The Italian Renaissance - Ii The Main Lines - Martyn Kravtsiv.pdf

Contents Title Page Key to Symbols used & Bibliography 4 Preface 5 Introduction 7 Part I: The ...d7-d5 Break 15 1 Introduction to 6...d5 17 2 8...a6 33 3 9.Nbd2 Kh8 47 4 8...a5 61 Part II: Lines with ...a7-a6 71 5 Introduction to 6...a6 7.a4 Ba7 73 6 9...h6 10.Nbd2 Re8 91 7 9...Ne7 105 8 9...Kh8 129 9 9...Be6 and 9...b5 147 10 Black delays ...Ba7 165 Part III: Lines with ...a7-a5 181 11 5...0-0 6.0-0 d6 7.Re1 183 Part IV: Early Deviations 211 12 3...g6 and Lines with ...Be7 213 13 3...Nf6 4.d3 h6 239 Variation Index 256

The Italian Renaissance II

The Main Lines By

Martyn Kravtsiv

Quality Chess http://www.qualitychess.co.uk First edition 2020 by Quality Chess UK Ltd Copyright © 2020 Martyn Kravtsiv All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission of the publisher. Paperback ISBN 978-1-78483-097-7 Hardcover ISBN 978-1-78483-098-4 All sales or enquiries should be directed to Quality Chess UK Ltd, Suite 247, Central Chambers, 11 Bothwell Street, Glasgow G2 6LY, United Kingdom Phone +44 141 204 2073 e-mail: [email protected] website: www.qualitychess.co.uk Distributed in North and South America by National Book Network Distributed in Rest of the World by Quality Chess UK Ltd through Sunrise Handicrafts, ul. Szarugi 59, 21-002 Marysin, Poland Translation from Russian by John Sugden Typeset by Jacob Aagaard Proofreading by Colin McNab & Renier Castellanos Edited by John Shaw Cover design by Jason Mathis Front cover photo Kallia Kleisarchaki

Key to symbols used ² ³ ± µ +– –+ = © „ ƒ ÷ ? ?? ! !! !? ?! ™ #

White is slightly better Black is slightly better White is better Black is better White has a decisive advantage Black has a decisive advantage equality with compensation with counterplay with an initiative unclear a weak move a blunder a good move an excellent move a move worth considering a move of doubtful value only move mate

Bibliography In the process of writing this book, the main books I consulted were: Delchev: Bc4 against the Open Games, Chess Stars 2018 Lokander: The Open Games with Black, Everyman 2015 Ntirlis: Playing 1.e4 e5 – A Classical Repertoire, Quality Chess 2016 Electronic Resources ChessBase Mega/Correspondence Databases New in Chess Yearbooks The Week in Chess

Preface When I was taken to a chess school as a child, the instructors taught me to play 1.e4 with White and to reply with 1...e5. It was just a few years ago that I embraced some other moves, but at the same time I have never abandoned the moves of the king’s pawns. Over the past few years I have spent a fair amount of time studying the Italian Game while playing it for both colours. As a result I have accumulated a large quantity of analysis which forms the basis of this book. Practically all the variations have been examined afresh, and some have been corrected thanks to the increased power of present-day computers. Notwithstanding its great popularity, the Italian Game still contains plenty of life and scope for new ideas. This has to do with the fact that in quiet positions there is rarely a single strongest move – usually there will be a few moves of approximately equal worth. Moreover, mastering all the nuances and different move-orders is a highly complex affair. In consequence I have succeeded in finding one or two new ideas or improvements in virtually every line. I made the decision to write in Russian, as the Italian Game is often about understanding ideas as well as knowing the precise moves. I felt I could communicate these ideas more clearly in Russian, then the excellent translator John Sugden expressed them in English, for which I thank him. This book is the second volume of my work about 1.e4 e5. The first volume covered 2.Bc4 and also 2.Nf3 Nf6 – the Petroff Defence. In this volume the starting point is 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 – the Italian Game. I will give more details about the content of this book in the Introduction that follows. Together the two volumes combine to give White confidence in meeting 1.e4 e5 and having flexibility in which move order to use, even from move 2. This book will be of use to chessplayers of any level; nobody, after all, will say no to obtaining a good position out of the opening. Possibly the book will be no less useful to those who play the Italian Game with the black pieces, seeing that practically all defences to the Italian are examined, and I will offer improvements and novelties even for Black. I have tried to assess the positions objectively, and not to conceal any strong moves for the sake of showing White’s ideas in a favourable light; in such cases I consider it better to acknowledge candidly that if the opponent finds one or two accurate moves he will manage to reach a normal position. For all that, White often does succeed in securing a plus, even if only a small one; the suggested ideas for the white side appear highly promising. I think this book serves as further confirmation that chess is still a long way away from the “draw death”, and that, despite all the accumulated knowledge and technical progress, the game still offers ample scope for new ideas and continued study. Martyn Kravtsiv June 2020

Introduction Italian ...Bc5 preview At the present moment the Italian Game is one of the most popular openings, including at the very highest levels. Nevertheless many of its variations still require further study. This is bound up with the fact that in these types of position there will rarely be one move that is strongest; usually there are 3 or 4 possible continuations. We will try to study all playable defences thoroughly, including the latest ideas for Black. One or two novelties and improvements can be discovered in practically every variation. 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 Instead 3...Nf6 is of course an option, when I will cover 4.d3 instead of the more forcing 4.Ng5. After 4.d3 Black is again faced with the choice of placing his bishop on c5 or e7, with transpositions coming soon to the lines below. After 3...Bc5, now 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 0-0 6.0-0 gives diagram 1A below; 1A

4.0-0 Nf6 5.d3 0-0 6.h3 gives 1B. 1B

Most top players prefer the move-order with c2-c3. It has one drawback – Black can quickly play ...d7-d5; however, in these lines White has good chances to achieve a plus. The move-order with h2-h3 is directed against the early ...d7-d5, but on the other hand White is forfeiting certain options. For example if he goes for position 1A, then in the variations with ...a7-a5 he may dispense with h2h3 or bring his bishop out to g5. Therefore in my view the sequence with c2-c3 is more flexible. So I will recommend continuing:

4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 This is the only move I will look at. The more direct 5.d4 exd4 has been played and analysed in depth for decades. Then 6.cxd4 Bb4† is well-established as leading to equality. Instead some top players occasionally experiment with 6.e5 and after 6...d5 they move the bishop to b5 or even e2. But 5.d3 is the move that top players usually play. 5...d6 As is typical in the Italian, many move orders are possible especially in the early stages, so Black could also play moves such as 5...0-0 (as mentioned above) or 5...a6. 6.0-0 Now 6...a6 gives diagram 2A, and 6...a5 gives 2B. 2A

2B

If the variations with ...a7-a6 and ...a7-a5 are compared, we notice first of all that with his pawn on a6 Black is threatening ...Na5, so White needs to play a2-a4 to secure his bishop; whereas with the black pawn on a5 White can continue developing. On the other hand, the a6-pawn doesn’t stop White from advancing his own queenside pawns; after a later a2-a4 he can carry out b4-b5. Which consideration is ultimately more important? It’s hard to say, but most grandmasters prefer to place the pawn on a6. As at move 5, Black again has a range of other options at move 6, including castling. In this book I will often recommend that White adopt a set-up with a2-a4 and Re1 on moves 7 and 8. Some of the games I will quote had a2-a4 played before Re1; others had the reverse. Sometimes the move order makes no difference, and a simple transposition results. In other cases the move order matters, as in the example above of the threat of ...Na5 making a2-a4 the logical call. In general, in an opening where Black will often has 3 or 4 valid choices on every move in the early stages, it is not practical for White to merely memorize the ‘correct’ response to every possible move order – you are more likely to confuse yourself. Instead some

understanding of the opening will guide you in the early stages. After reading this book, you should certainly have a good understanding of the Italian Game! It is later in the opening, often at the tabiyas of each chapter, that Black’s choices may narrow, and so learning precise move orders then becomes both easier and valuable.

Italian ...Be7 preview 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 Be7

Variations with the bishop on e7 are comparatively rare. When Black plays this way it is usually because he is afraid of his opponent’s preparation for some reason, or wants to surprise him. I have played such variations myself; this was when I faced someone who wasn’t the strongest of opponents, and I felt that with ...Bc5 it would be more difficult to win. Against the ...Be7 lines, White nearly always acquires a small plus if he handles the opening correctly. Essentially there are just two lines here – the main one with ...Na5 and ...c7-c5, or the less common ...Kh8 with the idea of ...Ng8. Both require White to play with some precision if he is to stop Black from equalizing or obtaining counterplay.

Chapter Overview The main body of the book is divided into four sections: Part I: The ...d7-d5 break Part II: Lines with ...a7-a6 Part III: Lines with ...a7-a5 Part IV: Early Deviations Part I – The ...d7-d5 Break The first four chapters feature Black trying to exploit White’s c2-c3 and d2-d3 set-up with a quick ...d7-d5 break. Specifically: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 0-0 6.0-0 d5 Then after: 7.exd5 Nxd5 8.a4

We reach a major branching point. Chapter 1 covers 8...Bf5 and 8...Nb6. Chapter 2 covers two lines after 8...a6: 9.Re1!? and 9.Nbd2 then 9...Nb6, while Chapter 3 is on 9...Kh8 in reply to 9.Nbd2. Chapter 4 is on 8...a5. Part II – Lines with ...a7-a6 Chapters 5-9 cover the position after: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.0-0 a6 7.a4 Ba7 8.Re1 0-0 9.h3

Chapters 5 and 6 are on the position after: 9...h6 10.Nbd2 when Chapter 5 considers 10...Nh5 and 10...Be6. Chapter 6 covers 10...Re8. Chapter 7 is on 9...Ne7. Chapter 8 is on 9...Kh8. Chapter 9 covers 9...Be6 and 9...b5. Chapter 10 concludes this section by looking at ...a6 lines where Black delays ...Ba7. Part III – Lines with ...a7-a5

Chapter 11 covers the position after: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 0-0 6.0-0 d6 7.Re1

In particular looking at the lines 7...h6 8.Nbd2!? especially with ...a7-a5 next, and also the immediate 7...a5!?. Part IV – Early Deviations Chapter 12 covers Black’s less usual option after: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4

Firstly there is the rare 3...g6 and then a couple of ...Be7 options: 3...Be7 and 3...Nf6 4.d3 Be7. Chapter 13 features the position after: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 h6 5.0-0 d6 6.c3

Then we consider immediately pushing the g-pawn one square or two: 6...g6 and 6...g5.

Part I The ...d7-d5 Break

A) 8...Bf5 9.Nbd2! Nb6 10.Bb5 19 A1) 10...Ne7!? 20 A2) 10...Bxd3 11.Re1 e4 12.Nxe4 Bxe4 13.Qxd8 22 A21) 13...Raxd8 22 A22) 13...Rfxd8 23 A23) 13...Nxd8!? 24 B) 8...Nb6 9.Bb5 Ne7! 25 B1) 10.a5 25 B2) 10.Nxe5!? c6 11.Bc4 Bd6 12.a5! Nxc4!?N 13.Nxc4 Bc7 14.Bg5! f6 15.Bh4 Nf5 16.Bg3 Nxg3 17.hxg3 f5 27 B21) 18.Nbd2!? 29 B22) 18.Re1 30 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 As usual in the Italian, many move orders are possible to reach the same positions later. For example, 3...Nf6 can lead to the same position below at move 5. 4.c3

4...Nf6 This is the only serious move and probably the only move you will ever face. I will mention briefly some lesser options: 4...d6 is too passive. 5.d4 (or 5.d3 aiming to transpose to the main lines after 5...Nf6) 5...exd4 6.cxd4 Bb6 7.Bb5! Making sure the d4pawn will be secure.

7...Bd7 (7...a6 8.Ba4 Bd7 9.Nc3 does not change anything significantly) 8.0-0 Nf6 9.Nc3 0-0 10.h3 Re8 11.Re1± Black cannot undermine the strong centre, so White has a significant advantage. 4...Qe7 The point of this move must be to avoid theory or surprise White, as it is certainly not logical. If you feel like playing for a refutation you can investigate: 5.d4!? (of course 5.0-0 is simple and fine) 5...Bb6 6.d5 Nb8 7.d6!?

7...Qxd6 (7...cxd6 was played in V. Sveshnikov – Romanov, Riga 2012, but after 8.Ng5N 8...Nh6 9.Na3 0-0 10.Nb5 a6 11.Nxd6 Nc6

12.0-0± White is better) 8.Qxd6 cxd6 9.Ng5 Nh6 10.Na3 a6 11.Bd5 Nc6 12.Nc4 Bc7 13.a4 Ne7 14.a5± White had more than enough compensation in Forgacs – Mizik, Hungary 2016; both Black’s bishops are poor, but in particular the c8-bishop is dead. 4...Bb6 5.d4 Qe7 transposes to the line above. 4...Qf6 only makes sense if it prevents d2-d4, but it does not: 5.d4! exd4 6.e5!

6...Qg6 (of course not 6...Nxe5? 7.Qe2 d6 8.cxd4+–) 7.cxd4 Bb4† 8.Nc3 d5 The only move to avoid immediate disaster. (Instead 8...d6 9.0-0+– with the threat of knight to d5 or b5 is simply winning. For example, 9...Bxc3 10.bxc3 Nge7 11.exd6 Qxd6 12.d5 with an overwhelming initiative at no material cost.)

9.Bxd5 The simplest reply (9.Be2!?N is also good enough for an advantage, and avoids any opposite bishops). For example: 9...Nge7 10.0-0 Bxc3 11.Nh4 Qg4 12.Bxc6† bxc6 13.Qxg4 Bxg4 14.bxc3± White has a clear extra pawn.

5.d3 Using the move order mentioned at move 3, we could also reach this position with the moves 3...Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.c3. 5...0-0 6.0-0 d5 This break is the potential downside to our c2-c3 and d2-d3 plan, and we shall consider it in this and the next three chapters. After that we will move on to lines with ...d7-d6 and ...a7-a6. 7.exd5 Nxd5 8.a4 This space-gaining advance will be a key resource in the lines I recommend in many variations of the Italian Game. Of course there are other moves, with 8.Re1, 8.b4 and 8.Nbd2 all being more common, but I prefer 8.a4.

In this chapter we will consider A) 8...Bf5 and B) 8...Nb6. Chapters 2 and 3 will cover various lines after 8...a6, while Chapter 4 is about 8...a5. A) 8...Bf5 A relatively new variation. Dominguez played this way in rapid chess at the end of 2016, and since then it has been seen a few times in top-class events. 9.Nbd2! I wrote a brief survey of the 8...Bf5 line for the New in Chess Yearbook, in which I examined various possible moves for White and indicated that it was only with 9.Nbd2! that he could aspire to an advantage. Since we are considering the position from White’s viewpoint, there is no need to analyse any other moves; I will just give two short variations for information. a) 9.a5 a6! (9...Nf6?! 10.b4! Bd6 11.a6² was M. Muzychuk – Saduakassova, St Petersburg 2018) The interpolation of a4-a5 and ...a7a6 is not in White’s favour, because now, in answer to Nbd2, Black has ...b7-b5! available. After 10.Re1 (10.Nbd2 b5! 11.axb6 Nxb6÷) 10...Nf6! 11.Bg5 e4 12.dxe4 Qxd1 13.Rxd1 Nxe4 the position is about equal. b) 9.Re1 Nb6 10.Bb5 Ne7! 11.a5 c6 12.axb6 cxb5 13.Be3 occurred in Mamedyarov – Kramnik, Wijk aan Zee 2018. Kramnik achieved equality after 13...axb6 14.Rxa8 Qxa8 15.Bxc5 bxc5 16.Rxe5 Qd8!, but apart from this, the simple 13...Bxe3 14.Rxe3 Qxb6 is also adequate. 9...Nb6 10.Bb5 Now Black has A1) 10...Ne7!? and A2) 10...Bxd3. A1) 10...Ne7!?

An interesting idea that has been employed by Adams. Just as in the 9.Re1 variation, Black wants to meet 11.a5 with 11...c6, but in this case White has the opportunity to bring his knight from d2 into the game. 11.a5!N It’s still necessary to play this move first and only then attack the bishop on c5. This shrewd order of moves is the only way White can acquire a plus. Alternatives are weaker: a) 11.Ne4 a6! 12.Nxc5 axb5 13.a5 (or 13.Nxe5 f6 14.Nf3 Nxa4=) 13...Na4! 14.Nxa4 Rxa5 with an equal position in Fressinet – Adams, Isle of Man 2017. b) 11.d4 exd4 12.Nb3 a6!= 11...c6 Or 11...a6 12.axb6 axb5 13.Rxa8 Qxa8 14.bxc7 Bd6 15.d4². White makes use of the fact that after an exchange on d4 the black b5pawn will be en prise. On 15...Ng6, both 16.dxe5 Nxe5 17.Re1 and the immediate 16.Re1 are good. 12.Nb3 Of course not 12.axb6? cxb5³.

12...cxb5 In the event of 12...Bd6 13.axb6 cxb5 14.bxa7² it isn’t so simple for Black to pick up the pawn on a7. For instance 14...Nc6 will be answered by 15.Re1 Re8 16.Bg5 f6 17.Be3 with a considerable advantage. 13.Nxc5 Na4 Practically the only move. Black comes off badly from 13...Nd7 14.Nxd7 Qxd7 15.Nxe5, or 13...Nbd5 14.Nxb7 Qc7 15.a6 with a large plus for White.

14.Nxa4 bxa4

15.Re1!? This is more cunning than capturing at once on e5 with the knight. Seeing that after 15...Qxa5 16.Rxe5 Black wouldn’t be able to support his a4-pawn with ...b7-b5, he must take on d3 instead. Then White will take on e5 and afterwards on a4. White is also slightly better after 15.Nxe5 Qxa5 16.Re1 b5 17.c4, but as a result of the pawn exchanges the position may become too simplified, and Black may hold his own without trouble. For that reason I prefer 15.Re1. 15...Bxd3 Or: 15...Qxd3 16.Qxd3 Bxd3 17.Rxe5! (in the case of 17.Nxe5 Bc2 Black is OK; it’s important to keep the knight on f3, so that ...Bc2 can be met by Nd4) 17...Nc6 (or 17...Ng6 18.Rd5 Be4 19.Rd4 Bc6 20.Rb4² with Nd4 to follow; for example 20...Rfb8 21.Nd4 Be8 22.Nb5) 18.Rc5² White deprives the black bishop of the b5-square and takes aim at the knight on c6. Black does best to abandon the pawn on a4; let’s see what happens if he wants to hold on to it: 18...Bc2?! 19.a6 Nd8 20.Nd4± And the pawn is lost all the same. 16.Nxe5 Bb5

17.c4! White shouldn’t avoid the queen exchange. A weaker line is 17.Bd2 f6! 18.c4 Be8. 17...Qxd1 18.Rxd1² Despite the presence of opposite bishops, Black has problems due to his weak a4-pawn. On 18...Rfd8 White has 19.Bg5!, while a good answer to 18...Be8 is 19.Be3 f6 20.Nd7. White has the advantage in either case.

A2) 10...Bxd3

11.Re1 e4 This leads to an exchange of queens and a slightly inferior ending. Other moves are no better. After 11...f6?? 12.Nb3+– Black comes out a piece down. In the case of 11...Bxb5 12.axb5 Ne7 White will have the advantage after capturing on e5, thanks to his good b5-pawn. He does well with either 13.Nxe5 Ng6 14.Nxg6 hxg6 15.Nb3 or 13.Rxe5!? Bd6 14.Re1. 12.Nxe4 Bxe4 13.Qxd8

Black has A21) 13...Raxd8, A22) 13...Rfxd8 or A23) 13...Nxd8!?. A21) 13...Raxd8 14.Rxe4 Rd1† 15.Re1 Rxe1† 16.Nxe1 Ne5 Most likely 16...a6!? is better; compare variation A22, after 13...Rfxd8. The fact that Black’s rook is on f8 rather than a8 is of no great significance. 17.Bf4! Stronger than the simple 17.Nd3, as played in the Hungarian Championship. After 17...Nxd3 18.Bxd3 Rd8 19.Be2, White had a pleasant position in G. Antal – Almasi, Budapest 2018. With difficulty, Black achieved a draw. 17...Bd6

18.Bxe5!? White also obtains a small plus from 18.Nd3 Nxd3 19.Bxd6 cxd6 20.Bxd3. 18...Bxe5 19.a5 Nc8 Or 19...Nd5 20.a6 c6 21.Bc4². 20.a6 b6 21.Rd1² Black is in an uncomfortable position; his passive rook and weak a7-pawn give White an appreciable plus. A22) 13...Rfxd8

14.Rxe4 Rd1† Or 14...a6 15.Bf1 Rd1 16.a5². After the black knight moves, White can play Re1 at once, or first g2-g3!? – with advantage in either case. 15.Re1 Rxe1† 16.Nxe1 a6!?

17.Be2! It looks tempting to play 17.Bxc6, but in fact White then risks forfeiting all his advantage. I will give a short variation: 17...bxc6 18.a5 Nd5 19.Ra4 (19.Nd3 is an improvement; after 19...Bd6 20.Bd2 c5 White is still a shade better, but the position has become simplified) 19...Bd6 20.Rc4 c5 21.Nd3 Rb8! 22.Nxc5 Rb5= Owing to the weakness of his own back rank, White hasn’t the time for taking the a6-pawn or for playing Ne4 and following with Nxd6. 17...Nd5 18.Nd3 Possibly an immediate a4-a5 is more precise, denying Black the option to play ...Bb6 with the idea of ...Na5. However, this doesn’t change the assessment of the position.

18...Ba7 If 18...Bb6 then 19.Rb1!?² is a small prophylactic ploy; White takes measures against ...Na5-b3. Now 19...Na5 is well answered by 20.Nf4. Afterwards White can calmly play Kf1 or Bd2. 19.a5 Re8 20.Kf1 White is obviously better. In Vachier-Lagrave – Nakamura, Saint Louis 2018, Black played 20...Ne5?!. Then after 21.Nxe5 Rxe5 White could have secured a large plus with 22.c4! Nb4 23.Bd2 Nc6 24.Bf3. A better move for Black would have been 20...Nd8, followed by ...c7-c6, ...Ne6 and a fight for the draw. A23) 13...Nxd8!?

This move has only been seen in a correspondence game. In my view it’s better to recapture with the knight than with either rook. Afterwards Black plays ...a7-a5 and transfers this knight to c5. However, he still doesn’t succeed in equalizing fully. 14.Rxe4 a5 It’s important not to let White play a4-a5 (if 14...Ne6 then 15.a5 c6 16.Bd3 Nd5 17.g3²). Nor is there any hurry to play ...c7-c6.

15.Bd3!? It’s probably worth bringing the bishop back at once, without waiting for Black to play ...c7-c6 at the moment when he needs to. The bishop is best placed on c2, supporting the pawn on a4. In Squires – Sanner, corr. 2017, White transferred his knight to b3, but this gives Black time to deploy his pieces effectively. The game went 15.g3 Ne6 16.Nd2!? c6 17.Bf1 Rfd8 18.Nb3 Bf8, and White had difficulty developing his dark-squared bishop. On 19.Be3 Black has 19...Nd5 20.Bd2 Nb6!, creating a threat of ...Nc5. White actually played 19.Kg2!?, retaining chances of an advantage. Repositioning the bishop on c2 looks more promising nonetheless. 15...Ne6 16.Bc2 Bd6 Or 16...Rfe8 17.Bd2 Bd6 18.Rd1 Nc5 19.Rxe8† Rxe8 20.b3. White has had to support his a4-pawn with his b-pawn, but this doesn’t affect the assessment of the position. Black is faced with a struggle to draw. But then, at move 17 there is no need for White to hurry with Bd2. Since we anticipate that Black will move his bishop to free c5 for his knight, we can play 17.g3!? – so as to answer ...Bd6 by developing our bishop on e3 at once.

17.Be3 White also gains a slight advantage from 17.Ng5!? Nc5 18.Re3 h6 19.Ne4. But I’m not convinced that he should hurry to exchange knights. 17...Nd5 18.Bd2 Thanks to his two bishops, White has a small but stable plus. From here on, only two results are plausible. If Black plays 18...Nc5, then after 19.Rd4 he has to move his other knight from d5 – seeing that 19...c6? fails to 20.c4. If instead 18...c6, then both 19.g3 and 19.Ng5!? are good answers. B) 8...Nb6

9.Bb5 Ne7! This knight move was first adopted by Hammer in 2016. Without this scheme for capturing the bishop on b5, Black’s 8...Nb6 loses its point. The game Demchenko – Jakovenko, Khanty-Mansiysk 2014, went 9...Bd6 10.a5 Nd5.

At this point White continued with 11.a6, but 11.Bc4!?N looks slightly better. There can follow: a) 11...Nf6 12.Bg5 h6 13.Bh4 g5 14.Bg3 e4 15.dxe4² Even in the ending, the superior pawn structure makes itself felt – for example 15...Bxg3 16.hxg3 Qxd1 17.Rxd1 Nxe4 18.Nbd2, with advantage to White. b) 11...Nce7 12.Re1 Bg4 13.Nbd2² With a clear plus for White after 13...c6 14.h3 or 13...Nf4 14.Ne4. We now consider B1) 10.a5 and B2) 10.Nxe5!?. B1) 10.a5

Unlike the capture on e5 with the knight, this move has already been quite well investigated. After studying games and doing some analysis, I have come to the conclusion that the capture on e5 gives White more practical chances since it leaves more pieces on the board. But anyone may choose the move that appeals to him better. 10...c6 Or 10...Bd7 11.Bxd7 Nxd7 12.b4 Bd6 13.Nbd2². By seizing space on the queenside and driving the bishop back to d6, White has acquired a small but stable advantage. 11.axb6 cxb5 12.Rxa7 Rxa7 The alternative 12...Rb8 is weaker; 13.Nxe5, and now: a) 13...Qxb6 14.Ra1 Ng6 15.d4 Nxe5 16.Bf4!² With a considerable advantage after 16...f6 17.dxc5 Qxc5 18.Qb3†. b) 13...Bf5 14.Ra1² White will meet 14...f6 with 15.d4 Bxb6 16.Nd3, while in answer to 14...Bxb6 he has 15.d4 or 15.Re1!?. c) 13...Bxb6 14.Ra1 Bc7 15.d4 Ng6 And White has the choice between 16.f4 and 16.Na3!?, with advantage in both cases.

13.bxa7 Bxa7 14.Nxe5 Bf5

15.Re1 Or 15.Na3 (compared with 15.Re1 this move allows Black some extra possibilities), and now: a) 15...Bb8 16.d4 16...f6? 17.Nd3± occurred in Mamedov – C. Balogh, Baku 2016. Black should have played 16...b4 with the aim of transposing to one of the 15...b4 lines. b) 15...b4! 16.cxb4, and now: b1) 16...f6 The most logical move, though not the only one. 17.Nec4 (17.Nf3 Qxd3 18.Qxd3 Bxd3 19.Rd1 Rc8= is no improvement) 17...Bxd3 18.Re1 Nf5 19.Be3 Nxe3 20.Nxe3 Kh8© White is slightly better, but if Black makes a few good moves he will be OK. He should meet 21.Qd2 with 21...Rf7, and 21.Qf3 with 21...Bg6!; then White can’t take on b7, on account of ...Bxe3. b2) 16...Bb8 (other moves that also deserve consideration are 16...Qd5 and 16...Ng6!?) 17.d4 Qd5 (or 17...Qd6!?) 18.Re1 Rd8 For this, see 15.Re1 Bb8 16.Na3 b4 (variation with 18.d4). 15...Bb8 Alternatively: a) 15...f6 16.Nf3² and now 16...Bd3?! is bad: 17.Rxe7 Bxb1 18.Rd7 Black has to play 16...Qxd3 17.Qxd3 Bxd3, with drawing chances after 18.Rxe7 Bxb1 19.Rxb7 Rf7. b) 15...Nc6!? 16.Nxc6 bxc6 17.Be3 Bb8, with a slight advantage for White after 18.d4 Qd6 19.Qh5 or 18.Qf3 Qxd3 19.Qxc6. c) 15...Ng6 16.Nxg6 hxg6 17.Be3² If Black wanted to exchange knights, it was more logical to do so with 15...Nc6.

16.Na3 In the event of 16.Nd2 Bxe5 17.Rxe5 Bxd3 18.Qf3 (or 18.Re1 Nc6 19.Nb3 Qd5=; after 20.Be3 Be4 and the exchange of queens, a virtually drawn ending comes about) 18...Ng6 19.Re3 Bc4 20.Qxb7 Nf4 21.Qf3 Nd3 22.Qd1 Qh4 23.g3 Qf6!©, the activity of Black’s pieces is sufficient to maintain the balance. He will answer 24.Ne4 with 24...Qd8. The game Glatthaar – Santos, corr. 2017, went 24.Nf3 Rd8 25.Qc2 h6, and the players soon agreed a draw.

16...b4! By giving up a second pawn, Black aims to recover the d-pawn and obtain a draw. Even though White is playing without any risk, it’s hard for him to make anything of his doubled pawn on the b-file. 17.cxb4 Qd5 In the case of 17...Ng6 18.Nf3 Qxd3 19.Qxd3 Bxd3² White has a slight edge after 20.Be3 or 20.Rd1.

18.Nf3 The position after 18.d4 Rd8 19.Nf3 Nc6 20.b5 Nb4 arose by transposition in Prakash – R. Ramesh, corr. 2016. In spite of being two pawns down, Black is not far off equality. For example, 21.Re3 Bf4 22.Rc3 Bxc1 23.Rxc1 Nd3 24.Rc3 Nf4 25.Re3 Be4 and the poor position of his knight on a3 hinders White’s exploitation of his extra material. Black is set no problems by 18.Nec4 Bxd3 19.Rxe7 Bxc4 20.Qxd5 Bxd5= with full equality in Anand – So, Saint Louis 2016. 18...Nc6 19.Bd2 Qxd3 20.Bc3 Qxd1 21.Rxd1 Bg4 This occurred in Crielesi – Gerhards, corr. 2018. White remains with a small plus, but the extra doubled pawn is difficult to turn to account. With accurate play, Black should draw. B2) 10.Nxe5!?

In my view this capture is more interesting than the more popular pawn move. But we have also examined the latter since nearly all strong chessplayers, including correspondence players, prefer it. 10...c6 Or: 10...a6 11.Bc4 Bd6 (11...Nxc4 12.Nxc4²) 12.a5 With the black pawn on a6, the capture on f7 is slightly more effective than after 10...c6; but a4-a5 is nonetheless better. 12...Bxe5 13.axb6

And now: a) 13...cxb6 14.Re1 Bc7 15.Nd2 Ng6 (15...b5?! 16.Bxb5 Bf5 17.Bc4±) 16.d4² Thanks to his superior pawn structure, White stands better. Black won’t manage to work up an attack against the king, as White can bring his knight across to g3. b) 13...Qd6 14.h3 Simplest (the computer suggests the cunning 14.Qh5!? g6 15.Qf3 Bxh2† 16.Kh1, but there is no need to complicate the position). 14...cxb6 (o14...Qxb6 15.Re1 Ng6 16.d4²) 15.Re1 Ng6 16.Nd2 Bf5 17.d4² Reaching roughly the same kind of position as after 13...cxb6. Good answers to 17...Bf4 are 18.Nf1 and 18.Qh5; while in the case of 17...Bh2† 18.Kh1 Bf4 White has 19.Ne4. 11.Bc4 Bd6 12.a5! It is owing to this very possibility that White can lay claim to a plus. After other moves Black has no problems: a) 12.Nxf7 Rxf7 13.Bxf7† Kxf7 with an unclear position. b) 12.Bf4 Qc7 13.Re1 Nf5!÷ with fully valid counterplay (instead 13...Nxc4 14.dxc4 would be premature; Black can’t continue 14...f6? on account of 15.Nxc6!). c) 12.Nf3 Nxc4 13.dxc4 Qc7© with good compensation for the pawn, Sedina – Loiacono, Trieste 2016.

12...Nxc4!?N The thematic line. Black wants to obtain compensation in the style of the Marshall Attack. In this case White has slightly more time for bringing his pieces out, but the pawn on a5 is not ideally placed. The only game to be played from the diagram position went 12...Bxe5 13.axb6 Qxb6 14.Re1 Qc7 15.Qh5 Bd6 16.Nd2 Nd5 17.Ne4² with a clear plus for White in Anton Guijarro – Howell, Minsk 2017. Apart from having more active pieces, White can obtain the bishop pair by exchanging on d6. 13.Nxc4 Bc7 With 13...Bb8 Black aims to play ...Qc7 and meet g2-g3 by placing his bishop on h3 – but he doesn’t succeed in launching an attack. I will give a short variation as evidence: 14.Bg5 Qc7 15.g3 Ng6 (or 15...Bh3 16.Bxe7! Qxe7 17.Re1±) 16.Be3! Instead after the

straightforward 16.Nbd2 Bh3 17.Re1 Qd7 Black would acquire compensation, but by withdrawing his bishop to e3, White sets up a threat of Nb6 and gains a big advantage.

14.Bg5! White intends to bring the bishop round to g3, lending a little more strength to his king’s position. In the event of 14.d4 Ng6 Black would have full compensation for the pawn; for example 15.Re1 could be met by 15...Qh4 or 15...Be6 16.Nbd2 Nf4. 14...f6 The most logical. Black wants to exchange off the white bishop for his own knight, and then push his f-pawn forward. Other moves appear slow. 15.Bh4 Nf5 16.Bg3 Nxg3 17.hxg3 f5

White now has two possibilities of roughly equal value: B21) 18.Nbd2!? and B22) 18.Re1. With the knight move he returns the pawn and counts on obtaining an endgame advantage. The rook move leads to more complex play, in which Black endeavours to attack with a pawn less. The choice of move depends on which type of position you like better – simple or complicated. We will therefore examine both options. B21) 18.Nbd2!? Bringing the knight into play at once, while returning the sacrificed pawn. With the knight already on d2, Black’s 18...f4 is not so good. This variation offers an alternative to 18.Re1 if we want to avoid positions where Black, with a pawn minus, is trying to attack our king. 18...Qxd3 Or 18...f4 19.gxf4, with these possibilities:

a) 19...Bxf4 20.Ne4 Be6 21.Re1 Bc7 22.g3² Black has the two bishops, but they only partially compensate for the pawn minus. b) 19...Rxf4

20.Re1! The accurate move, enabling White to go over to the counter-attack with the aid of his queen and rook (this is better than 20.Ne4?! Qh4 21.g3 Qh3÷). And now: b1) 20...Qxd3 21.Qb3 Qd5 22.Re7± with a big advantage. Against 22...Rf7, the simple 23.Rae1 is adequate. The tactical trick 22...Bh3 doesn’t help Black, owing to 23.Nb6! Qxb3 24.Nxb3 axb6 25.Rxc7 Be6 26.axb6 with an extra pawn in the ending. b2) 20...Rxf2 21.Nf3! If White takes on f2 with his king, the game should end in perpetual check; but now the rook is trapped, although of course we must continue the variation. 21...Bg3 22.Qb3 h6 (if 22...Rxf3 then 23.Ne5†±) 23.Ncd2† Kh7 24.Qf7± At first sight the position looks unclear, but in fact Black is in a bad way owing to the threat of Re7. If 24...Qh4 then 25.Rf1! is strong, while on 24...Qd5 White has 25.Qxd5 cxd5 26.Re3!. c) 19...Qxd3 20.Ne5² with a good advantage for White after 20...Bxe5 21.fxe5 Be6 22.Re1, or 20...Qd5 21.Ra4 Bxe5 22.fxe5 Qxe5 23.Re1; or 20...Qf5 21.Ra4 Be6 22.Re1. White seizes control of the centre, and if Black wants to win his pawn back he must part with his dark-squared bishop. 19.Qb3

19...Qd5 Or: a) 19...Be6?! 20.Qxb7 Rac8 21.Rae1!± After this strong move White has a large plus, as he will answer 21...Bxc4 22.Nxc4 Qxc4 with 23.Re7. b) 19...Kh8 20.Nf3 Qd5 21.Rfd1² with a nice advantage after 21...Qg8 22.Qb4 or 21...Qb5 22.Qxb5 cxb5 23.Ne3. 20.Rfd1 White has a small but steady plus. He will meet 20...Qb5 with 21.Nd6† Qxb3 22.Nxb3.

In the event of 20...f4 21.Ne4! Black can’t take the knight, because after 21...Qxe4? 22.Ne5† Kh8 23.Nf7† White wins. B22) 18.Re1

In contrast to variation B21 (18.Nbd2), White wishes to retain his extra pawn – but he has to reckon with ...f5-f4 and with the activity of Black’s pieces. 18...f4 19.Ne5 It’s important to block the action of the dark-squared bishop. After 19.gxf4 Bxf4 20.Nbd2 Black can play 20...Bh2† and deliver perpetual check. 19...Be6! The move to give White the most problems. Against other moves White obtains a clear plus with precise play. Now Black keeps some compensation. Nonetheless in my view White is a little better – although the 18.Nbd2 line may well be the simpler course. Alternatives are: a) 19...fxg3 Giving White the opportunity to exchange queens and evade the attack (capturing on e5 first is no improvement, because after 19...Bxe5 20.Rxe5 fxg3 21.fxg3 Qf6 22.Qe1 Black’s threats are at an end). 20.Qb3† Qd5 21.Qxd5† cxd5 22.fxg3² With an extra pawn and only two results at stake. b) 19...Qf6 20.gxf4 Qxf4 21.Nf3 Qh6

22.Ra4! Bringing the rook into play (the text move is clearer than 22.Nbd2 Bg4 23.Qb3† Kh8 which gives Black good compensation; he will answer 24.Qxb7 with 24...Bf4). And now: b1) With 22...Bf4 Black intends to answer 23.Nbd2 with ...Bg4, and it’s important to check whether the following bishop sacrifice works for him: 23.g3 Bxg3?! 24.fxg3 Qh3 25.Qb3† Kh8 26.Qc2± Black can’t take the knight on f3 on account of Re8†. And in the event of 26...Bg4 27.Nh4, White has a large plus after 27...Qxg3† 28.Ng2 or 27...g5 28.Qg2. b2) 22...Qg6 23.Nbd2 Qxd3 24.Rae4² Having successfully repositioned his rook from a1, White seizes the initiative. Black can’t

play 24...Bxa5? owing to 25.Nd4 with the irresistible threats of R1e3 and Re7 or Re8. Another bad try is 24...Bf5?! 25.Re7, and again the capture on a5 fails to Nd4. Black must play 24...Qd5, to which White can simply reply 25.b4 with advantage. 20.g4 In the case of 20.gxf4 Black brings all his pieces into action too quickly: 20...Rxf4 21.Nd2 Qf6© 20...Qg5 If 20...f3?!, then 21.Nxf3 Bxg4 22.Qb3† Kh8 23.Nbd2±. After 23...Qxd3 24.Qxb7 Qd7 25.Qb4 Black is unable to create an attack in view of the threatened Re7.

21.d4 The computer likes 21.Nd2!?, but subsequently it alters its assessment of the position: 21...Bxe5 22.Nf3 Qxg4 23.Nxe5 Qg5!÷ If Black had exchanged queens on d1, White would be clearly better. But now the position remains unclear, seeing that after 24.a6 b5! 25.Nxc6 f3 26.g3 Qh6 Black has good compensation for the pawn. 21...f3! Black has to try for an attack. He does badly with 21...Bxe5?! 22.Rxe5 Qxg4 23.Qxg4 Bxg4 24.Nd2; notwithstanding the equal material, White has a big advantage. Another line that looks inferior is 21...h5 22.gxh5 Bd5 23.Qg4. 22.Nxf3 Qxg4 23.Nbd2

23...Bf4!? Probably the most astute move. After 23...Rf6 24.Ne5 it’s hard for Black to develop his attack, as White has moves like Ndf3, Ne4 or Re4 available.

If 23...Rae8, then 24.Re4 is not bad. While 23...Bd5 is well answered by 24.c4!. 24.Ne5 Bh2† 25.Kh1 And White has a slight advantage in the ending after 25...Bxe5 26.Qxg4 Bxg4 27.Rxe5 Rxf2 28.Nc4. Conclusion This chapter started the study of the early ...d7-d5 break that our c2-c3 and d2-d3 move order allows. In the position after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 0-0 6.0-0 d5 7.exd5 Nxd5 8.a4 we looked at two options: 8...Bf5 or 8...Nb6. The 8...Bf5 variation occurs comparatively rarely. Formerly it was played to surprise the opponent; after (for instance) the natural 9.Re1 Nb6 10.Bb5 Ne7!, Black has no problems. In the event of 9.Nbd2! Nb6 10.Bb5, the play leads in a half-forced manner to an ending after either 10...Ne7 11.a5 c6 12.Nb3! or the main line 10...Bxd3 11.Re1 e4 12.Nxe4. In either case Black must play defensively and fight for the draw. The 8...Nb6 line usually continues 9.Bb5 Ne7. Then at move 10 in this variation, White has two possibilities – 10.a5 and 10.Nxe5. After 10.a5 Black comes out a pawn down and usually has to play accurately to draw. But as a result of several well-known games, the positions have already been quite extensively studied, and players of the black side should be fairly well prepared. For that reason 10.Nxe5!?, as played by Anton Guijarro in his game with Howell, appears more interesting. In that game White gained a clear advantage. And although Black’s play can be improved, he still remains with some problems even when continuing accurately.

A) 9.Re1!? Bg4 34 A1) 10.h3!? 34 A2) 10.Nbd2 35 B) 9.Nbd2 Nb6 10.Ba2! 37 B1) 10...Bg4 38 B2) 10...Qxd3 11.a5 Nd7 12.Bb1 39 B21) 12...Qd5?! 40 B22) 12...Qd6 13.b4!N Ba7 14.Qe2!? 42 B221) 14...Ne7 42 B222) 14...Qe7 43 B223) 14...f5 44 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 0-0 6.0-0 d5 7.exd5 Nxd5 8.a4 a6 This may be considered the main line of the system with an early ...d7-d5, so we shall study it more thoroughly than the other moves.

White has A) 9.Re1!? and B) 9.Nbd2. For 9.a5 Bf5! see Chapter 1, variation A (note to move 9). I will now merely say that Black is not worse. A) 9.Re1!? This leads practically by force to an ending after move 15. 9...Bg4 In L. van Foreest – Navara, Skopje 2018, Black played 9...Nb6. White could have replied 10.Ba2 Bg4 11.h3 Bh5 12.Nbd2, transposing to variation A2. But a stronger line is 10.Bg5!? Be7 11.Bxe7 Qxe7 12.Ba2², with advantage owing to the threat of d3-d4. The continuation 12...Qd6 13.Nbd2 Qxd3 14.Nxe5 fails to rid Black of his problems.

At this point White can choose A1) 10.h3!? or A2) 10.Nbd2. A1) 10.h3!? Bh5 11.Nbd2 f6

12.b4!?N Aiming to post the dark-squared bishop on a3 at once and make Black move his rook from f8. But we will see whether we need to play Ne4. Vachier-Lagrave – Anand, London 2017, went 12.Ne4 Ba7 13.b4 (13.Be3 Bxe3 14.fxe3 Kh8„) 13...Kh8 14.Bd2 Nce7 with a playable, nearly equal position. 12...Ba7 13.Ba3 Re8 Or 13...Rf7 14.b5 Na5 15.Bxd5 Qxd5 16.Bb4 b6 17.c4. With the bishop on a7 shut in, White has a small but stable plus. 14.Ne4

14...Bf7 Or 14...Kh8 15.b5 Na5 16.Bxd5 Qxd5 17.Bb4 and Black has to play 17...b6, to which White can reply 18.c4. 15.b5 Na5 16.Ba2 White has the advantage because the knight on a5 is badly placed. He can meet 16...Qd7 with 17.Bb4, or even 17.Bc1!? to bring the bishop to d2. A2) 10.Nbd2

10...Nb6 In Duda – So, Moscow 2019, the continuation was: 10...Kh8?! 11.h3 Bh5 12.Ne4² After the bishop moves from c5, White can play 13.Ng3, and Black has to give up his light-squared bishop. 11.h3 Bh5 Or 11...Bxf3 12.Qxf3 Nxc4 13.Nxc4 Re8 14.b4 Bf8 15.Ba3 with a small but stable plus. After 15...Qd7 or 15...Qf6!? 16.Qxf6 gxf6, White will play b4-b5. But if anyone thinks this position has become too simplified, they can play 10.h3!? (variation A1) before Nbd2. 12.Ba2 Better than: 12.Ne4 Nxc4 13.Nxc5 Nd6 14.g4 Bg6 15.Nxe5 Nxe5 16.Rxe5 b6 17.Nb3 Nc4= After Black has picked up the d3pawn, a completely equal ending is reached. 12...Qxd3 13.a5

13...Bxf3 Or 13...Nc8 14.Nxe5 Qf5 15.Nef3 Nd6 16.Bb1 Qf6, with a slight edge for White after 17.g4 Bg6 18.Nb3 Bxb1 19.Nxc5 or 17.Nb3!? Bxf3 18.Qxf3. 14.Nxf3 Qxd1 15.Rxd1 Nc8 16.b4

In the only game I have found in the Mega Database, Black chose 16...Ba7. In correspondence games, 16...Bd6 and 16...Be7!? have been tried. Overall, White has good compensation for the pawn and a simpler game to play, but if Black continues accurately he should have no special problems. For that reason I prefer 9.Nbd2 (variation B), which leads to more complex positions. All the same, let’s see how play may proceed from the diagram. 16...Be7!? Leaving the d6-square free for the knight. For White there is no point in replying 17.Rd7, on account of 17...Rd8!. Delchev also analysed up to this point in Bc4 against the Open Games. Black’s alternatives are: a) 16...Ba7 is not the best choice.

17.Rd7!N (Anand – So, Stavanger 2017, saw 17.Re1 Nd6 18.Nxe5 Nxe5 19.Rxe5 Rfe8 20.Rxe8† Rxe8, and thanks to the threats of ...Re2 and ...Ne4, Black equalized) 17...Nd6 18.Rxc7 Rac8 19.Rxc8 Rxc8 20.Bd2 With a stable advantage due to the bishop pair. An important point is that White can meet 20...e4 with 21.Bf4!. b) 16...Bd6 This is better than retreating to a7 (and about on a par with 16...Be7). 17.Be3 h6 18.g4 N8a7 19.Bd5 Nb5 20.Rac1 Rfe8 21.g5 hxg5 22.Nxg5 Nd8 With a little pressure for White. The game Kazoks – Malin, corr. 2017, continued 23.Bb3 Rf8 24.Ne4 Nc6, and an equal rook ending soon arose after Black had withdrawn his knight to e7 and met c2-c4 with ...Nd4, returning the pawn. 17.Be3 Nd6 18.Bd5 Bf6 19.Nd2

In Frijling – Barkov, corr. 2017, Black played 19...Rfd8 20.Ne4 Nb5. It’s also worth considering 19...Ne7 20.Bf3 Rfd8. Still, in either case the position is by no means drawn, and White retains some chances of developing an initiative. B) 9.Nbd2

Recently 9.Re1!? (variation A) has become more popular, but I prefer the knight move. It usually leads to fairly complex positions where White’s side is easier to play. Moreover I have discovered a good many interesting ideas for White which have yet to be seen in practice. 9...Nb6 We will consider the important 9...Kh8 in the next chapter. There is also: a) 9...Ba7 brings Black no advantages compared with 9...Kh8. White can play 10.Ne4 or 10.Re1 f6 11.Ne4, after which Black has nothing better than ...Kh8 anyway. b) 9...Bg4 Bringing the bishop out to g4 is premature, since White can always drive it away by playing h2-h3 and transferring his knight to g3. 10.Ne4 Ba7 (or 10...Be7 11.h3 Bh5 12.Re1 f6 13.Ng3 Bf7 14.d4²; owing to his more active pieces, White has seized the initiative) 11.a5!? Taking the squares a5 and b6 away from the black knights; as a result the white queen can shortly come out to b3. 11...Kh8 12.h3 Bh5 13.Ng3 Bg6 14.Qb3 Nde7 (14...Nf4 15.d4²)

15.Ng5!² The unconventional attack on the f7-pawn gives White a pleasant advantage. Now 15...h6 will be met by 16.Nxf7† Bxf7 17.Bxf7 Qxd3 18.Kh2. If instead 15...Qe8 or 15...Kg8, then 16.Be3!? is a good reply. c) 9...Bf5 10.Ne4 Be7 (10...Ba7 11.a5²) 11.a5 b5 (11...Qd7 12.Re1²) 12.axb6 Nxb6 13.Ba2² Black has an uncomfortable position owing to his damaged pawn structure.

10.Ba2! White must send his bishop into attack via b1, reserving the c2-square for the queen. In the case of 10.Bb3?! Qxd3 11.a5 Nd7 12.Bc2 Qd5÷, the unavailability of Qc2 denies White the opportunity to work up a quick attack. Here we examine the tries B1) 10...Bg4 and B2) 10...Qxd3. A minor option is: 10...a5 11.Ne4 (instead Kryvoruchko – Almasi, Hungary 2016, saw the inaccurate 11.d4 exd4 12.Nb3 Bd6 13.Nbxd4 Nxd4 14.Qxd4 with an approximately equal position; at this point Black has the good move 14...c5!?) 11...Be7 12.Re1 Bf5 13.Be3 With a slight but steady advantage for White. On 13...Bg6, an interesting idea is 14.Bxb6 cxb6 15.Bc4, with Qe2 or Bb5 to follow. B1) 10...Bg4

11.h3 Bh5 12.Ne4!? The idea is to do without a4-a5. Now after Re1 and Ng3 Black won’t be able to withdraw his bishop to g6 – because his knight will not yet have moved from b6 to d7, and the e5-pawn will be en prise. Demchenko – Tomashevsky, Vladivostok 2014, saw 12.a5 Nd7 13.Ne4 Be7 14.b4 Kh8 15.Ng3 Bg6 16.Bd5 f5 17.Qb3 h6 18.Re1 Bd6. Both sides were playing well – the foregoing moves are difficult to improve upon. After some analysis I concluded that White has less advantage here than I would like. Consequently I realized that he needn’t hurry with a4-a5. 12...Be7 13.Re1

13...Bxf3 The resolute continuation. As White hasn’t played a4-a5, Black may capture the a4-pawn. Against other moves, White easily acquires a plus. In the case of 13...Kh8 14.Ng3 Bxf3 15.Qxf3, with the bishop pair, he is clearly better. If Black now plays 15...Nxa4, White has a number of good moves; the simplest course is 16.Bxf7, and if 16...Nc5 then 17.Qh5!. Black does better to continue 15...f5 and meet 16.a5 with 16...Nc8; White’s advantage is then not so great as after 15...Nxa4. 14.Qxf3 Nxa4

15.Qh5!? It’s also worth considering 15.Ng3!?, but I like the queen move more. White can soon start a dangerous attack with Bg5 or d3-d4 followed by Bb1. There is therefore danger for Black in spending time on quiet moves. 15...Nb6 Alternatively: a) 15...Nc5 16.Nxc5 Bxc5 17.d4, and now: a1) 17...Bd6 18.Bg5 Qd7 19.Bf6!± Thanks to the possibility of Bb1, White has a huge plus. Black’s only chance of salvation is 19...Ne7, to which White’s simplest reply is 20.dxe5 gxf6 21.exd6. a2) 17...g6 18.Qf3 exd4 19.Bh6 And on 19...dxc3 White does best to take the rook at once. After 20.Bxf8 Qxf8 21.bxc3 he has a big advantage owing to the open files in the centre and the fact that the black queen is tied to the f7-pawn. b) 15...Qd7 16.d4! exd4 17.Bg5 Rae8 18.Bxe7 Rxe7 19.Ng5± On 19...h6 White plays 20.Nxf7, and Black must give up the exchange. 16.Bg5

16...Nd5! Practically the only move. Black is surrendering the e5-pawn, but otherwise he would come under a fierce attack. After 16...Qd7? 17.Bxe7 Qxe7 18.f4+– Black suddenly has a hopeless position. White will take the pawn on e5 and his centre will be too powerful. He decisively answers 18...Rad8 with 19.d4, and 18...h6 with 19.Ng3. 17.Bxe7 Ncxe7 18.Qxe5² Thanks to his good bishop on a2 and his superior pawn structure, White has a clear plus. He can meet 18...c6 with 19.d4, but an even better move is 19.g3!?, to deprive Black’s knight of the f4-square and answer 19...Ng6 with 20.Qh5.

B2) 10...Qxd3

This looks rather risky, but what was the point of ...Nb6 if Black does not take the d3-pawn? In some games with this line White obtained a plus, but Black’s play can be improved. However, some new ideas have been discovered for White too... 11.a5 Nd7 12.Bb1 Black now has B21) 12...Qd5?! or B22) 12...Qd6. B21) 12...Qd5?!

The main defect of this move is that White can play Ba2 with tempo at the requisite moment. Moreover after 13.Qc2 Nf6 14.Ng5 Black can’t play 14...Ne7 (as he can with his queen on d6), because after 15.Nxh7 Bf5 16.Nxf6† he cannot recapture with the queen. 13.Qc2 Nf6 14.Ng5 g6 Obviously, as explained above, 14...Ne7 15.Nxh7 Bf5 16.Nxf6† gxf6 17.Ne4± leaves Black with a difficult position. 15.Nde4 Nxe4

16.Ba2! It’s important to drive the queen back immediately, since after 16.Nxe4? Be7 the b5-square is freed and White forfeits all his advantage: 17.Ba2 Qb5÷ 16...Qd7!? Leaving d8 free for the rook; Black wants to play ...Rd8 and ...Qd3. This doesn’t however help him against precise play by White. After 16...Qd8 17.Nxe4 Bf5 18.Bh6, there are these possibilities: a) 18...Bxe4?! 19.Qxe4 Re8 20.Rad1! (much stronger than the straightforward Bxf7†) 20...Qe7 (or 20...Qf6 21.Rd7 Re7 22.Rd3+– with the decisive threat of Rf3) 21.h4+– Owing to the threats of Bg5 and h4-h5, Black has a hopeless position. For instance 21...Bd6 will be met by 22.h5 Kh8 23.hxg6 fxg6 24.Rd3; then in answer to 24...Nd8 the simple 25.b4 is adequate. In order to redeploy his knight, Black must give up the b7-pawn. b) 18...Re8 19.Qb3 Be6

And now: b120.Qxb7 Nxa5 21.Qxa8 Qxa8 22.Nf6†² Emerging with two rooks for the queen, White will have a slight advantage. b2) 20.Qa4!? A more ambitious move than the capture on b7; White strives to extract the maximum from the position. 20...Bxa2 21.Rad1 Qe7 22.Rd7± White is winning the queen. Although Black will have rook, bishop and pawn in return, his position is clearly worse. For instance 22...Be6 will be met by 23.Rxe7 Bxe7 24.Bg5, and in view of the threatened Nf6† Black will have to exchange the dark-squared bishops. 17.Nxe4

17...Be7 On 17...Qf5 White plays 18.Bh6 Re8 19.b4±. Then 19...Ba7?! loses to 20.Qe2! Kh8 21.h3, threatening g2-g4. If instead the bishop leaves the g1-a7 diagonal, White can play f2-f4. Thus 19...Bf8 is met by 20.Bg5 Be7 21.f4, while on 19...Be7 White has 20.f4 Be6 21.fxe5 Qxe5 22.Bf4 with a large plus. 18.Bh6 Rd8 Or 18...Re8 19.f4±. 19.f3!? White could play Rae1, but I prefer f2-f3. The pawn move fulfils a number of useful functions at once: it supports the knight on e4, frees f2 for the queen and makes g2-g4 possible as a reply to ...Qf5.

19...Qd3 Alternatively: a) 19...Qe8 20.f4 Bf5 21.g4!+– Now after 21...Bxg4 22.f5! gxf5 23.Qg2 Black can resign. His only other option is 21...Bxe4 22.Qxe4 Kh8, but White still has a winning advantage after 23.fxe5 Bc5† 24.Kh1 Qxe5 25.Qf3. b) 19...Qf5 20.g4 Qd7 21.h4 Qe8 22.h5 with a huge plus for White. Black’s only chance is 22...Be6 23.hxg6 Bxa2 24.gxh7† Kh8, with some slight prospects of holding out. c) 19...Nxa5 20.Qf2 Qb5 (20...Nc6 21.Rae1+–) Black is forced to exchange on g5 and play ...Rf8; then White will play 23.Qh4 h5 24.g4 with a winning attack. 20.Qf2 Be6 After 20...Bf5 21.Rae1+– Black simply has no normal move available. Against 21...Nxa5 White has the decisive 22.Bg5 Qd7 23.Qh4, while on 21...Qd7 the simple 22.f4 is adequate.

