.Bxe4 Qxe4
20.Bg5+– Jeff, J – Spencer, A ICCF email 2018.
14.Ng3 c5 15.c3
552
White has a comfortable Ruy Lopez structure. Sooner or later, the h-pawn will be set in motion,
increasing the pressure against Black’s kingside.
15...cxd4 16.cxd4 Nf6
16...Rf8 17.Bf4 Nf6 transposes.
17.Bf4 Rf8
Or 17...Rc8 18.h4!
18.h4!
553
18...Ng4
Black shouldn’t ignore White’s attack. 18...Rc8?! 19.h5 b5 20.e5! dxe5 21.dxe5 Nfd5 22.Ne4+–
19.Qe2
The point of Black’s last move is that 19.h5?! e5! probably holds up.
19...Kg8 20.h5
554
20...Nc6
A) 20...e5? 21.dxe5 dxe5 22.Bd2+–

B) 20...g5?! 21.Nxg5! hxg5 22.Qxg4 gxf4 23.h6+–
21.e5! dxe5 22.dxe5±
Position after: 22.dxe5±
Finally, the weak squares in Black’s camp are highlighted. White has a serious advantage.
Model game
Nepomniachtchi, Ian (2767)

Wei, Yi (2725)
Jerusalem 2019
1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.Nf3 a6 5.Be2 e6
555
The Hippopotamus setup is rarely seen between top Grandmasters. Here too, there is a good
explanation in the fact that Wei was in a must-win situation. Given this context, the peaceful result
is misleading.
6.0-0 Ne7 7.Re1
I recommend a setup with 7.Be3 followed by Qd2, Rfe1, Rad1 and h3. Probably the most
important thing is to transfer the c3-knight to g3.
7...Nd7 8.a4
556
A move I don’t consider to be necessary as ...b5 tends to weaken Black’s queenside.
8...b6 9.Be3 Bb7 10.Qd2 h6 11.h3 g5 12.d5!
Following the traditional tenet of meeting a flank attack with a strike in the center.
The engine prefers 12.h4 g4 13.Nh2 h5 14.Rad1 Ng6 15.g3± but the game continuation is more
clear-cut.
12...e5?!
A) The engine is ‘brave’ enough to grab a pawn with 12...exd5 13.Nxd5 Bxb2 14.Rad1 Bg7
15.h4 and another one... 15...gxh4 [15...g4 16.Nd4±] 16.Bc4 h3 [16...Ng6 17.Nd4±]
557
but with the simple 17.Bd4 Ne5 18.Bxe5 dxe5 19.Qc3± White gains a clear advantage and a
domination of the center.
B) 12...0-0 13.h4 g4 14.Nd4 e5 15.Nc6 Nxc6 16.dxc6 Bxc6 17.Bxg4±
13.Nh2!
Again, Nepomniachtchi opts for the most natural, technical move.
13...Ng6?!
558
13...0-0 14.Bg4 Nf6 was a better try. The following line is interesting to me: 15.Nf1 c6 16.dxc6
Bxc6 17.Bf3 d5 18.exd5 Nfxd5
Position after: 18...Nfxd5
At this point, I’d be a bit concerned if I didn’t have a concrete reply to Black’s plan of ...f5;
however, with a limited number of minor pieces, this thrust is apparently too risky. 19.Rad1 Nxe3
20.Qxe3 Qc7 21.Qe2 Bxf3 22.Qxf3 f5 23.Nd5! Nxd5 24.Qxd5+ Kh7 25.Ne3 Rad8 26.Qb3 e4
27.Rxd8 Qxd8 28.c3±
14.Bg4
The engine suggests that the bishop sortie was unnecessary. Instead 14.Nf1 Nf4 15.Ng3 0-0 16.a5
b5 17.Na2 is already critical for Black.
14...Nf6 15.Nf1
559
15...Nf4
15...Nxg4 16.hxg4 Bc8 17.f3 h5 18.gxh5 Rxh5 19.Ng3 Rh8 20.Nf5! Bf6 21.g3±
16.Bf5 h5?!
A somewhat unsound sacrifice, but perhaps the best try.

16...Ng8 was more resilient.
17.g3
560
Not immediately threatening to win a piece but once the e3-bishop is given an escape square, the
knight cannot be saved.
17...Bh6
17...Ng8 18.f3 Nh6 was better. Peculiarly 19.gxf4 [19.Kh2±] 19...gxf4 20.Bf2 Bf8 gives Black
reasonable compensation because of the play along the g-file.
18.f3! Rg8 19.Kh1
Finally, gxf4 is a serious possibility.
19...Bc8
19...Ng6 20.h4!+–
20.gxf4 gxf4 21.Bf2
21.Bg1! was even better.
21...Nxe4
Desperation.
22.fxe4 Qg5
561
Position after: 22...Qg5
23.Ne3!
Objectively, this was a mistake. 23.Bxb6! was winning whereas the game continuation only forces
a draw, but this was all the Russian supergrandmaster needed!
23.Bxb6! Bxf5 24.exf5 cxb6 25.Nh2+–
23...fxe3 24.Bxe3 Qg3 25.Bxh6 Qf3+ 26.Kh2 Qg3+
½-½
D1) 3...d6 4.Nc3 a6 5.Be2 Nd7
1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nf3 d6 4.Nc3 a6 5.Be2 Nd7 6.0-0 c5!?
562
Position after: 6...c5!?
This is a rare and independent line, though in my view, it is one of Black’s more reliable defenses
in the Modern. All the same, White retains a pleasant advantage and the more playable position.
7.Be3
Now that 7.d5?! b5 would lead to a good Benoni for Black, White is obliged to enter a Sicilian
structure.
7.Bc4 is another critical try, but after 7...cxd4! (not fearing the sacrifice on f7) 8.Bxf7+ Kxf7
9.Ng5+ Ke8 10.Ne6 dxc3! 11.Nxd8 Kxd8 the position is unclear.
563
7...cxd4
Other options are unsatisfactory.

A) 7...b5? 8.dxc5 Nxc5 9.Bxc5! dxc5 is an unsustainable structure for Black. [9...Bxc3 10.bxc3
dxc5 11.Qxd8+ Kxd8 12.a4+–] 10.Qxd8+ Kxd8 11.e5+– For instance, 11...Bb7 12.a4 b4
13.Rfd1+ Ke8 14.Nd5+–
B) 7...b6 leads to a strange, passive Benoni structure after 8.Bc4 e6 9.d5 e5 10.a4±
8.Bxd4
8...Ngf6
8...Bxd4 9.Qxd4 Ngf6 leads to similar play, although the exchange of dark-squared bishops should
be in White’s favor. 10.a4 0-0 11.Rfd1 Qc7 12.Nd2!? b6 [12...Ne5 13.Nf1 Be6 14.Ne3²] 13.Nc4ƒ
White keeps a firm grip on the position.
9.a4
564
In most Sicilian positions, White’s a-pawn cannot reach a5 so comfortably without being pestered
by ...Nb8-c6. In the current position, however, Black’s knight is already committed to d7, while
White’s dark-squared bishop – now on d4 – is far more active than it would usually be.
9...0-0
9...b6 allows 10.e5 [10.a5!? bxa5 11.Nd2 0-0 12.Nc4 is also possible, and leads roughly to the
same structure as the main variation.] 10...dxe5 11.Nxe5
A) 11...Nxe5?! 12.Bxe5 and Black’s b6-pawn is too vulnerable. 12...Qxd1 [12...Bb7 13.Qxd8+
Rxd8 14.Bc7+–] 13.Rfxd1 0-0 14.Bf3 Ra7 15.Bd4 Nd7 16.Nd5±
B) 11...Bb7 12.Nc4ƒ
565
Position after: 12.Nc4ƒ
With this move, White threatens to win a pawn with 13.Bxb6. Nonetheless, the engine suggests
Black should sacrifice the pawn with 12...0-0, which is difficult to justify in practice. Otherwise,
the natural 12...Qc7 13.Qd3 0-0 can be met with the cunning 14.Qg3!².
10.a5 b5 11.axb6 Nxb6 12.Ra3
Position after: 12.Ra3
A useful move in such a position. Apart from doubling along the a-file, White also has the idea of
a rook lift in some positions.
12...Nbd7
A slightly odd move, though probably necessary.

A) 12...Bb7? is natural, but after 13.Rb3! Black suffers from a lack of coordination. 13...Nfd7
14.Bxg7 Kxg7 15.Qd4+ Kg8 16.Rd1 Qc7 and now that Black’s pieces have been temporarily
diverted from the kingside 17.h4!± is very strong.
B) 12...Qc7 13.Nd5 Nbxd5 14.exd5 Bb7 15.c4²
13.Nd2 Bb7 14.f3²
566
Position after: 14.f3²
White is generally more than happy to reach this structure in the Sicilian. The a6-pawn will remain
a permanent weakness to be targeted, and the d2-knight is ready to exploit the a5-square.
D2) 3...d6 4.Nc3 a6 5.Be2 b5
1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nf3 d6 4.Nc3 a6 5.Be2 b5 6.0-0
6...Bb7
567
6...Nd7?! 7.a4 b4 8.Nd5 and Black cannot eliminate the knight on d5 with ...Bb7xd5. 8...a5 9.c3
A) 9...e6? seems natural but allows 10.Bg5! f6 11.Nf4! An instructive concept. 11...Nf8
[11...Qe7 12.d5!+–] 12.Bh4 and the position is decisive since after 12...g5 13.Nh5 Bh6 14.Bg3
White retains their piece while Black has completely ruined their structure.
B) 9...Bb7?! 10.cxb4 e6 11.Nf4 [Also possible is 11.Bg5!? Qb8 12.Ne3 h6 13.Bh4 g5 14.Bg3
Bxe4 15.d5 e5 16.Bb5±] 11...axb4 Puranik, A – Zubov, A Abu Dhabi 2016, 12.Bc4! Ngf6
[12...Bxe4? 13.Bxe6+–] 13.Ng5!
Many different sacrifices are on the table now. 13...0-0 14.Ngxe6 fxe6 15.Nxe6 Qc8 16.Nxf8+
568
Kxf8 17.f3±
C) 9...Ngf6 10.Nxf6+ exf6 [10...Nxf6 11.e5+–] 11.cxb4 axb4 12.a5+–
D) 9...c6 10.Nf4 bxc3 Bacallao Alonso, Y – Almeida Quintana, O Ciego de Avila 2010, 11.Bc4!
cxb2 12.Bxb2±
7.Re1
7...Nd7
A) 7...Nf6 invites 8.e5! dxe5 9.Nxe5 0-0 10.Bf3±

B) 7...b4?! is common in practice and it’s very welcome.. 8.Nd5 Bxd5 9.exd5 Nf6 10.h4! [10.a3
first is also possible.]
569
A particularly satisfying move to make, alongside the forthcoming 12.a3. The main idea of this
pawn sacrifice is to gain time and open the position as quickly as possible. Furthermore, from h5,
the pawn has the option of creating a wedge with h5-h6. 10...Nxd5 11.h5 0-0 12.a3 An inventive
way to activate the rook.
12...c5 [12...Nd7 13.h6 Bf6 14.axb4 Nxb4 15.c3 Nd5 16.Rxa6±; 12...bxa3 13.Rxa3 e6 14.Ng5!
and the rook is ready to swing over to the kingside. White has a decisive advantage: 14...Nc6
15.hxg6 hxg6 16.Bc4 Nxd4 17.Rh3+–] 13.Bc4 e6 14.Bg5
570
14...Qd7 [14...Bf6 15.Bxd5 exd5 16.Bxf6 Qxf6 17.dxc5 dxc5 18.Qxd5 Nc6 19.Qxc5 bxa3
20.Rxa3 Qxb2 21.Rae3 Rfc8 22.Qd6+–] 15.Bxd5! A transformation of advantages, now Black’s
pawns will be hanging. 15...exd5 16.h6 Bh8 17.dxc5 dxc5 [17...Bxb2 18.axb4 dxc5 19.Ra5+–]
18.Be7! Re8 [18...Rc8 19.axb4 cxb4 20.Ra5! d4 21.Ng5! Re8 22.Qf3 Rxe7 23.Rxe7 Qxe7
24.Qxa8 Qe1+ 25.Kh2 Be5+ 26.Rxe5 Qxe5+ 27.g3±] 19.Bxc5
Position after: 19.Bxc5
B1) 19...Bxb2 20.Rxe8+ [20.Qxd5! is also decisive] 20...Qxe8 21.axb4+–

B2) 19...Rxe1+ 20.Qxe1 Bxb2 21.axb4!+–
C) 7...e6? appears natural, but runs into 8.d5!
571
C1) 8...Qd7 9.a4 [Or 9.dxe6 fxe6 10.e5! dxe5 11.Bd3 Schultz, B – Thiering, E GER email
2008] 9...b4 10.Na2 c5 11.Bc4 e5 12.c3 bxc3 Offenborn, H – Thiering, E GER email 2002,
13.Nxc3±
C2) 8...e5 9.b4!? Ne7 10.a4 bxa4 Klings, P – Knickel, A Germany 2011, 11.Nxa4±
C3) 8...b4 Khenkin, I – Steinbacher, M Bad Woerishofen 2015, 9.dxe6! A pure sacrifice.
9...bxc3 [9...fxe6 10.Na4 Nf6 11.Bc4+–] 10.exf7+ Kxf7 11.Bc4+ Ke8 [11...d5 12.Ng5++–]
12.bxc3 Black’s king is too exposed and the c4-bishop is a powerhouse.
12...Bxc3 [12...Nd7 13.Rb1 Nb6 14.Bb3+–] 13.Rb1 Bxe1 14.Qxe1 Bc6 15.Bb2+–
572
8.a4
Strangely, 8.a4 is not covered by Hillarp-Persson in his book, Tiger’s Modern.
8...b4
8...c6?! is clearly too passive. 9.Bf1 b4 [9...e5 10.d5 cxd5 11.Nxd5 bxa4] 10.Na2 c5 11.dxc5
11...dxc5 [11...Nxc5 12.Nxb4 Nf6 13.e5+– Black can reach the same position but with White’s
bishop on e2 – see 11...b4.] 12.c3 Ngf6 [12...a5 13.Bb5] 13.e5 Ne4 14.cxb4 cxb4 15.Nxb4 0-0
573
16.Nd3±
9.Na2
9.Nd5?! no longer gives White an attack, as the a-pawn cannot revert to a3!
9...Ngf6
A) 9...Bxe4?! 10.Nxb4 Bb7 [10...a5 11.Ng5! axb4 12.Nxe4+–] 11.a5! is a clear positional
advantage.
B) 9...c5 10.Bc4! is suddenly dangerous for Black.
574
B1) Black must be aware of the dangers here. 10...Qc7?? loses to 11.Ng5 Nh6 [11...e6 12.Bxe6
fxe6 13.Nxe6 Qc8 14.Nxg7+ Kf7 15.Nh5!+–] 12.Bxf7+! Nxf7 13.Ne6+–
B2) Similarly 10...Nb6? runs into the well-known sacrifice 11.Bxf7+! Kxf7 12.Ng5+ Ke8
13.Ne6 Qc8 14.Nxg7+ Kf7 15.dxc5 dxc5 and it is perhaps White’s next move which is
surprising. 16.Nh5! gxh5 17.Qxh5+
Position after: 17.Qxh5+
B2.1) 17...Kg7 18.Re3+–

B2.2) 17...Kf6 18.Re3
B2.3) 17...Kf8 18.Re3 Nd7 19.e5! and the calm 20.Rg3 will follow.
B3) 10...Qc8 invites complications: 11.c3! cxd4 12.Qb3! Nc5 13.Bxf7+ Kf8 14.Qc4 Nxe4
15.Qxc8+ Rxc8 16.Be6
575
16...dxc3 [16...Nc5 17.Bxc8 Bxc8 18.cxd4 Nb3 19.Rb1 Bf5 20.Be3 Bxb1 21.Rxb1±] The start
of mass exchanges which ultimately end in White’s favor: 17.Bxc8 Bxc8 [17...cxb2
18.Bxb2+–] 18.Rxe4 cxb2 19.Bxb2 Bxb2 20.Rb1 Bf5 21.Rf4 Be5 22.Nxe5 dxe5 23.Rf3±
B4) 10...Nh6 11.c3±
B5) 10...e6 11.c3 Ne7 12.cxb4 cxd4 13.Nxd4 d5 14.exd5 Nb6 15.Bf1 Nbxd5 16.Nb3±
Position after: 16.Nb3±
Dailido, S – Dulany, L ICCF email 2016.

C) 9...a5 10.c3 Ngf6 is strongly met by 11.e5 [Or 11.cxb4 Nxe4 12.bxa5 Rxa5 13.b4 Ra7 14.a5]
576
11...dxe5 12.dxe5 Nd5 13.cxb4 axb4 14.Qb3 Rb8 15.Bc4 Nc5 16.Qc2±
10.Nxb4
Position after: 10.Nxb4
10...a5
A) 10...Nxe4?! 11.Bxa6 Bxa6 12.Nxa6 Rxa6 and now even better than 13.Rxe4 is 13.Qe2±
B) 10...c5 11.dxc5 dxc5 [11...Nxc5?! 12.e5! Nfe4 13.exd6 Qxd6 14.Qxd6 Nxd6 15.a5± is exactly
the kind of ending Black should avoid.] 12.Nd5 Nxe4 13.Bc4
577
13...0-0!? [13...Nb6 14.Nxb6 Qxb6 15.Ra3!+– Rb3 is a threat, and on 15...e6 16.Rae3! is
crushing.] 14.Rxe4 Nb6 This is the best practical attempt I could find for Black, but even so, it
doesn’t suffice. 15.Nxe7+ Kh8 16.Nd5!
There was no way to keep the piece, but with this move, White manages to keep their one pawn
surplus. 16...Nxc4 [16...Nxd5 17.Re1±; 16...Bxd5 17.Bxd5 Nxd5 18.Qe2±] 17.Rxc4
Position after: 17.Rxc4
17...Bxd5 [17...Qxd5?! 18.Qxd5 Bxd5 19.Rxc5 Bxf3 20.gxf3±] 18.Rxc5 Be6 19.Be3 Bxb2
20.Bd4+ Bxd4 21.Nxd4±
578
11.e5!
A principled reaction.
11...axb4
11...dxe5? 12.dxe5 axb4 13.exf6 Nxf6 14.Qxd8+ Rxd8 15.a5+–
12.exf6 Nxf6 13.Bd2 Nd5
Now White can already net a pawn with
14.Bb5+
Also strong is 14.a5±
14...c6 15.Bc4 0-0
15...Nb6?! 16.Bb3 doesn’t really help since 16...c5? fails to 17.Bg5
16.Bxd5 cxd5 17.Bxb4±
579
Position after: 17.Bxb4±
Model game
Vertongen, Willy (2254)

Deneuville, Christian (2262)
ICCF email 2013
1.e4 d6 2.d4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.Nf3 a6 5.Be2 b5 6.0-0 Bb7 7.Re1 Nd7 8.a4 b4 9.Na2 a5 10.c3 Ngf6
Position after: 10...Ngf6
11.cxb4
580
I recommend 11.e5 dxe5 12.dxe5 Nd5 13.cxb4 axb4 14.Qb3± The text move is strong as well.
11...Nxe4 12.Qc2 0-0 13.bxa5 Rxa5 14.Bb5
These middlegames are difficult for Black to defend in practice. The outside passed a-pawn ties
Black’s pieces down.
14...Ndf6
14...Nef6 15.Nb4 c5 16.dxc5 dxc5 17.Nc6 Bxc6 18.Bxc6± Rosche, E – Mondry, M Remote email
2014.
15.Nb4 c5 16.dxc5 Nxc5
16...dxc5 17.Nc6 Bxc6 18.Bxc6± is no better.
17.Nd4 Nd5 18.Nxd5 Bxd5 19.Be3
Threatening 20.b4.
19...Bxd4 20.Bxd4 Nb3 21.Rad1 Nxd4 22.Rxd4
581
The liquidation of pieces does not alleviate the pressure of White’s connected passed pawns, but
rather increases it.
22...e6 23.b4 Ra8 24.Qd2 Qb6 25.Rh4!
While two of Black’s pieces are tied to the queenside, White targets the neglected kingside.
25...h5?!
25...f5 26.Rc1 is also no good. On 26...Rfc8 27.Rxc8+ Rxc8 28.Bf1 brings White one step closer
to the full point.
582
Position after: 25...h5?!
26.Rxh5! Rfc8
26...gxh5 27.Qg5+ Kh7 28.Qxh5+ Kg7 29.Qg5+ Kh7 30.Re3+–
27.Rh3 Kg7 28.Rd1 Rh8 29.Qc3+ f6 30.Rxh8 Rxh8 31.Be2 Rh4 32.Rb1
Finally White’s powerful queenside pawns are ready to be launched.
32...Rf4 33.Qe3!
1-0
583
Chapter 2
The Pribyl System
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 c6
Chapter Guide
Chapter 2 – The Pribyl System
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 c6 4.f4

B) 4...g6
C) 4...Qa5
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 c6
In my view, the Pribyl System does not exert enough pressure against White’s center. As such, I
provide a completely different approach that punishes Black for what I believe is an inaccurate
move order:
4.f4!
584
4...Qb6
A) 4...e5? 5.dxe5 dxe5 6.Qxd8+ Kxd8 7.fxe5 Ng4 8.Nf3 Bc5 doesn’t work in view of 9.h3! when
after 9...Nf2 [9...Ne3 10.Bd3+–] 10.Rh2+– traps the knight.
B) 4...Bg4?! is best answered with 5.Qd2! and White threatens to win the bishop with f4-f5. For
instance 5...g6? 6.f5! gxf5 7.h3 Milde, L – Mohanakrishnan, B email 2015, 7...Bh5 8.exf5+–
C) 4...d5 is a slightly desperate way to force a Gurgenidze structure. 5.e5
C1) 5...Ne4 6.Nxe4 dxe4 7.Ne2 f5 is an awkward structure for Black since they have essentially
585
given up the center. [7...Na6 8.Ng3 g6 9.Nxe4+– Van Wely, L – Paleologu, V Kuppenheim
2005] 8.c4 e6 9.Nc3 Bb4 10.Be3±
Schilling, F – Kirwald, F corr 2012.

