openings 224 | April 17n 2013

what’s hot and what’s not?

XIIIIIIIIY
Grischuk winning 9rsnlwqkvl-tr0
9zppzp-zpp+p0

everything with Black

9-+-zp-snp+0
9+-+-+-+-0
9-+PzP-+-+0
9+-sN-+N+-0
9PzP-+PzPPzP0
IM Merijn van Delft & IM Robert Ris
9tR-vLQmKL+R0
xiiiiiiiiy
In this issue we focus on the Russian League. Svidler Frequency
(now number 9 in the live world rankings) and especially
Grischuk (now number 5 in the world) brought their good
form with them from London.

what'shot?
Score
Black did well in the 4.d3 ¥c5 Anti-Berlin this week as Svidler-Karjakin
was drawn, and in Nepomniachtchi-Grischuk Black even squeezed
out a win. Caruana handled an Anti-Marshall impressively and scored
a victory against Ivanchuk. Karjakin-Caruana was a tense draw in the
Archangelsk variation. Below we update you on the 6.¥e3 ¤g4 Najdorf
and the English Attack of the Taimanov. Karjakin achieved a winning
position against Ivanchuk in the Taimanov/Paulsen hybrid variation, but a
blunder spoiled it and it ended in a draw.

Svidler-Jakovenko was a relevant QGD (see below). Mamedyarov-

Tomashvesky and Aleksandrov-Rublevsky together form a theoretical
discussion in the Chebanenko/Semi-Slav hybrid. Grischuk played the
black side of the 4.e3 Nimzo-Indian very accurately and eventually
managed to win the endgame against Timofeev. Dreev and Landa
continued their sharp 4.£c2 Nimzo-Indian discussion from two years
ago, but the latter forgot his preparation and ended up in a lost endgame.

In our Game of the Week Caruana beat Jobava in an early sideline of the
King's Indian (4...¥f5 in the diagram position). Grischuk beat Morozevich
with Black in the same Symmetrical English line that Gelfand used to Source: Megabase + TWIC, 2500+ only
beat Radjabov in London (see CVO 221). Eljanov-Riazantsev was a long
tough draw in the Réti Gambit. Below we check out a new gambit idea for
Black in the Réti.

Last week we reported that the Grünfeld is currently suffering repercussions from its enormous popularity and Black is still not out of
the woods. White scored good wins with 1.d4 ¤f6 2.c4 g6 3.f3 in Vitiugov-Timofeev, Ivanchuk-Gabrielian, Korobov-Le Quang Liem
and Postny-Mikhalevski. Svidler decided to transpose to the King's Indian with 3...¥g7 and beat Caruana
(this game will be covered in CVT). what’snot?
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 openings what’s hot and what’s not? 224 | April 17n 2013

Beating the nameless variation

Actually, we are not quite sure what to call the 4...¥f5 variation that was played in the
following game; suggestions by readers are welcome. What we do know is that Caruana
managed to play a nice model game against Jobava.
gameoftheweek Caruana - Jobava