21.Bxe6 fxe6 22.b4± Black’s pieces have too little scope, and White’s knight on e4 is very good. In addition White has the possibility of advancing his hpawn to weaken Black’s king position. For example 22...Rd7 is well answered by 23.h4 Kh8 24.Qg3; then apart from h4-h5 White threatens the unpleasant Qg4. B22) 12...Qd6

13.b4!N After the advance of his b-pawn, White will be able to bring his bishop out to a3 with the threat of b4-b5. I later discovered that Delchev also gave this move. A different idea involves Ng5 and Qc2, aiming to play Ne4 and capture the bishop on c5. From analysis I have concluded that the pawn move is a little stronger. On 13.Ng5 the choices are: a) 13...Nf6 14.Qc2 This has been seen twice. White now seizes the initiative, for example: 14...Ne7 15.Nge4 Bf5 16.Nxd6 Bxc2 17.Nxb7 Bxb1 18.Nxc5² In Cornette – Naroditsky, Grosseto Prugna 2016, White had a pleasant ending, thanks to his superior pawn structure. b) 13...h6!N This has yet to be played, but it is owing to this very possibility that I prefer 13.b4 to 13.Ng5. 14.Qc2 g6 15.Nde4 Qe7 16.Nf3 Kg7 17.Nxc5 Nxc5 18.b4 Ne6© White has good compensation, but not more than that. There can follow 19.Re1 Qf6 20.Qd2!? Ng5!, and despite White’s bishop pair, an almost equal ending comes about. 13...Ba7 14.Qe2!? The computer advises an immediate Ba3, underestimating this queen move. In actual fact the insertion of Qe2 ...f7-f5 makes things simpler, since Black won’t now be able to move his knight away from c6 without losing the e5-pawn to Nc4. But we shall need to look closely at a line where Black sacrifices the exchange. After 14.Ba3 Nd8 15.Re1 Re8© White has excellent compensation for the pawn. For instance he can play 16.c4!?, and in the event of 16...c5 17.b5 Black risks being left with his bishop on a7 shut in. However, 16...Nf8 17.c5 Qf6! or 16...Qh6!? is not so clear. Overall I have come to the conclusion that 14.Qe2 is more convincing than 14.Ba3.

We now examine B221) 14...Ne7, B222) 14...Qe7 and B223) 14...f5. B221) 14...Ne7 15.Ne4 Qc6 16.c4! Apart from the direct threat of b4-b5, White also has in mind c4-c5, shutting off the bishop. Now 16...Bd4? 17.b5 Qg6 18.Neg5 is hopeless for Black. 16...f5 17.Neg5!? The simple 17.Ng3 would also give White a small plus, but 17.Neg5 is a much sterner measure. 17...h6 Or 17...Qf6 18.c5 (only not 18.Ba2? c5µ) 18...c6 19.Ba2† Nd5 20.Bb2±. The black pieces are too awkwardly placed. Now 20...Bb8 21.Rad1 or 20...h6 21.Nh3 will be good for White. 18.Ba2 Kh8 19.c5 hxg5 20.Bxg5

In spite of being a piece down, White has a large plus. Nor is this surprising if you look at the black bishops. However, to dispel any doubts, we need to continue the variation. 20...Qe4 Or 20...Ng8 21.Nh4 Kh7 22.Qh5† Nh6 23.Be7+–. Since half Black’s pieces are immobile, White is victorious even with a knight less. On 23...g5 he wins with 24.Qxg5 Nf7 25.Qg3. 21.Qxe4 fxe4 22.Bxe7 exf3 23.Bxf8 Nxf8 24.Rfe1± With the bishop on a7 out of play, White is in effect the exchange up. If 24...Ng6 then 25.Bb1; or if 24...Be6, then 25.Rxe5.

B222) 14...Qe7

15.Ba3 Nd8 16.Re1 Thanks to his active pieces, White has a noticeable plus, which may soon increase in view of Black’s difficulty in defending. I may also add that the computer underestimates White’s initiative. 16...Re8 Or: a) 16...Kh8 17.Ne4 f5 18.b5 Nc5 19.b6! cxb6 (19...fxe4 is no better: 20.Qxe4 Nxe4 21.Bxe7±) 20.Nxc5 bxc5 21.Qxe5± Even in the ending, the inharmonious placing of Black’s pieces makes itself felt! After 21...Qxe5 22.Nxe5 he has difficulty getting them off the back rank. b) 16...Ne6 17.Ne4 f6 18.b5 Ndc5 19.Nfd2±

With the terrible threat of Nb3, which means that Black must remove his queen from e7: b1) 19...Qe8 20.Ba2 Kh8 21.Nxc5 Nxc5 22.Nb3 and Black loses the exchange. b2) 19...Qd8 is strongly answered by 20.Rd1!, threatening Nxc5 and Ne4. b3) 19...Qd7!? 20.Ba2 Nxe4 21.Nxe4 Qxb5 22.Bc4! with a large plus. 17.Ne4 Ne6 18.b5

18...Bc5 Knight moves are no better. White meets 18...Ndc5 with 19.Qc2, and 18...Nec5 with 19.Ba2. In either case he has a big advantage. 19.Nxc5 Nexc5 20.Qe3! axb5 21.Ng5 h6 After 21...g6?! 22.Ba2 Rf8 23.Bb4+– Black is unable to develop. If 23...Kg7, then 24.Bd5 is decisive. 22.Ne4 b6

23.Nxc5 White has to be careful with the order of moves. He can’t play 23.axb6? Rxa3. Nor can he capture on c5 twice, as ...Qxc5 frees the e7-square for the black king. 23...Nxc5 24.axb6 Seeing that after Bxc5 the rook on a8 will be en prise, Black is forced to play 24...Rxa3. White then has a large plus. A possibility, for example, is 25.Rxa3 cxb6 26.Ra8. B223) 14...f5

15.Ba3 Qf6 If 15...Nd8?!, then 16.Ba2† Kh8 17.Nc4±. 16.b5 axb5 17.Ba2† Kh8 18.Bxf8 Nxf8 19.Qxb5 e4

At first sight Black has good compensation for the exchange, but White has the opportunity to worry the black king, exploiting the fact that ...Be6 is unplayable. 20.Qb3! Qe6 Or 20...Ne6 21.a6! Ncd8 22.axb7 Bxb7 (Delchev mention a line starting 22...Nxb7 23.Nd4 but it does not change the assessment, in my view) 23.Nd4 with a large plus for White. Black is forced to play 23...Bxd4, but without the bishop pair he doesn’t have compensation for the exchange. 21.Rfe1 Qxb3 22.Nxb3² This occurred in Gooshchin – A. Hernandez, corr. 2017. White is an exchange up, and is clearly better. He will meet 22...Be6 with 23.Nfd4 Bxb3 24.Nxb3. Against 22...Ne6 he has the good move 23.Rad1!, after which 23...exf3?! is bad for Black on account of 24.Nc1. Black does best to play 23...g5 or 23...g6, but White then replies 24.Nbd4!, with the better position and only two results in prospect. Conclusion After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 0-0 6.0-0 d5 7.exd5 Nxd5 8.a4 the line with 8...a6 is Black’s most solid choice. White can choose between heading for the ending after 9.Re1 Bg4 10.Nbd2 or playing 9.Nbd2 at once. In the case of 9.Re1 White will have good compensation for the pawn, thanks to his active pieces. I won’t say that he is better, but from the practical viewpoint the white side is much more pleasant to handle. After 9.Nbd2 it’s dangerous for Black to play 9...Nb6 and capture the d3-pawn; that way he risks coming under attack. The more usual 9...Kh8 is covered in the next chapter.

A) 10.Re1 f6 48 A1) 11.d4 48 A2) 11.Ne4 Ba7 12.b4!?N Bf5 13.Bd2 Qd7 14.h3! 50 A21) 14...g5?! 51 A22) 14...Rad8!? 15.b5 52 A221) 15...Na5 53 A222) 15...Nce7 53 A23) 14...Nce7 54 B) 10.Ne4!? Ba7 11.b4 54 B1) 11...f5!? 55 B2) 11...f6 12.Ba3 Re8 13.b5 Nce7 14.bxa6 bxa6 15.d4 exd4 16.cxd4 55 B21) 16...Bf5 56 B22) 16...Bb7 57 B23) 16...Nf4 59 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 0-0 6.0-0 d5 7.exd5 Nxd5 8.a4 a6 9.Nbd2 Kh8

One of the key variations following Black’s early ...d7-d5. In this line I have found several positions where I would hesitate between the verdicts of “=” and “²”. Consequently I have decided to give a number of possible continuations for White, and you can choose the one that suits you best. At this point we consider A) 10.Re1 and B) 10.Ne4!?. A) 10.Re1 f6

And now White can choose A1) 11.d4 or A2) 11.Ne4. A1) 11.d4 Ba7! Giri – Tomashevsky, Moscow 2016, saw 11...exd4 12.Nb3 Ba7 13.Nbxd4² with a small plus for White. 12.dxe5 Nxe5 Not 12...fxe5? 13.Ne4±. 13.Nxe5 fxe5 14.Ne4!?N I cannot say that this is stronger than 14.Nf3, but from a practical viewpoint it sets Black more problems. A number of good moves are now required from Black. On the other hand, after 14.Nf3 the position is soon simplified: a) In Kramnik – Karjakin, Stavanger 2017, Black chose 14...c6, to which White could have replied: 15.Bxd5! cxd5 16.Rxe5 Bg4 17.Be3² After the forced exchanges on f3 and e3, Black has partial compensation for the pawn, but a struggle for the draw is in store for him. b) 14...Bxf2†! 15.Kxf2 Qh4† 16.Kg1 Qxc4 17.Rxe5 (if 17.Nxe5 then 17...Qc5† 18.Kh1 Bf5=)

The computer evaluates this position in White’s favour, but in fact it is practically equal after 17...c6; and I shall give a short variation to show that 17...Nf6!? is even more precise: b1) 17...c6 18.Qd4 Qxd4† 19.Nxd4 Bd7 was played in Bacrot – Basso, Spilimbergo 2018. White’s position is a shade more pleasant, but with opposite bishops he has difficulty setting his opponent any problems. b2) 17...Nf6 18.Bg5 Bg4 19.Bxf6 (after 19.h3 Bxf3 20.Qxf3 Nd7 21.Re4 Qc5† 22.Qe3 Rfe8= a draw was soon agreed in Zidu – Brodda, corr. 2016) 19...gxf6!? 20.Qd5 Qxd5 21.Rxd5 Bxf3 22.gxf3 Rad8 23.Rad1 Rxd5 24.Rxd5 Kg7 With a completely equal endgame.

14...Be6 Delchev ends his line here, calling the position drawish. I agree that Black is OK with best play, but White can still pose some challenging questions, as I will show in the following line. 15.Bg5 Qd7 With 15...Bxf2†? Black counts on utilizing a pin along the d-file, but nothing good will come of this: 16.Nxf2 Qxg5 17.Bxd5 Rad8 18.Bxe6 Rxd1 19.Nxd1 Qd2 20.Re3± White’s pieces are temporarily in an awkward position, but he has too many of them for the queen. 16.Qd2 Or 16.Bxd5 Qxd5 17.Qxd5 Bxd5 18.Be3 Bxe4 19.Bxa7 Bc6=. Without queens, the weakness of the e5-pawn is irrelevant.

16...Qc6! The only move, after which Black is OK. Weaker choices are 16...Qf7 17.Kh1! or 16...Nf6 17.Qxd7 Bxd7 18.Nxf6; or 16...Rae8 17.Rad1 c6 18.Kh1, with advantage to White in all variations. And of course 16...h6? is unplayable owing to 17.Bxh6. 17.Ba2 Rae8 After 17...Nf4 18.Bxf4 Rxf4 19.Bxe6, recapturing on e6 is bad because the knight on e4 is too strong. In the case of 19...Rxe4 20.Rxe4 Qxe4 21.Kh1 White is slightly more comfortable as long as the queens remain on the board. In the event of 17...Rf7 18.Kh1 Rd7 19.Qc1, Black has the more active pieces but also a potentially weak e5-pawn. Hence the position rather favours White. Black can’t play 19...h6? on account of 20.Bxh6! gxh6 21.Qxh6† Rh7 22.Qg5 with a big advantage. 18.Kh1 It’s important to move the king aside to make f2-f3 possible. Now after 18...Nf4 19.Bxe6 Rxe6 20.f3 White stands better, but in the case of 18...Nf6! 19.Bb1 Nd5 the position remains unclear. White can repeat moves with 20.Ba2 or continue the fight with 20.f3!?. A2) 11.Ne4 Ba7

12.b4!?N Another interesting move is 12.a5!?, but I like the advance of the b-pawn better, since Black will have to reckon with b4-b5. Such positions are fairly hard to analyse, as there is usually a choice between three or four normal moves. Nonetheless I shall try to give some concrete variations for us to examine. The game Brunello – Holm, Palau 2019, went 12.Nh4 g5!? 13.Nf3. At this point Black played 13...Bg4, but a more dangerous line was 13...g4!? 14.Bh6 Rg8; Black should then obtain a good position.

12...Bf5 Alternatively: a) 12...Nce7 13.h3 Ng6 14.d4!? Not obligatory, but a promising pawn sacrifice. 14...exd4 15.cxd4 Nxb4 16.a5! With more than enough compensation for the pawn. For example after 16...b5 17.axb6 cxb6 18.Ba3 a5 White will exchange on b4, then play Qb3 and pick up the b4-pawn. As a result Black will have an unpleasant position on account of his bad bishop on a7. b) 12...Bg4 13.Bd2!? Nb6 14.Bb3 Qxd3 15.Nc5 Bxf3 (in the event of 15...Qd8 16.Nxb7 Qc8 17.Nc5 White has a small but stable plus; the capture on f3 gives a position that is complicated but in my view quite promising for White) 16.gxf3 Qf5 (after 16...Qg6†?! 17.Kh1± Black has no time to defend the b7-pawn; 17...Rab8 will be met by 18.a5 Nc8 19.Ne6, with a large plus) 17.Nxb7

Strategically Black is in a dangerous position. With queens on the board he has counterplay, but no direct attack. For example: b1) 17...Qh3 18.Kh1 Rab8 19.Nc5 Rbd8, and now White has the intermediate move 20.Be6!?, depriving Black of the g4-square and thus preventing perpetual check in the event of Qe2 ...Rxd2. b2) 17...Ne7 18.Qe2 Ng6 19.Kh1 At this point Black doesn’t do very well with 19...Nh4 20.Qe4!; after the exchange of queens White has the advantage in the ending, even with a pawn less. c) 12...Be6 13.Bd2 (with the black bishop on e6, White also has the interesting 13.Ba3 or 13.Qb3!?, but the bishop move to d2 looks simpler) 13...Nce7 14.h3!? A useful move that denies Black the g4-square (in the case of 14.Nc5 Bxc5 15.bxc5, a good move for Black is 15...Nc6!?). 14...Ng6 (14...c6 15.d4) 15.Nc5 Bxc5 16.bxc5 With a small plus for White owing to the two bishops. For example 16...Ndf4 will be answered by 17.Bxe6 Nxe6 18.d4. 13.Bd2 Qd7

14.h3! Instead of an immediate b4-b5, White makes a useful move and waits to see what his opponent’s reaction will be. If Black removes his rook from a8, then b4-b5 will be much more dangerous for him. And if his knight leaves c6, White can play d3-d4. In the event of 14.b5 axb5 15.axb5 Nce7 16.d4 exd4 17.cxd4, it’s hard to say if White has any advantage. In my view, after 17...Bg4 18.Nc5 Bxc5 19.Rxa8 Rxa8 20.dxc5 c6, or 17...c6!? at once, Black’s position is sturdy enough.

We will examine A21) 14...g5?!, A22) 14...Rad8!? and A23) 14...Nce7. And also: 14...Rfd8 15.Nh4 Be6 (or 15...Bxe4 16.Rxe4 Nce7 17.Bb3², evading the threat of ...Nb6; now that Black has parted with his light-squared bishop, White is clearly better) 16.b5 Na5 (or 16...Nce7 17.bxa6 bxa6 18.Bxa6², and owing to the possibility of Nc5 Black can’t go in for 18...Bxf2†?! 19.Kxf2) 17.Ba2 The knight on a5 is badly placed, giving White an appreciable plus. Against 17...Qf7 a good move is 18.Qb1!, supporting the bishop on a2 while removing the queen from the d-file. On 17...c5!? (the computer’s move), White has 18.Qh5 or 18.Qf3, with the better position in either case. A21) 14...g5?! This brazen move doesn’t look at all bad, yet White has at his disposal a good idea that gives him a big advantage. 15.b5 Na5 Or 15...Nce7 16.d4!? The astute order of moves (White might be inclined to play bxa6 first, but then on d3-d4 Black will have ...Qc6!?). 16...exd4 (if 16...axb5 then 17.Nxf6! Nxf6 18.Nxe5+– and wherever the queen goes, White plays 19.axb5 with a decisive plus; Black is badly off owing to his bishop on a7) 17.bxa6 bxa6 18.Nxd4± It’s obvious that the pawn advance ...g7-g5 has only weakened Black’s position. 16.Ba2! Instead of Bxd5 which seems indicated, White withdraws his bishop and allows the knight’s leap to f4 and the subsequent attacking tries. However, at the requisite moment White can play Nxf6! and proceed to the counter-attack. The continuation 16.Bxd5 Qxd5 17.c4 Qxd3 18.Nxf6 Nxc4 gives White slightly the better ending after 19.Bxg5 and a queen exchange. But the bishop retreat to a2 is much stronger. 16...Nf4 Or: 16...axb5 17.axb5 Nf4 18.d4 Nd3

19.Nxf6! Without the axb5 exchange, the knight sacrifice on f6 wouldn’t be so good; but now White simply wins. 19...Rxf6 20.Nxe5 Qg7 (20...Nxe5 21.Rxe5+–) 21.Nxd3 Bxd3 22.Bb1!+– The disadvantages of the pawn exchange on b5 are now obvious. After 22...Bxb1 23.Rxa5 Black can’t rid himself of the pin on the a-file. If 23...Bd3, then 24.Re5 is a good reply. 17.d4 At first sight the position looks unclear, but in fact White has a huge plus – although this verdict needs to be supported by variations.

17...Nd3 For 17...axb5 18.axb5, see 16...axb5. White refutes 17...Bxh3?! with: 18.Nxf6! Rxf6 19.Nxe5 Qg7 (19...Qf5 20.Bb1 Qe6 21.Bxf4+–) 20.gxh3 Nxh3† 21.Kg2 Rxf2† (21...Raf8 22.Qh5+–) 22.Kg3+– Despite the white king’s position on g3, the situation is utterly hopeless for Black. For example, 22...Qh6 23.Qg4, or 22...Raf8 23.Be3 Qf6 24.Qg4. 18.Re3 axb5 19.Nxf6 Rxf6 20.Rxd3 Bxd3 21.Bxg5 Rff8 22.Qxd3± As the black king is too open, White is close to having a won position. Against 22...Qf5, the simple 23.Qxf5 Rxf5 24.dxe5 is adequate, while a good reply to 22...exd4 is 23.axb5. A22) 14...Rad8!?

A key variation. In human terms it looks a little strange to leave the a6-pawn without protection, but Black hopes to create counterplay on the kingside after bringing his queen’s knight across to g6 and following with ...Ndf4. 15.b5 Now Black has to play A221) 15...Na5 or A222) 15...Nce7. A221) 15...Na5 16.Ba2 Ne7 Or 16...Nf4 17.Bxf4 exf4 18.d4². With his bishop on a7 out of play, Black is in a most unpleasant position. If 18...Rfe8, then 19.Bb1 is not bad. 17.d4 Ng6 Not 17...exd4? 18.Ng3!+– leaving Black with three pieces vulnerable at once: the knight on a5, the knight on e7 and the bishop on f5. On 18...Bg6 White wins with 19.cxd4 Bb6 20.Bb4.

18.Qb1!? This is more cunning than: 18.c4 Bxd4 19.Nxd4 Qxd4 20.Bxa5² In that case, after a queen exchange and Bxe4, White will take the pawn on c7 and have a slight advantage in the ending. With 18.Qb1 White wants to bring his queen to b4, and Black’s only way of countering this involves exchanging the light-squared bishops.

18...Be6 Practically the only move. After 18...exd4 19.cxd4 or 18...axb5 19.axb5 White has a large plus. The same is true of 18...Rfe8?! 19.Qb4, for example: 19...exd4?! (19...Bb6 20.Ng3±) 20.Ng3!+– Black is in dire straits owing to his misplaced knight on a5. On 20...Bb6 White wins with 21.Rxe8† Rxe8 22.c4. 19.Bxe6 Qxe6 20.dxe5²

Black is finally obliged to retake on e5 with the pawn. After 20...Nxe5 21.Nxe5 he can’t play 21...Qxe5 on account of 22.Ng5; if instead 21...fxe5, White’s simplest answer is 22.Bg5 Rde8 23.Bh4. If Black plays 20...fxe5 at once, then again 21.Bg5! is good, for example 21...Rde8 22.Ned2 or 21...Rd7 22.Be3!?. Overall, the halfopen f-file fails to compensate for the weakness of the e5-pawn, thanks to the powerful knight on e4. A222) 15...Nce7 16.bxa6 bxa6 17.Bxa6 Ng6 18.d4 Ndf4 19.Bb5! Better than 19.Bf1 Qc6 20.Bb5 Qa8÷. 19...Qc8 Or 19...Qe6 20.Ng3², making use of the pin on the e-file. In answer to 20...c5 White can play 21.d5!? Rxd5 22.Bc4, but I prefer the relatively simple 21.Nxf5 Qxf5 22.Bf1 with advantage.

20.Bf1 exd4 21.Bxf4 Nxf4

22.Qc1!? Or: 22.cxd4 Qa8 (22...Ne6 23.d5² gives White a plus after 23...Nf4 24.Qc1 or 23...Ng5 24.Nc3!) 23.Nc3 Bd3!? (this is far more cunning than 23...c5 24.Nb5 cxd4 25.Nxa7 with a substantial plus for White, since his outside passed a-pawn is much more useful than Black’s d4-pawn) 24.Re3! (24.Bxd3 Rxd4 25.Qd2 g5! is unclear) 24...Bxf1 25.Qxf1 c5 26.d5² After exchanging on d5, White will have a slight edge on account of his a-pawn. 22...Bxe4 23.Rxe4 Ne6 24.cxd4² Thanks to his good pawn on the a-file, White has a stable plus. Against 24...Nxd4 his simplest line is 25.Qc3 Nxf3† 26.Qxf3. A23) 14...Nce7

15.d4 exd4 After 15...Ng6 16.Nc5 Bxc5 17.bxc5² Black has quite an unpleasant position. It’s no good playing 17...exd4?! 18.Nxd4, with a large plus for White. But on 17...Rae8 White has 18.Bf1, creating a threat of c3-c4. Then 18...e4 19.Nh2 fails to rid Black of his problems. 16.Nxd4 Bxd4 17.cxd4 Bxe4 Faced with the threat of Nc5, Black gives up his second bishop. The alternative 17...b6 looks rather odd; White can reply 18.Rc1 Rfd8 19.Ng3 with advantage. 18.Rxe4 Rad8 19.Bb3 The position isn’t so simple to evaluate. On the one hand, White has the bishop pair and more active pieces; on the other hand, the isolated pawn on d4 gives Black some counterplay. Nonetheless White is a shade better; I would rate the position somewhere between “=” and “²”. On 19...c6 White can play 20.Rc1 Nf5 21.Rc5 or 20.Qf3 Nf5 21.Rae1.

B) 10.Ne4!?

10...Ba7 11.b4 Here we consider both B1) 11...f5!? and B2) 11...f6. B1) 11...f5!? This looks risky in view of White’s possible Bg5, but in fact Black’s move is not bad. 12.Bg5 Or 12.Neg5 Nxc3 13.Qd2 e4!, with an equal ending after 14.dxe4 Qxd2 or an unclear position after 14.Bb2!?. 12...Qd7! Not 12...Nde7? 13.Ned2±. Then owing to the threat of b4-b5, Black simply cannot hold the e5-pawn. For example 13...Qd6 14.b5, and now 14...Na5 loses to 15.Nxe5, while after 14...e4 15.bxc6 exf3 White gains a huge plus from either 16.Bxe7 Qxe7 17.Nxf3 or 16.Qxf3!? Nxc6 17.d4. 13.Nc5 Better than 13.b5, which leads to complicated positions in which Black should be OK with correct play.

13...Qd6 Or 13...Bxc5 14.bxc5 e4 is endeavouring to exchange material and simplify the position (the variations 14...h6 15.Nh4 Kh7 16.Re1 and 14...Nxc3?! 15.Qd2 Nd5 16.Rfe1 are not bad for White). 15.dxe4 (15.Nh4 Ne5 16.Bxd5 Qxd5 17.dxe4 also gives White a slight edge after 17...Qxc5 18.Qd5 or 17...Qxd1 18.Raxd1 fxe4 19.Rfe1) 15...Nxc3 16.Qxd7 Bxd7 17.exf5 With his two bishops, White has a small but stable plus. He will meet 17...Rxf5 with 18.Rfc1 Ne4 19.Be3.

14.Qb3 Nb6 15.Be6 Bxe6 16.Nxe6 Rfe8 17.Nc5 Thanks to his well-placed knight on c5, White has a slight advantage. On 17...Qd5 he can play 18.Rfe1. In answer to 17...Rab8, it’s worth considering 18.Qf7!? Rf8 19.Qe6. B2) 11...f6

12.Ba3 Re8 Or 12...Nce7 13.b5 Re8, transposing. 13.b5 Nce7 Alternatively: a) 13...axb5? Black would like to exchange pawns, but as long as his bishop hasn’t been brought out from c8 this can lead to problems with the pin on the a-file. 14.axb5± Nce7?! (better is 14...Na5 15.Bxd5 Qxd5 16.c4±) 15.Bc5! b6 16.Bxe7 Nxe7 17.Re1+– And suddenly Black has a hopeless position. For example 17...Bb7 loses to 18.Nxe5 fxe5 19.Ng5. On 17...Nf5 White plays 18.Ra4 threatening Qa1. b) 13...Na5 14.Bxd5 (14.Nd6!? cxd6 15.Bxd5 also gives White an edge) 14...Qxd5 15.c4² And Black experiences difficulties due to the misplaced knight on a5. White will meet 15...Qf7 or 15...Qd8 with 16.Bb4. 14.bxa6 bxa6 15.d4 exd4 Or 15...Bf5 16.Ng3 exd4 17.cxd4, transposing to variation B21. 16.cxd4

Up to now this position has never been seen in practice, but the assessment of the variation depends on it – so I will try to continue the analysis and examine some possible continuations: B21) 16...Bf5, B22) 16...Bb7 and B23) 16...Nf4. In the event of 16...Ng6 17.Nd6 cxd6 18.Bxd5 Rb8 19.Qd2² White stands better on account of his more active bishops. On 19...Bb6 he has 20.Rfe1; then after a rook exchange Black can’t play ...Ba5, on account of his back-rank weakness.

B21) 16...Bf5

17.Ng3 Bg6 On 17...Be6 White can take the a6-pawn, the point being that Black can’t reply ...Bxd4 because his bishop on e6 is loose. If 17...Bg4, then 18.h3 Bxf3 19.Qxf3 is good; Black can’t play 19...Bxd4? on account of 20.Rad1 c5 21.Ne2 with a decisive plus. 18.Rc1 White would gain nothing from 18.Bxa6 Bxd4!. Another inferior line is 18.Re1 Nc6 19.Rxe8† Bxe8. 18...Nc6 One of several possible moves, but in this case some precise play on White’s part is required in order to gain the upper hand. In the event of 18...Qd7 19.Re1, or 18...Nf5 19.Nxf5 Bxf5 20.Re1, White has a small but stable plus.

19.h4!² With the aid of the threatened h4-h5, White seizes the initiative. On 19...Na5 he plays 20.Ba2. On 19...h6 a good continuation is 20.h5 Bh7 21.a5!?, with the idea of answering 21...Nxa5 with 22.Bd3!. It remains for us to see what will happen after 19...Nf4. 19...Nf4?! 20.h5! Nxh5 21.Nxh5 Bxh5 22.Ng5 fxg5 23.Qxh5± White has a big advantage in spite of the pawn minus; 23...Qxd4 24.Bf7 is no good for Black, and on 23...g6 White has 24.Qf3 Nxd4 25.Qf7!, with a dangerous attack. B22) 16...Bb7

17.Neg5! A highly promising knight sacrifice, although we shall have to give numerous variations in support of it. With accurate play, White obtains an excellent position. 17...fxg5 The knight has to be taken. On 17...Qd7 White plays 18.Qb1. Against 17...Qc8 he has 18.Re1!?, after which Black must take the knight on g5 anyway. 18.Nxg5 Qc8 Or 18...Qd7 19.Qb1 Ng6 20.Qxb7 with an extra pawn and a substantial advantage. The simplest reply to 20...Ngf4 is 21.Bxd5.

19.Re1! An important move to strengthen White’s position before he launches an attack on the king. Apart from a variety of pins, White will have the good move Re5 available. Black has to make a number of strong moves to avoid losing the game at once. 19...Qf5 Alternatively: a) 19...Ng6 20.Nf7†! The only way! (White fails to win with 20.Qb3 Qf5 or with 20.Qh5 Rxe1† 21.Rxe1 Qg8.) 20...Kg8 21.Qb3+– Rxe1† 22.Rxe1+– And Black cannot defend his knight on d5. White will answer 22...c6 with 23.Nd6. On 22...Ngf4 White wins with the pretty 23.Bc1 Ne6 24.Nd8! Nxd8 25.Bxd5† Bxd5 26.Qxd5† Nf7 27.Re7. b) 19...h6 20.Nf7† Kg8 21.Bxe7+– and White wins after 21...Kxf7 22.Qh5† or 21...Qf5 22.Qb3. 20.Re5 Qg6

Or 20...Qf4 21.Qc2 Qh4 22.Rae1 Bxd4 23.R1e4±. After the forced exchanges take place on f2 and Black plays 25...Nb6, White can reply 26.Bf7! with a large plus. 21.Bd3

21...Qc6 Or: 21...Qf6 22.Nxh7 Qf4 (Black can hardly survive without his queen in the case of 22...Qxf2†?! 23.Kxf2 Bxd4† 24.Kf1+–; White will answer 24...Bxe5 with 25.Qh5) 23.Be4! With the terrible threat of Ng5 (the immediate 23.Ng5 isn’t so convincing: 23...Nf6! 24.Ne6 Qh6!). And now: a) 23...Nc3? loses to 24.Qh5 Bxe4 25.Ng5† Kg8 26.Rxe4. b) 23...Nf5 is no help against 24.Ng5 Nh6 25.Qh5. c) The computer suggests 23...Bxd4!? 24.Qxd4 Nf5 25.Rxf5 Qxe4. Black then retains drawing chances in the ending. 22.Be4 Qd7 After 22...Qc3 23.Bxe7± Black can’t play 23...Bxd4? on account of 24.Nf7† Kg8 25.Ra3+–. There only remains 23...Rxe7 24.Rxe7 Nxe7 25.Bxb7, with a large plus for White. 23.Bxe7 Rxe7 24.Qb1 Rxe5 Or 24...Bxd4 25.Bxd5 g6 26.Rxe7±. 25.dxe5

25...Bxf2†! Virtually the only move. Now after 26.Kxf2 Nc3! Black is OK, though it isn’t so simple to see why. If Black plays 25...Nc3?! at once, then after 26.Qxb7 Bxf2† 27.Kh1 Rd8 28.Bc2 the white king is safe while Black is left with plenty

of problems. Given the threat of e5-e6, he has to play 28...Qe7; then after 29.Nf3 he is in a bad way. White’s simplest answer to 29...a5 is 30.Qc6 Nd5 31.Bxh7, winning a pawn. 26.Kh1! Not: 26.Kxf2?! Nc3 27.Qxb7 Rf8†= Owing to the awkward placing of his pieces, White’s king cannot escape from checks. On 28.Bf3 Black plays 28...Qd4†. In the event of 28.Ke3 he is saved by 28...Qe7!.

26...Qe7 Or 26...Bc6 27.Bxd5 g6 28.Be4±. Black’s king position has been weakened by the forced move ...g7-g6, and White’s strong pawn on e5 may soon advance. 27.Qxb7² With the material equal, White has a clear advantage due to his good bishop on e4 and his e5-pawn. On 27...Rf8 a good continuation is 28.Nf3 Nb4 29.a5. B23) 16...Nf4

17.Re1 Bb7 18.Bf7! Forcing the rook to leave f8, whereupon the knight on e7 will be left in a shaky position. With the black bishop on b7, White can’t play: 18.Nfg5? fxg5 19.Nxg5 Bd5–+ 18...Rf8 Or 18...Nf5 (this looks rather odd, but after 19.Bxe8?! Qxe8 20.Ng3 Qg6 Black has quite good compensation for the exchange) 19.d5! (19.Qb1!? also deserves attention, but in that case some complicated variations arise, whereas after the pawn move it is all much simpler) 19...Bxd5 20.Bxe8 Qxe8 21.Ng3 Qd7 (not 21...Qg6? 22.Bc1 Nxg3 23.Bxf4+–) 22.Re4! After this accurate move, Black’s attack is at an end while White will still be the exchange to the good. White is obviously well on top.

19.Qb3 Rb8 20.Qc4

The position looks double-edged, but the tactical complications turn out in White’s favour. Black cannot get rid of the pin on the a3f8 diagonal. 20...Qd7 Or 20...Bb6?! 21.Nc5! Bxf3 22.gxf3± and now: a) 22...Nc6 23.Kh1! With the white king on h1, the capture on d4 is bad: 23...Nxd4? loses to 24.Rad1, and 23...Qxd4 loses to 24.Nxa6. Black can try 23...Qc8, but after 24.Be6 White still has a huge plus. b) Black retains more chances with the modest 22...Bxc5 23.Bxc5 Qd7 24.Be6 Qc6 25.Re4±. It’s important to note that after 25...Ned5 White has the tactical resource 26.Rxf4! Qxe6 27.Bxf8 Nxf4 28.Bxg7†, emerging with an extra pawn. 21.h3 Bb6 22.Qb3!² With this last move, White has fortified the knight on f3 and set up a threat of Nxf6. An immediate 22.Nxf6 would be premature: 22...Nxh3† 23.Kh2 Qf5! Also in the case of 22.a5 Bxa5 23.Nc5 Nxh3† the game could end in perpetual check.

Black can defend against the threatened Nxf6 in two ways. One is 22...Qd8. Then 23.Nxf6? Bxf3 is bad for White, so 23.Rab1 should be played, with advantage. The alternative is 22...c5!?, whereupon 23.Nxc5 Bxc5 24.Bxc5 Nxh3† 25.Kf1 retains a plus. Conclusion As we saw in the previous chapter, after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 0-0 6.0-0 d5 7.exd5 Nxd5 8.a4 the line with

8...a6 is Black’s most solid choice. After 9.Nbd2 we also saw in the previous chapter that it’s dangerous for Black to play 9...Nb6 and capture the d3-pawn. So in this chapter we studied the move Black usually plays – 9...Kh8 so as to have the possibility of ...f7-f6. But instead of the standard 10.Re1 White can play more cunningly with an immediate 10.Ne4!? followed by b2-b4. After this he has good chances to develop an initiative. In this line there are several positions where it is a debate whether White has a slight edge or just equality. So I gave a number of possible continuations for White, and you can choose the one that suits you best.

A) 9.Re1 62 B) 9.Nbd2! Nb6 10.Bb5 Bd6 11.Re1 63 B1) 11...Na7 63 B2) 11...Bg4 64 B21) 12.h3 64 B22) 12.Ne4! Na7 13.h3 Bh5 14.d4 Nxb5 15.axb5 65 B221) 15...f6 65 B222) 15...exd4 66 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 0-0 6.0-0 d5 7.exd5 Nxd5 8.a4 a5

The pawn move to a5 has been adopted a few times by Aronian and others, but most of these games were played with fast time controls. Black stops White from playing b2-b4 but weakens the b5-square in the process. On studying this variation I realized that White needs to be accurate in his choice of move order, and that even some slight imprecision can allow Black to equalize fully. We examine A) 9.Re1 and B) 9.Nbd2!.

A) 9.Re1

This usually leads to the same position as 9.Nbd2, but Black has an interesting extra possibility. 9...Nb6!? With 9...Bg4 10.Nbd2 Nb6 11.Bb5 Bd6, variation B2 is reached. 10.Bb5 Or 10.Bg5 Qd6 11.Bb5 f6 12.Bh4 Bf5„. 10...f6 11.Nbd2 Na7 Vidit – Piorun, Batumi 2018, saw 11...Bg4 12.h3 Bh5 13.Ne4 Bd6 14.Ng3 with a slight edge for White. He should meet 14...Bf7 with 15.Nh4.

12.Nb3!?N Harikrishna – Shirov, St Petersburg 2018, went: 12.d4 exd4 13.Ne4 Nxb5 14.Nxc5 (14.axb5 Bd6=) 14...Qd5!÷ With the aid of this intermediate move, Black prevents White from seizing the initiative. 12...Be7 After 12...Nxb5 13.axb5² Black still loses his a5-pawn. 13.Nxa5 c5!© With a complex, obscure position. Of course most players are unlikely to know about this possibility, but it’s nonetheless simpler to play 9.Nbd2 rather than 9.Re1. B) 9.Nbd2!

9...Nb6 10.Bb5 Bd6 Alternatively: a) 10...Bg4 11.Re1 Bd6 12.Ne4 transposes to variation B2. b) 10...Bf5 11.Ne4 Bd6 (after 11...Bxe4 12.dxe4² White has a stable plus due to his good light-squared bishop) 12.Bg5² Thanks to his well-placed knight on e4 and his more active minor pieces, White has seized the initiative. On 12...f6 he can withdraw his bishop to e3. Against 12...Qd7, a good move is 13.Re1. c) 10...f6 11.d4 (11.Re1 transposes to variation A) 11...exd4 12.Nb3 Bd6 13.Nfxd4² As a consequence of Black’s ...f7-f6, White has a small but stable advantage. 11.Re1 White has to play accurately, paying attention to the order of moves. Instead 11.Ne4 gives Black the possibility of: 11...Na7!? 12.d4 (after 12.Be3!? Nxb5 13.axb5 Nd5 the position is approximately equal) 12...Nxb5!? Taking the bishop on b5 at once is probably best (12...exd4 13.Nxd6 Qxd6, as in Duda – So, Internet 2018, gives White the extra option of Nxd4 with the idea of Nxb5). 13.axb5 (or 13.dxe5 Nxc3 14.bxc3 Be7÷) 13...exd4 14.Nxd6 Qxd6 15.Qxd4 Qxd4 16.Nxd4 Bd7= And Black has no noticeable problems.

Now Black has B1) 11...Na7 and B2) 11...Bg4. Also possible is: 11...Bf5 12.Nb3 Re8 (or 12...Na7 13.Nxe5² and when the exchanges are over, White will pick up the a5-pawn) 13.Be3 Nd5 14.Nfd2² White usually arranges his knights on f3 and g3, but in this case he frees the f3-square for his queen. B1) 11...Na7 12.Bc4! This is why we left our knight on d2! It doesn’t pay Black to take the bishop on c4, since with his knight on a7 his pawns would be left vulnerable.

12...Bf5 In the case of 12...Nxc4 13.Nxc4 f6² White has the advantage after either 14.d4!? or the simple 14.Nxa5. 13.Bb3!? A very cunning idea in place of the simple 13.Nxe5, although that move too leaves White with a small plus after 13...Bxe5 14.Rxe5 Bxd3 15.Bxd3 Qxd3 16.Qf1!. For example: 16...Qxf1† 17.Kxf1 Nc6 18.Rb5² The white bishop will soon come out to e3 or f4, giving Black trouble. 13...Bxd3?! A better option is 13...Nc6 14.Ne4² with only a slight advantage to White. 14.Ne4! Bxe4 15.Rxe4‚

Black might seem to have an extra pawn in a quiet position, but the rook is heading for g4 to start a dangerous attack! For example: 15...Nc6 Or 15...Nd7 which is no improvement; after 16.Ng5 h6 17.Qh5 Qf6 18.Rh4 the attack is dangerous. 16.Rg4 Be7 17.Qe2 And Black has no better move than 17...Kh8, surrendering the e5-pawn; 17...Qd6 18.Be3 is worse, and 17...Bf6?! 18.Ng5! is also bad for Black. B2) 11...Bg4

Now White can choose between B21) 12.h3 and B22) 12.Ne4!.

B21) 12.h3 Bh5 White’s next move is obvious: 13.Ne4 But Black can take advantage of the fact that his bishop is already on h5: 13...f5! 14.Ng3 Or 14.Bg5 Qe8 15.Qb3† Kh8 16.Nxd6 cxd6„ with about equal chances. 14...Bxf3 15.Qxf3 Ne7!

The availability of this move justifies Black’s decision to play ...f7-f5 on move 13. 16.Qxb7 A practically forced capture. The game Vachier-Lagrave – Aronian, London 2016, saw instead: 16.Bg5?! c6 17.Bc4† Nxc4 18.dxc4 e4³ After 19.Nxe4 fxe4 20.Qxe4 Black could have continued strongly with 20...Qd7! 21.c5 Bxc5 22.Bxe7 Bxf2†, emerging with an extra pawn after 23.Kh2 Bxe1 24.Bxf8 Bxc3!. 16...Rb8 If 16...c6?! then: 17.Bc4† Nxc4 18.Qb3!² The queen has escaped, and White remains a pawn up. 17.Qf3 c6 18.Bxc6 e4 19.dxe4 Nxc6÷ Although White has several pawns for the piece, the position remains wholly unclear. A good reply to 20.Nxf5 is 20...Qf6. B22) 12.Ne4! Once again some accuracy on White’s part is required. 12...Na7 In this case Black cannot play: 12...f5? 13.Qb3† Kh8 14.Nxd6 cxd6 15.Ng5+– If his bishop were on h5, he would have had the resource ...Bf7 in reply to the queen check. 13.h3 Bh5 14.d4 Nxb5 Nothing is altered by 14...exd4 15.Nxd6 Qxd6 16.Qxd4 (16...Nxb5 17.axb5 transposes to variation B222). 15.axb5

Here we examine B221) 15...f6 and B222) 15...exd4. B221) 15...f6 16.Be3 An inadequate try is: 16.dxe5 Bxe5 17.Qxd8 Rfxd8 18.Nxe5 fxe5= The presence of opposite bishops compensates for the weakness of the e5-pawn. 16...Nc4 17.Qa4²

This position occurred twice within a short space of time in games between Ragger and V. Mikhalevski. In the first, Black obtained a good position; but in the second, Ragger improved his play and won. 17...Bf7 Or 17...Nxe3 18.Rxe3², and now Black does badly with 18...Bxf3?! 19.Rxf3 exd4 20.Qxd4±; White has a large plus after 20...Be5 21.Qc4† and Nc5. In the event of 17...Nb6!? 18.Qb3† Bf7 19.Qc2² White has a slight edge due to his good pawn on b5. 18.dxe5 Bxe5 19.Nxe5 Nxe5 20.Rad1 Qc8

21.Bd4!² In the first of the games I mentioned, the continuation was 21.b3 Rd8÷ with a comfortable position for Black in Ragger – Mikhalevski, Chalkidiki 2018. Two months later, Ragger improved his play against the same opponent. 21...Nc4 22.Bxf6 Qf5 Otherwise Black stands very badly. On 22...gxf6? 23.Nxf6† Kh8, there can follow: a) 24.Rd7? This being a rapid game, White goes somewhat astray. 24...Bg8 25.Qxc4 Qxd7³ was Ragger – Mikhalevski, St Petersburg (rapid) 2018. b) 24.b3! Qf5 25.Ng4+– with a winning advantage. The knight can’t move away in view of Qd4†, while ...h7-h5 loses to Nh6. 23.Bd4² White is a pawn to the good. Black can’t play 23...Nxb2 on account of 24.Qc2 followed by Nf6†. B222) 15...exd4

16.Nxd6 The game Vachier-Lagrave – So, Paris 2018, saw the unsuccessful 16.g4 Bg6 17.Nxd6 Qxd6 18.Qxd4=. As a result of White’s loss of tempo with g2-g4, Black has no problems. 16...Qxd6 Or 16...Bxf3 17.Qxf3 Qxd6 18.Rd1! (better than 18.Bf4 Qd7÷), and now:

a) 18...Rfe8 19.Bf4 Qc5 20.Qxb7 dxc3 21.bxc3± occurred in Giri – Aronian, Leuven 2016. Black has to defend his pawn on c7. On 21...Rac8 White can simply capture with 22.Rxa5. In the case of 21...Rec8 22.c4! Qxc4 23.Rxa5!± White has a large plus in spite of the equal material. We answer 23...Rab8 with 24.Qf3, and Black still has problems with the c7-pawn. For instance after 24...Qb4 25.Ra7! Black can’t capture on b5 on account of the back-rank mate. b) 18...Qe5 19.Rxd4 Qxb5 20.Qxb7² and again Black has problems due to his weak queenside pawns. c) 18...c5 19.cxd4 cxd4

20.Be3! With these possibilities: c1) 20...d3 21.Ra3 Nc4 22.Raxd3± Qb4 (or 22...Qe6 23.Qxb7± and Black can’t take on b2 in view of 24.Qxa8!) 23.Bd4 Qxb5 24.Bc3!± With this quiet move, White unblocks the d-file and acquires a huge plus. Now 24...Nxb2?! 25.Qg4 is hopeless for Black. The only line to leave him with saving chances is 24...f6! 25.Rd7 Ne5. c2) 20...Qd5 21.Qg3!, and now 21...Qxb5 is unplayable owing to 22.Bh6!. White has a substantial plus, since with play on opposite wings the bishop is much better than the knight. 17.Qxd4

17...Bxf3!?N This has yet to be played, but the move is perfectly logical and demands to be studied. Moreover it is the computer’s main line. After 17...Qxd4 18.Nxd4, practice has seen: a) 18...Rfc8?! 19.Nf5 With a large plus for White in Navara – So, Saint Louis 2019. White will meet 19...Re8 with 20.Bf4 Nd5 21.Bh2. b) 18...Bg6 19.Bf4 Rfc8 And now 20.Bg3!² is better than 20.b3 c5 21.bxc6 bxc6= as in Harikrishna – Vidit, Prague 2019. After withdrawing his bishop, White is threatening Re7. If 20...c5, then 21.Nf3! is good for White. 18.Qxd6 cxd6 19.gxf3

The unfortunate position of the black pawn on a5 gives White a small plus in spite of the doubled f-pawns. Let’s see how the game might continue: 19...a4 Fixing the b2-pawn, not allowing b2-b3. At first sight Black is all right, but White has a good rook manoeuvre available. On 19...Rfe8 White plays: 20.Rxe8† Rxe8 21.Kf1 Ra8 22.Ke2² Once his king goes to d3, White can develop his bishop without worrying about ...Nc4. 20.Re7 Rfb8 21.Rc7! An important move, depriving the knight of the c4-square. Now after ...d6-d5 Black will constantly have to reckon with Bf4. 21...d5

22.Kf1 It’s best to bring the king to the centre, leaving the bishop on c1 just for now. On 22.Bf4, Black has 22...d4 23.c4 f6! (not 23...Rc8?! 24.Rxb7 Nxc4 25.Rc7±; White threatens Rxa4, and in addition his b-pawn has become too dangerous).

A phase of forced play now begins. I have come to the conclusion that Black can hold the position with the aid of some precise moves. For example: a) 24.Rd1 Rd8 25.Rxb7 Nxc4 26.Rc1 Nd6!? Not forced, but probably the best move in the position. 27.Bxd6 (27.Rb6 Nf7÷ isn’t so clear) 27...Rxd6 28.Rcc7 h6! 29.Rxg7† Kh8² And Black holds on, thanks to his strong d-pawn. He will most likely succeed in exchanging his pawns on a4 and d4 for the two white b-pawns. b) 24.Re1 Re8! (not 24...g5? 25.Ree7! gxf4 26.Rg7† Kh8 27.Rxh7† Kg8 28.h4+– and there is no defence against h4-h5-h6, winning) 25.Rxe8† (or 25.Kf1 Rxe1† 26.Kxe1 a3! 27.bxa3 Rxa3= and the pawns on b5 and d4 are of about equal strength) 25...Rxe8 26.Rxb7 Nxc4 27.Rd7 g5 28.Rxd4 a3 29.bxa3 Nxa3= As a result of his small tactical ploy, Black manages to exchange the queenside pawns.

22...f6 Or: a) 22...Ra5 23.b4! Rxb5 24.Bf4² and Black has problems due to his misplaced rook on b5. b) 22...d4!? By freeing the d5-square, Black aims to eliminate the potential threats of Be3 and Bf4; all the same, with a pawn less, he is definitely worse. 23.cxd4 (with the white bishop on c1, the continuation 23.c4 Rc8 24.Rxb7 Nxc4÷ isn’t so good) 23...f6 24.Ke2

24...Ra5 (or 24...Nd5 25.Rc4 Nb6 26.Rc5²) 25.Rc5 Nd7 26.b4! An important intermediate move, based on a tactical ruse. 26...Ra7 (in answer to 26...Nxc5?! 27.bxa5 Nb3 White has 28.Rxa4! Nxc1† 29.Kd2±; then after 29...Nb3† 30.Kc2, or 29...Rc8 30.Ra3, he traps the knight) 27.Kd3² With an appreciable plus. Now 27...Nxc5†? 28.bxc5 is bad for Black, as he has no means of stopping the white pawns. 23.Ke2 It would be worth considering 23.Be3!? Nc4 24.Rd1, with a small plus for White. With 23.Bf4 White sets his opponent some specific problems, but with accurate play Black can draw: 23...d4! 24.c4 Rc8

And now: a) 25.Rc1 a3 26.bxa3 Rxa3 27.Rxb7 Nxc4 and White keeps the initiative – but if Black makes a few precise moves, a drawn position comes about. In the event of 28.b6 Rc3 29.Re1, Black saves himself with 29...g5! 30.Bg3 d3 31.R1e7 d2. White then only has perpetual check. b) 25.c5 Rxc7 26.Bxc7 Nd5 27.Bd6 Kf7 And thanks to the ...a4-a3 thrust, Black holds the position. For example 28.Rd1 a3 29.bxa3 Nc3! 30.Rxd4 Nxb5, and after 31.Rb4 Nxd6 a drawn rook endgame is reached. 23...Ra5 For 23...d4 24.cxd4, see the note to Black’s 22nd move, variation b. The computer likes 23...Nc4; but from the human viewpoint, surrendering the d-pawn in this way is rather odd: 24.Rd7 Ra5 (24...Nb6?! 25.Rd6±) 25.Rxd5 Rc8 26.Kd3² Now in answer to 26...g6, both 27.Kd4 and 27.Rd4 are good moves. And in the event of 26...Nb6 27.Rf5 White is ready to play b2-b4, so Black will not succeed in winning the b5-pawn. 24.b4 Rxb5 25.Be3²

As his rook on b5 is boxed in, Black will have to give up a pawn on a4 or d5, after which White will have the advantage. A good reply to 25...Re8 is 26.Kf1!. Conclusion In this chapter we considered 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 0-0 6.0-0 d5 7.exd5 Nxd5 8.a4 a5. The interpolation of a2a4 and ...a7-a5 is plainly in White’s favour, as Black thereby weakens the b5-square. But White needs to choose his move-order accurately, so that Black can’t capture the bishop on b5 with ...Na7, or play ...f7-f5! – as he can after 9.Nbd2! Nb6 10.Bb5 Bd6 11.Re1 Bg4 if White plays 12.h3 instead of 12.Ne4!. After the correct move, the outcome should be an ending where White has a small but stable plus. Essentially there will only be two results to play for.

Part II Lines with ...a7-a6

A) 10...Nh5 11.Nf1 Qf6 74 A1) 12.N1h2!?N 75 A2) 12.Ne3 78 B) 10...Be6 11.Bxe6 fxe6 12.b4 Nh5 13.Ra2 81 B1) 13...Qf6 82 B2) 13...Nf4 82 B21) 14.Nf1 82 B22) 14.Nc4 b5 15.Ne3 Qd7 16.Ng4 83 B221) 16...Rae8?! 84 B222) 16...Rab8 85 B3) 13...Qe8 85 B31) 14.Nc4!?N 85 B311) 14...Nf4 85 B312) 14...b5 86 B32) 14.Nf1 Nf4 15.Kh2 88 B321) 15...Qh5 89 B322) 15...Qf7 89 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.0-0 a6

This chapter starts our extensive look at ...a6 systems in the Italian, which extends from Chapter 5 to Chapter 10. 7.a4 Ba7 8.Re1

8...0-0 A very rare sideline is 8...Ng4 9.Re2 Qf6. This has scored well for Black, but only due to surprise value. 10.Nbd2 (it’s also possible to prevent ...g7-g5 ideas by choosing 10.Na3 or 10.b4, but White has no need to fear this lunge, as the game shows) 10...g5 Black had played this line before, so White clearly came to the game well prepared: 11.d4!² exd4?! The only test of the soundness of White’s desirable central break, but White has a great answer: 12.e5!

All the tactics work for White. 12...dxe5 (no better is 12...Ngxe5 13.cxd4 Bxd4 14.Ne4 Qg7 15.Bxf7†!±) 13.Ne4 Qg6 In Spyropoulos – Hakobyan, Karlsruhe 2019, White played 14.Nexg5 which was fine, but even better was 14.Bxg5!N which is close to winning; the black king is too exposed. 9.h3 h6 In Chapter 7 we will look at 9...Ne7. Chapter 8 considers 9...Kh8. Chapter 9 covers 9...Be6 and 9...b5. Chapter 10 concludes this section by studying lines where Black delays ...Ba7. 10.Nbd2 In this chapter we consider A) 10...Nh5 and B) 10...Be6. Chapter 6 continues our study of 9...h6 10.Nbd2 by looking at 10...Re8. A) 10...Nh5

A fairly rare and perhaps somewhat underestimated line. Against correct play Black will scarcely be able to equalize, but nor can it be said that White acquires a large plus. It seems to me that objectively this move is not that bad; on the other hand though, from a practical viewpoint, the ensuing positions where White sacrifices a pawn are much easier to play with White than with Black. 11.Nf1 In Paehtz – Lagno, Doha (blitz) 2016, White played 11.Nxe5?? and was lost after 11...Qh4. 11...Qf6 At this point White usually plays 12.Be3 or 12.Ne3. After some analysis I concluded that the bishop move gives no advantage, and I also discovered an interesting new idea. We will examine A1) 12.N1h2!?N and A2) 12.Ne3. After 12.Be3 Be6 there can follow: a) 13.Bxe6 fxe6÷ Similar positions arise in variation B (10...Be6 11.Bxe6 fxe6), but in this case White’s pieces are less effectively deployed. b) 13.Bxa7 Nxa7 14.Ne3 Nf4 15.Kh2 Nc6 with a playable, approximately equal position. In answer to 16.Ng4 Qe7 17.g3, Black may play 17...Ng6 or 17...Nxh3!?. A1) 12.N1h2!?N

An interesting alternative to 12.Ne3. The resulting positions are more complex and give White good chances to obtain a plus. 12...Nf4 Or:

a) 12...Be6 13.Ng4 Qe7 transposes to variation A2 (12.Ne3 Be6 13.Ng4). b) 12...Qg6 13.g4 (not 13.Nh4?? Qg3–+) 13...Nf6 (after 13...Be6 14.Bb3 Black must move his knight away from h5 anyway, and White is ready to play Nh4-f5) 14.Nh4 Qh7 15.N2f3 Be6 (or 15...g5 16.Nf5 Be6 17.Bb3) 16.Bb3²

Next move White will bring his bishop to c2. Then he will play b2-b4. In the event of 16...Rad8 17.Bc2 Black cannot carry out ...d6d5, and after 17...g6 18.b4 he will have to reckon with the b4-b5 advance. 13.b4 White has a simple idea. He wants to play Ng4 after Black has brought his bishop out from c8. Then White will obtain an improved version of the line where Ng4 is played immediately. In this case, unlike the position with the knight on e3, ...Qg6 is bad for Black on account of Bxf4. For 13.Ng4 see variation A2 (12.Ne3 Nf4 13.Ng4).