C2) 5...Ng8 6.Bd3 g6 7.Be3 h5 8.h3 Nh6 9.Nf3 Bf5 Scherrer, H – Zambo, Z Eger 2004
10.Be2± Black’s light-squared bishop is clumsy and obstructs the other pieces.
5.e5
586
5...Nd5
5...dxe5 6.fxe5 Nd5 7.Nf3 Bf5 8.Bd3 Bxd3 9.Qxd3 Qa6 Necessary according to the engine. [9...e6
10.Ne4+–] 10.e6! A thematic pawn sacrifice, hemming in the bishop on f8.
A) 10...f6 11.Qe4 Qc4 12.Nd2! Nxc3 13.bxc3 Qd5 [13...Qxc3 14.Rb1 b6 15.0-0+–] 14.Rb1 b6
15.a4± White will trade queens next and press with a5.
B) 10...Qxd3 11.exf7+ Kxf7 12.Ne5+ Kg8 13.Nxd3± Black faces an unenviable defense in the
ending.
6.Nxd5 cxd5 7.Bd3 g6 8.c3
587
8...Bf5
A) 8...Bg7 9.Qf3! forces Black either to block their own light-squared bishop or play 9...Be6
10.Ne2 0-0 which runs into 11.exd6! Qxd6 12.f5 Bxf5 13.Bxf5 gxf5 14.Ng3
14...Qe6+ [14...e6 15.Bf4 Qe7 16.0-0-0 Nc6 17.Nh5+–] 15.Be3± Murlasits, M – Huber, K corr
AUT/SC08 2012.
B) 8...Nc6 is met with the same idea. 9.Qf3! e6 10.Qe2 h5 11.Nf3 Bd7 12.Be3± Turov, M –
Rivas Pastor, M Ubeda 2001.
9.Bxf5 gxf5 10.Qh5
588
Position after: 10.Qh5
10...e6
10...dxe5 11.fxe5 Qg6 attempts to restore the Black pawn structure but 12.Qf3 e6 [12...Rg8
13.Ne2 Qxg2 14.Qxg2 Rxg2 15.Nf4 Rg8 16.Nxd5±] 13.Ne2
puts White firmly in control. 13...Rg8 14.Nf4 Qg4 15.Qxg4 Rxg4 16.h3 Rg8 17.Kf2±
11.Nf3 Be7 12.0-0 Nd7 13.a4 a5 14.Kh1²
589
Position after: 14.Kh1²
Of course, these positions are far from simple but White keeps an advantage. Usually the plan is to
play for g4, though another idea is to expand on the queenside with Bd2 and b4.
Keep in mind that exd6 followed by Nf3-e5 is always an option, while for Black, it is somewhat
irksome that the king is not safe on either side of the board.
B) 4...g6
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 c6 4.f4! g6
590
We’ve now transposed to the Pirc Defense, Austrian Attack with Black having played the dubious
4...c6.
5.Nf3 Bg7 6.Bd3 0-0
A) Nothing is gained by delaying ...0-0. 6...Bg4 7.h3 Bxf3 8.Qxf3±

B) 6...b5? 7.e5 dxe5 8.fxe5 Nd5 9.Nxd5 Qxd5 10.0-0+–
7.0-0
7...b5?
The most common move, but according to my analysis, it is so risky as to be unsound.

A) 7...Na6 is one of the computer’s preferred choices but after 8.e5 Nd5 [8...Nh5?! 9.Ne2 Nb4
10.Bc4 Bf5 11.c3 d5 12.Bb3 Nd3 13.h3+– Gabel, A – Moebius, M ICCF email 2018; 8...Ne8
9.Ne4±] 9.Nxd5 cxd5 10.c3± White’s pawn structure is clearly favorable.
591
Khenkin, I – Zahariev, Z Heraklion 1992.

B) The same can be said of 7...Nbd7 8.e5 Nd5 9.Nxd5 cxd5 Zidu, J – Faber, H Remote email
2011, 10.c3±
C) 7...Bg4 8.h3 Bxf3 9.Qxf3 Qb6 10.Ne2 c5 11.dxc5 Qxc5+ 12.Be3 Qc7 13.Rad1±
8.e5
8...Nfd7
592
A) 8...Ne8 9.Qe1 f5 10.h4+–
B) 8...dxe5 9.fxe5 Nd5 10.Nxd5 Qxd5 11.Qe1+– [11.c3+–]
9.Qe1+–
If
9...Nb6 10.a4 b4 11.Ne4 Nd5
Or 11...a5 12.Neg5! with similar ideas for White.
12.Neg5!
Position after: 12.Neg5!
White threatens Nxh7, with a mating attack in the event of ...Kxh7.
12...h6
12...Ba6 13.Nxh7! Kxh7 14.Ng5+ is forced mate! 14...Kg8 15.Qh4 Re8 16.Qh7+ Kf8 17.f5!
opening up the rook’s file and (c1) bishop’s diagonal. 17...dxe5 18.Ne6+ fxe6 19.Bh6 Bxh6
20.Qh8+ Kf7 21.fxg6#
13.Nxf7! Kxf7
13...Rxf7 14.Bxg6 Rf8 15.Qg3+–
14.Nh4 Kg8 15.Nxg6+–
593
Position after: 15.Nxg6+–
Black cannot survive without shelter for the king.
C) 4...Qa5
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 c6 4.f4! Qa5 5.Bd3
5.e5 Ne4 is unnecessary to allow, though this may also be good for White.
5...e5 6.Nf3
594
6...Bg4
A) 6...exd4 7.Nxd4 g6 8.0-0 Bg7 9.Kh1 0-0 10.Qe1 Nbd7 11.f5
This position is instructive. On the one hand, White relinquishes all control over the e5-square
but on the other, they enable their kingside attack to flourish. 11...Ne5 12.Qh4 Nfd7 13.Be3±
B) 6...Nbd7 7.0-0 Be7 8.Be3 0-0
9.h3 Generally useful in preventing ...Ng4. [9.Qe1 Re8 10.Nd5 Qxe1 11.Nxe7+ Rxe7 12.Raxe1²]
9...Qc7 Popov, I – Cherniaev, A Voronezh 2017, 10.a4 Re8 11.Qd2±
595
7.Be3
7...Nbd7
A) 7...exd4?! 8.Bxd4 Qb4 9.Be2 Nxe4 is far too greedy. 10.0-0 d5 11.Nxe4 dxe4 12.c3 Qe7
[12...Qxb2 13.Re1 f5 14.a4 Nd7 15.Ng5+– Glek, I – Pribyl, J Germany 1991] 13.Ne5 Bxe2
14.Qxe2 c5 15.Bf2
15...Nd7 [15...f6 16.Qh5+ g6 17.Nxg6 hxg6 18.Qxh8 Klein, M – Loeffler, W Germany 1991]
16.Nxd7 Kxd7 17.b4+– Ibragimov, I – Chekhov, V Moscow 1998.
596
B) 7...exf4 8.Bxf4
B1) 8...Qb4?! 9.a3 Bxf3 [9...Qxb2 10.Na4 Bxf3 11.gxf3 Baklan, V – Lajthajm, B Debrecen
2019 and wins since after 11...Qxd4 12.c3 still traps the queen.] 10.axb4 Bxd1 11.Kxd1+–
Jansa, V – Ingham, H Bucharest 2019. [11.Nxd1+–]
B2) 8...Qb6 is fairly critical. I suggest the pawn sacrifice 9.Qd2
9...Bxf3 [9...Qxb2?? 10.Rb1 Qa3 11.Rxb7+–] 10.gxf3 Qxd4 11.0-0-0 Nbd7 12.Rhe1 Be7
[12...Ne5 13.Qg2 Qb6 14.Be3 Qa5 15.Be2±] 13.Be3 Qb4 14.f4
597
B2.1) 14...0-0-0 15.Bxa7! Nc5 [15...b6?? fails to 16.Ba6+ Kc7 17.Nb5+ cxb5 18.Qxb4] 16.a3
Qa5 17.Bxc5 dxc5 [17...Qxc5 18.e5±] 18.Qe3± White has a serious advantage.
B2.2) 14...0-0 15.Qg2± For the price of a pawn, White is having all the fun!
8.0-0
8...Be7
8...0-0-0? 9.h3 exf4 10.Bxf4 Bh5 11.Qd2 Re8 12.Rab1+– Venus, U – Hauschild, A corr 2008.
598
9.h3
9...Bxf3
9...Bh5 10.g4 exf4 11.Bxf4 Bg6 12.Kg2 [12.Nh4±] 12...0-0 13.Nh4± There’s still some work to do
but White is clearly on top. The caveman approach Nxg6 followed by h4 is tempting, although
slowly building the position is possible too (Qf3, Rae1, Nf5, etc).
10.Qxf3 0-0 11.Ne2
599
11...exd4
A) 11...Bd8 12.c3 – see the model game Karjakin, S – Petrosian, T St Petersburg 2018. Black has
no counterplay whereas White’s pieces are ideally situated for an attack.
B) Likewise 11...Rfe8 12.c3 gives White an overwhelming/decisive advantage.
12.Nxd4 Rfe8 13.g4!? g6
13...Nc5?! 14.Nb3! Grigoryev, V – Otte, H ICCF corr 2002.
14.c3±
Typically White continues with Ne2-g3, Kg2, natural development and an eventual h4-h5 or g5.
Black might try
14...Rad8 15.Ne2 d5 16.e5 Ne4
but their compensation is absent in the event of 17.Bxe4 dxe4 18.Qxe4.

Interestingly, the engine ignores the sacrifice, claiming that
17.Kg2
600
Position after: 17.Kg2
followed by h4 is a winning attack.
Model game
Karjakin, Sergey (2753)

Petrosian, Tigran (2598)
St Petersburg RUS 2018
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 c6
Position after: 3...c6?!
601
In my view, this innocent 3rd move from Black is already somewhat dubious.
4.f4 Qa5 5.Bd3 e5 6.Nf3 Bg4 7.Be3 Nbd7 8.0-0 Be7 9.h3
9...Bxf3
9...Bh5 10.g4! [10.Qe1 Anand, V – Mamedyarov, S Dubai 2014 misses the mark due to 10...Bxf3!
11.Rxf3 0-0] 10...exf4 11.Bxf4 Bg6 12.Nh4 The g6-bishop is now entrapped. 12...0-0 13.Be3±
10.Qxf3 0-0 11.Ne2 Bd8 12.c3 b5
602
Position after: 12...b5
13.a3
More efficient and already crushing was 13.Ng3 g6 14.fxe5 dxe5 15.Bh6 Re8 16.Nf5 Bc7 17.Ne3
exd4 18.Ng4 Re6 19.Bc2!+–
Position after: 19.Bc2!+–
13...Qa4 14.Rad1
14.Ng3 amongst other moves, is winning. For example 14...Qb3 15.Nf5
603
15...exd4 [15...Bb6 16.fxe5 dxe5 17.Bh6+–; 15...Qxb2 16.Nxd6 Qxc3 17.Bf2 exd4 18.Rfc1 Qb2
19.Rab1 Qxa3 20.e5+–] 16.Bxd4 c5 17.Bxf6 Bxf6 18.Rf2+–
14...Qb3
14...Bb6 was a better try, although White’s position is still overwhelming with almost any
improving move.
15.Rd2+–
Position after: 15.Rd2+–
15...Nb6 16.dxe5 dxe5 17.fxe5 Nfd7 18.Nd4 Qa4 19.Nxc6 b4 20.Nxb4 Nxe5 21.Qg3 Qe8
22.Nd5 Ng6 23.Bc5 Nd7 24.Bb5 Qe5 25.Qxe5 Ndxe5 26.Bxf8 Nxf8 27.b4 Ne6 28.Rf5 f6
29.Rdf2 h6 30.Rf1 Kh7 31.R5f2 a6 32.Be2 Ng5 33.Bg4 Kh8 34.Rc2 Nxe4 35.c4 Nd6 36.c5 Nb5
37.a4 Nd4 38.Rd2 Nb3 39.Re2 a5 40.Rxe5 fxe5 41.Rf8+ Kh7 42.c6 Bb6+ 43.Nxb6 Rxf8
44.bxa5 h5 45.Bxh5 Nxa5 46.c7 Nc4 47.c8=Q
1-0
604
Chapter 3
The Pirc Defense
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6
Chapter Guide
Chapter 3 – The Pirc Defense
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Be2 0-0 6.0-0

A) 4th and 5th Move Alternatives
B) 6...Nc6
C) 6...a6
D) 6...Bg4
E) 6...c6
A) 4th and 5th Move Alternatives
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Nf3
605
4...Bg7
A) 4...Nc6 – see Part II (about the Nimzowitsch).

B) 4...c6 5.h3 Bg7 6.Be2 0-0 7.0-0 see variation D.
C) 4...c5? 5.dxc5 and 5...Qa5 is refuted by 6.cxd6 Nxe4 7.Qd4!+– Ghizdavu, D – Ozturk, S
Poiana Brasov 1973.
D) 4...Nbd7? leads to a passive position after 5.e5! Nh5 6.Bc4 Nb6 7.Bb3± Zidanavicius, E –
Vojevodinas, E Klaipeda 2010.
E) 4...Bg4?! gives up the bishop too early. Usually this move is coupled with some immediate
pressure against the d4-pawn, but in this version, there is no justification. 5.h3 Bxf3 6.Qxf3 c6
[6...Nc6 7.Be3 – see Part II (about the Nimzowitsch).] 7.Be3±
F) 4...a6 5.Be2 b5?! [5...Bg7 – see variation C.] is premature: 6.e5 dxe5 7.Nxe5 Bg7 [7...Bb7
8.Bf3 Qc8 9.0-0±] 8.Bf3 Ra7 9.0-0 0-0 10.Re1±
5.Be2 0-0 6.0-0
606
Black now has four main moves. This subchapter covers the alternatives.
A) 6...Na6 7.Re1 c5?! [7...Bg4 8.Be3 c5 is also hit by 9.e5!± Thorsteins, K – Karlsson, L
Gausdal 1990] 8.e5!
8...dxe5 [8...Nd7 9.exd6 exd6 10.Bg5 Bf6 11.Bh6 Bg7 12.Qd2± Zhelnin, V – Pitzl, K Katerini
2014] 9.dxe5 Nd7 10.Bf4 puts White firmly into the driver’s seat.
B) 6...b6 7.Re1 Bb7 8.e5 dxe5 9.Nxe5 Nbd7 10.Bf3 Bxf3 11.Qxf3 Nxe5 12.dxe5 Nd7 13.Bf4
Nc5 14.Rad1 Qe8 Sadzikowski, D – Firman, N Rio Achaea 2018, 15.h4!‚
607
C) 6...c5 7.d5. Benoni setups are less effective when White’s c-pawn is not yet committed to c4
as the d4- and b4-squares are under control and the c4-square can be used for a minor piece.
7...e6 [7...Na6 8.h3 Nc7 9.Re1 a6 10.a4 b6 11.Bf4 Bb7 12.Bc4± Anikeev, V – Bertorello, J W-ch
WS/M/554 email 2015; 7...Bg4 8.a4 Nbd7 9.h3 Bxf3 10.Bxf3ƒ] 8.Bc4 exd5 9.Nxd5 h6 10.Bf4
C1) 10...Nxe4?! 11.Re1 Re8 12.Nd2! Nxd2 [12...Bf5 13.g4 Nxd2 14.Rxe8+ Qxe8 15.Qxd2]
13.Rxe8+ Qxe8 14.Qxd2+–
C2) 10...Nh5 11.Qd2 Nxf4 12.Nxf4 Kh7 13.c3²
D) 6...Nbd7 7.e5
608
7...Ne8 [There is no need for Black to put their knight on the rim: 7...Ng4 8.h3 Nh6 9.Re1 c6
10.Bf1±; 7...dxe5 8.dxe5 Ng4 9.e6! Nde5 10.Qxd8 Rxd8 11.Nb5 Nxf3+ 12.gxf3 Ne5 13.Nxc7
Rb8 14.f4 Nc6 15.c3 fxe6 16.Bc4±] 8.Bf4 c6 9.Qc1 Nb6 10.a4 Nd5 [10...a5 11.h3²] 11.Nxd5
cxd5 12.c3² Berg, A – Torgersen, T Norway blitz 2017.
E) 6...e6 7.Re1 Nc6 8.Bf4
E1) Now Black should probably restructure into a hedgehog with 8...h6 9.h3 b6 10.Qd2 Kh7
11.Rad1 Bb7
White is better of course, but Black’s position is playable. My recommendation is to maintain
609
some flexibility before striking in the center. 12.Bg3!? Sometimes having access to the h4-
square is useful. 12...Ne7 [After 12...Nd7 13.d5! exd5 14.Nxd5² it is clear that the bishop will
be rerouted to h4.] 13.Bd3 a6 14.Qe2 b5 15.Nb1!? Nd7 16.c3²
E2) 8...a6 9.Qd2 b5 10.a3 Bb7 is another possible development. 11.Rad1 Ne7 [11...Re8
12.Bf1²] 12.Bd3 c5 13.dxc5 dxc5
Position after: 13...dxc5
appears to be a cause for concern, but in fact, the queenside pawns are mere weaknesses after
14.Qe3 Qb6 [14...Nd7 15.h4!?ƒ] 15.h3² The c5-pawn is pinned to the queen, which cannot
really leave b6. White’s next moves will be 16.a4 and 17.Bg5, keeping the opponent busy on
both flanks.
F) 6...e5!? is underrated, and comes close to equalizing. Nevertheless, White obtains an
advantage in the following ending: 7.dxe5 dxe5 8.Nxe5 Nxe4 9.Nxe4 Qxd1 [9...Bxe5?! 10.Bg5!
forces Black to swap the queens anyway. 10...Qxd1 and now of course 11.Raxd1 with a better
version of the ending.] 10.Rxd1 Bxe5 11.c3
610
Initially, I could not quite believe White had a pull here, but on further inspection, there is no
easy way for Black to equalize.
F1) 11...Nc6?! On c6, the knight is not well-placed. 12.Re1 Re8 13.Bf3 and now 13...Kg7
[13...Bf5 14.Bg5 Bxe4 15.Rxe4²] 14.Nc5! is problematic for Black.
The positional threat is 15.Bxc6 and 16.Bf4 while the tactical shot 14...Bxh2+ 15.Kxh2 Rxe1
16.Bh6+ Kxh6 17.Rxe1± ends up in White’s favor.
F2) 11...Re8 12.Bg5 Bf5 13.Bf3 Nd7 14.Ng3 Bxg3 15.hxg3²
611
F3) 11...Nd7 12.Re1 Nf6 13.Ng3!?
Position after: 13.Ng3!?
Sidestepping the trade and preventing Black’s light-squared bishop from developing to its most
natural square.
F3.1) 13...Re8 14.Bg5 Kg7 White was threatening to win a piece with 15.f4. 15.Bb5! c6
16.Bxc6 bxc6 17.f4
A neat tactic, temporarily winning a pawn. 17...Bd4+ 18.cxd4 Rxe1+ 19.Rxe1 Nd5 20.f5!²
Returning the pawn with interest. Once Black takes the pawn, their structure is severely
damaged.
612
F3.2) 13...Kg7 14.Bc4 Re8 [14...Bd6 15.Bg5 leads to similar play.] 15.Bg5 Bg4 [15...Bd7
16.f4 is the same.] 16.f3 Bd7 17.f4 Bd6 18.Bxf6+ Kxf6 19.Ne4+ Kg7 20.Nxd6 cxd6 21.Red1²
Black will have to endure some suffering in this ending, due to the weak IQP.
Position after: 21.Red1²
B) 6...Nc6
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Be2 0-0 6.0-0 Nc6
Black intends ...e7-e5 next, with a reasonable KID-structure. White does not need to allow this,
613
however, because they have the immediate
7.d5 Nb8
7...Ne5 8.Nxe5 dxe5 9.Qd3!? Very subtle prophylaxis. Black was intending ...e6, after which, the
white queen would not have a good square. [9.Be3 e6 10.dxe6 Bxe6=]
Position after: 9.Qd3!?
A) If Black carries out the slow maneuver 9...Ne8 10.Be3 Nd6 then White should be ahead in the
race. 11.a4 f5 12.a5 f4 13.Bc5 Bd7 14.f3 g5 15.Nd1 Qe8 16.c4 Qg6 17.Bb4 a6 18.Nf2 h5 19.h3±
Position after: 19.h3±
614
Black will have a tough time trying to crack White’s kingside defense.
B) 9...e6 10.dxe6 Bxe6 11.Qb5!
The point of White’s 9th move.