Caruana,F (2772) - Jobava,B (2702) XIIIIIIIIY by 27.¥d4 and Black's position falls apart.
Russian league (Loo), 09.04.2013 9r+-wq-trk+0 26...£e7
A53, King's Indian, 4...¥f5 9+pzpl+-vlp0 26...¥e8!? 27.£f1 (27.¥b5? ¥xb5 28.¤xb5
9-+-zppsnp+0 ¦xb2+ 29.¢xb2 ¤d3+ illustrates the
1.d4 ¤f6 2.c4 d6 3.¤f3 g6 4.¤c3 ¥f5 9zpNsn-+-+-0 unfortunate placement of the white £.)
An interesting alternative to 4...¥g7 which 9-+P+P+-+0 27...¦xe2 28.£xe2 ¥d7 and the fight goes on.
leads to the main line of the King's Indian. 9+-sN-vLP+-0 27.¥f1 ¦gg8 28.¥b5 ¥g5?
5.d5!? 9PzP-wQL+PzP0 The desirable exchange of the dark-squared
An ambitious move. White has several other ¥s fails for tactical reasons. More stubborn
9tR-+-mK-+R0
possibilities: would have been 28...¦g2.
a) 5.e3 ¥g7 6.¥d3 ¥xd3 7.£xd3 ¤bd7 8.b3
xiiiiiiiiy 29.f4! ¥f6
0–0 9.¥b2 e5 10.dxe5 dxe5 11.¦d1 £e7 13...e5? 29...¥xf4 runs into 30.¦xf4! exf4 31.¥d4+ ¦g7
12.0–0 ¦fd8 13.£c2 c6 with equal chances in After this move Black lacks an active plan due 32.h6 and White wins.
Kramnik-Ivanchuk, Istanbul 2012. to the weakened light squares. Better would 30.¦f1
b) 5.£b3 b6 6.g3 ¥g7 7.¥g2 ¤c6 8.d5 ¤a5 have been 13...¥xb5 14.cxb5 (14.¤xb5? After 30.£f2! Black quickly collapses, e.g.
9.£d1 ¤e4 10.¤xe4 ¥xe4 11.0–0 0–0 12.¤d2 allows 14...¤fxe4! 15.fxe4 ¤xe4 16.£d3 £h4+ 30...¥e8 (30...exf4 31.¦xf4 drops a piece.;
¥xg2 13.¢xg2 c6 with a comfortable game for 17.¢d1 d5! with a complete mess.) 14...¤fd7 30...¦af8 31.fxe5 ¥xe5 32.¦f1+–) 31.¥xe8
Black in Pelletier-Ivanchuk, Porto Carras 2011. even though White retains a pleasant edge ¦axe8 32.fxe5 ¥xe5 33.¦f7 £d8 34.£f5
c) Another main option is 5.¤h4!?. with 15.0–0. ¦g7 35.¦xg7 ¥xg7 36.¥g5 £d7 37.h6 ¥xc3
5...¤a6 14.0–0–0 ¤e6 15.g4 b6 16.h4 ¥e8 38.¥f6+! and White wins.
Black prefers developing his queenside first. 16...h5 doesn't stop White's attacking plans, 30...¦af8
Also possible is 5...¥g7 6.¤d4 ¥d7 7.e4 0–0 since after 17.¦dg1 sooner or later the kingside Also after 30...¥e8 31.¥c6! Black's forces
8.¥e2 and now: will be opened up. remain restricted in their mobility: 31...¥xc6
8...e5 9.dxe6 fxe6 10.0–0 e5 11.¤c2 ¥e6 17.¢b1 ¢h8 18.¤d5 ¤xd5 19.cxd5 ¤c5 (31...¦b8 32.¦xf6 £xf6 33.fxe5 £xe5 34.¦f5
12.¥g5 ¤bd7 13.£d2 ¢h8 14.f3 with an edge 20.¤c3 £g7 35.h6 and the ¥ joins the a1–h8 diagonal.)
for White in Gelfand-Morozevich, Monte Carlo The immediate 20.h5 also looks quite attractive, 32.dxc6 ¥h4 33.¤d5! £d8 34.£b4 and Black's
rapid 2006. but evidently Caruana didn't want to give Black position is hopeless.
b) 8...¤a6 9.0–0 ¤c5 10.f3 a5 11.¥g5 h6 the additional option of taking on b5 and f3. XIIIIIIIIY
12.¥e3 ¢h7 13.£d2 e5 14.¤b3 (More 20...a4 21.h5 gxh5 22.gxh5 ¥f6 23.¦dg1 ¥f7 9-+-+-trrmk0
challenging is 14.dxe6 fxe6 15.¤db5²) 14... Connecting the major forces on the back rank, 9+-zp-wql+p0
b6 15.¤xc5 bxc5 16.g4 ¤g8 17.¢g2 ¥f6 with though possibly 23...¦g8 would have been a 9-zp-zp-vl-+0
mutual chances in Ding Liren-Jobava, Beijing better defensive attempt.
9+LsnPzpR+P0
blitz 2012. 24.¦g5!? ¦g8
6.¤d4 ¥d7 7.e4 ¤c5 8.f3 a5 9.¥e3 ¥g7 Of course, 24...¥xg5? fails to 25.¥xg5 £d7
9p+-+PzP-+0
10.£d2 26.¥f6+ and White regains the invested
9+-sN-vL-+-0
Caruana opts for a flexible plan by delaying the material with interest. 9PzP-+-+-+0
decision whether to castle king or queenside. 25.¦f5 ¦g2 9+K+-wQR+-0
A predecessor: 10.¥e2 0–0 11.0–0 c6 12.£d2 Black might have tried 25...¥e8 26.¥b5! (26. xiiiiiiiiy
a4 13.¦ab1 £c7 14.b4 axb3 15.axb3 ¦fc8 f4 ¥d7! 27.fxe5 ¥xe5 28.¦f7 ¥e8 and Black 31.¦xf6! £xf6 32.fxe5 £xe5 33.¦f5 £h2
16.¦fc1 with a slight edge for White in Ftacnik- stays alive.) 26...£e7 and although White 33...£g7 can be met by 34.h6!.
Jansa, Hamburg 1993. retains some strategical trumps nothing has 34.¥d4+ ¦g7 35.£c1! ¢g8
10...0–0 11.¥e2 e5 been decided yet. 35...¦fg8 36.h6 is quite painful, too.
Also worth considering is 11...c6!? intending to 26.£e1?! 36.¥xg7 ¢xg7 37.£g5+ ¢h8 38.h6! and
keep the e-pawn on its initial square. White could have opened up the position with Black resigned since after 38...£h1+ 39.¥f1
12.dxe6 fxe6 13.¤db5 26.f4! with the point that 26...exf4 can be met mate will follow soon. 1–0