13...g5! Perhaps the only move to give Black chances of creating counterplay. After other moves White has a clear advantage: a) 13...Bd7 14.Ng4 Qg6 15.Bxf4 exf4 16.d4² and White has in effect gained a tempo on variation A2. After Black captures 16...Bg4 17.hxg4 Qxg4 White will play 18.b5. He then has a large plus after either 18...Na5 19.Ba2 or 18...Ne7 19.Qb3. b) 13...Qg6?! 14.Bxf4 exf4 15.d4

With his bishop on a7 shut in, Black has a bad position. All he can do is try capturing on h3, but after 15...Bxh3 16.Nh4 Qf6 17.Qh5 Bd7 (or 17...Be6 18.e5±) 18.N2f3± White has the terrible threat of e4-e5. Moreover Black can’t withdraw his queen to e7 on account of Ng6. Moving the king to h7 or h8 doesn’t help, as White will play e4-e5 and then e5-e6, with a decisive plus. 14.Bxf4 Qxf4 The natural move and the main line. But the capture with the g-pawn also deserves attention: 14...gxf4 15.Qd2 White does best to place the queen on d2 in order to play d3d4 shortly. 15...Bd7 16.Rad1 Kh8 17.d4 Rg8 18.Kh1 The white king is safe; if Black doubles rooks on the g-file, then Rg1 is adequate. White’s plans involve the b4-b5 push, the dxe5 capture, or Bd5. Overall the initiative is with White; Black’s best course is to bolster the centre with ...Rad8 or ...Rae8 and play a defensive game. 15.Nf1 After 15.b5 Ne7 16.d4 h5„ it’s likely Black is no worse.

15...h5 Alternatively: a) 15...Be6 16.b5 axb5 (16...Na5 17.Bd5²) 17.axb5 Ne7 18.Bxe6 fxe6 19.d4² Black won’t manage to launch a kingside attack, and strategically White is clearly better. After 19...h5? 20.Ng3 Black loses a pawn. If instead 19...Ng6 then 20.N1h2, and again 20...h5 isn’t very good, on account of 21.g3 Qf6 22.Qd2. b) 15...g4 16.hxg4 Bxg4 17.Ne3² with a stable plus. Now 17...Bxf3 18.Qxf3 Qxf3 19.gxf3 is not good for Black, as White will transfer his king to e2 and then attack with his rooks on the g- and h-files. 16.Ne3 g4 Or 16...Bxe3 17.Rxe3 g4 18.Nh2². White will exchange on g4 and play Rg3.

17.Nd5 Qh6

18.Nh4! It looks at first sight as if White should play 18.Qd2 to exchange queens and reach a roughly equal ending. He has, however, a most unusual sacrifice of his pawn on f2. 18...g3 White meets 18...gxh3?! with 19.g3 Bg4 20.Qc1±. Given his weak pawn on c7 and the threat of b4-b5, Black will have a difficult ending after 20...Qxc1 21.Rexc1. 19.Kh1 Bxf2 20.Rf1 Qg5 Or 20...Kh8 21.Nxc7 Rb8 22.Nd5². Now in answer to 22...Qg5, one possibility for White is 23.Qc1 – but I prefer 23.Nf3, with advantage after 23...Qg7 24.Qd2 or 23...Qg6 24.b5. 21.Nf3

21...Qh6! These queen moves may seem odd, but it’s important for Black to drive the knight away from h4 – although of course moving back and forth is something we all find hard to do over-the-board. On 21...Qd8?! White plays: 22.Qd2 Kg7 23.Rxf2! (in the event of 23.Nxc7 Qxc7 24.Qg5†= Black will answer a subsequent queen check on h4 with ...Kg6!, and White will have to give perpetual check) 23...gxf2 24.Rf1‚ With a dangerous initiative for the sacrificed exchange. For instance after 24...f5 25.exf5 Bxf5 26.Rxf2 Black is short of moves; his queen has to stay on d8 and cover the g5square. If he recaptures instead with 25...Rxf5, then White will play 26.Qxf2 followed by Qg3†. 22.Nxc7 Rb8 The position is hard to assess, but I think White is a shade better nonetheless. He has a number of moves to choose from. One example is 23.Nd5!?, to stop the black knight from going to e7 after b4-b5. If Black pushes his own b-pawn, then after 23...b5 24.Bb3 White can capture on b5 at the appropriate moment to bring his rook into play on the a-file.

A2) 12.Ne3

12...Nf4 On 12...Be6 White has these options: a) 13.Ng4 (simplest, though 13.Nd5!? also gives White the advantage) 13...Qe7 14.Bxe6² Now 14...Qxe6?! is bad, as after 15.d4 Black has problems with his knight on h5 apart from the d4-d5 threat. So 14...fxe6 must be played. Then after 15.b4 we reach a more or less standard structure from variation B (10...Be6 11.Bxe6 fxe6), except that White has posted his knight on g4 with tempo. b) 13.Nd5!? Qg6

And now: b1) It’s important to avoid 14.Nh4? Qg3!. b2) 14.Rf1!? (fortifying the f2-pawn and making Nh4 a threat) 14...Bxh3 15.Nh4 Qg4 16.Qxg4 Bxg4 17.Nxc7 With slightly the better ending. b3) 14.Nxc7 14...Bxh3 15.Ng5! Rac8 (or 15...hxg5 16.gxh3²) 16.Nxh3 Rxc7 17.g4!² White is a little better on account of his bishop pair, although the position remains complicated. 13.Ng4! In the event of 13.Nd5 Nxd5 14.exd5 Ne7÷ Black has no discernible problems. He can meet 15.d4 with 15...exd4 or 15...Ng6. 13...Qg6 Instead 13...Bxg4 14.hxg4 only helps White. For example, Bacrot – Al Qudaimi, Batumi (ol) 2018, continued 14...Rad8.

When a strong option would have been: 15.g3!N The tactical justification is: 15...Nh3† 16.Kg2 Nxf2 17.Qe2 Qg6 (After 17...Nxg4 18.Rf1+– Black has grabbed two pawns, but White’s play is overwhelming) 18.g5! For example, after 18...Qh5 19.d4 Qh3† 20.Kxf2 exd4 21.cxd4 Nxd4 22.Nxd4 Bxd4† 23.Be3 the extra bishop will beat Black’s extra pawns. 14.Bxf4 exf4 15.d4 There is a similar position in a line where White plays Bb3 instead of a2-a4. In that line Black has slightly more chance of avoiding the worse position. With the pawn on a4 White has an additional resource that adds to Black’s worries. 15...Bxg4 Or: a) 15...Ne7 16.Qb3 As Black didn’t capture the pawn on g4 at once, he will not win it at all. 16...c6 17.a5 Rb8 18.Qa3² with a comfortable plus. On 18...c5, a good continuation is 19.e5 d5 20.Bf1. b) 15...h5?! 16.Ngh2± and Black can’t take 16...Bxh3 in view of 17.Nh4 Qg5 18.N2f3 Qg4 19.Kh2, winning a piece. In answer to 16...Bd7 White has 17.h4, intending Ng5. 16.hxg4 Qxg4

17.a5!N White not only fixes the black queenside pawns, he also takes the a5-square away from the knight, after which he can place his queen on b3. Alternatively: a) 17.e5!? dxe5 (in Espinosa Aranda – Antoli Royo, Monzon 2016, Black played 17...Rae8, to which White could have replied 18.Bd5!? followed by Qb3 with an appreciable plus) 18.Nxe5 Nxe5 19.Rxe5 Qxd1† 20.Rxd1 White is of course a little better owing to the weakness of the f7-pawn and Black’s badly-placed bishop on a7, but an advantage is always difficult to exploit with bishops of opposite colours. There could follow 20...Rfe8! 21.Rf5 Re7, and Black should draw.

b) 17.Qd3 A perfectly natural move; all the same, it doesn’t set Black any great problems. 17...Ne7 18.Re2 (18.Bb3 c6 19.Bc2 g6÷) 18...Rad8 With plenty of play in the position, and chances for both sides in Giri – So, Bilbao 2016. 17...Rae8 Or: 17...Ne7!? An idea that would be hard for a human player to find, seeing that it involves some tactical finesses and the sacrifice of the b7-pawn. 18.Qb3

18...Qd7! Black would have a bad position otherwise (after 18...Rab8?! 19.e5 he has no possibility of playing ...d6-d5). And now: a) 19.Qxb7 Bxd4! (not 19...Rfb8? 20.Qxa6±) 20.Bxf7† Kxf7 21.Qb3† Qe6 After the queens are exchanged and White recaptures with Nxd4†, the king will go to f6 and the position will be nearly equal. b) 19.Bd3 c6 (or 19...c5 20.e5 d5 21.dxc5 Bxc5 22.Bb1!²; White withdraws his bishop not only in order to play Qc2, but also to transfer the bishop to a2 and put pressure on the d5-pawn) 20.Re2!? A cunning move; White doesn’t hurry with e4-e5 because Black could reply ...d6-d5 and station his queen on e6. For that reason we double rooks on the e-file first; we will then play e4-e5 and acquire a plus. 18.b4!? A possibility is 18.Qb3 Qc8 19.e5!? dxe5 20.Bd5!.

This is a fine idea, but unfortunately, with correct play, Black is more or less OK: 20...Nd8 (not 20...e4?! 21.Bxe4 Nd8 22.Re2± followed by Rae1, with a big advantage to White) 21.Nxe5 c6 22.Bf3 With a threat of Ng6. Now in the event of 22...Ne6 23.Bg4 or 22...Qe6 23.Qxe6 Rxe6 24.d5, White is well on top. But after the astute 22...Qf5! 23.Be4 (23.Bg4 Qg5!) 23...Qe6 24.Qxe6 Rxe6, White can only play Bf5 and answer ...Re7 with Nd3. He will then regain the pawn on f4, but on account of the opposite bishops, Black will be close to equalizing. 18...Ne7 19.b5 axb5 20.Bxb5

20...c6 Or 20...Rb8 21.e5, and now: a) 21...dxe5 22.Nxe5 Qxd1 23.Raxd1± Black can’t defend against the threat of Nd7 by normal means, as his f7-pawn will be vulnerable. Against 23...Nd5 White has 24.Bc4!, with a large plus after 24...Rbd8 25.Rb1 or 24...Rfd8 25.a6. b) 21...d5 22.e6 f6 (not 22...fxe6? 23.Bd7 Rf6 24.Qe2+–; after 24...Kh8 25.Bxe6 Qh5 26.Rab1 Black’s pieces are too awkwardly placed and his position is truly hopeless) 23.Rb1² Following the moves e5-e6 ...f7-f6, new prospects have opened up for White. For instance he can post his bishop on d7; or if Black plays 23...c6, then after 24.Bd3 White can redeploy his queen with Qc1-a3. 21.Bd3 White has more than enough compensation for the pawn. Now apart from the idea of e4-e5, Black has a potential weakness on b7. He fails to solve his problems with 21...b5 22.axb6 Bxb6; White continues 23.e5 and it isn’t good for Black to take on e5 and exchange queens, since the threats of Nd7 and Ra6 give White a big advantage in the ending. Against 21...Ng6 White has 22.e5 dxe5 23.Bxg6 Qxg6 24.Nxe5. He will then most likely pick up the c6-pawn – say after 24...Qf5 25.a6 – and obtain a small plus. B) 10...Be6

This move started to be played at the highest levels in 2017. Since then it has been seen in games by Carlsen, Anand, Kramnik and other top players. Black accepts doubled pawns on the e-file, counting on obtaining kingside play after the ...Nh5-f4 manoeuvre and the transfer of the queen to g6. With accurate play, however, White usually succeeds in neutralizing his opponent’s activity; after that he can initiate queenside operations, and Black must return to the defence. 11.Bxe6 A few times White has tried 11.b4, reckoning on transposing to the variation 10...Re8 11.b4 Be6 (see Chapter 6); but Black can meet 11.b4 with 11...Nh5!?, insisting on the bishop exchange Bxe6 ...fxe6. Apart from that, 11...Bxc4!? 12.Nxc4 Re8 deserves attention.

11...fxe6 12.b4 The most natural move. After 12.Nf1 Nh5 there is nothing better than b2-b4 anyway, and in addition Black might play 12...a5!?, halting White’s queenside pawn advance. 12...Nh5 Or 12...Qe8 13.Ra2, and now 13...Nh5 leads to variation B3 (and for 13...Qg6 14.Nc4 Nh5 15.b5 see B31).

13.Ra2 This order of moves looks more precise than 13.Nf1 at once. In some variations White can place his knight on c4; then in addition to the Ne3-g4 manoeuvre, b5-b6 is a possibility. The immediate 13.Nc4?! gives Black the chance to sacrifice his bishop and conclude the game with perpetual check: 13...Bxf2† 14.Kxf2 Qh4† 15.Ke2 (or 15.Kf1 Rxf3†, and now not 16.Qxf3? Rf8µ but 16.gxf3 Qxh3†=) 15...Qg3 16.Rg1 Rxf3 17.gxf3 Qh2† 18.Kf1 Qxh3† With a repetition of moves: 19.Ke1 Qh4† 20.Kf1 Qh3† 21.Ke1 Qh4† The only potential advantage of 13.Nf1 is that in some situations White might try Be3 without playing Ra2 first. But against the reply 13...Qe8 White still plays Ra2, having forfeited the option of Nc4.

Black now has B1) 13...Qf6, B2) 13...Nf4 or B3) 13...Qe8. B1) 13...Qf6 This leads by transposition to positions that arise from 13...Nf4 or 13...Qe8. For example: 14.Nc4 For 14.Nf1 Nf4 see variation B21.

14...b5 For 14...Nf4 15.b5 see B22.

15.Ne3 If 15.Na3 then 15...Rab8„. With the knight on a3 it isn’t so good to play Be3, and regrouping the white pieces is not easy. Against 16.Qe2 Black can play 16...Ng3 and then return to h5. White can try 16.Kh2, but whether he then has any advantage is hard to say. 15...Nf4 Anand – Carlsen, Stavanger 2017, saw 15...Bb6 16.Ng4 Qe7 17.Be3 Bxe3 18.fxe3² with a pleasant advantage. 16.Ng4 Qg6 With a transposition to variation B312 on page 86. B2) 13...Nf4 White now has two knight moves of roughly equal value. I have decided to examine both of them, and you can choose which one you like better: B21) 14.Nf1 or B22) 14.Nc4. B21) 14.Nf1 Qf6 15.Kh2 Ne7 For 15...Qg6 see variation B32 (13...Qe8 14.Nf1 Nf4 15.Kh2). 16.Ne3 The simple 16.Be3 leads to a standard position with a small plus for White, but the knight move looks more ambitious. White wants to station this knight on g4, remove the other one from f3, and play g2-g3. Then if Black’s queen is on f7, there will be the added threat of Bxh6. In the case of: 16.Be3!?

There can follow: a) 16...Rf7 17.Bxa7 Rxa7 18.Ng1 Qg6 19.g3 (19.Ne3!?) 19...Nh5 20.Qg4² As in Jumabayev – Nguyen, Chengdu 2017. This last move was necessary, as 20.Ne3? would be answered by 20...Rxf2†. If White wants to keep the queens on, he should play 19.Ne3 before g2-g3. b) 16...Qg6 17.Nh4 Qf7 (17...Qf6 18.g3 makes practically no difference, only Black might perhaps try 18...g5; White would continue: 19.Bxa7 Rxa7 20.Ng2²) 18.Bxa7 Rxa7 19.g3 Raa8 20.Re3 And it’s time for the knight to retreat from f4. To 20...Nh5 White has good replies in 21.Nf3 and 21.Kg2. On 20...Nfg6 he can play 21.Nxg6 or 21.Rf3, with a small plus.

16...Qf7 On 16...Neg6?! White plays 17.Ng1!±. Since the knight on f4 has no retreat squares left, the knight on g6 must be moved again. And since 17...Ne7? is bad on account of 18.g3 Nfg6 19.Ng4 Qf7 20.Bxh6, all that remains is 17...Nh8. In the event of 16...Qg6 17.Ng4² White is again threatening g2-g3. Against 17...h5 he retreats with 18.Ne3 and then follows with h3h4 and Ng5. 17.Ng4 Neg6 Or 17...Nc6 18.Rf1!?², freeing e1 for the knight. In this case 18.Ng1 isn’t so good in view of Black’s ...Qg6. 18.Ng1!² It was imperative to defend against the threat of 18...Nxg2 19.Kxg2 Qxf3†. Now White is threatening 19.g3 Nh5 20.Nxh6†, so Black needs to remove his king from g8. On 18...Kh7 White can play 19.Be3 or 19.g3 Nh5 20.Kg2, with advantage in either case. B22) 14.Nc4

14...b5 Another option is: 14...Qf6 15.b5 Ne7

16.Bxf4 Qxf4 17.b6 Bxb6 (or 17...cxb6 18.Nxd6 Rad8 19.Nc4² and the bishop on a7 makes little sense; on 19...Ng6 White has 20.Qc2) 18.Nxb6 cxb6 19.Qb3² This occurred in Lupulescu – Xu Jun, Changsha 2019. Black has to withdraw his queen to defend his pawn on e6, after which White will take on b6 and exert pressure against the b7-pawn. 15.Ne3 Or 15.Bxf4, and now: a) In Anand – Kramnik, Amsterdam (rapid) 2019, Black played 15...bxc4!? and there followed 16.Be3 (16.Bg3!?) 16...Bxe3 17.Rxe3 cxd3 18.Qxd3 with a large plus for White. b) 15...Rxf4 16.axb5 (16.Ne3 Qe8÷) 16...axb5 17.Na5 Nxa5 18.Rxa5 Bb6! with a playable position and approximate equality. 15...Qd7 In the only game I have found in the database, this is the move Black played, although it looks rather passive. Bringing the queen across to g6 is more logical. The position arising from 15...Qf6 16.Ng4 Qg6 is examined under variation B312 (after 13...Qe8 14.Nc4 b5 15.Ne3 Nf4 16.Ng4 Qg6). 16.Ng4

At this point we consider B221) 16...Rae8?! and B222) 16...Rab8. B221) 16...Rae8?! Now in Cheparinov – Urkedal, Batumi 2018, White gained the advantage after 17.Be3, but the following line would have been even stronger: 17.g3

17...Nh5?! Usually in such cases, retreating to h5 is obligatory; but with the black rook on e8, White has a good tactical stroke. Other tries are: a) 17...h5 18.gxf4 hxg4 19.Ng5± And after 19...g3 20.Qh5 Black’s king position is too weak. For instance if he exchanges twice on f2 and plays ...g7-g6, White continues 23.Qxg6† Qg7 24.Qh5 with Rg1 to follow. b) 17...Ng6 18.Kg2± and the black pieces haven’t enough space: 18...Qf7 is bad on account of 19.Bxh6, while on 18...Kh7 White has 19.h4 Qf7 20.h5 Nge7 21.Nh4 with a big advantage. 18.axb5 axb5 19.Rxa7! Nxa7 20.Nfxe5 dxe5 21.Nxe5± White has a huge plus. After 21...Qd6 22.Qxh5 he aims to play Ng6. B222) 16...Rab8 17.Be3 In this variation (unlike B221 with 16...Rae8), the black queen has the e8-square available – so in the event of 17.g3 Nh5, the tactical stroke with Rxa7 and Nxe5 doesn’t work. For that reason, playing 17.Be3 is simpler. 17...Bxe3 18.fxe3 Ng6 19.axb5 axb5 20.Qb3²

Thanks to his seizure of the a-file and his more active pieces, White has a stable plus. B3) 13...Qe8

Against 13.Nf1 Black has tended to initiate his plan with ...Qe8, whereas with the white rook on a2 he has more often preferred ...Nf4 or ...Qf6. The same positions generally result, but with his queen on e8 there are some lines where Black can play ...Qh5!? instead of ...Qg6. White now has the main optionsB31) 14.Nc4!?N or B32) 14.Nf1. B31) 14.Nc4!?N It is because of this interesting possibility that I prefer the move-order with 13.Ra2 rather than 13.Nf1. Black’s choices are B311) 14...Nf4 and B312) 14...b5. And in addition: a) 14...Ne7 15.Kh2 (15.Be3 Bxe3 16.fxe3 also gives White a small plus) 15...Ng6 (or 15...b5 16.Ne3 Ng6 17.Ng4 with the initiative; White can continue with Be3 or c3-c4) 16.Be3 Bxe3 17.Rxe3 This gives a more or less standard position in which White has a slight edge on account of his spatial advantage on the queenside. b) 14...Qg6 15.b5 Ne7 16.b6 (the simpler 16.Kh2!?² is also playable) 16...Bxb6 17.Nxb6 cxb6 18.Rb2² White has successfully prised the queenside open. Black doesn’t do well with 18...Nc8, as after 19.d4 exd4 20.Nxd4 White’s advantage is only increased. B311) 14...Nf4

15.Kh2 Qh5

Or 15...Qf7 16.b5 Ne7 17.Rf1!?. This frees the e1-square for the knight, for example: 17...Neg6 18.Ne1 d5 19.Nd2² White’s play may seem a little passive, but now he wants to play g2-g3 or Ba3. 19...axb5 20.axb5 Ne7 At this point 21.g3 Qh5! 22.Qxh5 Nxh5 just gives White slightly the better ending, so it’s simpler to play 21.c4!? with advantage. 16.Bxf4 Rxf4 17.b5 Ne7 18.b6!

18...Bxb6 Or 18...cxb6 19.Nxd6². On 19...Rd8 White returns his knight to c4, while against 19...Raf8 he has 20.Qb3. 19.Nxb6 cxb6 20.Qb3 Qf7 21.Re3! It’s important to fortify the knight on f3 before capturing on b6. If now 21...Nc8, then 22.d4 exd4 23.cxd4 is quite good; the rook on a8 is out of play. On the other hand after 21...Nc6 22.Qxb6, White has a persistent edge due to the b-file. B312) 14...b5

15.Ne3 Nf4 16.Ng4 Qg6 One of the critical positions of the variation. It can arise from several different move-orders; for instance the queen may arrive at g6 in the variations with ...Qf6, or Black’s manoeuvre may begin with 13...Nf4. At first I was inclined to write that Black had no problems here, but then I discovered one interesting idea. 17.Nh4!? After 17.axb5 axb5 18.Bxf4 Rxf4 19.Qe2 Raf8÷ White can play 20.Rea1 Bb6 21.Ra8, but it’s hard for him to improve his position further. The game Legemaat – Idrees, corr. 2017, soon ended in a draw. 17...Qg5 18.g3!

Instead of repeating moves with Nf3 ...Qg6, White complicates the position and sets his opponent plenty of problems. 18...h5 And not 18...Nxh3†?. There can follow: a) 19.Kh2? Nf4 20.Rg1 Rad8÷ with the idea of ...d6-d5. White is one tempo short. b) 19.Kh1! This problem-like continuation is the only way White can punish Black for the capture on h3; the idea itself is far from obvious. 19...Nf4 (or 19...Rf4 20.Kg2 h5 21.Nh6†±, and after the forced 21...gxh6 Black is left with bad doubled pawns on the h-file; if instead 19...Qd8, then 20.Nxh6† gxh6 21.Qg4†+–) 20.Rg1!

The idea is to play Rg2 and then capture with gxf4; White will then answer ...Qxh4† with Rh2 and Nxh6†. There is nothing Black can do, for example: 20...Rad8 (or 20...d5 21.exd5 exd5 22.Rg2+– with the same threats) 21.Rg2 d5 22.gxf4 Qxh4† 23.Rh2 Qe7 24.Nxh6† gxh6 25.Qg4†+– With a winning attack. On 25...Kf7 White wins with 26.Qh5†; against 25...Qg7 he has the decisive 26.Qxe6†. 19.Ne3 Nxh3† If 19...Qf6?! then 20.Kh2±. 20.Kg2 Nf4† 21.Kh2

21...Qf6 Or: 21...Bxe3 22.Bxe3 Qf6 23.Rh1 (with the terrible threat of Kg1) 23...d5 (after 23...Ng6 24.Qxh5 White has a big advantage – Black is therefore forced to play ...d6-d5, so as to meet Kg1 with ...dxe4) 24.gxf4

And now: a) 24...exf4?! 25.Qxh5 fxe3 26.Ng6± and Black has serious problems. White answers 26...exf2 with 27.Rhf1 dxe4 28.Raxf2; then after exchanges on f2 he plays Kg1 followed by Qh8†. If instead Black captures with 26...dxe4, then 27.fxe3 Qf5 28.Kg2 is good for White; after 28...Qxh5 29.Rxh5 Black must give up the exchange owing to the mate threats. b) 24...Qxh4† 25.Kg2 Qg4† 26.Qxg4 hxg4 27.Bc5² White is well on top, thanks to his good bishop and the possibility of taking on b5 at the appropriate moment. A good reply to 27...Rfd8 is 28.exd5 exd5 29.Re1!, while against 27...Rfb8!? White can simply play 28.Kg3. 22.Rh1 Ng6 For 22...Bxe3 23.Bxe3 see the note to move 21. 23.Qxh5 Nxh4 24.gxh4

The position has been simplified to some extent, and we can draw some conclusions. After 24...Qf4† 25.Kg2 White has a substantial plus, so Black does better to play 24...Qf7 at once. White can then exchange queens, and the ending is slightly more pleasant for him on account of the doubled pawns on the e-file. B32) 14.Nf1

14...Nf4 Other options are: a) 14...b5 And now: a1) 15.Be3 The standard idea of exchanging on e3 (White could also consider 15.Kh2 to improve his position slightly before Be3 is played). 15...Bxe3 16.fxe3 Nf6 This occurred in Vachier-Lagrave – Ding Liren, Saint Louis 2019. White now continued 17.axb5, which somewhat eased Black’s defence. He could improve with 17.Qb3, followed by Rea1 and seizure of the a-file, or 17.N1d2!?. In either case he would have the advantage. a2) 15.Ne3!? Nf4 16.Ng4 transposes to variation B312 (14.Nc4 b5 15.Ne3 Nf4 16.Ng4). b) 14...Qg6 15.Kh2 Nf4 16.g3 transposes to 14...Nf4 15.Kh2 Qg6 (see below). At move 15 Black has nothing much in the way of useful alternatives. He doesn’t want to move his rook from a8, and 15...Ne7 would be met by 16.d4. If Black marks time, White can play Be3, or b4-b5 with d3-d4 to follow. 15.Kh2 Now Black has B321) 15...Qh5 or B322) 15...Qf7. The idea is to force Ng3, after which White can’t play g2-g3 to drive the knight from f4. But this is somehow over-ingenious. On 15...Qg6 there can follow 16.g3 Nh5 17.Be3 Bxe3 18.Rxe3 Rf7 19.N1d2², bolstering the knight on f3. Then a good reply to 19...Raf8 is 20.b5 Ne7 (or 20...Na5 21.d4) 21.Nc4. Against 19...Nf6, White can play 20.Qb3 Nh7 21.Kg2! Rad8 22.Nf1, countering the idea of ...Nh7-g5 and cementing his advantage.

B321) 15...Qh5

16.Ng3 With 16.Ng1!? White insists on carrying out g2-g3, but I’m not sure it pays him to exchange queens. After 16...Qxd1 (16...Qg6 17.g3 Nh5 18.Nf3, followed by Be3, gives White a slight edge) 17.Rxd1 he has a small plus in the ending. In Ragger – Sermier, Switzerland 2018, the continuation was 17...a5 18.b5 Nb8 19.d4. Possibly 17...Ne7 or 17...g5!? would have been slightly stronger, but White maintains some pressure in any case. 16...Qf7 Or 16...Qg6 17.b5 Ne7 18.d4 exd4 19.cxd4² and Black can’t play 19...axb5?, since after 20.Bxf4 Rxf4 21.axb5 he has no way of unpinning. 17.Be3 With the black queen on f7, the advance with 17.b5 is not so good, because (in contrast to the 16...Qg6 line) the queen is supporting the knight on f4. For example: 17...Ne7 18.d4 exd4 19.cxd4 axb5 20.axb5 Bb6÷ 17...Ne7 18.Bxa7 Rxa7 19.d4 Neg6 20.Re3 White has arranged his pieces conveniently, carried out d3-d4 and obtained a pleasant position. If Black now exchanges with 20...exd4 21.cxd4, then 21...e5?! is bad because after 22.Rc2 White will post his knight on f5. B322) 15...Qf7

16.Be3 Bxe3 17.fxe3 Nh5 18.Rf2 This occurred in Shimanov – Motylev, Yaroslavl 2019. Since White has made a gain of space on the queenside, he has a small but stable plus. An important point to note is that in answer to 18...a5 White doesn’t have to hurry with b4-b5 but can play 19.Qb3!?.

Conclusion After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.0-0 a6 7.a4 Ba7 8.Re1 0-0 9.h3 h6 10.Nbd2 we considered two main lines: A) 10...Nh5 and B) 10...Be6. The 10...Nh5 variation is seen relatively rarely. In my view this is primarily due to the fact that in the line with 11.Nf1 Qf6 12.Ne3 Nf4 13.Ng4 Black’s position with his bishop shut in on a7 is not very pleasant, and even the extra pawn gives him no particular joy. The computer considers that if anything the position is unclear, but in a human context White will gradually develop his initiative with good chances to acquire a large plus. Another notable possibility is 12.N1h2!?N, but personally I prefer the position in the main line. In the variation with 10...Be6 Black is counting on active play on the kingside after bringing his knight to f4 and his queen to g6. White needs to play accurately; for example after 11.Bxe6 fxe6 12.b4 Nh5 in answer to 13.Nc4 Black can already strike with 13...Bxf2†!. White does best to play 13.Ra2, so that apart from Nf1 he has the option of placing his knight on c4. Thus after 13...Qf6 or 13...Qe8 there is the choice between the quiet 14.Nf1 with a small plus, and the daring 14.Nc4!? which aims to transfer the knight to g4, giving a complex position in which White’s chances are somewhat better.

A) 13...Nh5 92 B) 13...d5 93 C) 13...Ne7 14.Nf1 94 C1) 14...Ng6 95 C2) 14...d5 95 D) 13...Qd7 14.Nf1 95 D1) 14...Ne7 95 D2) 14...d5 15.Be3 96 D21) 15...d4!? 96 D22) 15...Bxe3 16.Nxe3 Rd8 97 D221) 17.b5 98 D222) 17.exd5!?N 98 D223) 17.Rad1!N b5 18.a5 d4 19.cxd4 exd4 20.Nf5 Nxb4 21.Qc1 Nc6 22.Re2 Kh7 23.Rc2 100 D2231) 23...Ne8 101 D2232) 23...Ng8! 103 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.0-0 a6 7.a4 Ba7 8.Re1 0-0 9.h3 h6 10.Nbd2 Re8

This rook move may be considered the main line. Black wants to exchange bishops on e6 without spoiling his pawn structure. White endeavours to advance his pawns on the queenside, but at the same time he will have to reckon with Black’s ...d6-d5 after the bishops have been exchanged. 11.b4 Be6 12.Bxe6 Rxe6 13.Qc2

It’s useful for White to place his queen on c2 before he starts repositioning his knight. The cunning point is to meet an immediate ...d6-d5 with Nb3 and then seize the c5-square. We consider A) 13...Nh5, B) 13...d5, C) 13...Ne7 and D) 13...Qd7. A) 13...Nh5

With his rook on e6, Black would like to initiate play on the kingside, but he doesn’t succeed in creating real threats to the white

king. White exchanges the bishop on a7 or the knight on h5, and Black will have insufficient resources for an attack. 14.Nf1 Qf6 A game A. Horvath – Levin, Germany 2018, continued: 14...Rg6 15.Be3 Qf6 16.Kh2 Nf4 17.Bxf4 Qxf4† 18.Kh1² Black has no more attacking ideas. Next move White will play Ng3, and after that he will proceed with b4-b5 or d3-d4.

At this point White has several moves of roughly equal value which give him a small plus. The ones I like best are 15.Ne3 and 15.Be3. 15.Ne3!? Alternatively: a) 15.N1h2 Ree8 16.Ng4 Qe6 17.Rb1 Nf6 with a slight edge for White.

In Grischuk – Jakovenko, Novosibirsk 2016, White now played 18.Ne3. Probably a slightly better line would be 18.Nxf6† Qxf6 19.a5, fixing the queenside pawns. b) 15.Be3 Ree8 16.Kh2 (16.Bxa7 Rxa7 17.Ne3 Nf4 18.Kh2 leads to much the same position) 16...Bxe3 17.Nxe3 Nf4 And White has an edge after 18.Rad1, or 18.Ng1!? enabling g2-g3. 15...Bxe3 16.Bxe3 Nf4 Or 16...Ree8 17.d4 exd4 18.Nxd4². On 18...Nxd4 White continues 19.cxd4 c6 20.f3. 17.Bxf4 Or 17.b5!?. 17...Qxf4 18.Qa2² White has a simple plan – to station his queen on c4 and push his pawns, say with a4-a5 and b4-b5. Black has no counterplay on the kingside; on 18...Rg6 White can simply play 19.Re3, and there is nothing more to be attacked.

B) 13...d5

Oddly enough, in a few games this position arose with Black to move – after White had wasted a tempo on Bb3. The drawback to 13...d5 is that the white knight can go to b3 instead of f1. For that reason Black has recently been playing 13...Qd7 (variation D). 14.Nb3 Ne7 Karjakin – Navara, Baku 2016, went 14...b5 15.Be3 Bxe3 16.Rxe3² with an obvious plus for White due to the weakened c5-square. Ragger – Urkedal, Batumi 2018, saw 14...dxe4 15.dxe4 Nh5. In that game White gained the advantage after 16.Be3, but the position became complicated – so it seems to me simpler to play 16.Kh2!?² – a small prophylactic measure after which Black’s attacking ideas are at an end. He can’t play 16...Rg6? on account of 17.b5, while on 16...Nf4 White does well with 17.Rd1 Qf6 18.b5. 15.exd5 White also has a small plus after 15.c4!?.

15...Qxd5 Or: a) 15...Nfxd5 16.Rxe5 Rc6 17.Na5 Rxc3 18.Qd2² and Black has problems with his rook on c3. On 18...c5 White will play 19.Nxb7. Against 18...b6 he has 19.Bb2 bxa5 20.Bxc3 axb4 21.Bb2. b) 15...Nexd5 16.Rxe5 Rc6 17.Nc5² After 17...Bxc5 18.bxc5 Rxc5 White can play 19.Bb2 with advantage. Then 19...Nb4 is no help to Black; after 20.Qe2 he can’t continue 20...Nxd3? on account of 21.Rd1. 16.c4 Qd6

17.Nc5! Bxc5 18.bxc5 Qxc5 19.Ba3 Qa5 Or 19...Qa7 20.d4 Ng6 21.Bb2². 20.d4 Ng6 21.Bb2² White regains his pawn and acquires a considerable plus. In Nepomniachtchi – Mamedyarov, Moscow 2016, Black played 21...Rae8 22.Bc3 Qb6, and now White’s best line would be 23.a5! Qa7 24.dxe5 Nd7 25.Rad1. Black can’t then capture on e5 because of mate on the back rank. In Fressinet – Amin, Sharjah 2017, the continuation was 21...e4 22.d5 Ree8 23.Nd2, with a comfortable advantage to White. C) 13...Ne7

14.Nf1 With 14.Nc4!? White prevents ...d6-d5, but he can’t now play c3-c4. He is probably a shade better after 14...Ng6 15.Be3 Bxe3 16.Nxe3 d5 17.g3. After the text move C1) 14...Ng6 has almost invariably been played, but C2) 14...d5 looks slightly better. C1) 14...Ng6 15.Ng3 Karjakin – Carlsen, Paris 2017, saw 15.c4 a5 16.bxa5. Black could now have played 16...Bc5!? with an unclear position. 15...d5 16.c4 c6

17.Bd2 In Šarić – Kasimdzhanov, Germany 2016, the less clear 17.Bb2 dxe4!? 18.dxe4 a5 was played. 17...Qd7 18.Rad1² Since the knight on g6 has to support the e5-pawn, Black can’t play ...Nf4, whereas there is nothing to stop White from playing Nf5. Moreover at an opportune moment White can shut off the bishop on a7 by means of c4-c5. If Black plays 18...Rd8 or 18...Rae8, then 19.Bc3 is not bad. C2) 14...d5 15.Rb1!? This rook move is directed primarily against Black’s ...c7-c5. White could play 15.Be3, but then Black has the interesting 15...c5!? apart from the simple 15...Bxe3. In Jumabayev – Kryvoruchko, Sharjah 2018, White played 15.Bd2 and there followed 15...dxe4 (15...c5!?) 16.dxe4 c5 17.b5 c4 with plenty of play and roughly equal chances. 15...Ng6 Or 15...dxe4 16.dxe4 b5 17.Be3 Ng6 18.Red1, with a slight edge for White after 18...Qe8 19.Bxa7 Rxa7 20.Ne3 or 18...Rd6 19.Bxa7 Rxa7 20.Ne3. 16.c4 d4 17.c5 Nd7 18.N1d2

At first the computer likes Black’s position, but then it starts giving preference to White. After 18...a5 19.bxa5, the capture 19...Nxc5?! is bad on account of 20.Ba3. On 18...Qf6 White can simply play 19.Nc4. If Black plays the cunning 18...Rf6, quite a good reply is 19.h4!?. White aims to meet 19...a5 with 20.h5, securing a plus.

D) 13...Qd7 14.Nf1 Black’s options here are D1) 14...Ne7 and D2) 14...d5. D1) 14...Ne7 15.Be3 Simplest, although 15.Ng3!? has been nearly everyone’s choice. There can then follow: a) 15...Ng6 16.c4² This occurred in the games Karjakin – Mamedyarov, Paris 2017, and Karjakin – Anand, Moscow 2018. But the former was a rapid game and the latter was blitz, so there was no opening duel for us to speak of. b) 15...d5

16.c4!?N (in Wang Hao – Malakhov, China 2019, White obtained an advantage after 16.Bb2, but Black could have played 16...dxe4! 17.dxe4 c5„ with a comfortable position) 16...dxe4 17.dxe4 Nc6 18.Ba3 With a small plus for White after 18...Nd4 19.Nxd4 Bxd4 20.Rad1 or 18...a5 19.b5 Nb4 20.Bxb4 axb4 21.Nf5. 15...Bxe3 16.Nxe3 Ng6 For 16...d5 see variation D22 (14...d5 15.Be3 Bxe3 16.Nxe3 Ne7). 17.g3 d5 18.Kg2² Although the position is to some extent symmetrical, White stands better owing to his knight on e3 and his space advantage on the queenside. D2) 14...d5 15.Be3

Here we consider D21) 15...d4!? and D22) 15...Bxe3. D21) 15...d4!?

A new idea of Aronian’s. However, Black fails to achieve equality and will have to struggle to draw. 16.cxd4

16...Nxd4 Or: a) 16...Nxb4 17.Qb3 exd4 18.Bxh6² The h6-pawn is more important than the b4-pawn, because if the former is missing, White has access to g5. For example: 18...a5 (or 18...Nxd3 19.Qxd3 gxh6 20.e5 with a dangerous attack; after the black knight moves, White can play 21.Ng3 or 21.Re4) 19.Bd2 c5 20.Ng5² The other knight can go to f5, or to f3 via h2. b) 16...exd4?! 17.Bd2± With this type of pawn structure and equal material, White nearly always has a large plus. 17.Bxd4 Or 17.Nxd4 Bxd4 18.Bxd4, transposing. 17...Bxd4 18.Nxd4 Qxd4 After 18...exd4?! 19.Ng3 White has a big advantage. 19.Qxc7

19...Qxd3 Alternatively: 19...Qxb4 20.Ne3 Re7 (or 20...Qb6 21.Qc3 Rd8 22.Rab1 Qc6 23.Rec1²; if the queens are exchanged there is an unpleasant ending in store for Black, but if he plays 23...Qd7 then 24.a5! is a good move) 21.Qc2 Rd8 22.Reb1 Qd6 23.Rb3² The pawn on b7 is much more vulnerable than the one on d3, and in addition White’s knight on e3 is well placed. On 23...Rc7 White can play 24.Qb1.

20.Qxb7 Qd8 21.Red1 White gains no advantage from 21.a5 Rb8 22.Qa7 Rxb4= owing to Black’s active rook on b4. The pawns on e4 and a5 are exposed to attack.

21...Qb8 White has just as much advantage with queens on the board: 21...Qf8 22.f3 Rb8 23.Qc7 Qxb4 24.Ne3² 22.Qxb8† Rxb8 23.f3 Rxb4 24.Ne3ƒ Thanks to his well-placed knight, White maintains the pressure. In Giri – Aronian, Saint Louis 2019, Black drew with great difficulty. D22) 15...Bxe3 16.Nxe3

16...Rd8 According to the Mega Database, 16...Ne7 has been seen in only one game: Sivuk – Vokhidov, Tashkent 2018. There can follow: a) 17.exd5 Nfxd5 18.Nc4 f6 19.d4 And in the game mentioned, White gained the advantage after 19...exd4 20.Nxd4. However, Vokhidov could have played 19...e4 or 19...Qc6 with an unclear position. b) 17.c4 (simplest, although 17.a5!? also merits attention) 17...d4 18.Nd5 Ng6 19.g3 With a small but stable plus. The difference between this and 16...Rd8 17.b5 Ne7 18.c4 (variation D221) is that White hasn’t yet played b4-b5. White’s choices now are D221) 17.b5, D222) 17.exd5!?N and D223) 17.Rad1!N. D221) 17.b5

17...Ne7! There’s no need to open the a-file; exchanging with bxa6 gives White nothing. A game Kravtsiv – Parligras, Hungary 2019, went 17...axb5 18.axb5 Ne7 19.c4 c6 20.bxc6 bxc6 21.Ra5² with advantage to White on account of his more active pieces. Possibly 21.c5!? would have been even stronger. 18.c4 d4 19.Nd5 In Shankland – Leko, Biel 2019, White played 19.Nf5 – to which quite a good reply would be 19...Qe8!? followed by ...Nd7, with an unclear position. 19...Ng6÷ This occurred in So – Harikrishna, Riga 2019. The game continued 20.Rab1 axb5 21.Rxb5 c6 22.Nb6 Qe7, with adequate kingside counterplay for Black. Perhaps 20.Kh2 is a little better; White can then play g2-g3 if appropriate, to keep the black knight out of f4. But Black should still be OK – for instance he can reply 20...Rb8!?, with ...Qd8 and ...Nd7 to follow. D222) 17.exd5!?N

17...Nxd5 18.Nxd5 Qxd5 19.Re3 f5!? The thematic continuation. Black creates a threat of ...f5-f4, and in some circumstances he may play ...e5-e4. After 19...Rde8 20.Rae1 White has a small but stable plus. On 20...f5, quite a good continuation is 21.Nh4 g6 22.Nf3. Against 20...b5 White can play 21.a5, fixing the a6-pawn.

20.Rae1! It’s only with this move that White can fight for an advantage. After 20.c4 Qd6, or 20.Qb2 e4, Black has no problems. 20...f4 21.Re4 Qxd3 22.Qb3 Qd5 23.c4 Qd3

24.Qb2! By avoiding the exchange of queens, White wants to exploit the weakening of Black’s king position. 24...Rg6 25.Kh2 Rdd6! Setting up a threat of ...Rxg2† and diverting the white knight from the e5-pawn. 26.Nh4 Rg5 27.b5 Nd4! Not 27...axb5? 28.cxb5 Nd4 29.Rxe5±. If Black hadn’t exchanged pawns on b5 he could capture on c4, but now he has a weak king position without any extra material.

28.bxa6 Against 28.Rxe5!? Black has 28...Rxe5 29.Rxe5 Qxc4!. White then has two possible replies; in either case Black saves himself by playing the only-move. In the event of 30.bxa6 he would lose with 30...bxa6? 31.Qb8†, so 30...Qxa6 is essential. In answer to 30.Re8† he can’t play 30...Kh7? 31.bxa6+–, but 30...Kf7! 31.Re4 Qb3 rescues him. 28...bxa6 29.Rxe5 Rxe5 30.Rxe5 We have arrived at this position more or less by force. Owing to his slightly open king, Black must play accurately. In this case 30...Qxc4? loses to 31.Qb8†! Kh7 32.Re8. Black’s best course is 30...Rb6 31.Qc1 Rf6, after which the position remains unclear. On the whole this variation deserves to be considered, but 17.Rad1! presents Black with more problems. D223) 17.Rad1!N

A very interesting and promising idea that involves a pawn sacrifice. In previous games everyone played 17.b5, but in that line Black is OK. We have also looked at another possibility, 17.exd5!?, which leads to a simpler position than after 17.Rad1. 17...b5 Black has no other way of defending against the constant threat of b4-b5. After 17...d4 18.Nf5 dxc3 19.Qxc3² White has a clear plus, thanks to his powerful knight on f5. In the case of 17...dxe4 18.dxe4 Rd6 19.Rxd6² Black has an unpleasant position owing to the b4-b5 threat. 18.a5 Fixing the weak pawn on a6; White may subsequently post a knight on c5.

18...d4 The most natural reply. If Black marks time, he will be worse. For example 18...Kh8 would be met by 19.Nf5, with Nd2-b3-c5 to follow. After 18...Rd6 the possibilities are: a) 19.Nf5 dxe4! 20.Nxd6 exf3 21.Nb7 Ra8 with an unclear position after 22.Nc5 Qf5. b) 19.Kh2!? Quite a useful king move that makes Nf5 into a threat. We have seen that if White plays Nf5 at once, Black can sacrifice the exchange. Now, however, that sacrifice would not be good, as White could play g2-g3 at the right moment – his h3-pawn being guarded by the king on h2. Play may continue: 19...dxe4 (if 19...g6?! then 20.exd5 Nxd5 21.Ng4±) 20.dxe4 g6 21.Rxd6 With a small but steady advantage after 21...cxd6 22.Rd1 or 21...Qxd6 22.Rd1 Qe7 23.Nd2, heading for b3. 19.cxd4

19...exd4 Nothing would be changed by 19...Nxb4 20.Qc1 exd4 21.Nf5. Another possibility is: 19...Nxd4 20.Nxd4 Qxd4! (not 20...exd4?! 21.Nf5±; whereas in the case of 19...exd4 Black picks up the pawn on b4, he now has a bad pawn structure with equal material) 21.Qxc7 Rd7 22.Qc8† Rd8 23.Qc5² After the exchange of queens and ...Rc6, White will play 25.Nc2 Rxc5 26.Nb4, and Black will have problems on account of his weak a6-pawn. 20.Nf5 Nxb4 21.Qc1 Nc6 The d4-pawn has to be protected. 21...Rc6? 22.Qb2 is bad for Black, and 21...Qc6 22.Qf4, with threats of Qg3 and Rc1, isn’t very good for him either.

22.Re2 Kh7 After 22...Nxa5?! 23.N3xd4 Rb6 (23...Ree8 24.Ra2+–) 24.Rc2± Black’s pieces are too awkwardly placed. If he plays 24...Ne8, then 25.Rc5 is adequate. In the event of 22...Ne8 23.Rc2, White threatens Rxc6 and Black must move his king; with 23...Kh7 he transposes to variation D2231. 23.Rc2

White has excellent compensation for the pawn. He has a number of moves to improve his position, for instance Qf4 or Rc5. Black has some difficulty with his movements – his knight on c6 is holding the d4-pawn, and the rook on e6 is protecting the knight. We have come a long way already, but it seems to me it would be premature to stop here, since finding your bearings in this position is a complicated matter. I will give two variations to support the view that Black’s game is difficult: D2231) 23...Ne8 and D2232) 23...Ng8!. D2231) 23...Ne8

Fortifying the pawn on c7. This move looks more logical than ...Ng8, but in fact after Qf4 Black is in a very unpleasant position. 24.Qf4!² From here, White’s game is simple to play – he places his rook on c5 and doubles on the c-file. Black has trouble finding any kind of plan, and in consequence White’s advantage may soon increase. 24...b4 Alternatively: a) 24...Rc8 25.Rc5 Nd6 26.Rxc6! (not 26.N3xd4? Nxd4 27.Nxd4 Rf6÷) 26...Qxc6 27.N5xd4± Black’s problem is that after his queen moves, White doesn’t capture on e6 but instead plays e4-e5. I will continue the variation for a few more moves: 27...Qe8 28.e5 g5 29.Qg3 Nb7 30.Nxe6 Qxe6 31.Nh2!± Followed by Ng4 with a strong attack. The black king’s position is too weak.

b) 24...Rb8 25.Rc5 Nd6 (for 25...b4 26.Rdc1, see the main line after 24...b4) 26.Rdc1 Nxf5 27.exf5 Rf6

28.g4!± White threatens to bring his knight to e4. There is nothing Black can do, for instance 28...b4 29.Nd2 b3 30.Ne4 and the advance of the b-pawn has not in any way helped. c) 24...Nxa5!? 25.Ne5 Rxe5 26.Qxe5 Nb7 27.Ra1²

Black might seem to be all right, but on 27...a5 White has 28.Nxg7! with a large plus. If instead Black plays 27...f6 28.Qf4 a5, then either 29.e5 or 29.Re1!? is good for White. 25.Rc5 Rb8 26.Rdc1

26...Rf6

Or 26...b3 27.Rb1±. Owing to the poor placing of his pieces, Black has nothing with which to support his advanced pawn on b3. 27.g4‚ With the simple threat of e4-e5. Black can’t play 27...g6? in view of 28.Rxc6 Rxc6 29.Rxc6 Qxc6 30.Qxh6† Kg8 31.Ne7#. And on 27...b3 White will play 28.e5 Rg6 29.Rb1 with a big advantage. D2232) 23...Ng8!

The only move to give Black chances of avoiding the worse position. The point of retreating to g8 is not to play ...g7-g6 but to exchange knights by means of ...Nge7, returning the pawn to bring about simplification. 24.Rc5 Qe8 Withdrawing his queen first, so as to follow with ...Nge7. Black can’t play 24...g6? because of 25.Nxh6, planning a knight fork on g5.

White now has a few moves of roughly equal strength to choose from. Let’s examine the most logical ones. 25.Qf4 Or 25.Qc2, with the simple idea of building up on the c-file, and now: a) 25...g6 26.Ng3 Nge7 27.Qd2² followed by Rdc1 and Ne2. White has a comfortable advantage, as Black has no useful moves. b) 25...Nge7! Even at the cost of a pawn, Black must exchange at least one pair of pieces. 26.Rc1!? This is more interesting than winning the c7-pawn at once, as Black would then have the response ...Rc6. Black must now mark time, for instance with 26...Rd7. After that, White can take on e7 or try making some useful move such as 27.h4!?.

25...Nge7! Black must exchange a pair of knights at least, to ease the defence. To this end he shouldn’t mind giving up a pawn. After 25...g6 26.Ng3 Nxa5 (26...Nge7 27.Ne2²) 27.Rxc7 Rf6 28.Qh4 White has a dangerous attack. He answers 28...Nc6 with 29.Rc1, threatening to take the knight on c6. On 28...Rd7 he plays 29.e5 Rxc7 30.exf6, followed by Ne4. 26.Nxe7 Rxe7 Or 26...Qxe7!? 27.Rdc1 Nxa5 28.Rxc7 Qf6. Then after 29.Qg3 or 29.Qf5†!? White’s position is a little more pleasant, but that is all. 27.Rdc1 Nxa5 28.Rxc7

Although the computer says the position is unclear, Black still needs to play accurately to hold on. Now 28...R8d7?! is not good: 29.Rc8 Rd8 30.Rxd8 Qxd8 31.Qf5† With a large plus for White after 31...g6 32.Qf6. Black must remove his king from h7, so that the white queen can’t check on f5. For example 28...Kg8!? 29.Nh4 Rxc7 30.Rxc7 Rc8 31.Nf5, and White retains chances of victory. Conclusion This chapter covered the position after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.0-0 a6 7.a4 Ba7 8.Re1 0-0 9.h3 h6 10.Nbd2, focussing on the move 10...Re8. This is one of the main lines in the Italian Game; it has been seen in games by many top grandmasters. It has nonetheless been possible to unearth some interesting ideas here. For instance, in the line that continues 11.b4 Be6 12.Bxe6 Rxe6 13.Qc2 Qd7 14.Nf1 d5 15.Be3 Bxe3 16.Nxe3 after 16...Rd8 White may try playing 17.exd5 Nxd5 18.Nc4, but a more interesting try is 17.Rad1!?N. White is then prepared to sacrifice his b4-pawn for excellent compensation. The variations demonstrate that holding the defence for Black is far from simple.

A) 10.d4 106 B) 10.Nbd2 Ng6 11.d4 108 B1) 11...exd4 108 B2) 11...h6 12.Bb3 Re8 13.Bc2 110 B21) 13...c6 112 B22) 13...Bd7 113 B221) 14.a5 113 B222) 14.Nf1 114 B3) 11...c6 116 B31) 12.b4 117 B311) 12...exd4 117 B312) 12...Re8!? 118 B32) 12.Bf1 Re8 13.dxe5 120 B321) 13...Nxe5!? 122 B322) 13...dxe5 14.Qc2 123 B3221) 14...Be6 124 B3222) 14...Bg4!?N 125 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.0-0 a6 7.a4 Ba7 8.Re1 0-0 9.h3 Ne7

Bringing the knight across to g6 before playing ...h7-h6 is quite a logical idea. Wesley So played this way once or twice in 2016, and then others began doing the same. In the event of 9...h6 10.Nbd2 Ne7 (for 10...Nh5 11.Nf1 see Chapter 5, variation A), there can follow: a) 11.d4?! This is inaccurate and gives Black two possibilities to obtain a good position: 11...Nc6 (or even 11...exd4 12.cxd4 Nc6÷ as in Bacrot – Bu, Liaocheng 2018) 12.dxe5 Nxe5 13.Nxe5 dxe5= Ponomariov – Jones, Hengshui 2019. b) 11.Bb3 Simplest (White can also play 11.Nf1 and transfer the knight to g3). 11...Ng6 12.d4 Transposing to variation B2 (9...Ne7 10.Nbd2 Ng6 11.d4 h6 12.Bb3). We now consider A) 10.d4 and B) 10.Nbd2. Black has good play in the case of 10.Bg5?! Ng6÷. On 10.Nh4, he plays 10...Kh8!. A) 10.d4

10...Ng6 11.Bd3!? In classical games this position has occurred five times in all. I shall not examine it thoroughly but would nonetheless like to share some of my thoughts. 11...Re8 Or 11...c6 12.Be3 Nh5, and now: a) 13.Nbd2 Nhf4 14.Bf1 exd4 And in Nepomniachtchi – So, Baku 2016, Black achieved a good position after 15.Bxd4 Bxd4 16.cxd4 d5. Perhaps 15.Nxd4!? would be better, with chances of an advantage after 15...d5 16.b4.

b) 13.Bf1!? Nhf4 Now, apart from Nbd2, White can exchange into the better ending (but against 13...exd4 14.cxd4 Nhf4, he has 15.d5 Bxe3 16.Rxe3 with a pleasant position). 14.dxe5 dxe5 15.Qxd8 Rxd8 16.Bxa7 Rxa7 17.Nbd2² In Ragger – Kryvoruchko, Hockenheim 2018, Black had some difficulties due to his misplaced rook on a7. 12.Nbd2!N The only way to go for an advantage. In the games Kramnik – Aronian, Stavanger 2016, and Nepomniachtchi – Nakamura, Zurich 2017, White played 12.Qc2, but Black can then achieve ...d6-d5. For example, Nakamura played 12...Be6 13.Be3 d5 and obtained a good position.

12...Nh5 The most logical continuation. Instead 12...h6 13.Bc2 leads to variation B2, and 12...Bd7 13.Bc2 h6 gives variation B21. 13.Nf1 Clearer than 13.Bf1 Nhf4„. 13...Nhf4 14.Ng3!? It’s rather unusual for White to give up his light-squared bishop, but in this case he doesn’t want to waste time moving it away. After 14.Bc4 exd4 15.cxd4 c6 or 14.Bc2 exd4!? 15.cxd4 c5 16.d5 c4, Black would succeed in creating counterplay.

14...Nxd3 Or 14...c5 15.d5² and the black bishop on a7 is shut in. White need not fear 15...Bxh3 16.gxh3 Nxh3† 17.Kg2, leaving him with a nice advantage. 15.Qxd3 Be6 16.Be3 exd4 A standard pawn-exchanging idea. Black intends to exchange off the white e-pawn by means of ...d6-d5 and ...f7-f6.

