The Pirc Move By Move, Davies N. (2016).pdf

First published in 2016 by Gloucester Publishers Limited, Northburgh House, 10 Northburgh Street, London EC1V 0AT Copyright © 2016 Nigel Davies The right of Nigel Davies to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyrights, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission of the publisher. British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. ISBN Kindle: 978-1-78194-321-2 ISBN epub: 978-1-78194-322-9 Distributed in North America by National Book Network, 15200 NBN Way, Blue Ridge Summit, PA 17214. Ph: 717.794.3800. Distributed in Europe by Central Books Ltd., 99 Wallis Road, London E9 5LN. Ph 44(0)845 458 9911. All other sales enquiries should be directed to Everyman Chess, Northburgh House, 10 Northburgh Street, London EC1V 0AT email: [email protected]; website: www.everymanchess.com Everyman is the registered trade mark of Random House Inc. and is used in this work under licence from Random House Inc. Everyman Chess Series Chief advisor: Byron Jacobs Commissioning editor: John Emms Assistant editor: Richard Palliser Typeset and edited by First Rank Publishing, Brighton. Cover design by Horatio Monteverde.

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About the Author Nigel Davies is an International Grandmaster and respected coach. He’s the author of numerous books and DVDs on the game and is known for the clarity of his explanations. Also by the Author: 10 Great Ways to Get Better at Chess Alekhine’s Defence Gambiteer I Gambiteer II Play 1 e4 e5! Play the Catalan Starting Out: The Modern Taming the Sicilian The Dynamic Réti The Grünfeld Defence The Rules of Winning Chess The Trompowsky The Veresov

Contents About the Author Series Foreword Bibliography Introduction 1 Austrian Attack with 6 Bd3 2 Austrian Attack Alternatives 3 Lines with Bg5 4 Lines with Be3 5 Classical Lines 6 Fianchetto Lines 7 Other Lines 8 Third Move Alternatives 9 Second Move Alternatives Index of Complete Games

Series Foreword Move by Move is a series of opening books which uses a question-and-answer format. One of our main aims of the series is to replicate - as much as possible - lessons between chess teachers and students. All the way through, readers will be challenged to answer searching questions and to complete exercises, to test their skills in chess openings and indeed in other key aspects of the game. It’s our firm belief that practising your skills like this is an excellent way to study chess openings, and to study chess in general. Many thanks go to all those who have been kind enough to offer inspiration, advice and assistance in the creation of Move by Move. We’re really excited by this series and hope that readers will share our enthusiasm. John Emms Everyman Chess

Bibliography Books Chess Developments: The Pirc, by James Vigus (Everyman Chess 2012) Pirc Alert!, Alexander Chernin and Lev Alburt (CIRC 2009) The Pirc in Black and White, James Vigus (Everyman Chess 2007) The Ultimate Pirc, John Nunn and Colin McNab (Batsford 1998) Magazines and Databases Chess Tempo Online Database

Introduction The Pirc Defence is characterized by the moves 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6, though it can also come about if Black initially plays ... g6 and ... d6 in the first few moves and then later posts his knight on f6. It is correctly pronounced ‘peertz’ after one of its early exponents, Vasja Pirc, who was a five times Yugoslav Champion. The Pirc belongs to the family of ‘hypermodern’ defences in which Black delays occupation of the centre with a view to undermining it later. This can lead many white players into going forward with an excess of zeal, particularly if they don’t understand Black’s strategy. This can then lead to the implosion of their centre with the ranks behind it lacking suitable pawn cover. When the Black counterattack then sets in it can be utterly ferocious. Another characteristic of the Pirc is its great flexibility. Having not committed his pawns and queenside pieces early on, Black can adapt to whichever set-up White adopts and latch on to any weaknesses created. This adaptability is a challenge for all but the strongest and most experienced white players who may not be able to keep up with this kind of cat and mouse struggle. It also allows greater scope for creativity than many other openings where the plans for both sides are more fixed. For these reasons Black has more chances to win that in many other defences to 1 e4, and this in turn explains its broad appeal. Players from club standard right up to world championship level have played the Pirc with success, some of its most notable exponents having been Bobby Fischer, Mikhail Botvinnik, Victor Korchnoi, Mikhail Gurevich, Alexander Chernin, Yasser Seirawan, Zurab Azmaiparashvili, Jon Speelman, Raymond Keene, John Nunn and Valery Beim. I have also used it extensively throughout my own playing career. As White is allowed to go his own way during the early stages, quite a range of setups have been tried. Broadly speaking they can be divided into two major types, those which try to smash Black flat and those which try to maintain White’s centre. This book has been structured to reflect that with White’s two most aggressive lines, the Austrian Attack and the Byrne System, being presented in the first three chapters. The Be3 lines from Chapter Four can be interpreted in either an aggressive or solid way after which we move onto the more positional Classical and Fianchetto lines. Finally I round up the various unusual lines which are generally seen as being less of a challenge. Because of the flexibility of the Pirc, I’ve felt it necessary to give the reader some guidance as to which lines to play. Accordingly there is a starter repertoire for Black within the chosen games which is designed to make it easy to get up and running with the

Pirc. The lines I give against the Austrian Attack are based on aiming for the ... c7-c5 lever, which may require a preliminary ... Nb8-a6. Some of the move orders, for example in the Be3 lines, might be quite confusing to the Pirc Defence newcomer, so I have deliberately selected lines where you meet White’s Be3 with an immediate ... a6. Against both the Classical and Fianchetto lines I’ve recommended that Black takes a foothold in the centre with ... e7-e5, which seems to be the most reliable path. Please note that despite my recommendations against the major lines this is not a ‘repertoire book’ as such. My goal, in keeping with that of the series, is to instil in the reader an understanding of the Pirc so that they can start their journey with this opening. As such, there are some sidelines which have been left out and I have not made it a priority to present lines that the most powerful engines might favour. My goal throughout has been to help the reader foster an understanding of the pawn structure and typical methods of counterattack, whilst avoiding intricacies which are irrelevant below GM level anyway. Where possible I’ve also made use of my own games and/or lines that I’ve adopted myself, partly because I believe in them and partly because my personal experience and insights may be of value to the reader. Once again I make no guarantee that they will be the primary picks of the engines, but they follow a logical strategic pattern which will make them easier to replicate whilst helping to build the reader’s understanding. Acknowledgements My thanks go to John Emms and Byron Jacobs of Everyman Chess for their support and encouragement throughout this project. Nigel Davies, Southport, May 2016

Chapter One Austrian Attack with 6 Bd3 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 We begin our coverage by looking at one of White’s oldest and most dangerous lines, the Austrian Attack. 4 f4

White’s 4 f4 is what characterizes the Austrian Attack. He takes the lion’s share of the centre and sets up the menacing idea of e4-e5, driving Black’s knight away from the f6-square. This can then be used in conjunction with a possible advance of White’s hpawn in an attempt to attack Black’s king, though usually White just tries to reinforce his centre in the early stages, setting Black the problem of how he might obtain counterplay. Question: Oh my goodness, White’s throwing all his pawns forward. Isn’t Black going to be crushed? And what can he do to hit back in the centre? Answer: Don’t worry, Black will counter with ... c7-c5 to dislodge White’s dpawn, and if it pushes on to d5 he can further attack the centre with a timely ... e7-e6. And note that when White does charge forward like this he’s leaving gaping holes in his ranks; pawns can’t move backwards. 4 ... Bg7 5 Nf3 0-0

Black has a major alternative at this point in 5 ... c5, though I’m not going to include it as part of the repertoire for several reasons. First of all, many of the variations arising from it are very sharp and complicated, depending more on memory than understanding and ideas. And, secondly, White has what is tantamount to a forced draw if he wants it via 6 Bb5+ Bd7 7 e5 Ng4 8 e6 fxe6 (8 ... Bxb5 9 exf7+ Kd7 10 Nxb5 Qa5+ 11 Nc3 cxd4 12 Nxd4 Bxd4 is the way to play 5 ... c5 for the ‘win’, though not many of us like having our king on d7 and exchanging off the Pirc bishop) 9 Ng5 Bxb5! 10 Nxe6 Bxd4 11 Nxd8 Bf2+ 12 Kd2 Be3+, etc. The position after 5 ... 0-0 is one in which White has several different options: 6 Bd3, 6 Be3, 6 e5, 6 Be2 and then some rare moves such as 6 a3. In this chapter we will just look at 6 Bd3 and then examine the others in Chapter Two. 6 Bd3

The move 6 Bd3 is arguably White’s most natural move and may also be his best; he develops his king’s bishop on an active square and prepares to castle. 6 Bd3 also prevents an immediate pawn lever by Black: e5 is already well covered, but now 6 ... c5 is met by 7 dxc5 when 7 ... Qa5 is simply met by 8 cxd6. With e4 covered Black cannot play 8 ... Nxe4 because of 9 Bxe4, winning a piece. This is why 5 ... c5 became popular as after 6 dxc5 Qa5 7 cxd6 Black does play 7 ... Nxe4. Of course, 5 ... c5 has other disadvantages as I pointed out in the note to Black’s 5th move. So Black now has to prepare his central lever ( ... c7-c5 or ... e7-e5), and he can do so in several ways. The traditional move is 6 ... Nc6 to prepare 7 ... e5, though this tends to leave Black fighting for equality rather than playing for dynamic counterplay. 6 ... Nbd7 is certainly worth a thought, playing for both 7 ... c5 and 7 ... e5, though this appears to be well met by 7 e5 forcing the knight to retreat to the passive e8-square. It

would, of course, be better to prepare ... c7-c5 and in the event of 7 e5 bring it back to d7. And this explains Black’s next move. 6 ... Na6 This is the most effective way to prepare ... c7-c5 as now Black keeps d7 available for the knight on f6. It is also a move that has experienced a tremendous growth in popularity in recent years, usurping 6 ... Nc6 as Black’s main line against 6 Bd3.

Question: Isn’t that just a bad move? Knights should be brought to the centre, surely? Answer: That’s an old rule that has lots of exceptions, and this is one of them. The plan to play ... c7-c5 is the right counter to White’s expansive and loosening early pawn moves. 7 e5 is now well met by 7 ... Nd7 followed by a counterattack with ... c7-c5, so White normally opts for simple development here and castles: 7 0-0 c5 This is the point behind Black’s 6 ... Na6. He needs to hit White’s centre in order to gain counterplay. 8 d5 This has become established as White’s main line. 8 e5 is met by 8 ... Nd7 when White’s centre is imploding - see Xu-Malakhov for details. Question: What about 8 Bxa6 bxa6 9 dxc5, leaving Black’s pawns totally wrecked? Exercise: You’re missing a stronger answer for

Black after 8 Bxa6. Can you see what it is?

Answer: Black can play the zwischenzug 8 ... cxd4, leaving both White’s bishop on a6 and the knight on c3 attacked. There is an example of this in Weidemann-Le Roux. The position after White’s 8 d5 is one that should be examined carefully.

White clearly has more space in the centre, but the problem is that his pawn moves have left gaping holes at the back. Also, with his pawn having pushed on from d4 to d5, it’s now a lot harder for him to organize the e4-e5 break. Usually he now tries one of two things, either to try and checkmate Black on the kingside with Qe1-h4 and f4-f5, or

just keep his space and options intact whilst strengthening his position. The plan of playing for checkmate tends to be favoured by amateurs whilst suppressing Black’s play is the grandmasterly approach. Black meanwhile has a solid, Benoni-type position in which his Pirc bishop on g7 is looking quite strong on the h8-a1 diagonal. A natural way to extend the control of this diagonal is a pawn push with ... b7-b5, and this can be prepared by ... Rab8, ... Na6-c7 and ... a7-a6. Bringing the knight from a6 to c7 can also prepare the ... e7-e6 break, but Black may not want to rush with 8 ... Nc7 because he can sometimes play ... Na6-b4, exchanging off the bishop on d3. This is a very typical theme after an early Qd1-e1 by White when White will not be able to move his d3-bishop because the pawn on c2 would hang. Another way for Black to pare down White’s attacking force is with ... Bc8-g4, pinning the knight on f3. This is very effective against White’s plan of attack and this in turn is why I’m recommending it immediately. My rationale is that most of the people reading this book will be facing amateurs who will like to attack rather than 2700+ GMs! 8 ... Bg4

A really annoying move for those who want to checkmate Black. This knight is one of White’s key attacking pieces which he might have hoped would help him develop a mating attack after Qe1-h4, f4-f5, Bc1-h6 and Nf3-g5. On the other hand, it can lead to the surrender of the bishop-pair, which can be dangerous in a grandmaster’s hands. White now has a wide choice of possibilities which roughly divide into ‘positional’ and ‘attacking’, whilst sometimes keeping both options open. 9 Qe1 is clearly ‘attacking’, as is 9 a3 followed by 10 Qe1, but the others can also lead to mayhem mode

after a few perfunctory positional moves. 9 a3 Exercise: What do you think the point behind this move is? Answer: It is to stop Black’s knight on a6 going to b4. If White tries the immediate 9 Qe1 Black can play 9 ... Nb4. Not only can this lead to the exchange of White’s lightsquared bishop with ... Nxd3, Black also has the poisonous idea of 10 ... c4, attacking the bishop which is tied to the defence of c2. The game Chudinovskikh-Marin is a good example. White’s two ‘positional’ moves here are 9 h3 (Ladron De Guevara Pinto-Peralta) and 9 Bc4 (Vavulin-Grischuk). On the other hand, a move which keeps both mayhem and positional options open is 9 Kh1, after which 9 ... Rb8 10 a3 once again headed for Qe1-h4 mayhem in Larrea-Peralta. 9 ... Nc7 10 Qe1

The final point of departure for White. He could still have aimed to play positional chess with 10 h3, gaining the bishop-pair, which was played in the game FaizulaevPetrosian. After 10 Qe1 White is clearly playing for the attack with Qe1-h4 and f4-f5, but Black obtained counterplay with 10 ... Bxf3 11 Rxf3 e6 in Mrdja-Chatalbashev. Game 1 A.Chudinovskikh-M.Marin European Championship, Plovdiv 2008

1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 f4 Bg7 5 Nf3 0-0 6 Bd3 Na6 7 0-0 c5 8 d5 Bg4 This is one of several moves for Black and is probably the safest for newbee Pirc players. Black wants the option of lopping off White’s knight on f3 which might otherwise be poised to help a kingside attack. 9 Qe1 The most direct approach, trying to head towards the kingside for an attack with Qe1-h4, f4-f5 and Bc1-h6. However, with Black in a position to eliminate the knight on f3, there won’t be any Nf3-g5 ideas. So the attack just isn’t that strong and Black can start a counterattack. In the next game we’ll look at the slower 9 a3. 9 ... Nb4!