B1) 11...Qb8?! 12.Qxe5 Nd5 13.Qg3 Nxc3 14.bxc3± Black’s queen is too passively placed.
B2) 11...Qc8?! 12.Qxe5± and on 12...Nd5 White has 13.Nxd5! Bxe5 14.Ne7+ Kg7 15.Nxc8
Raxc8 16.c3±
B3) 11...Rb8 12.Rd1 [12.Qxe5 Nd5! 13.Qg3 Nxc3 14.bxc3 Qe7©] 12...Nd7 13.Qa5!? a6 14.a4
615
Ostensibly, the white queen is in an awkward spot, but in reality Black’s pieces are restricted
and there’s no way to attack the queen other than with 14...c6 15.Qxd8 Rfxd8 16.a5 when
White has a pleasant endgame advantage.
B4) 11...b6 12.Rd1 [12.Qxe5 is incorrect on account of 12...Nd5! as per the line 11...Rb8.]
12...Qe8 Other queen moves allow White to capture on e5 without serious repercussions.
13.Bd2 A strange move at first glance, but one that creates a threat: the e5-pawn is hanging now
as ...Nd5 would no longer be an effective reply. 13...Bd7 [13...c6? 14.Qxe5; 13...Nd7?! 14.Qc6!
A rampant queen!; 13...Qxb5 14.Bxb5 Rfd8 15.f3² The bishop will sit comfortably on c6.]
14.Qd3
With a subtle regrouping, White manages to maintain some pressure. Now most natural is
14...Qe7 15.Bg5 Be6 but yet again, it is possible for White to take advantage of the weakened
queenside squares with 16.Qb5! h6 17.Bh4
616
B4.1) Leela originally offers 17...Rfc8? but this runs into 18.f4!± [18.Qxe5? g5 19.Bg3 Nh5©]
B4.2) 17...Rfd8 18.f4! Rxd1+ 19.Rxd1 Qe8 The only way to reduce the pressure. 20.f5! gxf5
21.Bxf6 Bxf6 22.exf5 c6 23.Qd3‚
Position after: 23.Qd3‚
Black can still fight on with 23...Bd5 when White has various ways to accept the sacrifice.
Black has small chances to hold, although the exposed king is always a problem over the
board.
8.h3
617
Generally a useful move, aimed against ...Bg4 and ...Ng4 (when the bishop is on e3).
8...c6 9.Re1
9...Nbd7
9...a6 10.a4 a5 has been essayed a few times. Logical is 11.Bc4 Nfd7 [11...Nbd7 12.Be3 Nb6
13.Bb3±] 12.Be3 Na6 [12...Nb6 13.Bb3 c5?! Prasca Sosa, R – De Angelis, S La Massana 2012,
14.e5!±] 13.Bd4²
10.Be3
618
10...Qc7
There are various other tries, though in the end, all roads lead to Rome. White has a stable
advantage due to their control in the center and the better-coordinated pieces.
A) 10...Qa5 Zaksaite, S – Hernandez Estevez, Y Heraklion 2007, 11.Qd2 a6 12.a4²
B) 10...cxd5 11.exd5 a6 12.a4 Qc7 Boruchovsky, A – Turner, J Pardubice 2018, 13.Qd2²
C) 10...Re8 11.Qd2 cxd5 12.exd5 a6 13.a4 Qc7 14.Bh6 b6 [14...Bh8 15.Bf1±] 15.Nd4²
11.Qd2 cxd5
11...a6 12.a4 Re8 13.Bh6 etc.
12.exd5 a6 13.a4 b6
Sherwood, R – Ortiz, M LSS email 2012.
14.Bh6 Bb7 15.Rad1 Rfe8 16.Bf1 Rac8
16...Bh8?! 17.Ng5 is a standard attacking setup which Black should probably avoid. 17...Ne5
18.Qe3 Qc5 19.Rd4!
619
19...Bc8 A sad move to make, but one recommended by both engines as a way to ‘improve’ the
worst-placed piece. [19...Nxd5? 20.Rxd5 Bxd5 21.Qxc5 bxc5 22.Nxd5±] 20.b4 Qc7 21.Be2 Bg7
Finally Black is forced to accept that the bishop on h6 is too strong. f2-f4 is threatened, followed
by a knight sacrifice on f7.
17.Bxg7 Kxg7 18.Qf4²
Position after: 18.Qf4²
Black lacks space for their pieces, making it difficult to find a plan.
Play may continue
620
18...Nc5 19.Re3 h6 20.Nh2
Since White has effectively maximized the position of all their pieces, the next stage is to
exchange Black’s best piece, the knight on f6.
In order to avoid constriction, Black should probably play
20...e5 21.dxe6 Rxe6 22.Rxe6 Nxe6 23.Qxd6
though their compensation is doubtful.
Model game
Illingworth, Max (2465)

Bachmann, Axel (2645)
Douglas 2016
1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nf3 d6 4.Be2 Nf6 5.Nc3 0-0 6.0-0 Nc6 7.d5 Nb8 8.h3 c6
9.a4
I believe there is no need for this move until Black is clearly prepared to play ...b5 (for example, if
they ever play ...a6).
9.Re1 cxd5 10.exd5 a6 11.a4²
9...b6
9...cxd5 10.exd5 e5 gives Black a fighting game, though White has a small structural advantage
after taking on e6.
621
10.Bg5 Bb7 11.Re1 Nbd7
It was more accurate to include the moves 11...h6 12.Bh4 Nbd7.
12.Qd2 Rc8
Position after: 12...Rc8
13.Bf1?!
This is as good a time as any to exchange the dark-squared bishops with 13.Bh6².
13...Re8?!
A lazy move.
The immediate 13...cxd5 14.exd5 Rc5! would have equalized.
622
Position after: 14...Rc5!
For example 15.Be3 Rxc3! 16.Qxc3 Nxd5 17.Qa3 Nxe3 18.Rxe3 a5 with plenty of compensation.
14.Rad1 cxd5 15.exd5 Rc5 16.Nd4!
16...a6?
Cracking under the pressure.

A) 16...Nxd5!? 17.Ne4 N7f6 18.Nxc5 bxc5 was plausible. White is better as his rooks are still
fairly mobile, but Black’s compensation is quite visible as well.
623
B) 16...Qc8 is the engine’s top choice, but it’s not an easy move to make. Moreover, White has
pressure after the simple 17.Nb3 Rc7 18.a5.
17.b4
17...Rc8?
Blunders come in pairs.

17...Rxc3 was necessary although Black’s compensation is doubtful in this version. 18.Qxc3 Nxd5
19.Qb3±
18.Nc6!
Simple and strong.
18...Rxc6
18...Bxc6 19.dxc6 Rxc6 20.Bxa6 is also unpalatable.
19.dxc6 Bxc6 20.Bxa6+–
624
Position after: 20.Bxa6+–
20...Bxg2
Desperation.
21.Kxg2 Qa8+ 22.Nd5
22...e6
22...Nxd5 23.Qxd5 Qxa6 24.Qc6+–
625
23.Bc4 Ne5 24.Bxf6 Nxc4 25.Qd4 Bxf6
Position after: 25...Bxf6
26.Qe4
Even more precise than 26.Qxc4.
26...Be5 27.Nc7 d5 28.Qxe5 Qxa4 29.Qa1 1-0
C) 6...a6
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Be2 0-0 6.0-0 a6
626
7.a4
This is one of the occasions in which I believe it is worth preventing ...b5. The reason is that, in
the given instance, a2-a4 happens to fight against Black’s other plan, ...Nc6 and ...e5 as well.
A) 7.Bf4 is also worth considering. For instance 7...Nc6 8.h3 b5 9.e5 Nd7 10.Qc1
10...Bb7 [But not 10...dxe5?! 11.dxe5 Ndxe5 12.Nxe5 Nxe5 13.Rd1±] 11.Rd1 Qc8 12.Qe3 Nb4
13.Rac1 Nb6 14.Bh6ƒ Ludevid Masana, J – Cadenas Gonzalez, J ICCF email 2017.
B) 7.Re1 is also critical; however, I am not sure what to make of the structure after 7...Nc6 8.d5
Ne5!? 9.Nxe5 dxe5.
7...Nc6
The critical test in my opinion.

7...b6 is almost as popular as the text move, but it is much less promising. 8.Re1 Preparing to
change the structure with e4-e5.
627
A) 8...Bb7 9.e5 dxe5 [9...Nfd7?? loses to 10.e6 fxe6 11.Ng5] 10.Nxe5 Nfd7 [10...Ra7?! Kulaots,
K – Duda, J Batumi 2019, 11.a5 b5 12.Bf3 Qc8 13.Bf4 e6 14.b4!±] 11.Bf3
11...Bxf3 [11...Nxe5 12.Bxb7 Ra7 13.Be4±] 12.Qxf3 Ra7 Kyas, J – Timpel, K Germany 1999,
13.Ng4! White threatens Nh6+ which is not easy to stop. If 13...Nf6 there follows 14.Nxf6+ exf6
[14...Bxf6 15.Nd5!±] 15.Bf4±
628
Note that 15...Qxd4?! 16.Rad1 Qc5 17.Nd5 Qxc2 18.b3 gives White an overwhelming position
in which all their pieces are centralized at a relatively low cost (c7 will fall soon).
B) 8...e6 9.e5 dxe5 10.Nxe5 Bb7 11.Bf3 Bxf3 [11...Nd5 12.Nxd5 exd5 13.Bf4±] 12.Qxf3 Nd5
[12...Ra7 13.Bg5 h6 14.Be3±] 13.a5
B1) 13...b5 This is not dissimilar to the 3...Qd6 Scandinavian with 5...a6 and 6...b5 (see page
224). 14.Ne4 Nd7 15.Bg5! Qc8 [15...f6 16.Nxd7 Qxd7 17.Nc5 Qf7 18.Nxe6!+–] 16.Nxd7 Qxd7
17.c3±
B2) 13...f6 14.Qh3! Re8 15.Nd3ƒ
629
8.a5!?
8.d5 Nb4! remains complicated.
With 8.a5!?, White intends to reach an improved KID-structure.
8...e5
A) 8...d5 is slightly dubious in view of the principled 9.e5 Ng4 [9...Ne4 10.Re1 Be6 11.Bd3±]
10.h3 Nh6 and now I like 11.Re1 f6 12.exf6 exf6 13.Bf1 with a clear advantage to White.
B) 8...Bg4 9.d5 Bxf3 10.Bxf3 Ne5 11.Be2 c6 [11...e6?! 12.f4 Ned7 13.dxe6 fxe6 14.Be3±] 12.f4
Ned7 13.Be3 gives White a pleasant space advantage.
9.d5 Ne7 10.Nd2
630
I usually try to avoid King’s Indian Defense structures, simply because I’m not so experienced
with them. Here, however, I realize that the commitment from both sides to the fixed a-pawns is
favorable for White. Note that in the KID, Bayonet Attack, Black usually wants to keep the a-
pawn at bay, unless absolutely forced to push it forward. Alternatively, they sometimes opt for
...a5, which, conveniently, is not an option here.
10...Nd7
A) 10...Ne8 11.Na4 f5 12.c4 will transpose to 10...Nd7 as Black will eventually need to play
...Nf6.
B) 10...Bh6?! 11.Nc4 Bxc1 12.Qxc1 Nd7 13.f4
631
B1) 13...f6 14.f5± As soon as White restricts the activity on the kingside, they should have a
winning attack on the queenside.
B2) Black could try to sit tight with 13...exf4 14.Qxf4 f6 but after 15.b4 [Or 15.Bg4 Ne5
16.Bxc8 Rxc8 17.Ne3; 15.Qe3±] 15...Ne5 [15...Kg7 16.Bg4 Ne5 17.Bxc8 Qxc8 18.Ne3±]
16.Nxe5 fxe5 17.Qe3± White has a clear advantage as they have play on both sides of the
board.
B3) 13...f5 14.fxe5 Nxe5 15.Qd2 Bd7 16.Rae1± Ermolaev, A – Piersig, K W-ch35 prel12 email
2011. Black has too many weak squares in their position.
C) At an early stage of my analysis, Stockfish recommended 10...Bd7 which is a strange move
and very unlikely to be seen in human practice. Black develops their queenside pieces before
getting on with the attack and, they also make Nc3-a4 less attractive. The latter is probably the
main point. 11.Nc4 [11.Na4 Bh6! probably forces White to retreat back to c3.] 11...Qe8 Now one
creative idea is 12.Ra3!? with the aim of tying Black’s bishop down to the defense of b7. 12...h6
Black’s setup calls for this move to be played, ...Nh7 is the plan, followed by ...f5. [Admittedly
12...Kh8 is the more natural move, intending ...Ng8 however 13.Rb3 Bc8 14.f4! exf4 15.Bxf4
gives White an initiative all the same.] 13.Rb3
C1) 13...Rb8 seems a more natural way to defend b7 but the rook is not necessarily secure on
that square. 14.f4 exf4 15.Bxf4 and on 15...g5 16.Be3 Ng6
632
Position after: 16...Ng6
There is the powerful maneuver 17.Ba7! Ra8 18.Bd4 [Of course, not 18.Rxb7?? Qc8–+]
18...Nf4 19.Bf3 Once Black protects b7, e4-e5 will come with devastating effect.
C2) 13...Bc8 14.Be3 Nd7 15.f3 f5 16.Nd2 Nf6 17.Ncb1 Preparing the march of the c-pawn.
Position after: 17.Ncb1
C2.1) 17...g5 18.c4 Ng6 19.exf5 Bxf5 20.Nc3 Rb8 [20...Nf4 21.Rxb7 Qc8 22.Rb3±] 21.g3
and White is ready to launch the queenside offensive with c5. Only 21...e4 prevents that for
the time being but after 22.Ncxe4 Nxe4 23.fxe4 Bd7 Threatening ...Ba4. [Not 23...Bxe4?
24.Rxf8+ Nxf8 25.Ba7! Ra8 26.Re3!+–] 24.Rxf8+ Qxf8 25.Qc1!
633
Position after: 25.Qc1!
c4-c5 is threatened once again, and Black lacks compensation.

C2.2) 17...f4 18.Bf2 g5 19.c4 Ng6 [19...Rf7 20.c5 dxc5 21.Nc4 is roughly the same.] 20.c5
In a typical KID, Black refrains from touching any of the queenside pawns. Here, they are
obliged to capture on c5. 20...dxc5 21.Nc4! Weakening the b6-square is more important than
regaining the pawn at this point. 21...g4 [21...Rf7 22.d6 doesn’t help.] 22.d6 gxf3 23.gxf3 Qf7
634
Position after: 23...Qf7
Black has failed to generate an attack in time. White is strategically winning. 24.dxc7 Qxc7
25.Qd6! Qf7 26.Nb6 Be6 [26...Qxb3? loses to 27.Bc4+] 27.Qxe6! Qxe6 28.Bc4±
11.Na4 f5 12.c4 Nf6 13.b4
13...Nxe4
A) 13...f4? 14.c5 g5 15.cxd6 cxd6 16.Nb6 Rb8 17.b5 axb5 18.Ba3±

B) 13...Bh6!? is now very logical in light of the pressure upon the e4-pawn. 14.Nc3
635
B1) 14...c6? 15.c5!

B1.1) 15...dxc5?! 16.Bc4! is practically crushing.
16...cxd5 [Black’s king is too exposed after 16...Kg7 17.bxc5 cxd5 18.exd5 Nexd5 19.Nxd5
Nxd5 20.Re1+–; 16...cxb4 also loses: 17.d6+ Ned5 18.exd5 bxc3 19.dxc6+ Kg7 20.Nf3 Bxc1
21.c7! Qd7 22.Rxc1+–] 17.exd5 cxb4 18.d6+ Kh8 19.dxe7 Qxe7 20.Na4+–
B1.2) 15...Bxd2 16.Bxd2 Nxe4 [16...dxc5 is met with the same response as in the previous
note. 17.Bc4+–] 17.Nxe4 fxe4 18.dxc6 Nxc6 19.Bh6± Qxd6 will follow.
636
Position after: 19.Bh6±
B2) 14...fxe4 15.Ndxe4 Nxe4 16.Nxe4 Bxc1 17.Rxc1 Nf5 18.Bg4 Qh4 19.Re1 Nd4 20.Bxc8
Raxc8 21.Qd3 Rf4 22.Re3 Rcf8 23.Rb1 c6 24.dxc6 bxc6 25.f3²
Position after: 25.f3²
Black’s kingside play has come to a halt while they still have weaknesses to be probed on the
queenside. I think it makes sense to exchange some of Black’s more active pieces – the rook on
f4 and the knight on d4. In a correspondence game, Peet, W – Sanchez, M ICCF email 2017,
Black managed to hold, which indicates that the position is technically playable for him. On the
other hand, White can continue to pose questions and there is still a lot to play for.
637
14.Nxe4 fxe4 15.Nc3
15...e3
15...Nf5 16.Nxe4 Nd4 17.Bg5 Qe8 18.Bd3²
16.fxe3! Rxf1+ 17.Qxf1 Nf5
17...e4!? 18.Ra3 Nf5 19.Nxe4 Bd7 20.Nf2 Qh4 21.e4 Nd4 22.g3 Qf6 23.Kg2 Rf8 24.Bd1 and
Black still needs to prove they have adequate compensation.
18.Ne4!?
638
Position after: 18.Ne4!?
18...Nh6!
The knight regroups to prepare ...Bg4 or ...Ng4.

18...Qh4 19.Bd3 Bd7 20.Bd2 Rf8 21.Qe1 Qe7 22.Qe2
22...c6 [Otherwise White makes significant progress on the queenside, for example 22...h5?! 23.b5
h4 24.bxa6 bxa6 25.c5±] 23.dxc6 bxc6 24.Rf1±
19.c5 Qh4 20.Bf3
639
20...Bg4
A) 20...Ng4?! achieves very little: 21.h3 Nf6 22.Nxf6+ Bxf6 23.e4±

B) 20...Bf5 appears to give Black the upper hand (if the knight moves, ...e4 wins) but 21.Bd2! is
still possible. 21...Ng4 [21...Bxe4 22.g3 Qg5 23.Bxe4± is the point.]
Position after: 21...Ng4
22.Bxg4 [Not 22.h3? Bxe4 23.Bxe4 as after 23...Rf8 24.Qe2 Nf2 25.Bc2 Qg3 only Black can be
better.] 22...Qxg4 23.Nf2 Qg5 24.Qc1 e4 Necessary as White is threatening e4 themselves.
25.Bc3²
640
21.Bd2 Rf8 22.Qe1!
Somewhat reminding me of the famous 17.Qc1! in Rubinstein – Capablanca, San Sebastian 1911:
the white queen unpins herself by offering an exchange with its counterpart. In both cases, the
offer cannot be accepted!
22...Qh5
22...Qxe1+? 23.Rxe1 Bxf3 24.gxf3 Nf5 25.Rc1+–
23.Bxg4 Nxg4 24.h3 Nf6 25.Ng3 Qh4 26.e4 Bh6 27.Nf1 Qxe1 28.Rxe1²
641
Position after: 28.Rxe1²
Only a handful of pieces remain on the board, yet White’s queenside space advantage is enough
for a lasting advantage in the endgame.
Model game
Kulaots, Kaido (2542)

Duda, Jan-Krzysztof (2734)
chess24.com 2019
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Be2 0-0 6.0-0 a6 7.a4 b6
7...Nc6 is the critical try, although Black must be comfortable in KID positions.
8.Re1
I had the pleasure of testing some of my ideas over the board, in the UK Open Blitz Championship
2019 where I played 8.e5. Arguably this is a bit premature, but I was happy to play in a direct
fashion as it was blitz after all! 8...dxe5 [8...Nfd7! is fine for Black. Note that 9.e6 fxe6 10.Ng5
Nf6 11.d5 e5 is unthreatening.] 9.Nxe5 Bb7 10.Bf3 Qc8 11.a5 b5
642
12.Be3 I learned from analyzing the game that I didn’t need to give this bishop a purely defensive
task. [12.Re1 Rd8 didn’t appeal to me, but only because I underestimated 13.b4!±] 12...Rd8
13.Qe2 Rd6 14.Rfd1 Nc6 15.Nxc6 Bxc6 16.d5 Bb7 17.Bc5 Rd8 18.Rd3 Qf5 19.Rad1 Rd7 20.g4
Qg5 21.Bxe7 Qf4 22.Rd4 Qh6 23.d6 cxd6 24.Bxb7 Rxb7 25.Qf3+– Tan, J – Ghasi, A, UK Open
Blitz Championship 2019.
8...Bb7 9.e5 dxe5
9...Nfd7?? loses to 10.e6 fxe6 11.Ng5.
10.Nxe5
643
10...Ra7?!
A) 10...Nfd7 is better. 11.Bf3 Nxe5 12.Bxb7 Ra7 13.Be4 Nc4 14.d5 Nd7 15.g3±
B) 10...e6 transposes to the note above.
11.Bf4
11.a5 is my recommendation.
11...Nc6 12.Nxc6 Bxc6 13.Be5
13...Qa8?!
The game shows that this ‘plan’ achieved very little in the way of real progress.
A) 13...Ne4 is not great. 14.Bxg7 [14.Nxe4 Bxe5 15.dxe5 Bxe4 16.Qc1±] 14...Nxc3 15.bxc3
Kxg7 16.c4 e6 17.a5±
B) 13...e6 14.a5 b5 15.Na2 Nd5 16.Bxg7 Kxg7 17.c3 [17.Nc1?! Nf4 18.Bf1 Ra8 gives Black a
glimpse of active play.] 17...Qd6 18.Nc1 Raa8 19.Nd3 Nf4 and Black is still in the game.
14.Bf1 Rd8 15.Qe2 Rd7 16.h3 Qd8 17.a5 b5
The game continuation is so strategically lost that the engine wants to give a pawn instead with
17...Ne8 18.axb6 cxb6 19.Rxa6±
18.Na2!
644
A fantastic positional maneuver.
18...e6
18...Nd5 19.Bxg7 Kxg7 prevents the original Na2-b4 maneuver, but does not prevent the more
clandestine 20.Nc1! e6 21.Nd3±
19.Nb4 Bd5 20.Qe3 Qc8 21.b3 Ra8 22.c4 bxc4 23.bxc4 Bb7 24.Rab1 Ne8 25.c5 c6 26.Bxg7
Nxg7 27.g4!
645
I’m a big fan of this move when it comes to hampering the ‘fianchetto knight’. An instructive
example of this was Carlsen – Aronian, Stavanger, 2018.
27...Qc7 28.Nd3 Rad8 29.Rb4 f6 30.Reb1 Bc8 31.Qf3
Far more brutal would have been 31.Rb6! Rxd4 32.Nb4 when Black’s position falls apart. Note
that 32...Bb7 is met with 33.Nc2+–
31...Rf8 32.Qe4 Qxa5 33.Qxc6
33...Qc7
I can understand why 33...Qd8 34.Rb8 [34.Qe4 a5 35.Ra4 also seemed unappealing.] is in fact the
most accurate continuation according to my engine... but it is exactly that: a very engine-like
continuation. 34...Rxd4 35.R1b6 White has the slow threat of taking on a6 and ‘doubling’
horizontally along the 8th rank. 35...Qd7 36.Qa8+–
34.Qxc7 Rxc7 35.f4
646
Sadly for Black, his position is completely doomed to passivity. Not a single piece is proud of its
position... the ‘most invaluable player’ is of course the knight on g7, severely restricted by White’s
pawn mass.
35...Kf7 36.Kf2 Bd7 37.Rb7 Rfc8 38.R1b6 Ne8 39.Bg2
Far more incisive was 39.c6! Bxc6 40.Rxc6 Rxb7 41.Rxc8
39...Bb5 40.Nb4 Rxb7 41.Bxb7 Rd8 42.Nxa6 Bxa6 43.Bxa6 Rxd4
Position after: 43...Rxd4
647
44.Rb7+
44.Bb5! would have won a piece by force, for example 44...Ng7 [44...Nc7 45.Rb7+–; 44...Rxf4+
45.Ke3 e5 46.Rb7+ Kf8 47.Rb8+–] 45.c6 Ne8 46.Rb7+ Kf8 47.Rb8 Rd2+ 48.Ke3 Rc2 49.c7+–
44...Kf8 45.Ke3 Rd5 46.Bb5 Rxc5 47.Rb8
White indeed wins a piece in this version too, but he is also somewhat short on pawns.
47...Rc3+ 48.Kd4 Rxh3 49.Rxe8+ Kf7 50.Ra8 Rh4 51.Ra7+ Kf8 52.Bd7
52.Be2 h5 53.gxh5 gxh5 54.Ke3 f5=
52...Rxg4 53.Bxe6 Rxf4+ 54.Kc5 h5 55.Bd5 g5 56.Rf7+ Kg8 57.Rxf6+
½-½
D) 6...Bg4
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Be2 0-0 6.0-0 Bg4 7.h3 Bxf3 8.Bxf3
648
8...e5
A) 8...Nc6 is inaccurate on account of 9.Ne2! e5 10.c3 Kh8 11.Qb3 Rb8 12.Rd1± with a clear
advantage.
B) 8...Nbd7 9.g3 c6 [9...c5 10.d5 a6 11.a4 gives White a good Benoni.] 10.Bg2 e5 [10...b5?!
11.f4‚] 11.d5
After this move, both sides tend to keep the tension in the center, in which case White’s space
advantage becomes an important asset. 11...Qc7 12.Bg5 h6 [Of course, if Black ever captures on
649
d5 then White should recapture with their pieces. 12...cxd5 13.Nxd5 Nxd5 14.Qxd5±] 13.Be3
Nb6
Instead of subsisting in a cramped position, Black threatens to capture on d5. White doesn’t want
to recapture with the pawn, therefore necessary is 14.dxc6 bxc6 15.Qe2 In any case, this is a
healthy transformation of the pawn structure. If 15...d5 16.exd5 Nbxd5 17.Nxd5 cxd5 18.c3²
Position after: 18.c3²
White’s queenside majority is more powerful than Black’s central pawns (which could also be
seen as a liability).
650
9.d5 Nbd7 10.g3!?N
Position after: 10.g3!?N
In my view, the clearest path to an advantage. The idea is not to fianchetto the bishop, but to
improve the king’s position and prepare h4, Rh1.
10...Ne8
A) 10...Kh8 11.h4 Ng8 12.Kg2
Position after: 12.Kg2
A1) 12...f5? 13.h5 gxh5 [13...g5 14.exf5 Rxf5 15.Bg4 Rf8 16.Ne4±] 14.Rh1 f4 15.Rxh5±
651
A2) 12...Bh6 13.Bxh6 Nxh6 14.Qd2 Ng8 [14...Kg7 15.h5 g5 16.g4!? and White can begin play
on the queenside.] 15.h5
A2.1) 15...g5 16.h6! [16.g4!? is also possible, but clearly less ambitious.] 16...f5 17.exf5 Rxf5
18.Bg4 Rf8 19.Bh3! [19.Rh1 is far more natural but 19...Ngf6! is apparently playable.]
Prophylaxis against ...Ngf6, while provoking the obvious response 19...Nxh6 20.Rh1± when
the position is too dangerous for Black.
A2.2) 15...h6 16.Rh1 Kg7 17.Nd1!? a5 18.Ne3 Nc5 19.c3 Nf6 20.Qc2 a4! 21.Rae1²
Position after: 21.Rae1²
B) 10...a5 11.Bg2 Nc5 12.Bg5 h6 13.Be3 Nfd7 14.Qd2 Kh7 15.h4
652
15...f5 [15...Nf6 16.Qe2²] 16.h5 f4 17.hxg6+ Kxg6 18.gxf4 exf4 19.Bxf4 Bxc3 20.bxc3±
11.Kg2
Move orders aren’t particularly important here so 11.h4 is also possible.
11...f5 12.h4
12...f4
653
Black’s safest solution, although it gives White a risk-free advantage.
12...h6?! 13.h5 g5 14.exf5 Rxf5 15.Be4 Rf8 16.f3 Nef6 17.Bf5
again gives White a significant strategic advantage and on 17...Nxh5? 18.Be6+ Kh8 19.Rh1 Ndf6
20.Bxg5+– White wins immediately.
13.h5 g5
13...Nef6 14.Rh1 Qe7 allows 15.h6 Bh8 16.Qe2
14.Rh1
Or 14.Bg4 Bh6 15.f3
654
15...Ndf6 [15...Ng7 would allow the favorable exchange 16.Bxd7 Qxd7 17.g4±] 16.Bf5 Ng7
17.g4.
14...Bh6 15.g4²
Not many players would opt for such a passive position with Black. Perhaps they can defend, but
they rely on just one saving trick: the fortress. Meanwhile, White has various possibilities on the
queenside and there are still many pieces on the board leading me to the conclusion that White is
better in practice.
655
E) 6...c6
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Be2 0-0 6.0-0 c6 7.h3
7...Nbd7
A) 7...a5 8.a4 By no means the only move, but a solid one. 8...Na6 9.Re1 Nb4 10.Bf4!
A1) 10...Nh5 11.Bh2 Bh6 is superficial. 12.Bc4 e6 13.e5 d5 [13...dxe5 14.Nxe5± Siikaluoma, A
– Serner, A ICCF email 2011] 14.Bf1±
656
A2) 10...d5 11.e5 Ne8 12.Qd2 f6 13.Nd1± Kapp, M – Syre, C Germany 2016.
A3) 10...h6 11.Bc4
A3.1) 11...d5 12.exd5 Nbxd5 [12...Nfxd5 13.Bh2 Bf5 14.Bb3± Conde Poderoso, A – Alfaro
de Hombre, J ICCF email 2015] 13.Nxd5 cxd5 [13...Nxd5 14.Bh2 Bf5 15.c3±] 14.Bd3 Bf5
15.Bxf5 gxf5 16.Ne5 e6 17.Ra3!ƒ
Position after: 17.Ra3!ƒ
A3.2) 11...g5 12.Bh2 Nxe4 13.Nxe4 d5 14.c3 dxe4 15.Ne5 Nd5 16.Rxe4± Jimenez Pulido, G
– Alfaro de Hombre, J ICCF email 2015.
657
B) 7...b5 is met with the principled 8.e5! Ne8 [8...dxe5 9.dxe5 Nfd7 10.e6! fxe6 Gaboyan, S –
Mkrtchyan, M Yerevan 2019, 11.a4 b4 12.Ne4 Nf6 13.Qxd8 Rxd8 14.Nc5±] 9.Bf4 Nd7 10.Re1
10...dxe5 [10...Nb6 11.a4 b4 12.Ne4 Nd5 13.Bg3±; if 10...Bb7 Asgarizadeh, A – Krasenkow, M