After 16...Qe7 17.b4 White has a small but stable plus. Against 17...c6 an interesting line is 18.Nf5 Bxf5 19.exf5 e4 20.Qd1, maintaining the pressure; while on 17...exd4 18.cxd4 d5 White plays 19.e5. 17.cxd4 d5 18.e5 f6

19.Qd2!? This move is directed against Black’s idea of exchanging pawns and following with ...c7-c5. Instead 19.exf6 Qxf6 looks weaker, but 19.Nh5 would also be worth considering. 19...fxe5 Or 19...c6 20.Ra3². 20.dxe5 c5 At first sight Black has good play in the centre, but in actual fact he is in a dangerous position. 21.Nh5!‚ Surprisingly, White can organize an attack on the king. For example on 21...d4 he can play 22.Bg5 Qc7 23.h4! with a large plus, since Black can’t defend against the threat of Nxg7 followed by Bf6 and h5. Black’s best move is probably 21...Qc7, to which White can reply 22.Rac1 with advantage, thanks to the threats of b2-b4 and Nd4. B) 10.Nbd2

10...Ng6 Or 10...h6 11.Bb3 Ng6 12.d4, transposing to variation B2.

11.d4

Now Black has B1) 11...exd4, B2) 11...h6 and B3) 11...c6. There is also 11...Re8 12.Bb3 Be6 13.Bc2 as in Vachier-Lagrave – Nakamura, Paris 2017. At this point Black could find nothing better than 13...h6, transposing to B2 (11...h6 12.Bb3 Re8 13.Bc2 Be6). B1) 11...exd4

12.cxd4 Nxe4!? An interesting idea, demonstrated by David Howell a few months ago. It’s curious that this should only have been played in 2019 although the position after 11...exd4 had been seen in dozens of games. Fressinet – Saeed, Sharjah 2017, saw 12...d5 13.exd5 Nxd5 14.Ne4². Since the bishop on a7 is kept at bay by the d-pawn, Black stands worse. 13.Nxe4 d5

14.Bg5 Or 14.Bd3 dxe4 15.Bxe4 c6. Then in the event of 16.d5 cxd5, Black has good equalizing chances after 17.Qxd5 Qxd5 18.Bxd5 Rb8 or 17.Bxd5 Bf5 18.Qb3 h6! with the point that after 19.Qxb7 Bxf2† 20.Kxf2 Rb8 21.Qc6 Rc8 White has nothing better than going back to b7 with a repetition. Perhaps instead of d4-d5 White should play 16.Qb3!? with a slight edge. 14...f6 After 14...Qd7?! 15.Bd3 dxe4 16.Bxe4 Qd6 17.Rc1± it’s hard for Black to finish his development. For example, 17...c6 18.Qb3 Rb8 19.Bxg6! Qxg6 20.Be7±, winning the exchange after 20...Re8 21.Bc5 or 20...Be6 21.Qe3. In the latter case Black can’t move his rook because of Ne5, trapping the queen. 15.Bxf6 gxf6 16.Bb3

16...Kh8 A slight improvement is 16...c6!, but it still doesn’t solve all Black’s problems. After 17.Ng3 f5 18.Bc2 f4 19.Nf1 a highly unconventional position arises, but since Black’s pawn on f4 shuts off his dark-squared bishop, White should be better. Against 19...Nh4 he has 20.Nxh4 Qxh4 21.Nh2 with a considerable plus. Black’s best move is 19...Bb8!. White then keeps up the pressure with 20.Bxg6 hxg6 21.b4. He can continue by transferring his knight from f1 to c5 or by trying b4-b5!?, for instance in answer to 21...Bd6. 17.Ng3² In the game Le Quang Liem – Howell, Saint Louis 2019, Black continued with 17...Rg8?! and White gained a big advantage by 18.Bc2 c6 19.Ra3!, followed by bringing the rook to e3. Black should have played 17...f5 18.Bc2 f4 19.Nf1 c6. In reply, 20.Bxg6!? hxg6 21.b4 is not bad; White can afterwards redeploy his knight from f1 by means of Nd2-b3-c5. B2) 11...h6

The second-most popular move. Black covers the g5-square and plans to place his rook on e8. In contrast to variation B32 (11...c6 12.Bf1 Re8), the exchange on e5 isn’t so good here, as Black’s c-pawn is still on c7. 12.Bb3 All things considered, White’s best plan is to bring his bishop to c2. He could try 12.Bd3 with the same idea, but Bb3 looks more logical. If White plays 12.b4, then apart from 12...exd4 13.cxd4 d5, Black may reply 12...Re8!? with an unclear position. Kramnik – Radjabov, Baku 2016, went 12.Bf1 Re8 13.a5 Bd7÷. White now played 14.b4, against which Black could have equalized with 14...d5!. 12...Re8 13.Bc2

This position has been seen about 30 times in classical games. In most cases, as far as I can tell, Black had no prepared plan and was devising his moves over the board. Consequently there are several moves that have been tried here, and we will examine the majority of them. Black’s main choices are B21) 13...c6 and B22) 13...Bd7. Other options are: a) 13...Nh7 14.Nf1 (Fedoseev – Beliavsky, Minsk 2017, saw the inaccurate 14.dxe5 dxe5 15.Nc4 Qf6„; the exchange on e5 is not in White’s favour14...Ng5 (14...Qf6 may be slightly better, but White still has the advantage after 15.Be3 or 15.a5!?) 15.Nxg5 hxg5 16.Be3 (16.b4!? stops Black from playing ...c7-c5 but seems to me to be unnecessary)

And now: a1) 16...exd4!? 17.cxd4 c5 is the key line of play. The idea is to secure e5 for the knight, after which Black wants to carry out ...g5g4. White nevertheless stands better after 18.d5 Ne5 19.Nh2 or 18.Bb3!? Nf4 19.Bxf4 gxf4 20.Qh5. a2) 16...Be6 17.a5 Nf4 18.Nh2² occurred in Demchenko – Martirosyan, Batumi 2018. After White posts his knight on g4 he will have a clear plus. He can continue with Qf3 and Rd1 or carry out g2-g3, driving the knight from f4. a3) 16...Nf4 17.Nh2² gives something like the same position as in Demchenko – Martirosyan. If 17...Qf6, then 18.a5 is good. b) 13...b5

And now: b1) Karjakin – Svidler, Saint Louis 2017, continued 14.b4 Bb7 15.Bb2. At this point Black could have played 15...Nf4!?. Then 16.c4 exd4 17.Nxd4 N6h5„ leads to a complex position with chances for both sides. b2) 14.Nf1 Bd7 15.Ng3 c5 16.Be3² was played in Grandelius – E. Hansen, Wijk aan Zee 2017. An important point is that, thanks to his bishop on c2, White has the possibility of Nf5; whereas ...Nf4 would be bad for Black on account of dxe5 (then ...dxe5 Nxe5). Combined with the option to open the a-file at an appropriate moment, this gives White the advantage. The game continued 16...exd4 17.cxd4 c4?!, and White could have acquired a large plus by 18.Bd2! followed by Qc1, with threats such as Bxh6. c) 13...Nh5 14.Nf1

14...Nhf4 (the computer suggests 14...exd4, so as to meet 15.Nxd4 with 15...Nf6 16.Ng3 d5, leading to just slightly the worse ending; but after 15.cxd4 White has a clear plus) 15.Ng3 Qf6 (or 15...exd4 16.Nxd4²) 16.Be3² This occurred in Fressinet – Valsecchi, Katowice 2017. Despite a certain element of symmetry in the position, White has a considerable edge, thanks to his better-placed pieces and his slight advantage in space. For instance, on 16...Be6 he has two plans – either 17.a5 followed by Ra4-b4, or 17.Nf5 with the idea of h3-h4 and g2-g3. If instead Black plays 16...Nh4, then 17.Nxh4 Qxh4 18.Qf3 is good for White. d) 13...Be6 14.Nf1

14...exd4 Attempting to post a knight on e4 and alter the pawn structure (14...c6 15.Ng3 Qc7 16.Be3 gives White a stable plus). 15.cxd4 d5 16.e5 Ne4 17.N1d2² With a clear advantage to White after 17...Nxd2 18.Bxd2. In Vachier-Lagrave – Nakamura, Paris 2017, Black played instead 17...Bf5 18.Nxe4 dxe4 19.Be4 Bxe4 20.Rxe4 Qd5, but in this position he obviously doesn’t have enough for the pawn. After 21.Re1 Rad8 22.Be3 White converted his material advantage into a win. B21) 13...c6

14.Nf1 d5 Black attempts to exchange pawns and simplify the position straight away. If he first wants to bring out his queen’s bishop, place his queen on c7 and play ...Rad8, then he won’t manage to carry out ...d6-d5 at all: 14...Be6 15.Ng3 Qc7 16.Be3 Rad8 17.Qc1² And now 17...d5?! 18.Nxe5 Nxe5 19.dxe5 Bxe3 20.Qxe3 is bad for Black. After he recaptures the e-pawn, f2-f4 and e4-e5 will follow. In Areshchenko – Meskovs, Germany 2018, Black played instead 17...a5 18.Nf5 Bxf5 19.exf5 exd4. At this point White could have achieved a large plus with 20.Bxh6!. 15.Nxe5 Nxe5 16.dxe5 Nxe4 If 16...Rxe5?! then 17.Bf4±, and wherever the black rook goes, White plays e4-e5. 17.Bxe4 dxe4

18.Qh5!? In the game Anand – Aronian, Saint Louis 2016, White exchanged with 18.Qxd8 Rxd8, and now 19.Be3! would have been best, maintaining a plus. But it looks more interesting to keep the queens on. White can support his e5-pawn with Bf4, while Black’s e4pawn remains defenceless. 18...Be6 Just now, the capture on e4 doesn’t frighten Black, since on 19.Rxe4 he can play 19...Qd3 20.Re1 Qc2 with some compensation for the pawn. The weaker 18...Qd3 is met by 19.Bf4 with a big advantage. In the event of 18...Qd5 19.Bf4, the ingenious 19...e3!? 20.Nxe3 Qe4 doesn’t help Black; after 21.Qh4 White has an extra pawn and a comfortable plus.

After 18...g6?! 19.Qxh6 Rxe5 20.Ng3±, the pawn on e4 is not to be held. A good answer to 20...Bc5 is 21.Be3. 19.Ng3 Bd5 20.Bf4²

Black cannot hold on to his e4-pawn. On 20...Qb6 White simply plays 21.Re2. Black’s best move is 20...Re6, to which White replies 21.Rad1. Then 21...Qa5 is strongly met by 22.Nf5! threatening Qg4, while if the black queen goes elsewhere (e.g. 21...Qe8), the time has come for 22.Nxe4. B22) 13...Bd7

Now White can choose B221) 14.a5 or B222) 14.Nf1. B221) 14.a5

After this move White obtained an excellent position in Vachier-Lagrave – So, Saint Louis 2017, but Black’s play can be improved. 14...Bc6!? Creating a threat of ...d6-d5 and provoking White into closing the centre. Other moves appear less useful: a) 14...Qc8 15.Nf1 c5 16.dxe5 dxe5 17.c4 Bc6 18.N3d2!² White has fortified his e4-pawn, and next he will transfer his knight from f1 to d5. b) 14...c6 15.dxe5 (15.Nf1!?) 15...dxe5 16.Nc4

16...Qc7 (better than 16...Qe7 17.Qd6, as played in Vachier-Lagrave – So; Black must avoid the exchange of queens, since in the ending with a knight on d6, White will have a large plus) 17.Qd6 Qc8 18.Qd3 With a small but stable plus after 18...Qc7 19.Be3. It’s important that 18...Bxh3 can be met by 19.Nh2!; Black will then have to withdraw his bishop and surrender the exchange. c) 14...Nh5 15.Nf1² with advantage after 15...Ngf4 16.Kh2 or 15...Nhf4 16.Ng3; or 15...exd4 16.cxd4 c5 17.d5 c4 18.Be3. 15.d5 The most logical continuation. Black can answer 15.b4 with 15...d5!. The centre pawns are then exchanged off by force, and Black has no problems. For example, 16.Nxe5 Nxe5 17.dxe5 Nxe4 18.Nxe4 dxe4 19.Qh5 g6= as in Tanti – Steinert, corr. 2017. White also has the rather strange-looking 15.Ra3. The idea is to cover the c3-pawn, so that after b2-b4 White can meet ...d6-d5 by playing exd5, without fearing ...Nxd5. Black has several replies to 15.Ra3, for example 15...Qe7 16.b4 Rad8 with a complicated position.

15...Bd7 Against 15...Bb5 White has 16.b3 (it doesn’t pay him to play 16.Nf1 at once, in view of the ...c7-c6 break; but with his pawn on b3 he has the resource c3-c4). Then on 16...Nh5 he will continue 17.Nf1 with a small plus. 16.Nc4 The computer considers that White is a little better, but this is because he has more space, so I am not sure about the verdict. White needs to meet 16...Bb5 with 17.b3. Black can then play 17...Nh5 and White can reply 18.Rb1!?, so that after Be3 and ...Bxc4 the black pawn on b7 will be under attack. At any rate, 14.a5!? deserves attention and gives chances of an advantage. B222) 14.Nf1

14...c5 The alternative 14...Bc6!?N has yet to be seen in practice but is a major option, with a view to ...d6-d5; we will therefore look at this possibility in detail: a) 15.d5 Bd7÷ White has a spatial advantage, but his problem is that Black aims to play ...c7-c6 and there is no way of stopping this. Against 16.Be3 Black has either 16...c6 or 16...Bxe3 17.Nxe3 b5, with an unclear position. b) 15.Ng3 d5 16.Nxe5 Nxe5 17.dxe5 Nxe4 (17...Rxe5?! 18.Bf4±)

18.Be3! (18.Nxe4 dxe4 19.Qh5 g6! gives a roughly equal position after 20.Qxh6 Rxe5) White makes use of the fact that Black can’t take the e5-pawn with impunity, owing the pin on the file. Black will also be reluctant to exchange the knight on g3, as Qd3 will then be a threat. There can now follow: 18...Bxe3 (or 18...Nxg3?! 19.Bxa7 Rxa7 20.fxg3±, and apart from the threat of Qd3, White can bring his queen into play with tempo via d4) 19.Rxe3 Black now has only one possibility to turn the position around. 19...Rxe5! (other moves allow White a clear plus, for example 19...Nxg3 20.fxg3 Re6 21.Qd4 or 19...Qg5 20.Qd4; in the latter case 20...Rxe5?! 21.h4 is bad for Black, while 20...Rad8 can be met by 21.Ne2 with f2-f4 to follow) 20.f3

And now: b1) 20...f5?! 21.Qd4 Qe7 22.Ne2± Since Black is pinned, White isn’t obliged to capture on e4 next move. On 22...Rad8 he can first play 23.Nf4, while 22...g5 is well answered by 23.c4! f4 24.cxd5 with a large plus. b2) 20...Qg5 21.Qe1 f5 22.Nf1 So as to take the piece with his next move; we could stop here but I have decided to take the variation a few moves further, to clear the position up a little: 22...Rae8 23.fxe4 f4 24.Re2 dxe4 25.Nh2² The position isn’t easy to evaluate, but I think White is better nonetheless. On 25...f3 he will continue 26.h4 Qf4 27.Re3 Rf8 28.Qf2. The upshot is that Black will have three pawns for the piece after capturing on g2, but in the endgame he will have a struggle to draw. In addition it must be borne in mind that ...Bc6!? was a novelty as far back as move 14, so the probability that anyone will make Black’s best moves up to this final position is slight. 15.dxe5 dxe5 16.Ne3

16...b5 A game Nepustil – Dorić, corr. 2017, saw 16...c4!?. This sacrifice looks a little odd, but Black wants to avoid a slightly worse position and is counting on obtaining compensation by reason of his active pieces. After 17.Nxc4 Qc7 18.Ne3 Nf4, there can follow: a) 19.Nh2 Rad8 20.Qf3 h5, as in the game mentioned. It’s hard for White to complete his development, which is why I like variation ‘b’ better. b) 19.Nf1!?N Black has partial compensation for the pawn, but I think White has quite good chances of gradually extinguishing his opponent’s initiative and remaining with his extra material: b1) 19...Bc6 20.Be3 Bxe3 21.Rxe3 b2) 19...Rad8 20.Bxf4 exf4 21.Qe2 b3) 19...N6h5 20.Nh4 Rad8 21.Qf3, and White will play Be3 next move.

17.c4N There’s no hurry to capture on b5, as ...b5-b4 isn’t very good for Black – White’s knight will settle on d5. White wishes to prevent ...c5-c4 and prepare to recapture on d5 with his c-pawn. For instance on 17...b4, quite a good move is 18.b3 with the idea of Nd5; or if White wants he can play 18.a5!? first, with the same ideas. In Anand – Nakamura, Moscow 2018, White played 17.axb5 axb5 18.c4 and gained the advantage after 18...Bc6; but 18...Bb6! would have been better, exchanging a pair of rooks and simplifying the position. 17...Bb6 18.Bd2 White has a small but stable plus, thanks to his strong knight on e3. If now 18...b4, then 19.b3 is a good reply; the point is that after Nd5 and ...Nxd5, White can play cxd5 without fearing ...c5-c4. If instead Black plays 18...Bc6, then 19.Nf5 b4 20.Qc1 is interesting; White threatens Bxh6. However, I prefer 19.Nd5 bxc4 20.Nxb6 Qxb6 21.Bc3. White will recover the pawn on c4 by means of Nd2 and Qe2. B3) 11...c6

The most popular move, and a perfectly natural one. Black wants to play ...d6-d5, exchanging the centre pawns and simplifying. In addition, play based on posting a knight to f4 remains a possibility; for that reason it isn’t so simple for White to choose the best square for his light-squared bishop, which he wants to remove from the black d-pawn’s attack. We will examine B31) 12.b4 and B32) 12.Bf1. It’s too early for 12.dxe5 dxe5. Since the moves 12.Bf1 Re8 haven’t been inserted, Black is OK. On 12.Bb3 Black can continue 12...exd4 13.cxd4 d5 14.e5 Nh5 with quite good counterplay, thanks to the possibility of ...f7-f6. If the white bishop heads for c2 by means of 12.Bd3, then after 12...Nh5 13.Bc2 Nhf4 14.Nf1 Black can play 14...f5!? with an unclear position. 12.Bf1 is the move I recommend, but 12.b4 deserves consideration. I shall now give some of the ensuing variations. B31) 12.b4

Together with 12.Bf1 this is one of White’s best moves. But after 12...Re8 he will have to play 13.Bd3, giving a complex position in which Black has several possible replies. That is why I prefer the bishop’s retreat to f1 (variation B32). Black now has two options: B311) 12...exd4 and B312) 12...Re8!?. B311) 12...exd4

13.cxd4 d5 14.Bd3 In Karjakin – Matlakov, Doha (rapid) 2016, 14.exd5!? Nxd5 was played. At this point White should continue 15.Ne4, with chances of an advantage after 15...Be6 16.Nc5 Bxc5 17.bxc5 Nc3 18.Qb3 or 15...Bf5 16.Bd2. Capturing with 15...Nxb4?! is bad: 16.a5! Nd5 17.Ba3 Re8 18.Qb3 with a large plus for White. 14...dxe4 Or: a) 14...Bxd4 15.Nxd4 dxe4 16.Nxe4 Qxd4 17.Be3 Qd8 18.Bc5² And now 18...Re8?! is bad on account of 19.Bb6!. Black therefore has to give up the exchange with 18...Nxe4. b) 14...Nf4 15.Bb1 (better than 15.Bf1 Nxe4 16.Nxe4 dxe4 with a roughly equal position)

15...Bxh3!? If Black cannot launch an attack, he is simply worse (for example 15...N6h5 16.Nb3 dxe4 17.Bxe4, followed by Nc5 with a comfortable plus). 16.gxh3 Nxh3† 17.Kg2 Nf4† (17...Ng4 18.exd5±) 18.Kf1 Qd7 19.Ng1² Now after 19...Bxd4 20.Ra3 Black’s attack is at an end, and White has good chances to win with his extra piece. 15.Nxe4 Nxe4 In Ganguly – Jones, Linares 2017, Black played 15...Nd5 and White replied 16.Qb3. Black could then have achieved quite a good position with 16...Ndf4!? 17.Bc4 Be6. Therefore 16.b5 is better, with advantage to White after 16...axb5 17.axb5 Bf5 18.Qb3 or 16...Bf5 17.bxa6 bxa6 18.Nc5. 16.Bxe4 Be6 17.b5

17...Bd5!? Harikrishna – Jakovenko, Geneva 2017, saw 17...axb5 18.axb5 Bd5 19.Bxd5 Qxd5 20.bxc6 bxc6 21.Ra6². Evgeny Tomashevsky was probably familiar with this game, and therefore, with Black in the diagram position, he refrained from making the seemingly logical exchange on b5 before placing his bishop on d5. 18.bxa6 bxa6 The game Malakhov – Tomashevsky, Biograd 2018, continued 19.Qd3 Bxe4. Black is then OK, after either 20.Qxe4 Re8 or 20.Rxe4 Qd5 (followed by ...c6-c5). White can improve slightly with 19.Bg5 or 19.Qc2. The idea of the latter move is that in the event of 19...Bxe4 20.Rxe4 Qd5 White can play 21.Ba3 and gain an advantage owing to pressure against the pawns on c6 and a6. However, instead of 19...Bxe4 Black has the good move 19...h6!?, after which he is close to equalizing. B312) 12...Re8!?

In over-the-board games Black has always played 12...exd4, but correspondence players prefer the rook move. The position after 12...Re8 did arise in Anand – Topalov, Shamkir 2019, but that was from a completely different move-order. Whereas after 12...exd4 White’s chances of advantage are not bad, in the present case it’s much harder for him to gain any kind of ascendancy. 13.Bd3 Black can meet 13.dxe5 dxe5 14.Ng5 with 14...Nh8!?÷. Then owing to the threat of ...Ng4, White has nothing. After the text move, Black has several moves to choose from. Topalov played 13...Qc7 and had the worse position after 14.a5 Bd7 15.Nf1. Other possibilities are 13...Be6, 13...Nh5, 13...h6!? and 13...d5. Since I am recommending 12.Bf1 for White, I shall now limit myself to examining 13...d5. 13...d5 14.dxe5 Nxe5 15.Nxe5 Rxe5 16.Nf3 Re8 17.e5 Ne4

18.Be3 This is the only way White can set Black some problems and fight for an advantage. In the case of 18.Bxe4 dxe4 19.Qxd8 Rxd8= White will not succeed in keeping an extra pawn. Black will meet 20.Rxe4 with 20...Rd3, while a good answer to 20.Ng5 is 20...a5!?. 18...Nxc3 If 18...Bf5 then 19.Bxa7 Rxa7 20.Bxe4². If White gets in a4-a5, Black will have an unpleasant position. For instance 20...Bxe4 is well answered by either 21.Nd2!? or 21.Qd4 b6 22.Nd2, with threats of Nxe4 and a4-a5. 19.Qc2 Ne4

20.Rad1 It’s useful to place the rook on d1 before capturing on e4. Playing 20.Bxa7 Rxa7 first is inferior, as Black can meet 21.Rad1 with 21...Ng5!?. 20...Qe7 Or 20...Bxe3 21.Bxe4². After the black bishop retreats (most likely 21...Bh6), White gains a substantial plus with 22.Bxh7† Kh8 23.Bf5. 21.Bxa7 Rxa7 22.Bxe4 dxe4

23.Nd2!? This is more shrewd than 23.Qxe4 which leaves the position unclear after 23...a5 or 23...Ra8. Instead White wants to transfer his knight to d6. 23...Ra8! The accurate order of moves; 23...Bf5 is weaker, because instead of 24.Nxe4 Raa8 White can play 24.Nc4!? with advantage. Other inferior choices are 23...Qxb4 24.Nxe4 followed by Nd6, and 23...a5 24.b5! cxb5 25.Nxe4 with a considerable plus. 24.Nxe4 Bf5 25.Qc5 This occurred in N. Robson – Serban, corr. 2016. White is a shade better – but with little material left on the board, the chances are that the game will soon end in a draw. There can follow 25...Qxc5 26.Nxc5 b6 27.Nb7!, or 25...Bxe4 26.Rxe4 Rad8!? as in the actual game. B32) 12.Bf1

Probably the most solid of all the moves that White has played in this position. 12...Re8 Black has chosen this rook move in the vast majority of games. Alternatives are: a) 12...a5 After Karjakin tried this move in a World Championship game against Carlsen and obtained the worse position, no one repeated it and Black began testing other moves. 13.dxe5 (13.b3!? Be6 14.Qc2 also gives chances of a plus, but the capture on e5 appears more logical) 13...dxe5 14.Qc2 Be6 15.Nc4 Qc7 16.b4 And now: a1) 16...axb4 17.cxb4 b5 18.Ne3² Once the game has opened up on the queenside, the black knight on g6 is left out of the action while the white knight on e3 is much more useful. In Carlsen – Karjakin, New York (tiebreak rapid 2) 2016, the continuation was 18...bxa4 19.Rxa4 with a clear plus for White. Possibly 18...Qd6 would be slightly better, but then instead of Bd2 White could play 19.a5, keeping the upper hand.

a2) The computer’s move 16...h6!?, aiming for counterplay in the case of 17.Nxa5 c5, appears more cunning, but White has the stronger: 17.bxa5! Bxc4 18.Bxc4 Qxa5 19.g3² By confining the black knights, White achieves a stable plus due to his powerful lightsquared bishop. It’s important to note that 19...Bxf2†?! doesn’t work: 20.Qxf2 Qxc3 21.Ba2! Qxa1 22.Qc2± And the black queen is trapped. b) 12...Be6

I tried out this move in the World Team Championship and obtained quite a good position, but White’s play can be improved. There can follow: b1) 13.a5 exd4 14.cxd4, as in Fedoseev – Kravtsiv, Khanty-Mansiysk 2017. Now Black’s best course would be 14...Nh5!, followed by bringing the knight to f4 with an unclear position. During the game I didn’t like 15.g3, but the reply could be 15...Nf6!. It turns out that Black then has a good position owing to the prospect of ...d6-d5 e4-e5 ...Ne4. He could also preface this manoeuvre with ...Qd7, attacking h3. b2) 13.b4!N And now: b21) 13...Nh5 14.Nb3² Placing a knight on f4 gives Black nothing; White can simply reply to 14...Nhf4 with 15.Be3. b22) 13...exd4 14.cxd4 d5 15.e5 Ne4 16.Ra3!² The rook move not only creates the threat of Nxe4 but also makes Bd3 possible as a reply to 16...Bf5. If Black plays 16...Nxd2, then 17.Bxd2 leaves White clearly better. The computer advises 16...f6!?, but after 17.exf6 Qxf6 18.Nxe4 dxe4 19.Rxe4 Bd5 20.Rg4 White retains the advantage. b23) 13...d5 14.Nxe5 (14.dxe5!? Nxe4 15.Nxe4 dxe4 16.Qxd8 Raxd8 17.Ng5 also gives White an edge) 14...Nxe5 15.dxe5 Nxe4 16.Nxe4 dxe4 17.Qxd8 With a small but stable plus in the ending. After Black recaptures on d8 White can play 18.Be3, or first 18.a5!? to stop Black from playing ...a6-a5 himself. In either case White maintains pressure, though with accurate play Black should hold out.

13.dxe5 Seeing that Black has placed his rook on e8 to prepare ...d6-d5, the time for a pawn exchange on e5 has come. Usually White tries to avoid such an exchange, but in this case he has the chance to seize some space on the queenside. We may regard 13.Qc2!? as an alternative – but I shall just briefly go into its consequences, since it isn’t the move I prefer. Above all White has to reckon with Black’s ...d6-d5 break: a) 13...Qc7!? Black intends to answer 14.dxe5 with 14...Nxe5 15.Nxe5 dxe5. Then by comparison with the 13.dxe5 line, the white

queen on c2 is somewhat misplaced. b) 13...d5 14.exd5 exd4 15.Rxe8† Qxe8 16.Nxd4 And now:

b1) In Bacrot – Fressinet, Nîmes 2018, Black played 16...Bxd4 17.cxd4 Nxd5 and obtained a good position after 18.Nf3 h6. But White can play 18.a5! in order to bring his knight to c5. Then for instance after 18...Qe7 19.Nb3 Qf6, White maintains a little pressure with 20.Qd1 or 20.Qd2!?; in the latter case he aims to meet 20...Nf8 with 21.Qg5 and a queen exchange. b2) 16...Nxd5!?N 17.N2f3 Bd7 The most “human” move (but 17...h6 18.Bd2 c5 19.Nf5 Be6 is also interesting – and so is 17...Qd7!?, depriving the white knight of the f5-square and preparing to play ...c6-c5 next move). 18.Qb3 b5 19.Bd2 Nc7 With a playable position and mutual chances. White may be slightly better, but we must bear in mind that this is only one of the possible lines after 13.Qc2. Overall the capture with 13.dxe5 looks more promising. Black can recapture with B321) 13...Nxe5!? or B322) 13...dxe5. B321) 13...Nxe5!?

This has been seen in only one game, and yet the move is very crafty. Black has a surprising idea for attacking on the kingside by advancing his g-pawn. 14.Nxe5 dxe5

15.Qe2!N It’s essential to move the queen from d1 so that ...g7-g5 can be met by Nc4. Then why doesn’t White place his queen on c2? Stationing it on e2 has various plus points – for instance Black can’t play ...Nh5, and the queen itself is more useful on the kingside. White would like to play 15.Qf3 immediately, but in that case Black could carry out ...g7-g5-g4. Black has no problems after 15.a5 g5! 16.Be2 Be6 17.Ra4 h6÷ as in Sethuraman – D. Wagner, Isle of Man 2018. 15...Be6 Alternatively: a) 15...b5 stops White from fixing the pawns with a4-a5, but on the other hand White will be able to seize the a-file. After 16.Nf3, aiming to exchange the dark-squared bishops, White has a slight edge. Black may reply 16...Qe7, 16...Qc7 or 16...h6; any of these moves will be met by 17.Be3. In the event of 16...Nh5 17.Be3, Black doesn’t do very well with 17...Nf4 18.Bxf4 exf4 19.Rad1. White will continue e4-e5 with a pleasant advantage. b) 15...g5?! 16.Nc4 and Black obviously lacks the necessary tempo; 16...g4 17.Bg5 is bad for him, and 16...h6 17.Be3 gives White a large plus. 16.a5 Qe7 Or 16...Qc7 17.Qf3 h6 18.Nc4². The queen on c7 supports the e5-pawn, but Black is now threatened with Bxh6. Of course he can immediately retreat with 17...Nd7, but in any event such a set-up is quite passive. 17.Qf3!? If White plays 17.Nc4 straight away, then after 17...Bxc4 18.Qxc4 Black can reposition his knight via h5. It’s therefore better to move the queen first.

17...h6 Black probably can’t do without this useful move. After 17...Rad8 18.Nc4 he has nothing better than ...h7-h6 anyway.

18.Nc4 Now in the case of 18...Bxc4 19.Bxc4 White has a small but stable plus, thanks to his two bishops and the pawn on a5. Possibly 18...Rad8!? is more astute, aiming for counterplay after 19.Nxe5 Bxh3 20.Nxc6 bxc6 21.gxh3 Nxe4. But White isn’t obliged to capture at once on e5. He can improve his position for example with 19.b3!?, making a3 available to his bishop. In this way he maintains the pressure. B322) 13...dxe5 14.Qc2

White has a fairly simple idea – to push his pawn to a5, play Nc4 and follow with Ne3 or Be3. Devising a good plan for Black is more difficult. White can meet 14...b5 by playing b2-b4 and placing his knight on b3. Posting a black knight to f4 is not particularly useful. Let’s look at a few possible continuations. Black now has both B3221) 14...Be6 and B3222) 14...Bg4!?N. And also: a) 14...Nh5 15.Nc4 Nhf4 16.Be3

16...Qf6 (or 16...Bxe3 17.Rxe3 Be6 18.a5²; having fixed the queenside pawns, White can play Kh2 and g2-g3) 17.Bxa7 Rxa7 18.Re3 b5 19.Nb6 Even after Black has played ...b7-b5, the knight on b6 gives him plenty of worry. 19...Rb7 (after 19...Be6 20.Kh2² White will have a number of promising pawn moves: g2-g3, c3-c4, or a4-a5 to fortify his knight) 20.Nxc8 (20.a5!?²) 20...Rxc8 21.g3 Ne6 22.h4² With a clear plus for White in Eljanov – Rodshtein, Porto Carras 2018. The black knights have too little scope. b) 14...b5 15.b4 Be6

And now: b1) White would like to play 16.c4, but the reply 16...a5! gives a complicated and obscure position. For example: 17.axb5 axb4 18.Ra6 (or 18.c5 cxb5 19.Bxb5 Re7÷) 18...cxb5 19.cxb5 Bc8!÷ It is therefore simpler to play 16.Nb3 first. b2) 16.Nb3! Qe7 17.Bd2² Now there is nothing to stop White from playing c3-c4, and then c4-c5 if he wants, locking up Black’s dark-squared bishop. In So – Karjakin, Stavanger 2017, White soon obtained a huge plus. B3221) 14...Be6 15.Nc4 Qe7!?

Seeing that the capture on e5 can be met by ...Bxh3, Black can place his queen on e7 rather than c7. After 15...Qc7 16.a5 h6 17.Ne3 Rad8 18.b4² White will push his c-pawn to c5. He can answer 18...Qe7 with 19.Rb1; then Black cannot stop c3-c4. 16.a5 The standard device of fixing the queenside pawns. It’s very useful to place the pawn on a5 before playing Be3 or Ne3. A position with complex play results from: 16.Ncxe5 Nxe5 17.Nxe5 Bxh3 18.Nxc6 bxc6 19.gxh3 Nxe4÷ The continuation could be 20.Bg2 f5 21.Be3 Bxe3 22.Rxe3 Qg5. White may be slightly better but he might not be keen on playing with a weakened king position. 16...h6 17.Be3 Here 17.Ne3 isn’t quite as good as in the position with the black queen on c7, because Black has 17...Nh7!? 18.Nf5 Qf6„ with a certain amount of counterplay. For instance he wants to play ...Bxf5 followed by ...Nh4.

17...Bxc4 Or 17...Bxe3 18.Nxe3². The knight on e3 is much better than the one on g6. There is no point in 18...Nf4, as White will play 19.Kh2 and g2-g3. Against 18...Rad8 he can play 19.g3 followed by b2-b4, or reposition his knight with Nd2-c4. 18.Bxc4 Bxe3 19.Rxe3 Thanks to his advanced pawn on a5 and his good bishop, White has a small but steady advantage. Black can double rooks on the dfile, but he won’t have any points of entry. On 19...Red8 White can play 20.g3 and gradually strengthen his position with moves like Kg2 and b2-b4. If necessary he can exchange off a pair of rooks with Rd3. B3222) 14...Bg4!?N

I thought up this move while preparing for one of my games, but in that game the position didn’t arise. The cunning point is that just now White can’t capture on g4 or move his knight away from d2. Nor will he be keen on 15.Nh2 Be6, as the knight will most likely return to f3 and Black will have gained a tempo. Only pawn moves remain, but White will have to be accurate and pay attention to possible sacrifices. I would say 14...Bg4 must be Black’s most interesting move in the position. 15.a5 I later found out that Delchev had mentioned as far as here in his book. In the event of 15.hxg4?! Nxg4 16.Re2 Nf4 Black seizes the initiative. The imprecise 15.b4 is met by 15...Nf4. Then 16.a5 Bxh3 leads to the variation 15.a5 Nf4 16.b4 (see below), while on 16.c4 Black can play 16...Bh5 and White won’t succeed in shutting off the bishop on a7; if 17.a5 then 17...c5, or if 17.c5 then 17...a5, with an unclear position. 15...Nf4 Or 15...Qd7 16.c4², threatening c4-c5. In this case (unlike the main line with 15...Nf4), Black won’t be able to bring his knight to e6 after exchanging on f3.

16.Nh2! It’s time to drive the bishop back from g4. Black might turn out to have no threats after all, but it doesn’t do to underestimate the sacrifice on h3. Moreover after the weaker 16.c4 Black obtains good play with 16...Bxf3 17.Nxf3 Ne6. In the event of 16.b4 Bxh3!? there can follow: a) 17.Nc4 Bg4 18.Nfxe5 N4h5 19.Be3 Bxe3 20.Rxe3 Qc7÷ A curious point is that on 21.Nd3 Black can offer a piece sacrifice again with 21...Rxe4. I won’t show you the long variation; I will merely say that with correct play on Black’s part, the position is wholly unclear. b) 17.gxh3 Qc8 18.c4 Nxh3† 19.Bxh3 Qxh3 20.Ra3 Nh5÷ with complex play and mutual chances. In my view White does better not to allow Black the option of sacrificing on h3 at all; hence 16.Nh2. 16...Be6 After 16...Bh5 17.Nc4² the bishop on h5 isn’t particularly useful; White would like to play Be3 next move, but against 17...Bg6 he continues with 18.Nf3. 17.Nc4

17...Bxc4 Alternatively: a) 17...N6h5 18.Nxe5 Bxh3 19.Nef3! Bxg2 Black is forced to take this measure; if the bishop retreats, White can play g2-g4 winning a knight. 20.Bxg2 Qd3 21.Qa4!± (after 21.Qxd3?! Nxd3 the position becomes unclear) Now after 21...Ne2† 22.Rxe2 Qxe2 23.Nd4 White obviously has a big advantage. b) 17...Ng6 18.Nf3² leads to variation B3221, but with the a-pawn already on a5 – which is obviously a point in White’s favour. The same goes for 17...Qc7 18.Nf3 Ng6.

18.Bxc4 N6h5 19.Ng4 Qh4 After 19...Qg5 20.Qd1! Nf6 21.Qf3 White has a large plus. Next move he will play Kf1, threatening g2-g3.

20.Be3!² It’s essential to defend against the threat of 20...Nxh3† 20.gxh3 Qg3†. After the weaker 20.Bf1 Nf6, Black’s badly-placed knight on h5 would be exchanged off. But now, on 20...Nf6, White will play 21.Bxa7 with a fine advantage after 21...Nxg4 22.Bb6 or 21...Rxa7 22.Ne3!. It’s important to note that after Black’s next move, an accurate response on White’s part is required. 20...Bxe3 Not 20...Nxh3†? 21.gxh3 Qxh3 22.Qd1±. Against 22...Rad8 White has the intermediate move 23.Bf1!. 21.fxe3! Clearer than 21.Nxe3?! Nxh3†! 22.gxh3 Nf4÷. 21...Ne6 22.Red1²

White has a considerable advantage. He answers 22...Rad8 with 23.Rxd8; then 23...Qxd8 24.Rf1 isn’t good for Black, as he has problems with his knight on h5. If instead Black plays 22...Nf6, then 23.Nxf6† Qxf6 24.Rd7 follows, and White seizes control of the d-file. Conclusion This chapter covered the line 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.0-0 a6 7.a4 Ba7 8.Re1 0-0 9.h3 Ne7. In bringing his knight across to g6 at an early stage, Black dispenses with ...h7-h6, although quite often he will have to advance this pawn anyway to cover the g5-square. The assessment of the whole variation depends first and foremost on the position after 10.Nbd2 Ng6 11.d4 c6. At that juncture 12.b4 is interesting, but I like the solid 12.Bf1 Re8 13.dxe5 dxe5 14.Qc2 a little better. With the black pawn on c6, White

switches his attention to the queenside, aiming to play Nc4 and push his pawn to a5. Of course he has to watch Black’s reaction, but he generally succeeds in obtaining at least a small plus.

A) 10...h6!? 11.Be3N exd4 12.cxd4 d5 13.exd5 Nxd5 14.Bxd5 Qxd5 15.Nc3 131 A1) 15...Qd8 132 A2) 15...Qd6 133 B) 10...Ng8 135 B1) 11.dxe5 135 B2) 11.b4 exd4 12.b5!N 137 B21) 12...Na5 137 B22) 12...Ne5 138 B3) 11.Be3!?N f5! 12.exf5 d5 13.Bg5 141 B31) 13...Qd7 142 B32) 13...Nce7! 144 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.0-0 a6 7.a4 Ba7 8.Re1 0-0 9.h3 Kh8

A very interesting idea that Aronian employed in the 2018 Olympiad. Black wants to withdraw his knight to g8 and play ...f7-f5. It turns out that this is not so simple to prevent. 10.d4 The principal continuation and definitely the most dangerous for Black to meet. Regarding other moves, I will just comment briefly and share my thoughts: a) 10.b4 Ng8, and now in Karjakin – So, Riga 2019, White gained nothing from 11.Bg5 f6. Instead 11.d4!?, transposing into VachierLagrave – So, Saint Louis 2019, is more dangerous (see variation B2). However, we should note that another reply to 10.b4 also needs to be studied: 10...h6!? b) 10.Nbd2 Ng8 11.Nf1 f5 and Black had no perceptible problems in Inarkiev – Matlakov, Izhevsk 2019. c) 10.Be3 Bxe3 11.Rxe3 In the game Leko – Wang Hao, Hengshui 2019, Black now played 11...a5, but a better move would be 11...d5, giving a roughly equal position.

We now consider the two options A) 10...h6!? and B) 10...Ng8. And also: a) 10...exd4 11.cxd4 d5 A logical break, and yet it doesn’t permit Black to equalize; in this case the king’s move to h8 proves to have worsened Black’s position. 12.exd5 Nxd5 13.Bxd5 Qxd5 14.Nc3 Qd6 15.d5² With his brisk play White has seized the initiative: a1) On 15...Ne7 there are various moves, for instance 16.b3 with the idea of Ba3; or 16.Qb3, not worrying about 15...Bxh3 on account of 16.Ne4. a2) Against 15...Nb4 White must play 16.Re4!, so as to bring his bishop out to f4 with tempo. b) 10...Nxe4?! This was played in a correspondence game, but Black could immediately have landed in a bad position. 11.Rxe4 d5 In Brkić – Henrichs, Austria 2017, White could now have played 12.Nxe5!, with an extra pawn and a large plus after 12...dxc4 13.Nxc4 or 12...Nxe5 13.Bxd5.

A) 10...h6!?

Quite a sly move. At first sight Black is marking time, but with his king on h8 he has the idea of ...g7-g5-g4. 11.Be3N It’s useful to exchange off the dark-squared bishops, as Black’s ...g5-g4 idea will no longer give him an attack. Other possibilities are: a) 11.Ra3!? is a recommendation by the computer. The aim is to meet 11...g5 with 12.b4, while in the case of 11...exd4 12.cxd4 d5 13.exd5 Nxd5 14.Bxd5 Qxd5 15.Nc3, White has an initiative. However, in answer to 11.Ra3 Black has 11...Ng8. Then after 12.dxe5, a move to be studied (apart from ...Nxe5) is 12...f5!?. b) 11.dxe5 This exchange gives White nothing. 11...Nxe5 12.Nxe5 dxe5 13.Qxd8 Rxd8= By contrast with variation B1 (after ...Ng8), Black has made the useful move ...h7-h6. White gains nothing from capturing on f7, in view of ...Nxe4. In the games Anand – Aronian, Batumi 2018, and A. Muzychuk – Tan Zhongyi, Kazan 2019, Black experienced no problems after 14.Nd2 Kg8. c) 11.a5 g5! 12.dxe5 Nxe5 13.Nxe5 dxe5 14.Qxd8 Rxd8÷ At first glance Black has weakened f5, but White constantly has to reckon with the threat of ...g5-g4.

11...exd4 Or: a) 11...Nxe4 12.d5 Bxe3 13.Rxe3² Now 13...Na5?! 14.Ba2, with b2-b4 to follow, is bad for Black. Instead he must give up one knight with 13...Nxf2 14.Kxf2 and withdraw the other one to e7. He then has partial compensation for the piece. b) 11...Kg8 Frankly a strange move, but it must be understood that Black is waiting for White’s Nbd2 before playing ...exd4 and ...d6d5. There can follow: 12.Bd3!? (12.Nbd2 exd4÷) 12...Re8 13.Nbd2² c) 11...g5 12.Nbd2!? (12.Qc1 Nh5 isn’t so clear, but it would be worth considering 12.dxe5 Bxe3 13.Rxe3 Nxe5 14.Nxe5 dxe5 15.Nd2 with a small plus; the difference is that Black isn’t obliged to play ...g5-g4) 12...g4 13.dxe5

And now: c1) Capturing the knight on f3 looks dubious: 13...gxf3?! 14.exf6 Ne5 15.Bxa7± And after 15...Rxa7 White can play Nxf3, since on ...Nxc4 he has Qd4. c2) 13...Bxe3 (slightly better than 13...Nxe5 14.Nxe5 dxe5 15.Bxa7 Rxa7 16.h4) 14.Rxe3 Nxe5 15.Nxe5 dxe5 16.h4² With the dark-squared bishops exchanged, the advanced pawn on g4 creates problems only for Black. 12.cxd4 d5 Or 12...Nxe4 13.d5±. 13.exd5 Nxd5 14.Bxd5 Qxd5 15.Nc3

Now Black has to move the queen. For example: A1) 15...Qd8 and A2) 15...Qd6. A1) 15...Qd8 Black retreats to d8 so that after 16.d5 Bxe3 17.Rxe3 Ne7 he can reposition his knight by ...Nf5-d6. But instead of d4-d5, White can attack the h6-pawn! 16.Qd2 Kg8 Or 16...Bf5 17.d5 Bxe3 18.Qxe3±, and Black can’t play 18...Na5 owing to 19.Qf4 Bg6 20.b4 Nb3 21.Ra3, winning the knight. That only leaves 18...Na7, whereupon White can continue 19.Qf4 Bg6 20.Qb4 with a large plus.

17.Bxh6!? The most ferocious continuation; now the first error on Black’s part can lead to a hopeless position. However, if this line appears too intricate, White can simply play 17.Rad1, which also gives him a small plus after, for example: 17...Ne7 18.d5 Bxe3 19.Qxe3² 17...Nxd4! In the event of 17...gxh6?! 18.Qxh6± Black has a bad position owing to the threats of Ne4 and d4-d5, but this verdict needs the support of some brief variations: a) 18...Qd6 19.Qh4± Now 19...Bf5 loses to 20.d5, while 19...Nxd4 is well answered by 20.Ne4. Black can’t then go in for 20...Nxf3†? 21.gxf3 Qg6† 22.Kh2, so all that remains is 20...Qg6 – whereupon 21.Nf6† Kg7 22.Nh5† Kg8 23.Nxd4, threatening Ra3-g3, is good for White. b) 18...Bf5 19.Ne4 (possibly 19.d5!? Nd4 20.Ne5 is even better, but 19.Ne4 looks simpler) 19...Bg6 20.Ne5 Threatening Nxg6.

And now: b1) 20...Qe7 loses to 21.Ng4 Bxd4 22.Nef6†. After the captures on f6, White has the decisive 24.h4 threatening h4-h5. b2) Chances of salvation are preserved by 20...Bxd4 21.Nxg6 Bg7! 22.Qh4. Owing to the threat of Ng5, Black must exchange queens and play on with a pawn less. c) 18...Bxd4 19.Nxd4 Qxd4 20.Nd5! Qxd5 21.Ra3 Qd6 (if 21...Bf5 then 22.Qg5†+–) 22.Rg3†± Black acquires a fair amount of material for his queen, but his king position is too weak; for example 22...Qxg3 23.fxg3 Bf5 24.Rf1, followed by Rf4 and h4-h5. 18.Nxd4

18...Bxd4 Or 18...gxh6 19.Rad1 which can lead to the same position. Surprisingly 18...Qxd4? loses to 19.Qg5! Be6 20.Rad1; all Black can do is take the f2-pawn and play ...Qf6, surrendering the exchange. 19.Rad1 gxh6 20.Qxd4² After the exchange of queens, Black can play 21...Be6, to which 22.Red1 is a good reply; White has seized control of the d-file and can proceed to position his king on f2. A2) 15...Qd6

16.a5 A useful move which deprives Black of the a5-square and allows White to bring his rook into play via a4. Other notable possibilities are 16.Qd2 Bf5 17.Bf4 and 16.d5 Bxe3 17.Rxe3 Nb4 18.Re5, but the pawn move to a5 looks more promising. 16...Bf5 Or: a) 16...Nb4 17.Ne5, with these possibilities: a1) 17...Kg8?! 18.Ne4 Qd5 19.Bd2!± Now 19...Nc6 is met by 20.Qf3 with a large plus, since 20...Be6? 21.Qg3+– is unplayable for Black. Also after 19...Qxd4? 20.Qh5! White has a decisive attack; for example against 20...Nc6 he wins by 21.Nf6†! gxf6 22.Nxf7. a2) 17...Bf5 18.Qf3 Bg6 19.Re2² Strategically Black’s position is quite good – but because the king on h8 is badly placed and the b7-pawn is hanging, White is able to seize the initiative. He can meet 19...Nc2 with 20.Rxc2 Bxc2 21.Nxf7†, winning a pawn. On 19...Rab8 he has 20.Rd2, or 20.Rd1 Nc2 21.Qg3 with an endgame advantage after exchanges on e3 and g6.

b) 16...Ne7?! 17.Qd2 Nf5 18.Bf4, with a big advantage after 18...Qd8 19.d5. 17.d5

17...Nb4 Practically the only move. Not 17...Bxe3?! 18.dxc6 Bc5 19.cxb7 Rab8 20.Re5! or 17...Ne7?! 18.Bxa7 Rxa7 19.Qd4 Raa8 20.Qe5, with a large plus for White in either case. 18.Bxa7 Rxa7

19.Re5 Or 19.Qd4!? Raa8 20.Qe5. White wants to exchange queens, so as to establish a rook on e7, and now: a) 20...Qxe5?! is bad: 21.Rxe5 Bg6 22.Re7 With a large plus; for instance after 22...Rac8 23.Ra4! Nd3 24.Rc4 White is close to victory. b) 20...Bg6 is an improvement; after 21.Qxd6 cxd6 22.Re7 Rab8 White is a little better, but it will be difficult for him to develop his initiative. c) I should also point out that 20...Qd7 21.Red1 Rae8 fails to equalize; White plays 22.Qf4!? and answers 22...Nd3 with 23.Qd4. 19...Bc2 20.Qe2 Raa8 21.Rc1

White has arranged his forces conveniently in the centre and seized the initiative. There can follow 21...Bh7 22.Rd1, or 21...Bd3 22.Qe3 Bh7 23.Rd1. Black could also withdraw his bishop to g6. In any event he is short of space, while White has ideas for improving his position – for instance with Rd1-d4-g4, or with Re7 aiming for Qe5. B) 10...Ng8

White can now play B1) 11.dxe5, leading to a quiet ending with a slight edge. It is also worth considering B2) 11.b4, which transposes into the game Vachier-Lagrave – So, Saint Louis 2019; and B3) 11.Be3!?N. Both these last two moves lead to complex positions in which White has good chances of an advantage. B1) 11.dxe5

11...Nxe5 12.Nxe5 dxe5 13.Qxd8 White hardly does any better with 13.Qe2. Black plays 13...Qe7 and is close to equalizing after 14.Na3 Bd7 15.Nc2 Nf6 or 14.Nd2 Nf6 15.Nf1 Bd7. 13...Rxd8

14.Na3!?N After bringing his knight to c2, White aims to play Be3 – and the knight will recapture. White can then commence play on the queenside, and difficulties may arise for Black because his minor pieces will be much more passive. Another possible set-up involves bringing the bishop out to a3. In the only game in which this position arose, Vachier-Lagrave transferred the knight to f3. After 14.Nd2 g6 15.Nf3 f6 16.b3, giving the bishop access to a3, there are these possibilities: a) 16...Ne7? is unplayable just now, owing to 17.Nxe5 fxe5 18.Bg5. b) If Black plays 16...Bc5 to impede Ba3, White can continue 17.b4 Ba7 18.Nd2!? and then bring the knight to b3 with advantage. c) Observe also that 16...a5?! 17.Ba3 Bd7 18.g4 is not good for Black. He has forfeited the option to play ...b7-b5 and evict White’s powerful bishop from c4. It was therefore not worth stopping White from playing a4-a5 himself. d) 16...Bd7 occurred in Vachier-Lagrave – Aronian, Saint Louis (rapid) 2019. The continuation was 17.Ba3 Bc6 18.g4, and at this point Black could have played 18...b5!, driving the bishop from c4 and ridding himself of his problems. For that reason it was worth considering 17.a5!?, fixing the b7-pawn and preserving chances of a plus.

14...f6 One of several possible moves. After 14...Bd7 15.Nc2 or 14...Ne7 15.Nc2, Black would most likely place his pawn on f6 anyway. In the event of 14...g6, one idea for White is 15.Kh2 with a view to f2-f4; but it seems to me simpler to play 15.Nc2, followed by Be3

and the same moves as in the main line below. 15.Nc2 Bd7 16.Be3 Bxe3 17.Nxe3

17...Ne7 Fixing the pawn structure with 17...a5 would be a good idea if there were no knights on the board. As it is, White can gain a fair advantage, thanks to his knight on e3; for example 18.Red1 Ne7 19.b4, and Black has an unpleasant position. On 19...Bc6 White plays 20.Rxd8† Rxd8 21.f3. On 19...axb4 20.cxb4 Nc6, he continues with 21.Nc2. 18.a5 White has a slight advantage. He can continue by playing f2-f3 and bringing his king up to f2. If Black wishes to double on the dfile, then after Rad1 the exchange of both pairs of rooks is rather in White’s favour; he can afterwards advance his pawns on the queenside. The game could proceed something like this: 18...Bc6 19.f3 g6 20.Rad1 Kg7 21.Kf2 And White maintains the pressure. B2) 11.b4 exd4

12.b5!N This move looks much more dangerous to Black than 12.cxd4 Nxb4. In many variations an eccentric position arises, but finding the best moves for Black is very difficult. The game Vachier-Lagrave – So, Saint Louis 2019, went 12.cxd4 Nxb4 13.Nc3 (with 13.a5!? White prevents Black from fortifying his knight on b4, but loses a development tempo; a sample continuation is: 13...c5 14.Bd2 f6 15.Bxb4 cxb4 16.Qb3 Ne7÷) 13...a5÷ And Black is probably OK. Black’s choices are B21) 12...Na5 and B22) 12...Ne5. B21) 12...Na5

13.Bd3 In contrast to the game just quoted (Vachier-Lagrave – So), the black knight is on the edge of the board instead of on b4. If Black doesn’t succeed in bringing it into the game via b3, White will have good chances to develop an attack. 13...dxc3 Or: 13...Be6 14.Nxd4 c5 15.Nxe6 fxe6 16.Be3² (White would like to play 16.c4 straight away, but he would then have to reckon with 16...Rxf2!? – so placing the bishop on e3 is simpler) Now on 16...d5 White can play 17.exd5 exd5 18.c4!? dxc4 19.Bf1, while the immediate 16...c4 will be met by 17.Bc2. 14.Nxc3

14...Be6 Or: a) 14...c6 15.e5ƒ and now: a1) Capturing on e5 is hazardous in view of Ba3, for instance 15...axb5 16.axb5 dxe5 17.Ba3 c5 18.Rxe5 with a substantial plus; or 15...dxe5 16.Ba3 Re8 17.Ne4 with a dangerous attack. a2) In the case of 15...d5, I will give a short variation: 16.bxa6 bxa6 (possibly 16...Bc5 17.axb7 Nxb7² is a shade better than 16...bxa6, but such a decision is difficult to take) 17.Ne2!‚ After this unobvious move, Black has problems. On 17...c5 White can strike with 18.Bxh7! Kxh7 19.Ng5† Kh8 20.Qd3 f5 21.Qg3 followed by Nf4, gaining a big advantage. If instead Black plays 17...Ne7, White has 18.Ba3 c5 19.Nf4 with pressure against the pawns on c5 and d5. b) 14...Ne7?! 15.Nd5 Now Black’s position is at least very dangerous, and perhaps it is downright bad already.