Just as with the last move, Black is pursuing a policy of trading off White’s more dangerous pieces. This one prepares to eliminate the bishop on d3, and also has the idea to play ... c5-c4, sacrificing the c-pawn to win the pawn on c2 and fork White’s rook on a1 and queen on e1. 10 Qh4 Question: Are we going to take that d3 bishop off now or does Black have something better? Answer: 10 ... c4! This is a much stronger move, after which Black’s knight gets the c2-pawn, causing considerable inconvenience into the bargain.

11 Bxc4 Nxc2 12 Rb1 Rc8 Perhaps a simpler way to play this would have been to immediately eliminate the knight on f3 with 12 ... Bxf3 and only after 13 Rxf3 to play 13 ... Rc8. Black would have good counterplay after 14 Bf1 Qb6+ 15 Kh1 h5 16 Bd2 Ng4: for example, 17 h3?! Bf6 18 Qg3 Bxc3 19 Bxc3 Rxc3 20 Rxc3 Nf2+ 21 Kh2 Nxe4, etc. 13 Bb3 Bxf3 14 Bxc2

Exercise: What should Black do here to save the bishop on f3? Answer: 14 ... Be2! This is an excellent resource, saving the bishop whilst attacking the rook on f1. Meanwhile if White plays 15 Nxe2 then Black has 15 ... Rxc2. 15 Re1 Bc4 16 Bd2?! 16 Be3 would have been more natural here.

Exercise: And what should Black play now? Answer: 16 ... Bxa2! This is a neat tactic, once again exploiting the fact that the knight on c3 is pinned against the bishop on c2. 17 Ra1 Bc4 18 Kh1 18 Rxa7 Qb6+ 19 Be3 Qxb2 just wins for Black because the knight on c3 and bishop on c2 are both attacked. Note that if White had put his bishop on e3 on his 16th move, this would not have been possible. 18 ... a5 19 f5 Trying to mitigate the loss of his a-pawn by playing for an attack. 19 ... b5 19 ... Nd7 looks tempting, to try and get the knight to the outpost on e5. However, in this case it would allow 20 Re3 intending 21 Rh3, when Black should probably go back with his knight. 20 Bb1 After 20 Bg5 there can follow 20 ... b4 21 Ne2 Qb6 22 Nf4 Rc7 when White is a pawn down and Black has the compensation! 20 ... Nd7 21 Re3

21 ... e6 Black might have been worried about Re3-h3, but 21 ... b4 22 Rh3 h5 seems to be nothing for White. 22 Qxd8 Rcxd8 23 b3 The immediate 23 Rxa5 would have been answered by 23 ... Nc5: for example, 24 Be1 Nb3 25 Ra3 exf5 26 Bh4 Rc8 27 Nxb5 Bxb5 28 Raxb3 Bc4 with a very unpleasant position for White. 23 ... Bxb3 24 Rxa5 Bh6 25 Re2?! 25 dxe6 might have been a better try, but then 25 ... Bxe3 26 Bxe3 fxe6 27 Nxb5 Ne5 is just very good for Black. 25 ... Bxd2 26 Rxd2 Rc8 27 Ne2 exf5 28 h3 28 exf5 Bc4 29 Nd4 b4 would also leave Black a good pawn up. 28 ... fxe4 29 Bxe4 Rfe8 30 Bf3 Ne5

Temporarily returning the pawn to reach a winning rook endgame. 31 Rxb5 Bc4 32 Rbb2 Nxf3 33 gxf3 Bxe2 34 Rxe2 Rxe2 35 Rxe2 Rc1+ 36 Kg2 Rd1 This is the point behind Black’s 30 ... Ne5. There is no good way to defend the pawn on d5. 37 Kg3 Rxd5 38 Re1 Kg7 39 h4 Kf6 40 Ra1 h5 41 Kf4 Rf5+ 42 Kg3 Re5 43 Ra6 Ke6 44 Kf4 Rb5 45 Ra8 Rb4+ 46 Kg5 Rb5+ 46 ... Rb3 would probably have been quicker, but in endgames there’s no hurry. 47 Kf4 Kf6 48 Rd8 Rb4+ 49 Kg3 Ke7 50 Ra8 Rc4 51 Ra7+ Ke6 52 Rb7 d5

Slowly but surely the d-pawn trundles forward. 53 Rb6+ Kd7 54 Rf6 Ke7 55 Ra6 Rc7 56 Kf4 Rd7 57 Ke3 Rd6 58 Ra7+ Ke6 59 Kd4 Rc6 60 Ke3 Rc4 61 f4 Rc3+ 62 Kf2?! 62 Kd4 Rf3 just picks off the f4-pawn. 62 ... Rh3 63 Ra4 Kf5 64 Ra7 f6 0-1 Game 2 M.Mrdja-B.Chatalbashev Genoa Open 2005 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 f4 Bg7 5 Nf3 0-0 6 Bd3 Na6 7 0-0 c5 8 d5 Bg4 9 a3

Question: Isn’t that a waste of time by White? Answer: Arguably, but he’s trying to stop Black playing ... Nb4 which we saw played in the last game after 9 Qe1. 9 ... Nc7 Now that the knight can’t go to b4 there’s not much point delaying this further. On c7 the knight prepares two key pawn levers, ... b7-b5 and ... e7-e6. 10 Qe1 Bxf3 11 Rxf3 e6 12 dxe6 Nxe6

Question: Can’t Black also take with the pawn and then advance in the centre with ... d6-d5? Answer: Indeed he can and this is how Eugenio Torre played this position once. After 12 ... fxe6 13 Bd2 d5 14 e5 Ng4 15 b3 Nh6 16 Na4 Qe7 17 c4 Nf5 18 Rb1 Rad8 19 Bf1 the position was fairly balanced at this stage in Tran Ngoc Thach-E.Torre, Ho Chi Minh City 2012. 13 h3 Question: What if White plays for mate with 13 Rh3? Answer: That is a very good question, and the sharp nature of the position may encourage many black players to avoid this plan with 12 ... fxe6. For example, 13 ... Nd4 14 f5 c4! (14 ... Ng4 15 Qg3 Ne5 16 Bg5 Qd7 17 Nd5 Nxd3 18 Qh4 h5 19 Ne7+ Qxe7 20 Bxe7 was good for White in D.Smerdon-B.Atzmon Simon, Sydney 2007) 15 Bxc4 Nxc2 16 Qh4 Nxa1 17 Nd5 Nh5 18 Bg5 Qa5 19 fxg6 was T.Luther-B.Gulko, Wijk aan Zee 2001, and now 19 ... Bd4+ (19 ... Qc5+ 20 Be3 Qxc4 21 Ne7+ Kh8 22 Qxh5 Qf1+ 23 Kxf1 fxg6+ 24 Qf3 Rxf3+ 25 gxf3 Bxb2 left Black struggling to draw in the game) 20 Kh1 (20 Be3 Bxe3+ 21 Nxe3 hxg6 22 g4 Rae8 23 gxh5 g5 24 Rg3 Kh8 25 Rxg5 Rxe4! 26 Rxa5 Rxh4 is good for Black) 20 ... hxg6 21 Be2 f6 22 Bh6 Rfc8 23 Bxh5 gives White a winning attack according to Fritz. 13 ... Nd4 14 Rf2 Re8 15 Qf1

Question: That’s a strange looking move, what’s the point? Answer: White is getting his queen away from the gaze of Black’s rook on e8 whilst positioning it for a possible opening of the f-file. Another possibility was 15 Be3 when 15 ... Qb6 16 b3 Re7 is fine for Black. 15 ... b5 15 ... c4!? was interesting too, the point being that after 16 Bxc4 Nxe4 17 Nxe4 Black can play 17 ... d5! with a promising game. 16 Be3 a6 17 Rd1 Nf5 18 exf5 Rxe3 19 fxg6 hxg6

The presence of opposite-coloured bishops can be drawish in the endgame (especially without rooks), but tends to favour the side with the initiative in the middlegame. This is because each bishop can attack what the other cannot defend, so situations such as these tend to lead to sharp play. 20 Re2 Sensing his growing strategic inferiority, White tries to simplify the position with exchanges. 20 ... Qe7 21 Rxe3 Qxe3+ 22 Qf2 Qxf2+ 23 Kxf2 d5 24 Kf3 Re8 25 g4 d4 Letting White’s knight into e4, but gaining d5 for his own knight in return. 26 Ne4 Nd5 27 g5 White might have taken fright at the thought of 27 Nxc5 Re3+ 28 Kf2 Nxf4, but after 29 h4 he would have had better chances than in the game. 27 ... Ne3 28 Re1 c4 29 Bf1 Rd8

30 c3? A mistake in an already difficult position. White should have tried 30 Rc1, passive though it is. 30 ... Nxf1 31 Rxf1 dxc3 32 bxc3 Bxc3! Winning a pawn and leaving himself with a mighty array of queenside pawns. 33 Kg4 33 Nxc3 Rd3+ would produce an easily winning rook endgame. 33 ... Bb2 34 Rf3 Re8 34 ... Rc8 would have been even easier. 35 Nc5 c3 36 Rf2 Bxa3 37 Nb3 0-1 Game 3 A.Faizulaev-T.L.Petrosian Agzamov Memorial, Tashkent 2015 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 f4 Bg7 5 Nf3 0-0 6 Bd3 Na6 7 0-0 c5 8 d5 Bg4 9 a3 Nc7

Question: Doesn’t this just give a nice bishop-pair for White to add to his broad pawn centre? Answer: Yes, though White will have trouble advancing his centre any further after Black plays ... Nf6-d7. It will be almost impossible for him to force through e4-e5 and f4-f5 will leave Black the e5-square. 10 h3 10 Qe1 was played in the last game. 10 ... Bxf3 11 Qxf3 a6 This makes sense, playing to expand on the queenside with ... b7-b5. When White plays a3-a4 it will have cost him a second move with his a-pawn having played a2-a3 on his 9th move. Black has also played the immediate 11 ... Nd7, but after 12 f5 Rb8 13 Qg3 b5 14 Bg5 c4 15 Be2 Ne8 16 h4 White was building serious kingside pressure in K.PetrosianV.Beim, Budapest 1995. 12 Ne2 Black can now meet 12 a4 with 12 ... Nd7 when 13 f5 (in the style of PetrosianBeim in the previous note) allows Black to generate good counterplay with 13 ... Ne5 14 Qe2 Nxd3 15 Qxd3 b5! 16 axb5 Nxb5 17 Nxb5 c4!, the point being that 18 Qxc4? axb5 19 Rxa8 (19 Qxb5 Rxa1) 19 ... Qb6+ wins White’s queen. 12 ... b5 13 c3

13 ... e6 Intending to recapture with the pawn on e6. There’s also a case for 13 ... c4 14 Bc2 and then 14 ... e6, after which 15 dxe6 Nxe6 followed by ... Ne6-c5 is another plan. 14 dxe6 fxe6 15 Be3 Qe7 16 Ng3 Nd7 17 Qg4 Kh8 18 Rae1 Rf7 19 h4 Aiming to soften up Black’s king position with h4-h5. 19 ... Rg8

Question: What’s the point behind putting the rook on a file that isn’t open?

Answer: This is what’s called a ‘prophylactic’ move. Black is anticipating White going through with h4-h5, after which the rook on g8 suddenly comes into play. 20 e5 Going for it, though in retrospect it might have been better to continue manoeuvring. 20 ... dxe5 21 h5 Bh6 22 hxg6 hxg6 23 fxe5 23 Bxg6 would have been strongly met by 23 ... Nf6! when White can’t defend the bishop on g6 with any queen move. 23 ... Rh7 24 Bxh6 Rxh6

25 Ne4 Once again charging in headlong, but 25 Qf4 might have been more prudent. 25 ... Nxe5 26 Qf4 Rh5 27 Be2 Threatening the rook on h5. 27 ... Nd5 28 Qg3 Rf5 29 Rxf5 exf5 30 Ng5 A menacing knight. White has enough activity here to compensate him for the pawn. 30 ... Kg7 31 Bf3 f4 32 Qh4 Nf6 33 Qxf4 Getting the pawn back, but the initiative has been dispelled. 33 ... Re8 34 Bc6 Nh5 35 Qd2 Rf8 36 Bd5 36 Nf3 was possible here too, but shouldn’t trouble Black too much. 36 ... Rd8 37 Re2 Rd6

38 Ne6+ This leads to a forced draw by repetition. 38 ... Rxe6 39 Bxe6 Qxe6 40 Qe3 Kf6 41 Rf2+ Kg7 42 Re2 Kf6 43 Rf2+ Ke7 44 Re2 Kf6 45 Rf2+ Kg7 46 Re2 ½-½ Game 4 P.Ladron De Guevara Pinto-F.Peralta Navalmoral Open 2012 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 f4 Bg7 5 Nf3 0-0 6 Bd3 Na6 7 0-0 c5 8 d5 Bg4 9 h3

Question: Doesn’t this move damage White’s chances of a kingside attack by taking away the possibility of bringing a rook to h3? Answer: A very good question, and yes it does! In fact White announces with this move that an attack is no longer his priority. Instead, he wants to get the bishop-pair and then play in the centre. 9 ... Bxf3 10 Rxf3 Nc7 Question: Why is Black playing this when White hasn’t ruled out the possibility of ... Nb4? Answer: With White having given up his idea of a direct attack with 9 h3, there’s no longer much point in him playing his queen to e1. So ... Nb4 isn’t really on the cards and Black meanwhile wants to get ready to play in the centre himself with ... e7-e6. 11 Bc4 This allows Black some immediate counterattacks based on ... b7-b5, so alternatives should be considered: a) 11 a4 e6 12 dxe6 fxe6 13 Nb5 (alternatively, 13 Bd2 Nd7 14 Kh1 Qe7 15 Qe2 Rf7 16 Re1 Raf8 would give Black a solid and active position) 13 ... a6 14 Nxc7 Qxc7 15 c3 c4 16 Bc2 was Y.Gruenfeld-V.Beim, Herzliya 1993, and now 16 ... Qc6 17 Qe2 d5 18 e5 Ne4 would have been fine for Black. b) 11 Qe1 a6 12 a3 e6 13 dxe6 Nxe6 14 Rf1 Nd4 15 Be3 Re8 16 Qf2 Nb5! illustrates another nice plan for Black - playing on the e-file against White’s e4-pawn.