Baku 2014, then 11.Ne4 anyway.] 11.dxe5 b4 12.Ne4 Nc7 13.Bg3 Ne6 14.a3± Weber, D –
Junker, A corr freechess 2012.
C) 7...Qc7 is a fairly solid response. 8.a4 e5 [8...Nbd7 9.Be3 see 7...Nbd7.] 9.dxe5 dxe5 10.Bc4
Most of the time, the natural move ...Nbd7 will transpose to 7...Nbd7. Otherwise, Black can also
play 10...Nh5 11.Re1 Qe7 12.Qe2 Be6 13.Bg5 Bf6 14.Bxf6 Qxf6 15.Bxe6 Qxe6 16.Qe3 Na6
17.Rad1²
8.a4
658
8...e5
Black usually puts their queen on e7, but in my view, it is better-placed on c7. 8...Qc7 9.Be3
A) 9...b6 10.Qd2
On the queenside, this is identical to the main line of the Philidor Defense, but on the kingside, it
is different: Black has fianchettoed the bishop instead of ...e5 and ...Be7. This means the move
...e5 will impede the scope of the dark-squared bishop (although in most lines, Black cannot
afford to leave it on e7).
659
A1) 10...a6 11.Rfd1
Position after: 11.Rfd1
A1.1) 11...Bb7 allows 12.e5! since the b6-pawn is left un-guarded: 12...dxe5 [12...Nd5
13.Nxd5 cxd5 14.exd6 Qxd6 15.Bf4±] 13.dxe5 Nxe5 14.Nxe5 Qxe5 15.Bxb6±
A1.2) 11...Rb8 12.Bf4!
Preparing e4-e5. 12...e5 [12...b5 13.axb5 cxb5 14.e5! b4 15.exf6 bxc3 16.Qxc3 Qxc3 17.bxc3
Nxf6 18.c4±] 13.dxe5 dxe5 14.Be3
660
The queen is headed to d6, which will force a favorable ending. After that, White can consider
expanding on the kingside with g4 and h4, for example 14...Bb7 15.Qd6! Rfc8 16.g4! h6
17.h4! It is important that the f6-knight is tied to the defence of its peer. 17...Bf8 18.Qxc7
Rxc7 19.a5 b5 20.g5 hxg5 21.hxg5 Nh7 [21...Nh5 22.Nh2 Nf4 23.Bg4 Bc8 24.Nf3±] 22.Bf1±
A2) 10...Bb7 11.a5
A2.1) 11...Rad8 12.a6 Ba8 13.Rfd1 b5 [13...e5 14.dxe5 Nxe5 15.Bg5± Shustov, B – Lanin, B
ICCF email 2012] 14.b4² Havumäki, A – Murden, C Australia 2016.
A2.2) 11...b5 12.a6! It is always a double-edged decision to advance so far into the enemy
661
zone, but in this case, the pawn is well-supported and it weakens the b5-pawn. 12...Bc8 13.b4
Nb6 14.Rfe1
14...Be6 [14...Rd8 15.d5 Bd7 16.dxc6 Bxc6 17.Nd4 Nxe4 18.Nxe4 Bxe4 19.Nxb5 Qc6
20.Ra5! and White keeps the extra pawn since after 20...Bxg2 21.Nxa7! Rxa7 22.b5
Pavlov, V – Zolochevsky, V ICCF email 2014. Black must part with the g2-bishop.] 15.d5!
cxd5 16.exd5 Nbxd5 17.Nxb5 Qb8 18.Bd4² Manso Gil, Á – Neto, H Germany 2017.
B) 9...e5 10.dxe5
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Position after: 10.dxe5
B1) Generally speaking, the problem with the move 10...Nxe5 is that White is not obliged to
take on e5. Instead, they can target the weak d6-pawn. 11.Qd2 Nxf3+ 12.Bxf3 Be6 13.Rfd1
Rfd8 14.Bg5 Rd7 15.a5 h5 [15...d5 16.Bf4 Qd8 17.e5 Ne8 18.b4 f6 19.Re1± Booij, R –
Koegeler, A ICCF email 2019] 16.Bf4²
Position after: 16.Bf4²
Stoeckert, M – Johansson, K ICCF email 2018.

B2) 10...dxe5 11.Bc4 Nh5 [11...a5 12.Qd2 b6 13.Rad1 Ba6 14.Qe2 Bxc4 15.Qxc4± Selin, S –
Avdeev, A corr 2012] 12.Qc1 Nf4
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It is sometimes hard to deal with this knight, but here, White has the resource 13.g3! Nh5
[13...Nxh3+? 14.Kg2 Nb6 15.Ba2+– and the knight is trapped.] 14.Rd1 a5 (otherwise White
plays a4-a5 themselves). 15.Qd2 Nhf6 16.g4!±
9.dxe5 dxe5
9...Nxe5 10.Bf4! Nxf3+ [10...Qe7 11.Qd2 Be6 12.Rad1 Rfd8 13.Nd4 is unpleasant. Gataullin, R –
Holscher, P corr WS/M/140 2008] 11.Bxf3 Ne8 12.Qd2²
10.Bc4
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10...Qe7?!
The most popular move, but probably incorrect.

A) 10...Qc7 see 8...Qc7.
B) 10...Qa5 11.Qd6!?N [11.Bd2 Qc5 12.b3 Nb6 13.Bd3² Goncharov, I – Shields, G corr
CL/2012/C8 2012] 11...Nc5 [11...Qc5 12.Qd3! is an improvement of the queen’s position since
12...Qa5? 13.b4! spells trouble.] 12.Bd2 Be6 13.Nd1
13...Rfd8 [13...Rad8?? 14.Qxf8!+ wins an exchange; while the tactical solution 13...Qd8 14.Qxc5
Nxe4 15.Qe3 Bxc4 16.Qxe4 Bxf1 17.Kxf1 f5 18.Qb4± doesn’t help much either] 14.Qxe6! Qc7
15.Qxf7+ Qxf7 16.Bxf7+ Kxf7 17.Bc3 Nfxe4 18.Bxe5 Nd2 19.Nxd2 Bxe5 20.Nc4 Bc7 21.Nc3±
11.b3!
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Exploiting the a3-f8 diagonal.
11...Nc5
A) 11...a5 12.Ba3 Nc5 transposes to 12...a5.

B) 11...b6 12.Ba3 c5 13.Nd5 Nxd5 14.Qxd5 Rb8 15.Rad1 a6
Zhigalko, S – Nijboer, F Rhodes 2013, 16.Qc6 Nf6 [16...Rd8 17.Rfe1+–] 17.Rfe1 Bb7 18.Qxb6
Nxe4 19.Rd3 Ng5 [19...Rfc8 20.Red1 Bc6 21.Qa5+–] 20.Nxg5 Qxg5 21.g3 Be4 [21...Qh6
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22.h4+–]
22.Bxf7+! Kh8 [22...Kxf7 23.Qa7+ Kg8 24.Rxe4 Qf5 25.Re2+–] 23.Qxb8! Rxb8 [23...Bxd3
24.Qc7+–] 24.Rxe4 Qf5 25.Bd5+– White has a positional advantage in every sense of the word!
12.Ba3
12...b6
12...a5 13.Qd2 Re8 [13...Nh5 14.Qe3 b6 is undermined by 15.b4! axb4 16.Bxb4+– Grabner, J –
667
Lahdenmaeki, L ICCF email 2015 with a4-a5 to follow.] 14.Ng5 Rf8 Sueess, F – Hansen, L ICCF
email 2012 [14...Be6 15.Nxe6 fxe6 16.Bxe6+! Qxe6 17.Bxc5 Red8 18.Qe3 gives White a healthy
extra pawn Rodriguez Lopez, R – Daanen, A LSS email 2014.] 15.Rad1 Nh5 16.Nf3
A) 16...Nf4 17.Ne2 Nfe6 Bosboom, M – Van Wely, L Leeuwarden 1993, 18.Bxe6! Anything to
break down the defense of the knight on c5! 18...Bxe6 19.Nc1
19...b6 [19...b5 20.Nd3 b4 21.Bxb4! axb4 22.Qxb4+–; 19...Rfd8 20.Qe3 Rxd1 21.Rxd1 b6
22.Nd3+–] 20.Nd3 Rfd8 21.Qe3+– White is winning.
B) 16...Re8 17.Qe3 b6 [17...Bf8? 18.Ng5+–] 18.Bxc5 bxc5 19.Ne2±
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13.Qe1
13.Qd2 is also strong.
13...Be6
A) It is not easy for Black to ignore White’s queenside play, for instance 13...Nh5? 14.a5! Rb8
15.Na4 Re8 16.axb6 axb6 17.Nxb6 Rxb6 18.Qa5+–
B) Or 13...Kh8? 14.a5 Rb8 [14...b5 15.Qe3 Nfd7 16.Rfd1; 14...Be6 15.Bxe6 Qxe6 16.Na4 Nfd7
17.Qe3+–] 15.Na4 Nfd7 16.Qe3 f5 17.Rfd1 f4 18.Qd2+–
14.Bxe6 Qxe6 15.a5 Rfd8 16.axb6 axb6 17.Bxc5 bxc5 18.Rxa8 Rxa8 19.Na4 Nd7 20.Nb2 Ra2
21.Qc3±
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Position after: 21.Qc3±
Calio, M – Fees, D ICCF email 2014.
Model game
Zhigalko, Sergei (2683)

Nijboer, Friso (2528)
Rhodes 2013
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Be2 0-0 6.0-0 c6 7.h3 Nbd7 8.a4 e5 9.dxe5 dxe5 10.Bc4
Qe7
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Position after: 10...Qe7
This is the most popular move. However, it was better to develop the queen to c7. On e7, the
queen is vulnerable to an attack along the a3-f8 diagonal:
11.b3! b6 12.Ba3 c5
It is more natural to play 12...Nc5 after which I recommend 13.Qe1 followed by a5 with a clear
advantage.
13.Nd5 Nxd5 14.Qxd5 Rb8 15.Rad1 a6
16.Rfe1
16.Qc6!? prevents Black’s main idea to liberate his queenside. Play should then continue 16...Nf6
17.Rfe1 Bb7 18.Qxb6 Nxe4 19.Qa5±
16...b5 17.Bf1 Rb6 18.Qd2 b4 19.a5!
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A nice zwischenzug.
19...Rc6 20.Bb2 Nb8 21.Qe3 Rc7 22.Rd5 Be6?
22...f6 had to be played.
23.Bxe5! Bxe5 24.Rxe5 Nd7 25.Rg5 c4 26.bxc4
26.Bxc4! forced the bishop exchange.
26...Bxc4
White’s last move was a slight technical inaccuracy as Black could have avoided the exchange of
bishops. 26...Rfc8
27.Bxc4 Rxc4 28.Qa7! Re8 29.Qxa6 Rxc2 30.Rd5
30.Rb5 was even better.
30...Rc7 31.Qe2 b3
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32.Nd4?
I could hardly fault White’s play up until this point. It’s a shame, yet so typical of chess, that such
an accurate game could have been ruined with one lapse of concentration!
Correct was 32.Rb5 Rb8 33.Rxb8+ Nxb8 34.Rb1 Qb4 35.Qd2 Rb7 36.Qd5
36...Rb5 [36...b2? 37.Ne5+–] 37.Qd8+ Qf8 38.Qc7 b2 [38...Na6 39.Qc3±] 39.Nd4 Rc5 40.Qf4
Rxa5 41.Rxb2±
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32...Qb4! 33.Rb1 Nf6 34.Rxb3 Qe7 35.Rdb5 Rc1+ 36.Kh2
36...Nxe4?
White was lucky not to be losing after 36...Qd6+ 37.e5 Qxd4 as his outside passed a-pawn is so
dangerous: 38.R3b4! [38.a6? Nd7 and the black queen covers the a7-square.] 38...Qd7 [38...Qc3
39.a6] 39.Qf3 Nh5 40.Rb8
A) 40...Rcc8?? allows White’s a-pawn to push through: 41.R4b7 Qe6 42.Rxc8 Rxc8 43.a6!
Qxe5+ 44.g3 Nf6 45.a7 Qd6 46.Qf4! Qc6 47.Rb8 Nd7 and now White wins with the spectacular
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48.Qe4!+– [Or 48.Qa4!+–]
B) 40...Kg7 41.R4b7 Qe6 42.Rxe8 Qxe8 43.g3!
Black was threatening to take on e5 with check. 43...Rc6 44.Kg2= White threatens both g4 and
Rxf7, simplifying to a draw.
37.Qe3?
Position after: 37.Qe3?
The prophylactic 37.g3± would have secured a clear advantage.
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37...Qc7+?
Evidently, a difficult middlegame to navigate!

37...Qd6+ 38.g3 Rd1! 39.Nf3 Rf1! would have forced 40.Rb6 [40.Rb2?? Rxf2+ 41.Rxf2 Qxg3+
42.Kh1 Nxf2+–+] 40...Qc7 41.Rb7=
38.g3
38.f4! was best here so that on 38...Ra1? 39.Rb7 the black queen cannot occupy the e5-square.
Note that 39...Qd6 is met by 40.R3b6 Qa3 [40...Qf8 41.Ne6! fxe6 42.Qxe4+–] 41.Nb3+–
38...Nf6?
38...Ra1 39.Rb7 Qe5 is still very much a game. [39...Qxa5?? 40.Rb8+–]
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Position after: 38...Nf6?
39.Rb8! Rxb8 40.Rxb8+ Qxb8 41.Qxc1 Qe5 42.Qf4!
A good practical decision, Black resigned.
1-0
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Part V
Philidor Defense
Übersicht
The Philidor Defense, constituted by the moves 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e5
is a solid and reliable defense for Black. That said, it takes a certain type of player to be
comfortable with the cramped positions which come with the territory. It should be noted that the
original move order developed by Philidor in the 18th century was 1.e4 1...e5 2.Nf3 d6, with the
intention of playing for a quick ...f5. These days, such an approach is considered too risky, and it is
more practical for Black to start with 1...d6 (avoiding 1.e4 e5 sidelines). My findings are that:
1) 4...exd4 gives White an easy attacking game in the majority of variations. There are various
instances of the d6-pawn becoming a serious liability, and a hindrance to Black’s queenside attack.
Perhaps Black’s most testing line is 7...d5 (variation B), which involves a bold piece sacrifice. I
have not included the piece sacrifice line in the general concepts section as it is very specific and
concrete; the reader must refer to the subchapter itself. In that line, White’s objective is to
coordinate the pieces and consolidate. If Black does not play accurately, the material imbalance
will decide matters in White’s favor.
2) The main line is practically better for White due to their space advantage in the center
and better piece mobility. Generally, if the game remains complicated, Black will not be able to
reduce the pressure, and I have not come across a variation in which Black can make significant
simplifications. There are a number of themes and nuances in the main line, which I have
encapsulated in the general concepts section. I suggest that the reader familiarizes themselves with
these concepts, before turning to the theoretical section.
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4.Nf3 Nbd7
4...exd4 5.Nxd4 Be7 There are a few alternatives to this natural move, but none of them are
serious. 6.Bf4! Directly targeting the d6-pawn. White anticipates either ...c6 or ...c5, which are
bound to form a part of Black’s plans. 6...0-0 7.Qd2
Black now has a wide range of moves to choose from. White’s plan, on the other hand, is
straightforward: castle long and attack on the kingside with f3, g4 and h4.
A) For 7...c6?! and
B) 7...a6?! – see Chapter 2, variation A.
C) 7...d5!? 8.Ndb5! Bb4™ 9.0-0-0 c6! 10.Nc7 Nxe4 11.Qd4 – see Chapter 2, variation B.
D) 7...Nc6 – see Chapter 2, variation C.
5.Bc4 Be7 6.a4!
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A rare move order, though in my opinion, the most precise one, as it reduces White’s workload at
no extra cost.
By far the most popular move is 6.0-0 after which, White has to reckon with an important sideline:
6...exd4!? 7.Nxd4 [7.Qxd4 is also a possibility, but in my view, Black has a solid and playable
position after 7...Nb6 8.Bb3 0-0 9.h3 Nfd7 etc.] 7...Nb6 which would be dubious for Black if the
pawn were on a4.
In this position, if White wants to keep their bishop on the a2-g8 diagonal, they have to retreat it to
b3, where it’s vulnerable to an attack from the f6-knight (via d7 and c5). Instead 8.Be2 is
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interesting, although I feel that this is a small victory for Black.
6...0-0 7.0-0 c6 8.h3!?
This is more flexible than the immediate 8.Re1, because in the line 8...b6, it is possible to play
9.Qe2! and 10.Rd1.
Position after: 8.h3!?
Black has three main moves:

A) 8...Qc7 9.Re1 – see Chapter 3, variation A.
B) 8...a5 9.Re1 – see Chapter 3, variation B.
C) 8...b6 9.Qe2! – see Chapter 3, variation C.
General Concepts
Diagram 1.1
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As I alluded to in the overview above, one of the major drawbacks of the 4...exd4 line is that the
d6-pawn becomes an easy target once the c7-pawn moves. In this position, Black has played ...c6
prematurely, hoping that the queenside pawn storm will compensate for the weak d6-pawn.
8.0-0-0 b5 9.f3 b4
This is supposedly the justification for Black’s play. If White remains calm, however, then they
will emerge with a decisive advantage.
10.Na4!
White will meet ...Qa5 with b3, while not fearing
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10...Bd7
which appears to threaten ...c5. This threat is not possible to prevent, but it can be ignored with
11.g4! c5 12.Nf5! Bxa4 13.Nxe7+ Qxe7 14.Bxd6
and now that the d6-pawn has fallen, Black’s position quickly collapses.
Diagram 1.2
Here is another example. Black has just played the move ...c5, which looks mildly intimidating,
until you realize that the pawns are not really going anywhere.
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10.Nb3!N
In my database, 10.Nf5?! has been played in all the games, but after 10...Bxf5 11.exf5 Nc6 12.Bf3
Rc8 things are far from clear, as the c6-knight is ready to jump to d4.
10.Nb3!N 10...c4
10...b4?! 11.Nd5 Nxd5 12.Qxd5+–
11.Nd4 b4 12.Nd5
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Black saved the d6-pawn at the price of the queenside pawns. Now one of them will fall. The best
try is
12...c3 13.bxc3 Nxd5 14.exd5 bxc3 15.Qxc3
but there is next to no compensation.