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 openings what’s hot and what’s not? 224 | April 17n 2013

thisweek’sharvest
Najdorf, 6.¥e3 ¤g4 1.e4 c5 2.¤f3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.¤xd4 ¤f6 5.¤c3 a6 6.¥e3 ¤g4 7.¥c1 ¤f6 8.¥e3 ¤g4 9.¥g5 h6
XIIIIIIIIY 10.¥h4 g5 11.¥g3 ¥g7 12.h3 ¤e5 13.f3 ¤bc6 14.¥f2 ¥e6 15.£d2 £a5 16.¤b3 ¥xb3 17.cxb3 ¤g6
9r+-+k+-tr0 The game Sutovsky-Vachier Lagrave gives us a nice opportunity to update our knowledge of the 6.¥e3 ¤g4
9+p+-zppvl-0 Najdorf. The position after 15.£d2 currently seems to be critical to the evaluation of the whole opening. Vachier
9p+nzp-+nzp0 Lagrave went for 15...£a5, following the old example of Kasparov, but as we saw in CVO 209/210 White seems
9wq-+-+-zp-0 to have decent chances for an edge with the normal 18.0–0–0. Sutovsky played the unfortunate 18.g3? instead,
9-+-+P+-+0 which was countered by 18...h5! and 19...h4, giving Black good control over the position. After some tactical
complications Black came out on top. After some further research, the critical line seems to be 15...¦c8 16.0–0–0
9+PsN-+P+P0
¤xd4 17.¥xd4 £a5 (up to this point this was also covered in CVO 160) 18.a3 ¦g8 19.¢b1 ¥c4! 20.£f2 ¦c6!
9PzP-wQ-vLP+0 21.¤e2 ¥e6 22.¤g3 ¢d7! and in analysing this position we found some interesting positional sacrifices for
9tR-+-mKL+R0 Black that keep the balance. This has already been played once in a correspondence game, but could certainly
xiiiiiiiiy use some more practical tests.