For example: b1) 15...Bc5?! 16.Bd2 b6 17.Ng5!+– Suddenly Black has a hopeless position! On 17...f6 White wins with 18.Nxh7! Kxh7 19.Bxa5, followed by Qh5† and Bc4. On 17...h6 he plays 18.Qh5 Be6 19.Nh7! Re8 20.Bg5 with a winning attack. b2) 15...Be6 16.Bd2 Bb6± Now even the simple 17.Nxb6 cxb6 18.Nd4 gives a large plus. Probably an even better line is 17.Ng5 h6 18.Qh5; then on 18...Nb3 White takes the bishop on b6 followed by the one on e6, and after that he strikes on h6. b3) 15...Ng6 16.Bd2 c6 17.b6!± Bxb6 (Black might do better to settle for the worse position after 17...cxd5 18.bxa7, but ...Bxb6 needs to be examined) 18.Nxb6 Qxb6 19.e5 dxe5 20.Ng5+– Now 20...h6 21.Qh5 gives White a decisive plus. He answers 21...Kg8 with 22.Nxf7, while 21...Qb3 is met by 22.Be4! Kg8 23.Nf3 with threats of Bxa5 and Bxh6. 15.Nd5

15...c6 16.Nf4 Bb3 17.Qd2² The situation remains complex, but Black’s pieces are not in the best of positions. After 17...axb5 18.axb5 cxb5 19.Bb2 White has a promising game. B22) 12...Ne5

13.Nxe5 dxe5 14.Ba3 axb5 Or14...Ne7 15.bxa6 bxa6 16.Nd2 c5 (after 16...dxc3 17.Nb3² White has the advantage owing to his active pieces, even with a pawn less; for example 17...Bd7 18.Qd3, and now 18...c2 19.Nc5, or 18...f5 19.Qxc3 fxe4 20.Bc5) 17.cxd4 With three possible recaptures: a) 17...Qxd4 18.Re3² The threat of Rd8 compels Black to remove his queen from d4. On 18...Qd6 or 18...Qd8 White plays 19.Nb3, with a large plus. A more astute move is 18...Qd7, eyeing the a4-pawn, but after 19.Rc3 White is better anyway. The alternatives are worse: b) 17...exd4 18.Nb3 Qc7 19.Rc1 and White will win the pawn on c5. c) 17...cxd4 18.Rb1, and the black pieces are tied up – for instance 18...Rb8 can be met by 19.Qh5 f6 20.Nf3, with the dire threat of Nh4. 15.axb5 Bc5 Alternatively: a) 15...Ne7?! 16.Bb4 Be6 17.Bxe6 fxe6

18.b6! cxb6 19.Re2± Black simply cannot extricate his bishop from a7. Note that in the event of 19...Re8 20.Bxe7 Qxe7 White shouldn’t play Rea2, but 21.cxd4! first. b) 15...Bb6 16.Ra2 Re8 17.Be7 Qxe7 18.Rxa8 dxc3 19.Qc2² Black doesn’t have adequate compensation for the exchange. On 19...Qg5 White must guard his g2-pawn with Bf1. 16.Bxc5 Rxa1 17.cxd4 exd4 The simplest decision; 17...Be6 18.d5 Bd7 19.Bxf8 is hardly any better. And 17...Ne7?! 18.dxe5 is much worse – White has a large plus since Black cannot exchange queens.

18.Qd2! When studying this position, I couldn’t at first understand why the computer rated it as better for White – who after all is the exchange down with no direct attack. But the point is that the powerful bishops on c4 and d4 will give Black a great deal of worry. After 18.Bxf8 Qxf8÷, the capture 19.Qxd4?! is bad on account of 19...Qb4, so White has to play 19.Qd2. 18...Ne7 The most logical move. However, it might be somewhat preferable to give the exchange back at once with 18...Be6 19.Bxe6 fxe6 or 18...b6 19.Bxf8 Qxf8 20.Rc1!?, after which Black is slightly worse but the position is simplified. 19.Qb2 Ra8 Or 19...Ra4 20.Bb3 Ra5 21.Bxd4 f6 22.Na3² threatening e4-e5. After 22...Ng6 23.Bc5 Black has to give up the exchange, since 23...Re8? loses to 24.Rd1 while 23...Ne7? 24.e5 f5 25.e6 gives White a decisive advantage. 20.Bxd4 f6 21.Nd2 An immediate 21.e5 Nf5 22.Bc3 fxe5 would give White nothing, so he first activates his knight. Now ...Ng6 will be met by Nf3, so as to carry out e4-e5 after all.

21...Ng6 Or 21...b6 22.e5, and now: a) 22...Nf5 23.Bc3² By contrast with the variation 21.e5 Nf5, White has already brought his knight out to d2, which materially affects the verdict on the position. Here 23...fxe5?! 24.Rxe5 Nd6 25.Bd5 is bad for Black. If instead he plays 23...Bb7, then apart from 24.exf6 Rxf6 25.Bxf6 Qxf6 26.Qxf6 with an endgame advantage, an interesting move is 24.g4!?, aiming to take on f6 in reply to Nh4. b) 22...Ng8 23.Bc3ƒ with more than enough compensation for the exchange. White needed to withdraw the bishop to c3 in order to play Nf1 without fearing ...Ra4. There could follow 23...Bb7 24.Nf1 fxe5 25.Rxe5 Nf6 26.Ne3, with a promising position due to the active pieces.

22.Nf3 Re8 An idea of the computer’s is 22...c5, to divert White from playing e4-e5. The intention is to meet 23.Bxc5 with 23...Re8 24.Bf7 Ne5, but even then White has an edge. However, 23.bxc6 looks more interesting: 23...bxc6 24.e5 c5 25.Bc3 fxe5 26.Nxe5 Nxe5 27.Rxe5‚, threatening Re8 with mate on g7. After 27...Ra7 the threats might seem to be at an end, but White can play 28.Qc2! with a view to Rh5. Then: a) 28...Qd6 29.Rh5 h6 30.Be5 is good for White. b) 28...Qf6 (with the idea of 29.Rh5 Bf5!) 29.Qe2! And White continues the attack. At this point 29...Qd8? loses to 30.Qe4, so Black must play 29...Qg6 30.Re7 Qb1†. Then after 31.Be1 White still maintains a plus. 23.Bf7 After 23.Ng5 Qe7 24.Nf7† Kg8 25.Nd6† Be6 some simplification occurs, as White must take the bishop. Therefore transferring his own bishop to b3 is a little more cunning.

23...Rf8 After the slightly stronger 23...Be6! 24.Bxe8 Qxe8, White has a small plus. He can continue by attacking the c7-pawn with Qc2, or by playing e4-e5. 24.Bb3 With this manoeuvre White has improved the position of his bishop. Now after 24...Re8 25.Ng5 Qe7 26.Nf7† Kg8 27.Nd6† Be6 he doesn’t need to take on e6 but can immediately capture the rook on e8. Black still has to do something about the e4-e5 threat. On 24...Ra5 White plays 25.Bc4 Ra4 26.Qb3, and Black must obligingly give up the exchange on c4, seeing that 26...Ra8?! 27.Qc3 leaves White with a big advantage. B3) 11.Be3!?N

A good move that sets Black quite a few problems. Some positions in this variation are difficult to assess, but White is nearly always in a position of strength.

11...f5! This looks risky, but Black hasn’t all that much choice. After 11...Qf6 the ...f7-f5 advance will be virtually out of the question and 11...exd4 12.cxd4 f5 is much weaker. I will expand on these verdicts below: a) 11...Qf6 12.Kh2 Qg6 13.Nbd2² And now 13...f5?! is bad on account of 14.exf5 Bxf5 15.Nh4 Qf6 16.Ndf3! with a large plus. In answer to 13...Nf6, even the simple 14.Nh4 leads to a pleasant position. And if 13...Nge7, then 14.dxe5 Bxe3 15.Rxe3 is an edge for White. b) 11...exd4?! 12.cxd4 There will soon be major problems for Black on account of the opening of the e-file; but if he doesn’t play ...f7f5, his knight’s retreat to g8 is deprived of any sense. 12...f5 13.Bg5

And now: b1) 13...Qe8 14.exf5 (14.e5!?²) 14...Qh5 15.Bxg8 Kxg8

16.g4! Surprisingly White can trap the queen on h3. Black now has no choice. In the event of 16...Qf7 17.Ra3 his position would be practically hopeless, so: 16...Qxh3 17.Nh2 Bxd4 18.Ra3 Bxf2† 19.Kh1± With a material advantage after 19...Bg3 20.Qb3† or 19...Qxa3 20.bxa3!? Bxe1 21.Qxe1. The rooks and two pawns are clearly not enough for the queen and knight. b2) 13...Nf6 14.Nc3 fxe4 15.Rxe4 Bf5 16.Rf4± Thanks to his active pieces, White has a comfortable plus. On 16...Bg6 he will play 17.Nd5. For good answers to 16...Qd7, he has either 17.Nh4 d5 18.Bxf6 dxc4 19.Bxg7†! or the simple 17.Bxf6!? Rxf6 18.Nd5 Rff8 19.Qd2, with Re1 to follow. 12.exf5 A possibility is 12.Bxg8 fxe4 13.Bxh7 exf3 14.Be4 Qh4„. After 15.Bxf3 Black captures on d4, and a complex position with mutual chances arises. 12...d5 After 12...Bxf5?! 13.dxe5 Bxe3 14.Rxe3 Nxe5 15.Nxe5 dxe5 16.Nd2±, the weak pawn on e5 and the knight on g8 mean that White is much better. 13.Bg5

A good intermediate move. If it isn’t played, Black will easily obtain a comfortable position: 13.Ba2 e4 (13...exd4!?) 14.Ng5 Bxf5 15.f3 exf3 16.Nxf3÷ Black’s bishop on a7 is out of play, but he can continue 16...Nce7!? 17.Nbd2 c6 and bring it into the game via b8.

Now Black has B31) 13...Qd7 and B32) 13...Nce7!. B31) 13...Qd7 14.Bb3 exd4 After 14...e4 15.Nh4± White has an extra pawn and a big advantage.

15.g4! It’s important to fortify the f5-pawn, which is depriving Black of a large amount of space. In some lines Black is willing to part with a piece to get rid of this pawn. 15...Qd6 The most tenacious. 15...dxc3? 16.Nxc3 is wholly bad. 15...Nh6 16.Nxd4

Now there can follow: a) 16...Nxd4 17.cxd4 Nxf5 18.Qf3± Now after 18...Bxd4 19.gxf5 Black can’t take with the rook, because of Qxf5. Against 18...h6, White still plays 19.gxf5; then 19...hxg5 loses to 20.Qh5† Kg8 21.Nc3 c6 22.Nxd5!, followed by Re5 with a mating attack. b) 16...Bxd4 17.cxd4 Nxf5 18.Nc3± Thanks to his two bishops and his lead in development, White is much better. Black is not helped by 18...h6 19.gxf5 Qxf5 20.Be3 Qxh3 21.Bxd5 Bg4 22.Bg2. And in the event of 18...Nfxd4 19.Bxd5 Qd6, White has 20.Bxc6 Nxc6 21.Qxd6 cxd6 22.Be7!? with good winning chances. In the case of 15...Nge7 16.Nxd4, the play will transpose to the 15...Nh6 lines.

16.Nxd4 Taking with the knight is safer than taking with the pawn, whereupon Black can sacrifice his bishop on f5. After 16.cxd4 Bxf5 17.gxf5 Rxf5 18.Be3 Raf8 it’s probable that with precise play White can repulse the threats and remain with his extra material, but the position is very complicated. On 19.Nbd2 there is not only 19...Qg6† but also 19...Nxd4!? to be reckoned with. 16...g6 Or 16...Nxd4 17.cxd4 Bxf5 18.gxf5 Rxf5 19.Be3±. After the knight exchange on d4 Black can’t work up an attack because there is no vulnerable knight on f3. White can answer 19...Raf8 with 20.Bc2 Rf3 21.Kg2. 17.Qc1

17...Nxd4 Or 17...gxf5 18.Bf4 Qg6 19.g5 h6 20.h4±. Having failed to develop an attack, Black has serious problems. White will meet 20...Nf6 with 21.Nd2 and be well on top. On 20...Bd7, a good continuation is 21.Bxd5 Nf6 22.Bxc6 followed by Be5. 18.cxd4 Bxd4 19.Bf4 Qb4 White answers 19...Qb6 with 20.Qd2±; then 20...gxf5?! 21.a5 Qa7 22.g5 is bad for Black. With his queen on a7 he has a hopeless position. 20.Qd2 Qxd2 21.Nxd2² Since his knight is stuck on g8, Black’s position is most unpleasant. For instance after 21...c6 22.Rab1 gxf5 23.g5 White has a comfortable plus. B32) 13...Nce7!

It’s only after this move that Black has chances to avoid the worse position. This variation differs from B31 (13...Qd7) in that Black will be able to pick up the pawn on f5 if White withdraws his light-squared bishop; for instance 14.Bf1 e4, and White cannot hold the f5-pawn with Nh4. 14.Nxe5 The most straightforward continuation. Retreating with the bishop looks rather passive, but capturing on e5 with the rook is another interesting choice: 14.Rxe5!? dxc4 And White has two options: a) 15.Qe1 stops Black from playing ...Rxf5, because on e1 the queen is protected. On the other hand, this square is denied to the queen’s rook. After 15...Re8 16.g4 c5 17.dxc5 Qc7„ there is complex play with chances for both sides.

b) 15.Qe2 and now: b1) 15...Re8? 16.Nbd2 Bxf5 17.Re1 Bd3 18.Qe3+– And White wins the knight on e7. b2) 15...Rf7?! 16.g4 Nf6 17.Nbd2 Ned5 18.Nxc4± White not only has three pawns for the piece, he has a powerful pawn chain by which Black’s minor pieces are confined. b3) 15...Rxf5 16.Re3

From the diagram, Black has: b31) 16...Rf6! It’s not easy to make such a move knowing that you will have to retake on f6 with the pawn. 17.Nbd2 Bd7 The result is a complex position with mutual chances. On the one hand, with this kind of centre, a rook and two pawns are usually better than two minor pieces. However, we must take into account that the rook on e3 is exposed to moves like ...Nd5 or ...Nf5 (though 17...Nf5?! last move would have given White a large plus after 18.Re8 Qd7 19.Bxf6 gxf6 20.Nxc4). b32) 16...Rf7 This is more logical (if now 17.Ne5, Black will play 17...Rf5 and White will have nothing better than to repeat moves). 17.Nbd2! Nf6 18.Re1 Neg8 19.Nxc4² White has deployed his force conveniently in the centre, and in spite of being a piece down he has every chance of developing his initiative. On 19...Rf8 a good continuation is 20.Nce5 Bd7 21.Bh4!, with Ng5 to follow. 14...dxc4 15.Qh5 After 15.g4 White has sufficient compensation for the piece, but no more. 15...Bxf5 16.Nf7† Rxf7 17.Qxf7

17...Qd5! Better than 17...Bg6 18.Qe6 Qd5 19.Bxe7². After Black exchanges on e6 and plays ...Re8, White will continue 21.Nd2 with a pleasant advantage. 18.Rxe7 Nxe7 19.Qxe7 White is a pawn up, but with accurate play Black shouldn’t have any great problems. A mistake would be 19...Be4?! 20.Nd2! Bxg2 21.Kh2, since Rg1 is threatened and 21...c5 is not much help: 22.Re1 Rg8 23.Bf4! with the threat of Re5. The correct move is 19...Bd7!, with compensation after 20.Be3 Re8, or an ending that will most likely be drawn after 20.Qe5 Qxe5.

Conclusion After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.0-0 a6 7.a4 Ba7 8.Re1 0-0 9.h3 the reply 9...Kh8!? is one of Black’s most recent ideas in the Italian Game. At first I didn’t take this move seriously, but soon I realized that it’s quite difficult for White to gain an advantage. For instance after the normal 10.Nbd2 Ng8! Black is OK, so White needs to play more actively with an immediate 10.d4. Then in answer to 10...Ng8 he has three different possibilities. He can go for a small plus in the ending with 11.dxe5 – a solid continuation, but many players will no doubt want to try for something more, and I have therefore included two other ideas: 11.b4 exd4 12.b5!N and 11.Be3!?N. In both these cases a complicated position arises, in which White’s chances should be slightly better. My general feeling is that the 9...Kh8 line may quickly become more popular, which is why I have devoted a fair amount of attention to it.

A) 9...Be6 10.Bxe6 fxe6 11.Be3 Bxe3 12.Rxe3 a5 13.Nbd2 148 A1) 13...Qe8 149 A2) 13...Qd7 151 B) 9...b5 10.Ba2!? 152 B1) 10...h6 154 B2) 10...b4 155 B21) 11.d4!? 155 B22) 11.Bg5 159 B221) 11...h6 12.Bh4 g5 159 B2211) 13.Bg3 160 B2212) 13.Nxg5!? 160 B222) 11...Rb8 162 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.0-0 a6 7.a4 Ba7 8.Re1 0-0 9.h3 In this chapter we consider A) 9...Be6 and B) 9...b5. A) 9...Be6

10.Bxe6 With the pawn structure that arises from Bxe6 ...fxe6, White usually has a slight edge. But he has to guard against Black’s possible counterplay based on ...Nh5 and the transfer of the queen to g6. In some games White acquired an advantage after 10.Nbd2. For instance in So – Tari, Baku 2016, the continuation was 10...Ne7 11.Bxe6 fxe6 12.Nf1 with a pleasant position. But I don’t understand why no one has played 10...Nh5!?N. Then in the case of 11.Bxe6 fxe6 Black would obtain an improved version of variation B in Chapter 5 (9...h6 10.Nbd2 Be6). White should probably play 11.Nf1!? instead, but the position after an exchange on c4 looks unclear. A slight improvement on 10.Nbd2 would seem to be 10.Na3!?, since on 10...Nh5 White can play 11.Ng5 or 11.Bg5!?. But with 10...Qd7 Black is already aiming to take on h3. After 11.Bxe6 Qxe6 White may have a minimal plus, but something more than that is desirable. 10...fxe6 11.Be3 The most logical move. In contrast to the line with ...h7-h6 and Nbd2, White can now exchange bishops at once, to diminish Black’s kingside play. The game Vachier-Lagrave – Ding Liren, Stavanger 2019, went 11.b4 Nh5 12.Ra2 Qf6÷. Having saved a tempo by omitting ...h7-h6, Black obtains quite a good position.

11...Bxe3 Or 11...Nh5, and now: a) 12.Bxa7! Diverting the black rook to a7 is more useful than waiting for Black to exchange bishops himself on e3. 12...Rxa7 (12...Nxa7 13.Nxe5?!±) 13.g3 Qf6 14.Nbd2 Qg6 15.Kh2² Now on 15...Raa8 White continues 16.b4, and Black’s play on the kingside doesn’t progress; against 16...Rf7 White can already play 17.b5 and carry out d3-d4. b) 12.g3 Bxe3 13.Rxe3 Qf6 14.Nbd2 occurred in Anand – Grischuk, Paris 2019. White is slightly worse off here than after 12.Bxa7. For example Black may play 14...Qg6 15.Kh2 Rf7 16.b4 Raf8 17.d4 Qh6 18.dxe5 g5! with an unclear position.

12.Rxe3 a5 In this case 12...Nh5? fails to 13.Nxe5±. Against 12...Qd7, as played in Ganguly – A. Onischuk, Saint Louis 2018, White’s simplest course is 13.Nbd2. Then Black has nothing better than 13...a5 anyway. 13.Nbd2

This position arose twice in games between Vachier-Lagrave and Jakovenko. The first time, Black played A1) 13...Qe8. In the second game he varied with the slightly better A2) 13...Qd7. Variation A2 can be reached by 13...b6 14.Qb3 Qd7. The knight manoeuvre 13...Nd7, though somewhat unconventional, is treated as a main line by the computer. Black wants to place the knight on c5 and then try directing it (after d3-d4 ...e5xd4) to b4. There can follow: 14.Qb3 Nc5 15.Qb5!? (White can play 15.Qc4 at once, but after 15...Qd7 the advance 16.d4 isn’t so good in view of 16...exd4 17.cxd4 Na6) 15...Ra6 (or 15...Qf6 16.Nb3²) 16.Qc4²

Now after d3-d4 the knight on c5 won’t be able to go to b4 via a6, and 16...Rb6?! is bad on account of 17.Rb1 with the fearsome threat of b2-b4. Black must play ...Qf6 or ...Qe7, to which White can reply 17.d4, and the knight will end up returning from c5 to d7. A1) 13...Qe8 The point of this move is to bring the knight to f4. An immediate 13...Nh5? would fail to 14.Nxe5±.

14.Qb3N Surprisingly White can attack the e6-pawn, making use of the fact that Black’s queen is depriving his rook of the e8-square. Vachier-Lagrave – Jakovenko, Khanty-Mansiysk 2019 (the first game), saw 14.d4 exd4 15.Nxd4 e5 16.Qb3† Kh8. Black then has no problems. 14...b6 Or 14...Rb8, and now: a) In this case 15.Ng5 Nd8 16.d4 doesn’t work quite as well as after 14...b6. Black can continue 16...exd4 17.cxd4 h6 18.Ngf3 Qf7!, with ...Nc6 to follow. White is a little better even so, but with the pawn on b7 the advantage is not as great as he would want. b) 15.Qb5!?² With the white queen on this square, it’s hard to see any useful moves for Black. On 15...Nh5 White simply plays 16.g3. Black can try bringing his knight across to b6 with 15...Nd7, but this doesn’t alter the assessment of the position; the good move 16.d4!? is immediately playable.

15.Ng5!? This is a little smarter than pushing the d-pawn at once. True, White also has a pleasant position after 15.d4 exd4 16.Nxd4. But we want to induce Black to play 15...d5; and if he chooses 15...Nd8 instead, then in some variations he will have to make what is not the most constructive of moves, ...h7-h6. 15...Nd8 Or: 15...d5 16.exd5 Nxd5 (after 16...exd5?! 17.d4± Black loses a pawn: 17...Qh5 18.dxe5 Qxg5 19.exf6 is good for White, as the rook can’t recapture in view of Ne4) 17.Rf3² Now 17...Nf4? is unplayable owing to 18.Rxf4. On 17...Rxf3 White continues 18.Ndxf3! h6 19.Ne4. And if Black plays 17...h6 straight away, then instead of 18.Rxf8† Kxf8, a simpler answer is 18.Nge4 Rd8 19.Rd1; Black doesn’t succeed in creating pressure against the d3-pawn.

16.d4

16...Nd7 Or 16...exd4?! 17.cxd4 h6 18.Ngf3 with a large plus. If Black’s b-pawn were on b7, his knight could go to c6 to shield the c7-pawn; now however White has strong pressure on the c-file. 17.Rc1² White has carried out d3-d4 successfully and seized the initiative. There can follow 17...Qe7 18.Ngf3 Nf7, after which White has various ways of improving his position; for instance he can play 19.g3 and place his king on g2. A2) 13...Qd7

14.Qb3 Or 14.Nf1 h6 15.Ng3, as in Vachier-Lagrave – Jakovenko, Khanty-Mansiysk 2019 (the second game). I doubt if the knight on g3 is better placed than on d2, so this manoeuvre appears redundant. 14...b6 After 14...Rab8 15.Qb5² Black will still hardly be able to do without ...b7-b6. 15.Qb5

We may sum up the state of the opening. White has a slight advantage, thanks to his better pawn structure. In due course he can proceed with d3-d4 or b2-b4. Black’s position is sturdy but passive. It’s hard for him to improve his position in any way; he must await White’s actions. 15...Rae8 This move is directed against the advance of White’s d-pawn. Now in the event of 16.d4 exd4 17.Nxd4 Black has 17...Ne5!, since his e6-pawn is protected. In the event of 15...Rf7 16.d4!? (the thematic move, although White doesn’t need to hurry and could play 16.Rc1) 16...exd4 17.Nxd4 Nxd4 18.cxd4, White has pressure on the c-file. A good answer to 18...e5 is 19.dxe5 dxe5 20.Nc4, with a pleasant ending after the exchange on b5. The computer suggests giving up a pawn with 18...d5 19.e5 Qxb5 20.axb5 Ne4!?, but after the captures on e4 it isn’t so simple for Black to achieve a draw – for instance 21.Nxe4 dxe4 22.Rxe4 Rd8 23.b4 axb4 24.Rb1 is not bad for White. 16.Ree1!? With a small but stable plus. Withdrawing the rook to e1 may seem strange, but now, in addition to d3-d4, White wants to go ahead with b2-b4. An immediate 16.b4 would be less good in view of 16...Ra8. B) 9...b5

Quite a surprising move, based on the unprotected state of White’s rook on a1. The first grandmaster to employ it was Tari, at the World Team Championship in 2017. Afterwards Mamedyarov and Nakamura were to try it, but Aronian has played this move more often than anyone. It must be borne in mind, however, that many of these games were in rapid or blitz events. 10.Ba2!?

I prefer the bishop retreat to a2 because Black won’t have any opportunity to play ...Na5 with gain of tempo. I also studied 10.Bb3, but we will not look at it in full detail. I will just give a relatively short variation to acquaint you with it: 10...b4

And now: a) 11.Bg5 isn’t so good with the light-squared bishop on b3. After 11...h6 12.Bh4 bxc3 13.bxc3 Na5 the position is unclear. b) 11.d4 Rb8 12.Be3 bxc3 13.bxc3 Nxe4! With his bishop on a2, White would now have d4-d5; but in the present case there only remains 14.Bd5 Rxb1, which again is unclear. c) 11.a5 Rb8, and White has various options: c1) Unfortunately, on 12.Bc4 Black can play 12...bxc3 13.bxc3 Nxa5! with equality. c2) It’s worth considering 12.d4, with an obscure position. c3) 12.Be3 Bxe3 13.Rxe3 bxc3 14.bxc3 Ne7 The computer considers that Black is OK here, but White’s side is more pleasant to handle. c4) 12.Nbd2 Be6

This is one of the key positions and has been seen in several games. Harmless continuations are 13.Bxe6 fxe6, as in Jakovenko – Aronian, Geneva 2017, and 13.Bc4 Qc8 with a comfortable game for Black in Shankland – Tari, Khanty-Mansiysk 2017. From the diagram, 13.Bc2 and 13.Ba4!? are of more interest: c41) 13.Bc2 h6 14.Nf1 Now in Anand – Nakamura, Saint Louis 2017, Black opted for 14...b3. Aronian, on the other hand, has played 14...d5!? 15.exd5 Nxd5, with a complicated game and mutual chances. An important point is that on 16.d4 Black has 16...b3! in reply. c42) 13.Ba4!? A very interesting move that I discovered in a correspondence game. 13...Nxa5 14.d4

14...c5! Returning the pawn (in the event of 14...exd4 15.Nxd4 or 14...bxc3 15.bxc3, White has excellent compensation and the easier game to play). 15.dxe5 dxe5 16.Nxe5 c4„ This occurred in Kuhne – Larsson, corr. 2018. At this point White can continue 17.Nb1!? and preserve chances of a plus, although with accurate play by Black the position is wholly unclear. Conceivably White’s play after 10.Bb3 b4 can be improved somewhere, but I decided it was simpler to opt for 10.Ba2!?.

Now Black has the main options B1) 10...h6 and B2) 10...b4. And also 10...Bd7 11.Nbd2 b4 12.Nf1 h6 13.d4 Rb8 14.Ng3 Re8.

Up to here we have been following Glatthaar – Moskalenko, email 2016. In that game White continued 15.Be3 bxc3 16.bxc3 exd4 17.Nxd4, with a slight edge.

The computer suggests the rather strange 15.Re2!?, after which no good move for Black is to be seen. For instance 15...bxc3 16.bxc3 exd4 17.cxd4 Nb4 18.Bb3 gives White a solid advantage. If instead 15...Qc8, then 16.Be3 is good; the insertion of the moves ...Qc8 and Re2 benefits White. Finally 15...a5 is well answered by 16.Bb1!?, removing the bishop in advance from the potential ...Nb4 and preparing Be3. Overall White has a pleasant position after either the computer’s 15.Re2 or the normal 15.Be3. B1) 10...h6

11.Nbd2 The standard method of play, based on bringing the knight across to g3. White gains nothing from 11.axb5 axb5 12.Na3 b4, but the immediate 11.Na3!? looks more interesting. Let’s examine both lines: a) Following 11.axb5 axb5 12.Na3 b4 the game Keuter – Kraft, corr. 2017, continued 13.Nc2 bxc3 14.bxc3 with an equal position. White would like to play 13.Nb5 instead, but after 13...b3! 14.Qxb3 Be6 Black is OK – for instance in the case of 15.Qc2 Bxa2 16.Nxa7 Rxa7 17.Be3 Ra8 18.b3 Bxb3 he has no perceptible problems. b) 11.Na3!? b4 12.Nc2 If Black now plays 12...Rb8, then after 13.cxb4 Nxb4 14.Nxb4 Rxb4 15.Rb1 White seizes the initiative – seeing that ...Bd7 can be met by Bd2!. But 12...a5!? isn’t so clear. In addition, after 12...bxc3 13.bxc3 Rb8 Black is close to equalizing, although from a practical viewpoint it would be much more pleasant to play White. c) The computer also suggests 11.b4 to deprive Black of the ...b5-b4 possibility, but to me that move appeared slow. 11...Ne7 12.Nf1 Ng6 13.Ng3 Bd7

14.Bb3!?N

The idea is that in answer to ...c7-c5 White isn’t obliged to play d3-d4 at once but can bring his bishop out to e3 first. On the other hand if Black plays 14...Bb6 – aiming to transpose into the 14.d4 c5 line, which we examine below – then White can play 15.a5!? Ba7 16.d4 c5 17.Be3 with the initiative. In the case of 14.d4 c5 there are these possibilities: a) On 15.Be3 Black can play 15...cxd4 16.cxd4 bxa4 with an unclear position. b) So it’s time to fortify the a4-pawn: 15.Bb3 Bb6 (or 15...Qc7 16.Be3 Bb6, transposing; it’s important for Black to move his bishop forward so that White can’t play Qd2, on account of ...c5xd4 c3xd4 ...Ba5) 16.Be3 Qc7 17.Qc1 cxd4 18.cxd4 Qxc1 19.Rexc1 This was played in Roques – Hiltunen, corr. 2017. White is a shade better, but as there may soon be few pieces left on the board, Black should draw with no particular difficulty. c) There is an interesting alternative: 15.axb5!? axb5 16.Be3 The computer evaluates the position in White’s favour, although after 16...Qc7 it isn’t so clear. If White plays 17.Qd2, then instead of 17...Kh7 18.Bb3 Black can continue 17...exd4 18.cxd4 c4!?, and after 19.Bxh6 Bb6! White has no advantage. It would therefore be worth considering 19.Bb1, with a complex position in which White’s chances should be slightly better. 14...c5 15.Be3 Qc7 16.axb5 Here 16.d4 Bb6 17.Qc1 transposes into Roques – Hiltunen (see the previous note). 16...axb5 17.Qd2

White threatens Bxh6. Now in the event of 17...Kh7 18.d4 Bc6 19.Bc2, White seizes the initiative; 19...Bb6 will be met by 20.Rxa8 Rxa8 21.Nf5!? Nxe4 22.Qc1 with a dangerous attack. An improvement for Black is 17...c4. Then after 18.Bxa7, the normal continuation 18...cxb3 19.Be3 Ra2 20.Rab1 gives White a small but stable plus – given that the a-file isn’t all that important, whereas Black has a weak pawn on b3 and must watch out for Bxh6. A more cunning reply to 18.Bxa7 is 18...Rxa7!? 19.dxc4 Be6!, with quite good compensation for the pawn after 20.Qxd6 bxc4. All the same, Black is fighting a rear-guard action and will need to play accurately. B2) 10...b4

Black chose this move in all four games that I found in the Mega Database. The alternatives 10...Bd7 and 10...h6, which we examined already, have been seen in correspondence games. Here we will consider both B21) 11.d4!? and B22) 11.Bg5. B21) 11.d4!?

11...bxc3 Or 11...Rb8 12.Be3 bxc3 13.bxc3 exd4 (if 13...Nxe4, then instead of 14.Bd5 Rxb1! White can play 14.d5 or 14.dxe5 with advantage) 14.cxd4, and now: a) 14...d5 15.exd5 Nxd5 (on 15...Nb4 White has 16.Bg5!; then in answer to 16...Nxa2 he has the intermediate move 17.Bxf6) 16.Bxd5 Qxd5 17.Nc3 Despite having given up his light-squared bishop, White has seized the initiative owing to the possibility of pressuring the c7-pawn or carrying out d4-d5. A good reply to 17...Qd6 is 18.Qd2, with Bf4 to follow. On 17...Qd8 White can play 18.Rc1, with the idea of d4-d5; and if the black knight leaves c6, the white one will occupy the e5square. b) 14...Nb4 15.Nc3 Nxa2 16.Rxa2 Now in the game L. van Foreest – Hakobyan, Saint Louis 2018, White gained a big advantage after 16...d5?! 17.Bg5!. Black can improve with 16...h6, but after 17.Qd3 or 17.d5 Bxe3 18.Rxe3 White still stands better. 12.bxc3 Re8 Here 12...Rb8 13.Be3 transposes to the last note (11...Rb8 12.Be3 bxc3). After: 12...h6 13.Be3 exd4 (13...Re8 transposes to the main line below) 14.cxd4:

Black has these options: a) 14...Nb4 15.d5 Bxe3 16.Rxe3 Nxa2 17.Rxa2² Black’s light-squared bishop is too severely cramped by the pawns. It’s no good playing 17...a5?! 18.Nd4 Bd7, as after 19.Nc3 a knight will go to b5. On 17...Rb8 White can play 18.Nc3, or 18.a5 straight away. b) 14...d5 15.e5 Ne4 16.Qb3 Be6 17.Nc3² This occurred in Roques – Gil, email 2016. Thanks to his good centre and more active bishops, White has a pleasant position. He will answer 17...Rb8 or 17...Ne7 with 18.Qa3. 13.Be3

13...h6 It’s difficult for Black to do without this move. This position could have been reached by a different move-order, such as 12...h6 13.Be3 Re8. Black has been playing the most natural moves up to here, so we will examine the position carefully. Alternatives to 13...h6 are: a) 13...a5 14.Bc4!? (White also gains a slight advantage with 14.Ng5 Re7 15.dxe5, followed by capturing on a7, exchanging queens and playing Na3) and now: a1) 14...Bd7 15.Qb3² It’s useful to place the queen on b3 before bringing the knight out. Now on 15...Qe7 White can play 16.Na3 or 16.Nbd2 Rab8 17.Bb5. The computer suggests instead 15...exd4!? 16.Bxf7† Kh8, but after 17.cxd4 White is better all the same. a2) 14...exd4 15.cxd4² And capturing the e4-pawn is dangerous: 15...Nxe4 is met by 16.Bd5 Bd7 17.Qc1, while on 15...Rxe4 White plays 16.Nc3 Re8 17.Nd5!, with an attack. Nor is Black helped by 15...Nb4 16.Nc3, threatening e4-e5. a3) 14...h6 15.Bb5 Bd7 16.d5² After the knight retreats to e7 or b8, White can exchange bishops on d7 and play c3-c4. b) 13...Rb8 14.Nbd2 exd4 (for 14...h6 see 13...h6 14.Nbd2 Rb8) 15.cxd4 Nb4 16.Bb1² White will subsequently bring his rook into play via a3. If 16...a5, then 17.Ra3 is a good reply. On 16...h6 White can again play Ra3, then push his pawn to a5. 14.Nbd2

At this point Black has a number of normal moves to choose from. In the case of 14...exd4 15.cxd4 Nb4 16.Bb1 a5, White can play 17.Ra3! with advantage. We will look at Black’s other moves more closely.

14...a5!? The main line. At first I thought Black was all right here, but then I managed to find a variation where White has a plus. Black’s alternatives are: a) 14...Na5, and now: a1) 15.Rb1 Be6 16.Qc2 Bxa2 17.Qxa2 occurred in Karjakin – Aronian, Saint Louis 2017. The evaluation is somewhere between “=” and “²”. a2) 15.Qc2N This move is more flexible than 15.Rb1; the point is that the rook can go from a1 to either b1 or d1. 15...Be6 (or 15...Bd7 16.Rab1 Bb6 17.g4!?‚ with the awkward threat of g4-g5; on 17...Nh7 or 17...Qc8, White can play 18.Kh2 and then strengthen his position with Rg1 or Qd3) 16.Bxe6 Rxe6 17.Rad1² White has deployed his forces conveniently in the centre and intends to direct his knight to f5 via h4. On 17...Nd7, a good continuation is 18.Qd3 Bb6 19.Nf1, heading for g3. b) 14...Rb8 15.a5! This move not only deprives the black knight of a5 but also frees the a4-square (for instance 15...Bb7 is well answered by 16.Qa4) so Black must try to undermine the centre. 15...exd4 16.cxd4 d5 (16...Nb4 17.Bb1²) 17.e5 Ne4

18.Rc1!? A formidable move that entails some tactical blows. 18...Nxa5?! (better is 18...Nb4 19.Bb1²) 19.Bxh6!± White is prepared to sacrifice a rook, but in return his advantage is near-decisive: b1) After 19...gxh6 20.Rxe4! dxe4 21.Nxe4 Kg7 22.Nf6 Black’s king position is too weak, and his pieces are scattered. b2) 19...Nxf2 doesn’t help either; 20.Qe2!, and after 20...Nxh3† 21.gxh3 gxh6 22.Kh1 White has a powerful attack and a huge plus. 15.Rc1! It’s important to place the rook on c1 so as to discourage Black from taking on d4. In the event of 15.Bc4 exd4 16.cxd4 Nb4 or 15.Rb1 exd4 16.Nxd4 Bd7, Black is OK.

15...Ba6 Or: 15...exd4 16.cxd4 Nb4 17.Bb1 Ba6 (17...Bb7 18.Bf4! gives White a large plus after 18...Qd7 19.e5, or 18...Bb6 19.Bg3 with the threat of Bh4) 18.d5² With d4-d5 White not only fixes the c7-pawn but frees d4 for his knight; for example, a good answer to 18...Bd3 is 19.Bxa7 Rxa7 20.Nd4.

16.Bb1 The bishop looked more active on a2, but by bolstering the e4-pawn White permits his knight to be manoeuvred to g3. He would gain nothing from 16.Nf1 exd4 17.cxd4 Nb4 18.Bb3 Bb7!?, or from 16.Nh4 exd4 17.cxd4 Nb4. I dare say 16.Bb3!?, removing the bishop from attack by ...Nb4 and planning g2-g4, might be worth considering. 16...Rb8 For 16...exd4 17.cxd4 Nb4, see 15...exd4 16.cxd4 Nb4. 17.Nf1 Rb2 Or 17...Bc4 18.Ng3 Bb3 19.Qd2!‚. Instead of playing the simple 19.Bc2, White takes aim at the king. Black is now in a dangerous position after either 19...Bxa4 20.Ba2 or 19...Nd7 20.Nh5. 18.Ng3 Bc4 19.Bc2 exd4 20.Nxd4 Ne5

21.Ra1!² With this last move White has freed c1 for his queen. There can follow 21...Bc5 22.Qc1 Rb6 23.Ngf5. Once White has moved his pieces up closer to the king, Black is in an unpleasant position. B22) 11.Bg5

One of the two moves that are of roughly equal value. Karjakin and Van Foreest, as we have seen, chose 11.d4!? (variation B21). Harikrishna and Ragger preferred the bishop move. It leads in all likelihood to a quieter, half-closed position, whereas 11.d4!? produces a dynamic one with a wealth of tactical nuances. Black now has two main options, B221) 11...h6 and B222) 11...Rb8. There is also 11...Be6, which is simplest. Then 12.Bd5 Bxd5 13.exd5 Ne7 isn’t so clear, but after 12.Nbd2 Bxa2 13.Rxa2 White can lay claim to an advantage. Moreover the position without light-squared bishops after 12.Bxe6 fxe6 13.Nbd2 Rb8 14.Rc1 bxc3 15.bxc3 h6 16.Be3 Bxe3 17.Rxe3² is pleasant for White. We must bear in mind, however, that exchanging on e6 is less good if the moves ...h7-h6 and Bh4 have been inserted. B221) 11...h6

12.Bh4 g5 On 12...Be6?! White plays 13.Bd5 Bxd5 14.exd5. With the black pawn on h7 and the white bishop on g5, the position would be unclear! But now Black cannot solve his problems with ...Ne7, owing to the h6 weakness: 14...Ne7 15.Bxf6 gxf6 16.Nh4± The difference is that with the pawn on h7, Black could take on d5 and meet Nf5 safely with ...Kh8. Now, however, after 16...Nxd5? 17.Nf5, White wins by force. White must now choose between B2211) 13.Bg3 and B2212) 13.Nxg5!?. The knight sacrifice is very interesting, and we shall presently see where it can lead, but we will start with the less dramatic move. B2211)13.Bg3

The simple move, by which White wishes to secure a small plus. 13...Be6 14.Nbd2 Bxa2 15.Rxa2 Rb8 16.Nf1 White has supported his bishop on g3 and aims to proceed with d3-d4 or reposition his rook from a2 to c1. The immediate 16.Ra1 is worse on account of 16...Nh5!?, as Nxe5 in reply isn’t so good. After the text move, 16...Re8 or 16...Qd7 will be met by 17.Ra1. Overall White is slightly better. B2212) 13.Nxg5!?

13...hxg5 14.Bxg5 Kg7 15.Qf3 Rh8 By covering the h4-square, Black is ready to play ...Kg6. If White then replies h3-h4, the manoeuvre ...Bg4 Qg3 ...Qd7 will be available. White must therefore target the knight on c6, so that after ...Kg6 and h3-h4 Black will be unable to play ...Bg4. White meets 15...Be6?! with 16.Bd5±. Then 16...Bxd5 17.exd5 Nb8 18.Nd2 is bad for Black. For 15...Rb8 16.Bd5 Bd7 17.Nd2 Rh8, see the main line below.

16.Bd5 Bd7 17.Nd2 Rb8 Not 17...Kg6?! 18.h4±. 18.Rad1 One of several playable moves; 18.Rac1 is also interesting, and so is 18.Rec1!?, but that is definitely not the main line and there is no need for all the moves to be studied. 18...Qe7 The most logical move; Black wants to bring his knight round via d8 to e6. He could try giving up the exchange with 18...Rh6 19.Bxh6† Kxh6, but after 20.Nf1 or 20.Nc4 White is better. Inaction is also dangerous – after 18...Rh7?! 19.d4! exd4 20.Bxc6 Bxc6 21.cxd4 White has a big advantage. Surprisingly, 18...Kg6 19.h4 Bg4 is not bad here. After 20.Qg3 Black holds the position with 20...Qc8! 21.Bxf6 Kxf6 22.Bxc6 Ke7!. 19.d4

19...exd4 Not 19...Nxd5?! 20.Bxe7 Ndxe7 21.d5±. 20.e5 Nxe5 21.Qg3

21...Rbg8 The only move. On 21...Kf8 White simply plays 22.cxd4 Bxd4 23.Ne4 with a decisive plus. Against 21...Nh5 he wins with the pretty 22.Bf6† Kxf6 23.Qh4†. 22.Ne4 After 22.Bxf6†?? Kxf6 23.Ne4† Kf5 the threats are at an end. On the other hand 22.cxd4!? would merit attention, but we have come quite a long way already, so let’s only examine 22.Ne4. 22...Nxe4 Rather a crazy move is 22...Nh5!?, and yet it enables Black to hold out: 23.Bxe7† (or 23.Bf6† Kh6 24.Qxg8 Rxg8÷; seeing that after White captures on e7, Black has the resource ...Nf3†, the position remains unclear) 23...Nxg3 24.Bf6† Kf8 25.Nxg3 At this point, after 25...Rh6 26.Bxe5 dxe5 27.cxb4, White would have a large plus. The correct line for Black is 25...bxc3! 26.Bxh8 Rxh8 27.bxc3 dxc3. After 28.Ne4 White will pick up the c-pawn, but with precise play Black can draw. In the event of 22...Kf8 23.Nxf6 Qxf6 24.Bxf6 Rxg3 25.cxd4 Rhxh3 26.dxe5± Black can’t double on the h-file because the bishop on f6 is controlling the important squares. On 26...Rh6 White continues with 27.a5 followed by Rc1. 23.Rxe4

23...Nf3†! The only move. 23...Qe8 24.cxd4 is hopeless, while in reply to 23...f6? there is an attractive mating idea: 24.Bh6† Kh7 25.Bg7!+– And Black can resign. Interestingly, White’s strongest reply to 25...f5 is 26.Rd3!, though the simple 26.Rh4† also wins. 24.gxf3 Qxg5 25.Qxg5† Kf8÷ At the end of it all, Black comes out the exchange down – but thanks to his powerful bishops he has enough compensation. After 26.h4!? he will still need to play with some accuracy to achieve a decent position, but the most difficult moves are behind him.

The computer advises White to play 13.Bg3 with a small plus, but to me it seems that 13.Nxg5!? is much more dangerous, and finding the best defence over-the-board is very hard. B222) 11...Rb8

12.Nbd2 h6 On 12...Be6 White can choose between 13.Bc4 and 13.Bxe6 fxe6 14.Rc1, with transpositions to other variations. 13.Bh4 Be6 Or 13...g5 14.Bg3 Be6 15.Bc4, transposing. 14.Bc4 With his bishop on h4, White no longer wants to take on e6. Against 14.Bd5 Black has the good move 14...g5!. Then after 15.Bxc6 gxh4 the position is unclear, while the variation 15.Nxg5 Nxd5 16.exd5 Bxd5 17.Qh5 may end in perpetual check.

14...g5 Or: a) 14...a5, and now: a1) 15.Bb5 Ne7÷ The game Ragger – Georgiadis, Switzerland 2018, continued 16.Bxf6 gxf6 with a complex position. Possibly 16.d4 is a slight improvement, but Black is then able to play 16...c6 and place his knight on g6. a2) 15.Rc1!N It’s better if White doesn’t hurry with Bb5 but simply improves his position. 15...Ne7 (or 15...g5 16.Bg3²; the insertion of the moves 14...a5 15.Rc1 is to White’s benefit) 16.Bxe6 fxe6 17.Nc4 Ng6 18.Bg3² Black now has problems with his a5pawn. White should answer 18...bxc3 with 19.bxc3. Against 18...Nh5 he should not withdraw his bishop but play 19.Kh2, after which Black cannot develop an attack on the kingside. b) 14...Bxc4 15.Nxc4 Re8 (or 15...g5?! 16.Nxg5 hxg5 17.Bxg5±; White will play Qf3 next, and Black will have trouble finding moves) 16.Ne3 Bxe3 (with the knight on e3 it would be wholly bad to play 16...g5?, on account of 17.Nxg5 winning; but after this

exchange White has a clear plus) 17.Rxe3² 15.Bg3 In this position, if White captures with 15.Nxg5?! he risks being left a piece down without compensation: 15...hxg5 16.Bxg5 Kh7 17.Qf3 Kg6µ With his bishop on e6, Black is covering the important f5-square. On 18.Bh4 he continues 18...Rh8 19.Qg3† Kh7, threatening ...Nh5.

15...Bxc4N This is the right moment for Black to exchange bishops, in spite of allowing White to station his knight on c4. Let’s also look at some other continuations: a) Harikrishna – Mamedyarov, Geneva 2017, went: 15...Na5?! 16.Bxe6! (Mamedyarov was probably counting on 16.Bxa6 Nh5, with partial compensation for the pawn; however, with the black knight removed to a5, White has the chance to carry out d3-d4 and shut off the bishop on a7) 16...fxe6 17.d4 bxc3 18.bxc3 Nh5 19.Bh2± Now on 19...Nf4 White has 20.Bxf4 Rxf4 21.Qe2 with a large plus. b) 15...a5 16.Bb5 Ne7 17.d4 bxc3 18.bxc3² If White manages to play d3-d4 and confine Black’s bishop on a7, he nearly always has the advantage. c) 15...Qc8 16.d4!? Quite an interesting idea. After exchanges on c4, White will have play on the c-file. In addition, the weakening with ...g7-g5 is more palpable in an open position. There can follow: c1) 16...bxc3 17.bxc3 exd4 18.cxd4 (18.Rc1!?) 18...Nxd4 19.Rc1² With more than enough compensation for the pawn. c2) 16...exd4 17.cxd4 Nxd4 18.e5 (18.Rc1!?) 18...Nf5 19.Bh2 dxe5 20.Bxe5² Despite being a pawn down, White has an appreciable plus, thanks to his active pieces and Black’s weakened king position. In the event of 20...Bxc4 21.Nxc4 Rd8 22.Qb3 Nd7, he has the strong move 23.Qc2!. Then 23...Nxe5?! 24.Ncxe5 is bad for Black, but on 23...Nc5 White plays 24.Ne3 threatening Ng4; and following an exchange on e3 he keeps a decent advantage. 16.Nxc4 Re8

17.h4 It’s very useful to force ...g5-g4 before redirecting the knight.

The immediate 17.Nh2 Qd7 18.Nf1 Ne7 is less clear. With his pawn on g5, Black will be able to abandon the f5-square while manoeuvring his knight to f4. 17...g4 Or 17...Nh5 18.Nfxe5 Nxe5 19.Bxe5 dxe5 20.Qxh5². Now after 20...bxc3 21.bxc3, capturing on d3 is bad on account of 22.Ne3. Black must play 21...Qf6 instead; then White has the advantage after either 22.Ne3 or 22.Qf3!?. 18.Nfd2 Qd7 If 18...d5?! then 19.exd5 Qxd5 20.Ne4±. In this variation we notice the usefulness of interpolating h3-h4 ...g5-g4. White’s simplest reply to 20...Re6 is 21.Qe2 followed by Rad1. 19.Nf1²

Owing to the weakened square f5 and the pawn on g4, Black has certain difficulties. On 19...Ne7 White has 20.Qd2 Kh7 21.d4 with a pleasant advantage. Against moves like 19...Kh7 he can simply bring his knight out to e3. If 19...Qe6, then 20.Rc1!? is not bad – White aims to take on b4 in the right circumstances. There can follow 20...bxc3 21.bxc3 Ne7 22.Nfe3 with a plus. In general terms, after bringing his knight to e3 White has the plan of Kh2 and f2-f3. In addition Black must be on his guard against an opportune d3-d4. Conclusion This chapter covered two options after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.0-0 a6 7.a4 Ba7 8.Re1 0-0 9.h3: 9...Be6 and 9...b5. 9...Be6 has been seen at the top level, but mostly in rapid or blitz events. If White plays 10.Nbd2, then instead of 10...h6 Black can reply 10...Nh5!? with an unclear position. Hence capturing the bishop on e6 is simpler. Then in contrast to the variation 9...h6 10.Nbd2 Be6 11.Bxe6 fxe6, White is able to play an immediate Be3 in order to exchange off the dark-squared bishops and reduce Black’s attacking potential. Thanks to his better pawn structure, White should have a small but stable plus. The variation with 9...b5 is rarely seen in games with a standard time control; it has also mostly been played in rapid or blitz games. Black’s active pawn move weakens his queenside slightly, and any advantages of the advanced pawn are not especially noticeable. White can withdraw his bishop to b3 or a2. The latter idea is the one I like better, as Black cannot then play ...Na5 with gain of tempo. After 10.Ba2 b4 White has two moves of approximately equal merit: 11.Bg5 or the immediate 11.d4. In either case he has a good chance of obtaining a plus.

A) 11...Ba7 167 A1) 12.Bb2 167 A2) 12.Nf1N d5 13.exd5 Nxd5 14.Bd2 f6 15.d4 Bf7 16.Ng3 exd4 170 A21) 17.Nh4!? 171 A22) 17.cxd4 172 B) 11...d5 174 B1) 12.exd5 174 B2) 12.Bb5!?N 176 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.0-0 a6 7.a4 h6 8.Re1 0-0 9.h3

This position can arise from various move-orders, so I decided it had to be studied without fail. Unlike the previous five chapters, Black has not yet committed his bishop to a7. Sometimes White tries to be clever by playing 9.Nbd2 with the intention of answering 9...Ba7 with 10.h3, thus avoiding the 9...a5 variation. But many players like to play h2-h3 earlier, and in any case the 9...a5 line isn’t so unpleasant that ways to avoid it have to be discovered.

9...a5!? This was first played by Grischuk in the 2017 World Cup. It’s rather odd that Black should reach this position by moving his a-pawn twice, but the tempo proves to be of no great significance. 10.Nbd2 Alternatively: a) 10.d4 Bb6 11.Be3 exd4 12.cxd4 d5 13.exd5 Nxd5 14.Bxd5 Qxd5 15.Nc3 Qd8= was played in Aronian – Anand, Saint Louis 2019. I examined a similar position in the variation with 9...Kh8 (see Chapter 8, variation A1), and White was slightly better there, but with his pawn on a5 Black is all right. b) 10.Na3 Be6

And now: b1) 11.Bb5!? is interesting, though I doubt if White can acquire a plus. There can follow 11...Ne7 12.d4; or 11...Ba7 12.Be3 Bxe3 13.Rxe3; or 11...Na7 12.Be3 Bxe3 13.Rxe3 Nxb5 14.axb5 c6 15.c4. b2) 11.Bxe6 fxe6 12.Nc2 Bb6= occurred in Caruana – Karjakin, Saint Louis 2019. White didn’t manage to advance his queenside pawns. Moreover the knight on c2 is not ideally placed. 10...Be6 11.b3 In my view this gives a much better chance of advantage than the more popular 11.Bb5. Other moves present Black with no problems at all. In any case we should note that in such positions there are often 3 or 4 normal moves available, so examining absolutely every one of them in detail will not be possible. Carlsen – So, Saint Louis 2019, saw: 11.Bb5 Na7 12.d4 Nxb5 13.dxc5 (13.axb5 exd4 14.Nxd4 Re8= was Giri – Anand, Wijk aan Zee 2019) 13...Na7 14.b3 Re8 15.cxd6 Qxd6 16.Ba3 c5 17.Nc4 (17.Qe2 b6÷ occurred in Vachier-Lagrave – Karjakin, Saint Louis 2018) 17...Qxd1 18.Raxd1 Bxc4 19.bxc4÷ Black now continued with 19...b6?! and obtained an unpleasant position. But with 19...Rac8 or 19...Nc8!? 20.Bxc5 Ra6 he would be OK, and after that game hardly anyone will be able to spring a surprise with this variation.

We now consider both A) 11...Ba7 and B) 11...d5. And also: a) 11...Ne7 12.d4 For some reason the computer underestimates the d-pawn’s advance and considers at first that Black is all right. 12...exd4 13.cxd4 Bb4 14.d5 Bd7 15.Bb2 Ng6 16.Qc2² White will continue with Rad1 followed by exchanging the dark-squared bishops, or with Re3 so as to bring his knight to f1. b) 11...Bxc4 12.bxc4 and White has a pleasant position. c) If 11...Re8, then 12.Bb5 Bd7 13.Bb2 is quite good. d) On 11...Nh5 12.Nf1 Qf6 White can play 13.Ra2!?. Then 13...g5? fails to 14.Nxg5!, while a good reply to 13...Nf4 is 14.Bxf4! followed by d3-d4. A) 11...Ba7 Now White has two options to choose from: A1) 12.Bb2 or A2) 12.Nf1N. A1) 12.Bb2

12...Nh5!?N I believe this move deserves to be the main line, even though it has not been played yet. A highly complex position now arises, demanding accurate play from both sides. And although White’s chances are slightly better, I realize that this type of game is not to everyone’s taste; for that reason I also studied the quieter 12.Nf1 (variation A2). After 12...Ne7 there can follow:

a) 13.Nf1 Ng6 14.Ng3 This occurred in Maghsoodloo – Petrosyan, Abu Dhabi 2019, and White obtained a small plus. However, after 14...c6! the position would have remained unclear. The following line, in which White waits for ...Ng6 then carries out d3-d4, is therefore more astute: b) 13.Rc1!? Ng6 14.d4 White has kept the f1-square free for his bishop and acquired a slight edge. If now 14...Nf4, then 15.Bf1 is quite good. Or if Black plays 14...exd4 15.cxd4 d5, White has 16.e5! Nh5 17.Bf1. He can then play Ba3 and proceed with b2-b4. 13.d4 Nf4 Or 13...exd4 14.cxd4.

And now: a) 14...Nf4? 15.d5+– Once the diagonal of the b2-bishop has been opened, Black’s play with ...Nf4 loses all its point. On 15...Bxh3 White can even capture with 16.dxc6. b) After 14...Nb4 15.d5 Bd7 White has a clear advantage and the option of continuing with 16.e5!?. c) 14...d5 The most logical move. 15.exd5 Bxd5

16.Ba3 The most forthright continuation (although 16.Ne4 also gives a small plus, the wish to pick up the exchange is only human). 16...Bxc4 17.Bxf8 (17.Nxc4!?) 17...Be6! (better than 17...Bd5?! 18.Bc5 Bxc5 19.dxc5 Nf4 20.Ne4±; in this position, unlike the one with the bishop on e6, Black can neither exchange on d1 nor play ...Nd3) 18.Bc5 Bxc5 (18...Nf4? 19.Bxa7±) 19.dxc5 Nf4 If White now plays 20.Ne4, then after 20...Qxd1 21.Rexd1 Bxb3 the reply 22.Rdb1 doesn’t work because the knight on e4 is undefended. But after 20.Nf1!² the best line for Black is 20...Nd3 21.Re3 Nxc5 22.Qc2, leaving White with a stable plus. 14.d5 If White wants to acquire something, he must go forward. In the event of 14.Nf1 exd4 15.cxd4 d5 Black has a comfortable position.