11 ... a6 In an earlier game Peralta played the immediate 11 ... b5, but presumably found something he didn’t like here or wanted to avoid his opponent’s preparation. 12 Nxb5 Nxe4 13 Qe2 Nf6 14 Nxc7 Qxc7 15 Bd2 Nd7 16 Bc3 Bxc3 17 Rxc3 Nb6 18 Re1 Nxc4 19 Qxc4 Rab8 20 b3 left White slightly better in K.Njili-F.Peralta, Dresden 2008, but more importantly it was a position that was very difficult to try and win for Black. Indeed, the game was drawn in 34 moves, which was quite a success for White being over 200 points lower rated than his illustrious opponent. 12 a4 b6 Here too Peralta could have chosen 12 ... b5, but once again I suspect that he wanted to keep as much tension in the position as possible to help his winning chances. After 13 axb5 axb5 14 Rxa8 Qxa8 15 Nxb5 Nxb5 16 Bxb5 Nxe4 17 Ra3 Qb7 18 Bc6 Qc7 Black is fine, but it’s not a position in which White can easily go wrong. 13 Qd3 Qc8 Protecting the a6-pawn in preparation for ... Rb8 and later ... b6-b5. Black can also play in the centre here and in the game G.Ageichenko-H.Danielsen, Pardubice 2008, he prepared the ... e7-e6 lever with 13 ... Kh8 and after 14 Rb1 e6 15 Kh1 Re8 16 Bd2 exd5 17 exd5 might have brought his king back with 17 ... Kg8 (17 ... Nd7 left him passively placed in the game), after which 18 Re1 Rxe1+ 19 Bxe1 Nd7 looks playable. 14 Rb1 Rb8

15 Be3 Nd7 16 b4?! Although this can be a typical counter to Black’s plan of queenside expansion, here it is misplaced. After the sensible 16 Bf2 White might have been concerned about the possibility of 16 ... b5 17 axb5 Bxc3 18 Qxc3 axb5 19 Bf1 f5, but he can answer this with 20 exf5 Rxf5 21 Bd3 Nxd5 (21 ... Rxd5 is met by 22 Be4; the solid 21 ... Rf7 is probably best, with approximate equality) 22 Qd2 Rf7 23 Bxg6 when the game is fairly balanced. 16 ... cxb4 The counterblow with 16 ... b5!? may be even stronger. 17 Rxb4 Nc5 18 Bxc5 bxc5 19 Rb3 Qd7

Black is slightly better now due to his powerful ‘Pirc’ bishop on g7 and potential play on the b-file. Perhaps fearing being ‘ground down’ in subsequent play, White sacrifices a pawn for counterplay, but he would have been better off not doing so. 20 e5?! dxe5 21 Ne4 exf4 22 Nxc5 Qd6 23 Nxa6 Nxa6 24 Bxa6 Rb4 Although the pawns are level and White has a passed a-pawn, it is Black who is better here. The key feature is the weakness of White’s king, which is something that can happen when he plays 4 f4. Pawns can’t move back! 25 Rxb4 Qxb4 26 Bb5 Bd4+ 27 Kh1 Be3 Creating a nice self-supporting structure together with the pawn on f4 that simultaneously tightens the grip around White’s king. 28 Rf1 Rd8 29 c4 e5!

Using the pin on the d5-pawn to create a supported passed pawn. White too has passed pawns, in fact he has three of them, but these are rendered ineffective because of Black’s dark-square control. 30 Rd1 Qd6 31 a5 f5 32 a6 e4 In contrast to White’s passed pawns, Black’s e-pawn is quite a beast. 33 Qe2 Ba7 Not just blockading the a-pawn but menacing ... f4-f3, which was impossible before because the bishop on e3 needed protection. 34 Qb2?! g5 34 ... f3 would be premature because of 35 gxf3 Qg3 36 Qg2, but with more black pawns advancing up the board an eventual breach of White’s kingside seems inevitable. 35 Rc1 35 Rb1 is also met by 35 ... g4, though this might have been a better chance. 35 ... g4 36 c5 Bxc5

37 a7? Frittering away his passed a-pawn without good reason. 37 Qc3 Be3 38 Rb1 would have kept White on the board. 37 ... Bxa7 38 Rc6? One gains the impression that White may have been in time trouble at this point as one error follows another. 38 Bf1 was the best try, though hardly good for White after 38 ... f3 39 Rc6 fxg2+ 40 Qxg2 Qf4 41 Be2 g3, etc. 38 ... Qxd5 39 hxg4? 39 Rc1 was the only way to stave off immediate disaster, though the position is quite lost in any case. 39 ... Qd4? 0-1 I wonder if this was a transcription error as Black has a forced mate with 39 ... Qd1+ 40 Bf1 Qxf1+ 41 Kh2 Qg1+ 42 Kh3 Qh1#. Of course it’s possible that the players were in terrible time trouble and that White now lost on time. Game 5 M.Larrea-F.Peralta Dresden Olympiad 2008 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 f4 Bg7 5 Nf3 0-0 6 Bd3 Na6 7 0-0 c5 8 d5 Bg4 9 Kh1

Question: What does that move do? Isn’t White just wasting time? Answer: Not really. Tucking the king away like this is going to be useful in most lines, and meanwhile can adapt to Black’s reply. For example, if Black were to play 9 ... Nc7, White would no longer have to worry about his d3-bishop being exchanged with ... Na6-b4 and could press on with a kingside attack without first playing a2-a3. 9 ... Rb8 Black in turn plays a useful move whilst keeping the ... Na6-b4 option open for another move. So White now prevents this before shuffling his queen round. 10 a3 Nc7 11 Qe1 b5 12 Qh4 c4 Pushing White’s bishop back from its aggressive diagonal. Another possibility is 12 ... Bxf3 13 Rxf3 a5, taking space on the queenside: for example, 14 f5 c4 15 Bf1 b4 16 axb4 axb4 17 Ne2 Ra8 18 Rxa8 Qxa8 19 Nd4 Qa1 was annoying for White in P.Zarnicki-R.Kasimdzhanov, Internet (blitz) 2004. 13 Be2 e6?! 13 ... a5 is possible here too, aiming for counterplay along the lines of ZarnickiKasimdzhanov in the previous note. 14 dxe6 fxe6

15 f5?! Question: What’s White’s idea with that move? Doesn’t it lose a pawn? Answer: It’s a typical attacking idea that needs to be taken account of. White wants to pin the knight on f6 with Bc1-g5. In retrospect, White should probably play the more solid 15 Be3, after which 15 ... a5 16 Bd4 Bxf3 17 Bxf3 Nd7 18 Qxd8 Rfxd8 19 Bxg7 Kxg7 brought about an approximately even endgame in I.Gaponenko-D.Aketaeva, Moscow 2009. 15 ... exf5 16 Bg5?! Continuing to charge in, but Black has a nice counter. White should have played 16 exf5, after which 16 ... Bxf5 17 a4 b4 18 Nb5 Nxb5 19 axb5 Ne4 20 Bxc4+ d5 21 Bb3 would have given him more chances to save the game.

Exercise: If you were Black, what would you play here? Answer: 16 ... h6! This and Black’s next move represent a really neat counter, effectively defusing White’s flailing attack. 17 Bxh6 Nxe4! The point behind the previous move - Black wants the queens off. 18 Ng5? Possibly overlooking Black’s well calculated reply. 18 Bg5 doesn’t work either after 18 ... Qe8 19 Nxe4 Qxe4 20 Rae1 Bxf3 21 Bxf3 Qxh4 22 Bxh4 Bxb2 with a serious endgame advantage, so probably White should have played 18 Bxg7!? Kxg7 19 Qe1 with some practical chances because of Black’s somewhat weakened king position.

Exercise: And what should Black do here? Answer: 18 ... Bxc3! A cold-blooded and unstereotyped decision which needed to be accurately worked out. 19 Bxg4?! White’s best was probably 19 Bxf8, after which 19 ... Qxg5 20 Qxg5 Nxg5 21 Bxd6 Bxe2 22 Bxc7 Rb7 23 bxc3 Bxf1 24 Bf4 Ne4 25 Rxf1 Re7 gives Black a very good endgame; for one thing, White’s c3-pawn is falling. 19 ... Bd2 20 Bg7 Qxg5 This is the best, but now Black’s king ends up wandering across the board. Neither 20 ... Bxg5?! 21 Qh8+ Kf7 22 Qh7 nor 20 ... Nxg5 21 Qh8+ Kf7 22 Bxf8 Qxf8 23 Qd4 would have been right. 21 Qh8+ Kf7 22 Qh7 Ke6 Understandably wanting to escape from the discovered check with the bishop. Fritz tells me that Black could also have played 22 ... Qxg4 when 23 Bxf8+ Ke6 24 Qe7+ Kd5 25 Qxc7 Rxf8 is a winning game. For one thing Black has his own attack going here with 26 ... Rh8 on the cards. 23 Bxf8 Rxf8

24 Bf3?! After 24 Qxc7 there follows 24 ... Qxg4 25 Qg7 Rf7 26 Qg8 Kf6 with Black consolidating nicely. Or if 24 Bh3 there is 24 ... Nd5 25 Qxa7 Rh8 with devastation in prospect. 24 ... Qe7?! Going for safety over brutality. 24 ... Qh6 was much more powerful, the sequel being 25 Qxc7 Ng3+ 26 Kg1 Be3+ 27 Rf2 Ne4 28 Bxe4 fxe4 29 Raf1 Bxf2+ 30 Kh1 (or 30 Rxf2 Qc1+ 31 Rf1 Qxf1#) 30 ... Qxh2+ 31 Kxh2 Rh8+ followed by mate. 25 Qxg6+ Qf6 26 Qh7? This loses, but what else can he do? After 26 Qxf6+ Rxf6 27 g4 Rh6 28 gxf5+ Kxf5 29 Bxe4+ Kxe4 Black has an endgame in which he should win. 26 ... Rh8 27 Qxc7

The point behind the previous move, but White is getting mated. Of course, otherwise he’s just losing the queen. 27 ... Rxh2+! 0-1 A neat finish. White is getting mated after 28 Kxh2 Qh4+ 29 Kg1 Be3+ 30 Rf2 Qxf2+ 31 Kh1 Qh4#. Game 6 M.Vavulin-A.Grischuk Moscow Superfinal (rapid) 2014 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 f4 Bg7 5 Nf3 0-0 6 Bd3 Na6 7 0-0 c5 8 d5 Bg4 9 Bc4

Question: That looks odd! Why is White moving his bishop again? Answer: This is quite a sophisticated way of treating the position. White wants to inhibit Black’s most important pawn moves ( ... e7-e6, ... b7-b5 and ... c5-c4), whilst slowly improving his position. It’s a good plan, but is less likely to appear at club level than the attempts to hack Black off the board on the kingside with Qe1-h4 ideas. 9 ... Nc7 10 h3 Bxf3 11 Qxf3 Nd7 12 Be3 Another possibility is 12 a4 a6 13 a5 when 13 ... b5 14 axb6 Nxb6 15 Bd3 c4 16 Be2 Nb5 17 Be3 Nxc3 18 bxc3 Bxc3 gave Black enough counterplay in F.Vallejo PonsG.Pap, Moscow 2012. 12 ... a6 13 a4 b6 The immediate 13 ... b5!? may be viable here: for example, 14 axb5 Bxc3! 15 bxc3 axb5 16 Bd3 Ra4 intending 17 ... Qa8 gives Black counterplay on the queenside. 14 Rad1 After 14 Qe2, ganging up on a6, Black would aim for counterplay with 14 ... Qb8, planning 15 ... Qb7, 16 ... Rab8 and ... b6-b5.