Diagram 1.3
The main line after 4...exd4, variation C, leads to a fighting game. In this position, Black gains
some central control with the move
16...d5
However, after
17.g5!
White’s kingside initiative proves to be stronger than both Black’s queenside pawns and the d-
pawn, which is about to be pushed one square further.
17...d4 18.Qd2 Nd7
Now that the center and queenside are semi-closed, White’s attack should be faster. Only a of
couple precautions should be made to deal with Black’s c-pawn.
19.Kb1 Rac8
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Position after: 19...Rac8
Black is planning ...Rfd8 and ...c4.
20.Rc1!
Overprotecting the c2-pawn and unbinding the queen from its defense. Now the immediate
20...c4? cannot be played as it would drop the d4-pawn, while White is finally ready to launch
their attack with g6, blowing open the kingside.
20.g6?! c4„
Diagram 2.1
In the main line (4...Nbd7 instead of 4...exd4), the positions are of a quieter nature. The best way
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to learn them is to understand the typical maneuvers and setups. In the given position, Black has
taken on d4 quite early, and has immediately targeted the e4-pawn. Meanwhile, White’s last move
before the capture on d4 was Bc4-a2, which, as you will see, is a typical preparatory move. The
following queen move indicates that White wants to attack:
13.Qf3 Ne5 14.Qg3
This is one of the ideal setups which White should strive for. In this particular instance, Black has
the active defense
14...g5!
which might keep them in the game. At the same time, the move is definitely counter-intuitive,
and the ensuing positions (for the human opponent!) are not too appealing from Black’s point of
view.
14...Nh5 15.Qh4 Nf6 16.f4 Ng6 17.Qg3²
15.f4 Nh5 16.Qf2 gxf4 17.Bxf4 Nxf4 18.Qxf4ƒ
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Position after: 18.Qxf4ƒ
Diagram 2.2
Here is another example of White achieving this setup. As in the last example, it is important that
White retreats the bishop to a2, in order to pre-empt ...Ne5.
11...Re8 12.Ba2 Bf8 13.Qf3±
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Position after: 13.Qf3±
Ruiz Castillo, J – Munoz Galvez, J Cartagena 2019.

Diagram 2.3
In this position, Black hastened to take on d4, giving White the unusual possibility of deploying
their dark-squared bishop to the long diagonal:
11.b3!?
Usually, the dark-squared bishop is already committed to the e3-square or the light-squared bishop
is on a2.
11...Re8
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My analysis shows that 11...Be6 is Black’s best try, after which, play becomes sharper (12.Bf1 d5
etc), though White retains an initiative.
12.Bb2 Bf8 13.Qf3
Again we see that the queen is well-placed on this square.
13...Bd7 14.Rad1²
Position after: 14.Rad1²
Diagram 2.4
It is more common to see this kind of position, in which Black keeps the tension in the center, and
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makes several quiet moves on the queenside. Given time, Black would like to play the moves
...Bb7, ...a6 and ...b5. If they achieve all of that without any immediate problems in the center or
on the kingside, they would probably have sufficient counterplay. Luckily for White, there are at
least two plans that put a spanner in the works. The first is a well-known knight sortie to h4,
eyeing the f5-square. This is particularly strong when the queen is on c7 rather than d8, as the e7-
bishop is left unprotected, while tactics like ...Nxe4 followed by ...Bxh4 are less likely to work.
10.Ba2
Very often a useful preparatory move. On c4, the bishop is vulnerable to attacks such as ...exd4,
...Ne5 or ...d5.
A) It is important not to be hasty: 10.Nh4?! exd4 11.Qxd4 Ne5!„
Position after: 11...Ne5!„
Interestingly, Black threatens ...Bxh3! followed by ...Nh5 (e8, d7). Once the knight is removed
from h4, ...Nf3+ is a deadly fork. I have never seen this idea of removing the defender on h4, but
I have fallen for the ...Bxh3 followed by ...Nf3+ trap at least once in a classical game. Please be
aware of it!
B) 10.d5!? is worth considering, and this is the second plan which will be discussed below. In
this case, I prefer to remove the bishop away from the firing line of the queen on c7.
10.Ba2 a6
10...Bb7 leads to the same idea. 11.Nh4!
11.Nh4!
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11...Re8
A) 11...exd4?! is sometimes a good reaction to the knight move. In this case, it runs into the
powerful zwischenzug 12.Nf5!±
B) 11...g6 12.Bh6 Re8 13.Nf3 Bf8 14.Qd2±
12.Nf5 Nf8
12...Bf8 13.d5! c5 14.Bc4± Tukhaev, A – Maljush, A Minsk 2015
13.d5! c5 14.Bc4±
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Position after: 14.Bc4±
White has a serious advantage.

Diagram 2.5
This position is even better for White than the previous one, as the g6-square has been weakened
by the move ...h7-h6. Additionally, there are no circumstances in which Black can play ...g7-g6
themselves, as this would weaken the kingside too much.
12.Nh4!
Notice that the white knight can jump either to f5 or to g6.

Diagram 2.6
The second plan tends to be overlooked or underestimated. Where Black has neglected the d5-
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square, White can immediately exploit it with
11.d5!
Black is faced with an unpleasant choice between a bad Benoni and a bad Najdorf Sicilian.
11...Bb7
A) 11...cxd5 12.Bxd5! Bb7 13.Bxb7 Qxb7 14.Bg5±
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also transforms into a Sicilian structure in which White has excellent control over the d5-square.
When I first saw this position, I did not appreciate how bad Black’s position was. White will
exchange the bishop for the knight and challenge the remaining one (e.g. with Nh2-g4), so that
the d5-square is left defenseless.
B) 11...c5 12.Nd2±
12.dxc6 Bxc6 13.Bg5 h6 14.Bxf6 Nxf6 15.Nh4!±
Position after: 15.Nh4!±
Another weak point in Black’s camp is revealed – the f5-square. Note that
15...Nxe4??
fails to
16.Nd5!
Diagram 2.7
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In some positions, Black focuses their attention on the e-file by playing the moves ...h6 and ...Re8.
Considering that Black has devoted two moves to the plan of pressurizing the e-pawn, the same
move
11.d5!?
could be a serious inconvenience to them.
11...Nb6
A) 11...cxd5 12.Bxd5 Nb6 13.Nb5 Qd8 14.c4 keeps Black in a positional bind. If 14...Nbxd5
15.cxd5 Nxe4 16.Rc1² White will pick up an exchange.
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B) 11...Nf8 12.Bb3 Ng6 13.a5 c5 14.Bc4± Nakar, E – Kunin, V Sandavagur 2018.
12.Bb3 cxd5 13.exd5
Usually White wants to recapture with the pieces, keeping greater control of the center. In this
case, the threat of a5 justifies a less flexible pawn structure.
13...Bd7
13...a6 Kulaots, K – Haitin, I Tallinn 2020, 14.a5 Nc4 [14...Nbd7?! 15.Na4!±] 15.Bxc4 Qxc4
16.Nd2 Qc7 17.Bb6 Qb8 18.Qf3²
14.Nd2 a5 15.Qe2²
Diagram 2.8
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Here is another example:
11.d5!? Nb6 12.Nd2
and White has a positional edge:
12...Bd7
12...cxd5?! would be correct if not for the strong reply 13.Bxb6! Qxb6 14.Bxd5± when Black is
left with another terrible Najdorf.
Position after: 14.Bxd5±
13.Bb3 Rc8 14.Nc4 Nxc4 15.Bxc4 Qc7 16.b3²
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Position after: 16.b3²
White’s position can be gradually improved, while it is difficult to find a plan for Black.
Diagram 2.9
11.Ba2
It is important to refrain from d5 if too many minor pieces are exchanged on d5. Thus, not 11.d5?!
cxd5! 12.Nxd5?! Nxd5 13.Bxd5 Bxd5 14.Rxd5 Qc6³
11.Ba2
Although the plans I have shown appear to be convincing, you must still remain vigilant – if you
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are careless, the space advantage may become unsustainable or loose. Here are some examples
where White must not hurry with their plans.
A) The main move is 11...a6 which, indeed, does not do anything to prevent White’s plan:
12.Nh4!
B) 11...Rae8 Negi, P – Ghaem Maghami, E Sharjah 2014 12.Nh4?? would now be a mistake due
to 12...exd4 13.Rxd4 d5!–+. It is best, therefore, to reinforce the center with 12.Be3²
C) Likewise, 11...Rad8 is best answered with 12.Be3² [If instead, 12.Nh4?! then Black has the
same resource as in the note above: 12...exd4 13.Rxd4 d5! 14.exd5 Bc5 15.Bf4 Qc8 16.Nf5 cxd5
and the rook is perfectly placed on d8.]
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Chapter 1
Various
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e5 4.Nf3
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e5 4.Nf3
4...Qe7
A rare move, usually played with the intention of rerouting the queen to c7. This implies, that the
knight is best kept at bay on b8, rather than on d7, which seems unsound to me.
A) 4...Nc6 5.Bb5 – see Part II.
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B) 4...Bg4?! leads to a practically lost ending by force: 5.dxe5 Bxf3 6.gxf3! dxe5 7.Qxd8+ Kxd8
8.f4!
8...Bd6 [8...Bb4 9.Bg2 Nc6 10.fxe5 Ng4 Schebler, G – Mikhaletz, L Budapest 1998 11.Bd2
Ngxe5 12.0-0-0+–] 9.fxe5 Bxe5 10.Bd2+– Gulko, B – Polihroniade, E Seville 1992.
5.Bc4
5...c6
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A) 5...Bg4 6.Be3 Nc6 [6...Nbd7 7.h3 Bh5 8.d5±] 7.d5
7...Bxf3 [7...Nd4 8.Bxd4 exd4 clearly won’t be enough, and even allows 9.Bb5+! Kd8
10.Qxd4±] 8.gxf3 Nb8 9.Qd2±
B) 5...h6 6.h3 g6 [6...c6 see 5...c6.] 7.dxe5 dxe5 8.a4± is an excellent version of the setup I
recommend against the Pirc Defense.
6.h3
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6...h6
Both a defensive move (preventing Ng5) and an aggressive one – Black hints at the possibility of
playing the anti-positional ...g5 once White has castled.
6...b5 7.Bb3 h6 8.0-0
8...Qc7 [8...g5? is a particularly bad idea when there’s a weakening on the other side of the board:
9.a4 b4 10.Ne2+– Black doesn’t really have an attack, while they’ve left their king in a permanent
state of danger.] 9.Nh4!
704
Hinting at f4 (which is likely to be played only after securing the d4-pawn with Be3). 9...Nbd7
[9...Be7? 10.dxe5 dxe5 11.f4! Bd6 12.Qf3 is practically decisive.] 10.a3 a5 11.Be3±
7.Bb3
A useful waiting move.

At this specific moment, I’d rather not provoke the opponent into 7.0-0 g5, although as you will
see, it is possible to do this when the bishop is on b3.
7...Qc7
7...g5?, which is almost always a bad idea when the opponent has not castled. 8.Be3
Here, White can of course play a move other than 8.0-0 and they will obtain an advantage, but it’s
also possible to provoke Black into playing for an attack with
8.0-0
705
Now Black should probably play 8...Be7 or 8...Nbd7, which begs the question – what was the
point of playing 4...Qe7? Instead,
8...g5?!
This is a consistent move but it falls for
9.dxe5 dxe5 10.Nxe5!
when it is White who has the attack! According to Stockfish, White is winning here:
10...Qxe5 11.f4 Qc5+
706
Position after: 11...Qc5+
Notice that this line would not have worked if the bishop were still on c4.
12.Kh2
But not 12.Kh1? g4! 13.e5 gxh3 14.gxh3 Bxh3.
12...Be6
12...g4 13.e5 gxh3 14.gxh3+–
13.e5 Nfd7 14.Bxe6 fxe6 15.Ne4
707
15...Qc4
A) 15...Qd5 16.Qe2+–
B) 15...Qb5 16.b3+–
16.Re1 Na6 17.b3!
Improving the position with gain of tempo.
17...Qb4
17...Qd5? is even worse. 18.Qh5+ Kd8 19.c4 Qa5 20.Rd1 Kc8 21.Rxd7 Kxd7 22.Qf7+ Kc8
23.Qf6+–
708
Position after: 23.Qf6+–
18.Nf6+ Nxf6 19.exf6+–
Black’s king is too exposed.
709
Chapter 2
4...exd4
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e5 4.Nf3 exd4 5.Nxd4
Chapter Guide
Chapter 2 – 4...exd4
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e5 4.Nf3 exd4 5.Nxd4 Be7 6.Bf4 0-0 7.Qd2
Introduction
B) 7...d5
C) 7...Nc6
Einführung
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e5 4.Nf3 exd4 5.Nxd4
710
5...Be7
A) 5...Nc6 6.Bb5 – see Part II, Chapter 3, variation A.

B) 5...a6 6.Bf4 should transpose back into 5...Be7 as a move like 6...b5? is premature. 7.Qe2±
C) 5...g6 is the only line which is completely independent. The drawback is that it gives White an
immediate target for attack (the same reason the Sicilian Dragon is considered slightly risky).
6.Be3 Bg7 [6...Ng4?! gives White a half-tempo, as the bishop need not retreat to an inferior
square: 7.Bf4 Bg7 8.h3 Nf6 9.Qf3± Voronin, A – Duplenko, V corr UKR/Cup3/final (UKR)
2010] 7.Qd2 Nc6 8.0-0-0 0-0 9.f3
711
C1) 9...Nxd4 10.Bxd4 Be6 11.g4 also gives White a typical, strong attack. 11...c5 [Or 11...a6
Geus, J – Jacewicz, G W-ch WS/M/337 email 2011, 12.h4] 12.Be3
12...b5 Black should try to generate play quickly, otherwise they will be mated without much of
a fight. Nevertheless, this sacrifice is far from sufficient. [12...Qa5 13.Bh6 Rad8 14.h4± Maffei,
U – Rilberg, S corr Web Server ICCF 2011] 13.Bxb5 Qa5
Now it is important to exchange the dangerous fianchetto bishop with 14.Bh6! Bxh6 15.Qxh6
Rab8 16.Qf4+– Speisser, P – Splichal, J EU-ch 2014.
C2) 9...Re8 gives White a standard attacking game: 10.g4 Ne5 11.Be2 a6 12.g5 Nh5 13.f4 Ng4
712
14.Bf3±
Fritsche, F – Jorgensen, P ICCF Money Prize 2010.
6.Bf4 0-0 7.Qd2
Black has arrived at a crossroads. The following options will be analyzed:

A) 7...Re8, 7...c6?! and 7...a6?! – see variation A.
B) 7...d5 – see variation B.
713
C) 7...Nc6 – see variation C.
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e5 4.Nf3 exd4 5.Nxd4 Be7 6.Bf4 0-0 7.Qd2
A) 7...Re8 8.0-0-0 Nbd7?! is a setup which is hardly ever seen, yet, in similar positions, Daniil
Dubov deployed his pieces in the same way, so it probably warrants some consideration. 9.f3
A1) 9...Nc5?! is counterproductive. 10.g4 c6 11.h4 Ne6 12.Nxe6 Bxe6 13.Bxd6 Bxd6 14.Qxd6
714
Qa5 15.a3 Red8 16.Qf4+–
A2) 9...Nb6 10.g4 c6 11.h4 d5 12.e5 Nfd7 13.h5 Bb4 [13...Bc5 14.Nb3 Bf8 15.Re1±] 14.h6 g6
15.a3 Be7 16.Rg1±
A3) 9...Ne5 10.Qf2 Bf8 11.g4 c6 12.h4 Qc7 13.h5 b5 14.g5 Nfd7 15.g6!
An idea stolen from the Sicilian. White is ready to sacrifice at least one pawn in order to pry
open Black’s kingside pawns.
A3.1) 15...b4 16.Nce2 a5 17.Ng3±
A3.2) 15...fxg6?! 16.hxg6 Nxg6 loses to [16...h6 17.Bh3+–] 17.Qh2 h6
715
and now the unexpected 18.Bxb5! cxb5 19.Rdg1 Nde5 20.Bxe5 Nxe5 21.Qxh6+–
B) 7...c6?! 8.0-0-0
B1) Black is not quite ready for 8...d5 9.exd5 Nxd5 10.Nxd5 Qxd5 because White gains an
initiative in the center with 11.c4! Qd8 12.Bd3 Na6 13.Bb1 Qb6
Position after: 13...Qb6
Palac, M – Jovanovic, Z Kutina 2006, 14.Rhe1! Not fearing 14...Bb4 15.Qc2 g6 16.Re4! [It was
important to overprotect the knight on d4. If 16.Re2?! Rd8 Black obtains counterplay. The
knight cannot move because of ...Bf5.] 16...Nc5 [16...Rd8 17.Bg5!±] 17.Re5±
716
B2) Against the line 8...b5 it is important to remember only one tactical trick: 9.f3 b4 10.Na4!
B2.1) 10...c5 11.Nb5 Bd7 12.b3+–

B2.2) 10...Qa5 11.b3 c5 [11...Bd7 doesn’t even come close to hitting the mark: 12.g4 c5
13.Nf5] 12.Nb5 Bd7 13.Bxd6! Bxd6 14.Nxd6 Bxa4 15.bxa4
Position after: 15.bxa4
15...Nc6 [15...Qxa4 16.Kb1+– Pijpers, A – Milosevic, M Porto Carras 2018] 16.Nf5 Qxa4
17.Bc4+– Hauser, S – Grabner, H ICCF email 2009.
B2.3) 10...Bd7 11.g4! Ignoring the indirect attack on the a4-knight, White focuses on the
717
bishop on e7. 11...c5 12.Nf5! Bxa4 13.Nxe7+ Qxe7 14.Bxd6 and Black’s position collapses
altogether.
14...Qb7 [14...Qe8 15.Bxc5!+–; 14...Qe6 15.b3!+–] 15.Bxf8 Kxf8 16.e5 Ne8 Schroeder, C –
Udvari, N LSS email 2011, 17.e6 fxe6 18.Bc4+–
C) 7...a6?! 8.0-0-0
C1) 8...d5? 9.exd5 Nxd5 10.Nxd5 Qxd5 11.Nb3! Qc6 [11...Qh5 12.Be2 Qg6 13.Bd3 Bf5
14.Bxf5 Qxf5 15.Bxc7+–; 11...Qxd2+ 12.Rxd2+–] 12.Bd3 Qa4 13.Rhe1 Be6 Salinnikov, D –
Payen, A St Petersburg 1998, 14.a3+–
718
C2) 8...Nc6 9.Nxc6 bxc6 10.e5!
10...Nd5 [10...Ne8 11.h4± Okhotnik, V – Glatt, G Hungary 2009; 10...dxe5 11.Qxd8 Rxd8
12.Rxd8+ Bxd8 13.Bxe5± Debray, C – Beljan, M Rijeka 2009] 11.Nxd5 cxd5 12.Qxd5 Be6
13.Qc6 Bg5
This looks like counterplay, but White has a clean way to keep things under control: 14.Be3!
Bxe3+ 15.fxe3 Qg5 This move no longer comes with check, so White has the obvious capture
16.exd6 Qxe3+ 17.Kb1 Bg4 18.Rc1 cxd6 19.Bc4±
C3) 8...b5 is different to 7...c6 in that ...b4 cannot really be met with Na4 due to ...Bd7.
719
Nevertheless, there is a separate drawback. 9.Be2! Immediately aiming to exploit the long
diagonal. Be2-f3 is next. [9.f3 is far more popular; however, it leads to an unclear position after
9...c5 10.Nf5 Bxf5 11.exf5 Nc6 12.g4 b4 13.Nd5 Nxd5 14.Qxd5 Bg5 15.Bxg5 Qxg5+ 16.Kb1
Nd4]
Position after: 9.Be2!
C3.1) 9...b4 10.Nd5 Nxd5 11.exd5 a5 12.h4± Biedermann, T – Pligin, S ICCF email 2017.
C3.2) 9...Re8 10.Bf3 b4 [10...Ra7? is not a move Black wants to play. 11.Rhe1 b4 12.Nd5
Nxd5 13.exd5+– Ganguly, S – Deepan Chakkravarthy, J Dhaka 2007] 11.Nd5 Nxd5 12.exd5
a5 13.h4±
C3.3) 9...c5 10.Nb3!N Instead 10.Nf5 would only complicate matters. After the text move, it’s
clear that the d6-pawn is too weak. 10...c4 [10...b4?! 11.Nd5 Nxd5 12.Qxd5+–; 10...Nc6
11.Bxd6 c4 12.Nc5+–] 11.Nd4 b4 12.Nd5
720
Black saves the d6-pawn at the price of the queenside pawns. Now one of them will fall. The
best try is 12...c3 [12...Nxd5 13.exd5 c3 transposes.] 13.bxc3 Nxd5 14.exd5 bxc3 15.Qxc3 Bf6
but there is next to no compensation: 16.Rhe1 Qb6 17.a4!+–
Position after: 17.a4!+–
B) 7...d5
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e5 4.Nf3 exd4 5.Nxd4 Be7 6.Bf4 0-0 7.Qd2 d5
721
The most concrete and forcing variation. In my opinion, it is objectively best, but slightly awkward
to defend for Black.
8.Ndb5! Bb4™ 9.0-0-0 c6!
9...Ba5?! 10.exd5 a6 11.Nd4
11...Ne4 [Black would like to be able to play 11...Nxd5?? but this fails immediately to 12.Nb3;
11...Nbd7 12.Ne6! is an effective simplifying tactic. 12...fxe6 13.dxe6±; 11...Re8 12.f3± Black’s
best is to take on c3 and then on d5, where White has a significant lead in development.] 12.Qe3
722
Nxc3 13.bxc3
13...Nd7 [Again the pawn on d5 cannot be taken: 13...Qxd5?? 14.Nb3+–; 13...Re8 14.Qg3+–]
14.d6! cxd6 15.Nf5+– White’s threats are too fast, so Black is never in time to exploit the
damaged queenside structure.
10.Nc7 Nxe4 11.Qd4
11...Bxc3
723
11...Nxc3?! 12.bxc3 Ba3+ 13.Kb1 Nd7 is unsound but it was played in the high-level rapid game
Grischuk, A – Mamedyarov, S Astana 2012. 14.Nxa8 Bc5 15.Qd2
A) 15...Qa5 16.Bd3 Ba3 [16...d4 17.cxd4 Bb4 18.Qe2+–] 17.Rhe1+– Black has no threats thanks
to the knight on a8 preventing ...Qb6+!
B) 15...Nf6 16.f3 Restricting the scope of Black’s knight. 16...Qa5
17.Be5 [17.Bd3?? d4 18.cxd4 Bb4 and if White moves the queen then ...Nd5 wins!] 17...Bf5 This
might look scary but Black still doesn’t threaten anything and it isn’t at all easy to get to White’s
king. 18.g4 Bg6 19.h4 Re8 20.Bd4+–
724
12.bxc3 Qe7 13.c4!
Attack and defense.
13...Qa3+ 14.Qb2 Qa5
Black must try to keep the queens on.
15.cxd5 Nxf2 16.Be2 Na6
16...Bf5 17.Nxa8 Nxh1 18.Rxh1 Re8 19.Bf3 Na6 20.Bd2! keeps everything under control:
725
A) 20...Qa4 21.Qb3 Qd4 22.Re1 Rxa8 [22...Qa1+ 23.Qb1±] 23.Qxb7 Rd8 24.Qb2!± and White
manages to consolidate. Triay Moll, L – Keskowski, T ICCF email 2017.
B) 20...Qc5? The queen happens to be very badly placed here: 21.Re1 Rxa8 22.Re5! Qg1+
[22...Bg6 23.dxc6+–] 23.Bd1+–
17.Nxa8 Nxh1 18.Rxh1
Position after: 18.Rxh1
18...Nb4
18...Re8?? seems natural, but allows White to take control with the forcing continuation 19.Bd2!
Qxd5 20.Bxa6 bxa6 21.Nc7 Qxg2 22.Rd1 Rd8 23.Qe5+– Ragger, M – Schneider, I Austria 2017.
19.Bc4 Qc5
726
At this point, both engines agree that White is better after
20.Bd2!?
Instead 20.a3 has been played in 14 correspondence games (as compared with 20.Bd2, which has
only been seen once). In that line, Black holds with best play according to my analysis. The line
continues by force with 20...Nxc2! 21.Qxc2 Qxa3+ etc.
20...Nxd5 21.Bxd5 Qxd5 22.Bf4
727
22...Rd8
22...Qxg2 23.Re1 Bf5 24.Nc7² The knight remains a useful asset for White, as Black cannot
exploit the fact that it is trapped.
23.Nc7 Qxg2
23...Qe4 24.Qe5! Qa4 25.Kb2 Bf5 26.Rc1 Qb4+ 27.Ka1²
24.Re1 Qf2 25.Qe5²
Position after: 25.Qe5²
Again, there is no way to win the knight and there is sufficient play to keep Black busy. As in the
line 20.a3, Black has some drawing chances, but they should be relatively slim in practice.
C) 7...Nc6
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e5 4.Nf3 exd4 5.Nxd4 Be7 6.Bf4 0-0 7.Qd2 Nc6 8.0-0-0
728
8...Nxd4
A) 8...a6?! 9.Nxc6 bxc6 10.e5!
A1) 10...Ne8 is too passive. 11.h4+– Okhotnik, V – Glatt, G Hungary 2009.