1.e4 c5 2.¤f3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.¤xd4 ¤c6 5.¤c3 £c7 6.¥e3 a6 7.£d2 ¤f6 8.0–0–0 ¥e7 9.f3 b5 10.g4 ¥b7 11.¥f4 d6 12.¤xc6 Taimanov, English Attack
£xc6 13.g5 ¤d7 14.¥xd6 ¥xd6 15.£xd6 £xd6 16.¦xd6 h6 17.¦g1 hxg5 18.¦xg5 ¦xh2 19.¦xg7 ¢e7 20.¦d2 ¦h1 21.¦f2 ¤e5 XIIIIIIIIY
The Najdorf and the Sveshnikov are claiming most of the attention, but in fact the Taimanov Sicilian is still a fairly 9r+-+-+-+0
critical battleground as well. Ivanchuk played it with success against Carlsen in London, although the opening 9+l+-mkptR-0
phase in that game was quite puzzling. While the main line (8...¥b4 9.f3 ¤e5) is actually not very clear as we 9p+-+p+-+0
showed in CVO 117 and 200, most players actually seem more interested in trying one of the many sidelines that
9+p+-sn-+-0
Black has available. For example, in Shirov-Movsesian this week 8...¤xd4!? was tried, but it has to be said that
White was better throughout. Swiercz-Bulski saw 8...¥b4 9.f3 0–0 which also looks like an edge for White. The
9-+-+P+-+0
diagram position actually stems from Leko-Vitiugov and is an instructive example of positional compensation for
9+-sN-+P+-0
the pawn in the endgame. Two days later Leko decided to deviate from the main lines himself with 6.g3 against 9PzPP+-tR-+0
Tregubov. He actually managed to reach a winning position, but sadly spoiled it in what must have been time 9+-mK-+L+r0
trouble and drew. xiiiiiiiiy

QGD, Exchange 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.¤c3 ¥e7 4.cxd5 exd5 5.¥f4 c6 6.e3 ¥d6 7.¥xd6 £xd6 8.¥d3 ¤e7 9.£c2 b6 10.e4 dxe4 11.¤xe4
XIIIIIIIIY Last week the spectacular game Svidler-Harikrishna, which featured the Exchange Variation of the Queen's
9rsnl+k+-tr0 Gambit Declined, was covered quite extensively in CVO 223. This week the Russian GM deployed some
9zp-+-snpzpp0 excellent home preparation against his compatriot Jakovenko in a different line. In a heavily-analysed position
9-zppwq-+-+0 where the likes of Kasparov, Carlsen and Anand have attempted to prove an advantage for White, Svidler seems
9+-+-+-+-0 to come up with a significant improvement upon established theory. With 10.e4!? White immediately opens up
9-+-zPN+-+0 the centre and invites Black to take a central §. Evidently Jakovenko didn't trust the ensuing complications,
rejected the offer and suddenly transposed to a position he had played once before against Sutovsky. Finally
9+-+L+-+-0
Black succeeded in holding a draw quite convincingly, but it would be interesting to see what Black had in mind
9PzPQ+-zPPzP0 after 12.¤c3!? which seems to be a more natural square for the ¤. One of its advantages is that, after 12...¥a6,
9tR-+-mK-sNR0 White has the additional option of playing 13.¦d1, intending to activate the ¦ on the third rank.
xiiiiiiiiy

1.¤f3 d5 2.c4 c6 3.g3 ¤f6 4.¥g2 ¥f5 5.cxd5 cxd5 6.£b3 ¤c6 7.£xb7 ¦c8 8.0–0 e5 9.d3 ¥e7 Réti, Anti-Slav
Developments in the sharp Anti-Slav System with 4...dxc4 have been followed closely in CVO, but of course XIIIIIIIIY
Black has some possibilities of opting for a more restrained set-up. One of them is the Barcza Variation (4...¥f5) 9-+rwqk+-tr0
where Black just intends to develop his ¥ outside the pawn chain. In contrast to the line with 4...¥g4 White's 9zpQ+-vlpzpp0
most challenging continuation has been considered to be 5.cxd5, clarifying the situation in the centre, since 9-+n+-sn-+0
Black can't exchange the ¤ on f3. In the highly recommended book Grandmaster Repertoire The English 9+-+pzpl+-0
Opening Volume Two, GM Marin covered several continuations where Black defended his § on b7 after 5...
9-+-+-+-+0
cxd5 6.£b3. In Mchedlishvili-Volkov Black introduced a stunning pawn sacrifice with 6...¤c6!? and obtained
excellent compensation. Comparisons can be made with a fashionable variation in the Slav (see CVO 175 and
9+-+P+NzP-0
197) and this must have inspired the Russian GM to implement the idea in the Réti Opening. In the diagram
9PzP-+PzPLzP0
White retreated his £ to d1 (better is 10.¤c3) and eventually suffered for his lack of development. 9tRNvL-+RmK-0
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 openings what’s hot and what’s not? 224 | April 17n 2013