14 ... Rb8 As usual playing for ... b6-b5, and without having his a-pawn to worry about Black moves his rook to prepare it. There is a logical alternative 14 ... Qb8: for example, 15 e5 b5 16 Be2 (after 16 axb5 axb5 17 Be2 Fritz pointed out the unlikely looking 17 ... f5!?, which despite initial appearances seems very good as Black wants to play ... dxe5 without allowing f4-f5 as a reply; it seems that White is then struggling: for example, 18 Bf2 b4 19 Nb1 Kh8 20 exd6 exd6 looks better for Black because of his mighty Pirc bishop on g7) 16 ... bxa4 17 Nxa4 Qb4 18 b3 Nb5 19 Bc4 Nd4 20 Qf2 Qb7 21 e6 Nb6 22 Nxb6 Qxb6 23 Qd2 a5 24 Rb1 Nf5 25 Bf2 Qb4 26 Qd3 Qc3 27 g4 Qxd3 28 Bxd3 Nd4 29 Kg2 when the tense struggle rumbled on in S.Solomon-S.Sarno, Yerevan Olympiad 1996. 15 e5 b5 16 Be2 dxe5

17 d6?! Trying to blast his way into Black’s position, but this may not be the best. White had an interesting alternative in 17 f5, which has the idea of fixing Black’s pawn on e5 where it inhibits moves of both the knight on d7 and bishop on g7. A logical reply is 17 ... Ne8, aiming to come to the d6-square whilst giving back the pawn on b5. After 18 axb5 axb5 19 Nxb5 Nd6 20 Nxd6 exd6 21 b3 I would be looking at getting in ... e4 for Black so as to gain the e5-square for his knight and have the bishop on g7 breathing fire down the h8-a1 diagonal. 17 ... Ne6 18 dxe7 Qxe7 19 Nd5 Qd8?! Returning the queen to a square shadowed by the rook on d1 looks somewhat suspicious. 19 ... Qe8 would have been a better choice. 20 c3 Preventing Black from blocking the d-file by planting his knight on d4. 20 ... exf4?! My engine confirms that the logical but risky looking 20 ... f5 is quite playable here: for example, 21 Qf2 Qe8 22 axb5 axb5 23 fxe5 c4 24 Bd4 Bxe5 25 Bxe5 Nxe5 26 Qe3 Nd7 with White having very limited compensation for the pawn. 21 Nxf4 Ne5 22 Qf2 Qf6?! The engines prefer other squares for the queen here: for example, a5, c8 and e8. Of course, it’s almost impossible to know this if you’re a mere human. White is better after Grischuk’s choice, but the tables so often get turned in a practical game. 23 Nxe6 Qxe6 24 Bxc5 Rfc8 25 axb5 axb5 26 Bd6 Rb7

27 Bf3?! Giving back the bishop-pair is not the right thing to do and White could almost have decided against this on general grounds. 27 Rfe1 was a better move when White’s chances are still preferable. 27 ... Nxf3+ 28 Qxf3 Rd7 29 Bb4 Bf8 30 Rxd7 Qxd7 31 Bxf8 Rxf8 32 Rd1 Qe6 33 Qd5 Qe2 34 Qd2 Qe7 35 Qd7 Qg5 36 Qd5 Qe3+ 37 Kh1 Qe2 38 Qd2 Re8 39 Kg1 Qc4

40 Qd5??

A case of time trouble? This should lose on the spot, though the official score shows Grischuk missing the best move and then White throwing in the towel (or losing on time). 40 Qf2 Re2 41 Qf6 Rxg2+ 42 Kh1 Rh2+ 43 Kg1 Rg2+ is only a draw for Black, and 40 Qd4 was also just fine. 40 ... Re1+ 0-1 I am quite sure that Grischuk spotted this rather than the move given in the official record of the game, 40 ... Re4. This would have been the only reason I could see for the sudden White resignation rather than a draw being agreed. Game 7 Xu Xiangyu-V.Malakhov Chinese League 2015 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 f4 Bg7 5 Nf3 0-0 6 Bd3 Na6 7 0-0 c5 8 e5?!

Question: That looks scary! Are you sure that 6 ... Na6 is OK for Black? Answer: The problem with this move is that it leaves White’s centre very exposed after the knight retreats. The Pirc player should always remember that pawns don’t move back. 8 ... Nd7 9 Bxa6?! This looks like a good idea at first because it weakens Black’s pawns, but Black now gets excellent piece play using the b-file and White’s weakened light squares.

White might also have considered 9 exd6: for example, 9 ... exd6 10 Be3 Re8 11 Bf2 Nb6 12 Qd2 c4 13 Be2 Qc7 14 Rae1 gets his pieces out and produces a more stable position than he gets in the game. 9 ... cxd4 9 ... bxa6 can also be considered here with Black still getting active play for his pawn weaknesses. There’s a bishop-pair, an open b-file and an imploding white pawn centre. 10 Nxd4 Other moves also offer Black excellent counterplay. For example: a) 10 Qxd4 bxa6 11 Rd1 Bb7 12 Be3 Bxf3 13 gxf3 Rb8 gives Black queenside play and long-term potential against White’s weakened king. b) 10 Ne4 bxa6 11 exd6 Bb7 12 Re1 was D.Tokranovs-D.Paravyan, Prague 2012, and now 12 ... Re8 would have been unpleasant for White who is fighting against raking bishops on g7 and b7. 10 ... dxe5 11 fxe5 bxa6 12 e6

12 ... fxe6 13 Rxf8+ Question: Can’t White play 13 Nxe6 straight away? Answer: Unfortunately not as Black then has 13 ... Qb6+, picking up the knight. 13 ... Nxf8 14 Be3 Qc7 15 Qf3 15 Nb3 might have been a better choice, but then 15 ... Be5 forces a weakening of White’s kingside. 15 ... Bb7 16 Qf2 e5

So often in the Pirc it’s Black who ends up with the better central control. It happens as a result of undermining White’s pawn centre and getting a central pawn majority. 17 Nf3 Ne6 18 Ng5 Nxg5 19 Bxg5 Rf8 20 Qe2 Qb6+ 21 Be3 Qxb2 22 Qc4+ e6!

23 Rb1?! This meets with a powerful reply so White should have put the rook on f1. On the other hand, 23 Qxe6+ is even worse because 23 ... Kh8 leaves White with both his knight on c3 and rook on a1 attacked. 23 ... Bd5 24 Rxb2 Bxc4 25 g3 Bd5 25 ... Rc8 was probably even stronger. White could now have put up more of a fight by capturing the bishop on d5 and then the pawn on a7. 26 Rb4?! Rc8 27 Nxd5 exd5 28 Bxa7 28 c4 is strongly met by 28 ... d4 29 Bg5 e4 with massively strong connected passed pawns. 28 ... d4?! 28 ... Rxc2 was better to get united passed pawns, and if 29 Rb8+ Kf7 30 Rb7+ Black just slips away with 30 ... Kf6. 29 Rb2 e4

30 Rb4 30 Rb7 was a better try. 30 ... a5 31 Ra4? Black’s reply wins quickly, but it’s probably lost in any case. 31 ... d3 32 cxd3 exd3 33 Be3 Rc2? 33 ... Bc3 is even simpler as after 34 Kf1 d2 35 Ke2 Re8 Black will play ... Rxe3 next. 34 Bf4 d2 35 Bxd2 Rxd2 With Black having an extra piece, the rest is a matter of technique. 36 Rxa5 h5 37 a4 Ra2 38 Ra8+ Kh7 39 a5 Bd4+ 40 Kh1 Kg7 41 a6 Bf2 0-1 Game 8 C.Weidemann-J.P.Le Roux Biel Open 2012 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 f4 Bg7 5 Nf3 0-0 6 Bd3 Na6 7 0-0 c5 8 Bxa6?! This immediate capture on a6 may not be popular at GM level, but club players might well get it played against them. Black’s reply is important. 8 ... cxd4!

Question: Why be so fancy? Can’t Black simply recapture with 8 ... bxa6? Answer: Not really because he’d get a quite difficult position after the further 9 dxc5 dxc5 10 e5 when White’s pawn wedge on f4 and e5 is no longer being pressured by a pawn on d6. This is an important structural concept. A slight nuance in the pawn structure can lead to Black’s bishop on g7 being kept semi-permanently out of play. 9 Nxd4?! 9 Qxd4 might be a better move, despite the queen’s position opposite the bishop on g7. However, in any case Black gets a good game: for example, 9 ... bxa6 10 Rd1? (missing Black’s powerful reply; 10 Qd3 Rb8 11 Rb1 is a more secure way to play, when White’s position would be quite adequate) 10 ... Ng4 11 e5 (White has suddenly seen the danger of Black’s ... Qb6+; 11 Qb4 Be6 intending ... Rb8 and ... Qb6+ is also very unpleasant) 11 ... Bb7 12 h3 Bxf3 13 gxf3 Nh6 saw Black’s knight head towards the powerful f5-square in R.Schuetzhold-G.Orlov, Vancouver 2005. 9 ... bxa6 10 Kh1 Bb7 11 Qd3 Rc8 12 Nde2 In Y.Miyasaki-E.Torre, Hong Kong 1972, Black met White’s 12 Be3 with the Rétistyle 12 ... Rc7 13 Rae1 Qa8!?, gaining a very good position after the further 14 Bg1 Rfc8 (14 ... Nxe4! 15 Nxe4 f5 was an immediate tactical opportunity) 15 Nf3 Nh5 16 Nd4 f5 17 Qh3 Rxc3! 18 bxc3 Bxe4.

12 ... Nd7 Question: I quite liked the 12 ... Rc7 and 13 ... Qa8 idea that Torre played against 12 Be3. Can’t I do it here too? Answer: Indeed, you can. 12 ... Rc7 13 Ng3 Qa8 is a nice regrouping that would give Black strong pressure on White’s position from the edges of the board. 13 Bd2 This solid move makes sense, but in any case Black has a good game here. 13 f5 is an attempt to take the initiative on the kingside by bringing the pawns into contact and releasing the bishop on c1, but at the same time it creates a weakness on e5. Black can meet it with 13 ... Nc5 14 Qf3 Qd7 15 Qe3 Na4 16 Rb1 Rc4, setting up serious lateral pressure on the e4-pawn. In fact, 17 Nxa4 Rxe4! would already be winning for Black. Another move to have been tried here is 13 b4, which aims to keep the black knight out of c5, but creates an even more inviting square for it on c4. A.Gazola-L.Strauss Boff, Dois Irmaos 2011, continued 13 ... Qc7 14 Bd2 Nb6 15 Rab1 and now Boff could have gained a clear advantage with 15 ... f5!. 13 ... Nc5 14 Qe3 Qb6

15 Ng3?! Question: Does White have to sacrifice his b-pawn like that? Answer: The problem is that Black is also threatening to win the e4-pawn with 15 ... Nxe4 16 Nxe4 Qxe3 17 Bxe3 Bxe4 and White has a hard time stopping both. At least by giving up the b-pawn there’s a chance to muddy the waters. 15 ... Qxb2 16 Rfc1 Qb6 Getting his queen the hell out of Dodge, though possibly this wasn’t the most accurate move. 16 ... Qa3 17 Rab1 Rfe8 seems to leave White with very little for his pawn. 17 Rab1 Qc7 18 Nd5 Bxd5 Once again playing it safe. The immediate 18 ... Qd7 is stronger, keeping Black’s monster bishop on b7 on the board for a bit longer. 19 exd5 Qd7 20 c4 Na4 20 ... e6 would have been more like it, setting about activating his rooks along the efile. But now it’s White’s turn to play inaccurately. 21 Qa3?! Allowing Black to successfully challenge for the b-file. 21 a3 Rb8 22 Rb4 would have given Black some technical difficulties. 21 ... Rb8 22 Rb4

22 ... Rxb4 23 Qxb4 Had White played 21 a3 he would have been able to recapture with a pawn here. 23 ... Rc8 24 Be3 h5 25 Ne4 Nb2 This errant knight creates enough confusion in White’s ranks to allow Black to activate his pieces. 26 Nf2 Rc7 27 h3 a5! Deflecting White from the defence of his c4-pawn. 28 Qxa5 28 Qb8+ Rc8 29 Qb3 Qa4 30 Qxa4 Nxa4 31 Bxa7 Nc3 threatens three different white pawns: c4, d5 and a2. 28 ... Nxc4 29 Qb4 Nb6! 30 Rxc7 Qxc7

Black’s extra pawn is looking good now, especially with additional white weaknesses on d5, f4 and a2. 31 Qb5 Qc3 32 Nd3?! Bd4? 32 ... Nc4 would have won faster. 33 Qe8+ Kg7 34 Bxd4+ Qxd4 35 Qb5 Nxd5 36 Qa6 Nc3 37 a3? Allowing a quick end to his suffering, but the position was hopeless in any case. 37 ... Ne2 38 a4 Qg1# 0-1 Game 9 R.Baskin-V.Onischuk Zalakaros Open 2015 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 f4 Bg7 5 Nf3 0-0 6 Bd3 Na6 7 e5 An aggressive alternative to the more usual 7 0-0. 7 ... Nd7 8 Be3 White can also try sacrificing a pawn with 8 e6, but it’s far from clear that White gets enough. After 8 ... fxe6 9 Ng5 Nf6 (9 ... Nb6? 10 Nxh7!) 10 Qe2 Nb4 11 Bc4 d5 12 Bb3 Qd6 13 0-0 a6 14 Nf3 Nc6 15 Be3 Ng4 Black has the better chances. 8 ... c5 9 Bxa6

9 ... bxa6 Question: Shouldn’t Black play 9 ... cxd4 in such situations as he did after 7 0-0 c5 8 Bxa6 and 8 e5 Nd7 9 Bxa6? Answer: Well spotted; this is a similar situation. However, in this case Black is better off waiting as after 10 Bxd4 dxe5 11 fxe5 bxa6 12 Qe2 White has better central control than in the comparable lines. 10 dxc5 After 10 Qe2 Black has the annoying 10 ... Rb8 when 11 Rb1 (11 0-0-0 Qa5 looks too dangerous for White) 11 ... Bb7 12 0-0 Qc7 gives him strong pressure against White’s centre and queenside. 10 ... Nxc5 11 0-0 11 exd6 exd6 12 0-0 Rb8 gives Black excellent piece play in return for the weaknesses in his pawn structure. 11 ... Rb8 12 Rb1 Bb7 13 exd6 exd6

14 Bd4 Bh6 Question: That’s an odd looking move. What’s the idea? Answer: Black prefers to avoid the exchange of dark-squared bishops because he’d than have weaknesses on the dark squares. Attacking the f4-pawn is also quite annoying for White. Onischuk’s 14 ... Bh6 is in fact a new move. In M.Villanueva-P.Barrionuevo, Lanus 2010, Black played 14 ... Bxd4+, after which 15 Nxd4 (rather than White’s 15 Qxd4 in the game) 15 ... Re8 16 Rf2 Ne4 17 Nxe4 Rxe4 18 Qd2 Qf6 19 Rd1 would have left White with an extremely strong knight on d4 which makes it difficult for Black to get play. 15 f5?! Aggressive, but also loosening. 15 Qd2 was probably the right move, despite putting the queen in the ‘shadow’ of the bishop on h6. After 15 ... Rc8 16 Rbe1 Ne6 17 Be3 Bg7 18 Nd4 the position is fairly balanced still. 15 ... Re8 16 b4 Another loose looking move as pawns can’t move back, but White would still have been OK had he followed it up correctly. 16 ... Ne4 17 Qd3?! After this Black is better. White should probably have played 17 Nxe4 Bxe4 18 f6 with a well-entrenched position, largely thanks to the strength of his bishop on d4. 17 ... Nxc3 18 Bxc3 18 Qxc3 Rc8 19 Qb3 (or 19 Qd3 Be4) 19 ... Re2 would also be difficult for White.