14...Bxh3 On 14...Qf6?! White plays: 15.Kh2! (a mistake would be 15.dxe6?! Qg6, with an unclear position; Black can meet Nh4 with ...Qg3) 15...Qg6 16.Nh4 Qf6 17.g3± Although the pawns on f2 and h3 are en prise, Black’s attack isn’t so terrible, and he is losing a piece. Against 17...Bxf2 or 17...Nxh3, White plays 18.dxe6 and wins. In the case of 17...Bxh3 he continues 18.dxc6 Bxf2 19.Ndf3!, with a big advantage. 15.g3 Not 15.dxc6? Nxg2µ. The queen will shortly join the attack, and White will be in a bad way.

15...Ng2! Now in the case of 16.dxc6 Nxe1, Black has the material equivalent for two pieces. If you have a think, you may well decide that White can move his rook instead, play Kh2 next, then win a piece. Yet it isn’t all so simple... A move that looks quite interesting is 15...Qf6. Black sacrifices a piece for two pawns, and it isn’t obvious what White is to do about the threat of ...Qg6. There can follow: 16.dxc6 bxc6 (16...Qg6 17.Nf1±) 17.Kh2! (better than 17.Bf1 Qg6, after which White has less advantage than he would like) 17...Bxf2 18.gxf4 White now has a large material plus; all that remains is to satisfy ourselves that Black’s attack will soon come to a halt: 18...Qg6 (18...Qxf4† 19.Kh1±) 19.Rg1 Qh5 20.Kh1

20...d5 (or 20...Bxg1 21.Qxg1±, and on 21...d5 White will play 22.exd5 cxd5 23.Bb5!) 21.Nh2!± Following the exchange of queens and ...d5xc4, White continues 23.f5! cxb3 24.Ba3 with a big advantage. Formally Black has three pawns for a piece, but in view of the doubled c-pawns and the weak a5-pawn he has a bad position. 16.Re2 I like this move better than moving the rook to f1. With his rook on f1 White can preserve the f2-pawn, but it costs him time to arrange his pieces more effectively: 16.Rf1 Ne7 17.Kh2 Qd7 18.Ng1 And now: a) 18...Nf4 is inferior: 19.gxf4 Bxf1 20.Bxf1!? with an appreciable plus. b) 18...Bxf2? 19.Nxh3± is worse still: 19...Ne3 20.Qe2 Nxf1† 21.Nxf1 And after the black bishop retreats, White will play g2-g4! preventing ...f7-f5; he will then transfer his knight to g3. c) 18...Ne3! is the one way for Black to obtain a viable game: 19.fxe3 Bxf1 20.Nxf1÷ In contrast to the 16.Re2 variation, White has retained the pawn on e3 but his pieces are awkwardly placed. After 20...f5 21.exf5 the position is wholly unclear. 16...Ne7 17.Kh2 Qd7 18.Ng1 Bxf2! In the event of 18...Ne3?! 19.Rxe3!± White has a big advantage after 19...Bxe3 20.Nxh3 or 19...Bg4 20.Qe1. 19.Nxh3 Ne3

20.Rxe3 Taking the knight is best. On 20.Qc1, the continuation 20...Ng4† 21.Kg2 Ba7 is unpleasant for White; while after 20.Qb1 he would have to reckon with 20...Bxg3†!?. 20...Bxe3 21.Bd3

Black has a rook and two pawns for two pieces, but his rooks are short of space; hence White’s game is much more pleasant to play. Black’s best move is probably 21...f5, to which White replies 22.exf5. Now on 22...Nxf5 White has the good continuation 23.Nc4 Bc5 24.Qg4. If instead Black plays 22...Bxd2 23.Qxd2 Nxf5, White can reply 24.Qe2 with the possibility of stationing his queen on e4. A2) 12.Nf1N

If White wants to avoid the great complications stemming from 12.Bb2 Nh5, this move enables him to reach a rather quieter position. 12...d5 Black makes use of the fact that the c3-pawn will be en prise after he recaptures with ...Nxd5. White can answer 12...Re8 with either 13.Ng3 or 13.Bb5!?. On 12...Ne7 he can play 13.Ba3 Ng6 14.d4. In each case he has a slight edge. 13.exd5 Nxd5 14.Bd2 Better than 14.Qc2 Qf6÷. The difference is that Black can then answer 15.N1h2 with 15...Qg6!, whereupon 16.Nxe5?! Nxe5 17.Rxe5 Rae8! gives him the advantage. 14...f6 In this case, on 14...Qf6 White has 15.N1h2 followed by Ng4 with a plus. After 14...Qd6 15.Qe2, Black has to play 15...f6 all the same. Then 16.Rad1 gives White a slight edge. 15.d4 Bf7 16.Ng3 exd4

Now White has to consider A21) 17.Nh4!? and A22) 17.cxd4.

The other recapture, 17.Nxd4, is weaker on account of 17...Nxc3!. A21) 17.Nh4!?

A very interesting move, but it leads to a position that is even more bewildering than in variation A1 (12.Bb2 Nh5 13.d4 Nf4 14.d5). Therefore 17.cxd4, which is less complicated, may be regarded as the main line. 17...Ne5! Or: a) 17...dxc3 18.Bxh6 Now instead of 18...gxh6? 19.Qg4†+–, Black has the faintly crazy move 18...Bxf2†!?. The idea is that after 19.Kxf2 Ndb4 he has the opportunity to answer 20.Qg4 with 20...Qd4†, exchanging queens. But instead with precise play White obtains a large plus: 20.Bxf7† Rxf7 21.Qh5! And after 21...Nd3† 22.Kg1 Nxe1 23.Rxe1 Re7 24.Rf1! he remains well on top. On 24...Qe8 a good continuation is 25.Qd5† Qf7 26.Qd3!. b) 17...Nde7?! 18.Bxh6 Bxc4 19.Bxg7‚ and now 19...Kxg7? is unplayable owing to 20.Ngf5† with a mating attack. White is also much better after 19...dxc3?! 20.Qg4 Qd4 21.Re4!. Black’s best move is 19...Rf7, but after 20.Bh6 and the retreat of the black bishop, White plays c3-c4, retaining a considerable plus.

18.Bxh6 In the event of 18.Ngf5 Nxc3 the position is completely unclear; there is no need to give variations in support of this judgement. 18...Nxc3 Not 18...gxh6? 19.Ngf5; White threatens Rxe5, and 19...Nxc3 loses to 20.Qh5!. Another dangerous line is 18...dxc3 19.Bxg7!. On 19...Kxg7 White plays 20.Nhf5† and Qc1. 19.Qh5 Nd5

20.Rxe5! The availability of this resource justifies the Bxh6 strike. Now after 20...fxe5? 21.Qg4 Qf6 22.Bg5 Black would have a hopeless position, so he must take the queen. 20...Bxh5 21.Rxd5 Bf7 22.Rxd8 Rfxd8 The ending that has now come about is not so easy to evaluate, but I think White is slightly better nonetheless. A22) 17.cxd4

We have seen that 17.Nh4!? deserves attention, but I promised you that 12.Nf1 would lead to a quieter position than 12.Bb2... 17...Nxd4 The principal continuation. After 17...Qd7 18.Bb5 Bb6 19.Nh4 White would gain the advantage. In the case of: 17...Re8 18.Nf5 Qd7 (the alternatives are hardly better: 18...Kh8 19.Rxe8† Qxe8 20.N3h4 with the initiative, or 18...Rxe1† 19.Qxe1 with an edge) 19.Rxe8† Rxe8 20.N3h4 The initiative is with White. Black will probably succeed in extinguishing it gradually, but to do this is not so simple. Thus 20...Kh7?! is not very good in view of 21.Bd3 g6 22.Rc1! with a dangerous attack. The correct course is 20...h5! 21.Qf3 Nxd4 22.Nxd4 Bxd4 23.Rd1, though after picking up the pawn on a5 White will still have pressure. Black cannot support that pawn with 23...Bb6? 24.Be3+–; similarly 23...b6?! 24.Bh6! gives White a large plus.

18.Nxd4 From the practical viewpoint, 18.Rc1!? sets Black more problems – but if he makes a couple of precise moves, the worst is behind him: 18...Nc6! (after 18...Nxf3†?! 19.Qxf3 White is much better, while 18...c5? 19.Nxd4 cxd4 20.Bxh6 leads to an utterly hopeless position for Black) 19.Nf5 Nde7! With an approximately equal ending after 20.Nxe7† Nxe7 21.Bxa5 or an unclear position after 20.N3h4!?. 18...Bxd4 19.Qg4 Or 19.Bxh6 Bxa1 20.Qg4, transposing. There is hardly any improvement in 19.Rc1 Nb6! 20.Nf5 Nxc4 21.bxc4 Bg6!?, with a roughly equal position. 19...Bxa1 20.Bxh6 Or 20.Nf5 g6 21.Nxh6† Kh7©. After 22.Nxf7 Rxf7 23.Rxa1 White has enough compensation for the exchange, but no more. 20...g6 Not 20...f5?! 21.Nxf5±.

21.Bxf8 Quite an interesting idea is: 21.Rxa1!? Re8 (on 21...c6 White can stubbornly refrain from taking on f8 and play 22.Rd1, intending to capture with Bxd5) 22.Rd1 c6 23.Bd3 And now: a) If Black plays 23...Kh7, then in answer to 24.Bc1 (threatening Qh5†) he has nothing better than 24...Re5 25.Bb2 Qe7!, after which White will have somewhat the more pleasant game with level material. b) However, Black has 23...f5!?, and if White plays 24.Nxf5 Nf6 25.Qf4 the game may end in repetition with 25...Nh5 26.Qg4 Nf6. On the other hand after 24.Bxf5 Nf6! the position is wholly unclear. 21...Kxf8 22.Rxa1

As Black’s king position has been to some extent weakened, White is a shade better. Against 22...c6, quite a good idea is 23.Rd1, so that after Bxd5 Black won’t be able to recapture with the queen but must play ...cxd5. On 22...f5 White can continue 23.Qe2 Qd6 24.Rc1, with the aim of redirecting his knight from g3 or worrying Black with moves like Qd2 or Qb2. B) 11...d5

Anand chose this move in a game with Ding Liren. To all appearances the pawn move had been analysed in advance. White now has two directions: B1) 12.exd5 and B2) 12.Bb5!?N. B1) 12.exd5 This leads to a very complicated position, and although the computer considers that Black is OK, it would be very hard to find your bearings over the board. For that reason we are examining this line in addition to 12.Bb5. 12...Nxd5 13.Ne4 A game Bescys Anzano – Korze, corr. 2018, saw 13.Qc2 Re8 14.Ne4 Bf8÷. After some analysis I came to the conclusion that Black has no problems here. 13...Bb6 14.Ra2!? This move was selected by Ding Liren in his game against Anand (we shall presently try to improve a little on that game). White hardly does any better with 14.Bd2 f5 15.Ng3 Qd6, giving an unclear position. 14...f5

15.Rd2!?N This gives chances of a plus – but with precise play by Black, the situation remains unclear and is difficult to analyse owing to the large number of plausible moves. I will try giving some variations, but essentially the position needs testing in practice. The try 15.Neg5 doesn’t work: 15...hxg5 16.Nxg5 Qd7! with a good position for Black. The game Ding Liren – Anand, Wijk aan Zee 2019, saw 15.Ng3, which led to exchanges and simplification: 15...Qf6 (15...Nxc3 16.Bxe6† Kh8 17.Qd2 Nxa2 18.Qxa2÷ gives a complex game in which White’s chances are just a little better) 16.Nxe5 (16.Nh5 Qf7 17.Nxe5 comes to the same thing) 16...Nxe5 17.Nh5 Qf7 18.Rxe5 Nxc3 With a roughly equal ending after 19.Rxe6 (as played) or 19.Bxe6.

15...Qe7 Creating the threat of ...fxe4 and winning the pawn on c3. Alternatively: a) 15...Nf4?! isn’t very good: 16.Ng3, and now 16...Qd6 is met by 17.Nh4, while on 16...Qf6 White plays 17.Rb2! with a large plus. b) After 15...Qc8 16.Ng3 Nxc3 17.Qc2 Nd5 18.Ba3 White seizes the initiative, seeing that 18...Ndb4?! 19.Bxb4 Nxb4 20.Qc1 leaves him well on top. c) It would be worth considering 15...Re8!? 16.Qc2 Nf4 17.Ng3 Qf6 18.Rdd1 Nd5; White has redeployed his rook on d1, but the position remains unclear. 16.Ng3 Nxc3 17.Qc2

17...Nd5 For 17...f4 18.Nf1 (18.Nh5 Nd5 19.d4 can lead by force to a drawish ending after 19...Rae8 20.Qg6 Qf7) 18...Nd5 19.Bb2, see the note to Black’s 18th. 18.Bb2 Ndb4 After 18...f4 19.Nf1 Ndb4 20.Qb1 Rae8 21.Nxe5 Nxe5 22.Rxe5, White has a certain amount of pressure. On 22...Qf7, a good move is 23.Nh2; against 22...Qd7, White can play 23.Qd1. 19.Qb1 Bxc4 The most natural move in human terms, although the computer also suggests others – for example 19...Bd5!? 20.Bxe5 (20.Nxe5 Qg5!) 20...Qf7 with an unclear position. In addition 19...f4 20.Nf1, transposing into the note to Black’s 18th, is not so bad – unlike 19...Qf7?! 20.Nxe5 Nxe5 21.Rxe5, which gives White a large plus. 20.dxc4

We have arrived in a complex situation where Black has a choice of three moves. Two of them lead to bad positions; the third enables him to draw with correct play. 20...Rad8! Black’s other moves are: a) 20...f4 21.Nf5 Qf6 The only move (not 21...Qf7? 22.Nxg7+– with a decisive attack after 22...Qxg7 23.Nxe5 Nxe5 24.Rxe5; nor is 22...Rad8 any help, in view of 23.Nxe5 winning). 22.Nxg7 Rad8! (22...Qxg7? 23.Nxe5 Nxe5 24.Rxe5+–) 23.Rxd8 Rxd8 24.Rxe5‚ After his exchange sacrifice, White will have a dangerous attack. Against 24...Bxf2† he must play 25.Kf1. b) 20...e4 21.Nxe4 fxe4 22.Rxe4 Qf7 23.Rg4‚ After Black’s only move, 23...Rad8, White will play 24.Bxg7 and obtain queen and

two pawns for three pieces. Given Black’s open king, this will amount to quite an advantage. 21.Nxf5

21...Qf7 Alternatively: a) 21...Qf6?! is not very good: 22.Rxd8 Rxd8 23.Bxe5 And White comes out a pawn up with a large plus. b) On 21...Qe6, the continuation 22.Nxg7!? Kxg7 23.Rxd8 Rxd8 24.Nxe5 is interesting. Black can then draw by making the only move at every turn: 24...Bd4! (not 24...Nd4? 25.Re4+–) 25.Nxc6 Qxc6 26.Re3 Qf6! 27.Rf3 Qe6 With repetition of moves after Re3. 22.Rxd8 Rxd8 23.Nxe5 Nxe5 24.Rxe5 Nd3 25.Qd1 Bxf2† 26.Kh2

White threatens Re7. By rights the game should end in a draw by perpetual check after 26...Rd7 27.Nxh6† gxh6 28.Qg4† Kh7 29.Qe4† Qg6 30.Re7†. Another variation is 26...Bd4 27.Nxh6† gxh6 28.Qg4† Qg7 29.Qe6†, whereupon Black’s only move is 29...Qf7. And from the practical viewpoint – although White has no advantage if Black plays accurately – it would be very difficult to keep on finding the best moves. B2) 12.Bb5!?N

White wants to preserve a stable pawn structure and acquire a slight plus. Anyone who likes more complex positions can study variation B1 (12.exd5) instead. 12...dxe4 Other possibilities are: a) 12...Na7?! In some variations Black can trap the bishop on b5, but in this case it doesn’t work. 13.Nxe5 c6 14.exd5 Nxd5 15.Bc4 Nxc3 16.Qh5‚ Because his knight on a7 is out of play, Black has serious problems. b) 12...Ne7!? With the same idea as ...Na7, only on e7 the knight is much more useful. 13.exd5 (13.Nxe5 c6 14.d4 Bxd4! is less clear)

13...Nexd5 (or 13...Nfxd5 14.Ne4 Bb6 15.Ba3² with a nice initiative; 15...f5 doesn’t help, as after 16.Nc5 Bxc5 17.Bxc5 Nxc3 18.Qc2 Nxb5 19.Rxe5! White is on top) 14.Qc2 c6 15.Bc4 Re8 16.Nxe5 Nxc3 17.Nef3² Since his bishop on c5 is unprotected, Black can’t withdraw his knight to d5 or play ...Bxc4. There only remains 17...Bb4 18.Bxe6, and the position with a black pawn on e6 will be pleasant for White. c) 12...Bd6 13.Bb2 (clearer than 13.exd5 Nxd5 14.Ne4 f5 15.Nxd6 cxd6÷) 13...Na7 (in this case 13...Ne7 is worse, as White plays exd5 and then captures the e5-pawn; in the event of 13...dxe4 14.dxe4 Na7 White obtains an improved version of the main line below, as the insertion of Bb2 and ...Bd6 is to his benefit) 14.Nxe5!? (after 14.exd5 Nxd5, the capture 15.Nxe5 isn’t very good in view of 15...Nxb5 16.axb5 Nf4; instead 15.Ne4!? would give chances of an advantage, but to me 14.Nxe5 looks more interesting).

And now: c1) 14...dxe4 15.d4 Nxb5 16.axb5² Now in the event of 16...Bf5 (if 16...Re8, then 17.c4 Bb4 18.Re3 is quite good) White has 17.Nf1!? Bxe5 18.dxe5 Qxd1 19.Rexd1, with Ng3 to follow. c2) 14...Nxb5 15.axb5 Bxe5 16.exd5 Nxd5 (16...Qxd5?! 17.c4 Qxd3 18.Bxe5±) 17.Rxe5 Nf4 Now 18.Re3 Nxd3 19.Ba3 Re8 20.Ne4 Nf4 looks less clear than 18.d4!². In the latter case, after 18...Nd3 19.Re3 Nxb2 20.Qc2, Black can pick up the pawn on b5 with his queen, but White will be able to arrange his pawns on c4 and d5. 13.dxe4 White gains nothing from 13.Nxe4 Nxe4 14.Rxe4÷; in spite of his weak pawn on e5, Black has counterplay. Apart from 14...Qf6 he may play 14...Bd5!? 15.Bxc6 bxc6! 16.Rxe5 Rb8, after which White has difficulty defending his b3-pawn; 17.Rb1 is not good in view of the manoeuvre 17...Qf6 18.d4 Qg6!.

13...Na7 Or 13...Nd7, and now: a) White would like to reposition his knight via the c4-square. But if he plays 14.Nc4, then apart from ...Qf6 Black has 14...Nb6!?, leading to an almost equal ending after 15.Bxc6 Qxd1. Instead 15.Qe2 gives chances of an advantage. b) White also has chances of a plus after 14.Bc4 Qf6 15.Qc2. c) 14.Nf1 Qf6 (or 14...Nb6 15.Qc2 Qf6 16.N1h2 followed by Ng4, with a little pressure; similar positions can arise from “c2” or “c3” below) 15.Ne3

With his knight on this square, White has a promising position: c1) It’s important that against 15...Qg6 White has 16.Nf5!. Then after 16...Bxf5 (16...Qf6 17.g4!?²) 17.Nh4, a mistake would be 17...Qg3? 18.Nxf5 Qxf2† 19.Kh2; with the knight on d7 en prise and Rf1 threatened, Black’s position would be hopeless. c2) On 15...Rad8 White can play 16.Ng4 Qe7 17.Qc2 with a slight edge. c3) The computer suggests 15...Rfd8!? which frees the f8-square, but after 16.Ng4 Qe7 17.Qc2 White’s position is slightly more pleasant all the same. 14.Bf1 After 14.Nxe5 Nxb5 15.axb5 Qd6„ it’s hard to tell who is fighting for an advantage. 14...Nc6 15.Qc2 Nh5 16.Nc4 Qf6 17.Be3

17...Bxe3 The most natural move. The computer also suggests the sly 17...Be7!?. Then in the event of 18.Rad1 Bxh3 19.Nfxe5 Nxe5 20.Nxe5 Qxe5 21.Rd5 Qe6!, Black is all right. It’s therefore simpler to play 18.Kh2 Nf4 19.Ng1!?; White will then carry out g2-g3, with a small plus. 18.Nxe3 The set-up with 18.Rxe3 Nf4 19.Kh2 Ng6÷ is less effective than with the knight on e3.

18...Rad8 Or: 18...Nf4 19.h4 (an extra possibility that isn’t available in the main line after 18...Rad8 19.Rad1 Nf4; White may also play 19.Nd2!?, which is likely to transpose into that line) 19...Nh3† 20.Kh1 (20.Kh2 is met by 20...Qf4†; then 21.Kh1?! fails to 21...Qxe4, while after 21.g3 Qxf3 Black is OK) And Black has a choice of rook moves: a) 20...Rad8 21.Qe2! (21.Rad1 is weaker here than after 20...Rfd8; see the explanation at the end of “b2” below) 21...Nf4 22.Qb5 White has activated his queen and seized the initiative. On 22...Ng6 he has the good continuation 23.Qxb7 Nxh4 24.Nxh4 Qxh4† 25.Kg1; on 22...Bc8 he can play 23.Rad1. b) 20...Rfd8, and now: b1) 21.Qe2 isn’t so effective in this position, because Black can defend the b7-pawn with his queen’s rook: 21...Nf4 22.Qb5 Rab8÷ b2) 21.Rad1

White has deployed his forces conveniently in the centre, but Black has a strike against b3 that needs to be examined: 21...Rxd1 22.Rxd1 Bxb3!? 23.Qxb3 Nxf2† 24.Kg1 Nxd1 25.Qxd1² Black now has a rook and two pawns for two minor pieces, but thanks to the well-placed knight on e3, White is slightly better. Significantly, if Black’s rook were on f8 the position wouldn’t be so clear. The point is that after 25...Ne7 26.Qb3! Qf4 27.Nc4 Qxe4 28.Ncxe5 the pawn on f7 would not be en prise. 19.Rad1 Nf4

20.Nd2 In this case 20.h4 is inaccurate due to 20...Nh3†. And now on 21.Kh1 Black can strike the blow 21...Bxb3!?, leading to an unclear position. Further details are given at the end of the variation 18...Nf4 19.h4 Nh3† 20.Kh1 Rfd8 21.Rad1. 20...Qg6 21.Kh2 Next move White will play Ndc4, and if he wants he can manoeuvre the knight further with Na3-b5. In addition Black must be alert to g2-g3 – hence his queen may go to h5. Overall White has a small but stable plus. Conclusion This chapter considered the position after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.0-0 a6 7.a4 h6 8.Re1 0-0 9.h3 when Black replies 9...a5!?. The second move with the a-pawn looks rather odd, but it is one of the main computer lines – which may well be the reason why it has begun to be played. In my view the best choice for White is 10.Nbd2 Be6 11.b3!?, enabling him to meet ...Bxc4 with bxc4. White has to reckon with 11...d5, but instead of 12.exd5 he can play 12.Bb5!?N with a good chance of gaining an advantage. We have examined four possible replies for Black, and not one of them solves all his problems.

Part III Lines with ...a7-a5

A) 7...h6 8.Nbd2!? 184 A1) 8...Ne7 184 A2) 8...a5 9.Nf1 Be6 10.Bb5 Ne7 185 A21) 11.d4 186 A22) 11.h3!? 188 B) 7...a5!? 192 B1) 8.Bg5!? h6 9.Bh4 g5 10.Bg3 192 B11) 10...Ba7 193 B12) 10...Nh7 194 B2) 8.h3 h6 9.Nbd2 Be6 10.Bb5 Qb8 11.Nf1 Qa7 199 B21) 12.d4!? 201

B22) 12.Re2 206 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 0-0 6.0-0 d6 In the previous chapters we have been looking at 6...a6. In this chapter we will consider a variety of ...a7-a5 lines. 7.Re1 Of course 7.a4 is a possibility, but since ...Na5 is no threat with the b5-square available, we can go for the more developing rook move.

In this chapter we examine A) 7...h6 and B) 7...a5!?. A) 7...h6 8.Nbd2!?

With the black pawn on h6, White can afford to dispense with h2-h3. In these circumstances the idea of ...Ng4, ...Kh8 and ...f7-f5 doesn’t work for Black, as after h2-h3 his knight won’t have the h6-square available. Black now has A1) 8...Ne7 and A2) 8...a5. The manoeuvre with 8...Ng4?! fails against 9.Re2 Kh8 10.h3 f5 11.Qe1!², enabling White to eventually recapture with his queen if Black takes twice on f2. Now 11...Nf6 12.Nh4! is bad for Black. A1) 8...Ne7 Dubov and Adams played this move once each in 2016. It has recently been adopted a few times by Mamedyarov, but usually in rapid or blitz games. 9.Bb3!? At first I was in favour of 9.d4 Bb6 10.Bb3, but then I realized that with 10...Ng6 Black could reach the 9.Bb3 line anyway, so there was no point in giving him extra possibilities. In Anand – Mamedyarov, Saint Louis 2019, White acquired a large plus after: 9.d4 Bb6 10.a4!? (it’s notable that after 10.dxe5 Ng4 11.Rf1 Black’s best move is 11...Ng6!) 10...c6 11.dxe5 Ng4 12.Rf1 Nxe5?! However, Black could improve with 12...Ng6!, or earlier with 10...a5, giving an unclear position. 9...Ng6 10.d4 Bb6 Or 10...exd4 11.cxd4 Bb4 12.a3 Ba5 13.Bc2², with b2-b4 to follow.

11.Nc4 Be6 Or 11...exd4 12.Nxb6². On 12...axb6 White has either 13.cxd4 or 13.Nxd4!?, with advantage in both cases.

12.a4!?N In Anand – Adams, London 2016, White chose 12.h3. Black could then have played 12...Bxc4!? 13.Bxc4 Re8 with an unclear position, as ...d6-d5 is intended. In Vachier-Lagrave – Mamedyarov, Riga 2019, the continuation was 12.d5 Bd7 13.Nxb6 axb6 with a comfortable position for Black. However, a more cunning reply to 12...Bd7 would be 13.Bc2!?, threatening a2-a4 with chances of a plus. 12...c6 Alternatively: a) 12...exd4 13.a5 Bc5 14.cxd4 Bb4 15.Bd2

15...Bxd2 (if 15...Bxc4, then White has the advantage after either 16.Bxc4 Bxd2 17.Nxd2 or the simple 16.Bxb4) 16.Ncxd2 Bxb3 17.Qxb3² The pawn exchange ...exd4 cxd4 usually leaves White with a slight edge, and in this case the weak b7-pawn is an additional factor. b) 12...Bxc4 13.Bxc4 c6 14.Bd3² White places his bishop on d3 to prevent ...d6-d5. In answer to 14...Re8 he can play 15.Bc2, so that after 15...d5? 16.exd5 Black doesn’t have ...e5-e4. 13.Nxb6 Bxb3 14.Qxb3 Qxb6 15.Qc2 Thanks to his better pawns in the centre, White has a small but stable plus. On 15...Rfe8 he can play 16.Be3 Ng4 17.Bd2. He can then continue with h2-h3 and possibly also c3-c4!?, seeing that ...exd4 can be met by a4-a5. In the case of 15...exd4 he will recapture the pawn with his knight and follow with Nf5. A2) 8...a5

9.Nf1 Be6 Instead 9...a4 is a comparatively rare move that has been seen just a few times in “classical” games; the idea is to constrict the bishop on c4. 10.Ng3 (10.Bb5 a3 11.b4 Bb6 was Duda – Giri, Internet 2019; after 12.Be3!? White is probably a little more comfortable, but 10.Ng3 looks more promising) 10...Ra5 This is the point of ...a7-a5 (instead 10...a3?! 11.b4 Bb6 12.Rb1 is bad for Black, while on 10...Bd7 White has 11.Bb5!? Ne7 12.Bxd7 Qxd7 13.d4 with advantage). 11.h3!? Allowing ...b7-b5 (this is clearer than 11.d4 Bb6, as Black then aims to play ...exd4 and ...d6-d5, or to capture with ...Nxe4!?). 11...b5 12.b4 axb3 13.Bxb3 Be6 14.Rb1

At first sight Black has quite a good position, but he can’t stop White from playing d3-d4 and taking over the initiative. For example: a) 14...Re8 15.d4 Bxb3 16.axb3 Bb6 17.Be3² Black can’t win the e4-pawn, as White will have Qc2 in reply. b) 14...Bxb3 15.axb3 Ra2 16.d4 Bb6 17.Be3² Black has two weaknesses – the pawn on b5 and the one on h6 – and must therefore be on his guard against moves like Nf5 or Qc1. c) 14...Bb6 15.d4 exd4 16.cxd4 d5 17.e5 Ne4 18.Rb2!² Evading ...Nc3 and creating the threat of Nxe4. After 18...Nxg3 19.fxg3 Bf5 White can play 20.Rbe2!, seizing the initiative. Black can’t reply 20...Be4?, as 21.Rxe4 dxe4 22.Rxe4 leaves White with a decisive plus! 10.Bb5 Ne7 Or: a) 10...Bb6 11.h3 Ne7 occurred in Duda – Andreikin, Khanty-Mansiysk 2019, and after 12.d4 exd4 13.cxd4 d5 Black obtained quite a good position. Hence White would do better with 12.Ng3, transposing to variation A22 (10...Ne7 11.h3 Bb6 12.Ng3). b) 10...Ng4?! 11.d4 exd4 12.cxd4± In view of the threatened d4-d5, Black must give up a piece. In the event of 12...Bb4? 13.Re2 d5 14.e5, threatening h2-h3, White has a decisive plus. An improvement is 12...Nxd4 13.Nxd4 Nxf2 14.Kxf2 Qf6†, but all the same, after 15.Kg1 White is much better.

White can now choose between A21) 11.d4 and A22) 11.h3!?. After 11.Ng3 c6 12.Ba4 b5 13.Bc2 (13.Bb3!?) 13...a4 14.d4 Bb6! Black has quite a good position, as 15.dxe5 can be met by ...Ng4. A21) 11.d4 This move has been chosen automatically by nearly everyone, so it’s essential for us to examine it. 11...exd4 12.cxd4 Bb6 Or 12...Bb4 13.Re2². 13.Ng3 After 13.d5 Bd7 14.Bxd7 Qxd7÷ White might seem to have the more pleasant position, but his problem is that on 15.h3 Black has 15...c6! 16.dxc6 Nxc6 with counterplay. 13...d5 14.e5 Ne4

15.Nxe4 In Wang Hao – Oleksienko, Qinhuangdao 2019, the continuation was: 15.Bd3 Nxg3 16.hxg3 Qd7÷ Black proceeded to offer a bishop exchange on f5 and obtained a good position. 15...dxe4 16.Rxe4 c5! After some analysis I concluded that with correct play Black is OK here, so I will just give some fairly brief variations to consider. With 16...Bd5!? Black’s idea is to answer 17.Re1 with 17...Nc6! and then recover the pawn on d4. But instead White can sacrifice the exchange for the initiative with 17.Bd3!?. However there is no need to demonstrate the variations in this case, as 16...c5! is the move to give White a problem.

17.Bd3 Or 17.Be3 Qd5! 18.Bd3 Bf5, and now: a) 19.Rf4 Bxd3 20.dxc5 (or 20.Qxd3 cxd4 21.Bxd4 Nc6! 22.Qe4 Qxe4 23.Rxe4 Nxd4 24.Nxd4 Rfc8=, and owing to the threat of ...Rc4, White has nothing) 20...Bxc5 21.Bxc5 Ng6! With a roughly equal position after 22.Rd4 Qxc5. b) 19.Rh4 cxd4 20.Bxh6 Bxd3 21.Qxd3 Ng6÷ was played in Alekseenko – Svane, Skopje 2019. My impression is that Svane was well prepared and familiar with this position. In the game White continued with 22.Bxg7?!, and Black gained the advantage. A better choice was 22.Rh5 gxh6 23.Qd2, but that line would most likely end in perpetual check. 17...Bf5 18.Rf4 For the position after 18.Qe2 Qd5! (18...cxd4? 19.Nh4!±) 19.Rh4 Bxd3 20.Qxd3 cxd4 21.Bxh6, see variation “b” in the last note. After 18.Re1 cxd4 19.Bxf5 Nxf5 20.Qd3 Qd7 the game is level. 18...Bxd3 19.Qxd3 cxd4 20.Rg4 Qd7 21.h3 Qe6 22.Bd2 And now in Adhiban – Grandelius, Astana 2019, White gained the upper hand after 22...Rad8 23.Re1, but if instead Black opts for 22...Rfd8! 23.Re1 Rac8 the position is close to equality. A22) 11.h3!?

After coming to the conclusion that in the position after 11.d4 exd4 Black can equalize with correct play, I began looking for other possibilities. In appearance 11.Ng3 is more logical, but we have seen that Black then has the opportunity for ...c7-c6, ...b7-b5 and ...a5-a4, fixing the queenside. 11...Ng6

Alternatives are: a) 11...Bb6 12.Ng3 Ng6 13.d4 exd4 14.cxd4 d5 15.e5 Ne4 16.Bd3! Nxg3 17.fxg3²

On 17...c5 White has the pleasant choice between 18.Bxg6 fxg6 19.dxc5 Bxc5† 20.Be3 and 18.Be3 cxd4 19.Bf2!, with a small plus in either case. b) 11...c6 12.Ba4

And now: b1) 12...Ng6 was played in Bacrot – Kollars, Berlin 2019. White continued with 13.d4, and after 13...exd4 he could have secured a plus with 14.cxd4 Bb4 15.Re2; this is an improved version of the main line with 11...Ng6. Possibly 13.Bc2!? is even simpler; White has the advantage, since 13...d5?! 14.exd5 Qxd5 15.Bb3 turns out badly for Black. b2) 12...b5 13.Bc2 a4 In a position like this, it’s important for Black not to allow White’s a2-a4, but the trouble is that after d3-d4 the capture ...exd4 will now be necessary (if 13...Ng6 then 14.d4 Bb6 15.a4²). 14.d4 exd4 15.cxd4 (15.Nxd4!? also gives White a slight advantage) 15...Bb4 16.Re2² Black has advanced his queenside pawns, but at the same time he has had to surrender the centre; hence White has a promising position. A good answer to 16...a3 is 17.Re3, while 16...Nh5 (with the idea of ...f7-f5) can be met by 17.g4!? Nf6 18.Ng3.

12.d4 Against 12.Ng3 Black plays 12...c6 13.Ba4 b5 14.Bc2 a4÷. The difference between this and variation “b2” in the last note is that with his knight on g6, Black can answer d3-d4 by moving his bishop, since the e5-pawn is defended. 12...exd4 For 12...Bb6 13.Ng3, see variation “a” in the note to 11...Ng6. 13.cxd4 Bb4 14.Re2 d5 15.e5 Ne4 16.a3 Driving the bishop back to e7. Against the immediate 16.Ng3 Black should play 16...f5! 17.exf6 Qxf6 with an unclear position. 16...Be7

17.Ng3 If 17.Bd3!? then 17...c5 18.Bc2 b5„, and in the position after 19.Ng3 Nxg3 20.fxg3 c4 Black has advanced his pawns successfully; so a simpler line for White is 19.dxc5, giving chances of a small plus. 17...c5 Or: 17...Nxg3 18.fxg3 c5 19.Be3 c4 After other moves, Black is obviously rather worse (19...Rc8 is met by 20.dxc5, and against 19...Qb6 a good line is 20.Bd3 c4 21.Bc2). 20.b3 The standard queenside break.

And now: a) On 20...Qb6 White has 21.bxc4 dxc4 22.Qa4!, threatening d4-d5 and a capture on c4. b) An interesting reply to 20...Rc8 is 21.h4!? (21.Qb1 is also possible), with the troublesome threat of h4-h5. Then on 21...Bg4 White can play 22.Qc2 (threatening bxc4 ...dxc4 Qe4), with a clear plus in the event of 22...cxb3 23.Qxb3 or 22...c3 23.Bd3. The only way Black can keep the position unclear is 22...f5! 23.bxc4 dxc4, with compensation for the pawn he is losing. c) The computer suggests an immediate 20...a4!?. Then 21.Bxa4? is unplayable owing to 21...Qa5. White can however play 21.bxc4 dxc4 22.Rc2 and win a pawn, although after 22...Rc8! 23.Bxa4 Qa5! Black does have some compensation. 18.Be3

18...Rc8 The most logical move. Now 19.dxc5 Bxc5 is not in White’s favour. Instead 18...c4?! fails to 19.Nxe4 dxe4 20.Nd2, after which Black comes out a pawn down. On 18...b6 White can play 19.Bd3 Ng5 20.Re1 with a slight edge. For 18...Nxg3 19.fxg3 c4, see the note to Black’s 17th. 19.Rc1

19...Nxg3 Or 19...b6 20.Bd3, and now: a) 20...Nxg3 21.fxg3 Qd7 22.Bc2² Black can’t exchange bishops on f5, as his pawn on d5 would be en prise. After 22...cxd4 23.Bxd4, White has a pleasant position. Against 22...c4 he can play 23.g4, stopping ...Bf5. b) 20...cxd4 21.Bxd4 Nf4 22.Rec2 Owing to the awkward situation of his d5-pawn, Black is slightly worse. If he plays 22...Rxc2, White will recapture with the bishop. In the event of 22...Nxd3 23.Rxc8 Bxc8 24.Qxd3, it is noticeable that the d5-pawn is depriving Black’s light-squared bishop of sufficient scope. 20.fxg3 c4 For 20...b6 21.Bd3 see the previous note, variation “a”. 21.Qc2 Played in order to prevent Black’s ...Bf5 and bring his own rook to f1. White could also try 21.Ba4 Bf5 22.Bc2, but 21.Qc2 looks a shade better.

21...Qb6 A normal move in human terms, although the computer slightly prefers 21...Bd7!?. Rather strange-looking alternatives are 21...Ra8 and 21...f5 22.Qd2, after which Black will have to reckon with Bxh6. In the case of 21...Bd7 there can follow: a) 22.Qa4!? and now: a1) After 22...Bxb5 23.Qxb5 b6 White can play 24.Bf4!? with advantage, thanks to the threat of e5-e6. a2) 22...Be8!÷ If White now goes in for 23.Bxe8 Rxe8 24.Qb5 b6, Black will be able to play ...Nf8 with an unclear position. b) 22.Bxd7 Qxd7 23.Bd2

23...Bd8! (better than 23...b6 24.e6 Qe8 25.Qf5!, or 23...Qb5 24.Rf1, after which White has a large plus) 24.Rf1 (24.e6!? is interesting, but after 24...Qe8 25.Rce1 Rc6! the position is nearly equal) White’s ideas here are roughly the same as in the main line after 21...Qb6, only in this case his bishop will be placed on c3. Black doesn’t have time for queenside counterplay: 24...b5?! will be met by 25.e6 Qe8 26.Nh4 with a big advantage, while on 24...Qe6 White can play 25.a4. 22.a4 Rfd8 23.Rf1

At the end of it all, we have a position with plenty of play and mutual chances; but White’s side is easier and more pleasant to handle. He has a clear plan for pressure along the f-file. The computer suggests 23...Bd7 24.Bxd7 Rxd7, but White can then try 25.e6!? Qxe6 26.Bxh6 Qd6 27.Bd2 Qxg3 28.Qf5 with excellent compensation and the initiative. If instead Black plays 23...Nf8, White can reply 24.Ref2 and then move his knight from f3. B) 7...a5!?

A relatively rare move-order – most players prefer not to allow the possibility of Bg5. Leaving blitz games aside, it’s noticeable that Ding Liren is the only one among the top practitioners to play this way; he has done so in “classical” games a few times. The variation cannot be said to be bad, but it demands a high degree of accuracy on Black’s part; the first error can lead to serious difficulties. White has B1) 8.Bg5!? and B2) 8.h3. With 8.Nbd2 Be6 we reach a familiar position (variation B2) without the insertion of h2-h3 and ...h7-h6. White hardly derives any benefit from this omission. B1) 8.Bg5!? A quieter position results from 8.h3 or 8.Nbd2. 8...h6 9.Bh4 g5 10.Bg3 Not 10.Nxg5?! hxg5 11.Bxg5 Bg4. Since the f2-pawn is vulnerable, the capture on g5 fails.

Here Black’s choices are B11) 10...Ba7 and B12) 10...Nh7. And also: a) 10...g4?! 11.Bh4! gxf3 (or 11...Kg7 12.Nbd2!? with the idea of bringing the knight across via f1; it’s hard for Black to find a better move than ...gxf3) 12.Qxf3ƒ This position with the pin is very dangerous for Black, so everyone who is familiar with 11.Bh4! tries to avoid it; I will confine myself to a brief variation. 12...Kg7 13.Nd2 And now: a1) 13...Be6 14.Rad1, and Black has problems finding moves. The reply to 14...Qe7 will be 15.Bb5!. Against 14...Bb6, White can play the useful 15.h3!?, after which 15...Qe7 is again dangerous for Black – this time on account of 16.d4!?. a2) 13...Rh8, and in Areshchenko – C. Balogh, Hungary 2018, White acquired a plus with 14.Bd5. But 14.Bb5!?, threatening d3-d4, is more dangerous still. Against 14...Na7 White withdraws his bishop to a4, preserving a significant advantage. b) 10...Bg4 (if Black wants to place his bishop on g4, it’s smarter to do so after 10...Ba7 11.Na3) 11.Nbd2 Nh5 12.h3 Bxf3 13.Qxf3

Nxg3 14.Qxg3² Even if Black manages to exchange queens on f4, he will still have the worse ending. B11) 10...Ba7 Removing the bishop in advance from attack by d3-d4. The bishop goes to a7 rather than b6, so that White won’t be able to play Nc4 with gain of tempo – for instance after Nbd2 and Bb3. 11.Na3 After 11.Nbd2 Nh7 12.h3 h5„ there is complex play with chances for both sides. 11...Nh7 On 11...Bg4 there can follow: a) 12.h3 Bh5 13.Nc2

And now: a1) Giri – Eljanov, Stavanger 2016, saw 13...Bg6 14.Bh2 with a small plus for White; 14.Ne3 would also be quite good. a2) 13...Kg7, which occurred in a correspondence game, is a little more cunning. White can continue with 14.Rc1!?, intending d3-d4 when appropriate. Then a good answer to moves like 14...Qd7 or 14...Re8 is 15.Bb5; on 14...Bg6, White can play 15.Ne3 Ne7 16.Bh2 with a slight edge. b) 12.Nc2!?N Black has no particular threats. On 12...Nh5 White can play 13.h3 Bxf3 (13...Bd7 14.Bh2) 14.Qxf3 Nxg3 15.Qxg3 with a slight advantage. Black could also reply to 12.Nc2 with 12...Bh5!?. Then 13.h3 is quite useful anyway.

12.d4!?N This is perhaps a little better than 12.Nd2, considering that in response to the latter Black may know about the non-human moves 12...a4!? and 14...Kg7! (see note “b” below). After 12.Nd2 there are these possibilities:

a) 12...g4 13.Nb5 Bb6 14.Bb3 a4 15.Bc2 h5 16.h4² as in Vachier-Lagrave – Ding Liren, Shenzhen 2018. Black now played 16...d5?!, and after 17.d4! he had a bad position. An improvement would be 16...gxh3 17.Qxh5 Qg5, although after the queen exchange and 19.Bh4 Ne6 20.Nc4 White is clearly better. b) The computer suggests 12...a4!?N, to stop White from playing Bb3.

There can follow: 13.Nf1 (13.Bb5 f5!„) 13...g4 14.Ne3 Kg7! Relying on the fact that White can’t take on g4 just now (weaker alternatives are 14...Qg5 15.Nd5 and 14...h5 15.h4, after which White has a noticeable plus). White can continue with 15.Nac2 or 15.Kh1!?, but it’s hard to tell if he has any advantage. 12...h5 13.h3 h4 14.Bh2 With Nb5 to follow. Against 14...g4 15.hxg4 Bxg4 White can play 16.Nb5 Bb6 17.Be2 and keep a small plus. B12) 10...Nh7

11.d4 Bb6 12.dxe5 After 12.Bd5 h5 13.h3, White has a promising position in the case of 13...h4 14.Bh2 g4 15.hxg4 Bxg4 16.Qd3. However, with 13...g4! 14.hxg4 hxg4 Black obtains good counterplay; for example 15.Bh4 Qd7! 16.Ng5 Ne7, with an unclear position. 12...h5 Or 12...g4!? 13.Nh4 Nxe5 14.Nd2². There is no attack, and the pawn on g4 isn’t very useful. Now if 14...Be6, then 15.Bb3!? is a good reply. 13.h4 Bg4

14.hxg5 Alternatively: a) 14.exd6 gxh4 15.Bh2 cxd6 16.Qd3÷ At first I thought this position was promising, but then I discovered that after the accurate 16...Kh8! 17.Nbd2 Rg8 it is totally unclear. Against 18.Bxd6 the computer suggests 18...Rg7!?. b) 14.Nbd2!? This solid move can perfectly well be adopted in place of 14.hxg5; White is risking nothing and has chances to acquire a plus. 14...Nxe5 (or 14...gxh4 15.Bxh4 Qxh4 16.Nxh4²; in the ending White will have a pleasant position, thanks to his knight on f5) 15.Be2

And now: b1) 15...Bxf3 16.Nxf3 gxh4 (for 16...Nxf3† compare the note to 16...Re8 in “b2”) 17.Nxh4 Ng6 18.Bc4!? (this looks more acute than 18.Nf3 or 18.Nf5 h4 19.Bh2 Qg5 20.Qc1) 18...Qg5 19.Nxg6 Qxg3 20.Ne7† Kh8 21.Qf3² Black will have difficulties in the ending on account of his weak h5-pawn. b2) 15...Nxf3† 16.Nxf3 Re8! (if White is a shade better after 16...Bxf3 17.Bxf3 gxh4 18.Bh2, the position is now fairly unclear) There can follow: 17.Qd2 Bxf3! (17...Rxe4?! 18.hxg5±) 18.Bxf3 gxh4 (or 18...Qf6 19.Bxh5 gxh4 20.Bf4, transposing) 19.Bf4 Qf6 20.Bxh5 Qg7!÷ It’s essential to deprive White’s bishop of the g4-square; after for instance 20...Kh8 21.Bg4 Rg8 22.e5!, Black would have a bad position. In response to the queen’s move to g7, White can repeat with 21.Bh6 Qf6 22.Bf4 – as occurred in Karjakin – Ding Liren, Shamkir 2019 – or continue the struggle with 21.Re2!?.

14...Nxg5 15.exd6 h4! Black must drive the white bishop back to h2. After 15...Qf6?! 16.Nbd2 cxd6, White would have 17.Bh4 or 17.Qb3!? available. On 15...Bxf3 16.gxf3 Qd7, he could play 17.Bf1! h4 18.Bf4 with a large plus; an important point is that 18...Nh3† 19.Bxh3 Qxh3 could be met by 20.Qd5!. 16.Bh2 Qf6 The game Bacrot – Esipenko, Isle of Man 2019, went: 16...cxd6 17.Nbd2 Ne5 18.Be2 Bxf3 (18...Nexf3†?! 19.Bxf3±) 19.Nxf3

19...Ng4?! (it was imperative to play 19...Qf6! 20.Nd4 Nxe4 21.Bf3 Nxf3† 22.Qxf3, with a small plus for White after the exchange of queens) 20.Nd4 Nxh2 21.Kxh2 Qf6 22.Bd3± Now after 22...Qxf2?! 23.Nf5 Black’s position would be hopeless. The game continued 22...Bxd4 23.cxd4 Qxf2 24.Qg4 f6 25.e5! and White had a big advantage. 17.Nbd2 White hardly does better with 17.e5 Qg6!?. Then 18.Nxh4 is answered by 18...Qh5, and 18.Bd3 by 18...Qg7. 17...cxd6 In Ragger – J. van Foreest, Brest 2019, Black played 17...Qg7?!. It’s hard to tell what he could have had in mind against 18.dxc7!? ±. The fact is that Black has no particular threats. After 18...h3 19.Be2! White has a decisive plus, and 18...Nh3† 19.Kf1 Nxf2 20.Qb3 is also hopeless. Black’s best move is probably 18...Kh8, but there are a number of replies that give White a big advantage – even 19.Re3!?, although no doubt 19.Kf1 h3 20.gxh3 is simpler.

18.Be2 Another interesting option is 18.Qb3!? when Black has these options: a) 18...Bc5 19.e5 Nxf3† (not 19...Nxe5?! 20.Nxg5±; after 20...Qxg5 or 20...Qf2† 21.Kh1 Qxd2 White will play Ne4 with a large plus) 20.Nxf3 Nxe5 21.Bxe5 dxe5 22.Qxb7² With an extra pawn and winning chances. b) 18...Ba7! Unlike 18...Bc5 this doesn’t leave the bishop exposed to Ne4. 19.Qb5 Bxf3! (better than 19...Nxf3† 20.gxf3 Bh3 21.Kh1, with advantage to White; after the capture with the bishop, White can’t play 20.gxf3? on account of 20...Ne5) 20.Nxf3 Nxf3† 21.gxf3 Ne5! 22.Be2 Kh8 With adequate counterplay. In the event of 23.Kh1 Bxf2 24.Rf1 Bg3 25.f4 Bxh2 26.fxe5 Qxe5 the position is close to equality, while after 23.f4 Qg6† 24.Kh1 Bxf2 25.Qd5 Ng4! it remains unclear. 18...Bxf3 19.Bxf3 Ne5

20.Rf1 An interesting try is 20.Qe2!?N 20...h3 21.Bg3. Then the only way Black can hold the position is: 21...Kh8! (not 21...Kg7?! 22.Bg4±) 22.Bg4 Rg8! He is then OK. On 23.Kh1 he can play 23...Bxf2!? 24.Qxf2 Nxg4, leading to a roughly equal ending. 20...h3 21.Bg4 Threatening to take on h3. Black cannot now continue 21...hxg2? 22.Kxg2 Qg7 23.Kh1, with a decisive plus for White.

21...d5! An important move that enables Black to obtain counterplay. The point is that after exd5 the threat of ...f7-f5 will arise. Ding Liren once played this way, but in later games Black deviated from Ding Liren’s line at one point or another and landed in a bad position. White now has 4-5 moves of the same merit to choose from, but they all lead to positions that are equal or unclear. Black’s other possibilities are: a) 21...Rae8 22.gxh3 d5 23.Kh1! with an extra pawn and a nice advantage. b) 21...Kg7 This makes life more complicated for Black, but with precise play he can hold on. For instance in answer to 22.gxh3, he has to continue 22...Rh8! 23.Kg2 Rh4 with an unclear position. If instead White plays 22.Bf5, Black saves himself with 22...Rad8! 23.Qe2 d5; then after 24.Bxe5 Qxe5 25.Qg4 he has 25...Kf6!. c) 21...Qg7 22.Bg3² In contrast to 21...d5 22.exd5 Qg7, the move ...Qg7 is not so good here because there is no threat of ...f7-f5.

22.Bxh3 The simplest continuation. After 22.Bxe5 Qxe5 23.Bf5 Qg3 24.Qg4, an equal ending comes about. Or if White plays 22.exd5, then after 22...Qg7 Black has good counterplay. It would be worth considering 22.gxh3!?. Then in the case of 22...Rae8 23.Kh1 or 22...Nxe4 23.Qe2 White has a pleasant advantage, but after 22...dxe4 23.Qe2 Rfe8! the position remains unclear. 22...Rae8! Another accurate move; it’s important for Black to have the option of recapturing on e5 with his rook. A somewhat inferior line is 22...Nd3 23.Bg3 Nxe4! (not 23...dxe4?! 24.Nxe4) 24.Nxe4 dxe4 25.Qg4†.

On the other hand after 22...dxe4?! 23.Bxe5 Qxe5 24.Qg4 or 22...Nxe4?! 23.Nxe4 dxe4 24.Qh5, White has a large plus.

23.Kh1 Here 23.exd5?! is dubious owing to 23...Kg7!, after which Black will place his rook on h8 and attack. A move roughly equal in value to 23.Kh1 is 23.Qe2. There can follow: 23...dxe4 24.Nxe4 Nxh3† 25.Kh1 Qf5! The only move – though not a difficult one – that allows Black to equalize. 26.gxh3 Nf3 27.Rg1† After pieces are exchanged on g1 and the black king moves, White will play 29.Rg4 and the game can end in repetition with 29...Rg8 30.Rh4† Kg7. 23...dxe4 Or: 23...Nd3 (whereas 22...Nd3 a move earlier didn’t help Black to equalize, the same move at this point is more effective) 24.Bf5 White also has other options, but they don’t give him an advantage (for example on 24.Bg3, with the idea of 24...dxe4 25.Nxe4!, Black can play 24...Nxe4 with an approximately equal position). 24...dxe4! (24...Nxf2† 25.Rxf2 Bxf2 26.Qg4² gives White a clear plus with his two pawns for the exchange and his strong bishop on f5) 25.Qg4 Ne5 (after 25...Nxf2† 26.Rxf2 Bxf2 27.Nxe4² White emerges with an extra pawn and is well on top) 26.Qf4 Nd3= (better than 26...Ng6 27.Bxg6 with advantage to White) Leading to repetition of moves after 27.Qg4 Ne5.