it’syourmove
XIIIIIIIIY XIIIIIIIIY
O 9r+-wqkvl-tr0 o9-+r+-trk+0
9+p+-zpp+p0 9zpp+qzppvlp0
9-snpsn-+p+0 9-+nzplsnp+0
9zp-+-+P+-0 9+-+-+-+-0
9P+-zP-+P+0 9-+P+N+-+0
9+QsN-+P+-0 9+-+-sN-zP-0
9-zP-+-+-zP0 9PzP-+PzPLzP0
9tR-vL-mKL+R0 9+RvLQ+RmK-0
xiiiiiiiiy xiiiiiiiiy

lastweek’ssolutions
XIIIIIIIIY
Harikrishna-Howell, Bundesliga (Schwetzingen), 2013 9r+lwq-trk+0
White has several non-committal moves at his disposal, but he couldn't stop himself from playing the 9zp-zp-snpvl-0
adventurous 12.¦xc6!? ¤xc6 13.£c1 ¤e7 13...¥d7 14.¥xh6 £e7 looks like a healthy defensive set-up, after 9-zpn+-+pzp0
which White has compensation for the exchange, but maybe no more. 14.¥xh6 ¥xh6? Black loses control. 9+-+-zp-+-0
After 14...f6 anything was still possible. 15.£xh6 ¤f5 16.£d2 16.£c1! £e7 17.g4 ¤h4 18.¤xh4 £xh4 19.£xc7
9-+-+N+-+0
¥xg4 20.£xe5 gives White a large advantage. 16...£e7 17.g4 ¤d6? 17...¤h4 was the only move. 18.¤xd6
cxd6 19.£h6! Now White has a winning attack, which he converts nicely: 19...¥b7 20.¤g5 f6 21.£xg6+ ¢h8
9+-+P+NzP-0
22.¥xb7 £xb7 23.¤e6 ¦f7 24.¦c1 ¦h7 25.£xf6+ ¢g8 26.¤g5 ¦d7 27.£e6+ ¢h8 28.¤e4 ¦g7 29.¤xd6 £d7
9PzP-vLPzPLzP0
30.£xd7 ¦xd7 31.¦c6 ¦g8 32.f3 1–0 9+-tRQ+RmK-0
XIIIIIIIIY xiiiiiiiiy
9-+rwq-trk+0 Baramidze-Bacrot,Bundesliga (Schwetzingen), 2013
9zpl+n+pzpp0 By placing the § on a4 White has revealed his intentions of creating a weakness on the queenside. Black's
9-zp-+p+-+0 solution is quite radical and not as bad as it looks at first sight. 15...a5!? 15...¤b8 16.a5 (16.£b2!? is perhaps
9+-+-+-+-0 more accurate.) 16...bxa5! (16...¤c6? 17.axb6 ¤xd4 (17...axb6 18.£b2 favors White.) 18.¤xd4 £xd4 19.bxa7
and Black didn't manage to get rid of the § on a7 in Petrosian-Tal, Moscow 1972.) 17.£xa5 £xa5 18.¦xa5
9P+-zPP+-+0
¤c6 19.¦a4 a5 20.¤d2 ¤b4 21.¥b1 ¦fd8 and Black comfortably equalised in Sargissian-Berkes, Istanbul
9+-+L+N+-0 2012. 16.h3 h6 A predecessor: 16...£e7 17.¦ab1 ¦fd8 18.¥b5 ¤f6 19.£d3 £c7 20.¦b3 h6 21.£b1 ¥c6 with
9-+-wQ-zPPzP0 approximate equality in Beliavsky-Magem Badals, Linares 2002. 17.¦ab1 £e7 18.¥b5 ¤f6 19.¥d3 If 19.£d3
9tR-+-tR-mK-0 ¦c7, intending to double ¦s on the c-file, offers Black sufficient counterplay. 19...¤d7 20.¥b5 ¤f6 21.¥d3 ½–½
xiiiiiiiiy

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