18 ... Be4 19 Qd4 Qb6 With the exchange of queens White’s weaknesses become a lot harder to defend. 20 Kh1 Or 20 Qxb6 axb6 21 fxg6 hxg6 22 Rb2 Be3+ 23 Kh1 Rbc8, etc. 20 ... Qxd4 21 Nxd4 Rbc8 22 fxg6 hxg6

23 Bb2 Bg7 Question: Why didn’t Black just take the pawn on c2? Answer: That looks pretty good too. Judging from the rest of the game White was probably under time pressure, and this might also explain why Black keeps the pressure rather than forcing matters. 24 Rf2?! 24 Rbd1 Bxc2 25 Nxc2 Bxb2 26 Rd2 would have been marginally more tenacious, but Black is well on top here anyway. 24 ... Rc4 25 Rd1 Rxb4 26 c3 Ra4 27 a3 Ra5 28 h3 Rg5

29 Rdd2?? A blunder in a bad position. 29 Kg1 would have kept the game going. 29 ... Bxg2+! 0-1 A nice final blow. After 30 Rxg2 Re1+ 31 Kh2 Be5+ White faces a horrendous loss of material.

Chapter Two Austrian Attack Alternatives 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 f4 Bg7

5 Nf3 White can also play 5 a3 here, which looks strange at first, but is designed to prevent ... c7-c5 by Black. See the game Michiels-Schlosser for details about how to deal with this. There is also a transposition into this game via 5 Nf3 0-0 6 a3. One other possibility is 5 e5, though this too will lead to a transposition after 5 ... Nfd7 6 Nf3 0-0, reaching the same position we get after 6 e5 Nfd7 below. 5 ... 0-0 In the last chapter we looked at 6 Bd3. Now we will examine White’s other moves. White’s main alternative here is 6 Be3, which supports d4 and acts against Black’s traditional counter attack with ... c7-c5. Then there is the manic 6 e5 with which White declares a clear intention to smash Black flat. The quiet 6 Be2 can definitely be countered by 6 ... c5 as 7 dxc5 is met by 7 ... Qa5 and, finally, we have rare moves, of which 6 a3 is the most interesting. Let’s look at each of these in turn: White Plays 6 Be3 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 f4 Bg7 5 Nf3 0-0 6 Be3

6 ... Nbd7 The immediate 6 ... c5 is in fact possible, but it can be met by 7 dxc5 Qa5 8 Bd3 Ng4 9 Bd2 Qxc5 10 Qe2 when 10 ... Nf6 may be best despite the loss of time. White can then castle queenside or play 11 Be3 followed by castling short. Instead of this, a more respectable approach is to prepare ... c7-c5 in some way, and in fact Black’s most popular move has been 6 ... b6. Our repertoire choice is, however, going to be the less usual 6 ... Nbd7, which develops a knight whilst preparing 7 ... c5. 7 Qd2 White has an alternative in 7 e5 - see Kantans-Del Rio de Angelis for details. 7 ... c5 8 0-0-0 Ng4 9 Bg1 cxd4 10 Nxd4 e5 This leads to an interesting position in which Black gets the e5-square. Our illustrative game is Asis Gargatagli-Peralta. White Plays 6 e5 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 f4 Bg7 5 Nf3 0-0 6 e5

6 e5 is a violent line which Black needs to know well. The aim is to displace the knight on f6 and then launch a violent attack with h2-h4. Black meanwhile can counter attack in the centre with ... c7-c5, which follows the principle that a flank attack should be met by a blow in the centre. 6 ... Nfd7 7 h4 c5 8 h5 cxd4 9 hxg6 9 Qxd4 is an alternative, but Black got excellent counterplay in Vaisser-Jones. 9 ... dxc3 10 gxf7+ Rxf7 11 Bc4 e6 This wild variation is illustrated by Sutovsky-Ivanchuk. Remember that you need to study this variation very thoroughly to play it with confidence. White Plays 6 Be2 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 f4 Bg7 5 Nf3 0-0 6 Be2

This quiet move has been played now and then by strong players looking for something a bit different. The main issue with it is that Black can clearly play 6 ... c5 now as 7 dxc5 is answered by 7 ... Qa5. 6 ... c5 7 dxc5 Qa5 8 0-0 Qxc5+ 9 Kh1 Nc6 A position has arisen that is quite similar to lines of the Sicilian Dragon in which White castles short. Black has very reasonable chances as shown in our illustrative game, Ivanov-Schlosser. White Plays 6 a3 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 f4 Bg7 5 Nf3 0-0 6 a3 This is an unusual line that is often used via a 5 a3 0-0 6 Nf3 move order. White is acting against Black’s ... c7-c5 pawn lever by preparing to meet 6 ... c5 with 7 dxc5 Qa5 8 b4, a theme that is echoed after 5 a3 c5 6 dxc5 Qa5 7 b4. 6 ... c5!

Question: I thought White had just stopped that? Answer: Black does it anyway because he sees that 7 dxc5 Qa5 8 b4 also weakens the h8-a1 diagonal. 7 dxc5 Qa5 8 b4 Qd8! Black tucks the queen out of the way, leaving White with his weaknesses. We are following a game Michiels-Schlosser, which illustrated Black’s chances. Game 10 H.Asis Gargatagli-F.Peralta Navalmoral Open 2011 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 f4 Bg7 5 Nf3 0-0 6 Be3 Traditionally this has been White’s second most popular choice after 6 Bd3 which we have already looked at. Black’s most popular reply to 6 Be3 has been 6 ... b6, but given the amount of theory and sharp variations associated with that move I’m going to suggest a different move that has a solid reputation. 6 ... Nbd7

Question: What’s the point behind that move? Isn’t it a bit passive? Answer: Not at all. As with the 6 Bd3 Na6 line, Black is developing a piece and playing for the thematic ... c7-c5 lever, undermining White’s centre. 7 Qd2 This in turn is White’s most logical and popular replay, preparing to castle long and/or play e4-e5. We will be looking at his alternatives within the context of the next game. 7 ... c5 8 0-0-0 Other moves have been tried here, though Black seems to get excellent counterplay: a) 8 dxc5 Nxc5 9 e5 is well met by 9 ... Nfe4: for example, 10 Nxe4 Nxe4 11 Qb4 d5 12 Bd3 Qc7 13 0-0 b6 14 c4 Nc5 15 Be2 Bb7 gave Black a solid and active position in V.Baklan-H.Danielsen, Reykjavik 2010. b) 8 d5 gives the game Benoni characteristics, but the bishop on g7 gets a clear view. After 8 ... a6 9 e5 dxe5 10 fxe5 Ng4 11 e6 fxe6 12 dxe6 Nde5 13 Qxd8 Rxd8 14 Bxc5 Bxe6 15 Ng5 Bf5 16 h3 Nf6 17 Be2 h6 18 Nf3 Nd5 19 0-0-0 Nxc3 20 bxc3 Rdc8 Black was better in A.Haik-J.Seret, Cannes 1987. 8 ... Ng4

9 Bg1 Certainly this is the only move to preserve White’s bishop, but it turns out that it’s not the only move to have been tried. In one game a 2600+ player nonchalantly went 9 Kb1!? Nxe3 10 Qxe3 cxd4 11 Nxd4 e5 and now 12 fxe5 (12 Nb3 exf4 13 Qxf4 Bxc3 14 bxc3 Ne5 was good for Black in M.Bartel-B.Chatalbashev, Peristeri 2010) 12 ... Nxe5 13 Be2 Ng4 14 Bxg4 Bxg4 15 Rd3 seems more or less even, with White’s nice grip on d5 balancing Black’s bishoppair. I wouldn’t be able to bring myself to play 9 Kb1 personally, though it shows how chess is changing with the expansion of concrete computer analysis rather than our intuitive human approach. 9 ... cxd4 10 Nxd4 e5 11 Nde2 11 Nf3 is a major alternative, but has the drawback that after 11 ... exf4 White cannot recapture the f4-pawn because of 12 ... Bh6. So 12 Qxd6 is relatively best (12 h3 Ne3 and 12 h4 Ne3 are both nice for Black because White has to give up his darksquared bishop with 13 Bxe3), after which 12 ... Bxc3 13 bxc3 Ne3 was fine for Black in K.Schmidt-R.Keene, Aarhus 1983. 11 ... exf4 12 Nxf4

12 ... Qa5 Fritz likes 12 ... Bxc3 13 Qxc3 Ndf6 here, but which human Pirc Defence player is going to give up his dark-squared bishop like that? 13 Bd4 This position may be the reason Black has shied away from the 6 ... Nbd7 line. He has a solid enough game, but it’s not easy to generate winning chances. Of course, at club level it’s unlikely that the game will reach this position which makes this line an eminently suitable repertoire choice. 13 ... Ndf6 An innovation by Peralta. The obvious thing to do is to plant a knight on e5, and this is how previous games have gone. But which of the two knights is better? Pirc Defence specialist Zurab Azmaiparashvili has tried both: a) 13 ... Nge5 (this has been Black’s most popular choice) 14 Kb1 (14 h4 doesn’t seem very appropriate as after 14 ... h5 Black gets a permanent base for his pieces on g4 and White has weakened his kingside pawns) 14 ... Nc5 15 Nfd5 (15 Be2 was played in G.Sax-L.Ftacnik, Hastings 1983/84, after which 15 ... Re8 may be best) 15 ... Qd8 16 Be3 Bg4 17 Be2 Bxe2 18 Qxe2 Qh4 was a bit better for White in A.BeliavskyZ.Azmaiparashvili, USSR Championship, Moscow 1983, though Black has a reasonably active position and the weakness of d6 is compensated for by the vulnerability of White’s e-pawn. b) 13 ... Nde5 14 Kb1 Nf6 15 Be2 Bd7 16 Nfd5 Nxd5 17 Nxd5 Qxd2 18 Rxd2 Rfd8 19 Rhd1 Kf8 20 Nc3 Rdc8 21 Bg1 Nc4 22 Bxc4 Bxc3 23 bxc3 Rxc4 24 Rxd6 ½-½ was A.Mikhalchishin-Z.Azmaiparashvili, Baku 1983, and by now the position is now dead equal.

I’m not sure that Peralta’s choice was influenced by the belief that he was improving on previous play. It’s possible that he just wanted to throw White out a little by playing a move he hadn’t seen before. 14 h3 If this is White’s best then Peralta’s 13 ... Ndf6 seems well justified. Fritz’s preference here is for 14 Be2, but after 14 ... Ne5 it looks very similar to the lines where Black puts a knight on e5 on his 13th move. There may also be other 14th move alternatives for Black. 14 ... Ne5 15 Kb1 b6

An interesting concept in these positions, which human players have not favoured, but the engine keeps throwing forward. Black’s bishop is coming to b7 to press on the e4-pawn and meanwhile the black queen is protected. 16 Bd3 Bb7 17 Rhe1 Rfd8 Black is fully equal now. 18 Qf2 Rac8 19 Rf1 Re8 20 g4 h6? White’s next move exposes this as a slip due to the weakness of f7. 20 ... Rc7 or 20 ... Re7 would have been wiser. 21 Nfd5 Bxd5 22 Nxd5 Re6 In playing his 20th move Black may have missed that 22 ... Nxd5 is met by 23 Bxe5 dxe5 24 Qxf7+, etc. So he now suffers all sorts of unpleasantness trying to keep his position afloat. 23 Bxe5 dxe5 24 h4 Qc5 25 Qf3 Rf8

26 c3 A somewhat routine move which lets Black off the hook again. White should try 26 Qe2 when 26 ... Nxd5?! 27 exd5 Rd6 28 h5 starts to tear down Black’s king’s defences. 26 ... Nxd5 27 exd5 e4!? Taking the opportunity to free up the bishop on g7, even if it means giving away a pawn. The ‘solid’ move was 27 ... Rd6, but after 28 Be4 the idea of h4-h5 hangs over Black’s head like the sword of Damocles. 28 Bxe4 Rf6 29 Qd3 Rxf1 30 Rxf1 Re8 This meets with a brilliant response, but in any case Black’s position looks desperate. 30 ... b5 is, for example, answered by 31 h5, undermining the b1-h7 diagonal.