A2) 10...dxe5 11.Qxd8 Rxd8 [It is even worse to keep the rooks on. 11...Bxd8 12.Bxe5±]
12.Rxd8+ Bxd8 13.Bxe5± Debray, C – Beljan, M Rijeka 2009.
A3) 10...Nd5 11.Nxd5 cxd5 12.Qxd5 Be6 13.Qc6 Bg5 14.Be3!±
B) 8...Re8 is always possible, but I don’t think it’s particularly useful here. [Black’s last move
729
did reduce the effects of the positional approach 9.Nxc6 bxc6 10.e5 dxe5 because 11.Qxd8?
Bxd8 is better for Black. Instead 11.Bxe5 still gives White an obvious plus.] 9.f3
B1) The most logical continuation is 9...Nxd4 10.Qxd4 Be6 11.g4 Nd7 12.h4 Bf6 13.Qe3 and
although the queen is in the firing line of the rook on e8, there is no way to exploit it.
B2) 9...a6 10.Nxc6 bxc6 11.g4 Be6 12.g5 Nd7 [12...Nh5 is unnecessarily risky. 13.Be3 etc.
Note that the active 13...f5?! can be met with 14.f4! fxe4 15.Be2 Bf7 16.Rhg1 with a decisive
advantage.] 13.h4‚
730
9.Qxd4 Be6 10.f3
10...a6
10...Nd7 is the other logical move. 11.h4 Bf6 12.Qd2 Be5 [12...Bxh4?? 13.g4 Bf6 14.Qh2 h6
15.Bd2!; 12...Nb6 13.Bg5! seems dangerous for Black.] Now White’s simplest reply is 13.Bxe5
dxe5 [13...Nxe5?! 14.Be2±] 14.Bc4!
14...Nc5 [14...Bxc4?! 15.Qxd7±] 15.Qe3 Qe7 16.Bxe6 Nxe6 17.Nd5 Qe8 18.Qc3 c6 19.Ne3 Nd4
20.Qb4² Black’s knight is about to be kicked away and White keeps an initiative.
731
11.g4 b5 12.h4 c5
12...Nd7 is a bit too slow. 13.Kb1 Bf6 14.Qd2 Nb6 15.g5 Be5 16.h5 Rb8 17.b3± This move
prevents any immediate counterplay in connection to the knight jumping to c4 or a4.
13.Qe3
13...b4
A) 13...Re8?! allows 14.e5! Nd7 15.exd6 Bf6 16.Ne4 Qa5 17.Nxf6+ Nxf6 18.Qxc5 Qxa2 and
now White must consolidate the position with 19.Qa3! Qxa3 20.bxa3 Nd5 21.Rd4±
B) 13...Qa5 is not as threatening as it looks. 14.g5 Nd7 [14...b4?! 15.gxf6 bxc3 16.Qxc3 Qxc3
17.bxc3 Bxf6 18.Bxd6 forces Black to give up the exchange; 14...Nh5 15.Kb1±] 15.Kb1 Nb6
16.h5±
14.Na4
732
14...Qc7
The more direct 14...Qa5?! is less testing. White wants to play b3 anyway, so the queen is left
offside for no good reason. 15.b3 Rfd8 [15...d5? fails to 16.exd5 Nxd5 17.Rxd5 Bxd5 18.Qxe7+–]
16.g5 Ne8 [16...Nh5?! 17.Bh2 Bf8 18.f4 g6 19.Be2 Re8 20.Qf3 is a decisive advantage for White.]
17.h5 Rac8 18.g6 c4
Now there are a few ways for White to continue, but the most impressive is 19.Rd5!! Bxd5
20.exd5 A positional sacrifice. Now Black’s light-squares are completely unguarded. 20...Rc7
733
[20...Bf6 21.gxf7+ Kxf7 22.Qe4±] 21.Bxc4 Bf6 22.Qe4 fxg6 23.hxg6 Re7 24.Qd3 h6 25.Bd2±
15.h5!
I had analyzed 15.g5 Nh5 16.Bh2 extensively, before realizing that 15.h5 leads to much clearer
play.
15...Qc6
15...Nd7?! 16.g5± – see the model game Martucci, M – Vajas, S ICCF email 2018.
16.b3 d5
This is the only active defense for Black.
17.g5!
Essentially, the kingside attack is so strong that White can afford to relinquish some control over
the center and queenside.
17.exd5 Nxd5 18.Qe4 Rac8 19.h6!
734
looks appealing; however, I couldn’t find a real advantage in the following ending: 19...g5!?
20.Be5 Nf4! 21.Qxc6 Rxc6 22.Bxf4 gxf4.
17...d4 18.Qd2 Nd7
Now that the center and queenside are semi-closed, White’s attack should be faster. Only a couple
of precautions should be made to deal with Black’s c-pawn.
19.Kb1 Rac8
735
Black is planning ...Rfd8 and ...c4.
20.Rc1!
Overprotecting the c2-pawn, so that the queen is unbound from its defense. Now the immediate
20...c4? cannot be played as it would drop the d4-pawn.
20.g6?! c4„
20...Rfd8
20...Nb6? 21.Nxb6 Qxb6 22.g6! is too dangerous for Black. This is very similar to the English
Attack against the Sicilian Najdorf, although here, Black doesn’t have much counterplay.
A) If the pawn is ignored, White opens up the g-file with devastating effect: 22...Rfd8 23.gxh7+
Kxh7 [23...Kh8 24.Qg2+–] 24.Be5! Eyeing the weakest point in Black’s camp. 24...c4 25.Qg2
Bf8 [25...Rg8 26.f4+–] 26.Qg5! Threatening 27.h6 and 28.Qf6. 26...Rc5 (Black’s best practical
reply).
736
If now 27.h6? then 27...g6 28.Qf6 Rxe5! is better for Black as the white pieces have no way to
get to Black’s king. Instead White should deflect Black’s light-squared bishop from the f5-square
with 27.Bxc4! Bxc4 28.Qf5+ Kg8 and only now 29.h6! Qg6 [of course, now 29...g6?? is
impossible due to 30.h7#] 30.Rcg1 Qxf5 31.exf5
Position after: 31.exf5
The attack is so strong that even without queens, Black’s king is defenseless. 32.hxg7 is next,
with the threat of mate on h8.
B) 22...fxg6 23.hxg6 hxg6 24.Be5! Bf6 [24...Bd6 25.Rh8+ Kf7 26.Qf4+ Ke8 27.Rxf8+ Bxf8
28.Qg3 Bf7 29.Rd1+–] 25.Bxf6 Rxf6 26.e5 Rxf3 27.Qg5+–
737
21.g6!
21...c4
Of course, not 21...fxg6? 22.hxg6 hxg6 23.Nb2 Nb6 24.Qg2 with a crushing attack.
22.gxh7+ Kxh7
22...Kh8?! 23.h6! g6 24.Bxc4 Bxc4 25.Qxd4+ f6 26.Qxc4 Qxc4 27.bxc4±
23.Bxc4 Bxc4 24.Qxd4!
738
Position after: 24.Qxd4!
An important resource, and one which Leela initially overlooked. If Black tries to keep the bishop,
they will be quickly mated.
24...Nf8
24...Be6?? 25.h6! wins. For instance 25...f6 26.hxg7+ Kg8 27.Qg1! Kf7 28.Rh6 Bd6 29.Qg6+ Ke7
30.e5! Bxe5 31.Bxe5 fxe5 32.Qg5+ Kd6 33.f4+–
25.Qxc4 Qxc4 26.bxc4 Ne6 27.Be5 Bg5 28.Rcd1 Rxc4 29.Nb6²
Position after: 29.Nb6²
After all the complications, Black manages to survive, though, I’d be somewhat suspicious of
them if they got this far in a real game.
All the same, Black is left with a difficult ending. White has a better pawn structure, well-
coordinated pieces, and good control over the light-squares (in particular, the d5-square).
Model game
Martucci, Massimo
Vajas, Sandor (1943)
ICCF email 2018
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e5 4.Nf3 exd4 5.Nxd4 Be7 6.Bf4 0-0 7.Qd2 Nc6 8.0-0-0 Nxd4 9.Qxd4
Be6 10.f3 a6 11.g4 b5 12.h4 c5 13.Qe3 b4 14.Na4 Qc7 15.h5!
739
Depriving the knight of the h5-square, thus, preparing g5.
15...Nd7
This gives White an easy attacking game.
16.g5 Ne5
Perhaps Black should have fought against White’s plan by playing 16...c4 17.h6 [17.b3?! cxb3
18.axb3 Rfc8 gives Black better chances than in the game, as the b3/c2 structure is not as solid as
the b3/a2 structure.] 17...g6 although even here, White has a clear advantage with 18.Qd4 Ne5
19.Kb1±.
17.b3
740
This is a solid construction. The move ...c4 is relatively unthreatening. Meanwhile, the knight is
given an escape route.
17...Rfc8
A) 17...c4 18.Kb1±
B) 17...Bd7? fails to 18.Bxe5 dxe5 [18...Bxa4 19.Bxg7 Kxg7 20.bxa4+–] 19.Nb6! Qxb6
20.Rxd7+–
18.Rd2 a5 19.Kb1 c4
There’s no other way to create counterplay.

19...Bd7?! 20.Bxe5 dxe5 21.Bc4 is a harmless attempt from Black.
20.h6! g6
741
21.Nb6
It is also possible to play 21.Bxe5 dxe5 22.Bxc4 Bxc4 23.bxc4± with a serious advantage.
21...c3
A more humanly try is 21...cxb3 22.axb3 (forced, as 22.cxb3?? would lose to 22...Qc1#!) 22...a4
in order to distract the knight on b6. Nevertheless, White does not need to worry about the a-pawn.
23.Nxc8 Qxc8 24.Bb5! axb3 25.cxb3 Ra3 26.Ba4+–
22.Rd5!+–
Instead of capturing the exchange, White sacrifices one himself!
22...Bxd5 23.Nxd5 Qd8 24.Bb5
742
Black has zero counterplay, while White is in complete control of the light-squares. Next, White
plans to launch the f-pawn down the board, to open up Black’s king.
24...Rc5 25.Ba4 f6 26.gxf6 Bxf6 27.Bg3 Rxd5
Desperation.
28.exd5 Qe7 29.Re1 Qf7 30.Qe4 Rf8 31.f4 Nd7 32.Bc6 Nc5 33.Qe2 Bd8 34.f5
743
34...Qf6
34...Qxf5 35.Bxd6+–
35.Qh2 Be7 36.Bb5 g5
36...gxf5 is easily refuted by 37.Qg1! or 37.Qg2.
37.Bf2 Rb8 38.Bc4
The bishop has done its job on the a4-e8 diagonal.
38...Rc8 39.Qg1!
White’s dark-squared bishop is now ready to spring to life.
39...Qf7 40.Bd4 a4 41.Bxc5 axb3
41...Rxc5 42.Qxc5! dxc5 43.d6 Bxd6 44.Bxf7+ Kxf7 45.bxa4+–
42.Bxd6
42.Bxb3 Rxc5 43.Qxc5? dxc5 44.d6 Bxd6 45.Bxf7+ Kxf7 is suddenly far from clear.
42...bxc2+ 43.Kc1 Bxd6 44.Qxg5+ Kh8 45.Re6! Bf8
45...Rxc4 46.Rxd6 leads to mate shortly.
46.Bb3 Qa7
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Often it happens that the defending side enjoys a short spurt of counterplay after a transformation
of advantages. Unfortunately, this usually falls short.
47.Qf6+ Kg8 48.Re2! Qa3+ 49.Kxc2 Qb2+ 50.Kd3
There is nothing to fear.
50...Qb1+ 51.Bc2 Qh1 52.Qe6+ Kh8 53.Qe5+ Kg8 54.Bb3! Qb1+ 55.Ke3 Bxh6+ 56.Kf2
Black cannot prevent 57.d6+ without sacrificing his queen.
1-0
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Chapter 3
The Main Line
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e5 4.Nf3 Nbd7 5.Bc4
Chapter Guide
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e5 4.Nf3 Nbd7 5.Bc4 Be7 6.a4 0-0 7.0-0 c6 8.h3
Introduction
B) 8...Qc7
C1) 8...a5 9.Re1 (various)
C2) 8...a5 9.Re1 Nb6
D) 8...b6
Einführung
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e5 4.Nf3 Nbd7 5.Bc4
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5...Be7
A) 5...exd4 In my view, this is slightly inexact as after 6.Qxd4! White is likely to castle long and
initiate an attack.
Position after: 6.Qxd4!
6...Be7 [6...Nb6?! is premature in view of 7.e5! Qe7 8.Bf4 Nxc4 9.Qxc4 dxe5 10.Bxe5 Be6
11.Qd4 Rd8 12.Qxa7 Ng4 13.0-0 Nxe5 14.Nxe5 Qc5 15.Qa4+ c6 16.Nd3±] 7.Bf4 Nb6 8.0-0-0!
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Position after: 8.0-0-0!
8...0-0 [Black does not have enough compensation after 8...Nxc4 9.Qxc4 Be6 10.Qb5+ Nd7
11.Qxb7 Rb8 12.Qa6±] 9.Rhe1 Be6 Pijpers, A – Horvath, J Belgium 2017 [9...Nxc4 10.Qxc4
Be6 Van Foreest, J – Sokolov, I Hoogeveen 2016 11.Qe2±] 10.Bf1
Now White has easy play. Qd2 and Nd4 are probably the next moves. On 10...d5 11.exd5 Nbxd5
12.Be5 c6 13.Bc4² the initiative persists.
B) 5...h6 6.0-0 c6 7.a4 Qc7 8.Re1 is independent to the line 5...Be7 6. 0-0 c6 7.a4 h6 only if
Black goes for an early 8...g5?! rather than 8...Be7.
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Position after: 8...g5?!
However, it transpires that the bishop move is necessary for Black’s attacking chances, as it
vacates the f8-square for the d7-knight. 9.d5! a5 10.b3 Be7 11.Ba3±
6.a4!
6...0-0
6...exd4 7.Nxd4 Ne5 is now met with 8.Ba2 Nc6 9.0-0 0-0 see 6...0-0 7.0-0 exd4.
6...c6 7.0-0 h6 is the so-called Black Lion.
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To be sure, this is the most aggressive way to play the Philidor. In general, White has enough play
on the queenside and center to obtain a clear advantage, however if White is not exact, things can
go wrong quite quickly. 8.Re1 Qc7 9.Be3 [It is definitely worth considering 9.h3 as well. The
advance of the g-pawn is apparently not as threatening as it appears.]
A) 9...g5? Too early. 10.a5

A1) 10...g4 11.Nh4! is positionally winning. 11...Nf8 12.Qd3 h5 [12...Ng6 13.Nxg6 fxg6
14.dxe5 dxe5 15.Bb3+–] 13.b4+–
A2) 10...Nf8 This is the only way to continue attacking, but it allows a trick which was seen in
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the line 4...Qe7: 11.dxe5 dxe5 12.Nxe5! Qxe5
Position after: 12...Qxe5
This time there is no f4, but there’s a different way to attack the queen: 13.Bd4 Black is about
to be slaughtered in the center of the board, as e5-e6 is a big threat. 13...Qf4 [13...Qc7 14.e5+–]
14.g3! [Black is playing for the cheap trick 14.e5? Ng4 15.g3 Nxf2! when things are not as
clear as they should be.] 14...Qg4 15.f3! Even stronger than 15.e5. 15...Qh3
Position after: 15...Qh3
There are multiple ways to win. Perhaps the cleanest is 16.Nd5! [16.e5?! Ng4! gives Black a
small fighting chance.] 16...cxd5 17.exd5 Ne6 [17...Be6 18.Bb5++–] 18.dxe6 Bxe6 [18...fxe6
19.a6 b6 20.Bxf6 Bxf6 21.Qd5+–] 19.Qd3 which threatens Bxe6 and Qg6+. There follows
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19...Kf8 [19...Rg8 20.Qb3+–] 20.Bxe6 fxe6 21.g4! and Black is defenseless.
A2.1) 21...Kf7 22.Qb3+–

A2.2) 21...Nxg4 22.fxg4 Qxd3 [22...Qxg4+ 23.Kh1+–] 23.cxd3+–
A2.3) 21...h5 22.Bxf6 Bxf6 23.Rxe6 Rh6 24.Rae1 hxg4 25.Qd6++–
A2.4) 21...e5 22.Rxe5 h5 23.Rxe7! hxg4 [23...Kxe7 24.Re1+ Kf7 25.Qf5+–] 24.Re2+–
A2.5) 21...Bd6 22.Rxe6 Qxh2+ 23.Kf1 Qh1+ 24.Ke2 Qh2+ 25.Kd1+–
B) 9...Nf8 10.d5N
Position after: 10.d5N
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B1) 10...Ng6 11.a5 0-0 12.Bb3 Bd7 13.Qd3 is a stable advantage.
If Black ever moves the knight from f6, then the undermining move a5-a6 will secure the d5-
square for White, or force Black into a passive Benoni.
B1.1) 13...Nh5 14.a6! Nhf4 [14...b6 15.dxc6 Bxc6 16.Nd5±] 15.Qc4 c5 16.axb7 Qxb7 17.Qa6
Qc7 18.Nd2±
B1.2) 13...Kh8 14.Nd2 [More flexible than 14.a6 b6 15.Nd2²] 14...a6 [14...Ng4 15.a6!²] 15.g3²
In terms of plans, White has a good deal of options at their disposal. Probably the most
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sensible way to continue is Nd2-c4, Ra1-d1, and Black must constantly worry about the
exchange on c6.
B2) 10...Ng4 11.a5 Nxe3 12.Rxe3 Nd7 [12...Ng6?! 13.a6!±] 13.a6 Nb6 14.axb7 Bxb7 15.dxc6
Nxc4 16.Nd5 Qxc6 17.Rc3 Qd7 18.Rxc4²
B3) 10...g5 11.a5 Ng6 12.a6!
If White opens the queenside and center, Black’s kingside attacking chances greatly diminish,
as the king can hardly survive if all three parts of the board are opened.
B3.1) 12...b5?! 13.Bb3 Bd7 [13...b4?! 14.Ba4!+–] 14.dxc6 Bxc6 15.Nd5±
B3.2) 12...0-0 is imprecise, as the h6-pawn is temporarily undefended. 13.axb7 Bxb7 14.dxc6
and the point is revealed in the line 14...Bxc6? [14...Qxc6 15.b3 Kg7 16.Nd5±] 15.h4! Bxe4
16.hxg5 hxg5 17.Bb3+–
B3.3) 12...Kf8 13.axb7 Bxb7 14.dxc6 Bxc6 15.Nd5 Nxd5 16.Bxd5 Kg7 17.c4²
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Position after: 17.c4²
White’s king is secure, and they have a good grip over the center and queenside. The only
feasible way for Black to create chances on the kingside is to play for ...Nf4; however, White
can always exchange their bishop for the knight and, if necessary, Kh1 followed by Rg1 will
prevent any play along the g-file.
7.0-0
7...c6
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A) 7...exd4 8.Nxd4 Ne5 9.Ba2 Nc6 10.Bf4 Nxd4 11.Qxd4 gives White an easy game. The only
thing I questioned here is the move 11...Be6 however, White gains a positional advantage after
12.Bxe6 fxe6 13.Rad1 as e4-e5 is impossible to prevent.
Position after: 13.Rad1
13...Qd7 [13...Qc8 14.e5 Ne8 15.exd6 cxd6 16.Qe3 d5 17.Nb5²] 14.e5! Ne8 15.exd6 cxd6
16.Rfe1 Bf6 17.Be5 d5 18.Qg4²
B) 7...a6 prepares ...b6, without allowing White to undermine the b-pawn (with a4-a5). As in the
line 7...c6 8.h3 b6, White’s best setup involves deploying the queen to e2 and the rook to d1. 8.h3
b6 9.Qe2! Bb7 10.Ba2 [More precise than 10.Rd1 exd4 11.Nxd4 Re8]
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10...h6 [10...c6 is probably the best move here. Then 11.Rd1 Qc7 transposes to 8...b6.; 10...exd4
11.Nxd4 Re8 is now dubious for Black as White has 12.Bf4! threatening 13.Qc4!
For example, 12...Nc5 13.Qc4! Rf8 14.f3 a5 15.Qe2 Ba6 16.Bc4±] 11.Rd1 Qc8 12.dxe5 Nxe5
13.Nxe5 dxe5 14.Qf3±
C) 7...a5 In this move order, Black probably intends to take on d4 and hit the bishop on c4 with
...Nb6. The most practical way to deal with this is to play the immediate 8.Re1 [After 8.h3 exd4
9.Nxd4 Nb6 the bishop cannot retreat to f1, which is inconvenient, as the move I recommend
against the line 7...c6 8.h3 a5 9.Re1 exd4 10.Nxd4 Nb6 is indeed 11.Bf1.] 8...exd4 [8...c6 9.h3
see 7...c6.] 9.Nxd4
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9...Nb6 [9...Nc5 10.b3!? should also transpose to 7...c6.] 10.Bf1 d5 11.e5 Ne8 12.Nce2‚ This is
likely to transpose to 7...c6 8.h3 a5 9.Re1 exd4 10.Nxd4 Nb6.
8.h3!?
Black has three main moves. 8...Qc7 is covered in variation B, 8...a5 is the subject of variation C,
while 8...b6 is analyzed in variation D.
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e5 4.Nf3 Nbd7 5.Bc4 Be7 6.a4! 0-0 7.0-0 c6 8.h3!?
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This is more flexible than the immediate 8.Re1, because in the line 8...b6, it is possible to play Qe2
and Rd1.
8...h6
Black prepares ...Re8 without having to worry about Ng5.