24.Bxe5 It’s probably time to settle for an equal position. In reply to 24.Qe2 Black has a number of moves that leave him no worse. 24...Rxe5 25.Qg4 Now after Black captures on f2, the game can end in repetition. In the event of 25...Qg6 or 25...Qg7 White can play 26.f4 exf3 27.Nxf3 and remain with an extra pawn, though he would hardly be able to convert it into a win. 25...Bxf2 26.Nc4 e3 27.Nxe3 Rxe3 28.Rxf2

And the game Vachier-Lagrave – Ding Liren, Zagreb 2019, quickly ended in perpetual check. White didn’t manage to gain the advantage, but at the same time Black needed to make plenty of accurate moves to secure equality – and in the majority of games he has failed to do so. On the white side there are some more ideas in stock – for example 18.Qb3!? or 20.Qe2!?. B2) 8.h3

8...h6 Black can hardly improve with: 8...Be6 9.Bb5 Ne7 White can also play d3-d4 if the black bishop retreats to b6 or a7. 10.d4 Bb6 11.Bd3 Ng6 12.Be3 This gave White a small plus in Sychev – Anton Guijarro, Skopje 2019. 9.Nbd2 Be6 After 9...a4 10.Bb5 Bd7 11.Nf1 Ne7 12.Bxd7, both recaptures have been tried: a) 12...Nxd7 13.d4 Bb6, and now: a1) In Anand – Caruana, Stavanger 2018, White played 14.Ng3, and after 14...f5! 15.exf5 Nxf5 an unclear position came about. a2) 14.Qc2!N In this case 14...f5 will be met by 15.dxe5 Nxe5 16.Nxe5 dxe5 17.Be3 with a comfortable plus. Other moves also fail to equalize: on 14...exd4 the recapture 15.Nxd4 is good, while against 14...Ng6 White can play 15.Ng3, retaining a small plus in either case. b) 12...Qxd7 13.Ng3 Ng6 14.d4 Bb6 15.Be3 Rfe8

And now: b1) In Anand – Harikrishna, Kolkata 2018, White placed his queen on c2, but in that case Black can play ...Qc6!? in some variations − for example 16.Qc2 exd4 17.Bxd4 (17.cxd4 Qc6) 17...Bxd4 18.cxd4 Qc6, or 16...Qc6!? at once. For that reason the queen is rather better placed on d3. b2) 16.Qd3!?² exd4 17.cxd4 And White preserves a small plus after either 17...c5 18.Rad1 or 17...Ba5 18.Bd2 Bxd2 19.Qxd2. 10.Bb5

10...Qb8 This move is now played automatically; others are practically never seen: a) 10...Ne7 11.d4 exd4 12.cxd4 Ba7 13.Bd3² It’s useful to withdraw the bishop to d3 before playing Nf1. Now after 13...Ng6 14.Nf1 d5!? 15.e5 Ne4 either 16.N1d2 or 16.Ng3!? gives White the advantage. b) 10...Ba7 11.Nf1 Ne7 12.d4 Freeing d3 for the bishop (12.Ng3 c6 13.Ba4 b5! 14.Bc2 a4 isn’t so clear). 12...Ng6 (12...exd4 13.Nxd4 Ng6 14.Ng3² gives White a small plus; a good answer to 14...c6 is 15.Ba4 Re8 16.f4!?, with Bc2 to follow) 13.Ng3 c6 14.Bd3² With a slight edge in Karjakin – Le Quang Liem, Saint Louis 2017. 11.Nf1 In some games the idea of Bxc6 followed by d3-d4 was tried. Generally speaking Black can reach a good position with either of his possible bishop moves, so I will limit myself to some brief indicative variations: 11.Bxc6 bxc6 12.d4 exd4 13.cxd4

And now: a) 13...Bb6!? 14.Nf1 (14.a4 Re8 15.Ra3 Qa7÷) 14...d5 15.e5 Ne4 Now 16.N1d2?! is strongly answered by 16...Bf5!, while after 16.Be3 c5 the position is unclear – although White’s side is easier to play. b) 13...Bb4 14.a3 Bxd2 15.Nxd2 Re8÷ occurred in Giri – Ding Liren, Shenzhen 2019. In answer to 16.b3 Black could have played 16...Qb6 17.Bb2 Bxb3! 18.Nxb3 a4, with an obscure position. 11...Qa7

The critical position of the variation. White has various playable moves here. Some of them lead to a quiet game, others on the contrary introduce great complications. We will focus on two main lines: B21) 12.d4!? and B22) 12.Re2. Practice has also seen: a) 12.Qe2÷ So far there has been little investigation of this move. It can be adopted by those who want to deviate at once from the main lines and obtain a position with plenty of scope. There can follow: 12...a4 (12...Ne7!? 13.Rd1 c6 14.Ba4 occurred in Andriasian – Hovhannisyan, Yerevan 2018; White’s game is a shade more pleasant, though there is plenty of play in the position)

13.Ng3!?N (in Lei Tingjie – Esipenko, Isle of Man 2019, White preferred 13.Bxc6, but the knight move looks a little cleverer) Now after 13...Ne7 14.d4 exd4 15.Nxd4 Bxd4 16.cxd4 Qxd4 17.Be3 White has good compensation; perhaps Black does better to play 13...Qb6, with an unclear position after 14.Bxc6 bxc6. b) 12.Be3 has been played in a good many games, but in my view it doesn’t set Black any problems. For example 12...Bxe3 13.Nxe3 Ne7 14.a4 Ng6 15.Bc4 Bxc4 16.Nxc4 Qa6=, as in Carlsen – Ding Liren, Saint Louis 2017. B21) 12.d4!?

One of the most recent ideas for White in this variation. It was first employed by Jorden van Foreest, then some weeks later Anand played this way in a game with Ding Liren. The d-pawn’s advance leads to a complicated position which is difficult to fathom even with a computer. 12...exd4 13.Bxc6 dxc3 After 13...bxc6 14.cxd4 Bb4 (14...Bb6 15.Ng3²) 15.Re2², Black has some problems due to the threat of a2-a3. On 15...a4 White continues 16.a3 Bb3 17.Qd3 Ba5 18.e5, and against 15...d5 he has 16.e5 Ne4 17.Rc2 – with a small plus in either case. 14.Ba4 Bxf2† 15.Kh2

15...Bxe1 Against 15...d5 White can continue: 16.exd5!?N (instead Anand – Ding Liren, Stavanger 2019, saw 16.e5 Ne4 with a complex position) But if Black is not taking the rook on e1, it’s simpler for White to exchange pawns on d5. 16...Bxd5 (or 16...Nxd5 17.Re5²; then after 17...Qb6 18.Bb3 or 17...Rad8 18.bxc3 Nxc3 19.Qc2, White has a clear plus) 17.Be3 Bxe3 18.Nxe3 cxb2 19.Rb1 Bxf3 20.Qxf3 Qd4 21.Bd1² The pawn on b2 cannot be held; White will play Re2 next move, and although Black will still have three pawns for the piece, he will be faced with a struggle to draw. 16.Qxe1 d5 17.Be3 Essentially the only move to give Black any problems, although the position remains unclear. The weaker 17.exd5 Bxd5 is comfortable for Black. As to 17.Ng3 and 17.e5, I will give some short variations: a) 17.Ng3 One of the computer’s main lines, but what bothered me was that Black had a variation which would make White repeat moves. 17...dxe4 (or 17...Qc5!? 18.Bc2÷) 18.Nxe4 Nxe4 19.Qxe4 Qc5 (or 19...Qa6 20.Bc2 f5 21.Qe5÷; after Black takes on b2 and plays 22...Qd6, White exchanges queens and continues with Nd4) 20.Bc2 g6 21.Be3 cxb2 22.Rb1

And now: a1) If Black withdraws his queen 22...Qc6, then instead of 23.Qxc6?! bxc6 24.Rxb2 Rfb8 White plays 23.Qe5! with a promising position. a2) However, if Black plays 22...Qd6† 23.Bf4 Qc5!?, then 24.Rxb2 Bd5 is not good for White; the game may therefore end in repetition of moves with 24.Be3 Qd6† 25.Bf4 Qc5. b) 17.e5 cxb2 (or 17...Ne4 18.bxc3 Qc5 19.Bb2„ with a complex game and mutual chances) 18.Bxb2 Ne4 19.Ng3 Qf2 20.Qxf2 Nxf2 21.Bc2÷ Black will shortly have to return one pawn with ...Ne4, but his rook and two pawns will be perfectly adequate for viable queenside play. 17...c5!?

This pawn move looks more logical than 17...Qa6, although both may be worth about the same; in the case of 17...c5 the computer may be overrating Black’s chances. After 17...Qa6 18.e5, the possibilities are: a) 18...cxb2 19.Rb1 (better than 19.exf6 bxa1=Q 20.Qxa1 d4! with a good position for Black) 19...Ne4 20.Rxb2 And Black still needs to play some accurate moves such as 20...Qd3!. If White then continues 21.Bc2 Qa3 22.Rxb7 Qxa2 23.Nd4, Black has the resource 23...Rfb8! 24.Rxc7 Rc8, with an unclear position. b) 18...Ne4 19.bxc3 Qc4 20.Bb3 Qxc3 21.N1d2÷ Objectively the position is unclear, but Black’s side is anything but simple to play. In Alekseenko – Ding Liren, Khanty-Mansiysk 2019, Black continued with 21...a4 22.Rc1 Qa5 23.Bc2 Bf5, and after 24.Qh4! White had a definite plus. If instead Black plays 21...Rfd8 22.Rc1 Qb4, then 23.a3!? Qxa3 24.Nd4 gives White a dangerous initiative. Perhaps Black should opt for 21...c6!? 22.Rc1 Qb4 23.Bc2, with complex play. 18.e5

18...Ne4 Not 18...cxb2? 19.exf6 bxa1=Q 20.Qxa1+–. Against 20...d4 White has 21.Bxh6!. Nothing is altered by inserting 20...Qb8† 21.Ng3. 19.bxc3 f5! After 19...b6?! 20.Bf4± Black loses his chance to push the f-pawn. On 20...f5 White plays 21.exf6 Rxf6 22.Be5 with a large plus, while 20...Qc7 is well answered by 21.c4 f5 22.cxd5 Bxd5 23.Rd1.

20.Rb1!?N In Aronian – Anton Guijarro, Isle of Man 2019, White played 20.exf6 Rxf6 21.Bc2 and went on to achieve a good position, but I don’t like 21...b6! with good play for Black. With 20.Rb1!? a very complicated position arises. I will try to give some variations that might occur in a practical game.

20...b6 Alternatively: a) 20...Rab8!? Preventing Bc2, as Black could then quickly advance his b-pawn. 21.Bc1 b6 (or 21...b5!? and Black has compensation after 22.Bxb5 a4 or 22.Rxb5 Rxb5 23.Bxb5 a4) 22.Ng3 Now after 22...Bd7 23.Bc2 b5 24.a3 or 22...g5 23.c4!?, White is slightly better. If Black plays 22...Qf7 instead, then after 23.Rb2 the position remains unclear; with this last move White sets up the possibility of c3-c4, because after ...dxc4 Nxe4 ...fxe4 he will be able to take on e4 without fearing ...Bf5. b) 20...f4?! 21.Bc1 b6 22.c4± Black must always be careful about playing ...f5-f4, as c3-c4 becomes available to White. If now 22...Qb7, then 23.Bc2! is good. c) 20...g5 21.Bc2 b6 22.Bc1ƒ I’m not convinced that the pawn on g5 is well placed. In some circumstances White will be able to play h3-h4, and against ...f5-f4 he will have c3-c4!. True, after 22...Rae8! the immediate 23.h4 f4 24.c4 Qb7! isn’t so good for White, but he can play 23.Kg1!?, making the threat of h3-h4 more dangerous: the threat of h4xg5 is more effective when the white king is not placed on the potentially-opening h-file. 21.Bc2

21...a4 In the event of 21...Rab8 22.a4 it’s harder for Black to push his pawns and create counterplay. White will continue with Bc1 and bring his knight out to e3 or g3. For example, 22...g5!? 23.Bc1 Qg7 24.Ng3. In overall terms the position is complicated, but White’s chances are rather better. 22.a3 A useful move to strengthen the position. It’s too soon for 22.Bc1 Qa5, as 23.Ng3 Qxc3 isn’t so good for White with his pawn on a2.

22...Rab8 After 22...Qa5?! 23.Nh4! Black is suddenly in a very dangerous position. He loses with 23...Qxc3? 24.Qxc3 Nxc3 25.Rxb6, or with 23...Nxc3? 24.Bd2 d4 25.Ng3. On 23...g5, White can play 24.Bxe4 dxe4 25.Qe2! to bring his queen into the attack via h5. Or if Black quietly plays 23...Rf7, White will place his knight on g6 with a distinct advantage.

23.Bc1 Removing the bishop from an attack by ...f5-f4, so as to bring the knight out to g3. A line that looks too crazy is 23.Ng3 f4 24.Nxe4 dxe4 25.Bxc5, with a complicated position. 23...Qa5 After 23...b5 24.Ng3ƒ White has possibilities to improve his position further, while for Black it’s more difficult to do so. On 24...Qa5, White plays 25.Ne2. Against 24...g5 he has a good continuation in 25.Nh5 Qf7 26.Nf6†; after the captures take place on f6, he plays 28.Be3 with the initiative. 24.Bd2 b5 25.Ng3

Up to this point, the computer’s view has been that Black will have a good position in a few moves’ time; but now some accurate play on Black’s part is required. 25...Nxd2! Starting a tactical skirmish. If Black stands still, White will improve his position and gain the advantage. One of the possibilities for improvement would be to redeploy the knight with Ne2-f4. A good answer to 25...Qc7 would be 26.Bd3. 26.Qxd2 d4

Black has to act energetically, or he risks ending up in a bad position. For example after 26...Qc7?! 27.Nh5, White has a large plus. 27.Qf4

27...Qxc3 On 27...dxc3, White plays: 28.Nxf5 Qc7 (or 28...Bxf5 29.Bxf5, and now 29...Qc7 amounts to a transposition, while 29...c2? 30.Rc1 is bad for Black) 29.Qg4!? (whereas after 29.N3h4 the game can end in perpetual check, there is now a good deal more fight; 29.N3h4 b4 30.Qe4 Bxf5™ 31.Nxf5 b3™ 32.Ne7† leads to a draw after 32...Qxe7 33.Qh7† Kf7 34.Qg6†) 29...Bxf5 30.Bxf5 b4 31.Bd3÷ In view of his weak king position, Black has to play precisely. His best move is 31...c4!, and in the many possible variations he holds on. 28.Bxf5 Bxf5 Practically the only move. After 28...Bd5?! 29.e6 White is close to victory. He will answer 29...Bxf3 with 30.e7; in the event of 29...Qe3 30.Qg4 Bxf3 31.Qg6!, he has a big advantage. 29.Nxf5 Qd3 The only move, albeit the most logical one. Instead 29...Qc2? 30.Rxb5 would be hopeless. 30.Rxb5

Here too, it all ends in perpetual check by force. For example: 30...Qxb5 Or: 30...Rbe8 31.Nxh6† gxh6 32.Qg4† Kh8™ 33.Rb6 Qe3! (this is more exact than 33...Re7 34.Nh4, after which White would be fighting for the win) Now, after 34.Qh5 Qf4† 35.Kh1 Qf5! Black draws, as when the knight steps in on g5 he gives perpetual check. 31.Ne7†

31...Kh8 Black can hardly improve with: 31...Kh7 32.Qe4† Kh8 33.Nh4 g5™ White can then give perpetual check with 34.Qg6 Qb6 35.Nc6 gxh4 36.Qxh6†, or else play 34.Nhg6†!? Kg7 35.Nxf8, requiring Black to play with precision in order to draw. 32.Ng6† Kg8 33.Ne7†= B22) 12.Re2

A solid move, after which White can contend for the advantage with no particular risk – in contrast to the sharp 12.d4!?. 12...a4 13.Ng3

13...Qa5! Black needs to hurry White into capturing on c6. After other moves, White seizes the initiative: a) 13...Rfd8 14.d4!N It’s important to play d3-d4 before Bxc6, so that Black can’t withdraw his bishop to b6 (Caruana – Mamedyarov, Saint Louis 2019, saw 14.Bxc6 bxc6 15.d4 Bb6÷). 14...exd4 15.Bxc6 bxc6 (or 15...d3 16.Qxd3 bxc6 17.Nd4²; then 17...Re8 is well answered by 18.Bf4, while after 17...Bxd4 18.cxd4 d5 19.e5 Ne4 White secures a plus with 20.Nh5!) 16.Nxd4 Re8 17.Bf4

From the diagram, Black has these choices: a1) 17...Qa6 18.Qd2 Bc4 19.Ree1ƒ Now 19...d5 will be met by 20.Ndf5, threatening Bxh6; while after 19...Bd3 20.f3 d5 21.e5 Nd7 22.Kh2 White acquires a slight edge. a2) The immediate 17...Bc4 18.Re1 is no better. a3) Against the computer’s move 17...h5!?, a good continuation is 18.e5 Nd5 19.Qd2. Then 19...a3?! 20.Bh6! is bad for Black, as is 19...Nxf4? 20.Qxf4 Bc4 21.Ndf5! with a winning advantage. a4) 17...a3?! also gives Black nothing; after 18.b3 White has a comfortable plus. b) 13...Bb6 14.d4!N (formerly White played 14.Bxc6, and after 14...bxc6 he continued on occasion with 15.d4; but then Black isn’t forced to take on d4 but can play for instance 15...Qa5!?) With the following possibilities: b1) 14...Qa5 15.Bd3!

An excellent pawn sacrifice, after which Black comes under attack: 15...exd4 16.Bd2 And now: b11) 16...Ne5 17.cxd4 Nxf3† 18.gxf3 Qa7 19.d5² And in the event of 19...Bxh3?! 20.Bxh6 gxh6 21.Qd2 White has a decisive plus. Black must therefore play 19...Bd7, although after 20.Qc1 he is in a dangerous position all the same. b12) 16...Qa7 17.Qc1 dxc3 18.bxc3, and there is no defence against Bxh6. Black can only play something like 18...Qa5 19.Bxh6 Ne5 or 18...Ne5 19.Nxe5 dxe5 20.Bxh6 Ne8, but White is obviously well on top. b2) 14...exd4 15.Bxc6 bxc6 (the insertion of 15...d3 brings Black no visible benefit: 16.Qxd3 bxc6 17.Bf4², and now on 17...Qa6 White plays 18.Qd2, threatening Bxh6) 16.Nxd4 Rfe8 17.Bf4ƒ With Black having abandoned the centre, White has a pleasant position. The computer suggests 17...h5!? here, but fails to understand that after 18.e5 Nd5 19.Qd2 Black does badly with 19...a3? on account of 20.Bh6! with a huge plus. 14.Bxc6 bxc6

15.Nh4 Or 15.d4!? Bb6 16.Rc2÷, and on 16...Rfe8 White intends 17.dxe5 dxe5 18.c4, while 16...Rfd8 can be met by 17.Be3. However, Black has the hard-hitting 16...exd4 17.Nxd4 Qe5!. Then after 18.Qf3 Bxd4 19.cxd4 Qxd4 20.Be3 the position is close to equality. 15...Rfe8 16.Re1 Freeing f3 for the queen. Over the board you could test whether your opponent was familiar with the following piece sacrifice on h6, but if Black is prepared, he should obtain a good position: 16.Nhf5 d5 17.Nxh6† (17.Bxh6?! gxh6 18.Nxh6† Kh7 19.Qd2 Rg8! gives Black good play) 17...gxh6 18.Bxh6

In Kasimdzhanov – Mamedyarov, Khanty-Mansiysk 2019, Black now played 18...dxe4?, and after 19.Rxe4! White had a neardecisive plus. Black has, however, a number of quite good alternatives; the one I like best is 18...Bd7!?. Then in the complex position after 19.d4 Bd6 20.Qd2 Nh7 he is at least no worse, and perhaps even slightly better. A good reply to 21.Ree1 is 21...Re6!. I won’t give you the long variations; with the strike against h6 you may surprise your opponent, but such moves are not suited for recommendation in this book. 16...Kh7 A rather strange idea of the computer’s is: 16...d5 17.exd5 cxd5!? 18.Rxe5© Black has given away a pawn but does appear to have compensation. But even if familiar with this idea, a human player is likely to prefer 16...Kh7. 17.Qf3

17...d5!? In a game Wen Yang – Xiongjian Peng, China 2019, Black played 17...Rab8?. Then after 18.Nhf5 Ng8 19.Nh5 White has a large plus. It would be worth considering 17...Qb6, so that after 18.Nhf5 Ng8 19.Nh5 Black can play 19...Bxf2†!, then exchange queens and follow with ...g7-g6. However, 17...d5 looks more convincing. 18.exd5 In this case 18.Nhf5 dxe4 19.dxe4?! Ng8 doesn’t work for White. On Nh5 Black can simply play ...Bf8. 18...Bxd5

19.Qf5† With 19.Qe2!? White can continue the struggle, although there are chances for both sides after 19...e4 20.Bd2. And the position is unclear after 20...Qa6 21.c4 exd3 22.Qxd3† Kg8 23.Rac1 or 20...Qb6 21.c4 Be6! 22.Bc3. 19...g6! 20.Nxg6 Now Black shortly draws if he keeps finding the only moves. After 20.Qxf6 there is still everything to play for, but rather than go into that position, I would have preferred 19.Qe2!? a move previously. In the event of 20.Qxf6 Be7 21.Qxe5 Bxh4 22.Qxe8 Rxe8 23.Rxe8 a3!„ Black is probably no worse. White should continue with 24.Re2!. 20...fxg6 21.Qxf6 Rf8 22.Qh4

22...g5! The only move. Black must remove his pawn from g6, so that after ...Rxf2 and Qxh6† he will have the threat of ...Rf6†. After 22...Rxf2? 23.Qxh6† Kg8 24.Re4!+– Black has a hopeless position because his g6-pawn is shielding the white queen from a discovered check. 23.Bxg5 Rxf2 24.Qxh6† Kg8 25.Qg6†

25...Kh8 Not 25...Kf8?? 26.Bh6†+–. 26.Qh6† And the game Mamedyarov – Karjakin, Stavanger 2018, ended in repetition of moves. Conclusion This chapter covers two options after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 0-0 6.0-0 d6 7.Re1: 7...h6, usually followed by ...a7-a5, and the immediate 7...a5!?. After 7...h6 8.Nbd2!? a5 the set-up with 9.Nf1 instead of 9.h3 is quite a good alternative to the main line. Black can stop this possibility by playing 7...a5 in place of 7...h6, but in that case he allows White another option – 8.Bg5!?. Reverting to 7...h6 8.Nbd2 a5 9.Nf1, we find that after 9...a4 10.Ng3 White most likely has the advantage. Black does better with 9...Be6 10.Bb5 Ne7. At this point nearly all players of the white side have chosen 11.d4, but Black can then obtain a good position with precise play. For that reason 11.h3!? is more interesting. This rare move gives White good chances to acquire a plus. 7...a5!? is relatively rare – most players prefer not to allow White’s Bg5, as such positions are considered dangerous. With accurate play, Black can probably keep the position unclear, but one slip can land him in trouble. Black must therefore have a very good memory of all the variations; in the games in the database, the only player who has succeeded in equalizing for Black is Ding Liren. Late on in the line, moves that have yet to be tested for White are 18.Qb3!? and 20.Qe2!?; in either case Black still has to play precisely. If instead White meets 7...a5!? with 8.h3 then the usual follow-up is 8...h6 9.Nbd2 Be6 10.Bb5. Then the position after 10...Qb8! began to be played in 2017, so not surprisingly there is still a great deal of life in it. Following 11.Nf1 Qa7, White has a choice between the crazy positions resulting from 12.d4!? exd4 13.Bxc6 dxc3 and the relatively quieter 12.Re2. The consequences of 12.d4!? are rather hard to assess, because a computer isn’t very good at evaluating such positions – it tends to overrate them from Black’s viewpoint. Overall I think that White is at least no worse, but the position is double-edged. After the quieter 12.Re2 a4 13.Ng3, Black has three moves to choose from, but 13...Qa5! is the only one to give him a good chance of solving all his problems. In the main line White can continue the fight with 19.Qe2!? or else play 19.Qf5†, after which Black draws with a sequence of precise moves.

Part IV Early Deviations

A) 3...g6 214 B) 3...Be7 215 C) 3...Nf6 4.d3 Be7 5.0-0 0-0 6.Re1 d6 7.a4 216 C1) 7...h6 216 C2) 7...Be6 219 C3) 7...Kh8 8.Nc3!? 221 C31) 8...Bg4 221 C32) 8...Ng8 9.Nd5 f5 10.h3 224 C321) 10...Nf6!? 225 C322) 10...fxe4 227 C4) 7...Na5 8.Ba2 c5 9.c3 Nc6 10.Na3 a6 11.Bd2 230 C41) 11...h6 12.h3 231 C411) 12...Rb8 232 C412) 12...Re8 233 C42) 11...Be6!? 234 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4

In the present chapter we examine the minor option A) 3...g6 and then the more serious ...Be7 options after B) 3...Be7 and C) 3...Nf6. A) 3...g6

This is seldom played. White can reply in many ways but it is logical to continue with: 4.c3 Or 4.d4 exd4 5.c3 is another interesting way to play. Probably Black’s best response is: 5...d3! (after 5...dxc3 6.Qb3 Nh6 7.0-0© White has a strong initiative) 6.Bg5!? Be7 7.Bf4 Nf6 8.Nbd2 d6 9.Bxd3 0-0 10.0-0² White’s position is easier to play and his pieces are generally more active, but of course Black is quite solid. 4...Bg7 Now a typical line is: 5.d4 d6 6.0-0 Qe7 7.Re1 Nf6 8.h3 0-0 9.Nbd2² White wants to play Nf1-g3 with a more comfortable game.

For instance: 9...Bd7 The most played move. 10.Nf1 Rae8 11.Ng3 It’s hard to find a good plan for Black. 11...Kh8 12.b4!? Not the only good move but a logical example. 12...h6 13.b5 Na5 14.Bf1 Qd8 15.Ba3±

White was clearly better in Bauer – Vorotnikov, Zurich 2017. B) 3...Be7 4.0-0 d6

5.a4!? It’s simplest to transpose into other lines with the aid of this move. Instead, 5.d3 is imprecise owing to 5...Na5. And an interesting reply to 5.Re1 is 5...g5!?, seeing that the knight no longer has the e1-square available. 5...Nf6 Black will scarcely be able to organize any attack with 5...g5?!. For example: 6.Nc3 g4 (or 6...h5 7.Ne1!? Nf6 8.d3 g4, transposing) 7.Ne1 h5 8.d3 Nf6 9.f4 With a large plus. The advance of the pawns was obviously premature. If 9...Nd4, then 10.Ne2 is good. On 9...h4 White plays 10.Nd5. 6.d3 Bg4 Black does better to choose 6...0-0 7.Re1, transposing to variation C. 6...Na5 7.Ba2 c5 8.Re1 0-0 transposes to variation C4. After 6...Be6 7.Bxe6 fxe6 8.c3², the play can transpose to variation C2 with 8...0-0 9.Re1. If Black does without ...0-0, then Re1 is not obligatory. A good answer to 8...a5 is 9.Na3. 7.c3 With 7.Nbd2 White allows the possibility of 7...Nd4!?. Playing c2-c3 at once is slightly more precise.

7...0-0 Naiditsch has played 7...Qd7 8.Nbd2 Bh5 a few times, but that was in rapid or blitz games. After 9.b4 (White can also play 9.Re1, but in that case 9...g5!? isn’t so bad – and although it isn’t so frightening either, the simpler course is not to allow Black this option), the possibilities are as follows: a) In these circumstances 9...g5 is dubious: 10.a5 g4 11.Nh4 g3 12.Qe1 And in answer to 12...gxh2† White plays 13.Kh1 with a large plus.

b) 9...0-0-0? 10.a5 is also bad for Black. c) 9...0-0 10.Re1² White will bring his knight across to g3 and gain a fair advantage. 8.h3 Bh5 9.Re1² White aims to continue with the manoeuvre Nd2-f1-g3. As we can see, Black’s bishop on h5 has not proved particularly useful. After 9...d5 10.exd5 Nxd5 White can obtain a plus with 11.Nbd2 Nf4 12.Nb3, but 11.a5!? a6 12.Nbd2 is simpler; in answer to 12...Nf4?!, he can play 13.Ne4 without having to fear ...Na5. C) 3...Nf6

4.d3 Be7 Of course 4...Bc5 would lead us back to earlier chapters. 5.0-0 0-0 6.Re1 d6 7.a4 Ntirlis called the preceding moves “The Right Move Order” for White, and explains that “White keeps his bishop on the active diagonal, having also prevented the ...d5 break”. Now Black has C1) 7...h6, C2) 7...Be6, C3) 7...Kh8 and C4) 7...Na5. C1) 7...h6

Compared with 7...Kh8 (intending ...Ng8 and ...f7-f5), this variation is a little slow; and in the opening, even a single tempo is of great importance. There is probably more than one way for White to secure a plus, but since this variation is a sideline, we will confine ourselves to 8.c3. 8.c3 Nh7 Alternatively:

a) 8...a6 9.Nbd2 Be6 occurred in So – Ivanchuk, Leuven 2017. At this point the simplest line for White is 10.Bxe6 fxe6 11.b4, with a comfortable plus. b) 8...Kh8 9.a5 (a little better than 9.Nbd2 a5!? as in Papp – Rapport, Karlsruhe 2017) 9...a6 10.Qb3!? (this move looks more challenging than the simpler 10.Nbd2 Nh7 11.d4, which transposes to the note to White’s 10th in the main line) And now: b1) 10...Nh7 11.Bxf7 Ng5 12.Bh5± and White emerges with an extra pawn after 12...g6 13.Nxg5 Bxg5 14.Be2. On 14...Qf6 he has 15.f3. b2) 10...Qe8 11.d4 Nh5 12.Bd3 with a large plus. Against 12...Bg4 a good continuation is 13.d5 Nd8 14.Qd1!. b3) 10...Bg4 11.Nbd2² Black is in an unpleasant position owing to the weakened pawns on b7 and f7. On 11...Qd7 White plays 12.d4, and against 11...Nd7 he has 12.h3 Nc5 13.Qc2 – with a comfortable plus in both cases. 9.a5 a6 Or: 9...Ng5 10.a6² Black usually tries not to allow this move. And if 10...b6 then 11.Bxg5 Bxg5 12.d4 is good for White.

10.d4!? Or: 10.Nbd2 Kh8 (for 10...Ng5 11.d4, see variation “b” in the next note) 11.d4 Ng5 12.d5 (White can also play 12.dxe5!? Nxe5 13.Nxe5 dxe5 14.Qe2², followed by bringing his knight to g3) 12...Nb8 13.Nxg5 Bxg5 14.Bd3² Black is behind in development; his kingside play is retarded. 10...exd4 Other options: a) 10...Bg4 11.d5 Nb8 12.Nbd2 Nd7 (or 12...Ng5 13.Be2²) 13.h3 Bh5 14.Nf1 Ng5 15.Bxg5² And after 15...Bxg5 there are several moves that give White the advantage; for example 16.Ng3 or 16.b4!?. b) 10...Ng5 11.Nbd2 (11.d5!?) 11...Bf6 (or 11...exd4 12.Nxd4²) 12.dxe5

And now: b1) 12...dxe5 13.Nxg5 Bxg5 14.Nb3² The knight on b3 gives Black a good deal of worry. b2) 12...Nxf3† 13.Nxf3 Nxe5 14.Nxe5², with a comfortable plus after 14...dxe5 15.Be3 or 14...Bxe5 15.f4. b3) 12...Nxe5 13.Nxe5 dxe5 14.Qe2² Thanks to his strong pawn on a5 and his slightly better-placed pieces, White has a stable plus.

He can continue by manoeuvring his knight to g3 or e3. 11.cxd4 Bg4 12.h3 White also gains a slight advantage from 12.Nc3!? Ng5 13.Be2 Nxf3† 14.gxf3. 12...Bxf3 After 12...Bh5 13.Nc3 Bf6 14.Be3 Ng5 15.Bxg5 Bxg5 16.g4 Bg6 17.Nd5± White has a large plus. He will be able to take on g5 and answer ...hxg5 with f2-f3. The bishop on g6 will then be useless. 13.gxf3

In many variations White has no objection to sacrificing his h-pawn; he will obtain as a minimum a good attack, and quite often a big advantage. 13...Ng5 Or: a) 13...Qd7 14.f4! Qxh3 15.d5 Na7 16.Ra3± followed by Rg3, b2-b3 and Bb2. b) 13...Bh4 14.f4 Qf6 15.Be3 Qg6† 16.Qg4 Qxg4† 17.hxg4 Nf6 18.g5± Now on 18...hxg5 19.fxg5 Nxe4 White has 20.g6. If Black plays 18...Nxe4 at once, then 19.Nc3!? is more astute. In both cases White is much better. 14.Be3 Qd7 Or 14...Nxh3† 15.Kg2 Ng5 16.Nc3± with Rh1 to follow. White is practically a tempo up on the main line. 15.h4 Nh7 16.f4

16...Bxh4

After 16...Nf6 17.d5 Nb4 18.Bd2 c5 19.Ra3² Black can exchange queens, but this doesn’t solve his problems. On 19...Qg4† White retains a plus with 20.Qxg4 Nxg4 21.Rg3 h5 22.Re2. 17.Kg2 Rae8 Or 17...Bd8 18.Nc3 Ne7 19.Rh1². Then after 19...c6 20.Bd3 White preserves his attacking potential, while 19...Ng6 20.f5 Nh4† 21.Kg1 is bad for Black. If 17...Nf6 then 18.Rh1±. 18.Nc3 Bd8 19.Rh1² With more than enough compensation for the pawn. The powerful pawn centre and bishop pair give White good chances to develop an attack, so his advantage may soon increase. A good reply to 19...Nf6 is 20.f3. C2) 7...Be6

8.Bxe6 The simplest solution. With the doubled pawns, Black is usually a little worse. We just need to check that he cannot develop play on the kingside. The alternatives 8.Nc3 Bxc4 9.dxc4 a5 and 8.a5 Bxc4 9.dxc4 b6 are not so clear. We will take a brief look at two others: a) 8.Nbd2 Qd7 (Ganguly – Bruzon Batista, Saint Louis 2018, saw 8...Bxc4 9.Nxc4²) 9.c3 (unfortunately after 9.Bxe6 Qxe6÷ White can’t play 10.Nc4 on account of 10...Nxe4!) 9...Rfe8 10.h3 h6 11.b4 a6 This occurred in Kazantsev – Garau, corr. 2017. Possibly White is a shade better, but the positions following 8.Bxe6 look more promising. b) 8.Na3 d5!? (8...Qd7 9.c3 Rae8 10.Bxe6² was Jones – McShane, London 2018) 9.exd5 Bxd5 10.Bxd5 Qxd5÷ After 11.c4! White is still fighting for a plus, but it’s better to seek it in other variations. 8...fxe6 9.c3

9...Nh5 Probably Black’s only active plan is to place his knight on f4 and bring his queen over to g6. Let’s briefly examine some other possibilities: a) 9...Qd7 10.b4!² (In a blitz game Vachier-Lagrave – Kollars, Internet 2019, White played instead 10.Nbd2 and Black could have replied 10...a5!?, seeing that White’s knight is not now heading towards b5.) b) 9...Qe8 10.b4 (10.Qb3 Qd7 11.Nbd2 Nh5 12.Nf1 also gives a plus, although in such positions Black can sometimes sacrifice the exchange with ...Rxf3!?) 10...Qg6

11.Be3!? (if White wants, he can transpose to the main line with 11.h3 Nh5 12.Be3; also 11.Nbd2 Nh5 12.Nc4 leads to the note to White’s 11th in the main line) 11...Ng4 12.Nbd2 Nxe3 13.Rxe3 Bg5 14.Nxg5 Qxg5 15.Qb3!?² There is no longer any need to worry about the king’s defence, so White can transfer his queen to c4. Play may continue 15...Rf6 16.Nf3 Qg6 17.Qc4, with a pleasant position. c) 9...d5 10.Nbd2² The ...d6-d5 advance isn’t especially useful. A good line in answer to 10...a5 is 11.exd5 Qxd5 12.Qe2, while on 10...Bd6 White can play 11.b4. d) 9...a5 10.Na3² With ...a7-a5 Black has stopped b2-b4, but on the other hand White can bring his knight to b5 and carry out d3-d4. There is no way for Black to prevent this. 10.b4 Qe8 Or 10...Nf4 11.g3!? Nh3† (11...Ng6 12.Qe2²) 12.Kg2 Ng5 13.Ng1!², avoiding the exchange of knights. White will continue with h2-h4 and Qg4, and his advantage will increase. If 10...a6 then 11.Qb3.

11.h3!? Anticipating ...Nf4. White can also transfer his queen’s knight to c4, but after that he will still need to fortify the other knight on f3, for example with Re3. Playing h2-h3 before Be3 is better, because in the case of 11.Be3 Nf4 an idea for Black will be to play ...g7-g5 before ...Qg6. White has a small plus after 11.Nbd2 Qg6 12.Nc4 Nf4 13.Bxf4 Rxf4, but I’m not convinced that the knight is better placed on c4 than on d2. Therefore the moves h2-h3 and Be3 don’t at all look like a waste of time. 11...Qg6 Or 11...Nf4 12.Bxf4 Rxf4 13.Nbd2². Then after 13...Qg6 we reach the same position as in the main line, only with Black a tempo down – and 13...g5 14.b5 Na5 15.d4 is also dubious for Black. 12.Be3 Nf4 13.Bxf4

13...Rxf4 Or 13...exf4 14.d4 e5 15.Nbd2². With this type of structure, Black has no counterplay. A good answer to 15...Bf6 is 16.Qe2. 14.Nbd2 Raf8 Or 14...Bg5 15.Nxg5 Qxg5 16.Re3 Raf8, transposing. 15.Re3 Bg5 16.Nxg5 Qxg5 17.Rf3² Black’s active play on the kingside now comes to a halt, and White will calmly go ahead on the queenside or carry out d3-d4. Overall White has a stable plus. C3) 7...Kh8

8.Nc3!? A comparatively rare move; more often 8.h3 has been played. Yet variation C31 (8...Bg4) fails to equalize, so the move-order with 8.Nc3 is not at all bad. All the same, let’s examine the difference between this move and 8.h3. In my view they are both of roughly equal merit. White’s alternatives to 8.Nc3 are: a) 8.a5 a6 This is likely to lead to positions in other lines that we examine. We should note, however, that against 9.Nc3 Black’s 9...Bg4 is more effective, so White does better to play 9.h3. b) 8.c3 Ng8 9.d4 f5 10.dxe5 fxe4 11.Rxe4 Rxf3 12.gxf3 Nxe5© Black has good compensation for the exchange. With 13.Bf4!? White can fight for an advantage, but I believe that other variations are easier for him to play. c) 8.h3 Preventing ...Bg4, but now Black’s ...h7-h6 gains a little in strength. 8...h6!? (8...Ng8 9.Nc3 f5 10.Nd5 transposes to variation C32; another possibility is 8...Be6 9.Nbd2 Qd7 10.c3²) 9.a5 a6 10.Nc3 Nh7 11.d4 (11.Nd5 f5÷ isn’t so clear) 11...Ng5

12.Nxg5 (or 12.Bxg5 Bxg5 13.dxe5, and now after 13...Nxe5 and exchanges on e5 and d8, White has slightly the better ending) 12...Bxg5 13.dxe5 Bxc1 (13...Nxe5 14.Bf1²; or 13...dxe5 14.Qxd8²) 14.Qxc1² Thanks to his lead in development, White has a small but stable plus. He will meet 14...Nxe5 with 15.Bf1. On 14...dxe5, a good move is 15.Qe3. Returning to the main line, now Black has C31) 8...Bg4 and C32) 8...Ng8. Or 8...Be6 9.Nd5 Bxd5 10.exd5 Nb4 11.d4². Then after 11...Nbxd5 12.dxe5 dxe5 13.Nxe5 White has a healthy advantage. C31) 8...Bg4

9.h3 Bh5 This is the line recommended by Lokander in his book The Open Games with Black. After 9...Bxf3 10.Qxf3 Nd4 11.Qd1², with his good light-squared bishop, White has a pleasant position. On 11...c6 he continues favourably with either 12.Be3 or 12.Ne2 Nxe2† 13.Qxe2. 10.Be3!? Playing against Black’s ...Nd4 idea. An immediate 10.g4? would be bad on account of 10...Nxg4 when Black will have a vicious pin with ...Nd4 to come. My first idea was 10.Nd5. The plan was to prepare g2-g4 while not allowing Black’s desired reply of ...Nxg4. 10...Nd4 11.g4

But Black has a dangerous piece sacrifice. 11...Nxg4!!N Exactly the idea we hoped to prevent. 12.Nxd4 Nf6 Black has only one pawn for the piece, but he has strong compensation. For example: 13.Nf3 (or 13.Ne2 Nxd5 14.exd5 Bh4© with ...f7-f5 to come) 13...Nxd5 14.exd5 f5 15.Ra3÷ Our analysis in various lines of this sacrifice went much deeper than this, but this is not a line to recommend for White, so we shall stop here. The objective verdict may be unclear, with equality the result of many lines, but in practical terms it is easier to play with Black. 10...Qd7!? The most popular choice. The direct line is: 10...Nd4 11.Bxd4 exd4

Then three options are worth mentioning: a) 12.Nb1 This is interesting but unfortunately not good enough for an advantage, however it is worth seeing why: 12...c6 13.Nbd2 d5 14.exd5 cxd5!N Only this way. (14...Nxd5 15.Bxd5 cxd5 16.Nb3!?N favours White) 15.Bb3 Bb4 16.Re5 Bd6 17.Re2 Bb4= White cannot escape the pin. b) 12.Nb5 is the only move Lokander mentions here, but I favour going to d5, so I shall not analysis this line further. c) 12.Nd5! There is a similar position in a line of the Spanish with d3 and a3. 12...Nxd5 13.Bxd5 c6 14.Bb3 Bf6 This has been played twice, but White is doing well (after 14...Bxf3 15.Qxf3 g6 16.g3² there are opposite bishops, but White has prospects of an initiative; a natural plan is Kg2, Qe2 and f2-f4). 15.g4N (15.g3!? followed by Kg2 is also promising) 15...Bg6 16.Qd2!?² A likely plan for White is Re2, then the other rook to f1, move the knight (even to h2 if required) and play f2-f4. 10...Nb4N 11.Bb3 a5 is a second line that Lokander mentions. One option is 12.Qe2!? with ideas of Nb1-d2; White should be a little better (the simple 12.d4² is also sensible).

11.a5! A key idea. It gains space of course, but also in a couple of lines it is vital that White has a Bb3-a4 resource. It may not be obvious in the current position why that Ba4 move matters, but when we study the lines, it will become clear. It is useful to see why the more direct line does not work so well: 11.Nd5 Nxd5 12.Bxd5 Nb4 13.Bb3 f5 14.Nxe5 Qe8 15.Nf3 fxe4 16.dxe4

16...d5!N This is the clearest way to equalize (16...Qg6 as in Wang Hao – Aryan, Baile Govora 2017, gives White a few more options). 17.g4 dxe4 18.Ng5 Bxg5 19.Bxg5 Bf7= Exchanging bishops solves any problems. For example, 20.Qd4 Bxb3 21.Qxb4 Qf7 22.Bh4 Bd5 23.Qe7 h5 24.Qxf7 Rxf7 when the opposite bishops are drawish. 11...a6 The most natural move, but now White can get an improved version of the Wang Hao game. 12.Nd5 Nxd5 Instead 12...Bxf3 13.Qxf3 Nd4 14.Bxd4 exd4 15.e5 dxe5 16.Nxe7 Qxe7 17.Qxb7² favoured White in A. Horvath – Dankhazi, Ajka 2018. 13.Bxd5

13...Nb4 The immediate 13...f5? is inaccurate due to 14.exf5! when the d5-bishop is supporting the f3-knight, which means either recapture on f5 would fail to 15.g4. 14.Bb3 f5 Of course Black could instead play some quiet move (and be slightly worse) but the ...f7-f5 break is the idea behind his set-up. 15.Nxe5 Qe8 16.Nf3 fxe4 17.dxe4

17...Bxf3 Damaging White’s king cover, but this is not a big problem. The move that equalized for Black in the Wang Hao game was 17...d5 but here there is a difference: 18.g4 dxe4 19.Ng5 Bxg5 20.Bxg5 Bf7

21.Ba4! White can retain the bishop pair, and so has a pleasant edge. For example: 21...Qe5 22.Qd2² 18.gxf3 Qh5 19.Kg2² The white king is more secure than it may look, especially as f3-f4 is the plan. For example: 19...Bg5 Or 19...Qg6† 20.Kh2 helps only White. 20.f4 Qxd1 21.Raxd1 Bxf4

22.Ba4!N The same key move as in the above line, but with a different idea: preparing to exchange the knight if it goes to c6, soon leading to a double-rook ending where White has slightly better chances. 22.Bxf4 Rxf4 23.e5 (23.Ba4! would have been similar to the main line) 23...dxe5 24.Rxe5 Raf8 25.Rd2 Nc6 was soon drawn in Nasuta – Klekowski, Poland 2018. A sample line is: 22...Nc6 23.Bxc6 bxc6 24.Bxf4 Rxf4 25.e5² Black must try to save a challenging endgame. C32) 8...Ng8

9.Nd5 f5 10.h3 Covering the g4-square. As a matter of fact, the idea of ...fxe4 dxe4 ...Bg4 isn’t all that unpleasant in view of Be2, so moves such as 10.c3 or 10.a5 are also playable. All the same, it’s simpler not to allow Black the ...Bg4 option. Black’s choices here are C321) 10...Nf6!? and C322) 10...fxe4. And also: a) 10...Bf6 11.b4 fxe4 (11...Nce7?! 12.Nxf6 Nxf6 13.d4± gives White a large plus after 13...Nxe4 14.dxe5, while 13...fxe4 14.dxe5 is even worse for Black) 12.dxe4 Be6 (after 12...Nce7 13.Nxf6 Nxf6 14.Ng5 White threatens Nf7†, and on 14...Qe8 a good continuation is 15.f4 h6 16.Nf3 exf4 17.e5!) 13.b5² After his queenside pawn push, White has a pleasant position. He meets 13...Na5 with 14.Ba2, while a good answer to 13...Nce7 is 14.a5. b) 10...f4?! 11.b4 Nf6 12.Nxe7± The pawn’s advance to f4 proves ineffective, and White is much better. For instance: 12...Nxe7 (or

12...Qxe7 13.b5±, and if 13...Nd8 then 14.d4 is good, or if 13...Na5 then 14.Ba2 threatens Bd2) 13.d4 Ng6 14.dxe5 Nxe5 15.Nxe5 dxe5 16.b5± And as the white bishop is going to a3, Black has serious problems. C321) 10...Nf6!?

11.Ng5 Going onto the attack at once. It would be worth considering 11.a5, although after 11...Nxd5 12.exd5 Nb8 the position isn’t so clear.

11...Ng8! This is the only way Black can hold the defence. After other moves, he loses a pawn or the exchange: a) 11...Nxd5?! 12.Nxh7 Nf6 13.Nxf6 g6 14.Nd5± left White with an extra pawn in Kryvoruchko – Maghsoodloo, Sharjah 2018. b) 11...fxe4 12.Nxf6 Rxf6 13.Nf7† Rxf7 14.Bxf7 and White has a large plus. Black obviously hasn’t enough compensation for the exchange. 12.Qh5 Nh6 In the case of 12...Bxg5?! 13.Bxg5 Qd7 14.f4± White’s pieces are too active. 13.c3

13...f4 For 13...Bd7 14.Bd2 f4 (14...Be8 15.Qh4² is no improvement) 15.Nxe7 Qxe7 16.g3, see the note to move 15 below. The pawn exchange 13...fxe4?! 14.dxe4± would leave Black with no further counterplay. 14.Nxe7 Qxe7 15.g3 Rf6 Or: 15...Bd7 16.Bd2 Qf6 (after 16...fxg3 17.fxg3 Rf6 18.Rf1 Raf8 19.Be3² White aims to continue by pushing his b-pawn; with his good bishops he has a steady advantage) 17.gxf4 exf4 18.d4 Be8 (18...Ne7 19.Nf3±) 19.Qh4 Ne7 20.Nf3² In the ending White has an appreciable plus, thanks to his two bishops and superior pawn structure. 16.Bd2

16...Bd7 Or: a) 16...Rg6 17.gxf4 exf4 18.Bxf4 Ne5 19.Kh1 Nxc4 20.dxc4 Be6 21.c5 dxc5 22.Be3² There are no real threats to White’s king, and the doubled pawns on the c-file give him a comfortable advantage. b) 16...Nd8 17.gxf4 exf4 18.e5!? dxe5 19.Rxe5 Qxe5 20.Re1² Black is forced to take on e1. After that, his pieces are too scattered, so White has a noticeable plus. 17.gxf4 exf4 18.d4 Raf8 After 18...Na5 19.Bd5 c6 20.Ba2² White will continue with Kh1 and Rg1.

19.Kh1! Placing the king on this square is important. After 19.Kh2? Rg6 20.Rg1 Black would have the resource 20...Ng4†!. 19...Be8 20.Qh4 Qd7 With the idea of bringing the queen’s knight to g6. White answers 20...Bg6 with 21.Kh2‚. Then after Rg1 Black won’t be able to capture on e4. 21.Bb5

21...a6 Or 21...Qc8 22.Rg1². Black’s knight manoeuvre to g6 is nothing to be afraid of, as the light-squared bishops will be exchanged. After 22...Ne7 23.Bxe8 Qxe8 24.c4 White is well on top. 22.Bxc6² Now 22...Qxc6? is bad because after 23.c4! Qxc4 24.d5 White has a virtually decisive advantage. On 22...bxc6 White similarly plays 23.c4, with d4-d5 and Bc3 to follow. Once his dark-squared bishop is activated, White has a clear plus. C322) 10...fxe4 11.dxe4

11...Nf6 Or 11...Be6 12.c3 Nf6 (12...Qd7 13.b4²) 13.a5 a6, transposing to the main line below. For 11...Bf6 12.b4, see 10...Bf6 11.b4 fxe4 12.dxe4. Sethuraman – Jumabayev, Xingtai 2019, saw: 11...Qd7 12.a5 a6 13.b4 Bd8 14.Ra3² White has brought all his pieces into play and obtained a good position. On 14...Qe8 he can play 15.Bf1, followed by c2-c4. 12.a5 In answer to 12.Ng5?! Black has: 12...Nxd5 13.Nxh7 Rf4! (this is why Ng5 is isn’t so good after the pawn exchange on e4; against 14.Qh5? Black will have the possibility of 14...Rh4!) 14.g3 Qe8! (not allowing Qh5) 15.Qxd5 Nd4 Now 16.gxf4 will be met by 16...Be6, while against 16.Bxf4 Black can play 16...Kxh7. The position remains complicated, but the advantage is quite possibly with Black. 12...a6 In the event of 12...Be6 13.a6 White has a large plus, as 13...b6? fails to 14.Nxb6. With 12...Bd7 Black retains the possibility of ...b7-b6, but White can simply play 13.c3 – and ...a7-a6 is hard for Black to dispense with.

13.c3 There are various moves to give White a stable plus here, so let’s also take a brief look at the alternatives; 13.Ra3 and 13.b4 are of roughly equal merit. Caruana – Grischuk, Saint Louis 2018, saw 13.Ra3!? Be6 14.Nxf6, and the continuation was 14...Bxc4 15.Nd5. Possibly 14...Rxf6 15.Bxe6 Rxe6 would have been a slight improvement, but in both cases White keeps the advantage. After 13.b4 Be6, White plays 14.Bb3!?, defending against ...Nxb4 and setting up a threat of Nxc7 (the computer also suggests 14.Qd2!? with Ra3 to follow, while 14.c3 transposes to 13.c3 Be6 14.b4).

Now Black has: a) 14...Qd7?! 15.Nxc7 Qxc7 16.Bxe6 Without the light-squared bishop, Black’s king position is too weak. For example: 16...Nxb4 17.Rb1 Nc6 18.Ng5 Nd8 19.Be3± threatening Bb6. A good answer to 19...Nd7 is 20.Bd5. b) 14...Bg8 Unlike 14...Bf7 this doesn’t threaten ...Bh5, so there is no hurry for White to take on f6. 15.Rb1!?² And now: b1) 15...Nxd5?! is unsuccessful: 16.exd5, and Black can’t take on b4 on account of c2-c3. b2) If 15...Qd7, then 16.c4 isn’t bad; again the b4-pawn can’t be captured, owing to Ba4. b3) 15...h6 can be met by 16.c3 or 16.Nxf6, preserving White’s advantage. c) 14...Bf7 15.Nxf6 Since the bishop on f7 could go to h5, White’s simplest course is to exchange some pieces, and now: c1) 15...Bxb3 16.Nxh7 Bxc2 (or 16...Kxh7 17.cxb3 Nxb4 18.Re3², followed by bringing the rook to c3; White can then play to achieve b3-b4-b5, or think about h3-h4!?) 17.Qxc2 Kxh7 18.Rb1² Owing to his better pawn structure, White retains an edge. In answer to 18...Qd7 he can play 19.Qd3 and reposition his knight with Nh2-g4. c2) 15...Bxf6 16.Bxf7 Rxf7 17.Qd5² With the light-squared bishops exchanged, Black has no chance of creating counterplay on the kingside whereas White can calmly exert pressure on the queenside. After 17...Qe8 or 17...Rf8 White can choose between two formations: 18.Rb1 followed by Be3, or 18.Bd2 aiming for c2-c4. In either case he stays on top.

13...Be6 The game Ganguly – Kazhgaleyev, Astana 2019, went 13...Nxd5?! 14.exd5 Nb8, and after 15.Nd2 White’s advantage was diminished. But 15.Bd3!± would have secured a large plus after either 15...Nd7 16.b4 Nf6 17.c4 or 15...Bf5 16.Bxf5 Rxf5 17.Qb3. 14.b4 In Oratovsky – Delorme, Barcelona 2019, White played 14.Qb3 and Black could have replied 14...Nxa5! 15.Rxa5 b5, giving an unclear position.

14...Bf7 Alternatively: a) 14...Bg8 15.Nxf6 Bxf6 (15...Bxc4 16.Nd5 transposes to the main line with 14...Bf7) 16.Bxg8² The position is nearly the same as in the note to move 15 below, only in a slightly worse version for Black. b) 14...Qd7?! 15.b5 axb5 16.Bxb5, and owing to the threat of a5-a6 Black has serious problems: b1) 16...Ng8 doesn’t help: 17.a6 bxa6 18.Ba4 b2) 16...Bxh3 17.gxh3 Nxd5 (or 17...Qxh3 18.Bf1 Qg4† 19.Bg2±) 18.exd5 Qxh3 19.Bf1! Qg4† 20.Bg2± The attack is at an end, and the piece is much more important than three pawns. b3) 16...Qd8 17.a6 Bd7 18.Bxc6 Bxc6 19.a7± The pawn on a7 gives Black plenty to worry about. For that reason his position is difficult. 15.Nxf6 Bxc4 Or 15...Bxf6 16.Bxf7 Rxf7 17.Be3². White can continue with Qd3 or Qe2, then Reb1, so as to carry out b4-b5. 16.Nd5

16...Nb8 It’s better to move the knight before it is attacked. On 16...Qd7 White plays 17.Nd2 Bxd5 18.exd5, followed by Ne4 with a large plus. 17.Be3 Nd7 18.Nd2 Bxd5 19.exd5² Black can exchange off the dark-squared bishops, but this won’t solve his problems. After 19...Bg5 20.Ne4 Bxe3 21.Rxe3 White remains with a steady advantage, thanks to his advanced pawns on the queenside. C4) 7...Na5

8.Ba2 c5 9.c3 Nc6 Nearly everyone in this position withdraws the knight immediately; Black cannot do without this move. On 9...a6 or 9...h6, White can continue with 10.Na3 and Black will have to play ...Nc6 anyway. 10.Na3 In my view it’s more shrewd to place the knight on a3 where it doesn’t block the dark-squared bishop. In some positions White can play b2-b4 with his knight on this square. A game Areshchenko – Olszewski, Poland 2016, went: 10.Nbd2 Be6 11.Bxe6 (11.Nc4!?) 11...fxe6 12.Nc4÷ At this point Black played 12...Qd7, and after 13.Bd2 White obtained a pleasant position. An improvement for Black would be 12...h6 13.Bd2 a6!; then 14.b4 could be met by 14...cxb4 15.cxb4 b5. 10...a6 For 10...h6 11.Bd2 a6, see variation C41. After 10...Be6 11.Bxe6 fxe6 12.Bd2 a6, variation C42 is reached. 11.Bd2

This can be considered the standard position (tabiya) for the variation. Black has three continuations here – 11...h6, 11...Be6 and the more minor 11...Rb8. In such positions it can be hard to decide whether or not White has gained an advantage; the assessment often hovers between “=” and “²”. We consider both C41) 11...h6 and C42) 11...Be6!?. Also: 11...Rb8 Black prepares to meet b2-b4 by exchanging pawns and playing ...b7-b5, but instead of an immediate b2-b4 White can reposition his knight. 12.Nc4 There is no need to examine other moves here (though 12.Nc2!? also merits attention). 12...Be6 (12...b5 13.axb5 axb5 14.Ne3 Be6 occurred in Amin – Guichard, Internet 2019; White’s simplest course at this point is 15.h3!?, transposing to variation “d” below)

13.h3!? A small improvement to White’s position (13.b4 cxb4 14.cxb4 d5! isn’t so clear, and 13.Ne3 is also premature in view of 13...Bxa2 14.Rxa2 d5). And now: a) On 13...Qd7 White has 14.Nb6 followed by Nd5. b) If 13...Qc7 then 14.Ng5, seeing that Black no longer has ...Bg4. c) For 13...h6, see variation C411 (note to Black’s 13th move). d) 13...b5 14.axb5 axb5 15.Ne3 Qd7 16.Nd5 h6 17.Nh2ƒ Black can soon exchange off the well-placed knight on d5, so White starts bringing the other one into action. If Black now plays 17...Nd8 or 17...Bd8, then 18.Nxf6† Bxf6 19.Ng4 is not bad. Overall White has a small, stable plus. C41) 11...h6

This formation has also been reached from other move-orders, for instance 10...h6 11.Bd2 a6. 12.h3 Although White can no longer play Ng5, the insertion of ...h7-h6 and h2-h3 can turn out to benefit him in several variations. It’s too soon for 12.b4 cxb4 13.cxb4 d5÷. Now Black has C411) 12...Rb8 and C412) 12...Re8. And also: 12...Be6 13.Bxe6 fxe6 14.b4 cxb4 15.cxb4 d5 16.Nc2² Let’s compare this position with the equivalent one in variation C42 (note to White’s 13th), which is reached via 11...Be6 instead of 11...h6; and let’s try to understand why the other position is equal, whereas here, after the insertion of ...h7-h6 h2-h3, White has a plus. For this purpose we must consider: 16...b5 17.axb5 axb5 18.Rxa8 Qxa8 19.exd5 Nxd5 20.Nxe5² The chief difference is that now, after 20...Ncxb4 21.Nxb4 Bxb4 22.Bxb4 Nxb4, White can play 23.Qg4! – and Black can’t reply 23...Qa2, because White simply takes the knight. Thanks to the move of the h-pawn, there is no mate.