31 Rxf7! Kxf7 32 Bxg6+ Kg8 33 Bxe8 Qg1+ 34 Kc2 Qg2+ 35 Kb3 Qxg4 36 h5 ½-½ In this totally won position White offered a draw, probably because of there being a fierce time scramble on at this time. And Black, of course, should snap his hand off. Game 11 T.Kantans-S.Del Rio de Angelis Riga Open 2012 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 f4 Bg7 5 Nf3 0-0 6 Be3 Nbd7

7 e5 One of several alternatives to the standard 7 Qd2 we saw in the previous game. Here’s a round-up of the others: a) 7 Bd3 c5 8 dxc5 Nxc5 9 Bxc5 dxc5 (normally this pawn structure is not very good for Black, but in this case White has given up his important dark-squared bishop to obtain it) 10 0-0 Ng4 11 Qd2 Bd4+ 12 Nxd4 Qxd4+ 13 Kh1 c4 14 h3 Nf6 15 e5 Nh5 16 Ne2 Qd8 won the bishop on d3 and the game in A.Khaled-A.Hamed, Abu Dhabi 1995. b) 7 Bc4 c5 8 dxc5 (8 e5 Ng4 would see White’s pawn centre crumble into dust) was played in A.Jakubiec-J.Stocek, Czech League 2005, and now 8 ... Ng4 (rather than 8 ... Qc7, which was played in the game) 9 Bg1 Qa5! would have put White in serious trouble already. c) 7 Qe2 b5!? (7 ... c5 also seems quite playable for Black, but after 8 0-0-0 he should avoid the dangers of a white e4-e5 by playing 8 ... Ng4!) 8 e5 Ng4 9 Bg1 b4 10 Ne4 a5 11 Nfd2 Nh6 produced a strange position in which Black stood quite well in S.Maus-H.Pfleger, German League 1992. Black should follow up with 12 ... Nb6 and 13 ... Be6, which both strengthens his defences and commences active play. d) 7 h3 c5 8 d5 b5! 9 Bxb5 Nxe4 10 Nxe4 Qa5+ 11 Nc3 Bxc3+ 12 bxc3 Qxb5 was already very good for Black in J.Fries Nielsen-R.Keene, Aarhus 1983, with Black going on to win after 13 Nd2 Nb6 14 c4 Nxc4 15 Qe2 Ba6 16 Nxc4 Qxc4 17 Qxc4 Bxc4 18 Kf2 Bxd5 19 Rhb1 Rfb8 20 a4 Be4 21 Rxb8+ Rxb8 22 Ra2 Bd5 0-1. 7 ... Ng4

Question: Why doesn’t Black dissolve some of White’s centre immediately with 7 ... dxe5? Answer: Because after 8 dxe5 White would maintain a well-supported wedge on e5. Instead, by playing 7 ... Ng4, Black intends to undermine that White d-pawn with ... c7-c5. 8 Bg1 c5 9 dxc5 dxe5 10 h3 Nh6 11 fxe5 Nxe5 12 Qxd8 White has also played 12 Nxe5 straight away, but it doesn’t make much difference. After 12 ... Bxe5 13 Qxd8 Rxd8 14 Bd3 Nf5 15 Bf2 Bd7 16 0-0 Bc6 17 Rae1 Bf6 Black had the better endgame in N.Stitterich-J.Bochis, Oberhof 2011. 12 ... Nxf3+ 13 gxf3 Rxd8 14 Bd3 Bd7

15 0-0-0 Bc6 Obviously threatening the pawn on f3. 16 Ne4 Nf5 17 b4? A blunder, probably missing Black’s 19th move. 17 h4 was White’s best chance here. 17 ... a5 18 b5 Bh6+ 19 Kb2

Exercise: What is Black’s best move here?

Answer: 19 ... Bxb5! 0-1 This simply wins the vital b5-pawn because White’s bishop on d3 is pinned against the rook on d1. Game 12 A.Vaisser-G.Jones Isle of Man Masters, Douglas 2014 1 d4 d6 2 e4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 f4 Bg7 5 Nf3 0-0 6 e5 Nfd7 7 h4

Question: That looks scary! What on earth are we going to do to stop White barrelling down the h-file? Answer: In this case absolutely nothing! The best answer to a flank attack is to hit back in the centre, and that’s what Black does with his next move. Of course, it’s important to know exactly what you’re doing with Black which is why I recommend a more detailed and concrete study of this line. 7 ... c5! 8 h5 White carries on regardless. 8 ... cxd4 9 Qxd4 In the next game we’ll look at the even sharper 9 hxg6. 9 ... dxe5 10 Qf2 The idea, of course, is to come to h4 with the queen and attempt to deliver mate

along the h-file. Black must keep his nerve in the face of this crude onslaught. 10 ... e4 This together with Black’s next move provides a safe antidote to White’s attack. 11 Nxe4 Nf6 12 Nxf6+ The immediate 12 Qh4 is met by 12 ... Nxe4 13 hxg6 h6, when White has given up a piece for very little. 12 ... exf6 13 hxg6 Re8+ 14 Be2 hxg6

15 Bd2 In the game A.Neiksans-E.Postny, Athens 2001, White chose instead to play 15 0-0, which effectively abandons his attempts to attack because he no longer has a rook on the h-file. The game continued 15 ... Nc6 16 Bb5 Bf5 17 Be3 Qe7 18 Rae1 Qb4 19 c4 Bf8 20 a3 Qd6 21 Rd1 Qc7 22 c5 Qa5 23 Bxc6 bxc6 24 Nd4 Be4 and Black’s powerfully centralized bishop gave him an edge. 15 ... Nc6 16 0-0-0 This natural move was a theoretical novelty at the time of the game and is probably also White’s best. In the game N.Fercec-V.Malada, Umag 2000, White had played 16 Kf1, getting his king off the e-file, but not exposing it the dangers inherent in castling long. However, after 16 ... Bf5 17 Rc1 Qd6 18 Qh4 Re7 19 Bc3 Re4 White was already in serious trouble and was rather fortunate to escape with a draw. 16 ... Qb6 Exchanging queens is a way to play it safe, and the doubled pawns Black gets on the b-file are compensated for by his active piece play. 17 Qxb6 axb6 18 Bc4 b5!

Operation counterplay. 19 Bxb5 Question: How should Black proceed if White plays 19 Bb3, leaving Black with his doubled b-pawns? Answer: He should exchange that bishop off with 19 ... Be6, simply because it holds White’s queenside together. After 20 Bxe6 Rxe6 21 Kb1 Re2 Black would have nice activity to compensate him for his pawn weaknesses. 19 ... Rxa2 20 Kb1 Of course, there’s no way Vaisser would miss the threat of mate on a1, but his king isn’t that safe now either. Jones now doubles rooks on the a-file in the hope of building a genuinely dangerous attack. 20 ... Be6 21 Bc3 Rea8 22 b3 Ne7 Deliberately keeping pieces on the board to try and create threats around White’s king. The safe move was 22 ... Bf5, after which 23 Bd3 (23 Rd2 R2a3 24 Kb2 Ra2+ 25 Kb1 is a possible draw by repetition) 23 ... Bxd3 24 Rxd3 f5 25 Bxg7 Kxg7 26 Rhd1 b5 27 Rd7 b4 28 Kc1 is equal, but perhaps a little bit too equal for the ambitious Jones. 23 Bb2 R2a5

24 Bd7 Vaisser, on the other hand, is seeking exchanges, which suggests that the psychological initiative has changed hands even if the position is still balanced. White had a good alternative in 24 Nd4, after which Jones might have set a trap with 24 ... f5!?, hoping for 25 Nxe6 Ra1+ 26 Bxa1 Rxa1#. White would do better with 25 c4 in this line, when the game is still in balance. 24 ... Bd5 25 Rhe1 f5 26 Bxg7 Kxg7 27 c4 Be4+ 28 Kb2 Ra2+ 29 Kc3 Ng8! Cleverly routing the knight to e4 via f6. 30 Nd2?! Solid, but rather passive. This might have been the time for White to grasp the bull by the horns with 30 Ng5 Nf6 31 g4!, after which 31 ... Rf2 32 gxf5 gxf5 33 Rd4 Rd8 34 Bxf5 Rc2+ (34 ... Rxd4 35 Nxe4 even wins a pawn for White) 35 Kb4 Rxd4 36 Nxe4 Rg2 37 Kc5 Rd8 38 Rh1 Nxe4+ 39 Bxe4 Rg3 40 b4 Rc8+ 41 Kb5 Rc7 42 Rh7+ Kg8 43 Rh5 is looking like a draw. Of course, it can be difficult psychologically to give material up when the position has been equal for so long, but sometimes it’s the right thing to do to maintain a dynamic balance. 30 ... Nf6 After 30 ... Bxg2?! White escapes with 31 Bxf5 gxf5 32 Rg1, but Jones keeps his edge just by centralizing his knight. 31 Nxe4 Nxe4+ 32 Kb4 Rxg2 33 Bb5 Rf2

34 Rd7?! With White tottering on the edge of a lost endgame, it can be difficult to know the exact moment of his demise, but possibly this was it. Here he might have tried 34 Rf1 and after 34 ... Rxf1 35 Rxf1 Rh8 36 Ka5 Rd8 37 Kb6 Nd2 38 Ra1 Nxb3 39 Ra7 Rd4 40 Rxb7 Rxf4 41 c5 Rb4 42 c6 Nd4 43 Kc5 Nxc6 44 Bxc6 Rxb7 45 Bxb7 g5 46 Kd4 will save a draw with his bishop against the horde of pawns. 34 ... Rb8 35 Ra1 Also after 35 c5 Nf6 (35 ... Rxf4 36 Bc4 gets play suddenly) 36 Rdd1 Rxf4+ 37 Bc4 Re4 Black is looking good. 35 ... Rxf4 36 Ra7 g5 37 Raxb7 Rxb7 38 Rxb7 g4 Black is winning the pawn race hands down. 39 Ra7 g3 40 Ra1 Rg4

41 Bc6 This doesn’t help, but what else? After 41 c5 g2 42 Rg1 Ng5+ 43 Bc4 Nf3 White loses his rook. 41 ... Kf6 42 c5 Hoping for salvation by pushing his passed pawn. 42 Bxe4 fxe4 gives White a hopeless rook endgame: for example, 43 c5 Ke5 44 c6 Kd6 45 Kc4 g2 46 Rg1 Kxc6 and Black’s united pawns win easily. 42 ... g2 43 Rg1 43 Bxe4 fxe4 44 Rg1 Ke5 would be every bit as hopeless for White. 43 ... Ke5 44 Bxe4 After 44 Bb5 Black plays 44 ... Nd2+ and 45 ... Nf3. 44 ... Kxe4 45 c6 Kf3+ 46 Kc3 Rg6 0-1 Game 13 E.Sutovsky-V.Ivanchuk FIDE World Cup, Khanty-Mansiysk 2011 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 f4 Bg7 5 Nf3 0-0 6 e5 Nfd7 7 h4 c5 8 h5 cxd4 9 hxg6!? It’s difficult to know quite how to annotate this move as ‘?!’ wouldn’t do justice to the daring and ingenuity of White’s choice. For 9 Qxd4 see the previous game, VaisserJones. 9 ... dxc3

10 gxf7+ Question: Wouldn’t White have done better with 10 gxh7+, opening up Black’s king even more? Answer: Unfortunately for White the pawn on h7 would provide excellent protection for Black’s king after 10 ... Kh8. And White meanwhile is left a piece down. 10 ... Rxf7 11 Bc4 e6 12 Ng5 cxb2 The first parting of the ways. Black has a major alternative in 12 ... Nxe5: for example, 13 Qh5 h6 14 fxe5 hxg5 15 Qh7+ (15 Bxg5 cxb2 16 Rb1 Qa5+ 17 Kd1 Qxe5 18 Bd3 Kf8 left White with nothing in R.Tleptsok-D.Paravyan, Moscow 2012) 15 ... Kf8 16 Qh8+ Bxh8 17 Rxh8+ Kg7 18 Rxd8 Nc6 19 Rxd6 Nxe5 20 Be2 was L.PereczJ.Nunn, Dortmund 1979 and now 20 ... Rc7 21 bxc3 Nf7 22 Rd2 e5 was probably best with an approximately equal game. 13 Bxb2 Qa5+

14 Ke2 Question: Wouldn’t White have been better off playing 14 c3 rather than giving up the right to castle? Answer: That wouldn’t be ideal either as the bishop on b2 would then be blocked in. A possible sequel would be 14 ... Nxe5!? 15 Qh5 Nbc6 16 fxe5 Qxe5+ 17 Kd1 Rf2 18 Qxh7+ Kf8 when White is struggling to find enough compensation and his king is displaced anyway. 14 ... Nf8 It would be nice to believe this was deep preparation by Ivanchuk, but the engines suggest otherwise. The two best lines for Black seem to be as follows: a) 14 ... d5 15 Nxf7 (15 Bd3 h6 16 Nxf7 Kxf7 seems to get Black out of any immediate danger) 15 ... Kxf7 16 Bxd5 Nxe5 (16 ... Qxd5 17 Qxd5 exd5 18 e6+ Kxe6 19 Bxg7 brings about an approximately even endgame) 17 fxe5 Qxd5 18 Qxd5 exd5 19 e6+ Kg6 20 Bxg7 Kxg7 is good for Black. b) 14 ... Nb6 15 Bd3 Rf5 16 Bxf5 exf5 17 Qxd6 Qd5 is about even. 15 Nxf7 Kxf7

16 f5? This looks great at first sight, but analysis confirms that it is a serious mistake. White should play 16 Qxd6, after which 16 ... Nc6 17 a4 Kg8 18 Ra3 seems promising for him. Question: Hadn’t both players prepared this with computers and engines? Answer: Although modern preparation can be extremely deep this doesn’t appear to be the case here. Ivanchuk probably surprised his opponent with his choice of the Pirc and Sutovsky, on seeing this, might have avoided his usual lines. So both of them could have been on their own resources. 16 ... Bxe5 17 Rh5 White is doing his best to stir up trouble, but after 16 f5 it just looks like he doesn’t have enough. Of course, 17 ... Bxb2 is now met by 18 fxe6+. 17 ... Ke8 18 fxe6 Bxe6? White’s enterprise is finally rewarded with an error from Ivanchuk. 18 ... Qb4 is just winning for Black. 19 Bxe6 Qb5+ 20 Qd3 20 Kf3 Qxb2 is the end of the road for White. 20 ... Qxb2 21 Qf5

21 ... Qb5+ Question: Why didn’t Black take the rook with 21 ... Qxa1? Answer: Because after 22 Qf7+ Kd8 23 Qxf8+ Kc7 24 Rxh7+ Kb6 25 Qd8+ Kc5 26 Qa5+ b5 27 Rb7 White gets a winning attack. 22 c4 Offering the rook on a1 as bait is a reasonable practical chance; White needs to keep things as complicated as possible in the hope that Ivanchuk will make a mistake. 22 ... Qb2+ 23 Kf3 Nc6 23 ... Qxa1 seems good here too: for example, 24 Qf7+ Kd8 25 Qxf8+ Kc7 26 Rxh7+ Kb6 27 Qf7 Qf1+ 28 Ke3 Qxf7 reaches an endgame a piece up. Ivanchuk chooses a path which seems safer, at least getting the rest of his pieces developed. 24 Qf7+ Kd8 25 Qxf8+ Kc7 26 Rxh7+ White has gone material up, but with Black’s king now reaching safety the initiative changes hands. 26 Qf7+ is also good for Black after 26 ... Kb6 27 Rd1 Qc3+: for example, 28 Ke4 Qc2+ 29 Rd3 Qe2+ 30 Re3 Qxg2+ 31 Rf3 Qc2+ 32 Rd3 Nb4 etc. 26 ... Kb6

27 Qxa8? This loses by force, but White’s position was no bed of roses in any case. After 27 Qf7 Black wins with 27 ... Nd4+ 28 Kg4 Qxg2+ 29 Kh5 Nxe6 30 Qxb7+ Qxb7 31 Rb1+ Kc6 32 Rhxb7 Rg8 when the two minor pieces are too much for White’s rook, especially with the king in such a precarious situation. 27 ... Nd4+ 28 Kg4 Qxg2+ 29 Kh5 Qh2+ 30 Kg6 Qc2+ 31 Kh6 Bf4+ 32 Kg7 Nxe6+ 33 Kf6 Qxh7 34 Kxe6 After 34 Rg1 there follows 34 ... Nc5 35 Rb1+ Ka6 36 Qe8 Be5+, forcing White to give up his queen with 37 Qxe5. 34 ... Qg6+ 35 Ke7 35 Kd5 Qf5+ 36 Kd4 Be5+ is every bit as lost for White. 35 ... Bg5+ 36 Kf8 Qf6+ 0-1 Black can pick the rook off at his leisure: for example, 37 Kg8 Qe6+ 38 Kg7 Bf6+ 39 Kg6 Be7+ 40 Kg7 Qf6+ 41 Kh7 Qf5+ 42 Kh6 Bg5+ 43 Kg7 Bf6+ 44 Kf7 Bxa1+, etc. Game 14 O.Ivanov-P.Schlosser Pardubice Open 2012 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 f4 Bg7 5 Nf3 0-0 6 Be2 This natural looking move is less common than 6 Bd3 or 6 Be3, but does crop up occasionally in tournaments. The perceived problem with it is that Black can play ... c7c5 without further preparation.