A) 8...Nxe4 is not terrible, but it does lead to an unpleasant defense. 9.Nxe4 d5 10.Re1
A1) 10...dxc4?! 11.dxe5± is structurally problematic for Black.
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A2) The initiative for White is too strong after 10...dxe4?! 11.Rxe4 exd4 12.Bf4, for instance
A2.1) 12...Nc5? 13.Rxd4 Qe8 Sevian, S – Indjic, A Dallas 2016, 14.Ng5! h6 [14...Bxg5
15.Bxg5+–] 15.Ne4 Nxe4 16.Rxe4 Bf5 17.Re2
17...Rd8 [17...Be6 18.Qe1! Bc5 19.Bg3+–] 18.Qe1 Rd7 19.Bd6! Rxd6 20.Rxe7 Qb8
21.Bxf7+!+–
A2.2) 12...Bc5 13.Bg5! Nf6 14.Qe2 h6 15.Bh4±
A3) 10...exd4 11.Bxd5 cxd5 12.Ng3 d3 13.Qxd3 Nc5 14.Qd1²
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B) It is also possible to play 8...Re8 immediately. In any case, the play is largely the same. 9.Re1
9...exd4 [9...b6?? would be an unfortunate blunder: 10.Bxf7+ Kxf7 11.Ng5+ Kg8 12.Ne6+–;
9...Qc7 see 8...Qc7.] 10.Qxd4 Bf8 11.Bf4²
9.Re1
9...Re8
A) 9...Qc7 transposes to 8...Qc7.
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B) 9...b6 is a plausible hybrid between the ...Re8 and ...b6 setups. 10.Be3
B1) 10...a6?! 11.Nh4! exd4 [11...Nxe4? 12.Nxe4 Bxh4 13.Nxd6+–] 12.Bxd4±

B2) 10...Rb8?! Stefansson, H – Danielsen, H Reykjavik 2015, 11.Nh4!±
B3) 10...Re8 11.Qd3
B3.1) 11...a6?! 12.d5! cxd5 13.Nxd5 Bb7 14.Nxf6+ Bxf6 15.Qxd6 Bxe4 16.Rad1±
B3.2) 11...Bb7 12.Rad1 Qc7 13.Ba2 exd4 [13...Nf8 14.Nh4! Bc8 15.d5 c5 16.Nf5²] 14.Bxd4
Ne5 15.Qe2 Bc8 [15...Bf8 16.Nh4!±] 16.Nh2ƒ
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B3.3) 11...Bf8 12.d5! cxd5 13.Nxd5 Bb7 14.Nd2 Nxd5 [14...Bxd5 15.exd5²] 15.exd5²
B3.4) 11...exd4 12.Bxd4 Bf8 13.Ba2 Qc7 14.Nh2!? with the idea of transferring the queen to
the kingside, while also preparing f4. 14...Ne5 15.Qg3ƒ
Position after: 15.Qg3ƒ
10.Be3 exd4 11.Qxd4!
If the black queen were already on c7, ...Ne5 would be strong. As it is, White is comfortably
better.
11.Nxd4 Bf8„
11...Nf8 12.Rad1 Be6 13.Bf4²
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Position after: 13.Bf4²
White stands slightly better.
B) 8...Qc7
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e5 4.Nf3 Nbd7 5.Bc4 Be7 6.a4! 0-0 7.0-0 c6 8.h3!? Qc7 9.Re1
9...h6
This move probably indicates that Black is playing for ...Re8 (with or without exchanging on d4).
It should be noted that it doesn’t combine well with the slow ...b6, ...a6 approach, as in most cases,
Nh4! will create the dual positional threats of Nf5 and Ng6, see 8...Qc7.
A) Even without the slightly weakening move ...h6, the combination of an early ...Qc7 and ...b6
allows White to take the initiative with the knight sortie to h4. 9...b6 10.Ba2 [It is important not
to be hasty: 10.Nh4?! exd4 11.Qxd4 Ne5„] 10...a6 [10...Bb7 11.Nh4!²] 11.Nh4!
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A1) 11...exd4?! runs into the powerful zwischenzug 12.Nf5! dxc3 [12...Ne5 13.Nxe7+ Qxe7
14.Qxd4±] 13.Nxe7+ Kh8 14.Nf5±
A2) 11...Re8 12.Nf5 Nf8 [12...Bf8 13.d5! c5 14.Bc4± Tukhaev, A – Maljush, A Minsk 2015]
13.d5! c5 14.Bc4±
B) 9...Re8!? is extremely rare and scores badly, although objectively, it is probably the best
move! See 8...Qc7. 10.Be3 exd4 11.Nxd4 [As noted above, White should not recapture with the
queen if the opposing queen sits on c7, since 11.Qxd4 Ne5! gives Black a good game.]
B1) 11...Nc5 12.Qf3 Be6?! is sometimes a way for Black to play, however, in this version, there
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is a concrete problem: 13.Bxe6 fxe6 [13...Nxe6 14.Nf5±]
14.b4! Na6 15.Nxe6 Qd7 16.b5 Nb4 17.Nd4 c5 18.Nf5 Nxc2 19.Red1 Nxa1 20.e5!±
B2) 11...Bf8 Schmidt, T – Zhak, B ICCF email 2006, 12.Bg5!?N
Position after: 12.Bg5!?N
12...h6 [It is a bit superficial to play 12...Qa5 13.Qd2 h6 14.Bh4 Qh5 15.Bg3] 13.Bh4 a5
14.Bb3 Sidestepping ...Ne5 and covering the b-pawn against ...Qb6. [Interestingly, 14.Ba2
would not be met by 14...Qb6 but 14...Ra6!] 14...Nh7 This is the only plausible way to liberate
the d7-knight. 15.f4 Nc5 16.Ba2
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B2.1) 16...Qb6 17.Bf2 Qb4 [17...Qxb2?! gives White a dangerous attack. 18.Qf3 Qb6 19.Nb3!
Be6 20.Nxc5 dxc5 21.Bxe6 Rxe6 22.e5!ƒ] is a typical idea; however, the queen is not too
stable after 18.Qf3 Bd7 19.Nd1!?
Position after: 19.Nd1!?
19...Nxa4? is too greedy. [19...Nf6 20.c3 Qb6 21.e5 Nd5 22.Re2±] 20.c3 Qb6 21.Ne6! Nc5
22.Nxf8 Kxf8 [22...Nxf8 23.f5!+– keeps the knight restricted.] 23.Bd4+–
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Position after: 23.Bd4+–
At the price of an unimportant pawn, White exchanges Black’s important dark-squared bishop
for a knight and obtains a decisive attack.
B2.2) 16...Ne6 17.f5! Nxd4 [17...Neg5 18.Qd3 b6 19.Rad1²] 18.Qxd4²
B2.3) 16...d5 17.exd5 Rxe1+ 18.Qxe1 Qxf4 19.Rd1 Bd7 20.dxc6 bxc6 21.Qf2 Qxf2+
22.Bxf2²
10.Be3
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10...exd4
A) 10...b6 11.Ba2 a6 [Or 11...Bb7 12.Nh4!] 12.Nh4! Re8 13.Nf5²

B) After 10...Re8 it is clear that Black has devoted a fair amount of effort to the e-file, and so, the
thematic 11.d5!? is tempting.
11...Nb6 [11...cxd5 12.Bxd5 Nb6 13.Nb5 Qd8 14.c4 keeps Black in a positional bind. If
14...Nbxd5 15.cxd5 Nxe4 16.Rc1² White will pick up an exchange.; 11...Nf8 12.Bb3 Ng6 13.a5
c5 14.Bc4± Nakar, E – Kunin, V Sandavagur 2018] 12.Bb3 cxd5 13.exd5
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B1) 13...a6 Kulaots, K – Haitin, I Tallinn 2020 14.a5 Nc4 [14...Nbd7?! 15.Na4!±] 15.Bxc4
Qxc4 16.Nd2 Qc7 17.Bb6 Qb8 18.Qf3²
B2) 13...Bd7 14.Nd2 a5 15.Qe2²
11.Nxd4
Remember that 11.Qxd4 is met with 11...Ne5!
11...Re8 12.Ba2 Bf8 13.Qf3 Ne5 14.Qg3
This is one of the ideal setups which White should strive for.
In this particular instance, Black has the active defense
14...g5!
which might keep them in the game. At the same time, the move is definitely counter-intuitive,
and the ensuing positions (for the human opponent!) are not too appealing from Black’s point of
view.
14...Nh5 15.Qh4 Nf6 16.f4 Ng6 17.Qg3²
15.f4 Nh5 16.Qf2 gxf4 17.Bxf4 Nxf4 18.Qxf4 Be6
18...Qb6?! 19.Nce2± achieves little.
19.Rf1ƒ
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Position after: 19.Rf1ƒ
Black’s king is in a permanently vulnerable state, while White’s position plays itself.
Model game
Stefansson, Hannes (2590)

Danielsen, Henrik (2520)
Reykjavik 2015
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e5 4.Nf3 Nbd7 5.Bc4 Be7 6.0-0
Note that I recommend the move order 6.a4 which limits the number of sidelines at Black’s
disposal.
6...0-0 7.a4 c6 8.h3 h6 9.Re1 b6 10.Be3
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Reinforcing the d-pawn.
10...Rb8?!
This is a common plan in the Philidor. However, the fact that the h-pawn is on h6 and not on h7
will come to be a major issue for Black.
10...Re8 is better. After 11.Qd3 [11.Nh4?! does not achieve much now because of 11...Nf8 which
covers both the f5- and g6-squares.]
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A) 11...Bf8 is natural; however, it invites 12.d5! cxd5 [12...Bb7? 13.dxc6 Bxc6 14.Nh4!]
13.Nxd5 Bb7 14.Nd2 Nxd5 15.exd5! when White has a positional advantage.
Position after: 15.exd5!
Usually, White prefers to recapture on d5 with the pieces and not the pawn, but in this case, the
pawn does a good job hemming in Black’s light-squared bishop.
B) 11...exd4 12.Bxd4 I like the plan of retreating the bishop to a2 and playing Nh2, in order to
transfer the queen to the kingside and prepare f4.
11.Ba2
Very often, this is a useful move in these structures, as it avoids the knight attack from e5, and
prevents tricks connected to the move ...d5.
In the theoretical section, I recommend the immediate 11.Nh4! although Stefansson’s move is also
strong.
11...a6 12.Nh4!
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This highlights a drawback to Black’s move ...h6. Not only does the knight have access to the f5-
square, but it can also spring to g6.
12...b5?!
12...Re8 was better, to meet 13.Ng6 with 13...Nf8 14.Nxe7+ Qxe7
13.axb5 axb5 14.Ng6 Re8
Position after: 14...Re8
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15.Qf3
15.b4! is a typical move, fixing the queenside pawns and preventing the black b-pawn from
causing havoc. Play might follow 15...Nf8 16.Nxe7+ Qxe7 and now, once again, White has a
thematic move 17.d5!
Isolating the b-pawn, and gaining control over the d5-square. 17...cxd5 [17...Bd7 changes little:
18.dxc6 Bxc6 19.Qd3 Ne6 20.Bb3 Ra8 21.f3] 18.Nxd5 Nxd5 19.Bxd5 Be6 20.Ra7 Nd7 21.Qd3±
15...Nf8
Black plays a waiting game. There was instead an opportunity to complicate matters with
15...exd4 16.Bxd4 c5! which would force White to find the spectacular 17.e5! [17.Be3 c4!?„]
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A) 17...dxe5? 18.Nxe5+–
B) 17...cxd4? 18.e6! Ne5 [18...fxe6 19.Bxe6+ Kh7 20.Qf5+–] 19.exf7+ Nxf7 20.Nd5 Bf8
21.Nxf6+ gxf6 22.Nf4+–
C) 17...Bb7 18.Qg3 cxd4 19.e6!±
16.Nxe5!
A small combination, possibly missed by Black.
16...dxe5 17.dxe5 Be6?
17...Ng6 was more tenacious, although once White takes on f6, Black lacks compensation.
18.exf6 Bxf6 19.Bf4!
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This is the reason why 17...Ng6 was a better defense. Now e4-e5 is coming.
19...Ra8 20.e5 Bxa2 21.exf6 Rxe1+ 22.Rxe1 Qxf6 23.b3
To make matters worse, Black’s bishop is now locked out of the game.
23...b4 24.Na4 Rd8 25.Be3 Qg6 26.Qe2 Qf6 27.Qc4 Ng6 28.Qxb4
A was a model game for beating the Philidor!
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1-0
C1) 8...a5 9.Re1 (various)
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e5 4.Nf3 Nbd7 5.Bc4 Be7 6.a4! 0-0 7.0-0 c6 8.h3!? a5 9.Re1
9...exd4
A) 9...Qc7 The combination of ...a5 and ...Qc7 is slightly incongruous. One problem for Black is
that if the c6-pawn is ever exchanged, the knight can claim the outpost on b5 with tempo. 10.Be3
exd4 11.Nxd4
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Now White’s plan is straightforward: retreat the bishop to a2 (pre-empting ... Ne5), put the queen
on f3 and develop the remaining undeveloped piece (the rook on a1) to the center. 11...Nc5
[11...Re8 12.Ba2 Bf8 13.Qf3± is no different. One recent game continued 13...g6? 14.g4! Bg7
15.Rad1+– Ruiz Castillo, J – Munoz Galvez, J Cartagena 2019] 12.Qf3 Nfd7 13.Ba2±
B) 9...h6 10.Be3
B1) 10...Qc7 11.Qe2 Re8 12.Rad1 [As against 10...Re8, 12.d5!? is always an option.]
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B1.1) 12...exd4 13.Bxd4 Ne5 [13...Bf8 14.Qd2 Ne5 15.Be2± Kozinka, R – Sefcik, M Slovakia
2014] 14.Bb3 Bf8 15.Nd2 Be6 16.Bxe6 Rxe6 [16...fxe6 17.f4 Ned7 18.e5 Nd5 19.Qg4 dxe5
20.fxe5 Bc5 21.Nc4±] 17.f4 Ned7 18.Qf3ƒ
B1.2) 12...Bf8 13.d5! Nb6 14.Bb3 Bd7 15.Nd2 and now Black has three possible moves:
15...cxd5?! cannot be recommended on account of 16.Bxb6! Qxb6 17.Nxd5 Nxd5 18.Bxd5

Bxa4 19.Qc4 Bb5 20.Bxf7+ Kh8 21.Qa2ƒ
15...Rec8?! is not great either. Vaclavicek, L – Braun, M Liberec 2013, 16.dxc6! bxc6
[16...Bxc6 17.Ndb1!+–] 17.Qf3±
A better idea is 15...Rac8, after which, I recommend 16.Ndb1!?² The knight is headed to a3,
further dissuading Black from taking on d5 (in which case, the b5-square is available for either
knight). The logical follow-up, then, is to double along the d-file.
B2) 10...Re8 As indicated in the previous subchapter, if Black’s setup is geared towards
opening up the e-file and exerting pressure on the e4-pawn, a logical continuation is 11.d5!?
Nb6 12.Nd2
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and White has a positional edge: 12...Bd7 [12...cxd5?! would be correct if not for the strong
reply 13.Bxb6! Qxb6 14.Bxd5±] 13.Bb3 Rc8 14.Nc4 Nxc4 15.Bxc4 Qc7 16.b3²
Position after: 16.b3²
White’s position can be gradually improved, while it is difficult to find a plan for Black. Note
that taking on d5 is not an option: 16...cxd5? 17.Nxd5 Nxd5 18.Bxd5 Qxc2 19.Qh5+– The
sacrifice on h6 will quickly decide the game.
10.Nxd4
10.Qxd4!? is becoming increasingly popular and it was my initial recommendation. The best
781
defense for Black is 10...Nc5 11.Bf4 Ne6 12.Bxe6 Bxe6 13.Rad1 d5 where, in my view, White has
a symbolic advantage, but no more.
10...Nc5
10...Nb6 11.Bf1 In anticipation of Black’s plan to play ...d5, White prefers not to keep their bishop
on the a2-g8 diagonal, as in that case, it would merely bite on granite. 11...d5 (Other moves do not
properly justify the previous move) 12.e5 Ne8 [12...Nfd7?! 13.Nf5±] 13.Nce2 g6 14.Nf4 Ng7
15.b3 The point of this becomes clear on the next move. 15...Nd7 16.Ra2!?ƒ An unusual rook lift!
17.c3 or 17.c4 follows, with a definite initiative.
11.b3!?
A non-standard idea.
782
Position after: 11.b3!?
I see no reason why the bishop should be better-placed anywhere else than on the long diagonal.
Note that often this is not possible as the bishop is already committed to the e3-square.
11...Be6
11...Re8 12.Bb2 Bf8 13.Qf3 Bd7 14.Rad1 Qe7 [14...Qc7?! 15.Bc1!²] 15.g4!? h6 [15...Be6
16.Bf1²] 16.Re3 Rad8 17.Rde1²
Position after: 17.Rde1²
White has time to build the position, possibly removing the queen from the f-file in order to play
f4. Nd4-f5 is always in the air and the dark-squared bishop is well-placed on the long diagonal.
783
Typically, White’s position is easier to play than Black’s, due to the space advantage.
12.Bf1
12...d5
12...Re8 13.Bb2 Bf8 14.Qf3 d5 15.exd5 Bxd5 16.Nxd5 Qxd5 17.Bc4 Qxf3 18.Nxf3²
Position after: 18.Nxf3²
13.exd5 Nxd5 14.Nxd5 Bxd5
784
Black has played actively and they’re ready to counter 15.Bb2?! with 15...Bf6. Fortunately, a new
possibility has emerged:
15.Nf5 Bf6 16.Be3!
Position after: 16.Be3!
16...Ne4
A) Inaccurate is 16...Ne6?! as the knight occupies an important escape square for the d5-bishop.
17.Rc1 Bc3 18.Qd3! Qf6 [18...Bxe1? 19.Rxe1±] 19.Ne7+! Kh8 20.Nxd5 cxd5 21.Qxd5! Bxe1
22.Rxe1 Qc3 23.Rc1² White’s bishops have plenty of scope.
Position after: 23.Rc1²
785
B) 16...b6 is one of the top choices of both engines, though it is an odd move from a human
perspective. White secures a risk-free advantage with 17.Rc1 Bc3 18.Bxc5 bxc5 19.Ne7+ Kh8
20.Re3 Bf6 21.Nxd5 cxd5 22.Rd3 d4 23.Qf3²
Position after: 23.Qf3²
Next, the rook on d3 will be repositioned, to give the bishop access to a more active square. Keep
in mind that opposite-colored bishop middlegames favor the attacker.
17.Qg4!?
I believe this is the most challenging move. Instead, 17.Bd4 offers a favorable ending: 17...Bxd4
18.Qxd4 Qf6 19.Qxf6 Nxf6 20.Ne7+ Kh8 21.Nxd5 Nxd5 etc. However, Black should be able to
hold with reasonable play.
786
Position after: 17.Qg4!?
17...h5!
A) 17...Bxa1?! 18.Rxa1 leaves Black’s kingside vulnerable.