C411) 12...Rb8

13.Nc4 Bacrot – Cox, London 2016, saw 13.b4 cxb4 14.cxb4 b5 which is not so clear. 13...b5 Or 13...Be6 14.b4. Now after ...b7-b5 White will have the chance to move his knight to a5! There can follow: a) 14...cxb4 15.cxb4 b5 (15...d5 16.exd5 Bxd5 17.b5²) 16.axb5 axb5 17.Na5² as in Vocaturo – Satyapragyan, Sitges 2016. The position is the same as in variation “b”, except that the pawn exchange on b4 has rather benefited White. b) 14...b5 15.axb5 axb5 16.Na5 Nxa5 17.Bxe6 fxe6 18.Rxa5² Owing to Black’s doubled pawns and the active rook on a5, White has a clear plus. On 18...Qc7, a good move is 19.Qa1; against 18...c4, White can play 19.dxc4 bxc4 20.Qc2. 14.axb5 axb5 15.Ne3 Be6 Instead 15...Re8 is the move suggested by Ntirlis in Playing 1.e4 e5 – A Classical Repertoire. The idea, as Ntirlis explains, is to prevent 16.Nh4?! as it could be met by 16...Nxe4 as Ng6 no longer hits the rook. Still, Black’s move does not significantly alter the position, so there is no reason White cannot claim a small edge after a normal move such as 16.Nd5, with similar play to the note to White’s next move. 16.Nh4 White also acquires a slight edge with 16.Nd5!? Qd7 17.Nh2.

16...c4!? Black attempts to work up counterplay in the centre. Inferior tries are 16...Ra8?! 17.Bxe6 fxe6 18.Ng6 with a large plus, and 16...d5?! 17.Nxd5! Nxd5 18.exd5 Bxd5 19.Bxd5 Qxd5

20.Nf5 with the threat of Qg4. 17.Nhf5 d5 In the event of 17...cxd3!? 18.Bd5± Black’s pieces are too poorly placed. If 18...Rb6, then 19.Qf3 is good for White. 18.exd5 Nxd5

19.Qf3!? This looks better than 19.dxc4 Nxe3 20.Nxe3 bxc4. In that case, after 21.Bxc4 Rxb2 22.Bc1 Qxd1 Black’s defence is greatly simplified, while a good answer to 21.Nxc4 is 21...Ra8. 19...Nxe3 Or 19...Bg5 20.Rad1². 20.Bxe3 Bxf5 21.Qxf5 Qxd3 22.Qxd3 cxd3 23.Bd5² White will play Red1 next move, and regain the pawn on d3. After that he will have a stable plus, thanks to his powerful bishops; there will only be two results to play for. C412) 12...Re8

Perhaps the most logical move. Now that Black has covered the g5-square, why shouldn’t ...Re8 be played? 13.Nc2 Be6 14.Bxe6 fxe6

15.Rb1!?N This looks a little more cunning than the immediate b2-b4. Christiansen – Stevic, Batumi 2018, went: 15.b4 cxb4 16.Nxb4 Na5 17.Qb1 Rc8÷ In place of 17.Qb1, a slight improvement was probably 17.Rb1 which might transpose into the main line below. 15...Rc8 Or 15...Qc7 16.b4 cxb4 17.Nxb4 Na5 18.Nh2². White switches his attention to the kingside. He aims to continue with Ng4, and another idea is to bring his rook across to g3. Black has to play a defensive game. White answers 15...b5 with 16.b4². Then the 16...bxa4 isn’t very good in view of 17.bxc5 dxc5 18.Na3, while 16...Rb8 is quite well answered by 17.axb5 axb5 18.Qe2. 16.b4 cxb4 17.Nxb4 Na5 18.Nc2 As long as the black queen is on d8, the move Nh2 is less good because Black will be able to exchange bishops on g5. Instead White can bring his other knight to e3. He has a small but stable plus. C42) 11...Be6!?

Black has chosen 11...Rb8 or 11...h6 much more often, but in my view it’s 11...Be6 that gives him the best chance to avoid the worse position. At move 13, in addition to the main line, I shall supply a short commentary on some other continuations. 12.Bxe6 Capturing the bishop is simplest. After 12.Bc4 Rb8, White will not want to play 13.b4 on account of 13...cxb4 14.cxb4 d5!. A more logical move is 12.Nc4, although after 12...Rc8!? it isn’t simple for White to secure a plus. For instance 13.b4 is met by

13...cxb4 14.cxb4 b5!?, and Black isn’t far off equalizing. If 13.h3, then 13...h6 is a good reply. 12...fxe6

13.Qe2!?N White would like to play 13.b4 at once, but in that case Black successfully solves his problems with precise play. White therefore does better to improve his position a little first. Our 13th move is an innovation; let’s try to understand how play may continue and also examine some other possible lines: a) 13.b4 was the first move to be studied, but it turns out that Black is OK here. 13...cxb4 14.cxb4 And now: a1) Karjakin – Kryvoruchko, Isle of Man 2019, went 14...b5?! 15.axb5 axb5 16.Nxb5 (I suspect Black knew he should play 14...d5 15.Nc2 b5, but got in a muddle and played ...b7-b5 at once; he now has no real compensation for the pawn) 16...Rxa1 (or 16...Qb6 17.Na3 d5 18.Nc2±) 17.Qxa1 Qb6 18.Na3 Ng4 At this point White continued with 19.Re2?!, whereupon Black took the pawn on b4. But if White plays 19.Rf1!, he can answer 19...Nxb4 with 20.Nc4, gaining a big advantage after 20...Qb5 21.Rb1 or 20...Qc5 21.Qa3. a2) 14...d5! 15.Nc2 (on 15.Rb1 Black can play 15...a5, while a good answer to 15.Qb3 is 15...Ng4!; White then has to reckon with the blows ...Nxf2 and ...Rxf3) 15...b5 16.axb5 (16.exd5 Qxd5÷) 16...axb5 17.Rxa8 Qxa8 18.exd5 Nxd5 19.Nxe5 Ncxb4

In spite of Black’s weak e6-pawn, the position is close to equality. An important point is that after 20.Nxb4 Bxb4 21.Bxb4 Nxb4 22.Qg4 Black has 22...Qa2!. Interestingly, this doesn’t work if the moves h2-h3 and ...h7-h6 have been interpolated, as Black then has no mate in answer to Qxb4. b) 13.Nc4 h6!?÷ Black has covered the g5-square and can meet b2-b4 with ...b7-b5. If 14.h3, then 14...Qc7 is not bad. c) 13.h3 Nd7!? It’s because of this very move that I prefer 13.Qe2 for White. 14.Nc4 (14.Qb3 Rf6÷) 14...b5 15.Ne3 b4÷ d) 13.Nc2 Qe8!? 14.b4 cxb4 15.cxb4 b5÷ gives a position with ample play and approximately equal chances.

13...Nh5 Alternatively: a) A crafty computer move is 13...Qe8!?. You might ask why Black should play ...Qe8 if ...Nh5 is possible at once, but with his queen on this square he can meet b2-b4 with ...d6-d5. There can follow: a1) 14.b4 cxb4 15.cxb4 d5! 16.exd5 Nxd5 with complex play. It’s interesting that Black’s best response to 17.b5 axb5 18.axb5!? is 18...Rxf3! 19.bxc6 Rf8. The position then remains unclear. a2) 14.Nc4 b5 15.Ne3 White’s position is a shade more pleasant owing to his better pawn structure; however, he has difficulty developing an initiative. a3) 14.h3 Nh5 (or 14...Qg6 15.Nc4²; White will answer 15...Nh5 with 16.b4, while after 15...b5 16.axb5 axb5 17.Rxa8 Rxa8 18.Na3 Black’s queen manoeuvre to g6 proves redundant) 15.b4 cxb4 16.cxb4 Nf4 17.Bxf4 Rxf4

18.Nc2 (in the event of 18.Reb1 Qg6„ Black succeeds in creating counterplay as a result of White’s irrelevant rook move) 18...Qg6 (if 18...a5 then 19.Reb1 is quite good, while 18...Rc8 can be met by 19.Rec1, preparing b4-b5) 19.b5

And now: a31) 19...Na5 20.Reb1 Raf8 21.Nce1 White has fortified his knight on f3 and will now begin play on the queenside. After 21...axb5 22.axb5 Bd8, he can continue with 23.Qe3 b6 24.Ra2 and bring the rook to c2 with a small plus. a32) 19...Nb8 20.d4 Nd7 21.bxa6 bxa6 22.Nb4 The position offers plenty of play in which the assessment is somewhere between “=” and “²”. On 22...exd4 it’s important to play 23.Nd3 before recapturing the d4-pawn. b) 13...Rb8 14.Nc2 Playing this before b2-b4 is important, as White can now recapture on b4 with the knight. 14...b5 It may be slightly better for Black if he doesn’t hurry with this move, but in that case his 13...Rb8 has no particular point. 15.b4

15...Qd7 (with a pair of knights exchanged after 15...cxb4 16.Nxb4! Nxb4 17.cxb4², White’s queenside play becomes easier; a good answer to 17...Qd7 is 18.Ra2 followed by Rea1) 16.h3 Slightly improving White’s position; in such situations there tends to be no clearly best move. 16...Rfc8 (or 16...Nh5 17.axb5 axb5 18.d4²; Black’s ...Nh5 manoeuvre comes rather too late here, and it doesn’t fit in very well with ...Rb8) 17.axb5 axb5 18.Reb1² Thanks to his superior pawn structure, White has a stable plus. He will answer 18...cxb4 with 19.Nxb4. In the event of 18...Ra8, it isn’t so good for White to win the pawn on b5, because of Black’s resource with ...Nb4!. Maintaining the pressure with 19.Be3 is simpler. c) 13...Nd7 Intending ...d6-d5; White can prevent this with Nc4, but then Black plays ...b7-b5. 14.b4 cxb4 15.cxb4 d5 (15...a5 16.b5²) 16.Nc2 Bd6 (or 16...d4 17.b5²; then 17...Na5 isn’t very good in view of 18.Reb1!)

17.Bg5! (17.b5 is imprecise; after 17...axb5 18.axb5 Rxa1 19.Rxa1 Ne7÷ Black has no particular problems) And now: c1) 17...Qe8 (other queen moves are no better: 17...Qb6 is well answered by 18.Rab1, while on 17...Qc7 White can play b4-b5) 18.b5 axb5 19.axb5 Rxa1 20.Rxa1ƒ We can now see that the insertion of Bg5 and ...Qe8 has been useful to White. On 20...Ne7 he can take the knight and play Ne3; in reply to 20...Nd8 he has 21.Ra8. In either case he keeps up the pressure. c2) 17...Be7 18.Bxe7 Qxe7 19.b5² c3) 17...Ne7 18.exd5 exd5 19.Ne3 Nf6 20.Qb2² Black has hanging pawns in the centre, and defending them is quite awkward.

14.b4 cxb4 15.cxb4 Nf4 16.Bxf4 exf4 Black has freed the e5-square so that he can answer 17.b5 with 17...Ne5. But instead White can defend his pawn on b4, aiming to follow with d3-d4. Against 16...Rxf4 White continues with 17.Reb1² (the immediate 17.b5 is a little weaker in view of 17...axb5 18.axb5 Nb8!, but another move to give White a slight edge is 17.Nc2!?). It isn’t so easy now for Black to find a useful move. If he plays 17...Rc8, White has 18.b5 axb5 19.Rxb5. If 17...Qd7, then 18.Nc4 Raf8 19.b5 is again good for White. 17.Nc2

17...Ne5!? Or 17...Qd7 18.d4². 18.Ncd4 Qd7 19.Qa2! Nxf3† 20.Nxf3²

On account of his misplaced pawn on f4, Black has some difficulties. In answer to 20...Rac8, a good move is 21.Rab1, envisaging b4-b5 and threatening Nd4. On 20...g5, White can play 21.Nd4 Rf6 22.Rab1, and again he will carry out b4-b5. Against 20...Bf6, the simple 21.d4 is adequate, threatening e4-e5 ...dxe5 dxe5 with Rad1 to follow. Conclusion Meeting 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 with 3...g6 is justifiably rare, and White can secure an advantage in more than one way. 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Be7 4.0-0 d6 5.a4!?: The Hungarian Defence (3...Be7) is seen quite rarely, although the variation isn’t so bad. But then White can simply transpose into other ...Be7 variations of the Italian Game – and this is his simplest option. Black hasn’t much choice in the matter, seeing that 5...g5?! is dubious, while after 5...Nf6 6.d3 it’s hard to find a better move than 6...0-0. After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 Be7 5.0-0 0-0 6.Re1 d6 7.a4 the four main moves are 7...h6, 7...Be6, 7...Kh8 and 7...Na5: Compared with the idea of ...Kh8 and ...Ng8, Black’s 7...h6 seems rather slow, as it squanders a tempo. White can probably gain an advantage in various ways; we can choose between the calm 10.Nbd2 and the sharp 10.d4!. In both cases White obtains a promising position; the choice between them is a matter of style. I would also point out that in this variation the pawn push with a5-a6 is desirable for White and often brings him gains. The simplest response to 7...Be6 is to exchange bishops. There is a similar structure with the black bishop on c5, but with the bishop on e7 there is all the more reason why White should be better. A further point to be remembered is that after 8.Bxe6 fxe6 White should play c2-c3 and b2-b4 straight away, while his knight is still on b1. Black will then be reluctant to play ...a7-a5, as White could post his knight to b5.

Since an early ...Bg4 doesn’t permit Black to equalize, White can reply to 7...Kh8 by playing 8.Nc3 at once. The alternative 8.h3!? prevents ...Bg4, but in that case Black’s 8...h6!? is a more interesting option. In general the key position comes about after ...Ng8, Nd5 and ...f7-f5. White nearly always has an edge in positions with his knight on d5. But whereas after 10...fxe4 11.dxe4 Nf6 12.a5 a6 there are various continuations that leave him with the better game, the cunning 10...Nf6!? 11.Ng5 Ng8! requires him to play for the advantage with some precision. The position after 7...Na5 8.Ba2 c5 is the chief tabiya of the Italian Game with ...Be7. After 9.c3 Nc6 it’s desirable for White to develop his knight via a3, retaining the possibility of Bd2 and b2-b4. So the right sequence is 10.Na3 a6 11.Bd2. In these positions White usually has a small plus, but he risks letting it slip if he makes an imprecise move. The most important position arises from a sequence that is not the most popular: 11...Be6!? 12.Bxe6 fxe6 Then the immediate 13.b4 permits Black to equalize, so White does better not to hurry but to improve his position with 13.Qe2!?. As to the standard moves 11...h6 and 11...Rb8, they give Black rather less in the way of equalizing chances than he has after 11...Be6!?.

A) 6...g6 7.d4 Qe7 8.Re1 Bg7 9.Nbd2 0-0 10.h3! 240 A1) 10...Nh7 242 A2) 10...Kh8 243 A3) 10...Bd7 244 B) 6...g5 7.Nbd2 Bg7 8.Bb3 245 B1) 8...Nh5 246 B2) 8...a6!? 247 B3) 8...0-0 9.h3!? 249 B31) 9...Nh5!? 251 B32) 9...d5 10.Re1 Re8 252 B321) 11.exd5 252 B322) 11.Qc2!? 253 B323) 11.Nf1 254 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 h6

This move began to be played at the start of the 1980s. Alexander Beliavsky, for instance, adopted it three times in 1981 with good results. The idea of 4...h6 is to bring the bishop out to g7; to that end, Black first needs to defend against the threat of Ng5. Originally he nearly always followed with the modest ...g7-g6, but in 2018 Black started going into action with the brazen ...g7-g5 – which became familiar, above all, from the games of Mamedyarov. 5.0-0 d6 6.c3 A simple and good move. Let me also say a few words about other possibilities: a) 6.Re1 g5!? The drawback to Re1 is that White can’t now continue with Nbd2 on account of ...g5-g4, so Nc3 has to be played. 7.Nc3 (in a rapid game Vachier-Lagrave – Mamedyarov, Saint Louis 2018, Black unexpectedly gained a big advantage after 9 moves: 7.d4? g4 8.dxe5 gxf3 9.exf6 Ne5µ) 7...Bg7 8.a4!? (in Aronian – Mamedyarov, Leuven [rapid] 2018, White played 8.d4, against which Black could have captured twice on d4 with ...0-0 to follow) White now retains chances of a plus – for instance if 8...0-0 then 9.h3 is not bad. But I won’t dwell on this position, as I have convinced myself that White stands better after 6.c3 and Nbd2. b) 6.Nc3 Na5 7.Bb3 c6 8.d4 (or 8.Bxf7† Kxf7 9.b4 Kg8÷, and although the black king heads for h7 on foot, the position remains unclear) 8...Qc7 9.Qd3 Be7 With an acceptable position for Black in Aronian – Mamedyarov, Leuven (blitz) 2018. Now on 10.Bxf7† Kxf7 11.b4 Black will play 11...Re8, giving a position with mutual chances.

We now consider A) 6...g6 and B) 6...g5. A) 6...g6 7.d4 Qe7 The vast majority of players choose this queen move, which is hardly surprising since no good alternative is to be seen. Let’s briefly look at two other moves: a) 7...Nxe4 8.dxe5 dxe5

9.Qe2 Simple and good (after 9.Qxd8† Nxd8 White has less advantage than he would like, but 9.Bd5!? is also worth considering). 9...Nd6 (in the event of 9...Bf5 10.g4 Bxg4 11.Qxe4 f5 12.Qe3± Black obviously hasn’t enough compensation for the piece) 10.Nxe5 Qe7 11.Nxc6 bxc6 12.Nd2 Qxe2 13.Bxe2² This occurred in Norman – Kaufmann, email 2009. Thanks to Black’s doubled pawns on the c-file, White has a stable plus. b) 7...exd4 8.cxd4 Bg7 9.d5!? (9.Nc3 is also playable, but I like the immediate d4-d5 which forces Black to decide the placing of his knight)

And now: b1) 9...Na5 10.Bd3 c5 11.Nc3² On 11...0-0 White has 12.h3, restricting Black and securing the advantage. b2) 9...Ne5 10.Nxe5 dxe5 11.f3² With this kind of pawn structure, Black has problems with his c7-pawn. b3) 9...Ne7 10.Nc3 0-0 11.Be3² White has deployed his pieces conveniently in the centre and obtained a promising position.

8.Re1 Bg7 9.Nbd2 0-0 It’s too early for 9...Bg4 10.h3 Bxf3 11.Nxf3. After taking on f3 with the knight, White has a large plus. We may fear Black’s ...Bg4 if we have to recapture with Qxf3. 10.h3!

Before playing Nf1 we must deprive Black of the g4-square, so as not to allow ...Bg4 (after 10.Nf1?! exd4 11.cxd4 Bg4÷ Black has a comfortable position). If Black develops his bishop on d7 he doesn’t have enough free space for all his pieces. With some examples from play, let’s see how events may unfold. Black has A1) 10...Nh7, A2) 10...Kh8 and A3) 10...Bd7. In A. Muzychuk – Kulon, Tbilisi 2018, the continuation was 10...Na5 11.Bd3 c5. In the Ruy Lopez the manoeuvre with ...Na5 and ...c7-c5 is typical, but here it doesn’t all work out for the best. 12.Qa4! b6 13.b4 Bd7 14.Qa3 Now on 14...Nc6 White will play 15.d5. Black’s best answer to this is 15...cxb4 16.cxb4 Nd8, but after the simple 17.Bb2 it’s obvious that Black has wasted several tempos with his knight moves and landed in a difficult position. There are always more minor moves that could be considered. For example, Delchev mentions 10...Nh5, 10...Kh7 and 10...Qd8. But White keeps at least a slight advantage in all cases with simple play, so we will limit our study to just four examples of this relatively rare position. A1) 10...Nh7

11.Nf1 Ng5 12.Nxg5 Another interesting line is: 12.Bxg5 hxg5 13.Ne3 Qf6!? According to my computer White is better, but this isn’t so obvious. For instance after 14.Nd5 Qd8 Black threatens ...g5-g4 and White has to return his knight to e3. White can improve with 14.Kh1!?, so that in the event of 14...exd4 15.cxd4 Black can’t play ...Nxd4; the point is that after Nd5 the capture on f3 will not be check. I would say in conclusion that after 14.Kh1 Bd7 15.Rc1 White retains a small plus. 12...hxg5 13.d5 Nb8 14.Bd3

To prevent ...f7-f5. White also has other moves that aren’t bad, for example, 14.f3!? f5 15.Be3 Nd7 16.a4. All the play will now be concentrated on the queenside, where White’s possibilities are much greater. Black cannot work up play on the opposite wing, so White has an appreciable plus.

14...Nd7 Not 14...f5?! 15.exf5 gxf5 16.Qh5±. After 16...Bf6 17.Qg6† Black comes out a pawn down. 15.Ne3 a5 All this was played in G. Jones – D. Howell, London 2018. White continued with 16.b4?! which is not best; after 16...f5! the position became unclear. A better move would be: 16.Bc2!?N With a considerable advantage. Against 16...Nc5 White can play 17.b4, with gain of tempo; while a good answer to 16...Nf6 is 17.g4!?, fixing the weakened g5-pawn. A2) 10...Kh8

This move was played in one of the most recent games with the variation. The idea is that against 11.Nf1 Black can take the pawn on e4 and support his knight with ...f7-f5. But where will this lead? 11.Nf1!? In 2016 Radjabov played 11.a4!?, but I prefer the immediate transfer of the knight to g3. If Black doesn’t want to take the e4-pawn, his 10...Kh8 loses any point. 11...exd4 12.cxd4 Nxe4 13.d5 Nb4 After 13...Nb8 or 13...Nd8, the simple 14.Ng3 f5 15.Bd3 is adequate, giving White a large plus.

14.a3 Na6 15.Ra2! We shall presently bring this rook across to e2 and seize control of the central file.

15...Nac5 Or: 15...f5 16.Ng3 Qf7 (16...Nac5 17.b4 transposes to the main line below) 17.Nxe4 fxe4 18.Rxe4± Against 18...Nc5 or 18...Bf5 the rook will not retreat, but will join the attack with 19.Rh4!. 16.Ng3 f5 17.b4 Nd7 18.Rae2 Ndf6 Up to here we have been following the game Demchenko – Haugue, Fagernes 2019. White now played 19.Nh4?!, and after 19...Qf7 the position wasn’t so clear. A stronger line is: 19.Bd3!N After completing my analysis I learned that Delchev has also suggested this novelty, and stopped his line here. I extended the variation further. 19...Qf7

20.Nxe4 If we want to avoid complications, it’s simpler to play: 20.Bxe4!? fxe4 21.Nxe4 Qxd5 (or 21...Ng8 22.Qb3±) 22.Nxf6 Qxd1 23.Rxd1 Rxf6 24.Re7 There can follow 24...Kg8 25.Rxc7 Rf7, and after exchanging on f7 White will take the d6-pawn. In my view he has less of an advantage here than in the case of 20.Nxe4, because the two bishops leave Black with some saving chances. On the other hand, in this case there were no complex variations. 20...fxe4 21.Bxe4 White has a big advantage due to his domination of the e-file. All that remains is to see whether Black can improve his position with the help of a tactical stroke.

21...Bxh3 22.Bd3! Bg4 Black would lose with 22...Qxd5 23.Nh4. And also lose with: 22...Nxd5 23.Bc4 c6 24.Re7 Qf5 25.Rxg7!? The most ruthless; it leads to a forced win. 25...Kxg7 26.Qd4† Kh7 27.Bxd5+– After 27...cxd5 White plays 28.Re7†, exchanges rooks on f7, and follows with 29.Qh4, decisively threatening Ng5† and Qxh3. 23.Re7 Qxd5 24.Qd2!± White simultaneously frees himself from the pin and creates threats to the king.

If now 24...Bf5, then 25.Rxg7 works, but simply 25.Bxf5 Qxd2 26.Bxd2 gxf5 27.Rxc7 is easier, giving a big advantage in the ending. A good reply to 24...Rae8 is 25.Nh4 Bh5 26.Bxg6. While after 24...Qh5 25.Nh2 Rae8 26.Bb2 Black’s position is quite hopeless. A3) 10...Bd7

11.Nf1 Rae8 12.Ng3² Having brought his knight round to g3, White is certainly better. I should mention, though, that the computer tends to overrate White’s advantage in such positions, giving too high an evaluation. Essentially Black has one plan – to play ...f7-f5. For that reason White probably shouldn’t be in a hurry to advance with d4-d5, since with the pawn on d4 Black’s ...f7-f5 is rarely good. Let me continue the variation for a few moves. 12...Qd8 13.Bb3!? Bringing the bishop to c2, to hinder the ...f7-f5 break. 13...Kh8 14.Bc2 Nh7 15.Be3

My reason for giving these moves is to demonstrate that ...f7-f5 is not to be achieved as long as the white pawn is on d4.

15...f5? 16.exf5 gxf5 17.dxe5 dxe5 18.Nh4+– After 18...Qxh4 19.Qxd7 or 18...f4 19.Qd3! Nf6 20.Ng6† White has a won position. B) 6...g5

A relatively new move, which has caused players of the Black side to remember about 4...h6. In 2018 the move was played by quite a few well-known grandmasters – Hammer, Wojtaszek, Radjabov and others. Nevertheless this kind of set-up is suited first and foremost to games with a fast time control. After some analysis I have concluded that with correct play White can obtain the better position. 7.Nbd2 I like this quiet deployment of the pieces. Despite the fact that Re1/Nf1 is unplayable owing to ...g5-g4, we can reposition the knight via c4 after playing Bb3. And should Black castle kingside, it will be possible to play 9.h3!? with Re1 and Nf1 to follow. 7...Bg7 8.Bb3

In this position the vast majority of players have chosen 8...0-0, but we will also look at some other possibilities: B1) 8...Nh5, B2) 8...a6!? and B3) 8...0-0. The kingside pawn advance with 8...g4 is premature. To support this, I will give a short variation: 9.Ne1 h5 10.f4 exf4 11.Rxf4 Black is behind in development. After for instance 11...Qe7 12.Nc2 Bd7 13.Ne3, White is already prepared to play Nf5. With 8...Qe7 Black aims to castle long. But it’s quite easy to see that on the queenside the black king will come under attack: 9.Nc4 Bd7 (or 9...Be6 10.Ne3 0-0-0 11.Ba4‚ followed by b2-b4 and an assault on the king) 10.Ne3 0-0-0 11.a4 In this position with the players castled on opposite sides, launching an attack against the king is much easier for White. Black can’t play ...g5-g4 on account of the weak f5-square. B1) 8...Nh5 A fresh idea of Vallejo’s. True, it rather has the air of an improvisation, as he didn’t follow it up with the best play. In any case I have come to the conclusion that after 8...Nh5 White has a plus in all variations. 9.Nc4 Nf4 10.Ne3

10...Be6 Or 10...Qf6!? (10...0-0 is dubious in view of 11.g3, but with the queen on f6 this isn’t so bad; after 11.g3 Nh3† 12.Kg2 Black has 12...Qg6) 11.d4, with these possibilities: a) 11...exd4 12.Nd5 Nxd5 13.exd5 g4 14.Re1†² After the natural 14...Ne7 15.Nxd4 White has an obvious initiative with equal material; while in the case of 14...Kd8!? 15.dxc6 gxf3 16.cxd4 bxc6 he has the strong move 17.Re4!, with a considerable plus. b) 11...0-0 12.d5 Ne7 13.Bc2 And now:

b1) 13...g4 14.Ne1 Qg6 15.Kh1² with the unpleasant threat of g2-g3. On 15...Qh5 White can play 16.h3 gxh3 17.g4! with a substantial advantage. The computer suggests 15...f5!? 16.exf5 Bxf5, but after the exchange of bishops White will pick up a pawn with Ng4, and Black will hardly have sufficient compensation. b2) 13...Qg6 14.Kh1 Qh5 15.Rg1!?² creates a threat of g2-g4. In the event of 15...g4 16.Nd2 Black won’t be keen to play 16...f5, because after 17.exf5 the knight from d2 will settle at once on e4. Against other moves, White has the possibility of repositioning this knight with Nf1-g3. Forgas Moreno – Larino Nieto, Villa de Gijon 2019, continued 10...g4?! 11.Ne1 h5 and Black eventually won, but the direct 12.f3!N would have left White much better; in fact, White is already close to winning. 11.d4 As played by Peter Svidler; he has decided to open up the position before placing his knight on f5. The idea is interesting, but the simple 11.g3!? is not bad either, and after 11...Ng6 12.Bxe6 fxe6 13.b4² White has a stable positional plus. Usually the knight from c6 is brought across to g6, but in the present case that square is occupied already by the other knight. 11...exd4 12.Nf5 Bxf5 13.exf5 dxc3 14.bxc3

14...Ne5 Other moves are no better. Let’s look at 14...Bxc3 and 14...0-0, either of which leaves Black with quite a few problems. a) 14...0-0 15.g3 Nh5 16.h4!? (16.Nxg5 Nf6 isn’t so clear) 16...gxh4 17.Kg2 With a dangerous attack. Black loses with 17...hxg3? 18.Rh1. Thus he needs to play 17...h3† 18.Kxh3 Nf6, but after 19.Kg2 White still has a decent advantage. b) 14...Bxc3 15.Rb1 Qf6 16.Ba4!? Denying Black the possibility to castle queenside (16...0-0-0? will be met by 17.Bxf4 gxf4 18.Rxb7! Kxb7 19.Qd5 with a decisive plus). 16...0-0 17.g3 Nh3† 18.Kg2 g4 19.Nh4‚ Thanks to the knight shut in on h3, White is well on top. Against 19...h5 he does best not to take the pawn on b7 but to play an immediate 20.f3!. Then on 20...Ne5 he has two good options: 21.Rb3, or first 21.fxg4 with Rb3 to follow. 15.Nxe5 dxe5 16.Qf3

This occurred in Svidler – Vallejo Pons, Karlsruhe 2019. White has a small but steady plus, thanks to his good bishop on b3. There followed 16...0-0 17.Qxb7, but a stronger move would have been 17.Ba3!. If Black then replies 17...Re8, White will have a big advantage after 18.Rad1 Qc8 19.Qe4. B2) 8...a6!?

I came across this move in a correspondence game. At first sight it looks like a loss of time, but Black is waiting for White’s Nc4 before playing ...Be6. White can’t reply 9.Re1?, as after 9...g4 his knight can only go to h4 – and then 10...Nxe4 follows. Nor would he want to play 9.h3, since Black has not yet castled short. 9.Nc4 Be6

10.d4!?N An aggressive pawn advance instead of the standard Ne3. The play becomes sharper, but the ensuing complications turn out in White’s favour. In the correspondence game the continuation was 10.Ne3 Qd7 11.Ba4 b5 12.Bc2 d5 13.Nf5 Bxf5 14.exf5 0-0 15.d4 exd4 16.Nxd4 Rfe8 17.a4; Haugen – Prozorovsky, corr. 2017. White has maintained a minimal plus. However, 10.d4!? looks more interesting. 10...exd4 Or: 10...g4 11.d5 gxf3 12.dxe6 fxe6 (in the event of 12...fxg2? 13.exf7† Kxf7± there are a number of moves to give White a large plus; capturing with the king on g2 is simplest) 13.Qxf3 Qe7 14.Bc2! Clearing the path of the b-pawn and simultaneously supporting the e4-pawn, so that against ...d6-d5 a capture on d5 won’t be necessary. 14...0-0-0 15.b4 d5 16.Na3² Obviously after b4-b5 White has much the better chances to get at the enemy king. On 16...Rhf8 he must first play 17.Qe2; against most other moves an immediate b4b5 is good. 11.Nxd4 Black has a good game after 11.cxd4?! d5.

11...Nxd4 12.cxd4

12...c6 Aimed at preventing White’s d4-d5. Of course 12...Nxe4? is unplayable, as after 13.d5 Bf5 14.Bc2 Black will come out a piece down. White is also obviously better in the case of 12...0-0 13.d5 Bd7 14.f3. However, 12...d5!? deserves attention. After 13.Na5 there can follow: a) 13...Nxe4 14.Nxb7 Qc8 15.Nc5 Nxc5 16.dxc5 c6 17.Bc2 The initiative is clearly with White. If now 17...0-0, then 18.f4! with a big advantage. The computer gives 17...Bf5!? 18.Re1† Kf8, but White still keeps a plus with the simple 19.Bd2. Black can’t reply 19...Bxb2? on account of 20.Qb1. b) 13...b6 14.Ba4† b5 15.e5

And now: b1) 15...Ne4?! 16.Bc2 c5 17.Nb7 Qe7 And White has a choice of two moves that give him an appreciable plus: 18.Nxc5 is not bad, but 18.Bxe4 Qxb7 19.Bc2 appears even better. Black then has problems with his king; White will meet 19...c4 with 20.f4. b2) 15...bxa4 16.exf6 Bxf6 17.Bd2 0-0 18.Nc6 White will answer 18...Qd7 or 18...Qd6 with 19.Rc1. He has a noticeable plus on account of Black’s weakening with ...g7-g5. It’s important to note that in the case of 18...Qd7 19.Rc1 Rfe8 White does well to play the prophylactic 20.h3. 13.Ne3!? An interesting pawn sacrifice for the initiative. An almost equal ending would result from 13.e5 dxe5. White could preserve chances of an advantage with 13.f3 d5 14.Ne3, but the immediate 13.Ne3 looks a more interesting choice.

13...Nxe4 14.d5 cxd5 15.Bxd5 Nc5 16.Rb1² Threatening b2-b4. Despite being a pawn down, White is better on account of his well-placed knight on e3 and Black’s weaknesses. Now 16...0-0 will be met by 17.b4 Bxd5 18.Qxd5. If Black plays 16...Qd7 with the idea of 17.b4 Na4, a good answer is 17.b3!. White then has the advantage after 17...0-0 18.Bb2 or 17...0-0-0 18.Bd2. B3) 8...0-0

9.h3!? Now that Black has castled, White need not fear an exchange of pawns after ...g5-g4. That only occurred once in 15 games that I found in the Mega Database. No doubt this has to do with the fact that the position is new, and moreover some of the games were rapid or blitz chess. Incidentally 9.h3!? was chosen by Ganguly in 2019 in his second game from this position – so most likely he had studied it. The position is critical for the assessment of the whole variation, so we will examine it in some detail. Black has B31) 9...Nh5!? and B32) 9...d5. And also: a) 9...Re8 10.Re1 Ne7 (10...d5 transposes to B32; for 10...Be6 11.Nf1 d5, see 9...d5 10.Re1 Re8 11.Nf1 Be6 in variation B323) 11.Nf1 Simplest (the game Ganguly – Jiner Zhu, Tianjin 2019, went 11.d4 Ng6, after which White can’t immediately direct his knight towards g3, as the e4-pawn would be hanging). 11...Ng6 12.Ng3² This position is similar to the one arising from 9...Ne7 10.Re1 Ng6, only in this case Black has played the move ...Re8 which isn’t the most useful. On 12...Bd7 White can continue 13.d4, with a clear plus. b) 9...Be6 10.Re1 d5 (10...Re8 11.Nf1 d5 is variation B323 with 11...Be6) 11.exd5 Nxd5 12.Nc4 Now Black has difficulty with the defence of his e5-pawn, and in answer to 12...Nf4 White has a surprising exchange sacrifice: 13.Bxf4 exf4

And now: b1) White can sacrifice at once with 14.Rxe6!? fxe6 15.d4, but this gives Black extra possibilities; for example his queen can go to e7 or e8. b2) 14.d4 This order of moves is a little more precise; Black can’t move his bishop from e6 (White has a large plus after either

14...Bf5 15.d5 or 14...Bd5 15.Qd3, while on 14...Re8 White will play 15.Rxe6! anyway). 14...Qf6

15.Rxe6! fxe6 16.Qe2± Despite being the exchange down, White has a clear plus. He will continue with Re1 and can redirect his knight from c4, for instance via d2 to e4. Good advice for Black is difficult to come by. c) 9...Ne7 The standard manoeuvre of the knight to g6, but in this case Black won’t be able to play the other knight to h5; the note to move 11 will illustrate this point. 10.Re1 Ng6 11.Nf1 d5 (after 11...Nh5? White can capture with 12.Nxg5, since the path for the bishop on c1 has been cleared) 12.Ng3

And now: c1) 12...dxe4 13.dxe4 Qxd1 is merely a worse version of B323 in which the queens are similarly exchanged. c2) 12...Be6 is not good either: 13.exd5 Nxd5 14.Nh5 and if the black bishop moves, White plays d3-d4 with a big advantage. c3) 12...c5! Most likely the best move in the position. 13.exd5 Nxd5 14.d4 exd4 15.cxd4 cxd4 16.Nxd4 White intends to play Ndf5 next move and capture the bishop on g7. For example: c31) 16...Ndf4 17.Ndf5 Qxd1 18.Rxd1 with a slight but steady plus. Other options for Black are worse: c32) 16...Qf6 17.Nde2, followed by Nh5 (after exchanges on f4 if appropriate) with a large plus. c33) 16...Nh4?! 17.Nh5; at this point 17...Bh8? is bad in view of 18.Nf3. B31) 9...Nh5!?

This knight manoeuvre looks more interesting now than a move earlier (see variation B1), because with his pawn on h3 White can no longer evict the knight from f4 by g2-g3. 10.Re1! White does best to allow Black’s knight to settle on f4 while calmly bringing his own knight across to g3. In the event of 10.Nxe5 Nxe5 11.Qxh5 Nxd3 12.Bc2 Nxc1 13.Raxc1 the position is more pleasant for White in appearance, but objectively it is close to equality. 10...Nf4 11.Nf1 Qf6 12.Ng3 All these knight moves are typical of the Italian Game, only in this case Black’s dark-squared bishop is on g7 instead of on the g1-a7 diagonal – which is definitely a factor in White’s favour. 12...Ne7 13.d4 Neg6

14.Bxf4! White has to exchange one knight off, to reduce Black’s attacking potential. It’s too early to bring the white knight to h2, given the possibility of ...Nh4. 14...Nxf4 Or: 14...gxf4 If Black is recapturing with a pawn, the g-pawn is better (14...exf4 15.Nh5 Qe7 16.Qd3 gives White a considerable plus). 15.Nh5 Qe7 16.Kh2² (White could also play 16.Qe2 at once, but Black would then have the possibility of 16...Nh4!?) With the king on h2 on the other hand, 16...Nh4 isn’t very good on account of 17.g3!. If instead 16...Bd7, then 17.Qe2 followed by Rad1 isn’t bad. 15.dxe5 dxe5 16.Nh2 Rd8 17.Qc2² The black kingside pawns are badly placed – apart from the weakened f5-square, the pawns are confining Black’s own bishop. A good answer to 17...h5 is 18.Red1. White then has the advantage after either 18...Be6 19.Bxe6 or 18...Bd7 19.Rd2.

B32) 9...d5 10.Re1 Re8

Here we consider B321) 11.exd5, B322) 11.Qc2!? and B323) 11.Nf1. I favour either of the latter two moves, but it’s useful to learn how Black can defend against 11.exd5, so I have kept it as a main line. There is also 11.Nh2!? Na5 12.Ba4 Bd7 13.Bxd7 Qxd7, after which White preserves a slight edge. There can follow 14.Ng4 Nxg4 15.Qxg4 or 14.Qf3!? Rad8 15.Ndf1 dxe4 16.dxe4 Qd3. In either case White has the advantage after the exchange of queens. These positions may be compared with the main line of B323, only in this case the light-squared bishops are absent. B321) 11.exd5

11...Nxd5 12.d4 Or 12.Ne4 Na5! removing the active bishop from b3 (instead 12...Nf4 13.Bxf4 gxf4 14.d4² gives White a large plus). 13.Ba4 Bd7 Now the exchange of light-squared bishops simplifies Black’s defence. 14.Bd2 Bxa4 15.Qxa4 Nc6 Visually White is a little better, but objectively the position is about equal. 12...Bf5! Black now has more chance of equalizing. It was owing to this move that I decided White does better to play 11.Nf1 rather than 11.exd5. In the event of 12...Nf4 13.Nc4, there can follow: a) 13...e4 14.Bxf4 gxf4 15.Nfd2² and Black has difficulty defending his e4-pawn. After 15...Bf5 16.Bc2, he doesn’t do well with 16...Qd5?! 17.Qh5. The knight sacrifice 16...Nxd4!? is a better option, but even so, White is better. b) 13...exd4 14.Rxe8† Qxe8 15.Bxf4 gxf4 16.cxd4² White retains the advantage on account of Black’s broken pawn structure.

13.Nf1 Or 13.Nxe5 Bxe5 14.dxe5 Nf4 15.Nc4 and now most of the pieces will be exchanged by force (15.Nf3 Qxd1 would lead to the same position). 15...Qxd1 16.Rxd1 Ne2† 17.Kf1 Nxc1 18.Raxc1 Nxe5 19.Nxe5 Rxe5 20.g4 Now strictly only two results are possible. On the other hand, drawing with Black is not all that difficult. 13...Nb6 14.h4 It’s desirable to break up Black’s kingside pawns before taking on e5. After the immediate 14.dxe5 Qxd1 Black has no weaknesses. 14...gxh4 15.dxe5 Qxd1 16.Rxd1 Nxe5 17.Nxh4 Bg4! 18.f3 Bf6 I won’t say Black has equalized completely, but the fewer pieces there are on the board, the easier it is for him to defend. After 19.fxg4 Bxh4 Black will presently play ...Bg5, leading to further exchanges. B322) 11.Qc2!?

White sidesteps the exchange of queens, so as to carry on the struggle in the middlegame. A slightly worse choice is 11.Qe2 a5!? 12.Ba4 Rb8 with counterplay. 11...Na5 Alternatively: 11...Be6 12.Nf1 Na5 (or 12...Nh5 13.Qe2 Nf4 14.Bxf4 gxf4 15.Rad1²; while Black was transferring his knight to f4, White had time to arrange his forces comfortably in the centre) 13.Ba4 c6 14.Qe2! White has to free a square for the bishop on a4. The knight on a5 is misplaced, and no counterplay for Black is to be seen. Against 14...Nh5? White wins with 15.Nxg5. After 14...dxe4 15.dxe4 Bc4 16.Qe3 Black can play ...Qd3, but the queen exchange is worse in these circumstances than in other lines. On 14...Qc7, the simple 15.Ng3 keeps White’s advantage. 12.Ba4 c6 Or 12...Bd7 13.Bxd7 Qxd7 14.Nf1² and the knight will go to g3 and f5. In the event of 14...Rad8 15.Ng3 dxe4 16.dxe4 Qd3 White

should play 17.Qa4, avoiding the queen exchange.

13.b4 Or: 13.c4 b5! This unconventional pawn sacrifice gives Black quite good counterplay. 14.cxb5 Bd7 15.bxc6 Nxc6© After some analysis I concluded that Black has sufficient compensation for the pawn. I will not give the variations in full, seeing that White isn’t at all obliged to go into this position. 13...b5 14.Bb3 Nxb3 15.Nxb3 In a closed position, two knights are in no way inferior to two bishops. Thanks to the pawn on g5, White has a small plus. There can follow 15...g4 16.hxg4 Bxg4 17.Nh2, or 15...Be6 16.Nc5 a5 17.a4!?. In either case White retains a positional advantage. B323) 11.Nf1

Not fearing an exchange of queens, as in the ending White has a small plus. But we shall also consider a line in which the queens are retained. 11...dxe4 The weakening of Black’s kingside pawns makes itself felt even without queens on the board. Black should probably go into an ending nonetheless – because if White plays Ng3, Be3/Bd2 and Qc1, the threat of h3-h4 will be most unpleasant. An alternative is: 11...Be6 12.Ng3 Qd6 (12...dxe4 makes less sense now than a move earlier; after 13.dxe4 Qxd1 White could play 14.Bxd1 as in the main line below, but since our knight is already on g3 we can very well recapture with 14.Rxd1²) 13.Be3 Rad8 14.Qc1²

White obviously intends h3-h4 but doesn’t need to hurry with it. For instance in answer to 14...Bc8, quite a good idea is to play 15.Ba4 first. 12.dxe4 Qxd1 13.Bxd1 In this position without queens, White has a small but stable plus, thanks to the pawn on g5. Apart from exploiting the f5-square, White can quickly play h3-h4, weakening Black’s kingside still further. There are hardly any forced moves in this kind of position, so it’s difficult to give any further analysis. Still, let’s try continuing the variation for a few more moves.

13...a5 Or 13...Be6 14.Ng3 Bf8 15.Ba4 Bd6. If the black g-pawn were on g7, the position would be completely level. As it is, there are a number of moves to give White a slight edge; the simplest is 16.Be3. 14.Ba4 Bd7 An idea of the computer’s is 14...Rd8, freeing e8 for the knight so that the e5-pawn can be held with the aid of the bishop on g7. But Black will hardly be able to solve his problems with this set-up. Let’s see: 15.Ng3 (after 15.Bxc6?! bxc6 16.Nxe5 Re8© Black’s two bishops and piece activity give him good compensation for the pawn) 15...Ne8 16.h4 (16.Be3!? isn’t bad either, but 16.h4 looks more logical) 16...g4 17.Nd2 Redirecting the knight via c4 or f1 (17.Nh2!? is also interesting, but after 17...Nf6 18.Nf5 Kh7! the threat to play ...Nxe4 and meet Nxg7 with ...Nf6 gives Black some equalizing chances).

And now: a) It’s too early to return the knight to f6, as after 17...Nf6 18.Nc4 Re8 19.Nf5, gaining the bishop pair, White’s advantage will only be more obvious. b) 17...Ne7 18.Nc4 Ng6 19.Nh5 Black can’t take the pawn on h4, since he would lose his own e5-pawn after Nxg7; on the other hand 19...Nf6 20.Nxf6† Bxf6 21.g3 leaves White with a clear plus. c) 17...Be6 18.Ndf1 (An immediate 18.Nf5 would not pay White, as after 18...Bxf5 19.exf5 Nd6 the f5-pawn would be left defenceless.) But now, against almost any move by Black, we can play our knight to f5, and White will then be somewhat better. The continuation 18...Nd6?! 19.Ne3 isn’t very good for Black, as the pawn on g4 will be too weak – for example after Bb3. 15.Ng3 Bf8 16.Be3

And White has retained a slight edge. The impression is that only two results are at stake. Conclusion Recently the half-forgotten move 4...h6 has regained some popularity, thanks to the possibility of ...g7-g5. The more cautious 6...g6 attracts few followers as White generally gains a pleasant edge. So it’s 6...g5 which is of more interest – nonetheless such activity weakens the f5-square, which is highly likely to lead to difficulties for Black. Following the quiet moves c2-c3, Nbd2 and Bb3 we have examined several possible continuations for Black on move 8, and not one of them gives him a fully equal game. The most logical move appears to be 8...0-0, but even then, after 9.h3!? White should acquire a slight advantage.

Variation Index Part I – The ...d7-d5 Break Chapter 1 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 0-0 6.0-0 d5 7.exd5 Nxd5 8.a4 A) 8...Bf5 9.Nbd2! Nb6 10.Bb5 19 A1) 10...Ne7!? 20 A2) 10...Bxd3 11.Re1 e4 12.Nxe4 Bxe4 13.Qxd8 22 A21) 13...Raxd8 22 A22) 13...Rfxd8 23 A23) 13...Nxd8!? 24 B) 8...Nb6 9.Bb5 Ne7! 25 B1) 10.a5 25 B2) 10.Nxe5!? c6 11.Bc4 Bd6 12.a5! Nxc4!?N 13.Nxc4 Bc7 14.Bg5! f6 15.Bh4 Nf5 16.Bg3 Nxg3 17.hxg3 f5 27 B21) 18.Nbd2!? 29 B22) 18.Re1 30 Chapter 2 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 0-0 6.0-0 d5 7.exd5 Nxd5 8.a4 a6 A) 9.Re1!? Bg4 34 A1) 10.h3!? 34 A2) 10.Nbd2 35 B) 9.Nbd2 Nb6 10.Ba2! 37 B1) 10...Bg4 38 B2) 10...Qxd3 11.a5 Nd7 12.Bb1 39 B21) 12...Qd5?! 40 B22) 12...Qd6 13.b4!N Ba7 14.Qe2!? 42 B221) 14...Ne7 42 B222) 14...Qe7 43 B223) 14...f5 44 Chapter 3 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 0-0 6.0-0 d5 7.exd5 Nxd5 8.a4 a6 9.Nbd2 Kh8 A) 10.Re1 f6 48 A1) 11.d4 48 A2) 11.Ne4 Ba7 12.b4!?N Bf5 13.Bd2 Qd7 14.h3! 50 A21) 14...g5?! 51 A22) 14...Rad8!? 15.b5 52 A221) 15...Na5 53 A222) 15...Nce7 53 A23) 14...Nce7 54

B) 10.Ne4!? Ba7 11.b4 54 B1) 11...f5!? 55 B2) 11...f6 12.Ba3 Re8 13.b5 Nce7 14.bxa6 bxa6 15.d4 exd4 16.cxd4 55 B21) 16...Bf5 56 B22) 16...Bb7 57 B23) 16...Nf4 59 Chapter 4 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 0-0 6.0-0 d5 7.exd5 Nxd5 8.a4 a5 A) 9.Re1 62 B) 9.Nbd2! Nb6 10.Bb5 Bd6 11.Re1 63 B1) 11...Na7 63 B2) 11...Bg4 64 B21) 12.h3 64 B22) 12.Ne4! Na7 13.h3 Bh5 14.d4 Nxb5 15.axb5 65 B221) 15...f6 65 B222) 15...exd4 66 Part II – Lines with ...a7-a6 Chapter 5 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.0-0 a6 7.a4 Ba7 8.Re1 0-0 9.h3 h6 10.Nbd2 A) 10...Nh5 11.Nf1 Qf6 74 A1) 12.N1h2!?N 75 A2) 12.Ne3 78 B) 10...Be6 11.Bxe6 fxe6 12.b4 Nh5 13.Ra2 81 B1) 13...Qf6 82 B2) 13...Nf4 82 B21) 14.Nf1 82 B22) 14.Nc4 b5 15.Ne3 Qd7 16.Ng4 83 B221) 16...Rae8?! 84 B222) 16...Rab8 85 B3) 13...Qe8 85 B31) 14.Nc4!?N 85 B311) 14...Nf4 85 B312) 14...b5 86 B32) 14.Nf1 Nf4 15.Kh2 88 B321) 15...Qh5 89 B322) 15...Qf7 89 Chapter 6 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.0-0 a6 7.a4 Ba7 8.Re1 0-0 9.h3 h6 10.Nbd2 Re8 11.b4 Be6 12.Bxe6 Rxe6 13.Qc2 A) 13...Nh5 92 B) 13...d5 93

C) 13...Ne7 14.Nf1 94 C1) 14...Ng6 95 C2) 14...d5 95 D) 13...Qd7 14.Nf1 95 D1) 14...Ne7 95 D2) 14...d5 15.Be3 96 D21) 15...d4!? 96 D22) 15...Bxe3 16.Nxe3 Rd8 97 D221) 17.b5 98 D222) 17.exd5!?N 98 D223) 17.Rad1!N b5 18.a5 d4 19.cxd4 exd4 20.Nf5 Nxb4 21.Qc1 Nc6 22.Re2 Kh7 23.Rc2 100 D2231) 23...Ne8 101 D2232) 23...Ng8! 103 Chapter 7 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.0-0 a6 7.a4 Ba7 8.Re1 0-0 9.h3 Ne7 A) 10.d4 106 B) 10.Nbd2 Ng6 11.d4 108 B1) 11...exd4 108 B2) 11...h6 12.Bb3 Re8 13.Bc2 110 B21) 13...c6 112 B22) 13...Bd7 113 B221) 14.a5 113 B222) 14.Nf1 114 B3) 11...c6 116 B31) 12.b4 117 B311) 12...exd4 117 B312) 12...Re8!? 118 B32) 12.Bf1 Re8 13.dxe5 120 B321) 13...Nxe5!? 122 B322) 13...dxe5 14.Qc2 123 B3221) 14...Be6 124 B3222) 14...Bg4!?N 125 Chapter 8 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.0-0 a6 7.a4 Ba7 8.Re1 0-0 9.h3 Kh8 10.d4 A) 10...h6!? 11.Be3N exd4 12.cxd4 d5 13.exd5 Nxd5 14.Bxd5 Qxd5 15.Nc3 131 A1) 15...Qd8 132 A2) 15...Qd6 133 B) 10...Ng8 135 B1) 11.dxe5 135 B2) 11.b4 exd4 12.b5!N 137

B21) 12...Na5 137 B22) 12...Ne5 138 B3) 11.Be3!?N f5! 12.exf5 d5 13.Bg5 141 B31) 13...Qd7 142 B32) 13...Nce7! 144 Chapter 9 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.0-0 a6 7.a4 Ba7 8.Re1 0-0 9.h3 A) 9...Be6 10.Bxe6 fxe6 11.Be3 Bxe3 12.Rxe3 a5 13.Nbd2 148 A1) 13...Qe8 149 A2) 13...Qd7 151 B) 9...b5 10.Ba2!? 152 B1) 10...h6 154 B2) 10...b4 155 B21) 11.d4!? 155 B22) 11.Bg5 159 B221) 11...h6 12.Bh4 g5 159 B2211) 13.Bg3 160 B2212) 13.Nxg5!? 160 B222) 11...Rb8 162 Chapter 10 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.0-0 a6 7.a4 Ba7 8.Re1 0-0 9.h3 a5!? 10.Nbd2 Be6 11.b3 A) 11...Ba7 167 A1) 12.Bb2 167 A2) 12.Nf1N d5 13.exd5 Nxd5 14.Bd2 f6 15.d4 Bf7 16.Ng3 exd4 170 A21) 17.Nh4!? 171 A22) 17.cxd4 172 B) 11...d5 174 B1) 12.exd5 174 B2) 12.Bb5!?N 176 Part III – Lines with ...a7-a5 Chapter 11 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 0-0 6.0-0 d6 7.Re1 A) 7...h6 8.Nbd2!? 184 A1) 8...Ne7 184 A2) 8...a5 9.Nf1 Be6 10.Bb5 Ne7 185 A21) 11.d4 186 A22) 11.h3!? 188 B) 7...a5!? 192 B1) 8.Bg5!? h6 9.Bh4 g5 10.Bg3 192 B11) 10...Ba7 193

B12) 10...Nh7 194 B2) 8.h3 h6 9.Nbd2 Be6 10.Bb5 Qb8 11.Nf1 Qa7 199 B21) 12.d4!? 201

B22) 12.Re2 206 Part IV – Early Deviations Chapter 12 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 A) 3...g6 214 B) 3...Be7 215 C) 3...Nf6 4.d3 Be7 5.0-0 0-0 6.Re1 d6 7.a4 216 C1) 7...h6 216 C2) 7...Be6 219 C3) 7...Kh8 8.Nc3!? 221 C31) 8...Bg4 221 C32) 8...Ng8 9.Nd5 f5 10.h3 224 C321) 10...Nf6!? 225 C322) 10...fxe4 227 C4) 7...Na5 8.Ba2 c5 9.c3 Nc6 10.Na3 a6 11.Bd2 230 C41) 11...h6 12.h3 231 C411) 12...Rb8 232 C412) 12...Re8 233 C42) 11...Be6!? 234 Chapter 13 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 h6 5.0-0 d6 6.c3 A) 6...g6 7.d4 Qe7 8.Re1 Bg7 9.Nbd2 0-0 10.h3! 240 A1) 10...Nh7 242 A2) 10...Kh8 243 A3) 10...Bd7 244 B) 6...g5 7.Nbd2 Bg7 8.Bb3 245 B1) 8...Nh5 246 B2) 8...a6!? 247 B3) 8...0-0 9.h3!? 249 B31) 9...Nh5!? 251 B32) 9...d5 10.Re1 Re8 252 B321) 11.exd5 252 B322) 11.Qc2!? 253 B323) 11.Nf1 254