6 ... c5!

Question: Don’t we need to prepare this by putting our knight on a6 first? Answer: 6 ... Na6 is a playable alternative, but Black has another way of recapturing on c5 with a piece. 7 dxc5 Qa5! The point behind Black’s last move; the threat of 8 ... Nxe4 allows Black to recapture on c5 with his queen and keep the valuable pawn on d6. 7 ... dxc5 8 e5 Qxd1+ 9 Bxd1 would leave White with a nice space advantage in the endgame, the pawn on e5 being a particular problem, shutting the bishop on g7 out of play. 8 0-0 Qxc5+ 9 Kh1 Nc6 10 Bd3 10 Nd2 was Bobby Fischer’s choice in a game, the idea being to bring the knight round to b3 and attack Black’s queen. However, after 10 ... a5!? 11 a4 Nb4 12 Nb3 Qb6 Fischer went wrong with 13 g4?, after which 13 ... Bxg4 14 Bxg4 Nxg4 15 Qxg4 Nxc2 16 Nb5 Nxa1 17 Nxa1 Qc6 18 f5 Qc4 19 Qf3 Qxa4 led to a quick win for Black in R.Fischer-V.Korchnoi, Curacao 1962. 10 ... Bg4

Question: Doesn’t that give White a nice pair of bishops? Answer: While the bishop-pair can be an important factor in many positions, here it’s very useful for Black to eliminate the knight that might help White develop a kingside attack. A typical plan for White is Qe1-h4, f4-f5, Bc1-h6 and Nf3-g5, but with the knight on f3 gone this obviously isn’t going to be possible. Also note that in this particular case Black can get the bishop-pair back with 12 ... Nb4. 11 Qe1 Bxf3 12 Rxf3 Nb4 13 Be3 Nxd3 14 cxd3 Qb4 15 Rb1 e6 16 Bg1 Rfe8

Question: What sort of a move is that, putting the rook on a file that’s closed? Answer: This is in fact a clever prophylactic move. White wants to play f4-f5 at some point to break up Black’s king position and get his dark-squared bishop working, but with Black’s rook on e8 this can now be met by ... exf5, when suddenly the rook on e8 is one of the best pieces on the board. 16 ... Rfe8 17 a3 Qa5 18 d4 Nd7 19 e5 This certainly cuts Black’s dark-squared bishop out of the game, but White is putting a lot of pawns on the same colour as that of his bishop. White has also played 19 Rc1 when 19 ... Rac8 20 Qd2 f5!? 21 e5 Nb6 22 Qe2 Rc6 23 Rd1 Nd5 24 b4 Nxc3 25 Rxc3 Qd5 26 Rdc1 Rec8 27 Qe1 a6 28 a4 dxe5 29 dxe5 Bf8 was level in B.MunguntuulH.Koneru, Oropesa del Mar 1999. 19 ... d5 20 g4 This is certainly White’s logical plan, playing for the f4-f5 lever. However, Black’s reply completely takes the sting out of the idea. 20 ... f6 21 exf6 Nxf6 22 h3 Defending the g4-pawn. After 22 g5 Black would play 22 ... Nh5 to target the f4pawn. 22 ... Qc7 23 Qe3 Qd7

24 Re1 Rac8 Black has a very comfortable game here. His main weakness is the e6-pawn, but that can be defended. Apart from that he has the better bishop and a hole to exploit on e4 that White needs to keep defended with his knight on c3. 25 Qd2 a5 26 Qe2 Rc4 27 Re3 White probably didn’t like the way things were going, so heads for simplification and an endgame which he thinks he can hold. But it looks like Black is better now. 27 ... Rxd4 28 Rxe6 Rxe6 29 Qxe6+ Qxe6 30 Rxe6 Rxf4 31 Rb6 d4 32 Ne2 Rf1 This makes things drawish. 32 ... Re4! was the way to keep it going: for example, 33 Nxd4 Nd5 34 Rd6 Nf4 continues to cause some problems. 33 Kg2 Re1 34 Nf4 Re4 35 Nd3 Reaching the ideal blockade square in front of the d4-pawn. 35 ... Re7 ½-½ Game 15 B.Michiels-P.Schlosser Pardubice Open 2009 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 f4 Bg7 5 a3

Question: That’s a strange looking move. Isn’t White just losing a tempo? Answer: White is trying to prevent Black’s ... c7-c5 pawn lever by getting ready to meet it with dxc5 and after ... Qa5 go b2-b4. 5 Nf3 0-0 6 a3 is another way of reaching the position in the game, but Black might also play 5 ... c5. 5 ... 0-0 6 Nf3 c5 Black plays his lever despite the fact that White has tried to prevent it. 7 dxc5 Qa5 Question: Can’t Black just recapture with 7 ... dxc5? Answer: He could try that, but White is going to be better after 8 Qxd8 Rxd8 9 e5 Nd5 10 Nxd5 Rxd5 11 Bc4 Rd8 12 Ng5 e6 13 Ne4 b6 14 Kf2. He has more space and might even get his knight established on d6. 8 b4

8 ... Qd8 Question: That’s another strange move. Couldn’t Black just play 8 ... Qc7 instead? Answer: He could have tried that, but the queen is vulnerable on that square to Nb5 and/or Nd5 ideas. For example, 9 e5 dxe5 10 fxe5 Ng4 11 Nd5 Qd7 was a game F.Slingerland-T.De Wit, Haarlem 2011, and now 12 Bg5 Re8 13 Bc4 would have been awkward for Black. On d8 the queen is tucked away out of range of White’s knight moves and meanwhile White has seriously weakened the h8-a1 diagonal. 9 Rb1 Nfd7 10 Nd5 White has tried two other moves here, protecting the knight on c3 rather than moving it: a) 10 Qd2 dxc5 11 e5 cxb4 12 axb4 Nb6 13 Bd3 Nc6 (attacking the e5 strong point immediately with 13 ... f6 is also worth considering) 14 Qf2 Bg4 15 Ne4 Nd5 16 Bd2 Rc8 17 0-0 Bxf3 18 Qxf3 Nd4 19 Qf2 Nxc2 20 Nc5 b6 21 Bxc2 ½-½ was P.MotwaniC.McNab, Aberdeen 2001. b) 10 Bb2 dxc5 11 e5 cxb4 12 axb4 Nc6 13 b5 was played in W.WernertA.Rupprecht, German League 2010, and now 13 ... Nb4 14 Ba3 a5 15 bxa6 Nxa6 would have given Black much better play than his choice of the stately 13 ... Na5 in the game. 10 ... dxc5

11 e5?! A thematic idea in this type of position, setting up a ‘granite’ pawn on e5 to inhibit the activity of Black’s bishop on g7. However, in this case it seems a bit early, allowing Black to generate strong play along the d- and c-files. A decent alternative would have been 11 Be2, after which 11 ... e6 12 Ne3 cxb4 13 axb4 a5 14 bxa5 Qxa5+ 15 Bd2 Qc7 16 e5 Nc6 17 0-0 f6 once again challenges White’s central pawn wedge on e5. 11 ... Nc6 12 Be3 e6 13 Nc3 cxb4 14 axb4 f6

Almost always the way, just hitting that e5-pawn.

15 exf6 Nxf6 16 Qxd8 Rxd8 17 Bd3 b6 Black is playing solidly enough but he might also have considered 17 ... Ng4 18 Bd2 Nd4. 18 0-0 Bb7 19 Bc4 Nd5 ½-½ This was not the most thrilling encounter, but it shows how Black can effectively meet these a3 ideas.

Chapter Three Lines with Bg5 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 Bg5

4 Bg5 is the so-called Byrne Variation, named after the strong U.S. Grandmaster Robert Byrne. White develops his bishop to an aggressive square which maintains the option of two dangerous plans: either Qd2 intending Bh6, castling long and charging the h-pawn up the board; or f2-f4 with a kind of enhanced Austrian Attack. There are some other plans based on an early e4-e5 without f2-f4. All in all it is a dangerous line which requires accurate handling by Black. Note that White could also play 4 Nf3 Bg7 and then 5 Bg5, which would reach the same position we would get after 4 Bg5 Bg7 5 Nf3. In any case this is covered within the game Mnatsakanian-Khodos, in which Black countered with the clever 5 ... 0-0 6 Qd2 d5!. 4 ... Bg7 This certainly isn’t the only move, but it is the most natural. It also represents a reliable way for Black to counter White’s aggressive system which is why I’m choosing it as our repertoire move. White now has a choice of possibilities, of which the main ones to occur in practice are 5 Qd2 and 5 f4. 5 Qd2

This has the clear intention of exchanging Black’s dark-squared bishop with Bg5-h6, castling long and launching an attack by advancing his h-pawn up the board. However, after Black’s reply White can’t really keep his own dark-squared bishop on the board. White’s second most popular move here is the aggressive 5 f4 which clearly signals his intention of playing e4-e5. Against this I found an interesting and aggressive idea used by Fernando Peralta. After 5 ... 0-0 6 Qd2 he essayed 6 ... d5!? 7 e5 Ne4! in Gonzalez Perez-Peralta and my engines confirm its merits. 5 e5 is a dangerous line that also needs accurate handling by Black. A good way to counter it is with 5 ... Nfd7 6 f4 0-0, as in Munoz Pantoja-Moskalenko.

Note that in this game Black used the position of White’s bishop on g5 to attack White’s centre with 7 Bc4 Nc6 8 Nf3 Nb6 9 Bb3 Na5 10 0-0 Nxb3 11 axb3 f6!. Also note that a transposition from 5 f4 is possible after 5 ... 0-0 6 e5 Nfd7. Finally, 5 Nf3 is covered in the game Mnatsakanian-Khodos, as mentioned above. 5 ... h6! An important move, preventing Bg5-h6 and gaining time on the g5-bishop. 6 Bh4 Black also obtains the bishop-pair after 6 Bf4 g5 7 Be3 (7 Bg3 Nh5 transposes to 6 Bh4) 7 ... Ng4. In fact the only way for White to avoid the exchange of his important bishop is via 6 Be3 Ng4 7 Bf4, but then 7 ... e5! 8 dxe5 Nxe5 leaves Black with a comfortable game. 6 ... g5!

The consistent follow up. Black also needs to do it now before White prevents ... g5 with 7 f2-f4. Question: Doesn’t that weaken Black’s kingside? Answer: Yes, but with his next move Black sets about getting the bishop-pair as compensation. Moreover, without pawns in contact in the centre just yet, White will struggle to open up the position which gives Black time to arrange queenside castling. 7 Bg3 Nh5 The only logical follow-up, gaining the bishop-pair as compensation for the weakened kingside pawns. 8 0-0-0 White has also played 8 Nge2, but there too Black can play 8 ... Nc6 with a possible transposition back into the main line. 8 ... Nc6 9 Qe3 e6 10 Nge2 For 10 Nh3 and 10 Be2 see Sanal-Savchenko. 10 ... Bd7 11 h4 Qe7

Black is ready to castle long with a position in which both sides have chances. For a good illustration of the kind of play in store see Raetsky-Rausis. Game 16 A.Raetsky-I.Rausis Beirut Open 2014 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 Bg5 Bg7 5 Qd2 h6 6 Bh4 This is far and away the main line for White, but we also need to consider his alternatives: a) 6 Bf4 g5 7 Be3 (7 Bg3 Nh5 would transpose back into our main game) 7 ... Ng4 8 h4 Nxe3 9 fxe3 e6 10 0-0-0 g4 11 Bc4 Nc6 12 Nge2 Bd7 13 Nf4 Qe7 14 Nh5 Rg8 15 Qf2 0-0-0 16 Rdf1 Rdf8 gave Black a solid position in G.Schroll-V.Beim, Austrian League 2004. b) 6 Be3 Ng4 7 Bf4 e5 8 dxe5 Nxe5 9 Be2 Be6 10 Nf3 Nxf3+ 11 Bxf3 Nc6 12 Nd5 Ne5 13 Be2 c6 14 Ne3 Qh4 gave Black excellent play in C.Karadag-A.Miles, Kusadasi 1990. c) 6 Bxf6 Bxf6 7 f4 c6 8 Nf3 Bg7 9 0-0-0 b5 10 e5 0-0 11 Bd3 Na6 12 Rhg1 Nb4 13 g4 Qa5 14 Kb1 Be6 15 a3 Nxd3 16 cxd3 b4 17 axb4 Qxb4 and Black had excellent play in E.Zaiatz-M.Makropoulou, Leningrad 1988. 6 ... g5 7 Bg3 Nh5 8 0-0-0 Nc6