A1) 18...Qf6? 19.Bd4 Qg5 20.f3! Qxg4 21.hxg4 Nf6 22.Nxg7! Kxg7 23.g5 Kg6 24.Bxf6 Be6
25.g4 Rfd8 26.Kg2!!+–
Position after: 26.Kg2!!+–
Instead of picking up the exchange, White weaves a mating net. Only if Black plays 26...h6
should White cash in on d8, while 26...Rd2+ [26...h5 27.gxh5+ Kxh5 28.Kg3+–] 27.Kg3 h6
28.Bc3! Rd5 29.f4+– doesn’t help.
A2) 18...g6 19.Nh6+ Kg7 20.Rd1 Qc8 21.Qh4‚
B) 17...Bc3 18.Rad1²
18.Qxh5 g6 19.Qg4 Bxa1 20.Rxa1 Qf6 21.Nh6+
787
Position after: 21.Nh6+
21...Kh7™
A) 21...Kg7?? 22.Bd4! Qxd4 23.Nf5++–

B) 21...Kh8?? 22.Rd1+–
22.Rd1 Qe6!
Black hopes to make a draw with 23.Qh4 Qf6. Fortunately, White’s compensation persists even
after the queen trade.
22...Nxf2 23.Bxf2 Kxh6 24.Qg3 Rae8 25.Rd4 Kg7 26.Bd3² gives White a long-lasting initiative
for the exchange.
23.Rd4!
788
23...c5
23...Qxg4 24.hxg4! White threatens to win a piece with 25.c4. 24...f5 [24...f6 is another way to
fight against White’s threat, but the two bishops remain a strong asset after the trade of knights:
25.c4 Ng5 26.cxd5 Kxh6 27.dxc6 bxc6 28.Rd6©] 25.gxf5 gxf5 26.Nxf5! Rxf5 27.c4 Nxf2
28.Bxf2 Be6 29.Bd3²
Position after: 29.Bd3²
24.Rd1!
A standard pendulum maneuver. Now the bishop is less secure on d5.
789
24...Qxg4 25.Nxg4©
Position after: 25.Nxg4©
Black has weaknesses on both the light and dark squares – a playground for the two bishops! Leela
gives White a small edge, while Stockfish is characteristically more optimistic. In general, it is
safe to say that Black has a difficult defensive task ahead.
C2) 8...a5 9.Re1 Nb6
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e5 4.Nf3 Nbd7 5.Bc4 Be7 6.a4! 0-0 7.0-0 c6 8.h3!? a5 9.Re1 Nb6
10.Ba2
790
10...Nfd7
10...exd4 should now be met with 11.Qxd4! as the line with ...Nc5-e6 has been avoided. The only
real test is 11...d5 12.exd5 Nbxd5 13.Nxd5 Nxd5 after which, White has the energetic 14.Bf4!
14...Nxf4 [14...Bf6 15.Be5 Nb4 16.Bxf6 Qxf6 17.Qxf6 gxf6 18.Bb3²; 14...Be6 15.Be5 Bf6
16.Bxf6 Qxf6 17.Qxf6 gxf6 18.Nd4²] 15.Qxf4 Bd6 16.Ne5!ƒ
11.dxe5 dxe5
11...Nxe5?! begs for an exchange of knights. 12.Nd4! Of course, White does not oblige. 12...Bf6
13.Bf4
791
A) 13...Nec4 14.Bxc4 [Stockfish has a preference for 14.b3!? Ne5 15.Qd2 and seems to outplay
Leela by shifting the pieces towards the kingside. That said, humans don’t seem to do well with
self-trapped pieces like the light-squared bishop on a2.] 14...Nxc4 15.b3 Ne5 16.Qd2ƒ
B) 13...Ng6 14.Be3 Re8 15.Qd2± Usually, it is fine to have one knight on b6 or g6, but with two
sorry knights, Black is suffering.
12.Be3
12...Qc7
792
A) 12...h6?! prepares ...Qc7 by preventing Ng5; however, it allows White to carry out a
devastating attack: 13.g4!N
Position after: 13.g4!N
A1) 13...Bc5 14.Qe2 Qe7 15.g5 hxg5 [15...Bxe3 16.Qxe3 hxg5 17.Kh1! Preparing to bring in
further reserves. 17...Qf6 18.Rg1 Qf4 19.Qxf4 gxf4 20.Rg2 Kh8 21.Rag1 g6 22.Bxf7! Rxf7
23.Rxg6+–] 16.Bxg5 Nf6 17.Nh4! Be6 18.Nf5 Bxf5 19.exf5+–
A2) 13...Re8 There are no other useful moves. 14.h4!
Here the engines indicate that Black should sacrifice the e5-pawn, in order not to be mated.
793
A2.1) 14...Bxh4?! 15.g5! is decisive. 15...Bxg5 [15...hxg5 16.Nxh4 gxh4 17.Qh5 Qf6
18.Kh1+–] 16.Nxg5 hxg5 17.Kg2!+– The rook will join the attack via the h-file.
Position after: 17.Kg2!+–
A2.2) 14...Nf8 15.Nxe5 Be6 16.Bxe6 Nxe6 17.Qf3 Bf6?! 18.Nxf7! Kxf7 19.e5±
A2.3) 14...Bc5 15.Bxc5 Nxc5 16.Qxd8 Rxd8 17.Nxe5±
B) 12...Re8?! 13.h4! Classic modern chess!
13...Qc7 [13...Bxh4?! 14.Nxh4 Qxh4 15.Qd6± is almost a massacre on the dark squares.] 14.Ng5
Bxg5 15.Bxf7+! Kxf7 16.Qh5+ Ke7 [16...Kf8 17.hxg5+–] 17.hxg5± A true positional piece
794
sacrifice. Black’s king is now an easy target, and all their pieces remain severely uncoordinated.
13.Ng5!
An important move.
13...Nf6
13...Bxg5?! 14.Bxg5 Nc5 15.Be3 Ne6 [15...Qe7 16.Qd2±] 16.Qf3
795
A) 16...Nd4? 17.Qg3! Qe7 18.Rad1 forces Black to weaken their light squares with 18...c5
Ainutdinova, Y – Mirzoeva, E Satka 2013, 19.Nd5 Nxd5 20.exd5 Nf5 21.Bg5!+–
B) 16...Nf4? 17.Rad1 Be6 18.g3! Ng6 [18...Bxa2 19.gxf4+–] 19.Bxe6 fxe6 20.Qe2+– Schirmer,
M – Lanin, B ICCF email 2015.
C) 16...Re8 17.Rad1± Sherwood, R – Cook, D England blitz 2017.
14.Qd3
14...Nh5
A) 14...h6?? 15.Nxf7 Rxf7 16.Bxb6 Qxb6 17.Qc4+–

B) 14...Bb4? 15.Rad1
B1) 15...Bd7 16.f4! exf4 [16...c5 17.Qf1! is crushing due to the simple threat of fxe5 and Bf4.]
17.e5!
796
17...Qxe5 [17...fxe3 18.exf6 g6 19.Qxe3+–] 18.Nxf7! Rxf7 19.Bxf7+ Kxf7 20.Bxb6+–

Kantans, T – Pakleza, Z Lanzarote 2019.
B2) 15...Nfd7 16.f4!± The pawn cannot be taken because of 17.e5 with a deadly mate threat on
h7.
C) 14...Nfd7 15.Qe2± Maneuvering the queen to h5, making Nxf7 a serious threat.
15.Ne2 c5 16.Nc3! Nf4 17.Bxf4 exf4
Position after: 17...exf4
797
Holec, M – Berchtold, C ICCF email 2018.
18.Nb5 Qc6
18...Qd8?! 19.Nxf7! Rxf7 20.Bxf7+ Kxf7 21.Qf3±
19.Nf3 c4 20.Qe2 Bc5 21.e5!
White makes plans for the future of the a2-bishop. Given time, c3 and Bb1 will secure a clear
advantage.
21...Qg6 22.Kh2²
Position after: 22.Kh2²
Black has two visible weaknesses on c4 and f4, and their position is somewhat loose. If this were
an Italian or Spanish Game, White would be celebrating!
Model game
Kantans, Toms (2508)

Pakleza, Zbigniew (2506)
Lanzarote 2019
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e5 4.Nf3 Nbd7 5.Bc4 Be7 6.0-0 0-0 7.Re1 c6 8.a4 a5 9.h3 Nb6 10.Ba2
Nfd7
798
Position after: 10...Nfd7
A popular setup, but one which I’d be particularly happy to face.
11.dxe5!
The most clear-cut approach.
11...dxe5 12.Be3 Qc7
12...h6?! appears to prevent Ng5, however, it runs into a fantastic idea: 13.g4!N. More details on
this move can be found in variation C2.
Position after: 13.g4!N
799
The most instructive line then is 13...Re8 14.h4! Bxh4?! 15.g5! and whichever way Black
recaptures, he will be overhauled by White’s pieces: 15...Bxg5 [15...hxg5 16.Nxh4 gxh4
17.Qh5+–] 16.Nxg5 hxg5 17.Kg2!+–
13.Ng5! Nf6
13...Bxg5 14.Bxg5 Nc5 15.Be3 is clearly better for White.
14.Qd3
14...Bb4?
A) 14...Nh5 is better, although the position remains difficult after the effective maneuver 15.Ne2
c5 16.Nc3!
B) Black’s worst option is 14...h6?? which falls for the trap 15.Nxf7! Rxf7 16.Bxb6! Qxb6
17.Qc4+–
800
Position after: 17.Qc4+–
Abal Cores, L – Bosnjak, P Budva 2013.
15.Rad1
White threatens 16.Nxf7 and 17.Rd8+ therefore, Black must cover the d8-square.
15...Bd7
15...Nfd7 doesn’t help either: 16.Bxf7+ Rxf7 17.Ne6 Qb8 18.Bxb6 Nxb6 19.Qd8++–
801
16.f4!
Giving Black no respite.
16...exf4 17.e5!
A crushing combination.
17...Qxe5
17...fxe3 18.exf6 g6 19.Qxe3+–
18.Nxf7 Rxf7 19.Bxf7+ Kxf7 20.Bxb6+–
White was a safe exchange up and went on to win.
1-0
D) 8...b6
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e5 4.Nf3 Nbd7 5.Bc4 Be7 6.a4! 0-0 7.0-0 c6 8.h3!? b6 9.Qe2!
802
The next move is Rd1, which will force the queen to c7 (due to the threat of taking on e5 twice).
This is favorable as Nh4-f5 will hit the bishop on e7 with tempo, and there will be no need to
worry about ...Nxe4 and ...Bxh4 tactics.
The automatic move 9.Re1 allows Black to delay ...Qc7 and focus on quick queenside play with
9...a6 10.Ba2 Rb8! 11.Be3 b5 12.axb5 axb5 13.b4 Qc7.
9...Bb7
A) Surprisingly, the most common move, by a large margin, is 9...a6?! 10.Rd1 Qc7; however,
this invites 11.d5!
803
Revealing another drawback of the black queen being on c7 – in the event of mass captures on
d5, the c3-knight will ultimately cement itself in the center, with tempo against the queen on c7.
11...Bb7 [11...cxd5 12.Bxd5 Bb7 13.Bxb7 Qxb7 14.Bg5 also transforms into a Sicilian structure
in which White has excellent control over the d5-square.] 12.dxc6 Bxc6 13.Bg5 h6 14.Bxf6 Nxf6
15.Nh4!±
Position after: 15.Nh4!±
Note that 15...Nxe4?? does not work in view of the counterblow 16.Nd5!
B) 9...Qc7
B1) Without the inclusion of the moves Rd1 and ...a6, 10.d5 is less convincing due to an
important nuance: 10...Bb7 11.dxc6 Bxc6 12.Bg5 h6 13.Bxf6 [13.Bh4 is slightly better for
White.] 13...Nxf6
804
Position after: 13...Nxf6
and here the thematic 14.Nh4?! fails to 14...Nxe4! 15.Nd5 Bxd5 16.Bxd5 Ng3! 17.fxg3 Qc5+„
The key difference is that the bishop on d5 is not defended by the rook.
B2) 10.Rd1 exd4 [10...a6 11.d5! transposes to 9...a6.] 11.Nxd4 Ne5 12.Bf4!
It is important that the bishop is able to reach the h2-b8 diagonal. Instead, the standard reply
12.Ba2 would allow 12...Ng6! 12...Re8 [12...Nxc4?? loses material: 13.Qxc4 Bd7 14.Ndb5+–]
13.Ba2²
10.Rd1 Qc7 11.Ba2
805
It is also important to refrain from d5 if too many minor pieces are exchanged on d5. Thus, not
11.d5?! cxd5! 12.Nxd5?! Nxd5 13.Bxd5 Bxd5 14.Rxd5 Qc6³
11...a6
A) 11...Rad8 12.Be3² [12.Nh4?! is not so strong here because of the resource 12...exd4 13.Rxd4
d5! 14.exd5 Bc5 15.Bf4 Qc8
And the tactics are generally favoring Black, due to the active placement of the rook on d8.]
B) 11...Rae8 Negi, P – Ghaem Maghami, E Sharjah 2014, 12.Be3 [12.Nh4?? exd4 13.Rxd4 d5!–
806
+]
B1) 12...exd4?! 13.Nxd4 d5 [13...Bd8? 14.Nf5!+–] 14.exd5 cxd5 15.Ndb5 Qe5 16.Qd2±
B2) 12...a6 13.dxe5 Nxe5 14.Nxe5 dxe5 15.a5! b5 16.Bb6 Qc8 17.Qd2²
B3) 12...d5!? 13.exd5 Nxd5 14.Bxd5 cxd5 15.Nb5 Qb8 16.dxe5 Nxe5 17.Nxe5 Qxe5 18.Qg4²
Position after: 18.Qg4²
The IQP is usually compensated by strong, attacking piece play. In this position, however, it is
White who has the active pieces.
12.Nh4!
807
12...exd4
12...b5?! 13.Nf5 Rfe8 14.d5! Undermining Black’s queenside.
A) 14...b4? fails to 15.dxc6 Bxc6 16.Qc4!+–

B) 14...Bf8 15.dxc6 Bxc6 16.axb5 axb5 17.b4! A thematic move, fixing Black’s weak b5-pawn.
808
17...Rec8 18.Qf3
B1) 18...d5 19.exd5 Bb7 20.Bd2 e4 21.d6! exf3 22.dxc7 Rxc7 [22...fxg2 23.Bf4+–] 23.Bb3±
B2) 18...Bb7 19.Bd2±
C) 14...cxd5 Kryakvin, D – Pasiev, R Voronezh 2014, 15.axb5!
Position after: 15.axb5!
The complications favor White. 15...d4 [15...axb5 16.Nxb5 Qb8 17.exd5±; 15...dxe4?! 16.bxa6
Rxa6 17.Bxf7+! Kxf7 18.Rxa6+–] 16.Nd5 Bxd5 17.Nxe7+ Rxe7 18.Bxd5 Nxd5 19.exd5±
13.Rxd4
809
13...Rfe8
13...d5? 14.exd5 Bc5 is strongly met by 15.Bf4! Qc8 16.Nf5! Re8 17.Qd3 Bxd4 [17...Ne5
18.Bxe5 Rxe5 19.Nxg7!+–; 17...cxd5 18.Nxd5 Nxd5 19.Bxd5+–] 18.Qxd4+–
14.Bf4
14...g6
810
A) 14...Bf8? allows 15.Nf5 Ne5 16.Rad1 Rad8 17.Bg5+– Lengyel, B – Lang, T Budapest 2004.
B) 14...c5 causes the d5-square to be permanently weak, plus White has the strong 15.Qc4! Rf8
16.Rdd1 Nh5 17.Nf5!±
15.Rad1 Ne5 16.Nf3 b5 17.Ng5 Rf8 18.Qe3ƒ
Position after: 18.Qe3ƒ
Stockfish gives White +1 here, whereas Leela is more conservative (at about +0.60). It is
important to realize that Black cannot make any progress without weakening their position. For
instance
18...c5?!
weakens the d5-square, which can be exploited almost immediately.

Instead, it is better to make a waiting move, such as 18...Rae8 Then play might follow 19.Nf3 Rd8
(20.Bh6 was threatened) 20.b4 Nh5 21.Bh6 Rfe8 22.Ng5 etc.
19.R4d2 b4 20.Nd5 Nxd5 21.Bxd5 Bxd5 22.Rxd5±
811
Position after: 22.Rxd5±
Model game
Tikkanen, Hans (2521)

Boe, Mads (2298)
Lund 2015
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Nbd7 5.Bc4 Be7 6.0-0 0-0 7.a4 c6 8.h3 b6
The actual move order in the game was 8...Qc7 9.Qe2 but this allowed Black to take on d4, with a
playable position.
9.Qe2!
812
In this line, Black does not really want to take on d4 immediately, as the c6-pawn has been
weakened. As such, White can opt for a more active setup with the queen on e2 and rook on d1.
9...Qc7
Since White’s next move is 10.Rd1, Black would be forced to play the queen to c7 anyway, so he
decides to play it straight away.
10.Rd1
813
10...a6?!
This is a very popular idea, but without first overprotecting the d5-square, it is inaccurate.
It is best for Black to guard the d5-square with 10...Bb7
A) Now White should avoid 11.d5?! cxd5 12.Nxd5 [12.exd5∞] 12...Nxd5 13.Bxd5 Bxd5
14.Rxd5 Qc6³
B) And instead, play the waiting move 11.Ba2 which prepares the knight sortie to h4. Note that
11...Rfe8??
Position after: 11...Rfe8??
814
falls for 12.Bxf7+! Kxf7 13.Qc4+ d5 14.exd5 Kf8 [14...Kg6 15.d6! Bxd6 16.Nh4+ Kh5 17.Qf7+
is mate in a few moves.] 15.Ng5+–
11.Ba2
11.d5! is rarely played, however, it leads to an excellent Sicilian structure – see the overview.
11...Bb7
We’ve now transposed to the position I cover under the move order 9...Bb7 10.Rd1 Qc7 11.Ba2
a6. As I have stressed, the next move is thematic.
12.Nh4! exd4 13.Rxd4 Ne5?
This is no more than pseudo-active.

13...Rfe8 14.Bf4 g6 would be a tougher defense.
815
In variation D I then give 15.Rad1 Ne5 16.Nf3 with an initiative. Pay attention to the weak f7-
pawn – against which, White’s powerful light-squared bishop is aimed.
14.Nf5 b5 15.Bf4+–
Position after: 15.Bf4+–
White’s pieces can now gang up on the d6-pawn.
15...Rfe8 16.Rad1 Rad8 17.axb5 axb5
816
Position after: 17...axb5
18.b4
This move does not really achieve anything, as Black was not threatening to advance the
queenside pawns.
The prosaic 18.Qd2 was best. For example 18...d5 19.exd5 Bc5 It may have been this move which
Tikkanen seeked to prevent, but White is crushing after 20.d6 [Or 20.Bg5 Bxd4 21.Qxd4+–]
20...Qb6 [20...Qd7 21.Ne7++–; 20...Qc8 21.d7! Nexd7 22.Bd6 Bxd4 23.Qg5 g6 24.Rxd4+–]
21.Re4! Nxe4 22.Nxe4+– All of Black’s pieces are useless.
18...Bc8 19.Nxe7+ Qxe7 20.Qd2
817
20...Be6?
A blunder in a lost position.

The unfortunate 20...Rd7 was perhaps the only chance to fight on: 21.Rxd6 Red8 though this
shouldn’t be too difficult for White to convert either.
21.Bxe5
1-0
818
Table of Contents
Title page 4
Key to Symbols 5
Bibliography 6
Preface 7
Introduction 9
Chapter 1 – 5th Move Alternatives 27
Chapter 2 – The Fianchetto Variation 35
Chapter 3 – The Alekhine Benoni 53
Chapter 4 – The Main Line 72
Chapter 1 – 2nd Move Alternatives 130
Chapter 2 – 2...d5 154
Chapter 3 – 2...d6 168
Chapter 1 – 2...Nf6 250
Chapter 2 – 2...Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd8 302
Chapter 3 – 2...Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd6 330
Chapter 4 – 2...Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 420
Chapter 1 – The Modern Defense 508
Chapter 2 – The Pribyl System 584
Chapter 3 – The Pirc Defense 605
Chapter 1 – Various 701
Chapter 2 – 4...exd4 710
Chapter 3 – The Main Line 746
819

1.e4! The Chess Bible Vol.1 - Justin Tan

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1.e4! The Chess Bible Vol.1 - Justin Tan

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Table of Contents

PART I – Alekhine’s Defense

PART II – Nimzowitsch Defense

PART III – Scandinavian Defense

PART IV – Pirc and Modern Defenses

PART V – Philidor Defense

Thinkers Publishing 2021

First edition 2021 by Thinkers Publishing

Managing Editor: Romain Edouard

The Week in Chess, Mark Crowther 1994-2020

Position after: 1...Nf6

2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.c4 Nb6 5.f4

5...g6 is a relatively important alternative to know – see Chapter 2.

7.Be3 Bf5 8.Nc3 e6

For sidelines, see the introduction of Chapter 4.

Position after: 13...Nd7

Position after: 9...Be7

10...0-0 11.0-0 f6 12.exf6 Bxf6 13.Qd2

Position after: 13.Qd2

6...c5 7.d5 e6?!

8.Nc3 exd5 9.cxd5 c4

Restricting Black’s dark-squared bishop.

10...Be6 11.Nf3 etc.

However White now launches a tactical onslaught with

Position after: 12...fxe5

Position after: 14.Nf3

followed by Be2 and 0-0.

10...Qc7 11.Be2 Qxe5 12.g3 0-0 13.Bf4 Qd4 14.Qb3+–

Position after: 11.g3+–

11...Bxe5 12.Qd2 Bf5 13.Nf3

Position after: 13.Nf3

14.Bxc5 N6d7 15.Bd4 e5 16.Be3±

Position after: 16.Be3±

Maylott, P – Hegde, G ICCF email 2018.

Position after: 14.Bg5!

Position after: 16.Qe3±

Another instructive idea arises after the move

Position after: 14...Rad8

Position after: 16.h3

16...h6 17.Qc1 Kh8

More or less a necessary precaution against 18.d5.

Position after: 18...Rfd8

20...Qe8 21.Rde1 Qg6 22.a3²

Position after: 22.a3²

1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.c4 Nb6 5.f4

1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.c4 Nb6 5.f4

Position after: 5.f4

This chapter examines some of Black’s alternatives to 5...g6 and 5...dxe5.

Position after: 5...g5?!

Position after: 8.Nh4!

Position after: 11.g3+–

Position after: 6.Nc3

Position after: 5...Nc6

Position after: 7...e6∞

Position after: 8...Be7

Position after: 9...g6

Position after: 11...dxe5

Position after: 12.Qd4

Position after: 14.b4

7.d5! Nb8 8.c5!? N6d7 9.Nf3

Aiming for quick development.

9...exf4 10.Bxf4 Nxc5 11.Bc4 is also no good for Black.

Position after: 15.d6±