9 Qe3 This is the main line, but once again White has alternatives: a) 9 d5 Nd4! 10 Nb1 c6 11 Na3 Bd7 12 Qe3 Nb5 (12 ... f5!? is an interesting alternative for those who like chaos) 13 Nc4 Nxg3 14 hxg3 Nc7 15 f4 gxf4 16 gxf4 cxd5 17 exd5 Kf8! gave Black the better prospects at this stage according to Chernin in V.Anand-A.Chernin, Paris (rapid) 1995. b) 9 Bb5 Bd7 10 Nge2 e6 11 f3 Nxg3 12 hxg3 a6 13 Bxc6 Bxc6 14 g4 Qe7 15 Ng3 Rg8 (a noteworthy idea, getting ready to meet Nh5 with ... Bh8) 16 Rhe1 0-0-0 was fine for Black in S.Tiviakov-T.Markowski, Polanica Zdroj 1995. 9 ... e6 9 ... Bd7 followed by 10 ... e6 is also playable. On the other hand, 9 ... e5 allows the forces to come into conflict a little too early and after 10 dxe5 Nxe5 11 Bxe5 Bxe5 12 g3 c6 13 Nf3 Qb6 14 Qd2 Be6 15 Nxe5 dxe5 16 Qd6 Black was already in deep trouble in H.Stevic-M.Bluvshtein, Khanty-Mansiysk 2010. 10 Nge2 White has also played other moves here including 10 Nh3, which will be examined in the context of the next game, Sanal-Savchenko. 10 ... Bd7 11 h4

11 ... Qe7 Question: I thought you said Black was getting the bishop-pair as compensation? So why doesn’t he take before White gets the bishop away to h2? Answer: 11 ... Nxg3 12 Nxg3 gives White the annoying idea of Ng3-h5. So Black lets the bishop get away and spends the time securing his king on the queenside. 12 Bh2 Nf6 Renewing the threat to bag White’s dark-squared bishop with 13 ... Ng4 and thus getting White to spend another tempo preventing this. In P.Leko-V.Topalov, Frankfurt (rapid) 1999, Black varied with 12 ... gxh4, but after 13 Bg1 0-0-0 14 g4 Nf6 15 f3 Nh7 16 Bf2 e5 17 d5 Nd4 18 Nxd4 exd4 19 Rxd4 Bxd4 20 Qxd4 found himself under strong pressure for the sacrificed exchange. 13 f3 0-0-0 14 g4 14 d5? is an attempt to dislodge Black’s knight from c6, but simply doesn’t work as White’s e-pawn is pinned against his queen on e3. After 14 ... exd5 15 Nxd5 Nxd5 16 Rxd5 f5 17 Nc3 f4 Black gets a very good game in which his bishop on g7 has become very strong. 14 ... Kb8 15 Kb1 gxh4

Question: Doesn’t this just lead to a worsening of Black’s pawn structure? Answer: Yes, though Black manages to profitably use the time White spends on recovering the pawn. 16 Bg1 d5 17 e5 Nh7 18 Bf2 f6 19 Bxh4 Qf7 20 f4 h5 It turns out that White is struggling to maintain the structural integrity of his kingside pawns and Black can occupy the holes that are created. The key is the arrival of a black knight on g6. 21 g5 fxg5 22 fxg5 Rdf8 23 Bg2 Ne7 24 Rdf1 Qe8 25 Bh3 Ng6 26 Be1 Rxf1 27 Rxf1 Rg8 28 Bd2 ½-½ Game 17 V.Sanal-B.Savchenko European Championship, Plovdiv 2012 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 Bg5 Bg7 5 Qd2 h6 6 Bh4 g5 7 Bg3 Nh5 8 0-0-0 Nc6 9 Qe3 e6

10 Nh3 10 Nge2 was considered in the previous game, Raetsky-Rausis. Here we will look at White’s alternatives and besides 10 Nh3 he has tried a couple of other options: a) 10 Be2 Nxg3 11 hxg3 Bd7 12 f4 was played in T.Bakre-G.Lorscheid, Fuerth 2002, when Black should probably play 12 ... Qf6!? (12 ... Qe7 was played in the game when 13 d5 was dangerous), after which 13 d5 exd5 14 exd5+ (and not 14 Nxd5 because of 14 ... Qxb2+) 14 ... Ne7 15 Nf3 gxf4 16 gxf4 0-0 17 Nd4 Rfe8 supplies an active position for him. b) 10 e5 d5 11 Nge2 Bd7 12 Qf3 Nxg3 13 Nxg3 f5 14 h4 (14 Qh5+ Kf8 leaves Black’s king surprisingly safe because White cannot open the position) 14 ... g4 15 Qe3 h5 16 f4 Ne7 17 Bd3 ½-½ was M.Labollita-L.Tristan, Buenos Aires 2011. 10 ... Bd7 11 Be2 Nxg3 Getting the bishop-pair as compensation for his spatial inferiority. Question: Should Black now be opening the position up for his two bishops? Answer: Yes, but probably not too quickly. At the moment White also has a lead in development which will count more heavily if the position opens up. 12 hxg3 Qf6 13 Nb5 0-0-0

14 f4 This pawn advance often features in this line when White has the doubled g-pawns. If White establishes a strong pawn on e5 it will shut the Pirc bishop on g7 out of play. 14 ... a6 15 e5 Qe7 16 Nc3 dxe5 17 fxe5 Nb4 This knight move is not strictly necessary. Black could get a good game with the simple 17 ... f6, which is so often the right path when White has a granite pawn on e5. After 18 exf6 Bxf6 19 Ne4 e5 Black gets a comfortably equal game. 18 Ne4!? An enterprising pawn sacrifice which attempts to seize the initiative. 18 Nf2 was the solid move when 18 ... f6 is the right procedure for Black, yet again.

18 ... Nxa2+ Accepting the challenge. 19 Kb1 Nb4 20 Qa3 Nc6 21 Nc5 Nb8 22 Rhf1 Bc6 Although Black lacks space he does have an extra pawn and lacks significant weaknesses in his position. This gives hope that White’s initiative is just temporary. 23 Bg4? White has an interesting sacrifice in mind, but the problem is that it doesn’t work. He should have played 23 Bf3 when Black’s attempt to free himself with 23 ... Bxf3 is met by 24 Qxf3, forking b7 and f7. 23 ... Nd7 24 Rxf7? 24 Bf3 was the lesser evil, but this wasn’t White’s idea at all. 24 ... Qxf7 25 Nxe6 Rde8 26 d5 Bxd5 Simplifying the position and immediately extinguishing White’s initiative. 27 Nxc7 27 Rxd5? Rxe6 is the end of the road for White. 27 ... Be6

27 ... Kxc7?! is messy after 28 Qd6+ Kd8 29 Rxd5 Bxe5 30 Qb6+ Bc7 31 Qd4, etc. 28 Nxa6 Bxe5 Black has to be careful lest he lets White back into the game. Indeed, 28 ... Bxg4? is not good because of 29 Qc3+ Kd8 30 Qa5+ Ke7 31 Qb4+ Kd8 (and not 31 ... Ke6 because of 32 Qd6+ Kf5 33 Rf1+ Ke4 34 Rxf7, etc) 32 Qa5+ Ke7 33 Rxd7+ Bxd7 34 Qc5+ Kd8 35 Qc7+ Ke7 36 Qd6+ with a draw. And the immediate 28 ... bxa6? also allows a draw after 29 Qxa6+ Kb8 30 Qb5+ Kc7 31 Qa5+. 29 Bf3 bxa6 Black can finally capture the knight safely and mopping up operations commence. 30 Qxa6+ Kd8 31 Bc6 Rhf8 32 Qa7 Bf5 33 Rd5 Bxg3 34 Qa8+ Ke7 35 Qa3+ Kf6 36 Qxg3 Ne5 37 Qc3 Qc7 0-1 Game 18 A.Gonzalez Perez-F.Peralta Barbera del Valles Open 2012 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 Bg5 Bg7 5 f4

Question: That’s different to the 5 Qd2 White played in the last two games and it looks like White has given up trying to exchange Black’s dark-squared bishop with Bg5-h6, so what’s the point? Answer: Well a first and very important point is that Black can no longer exchange his knight on f6 for the bishop on g5 as after 5 f4 h6 6 Bh4 his 6 ... g5? just loses a pawn. That means Black needs a different plan to what we saw in the previous two games. 5 ... 0-0 6 Qd2 d5 Question: Wow, we haven’t seen that kind of thing before. Doesn’t it just encourage White to push on with e4-e5? Answer: It does indeed, but then Black is going to plant his knight on d4. Interestingly 6 ... d5 is a move that has surfaced with the use of powerful engines; a human player would be reluctant to play in what at first sight seems like an ‘unthematic’ way.

7 e5 Question: Can’t White win a pawn with 7 Bxf6 and then capturing on d5? Answer: That’s a good question, but Black gets the pawn back after 7 ... exf6! 8 exd5 (8 Nxd5 f5! is strong) 8 ... Re8+ 9 Be2 Nd7 10 Nf3 Nb6 and then 11 ... Nxd5. Moreover, Black has a strong pair of bishops and White’s pawn on f4 would be better back on f2. 7 ... Ne4! This is another point behind 6 ... d5. The pawn Black gets on e4 looks weak, but it takes White time to try to get at it. And meanwhile Black has various counterattacking ideas based on ... c7-c5 and even ... f7-f6. 8 Nxe4 dxe4 9 Bc4 Black gets excellent play after 9 0-0-0 Qd5 10 Kb1 f6, activating his position and starting to gnaw away at White’s centre. 9 ... c5 This looks natural, but I think Black can improve at this point. 9 ... Nd7! looks more promising to me, aiming to harass the bishop on c4 with ... Nb6. White can then try 10 e6, but after 10 ... fxe6 11 Bxe6+ Kh8 12 Ne2 Nb6 13 Bb3 h6 14 Bh4 a5 15 a4 Bg4 followed (probably) by 16 ... Qd6, Black is gaining excellent counterplay. 10 Ne2 Qc7 10 ... Nc6 11 0-0-0 Nxd4 12 Nxd4 cxd4 13 Qxd4 was a bit better for White in A.Predke-I.Ben Artzi, Maribor 2012. 11 d5

Question: Hang on a second! Are we really going to allow those White pawns to get to e5 and d5? Answer: Despite its impressive appearance, the pawns are actually very shaky, as we’re about to see. It’s one thing to be able to put your pawns in the centre and quite another to be able to keep them there. 11 ... Nd7! 12 0-0-0 Question: What happens after 12 Bxe7? Answer: Black would then counter with 12 ... Nxe5! with the possible sequel of 13 d6 e3 14 Qc3 Nf3+ 15 Kd1 Bxc3 16 dxc7 Bxb2 17 Bxf8 Kxf8 18 Rb1 Nd2 19 Rxb2 Nxc4 20 Rb3 b6 with excellent compensation for the exchange. 12 ... Nb6 13 Qc3 e3 From a strategic point of view Black would like to undermine White’s e5-pawn with the radical play of ... h6 and ... g5, but finding a good time to do this isn’t easy due to the weakening of his king position. In this position, though, it doesn’t seem too bad: for example, 13 ... h6 14 Bh4 g5 15 Bg3 (if 15 fxg5 Qxe5) 15 ... Bf5 16 Rhf1 gxf4 17 Bxf4 Rfd8 18 d6 exd6 19 exd6 Qd7 is very messy. 14 Rhe1 Bf5 15 Ng3 Bg4 15 ... Nxc4? isn’t good because of 16 Nxf5 gxf5 17 Qxc4 when Black has no counterplay and e3 is falling. 16 Be2 Bxe2 17 Rxe2

17 ... Qd7 It’s especially risky to undermine White’s f4 and e5 wedge with 17 ... h6 18 Bh4 g5 because of 19 Nf5 gxh4 20 d6 exd6 21 Nxg7 dxe5 22 Nf5 when Black’s king looks very weak. 18 Qxe3 18 Rxe3 is strongly met by 18 ... f6 when 19 Bh4 fxe5 20 fxe5 Bh6 wins the exchange. 18 ... f6 19 Bh4 19 Bxf6!? would have been a brave choice, but it might be White’s best: for example, 19 ... exf6 20 e6 Qb5 21 d6 f5 22 c3 gives White two mighty pawns on d6 and e6. When this happens in the Pirc things have usually gone wrong for Black. 19 ... fxe5 20 fxe5 20 Qxc5 is bad because of 20 ... exf4 21 Ne4 Bxb2+! 22 Kxb2? Na4+, etc. 20 ... Qa4 21 Ne4 Qxa2 22 Qa3 Qc4

23 Qd3?! Not the best. White should have played 23 Ree1 Bh6+ (23 ... Nxd5 is bad because of 24 b3 Qb4 25 Qxb4 Nxb4 26 Bxe7, etc) 24 Kb1 Nxd5 25 Rxd5 Qxd5 26 Bxe7 when White wins back the exchange with approximate equality. 23 ... Qxd3 24 Rxd3 Bxe5 Missing a chance to get the better of it with 24 ... Rf1+ 25 Rd1 Bh6+ 26 Bg5 Rxd1+ 27 Kxd1 Bxg5 28 Nxg5 Rd8. 25 Nxc5 Rf1+ 26 Re1 Rxe1+ 27 Bxe1 Rf8 Probably looking for some chances to win, but this probably isn’t the best. 27 ... Rd8 would pick up White’s d5-pawn, although the position then looks drawish. 28 Nxb7 28 b3 was better, moving the b-pawn out of danger and stopping Black’s knight from coming to c4. 28 ... Rf1 29 Kd1 Rg1 30 g3 Nc4 31 Rf3 Nxb2+ 32 Ke2 Rh1 33 h4 Rh2+ 34 Bf2 Bd4 35 Na5 Na4 36 Nc6 Nc3+ 37 Kf1 Rxf2+ 38 Rxf2 Bxf2 39 Kxf2 a6

40 Nxe7+ With pawns coming off at a rate of knots it’s starting to look drawish. 40 ... Kf7 41 Nc6 Nxd5 42 c4 Nb6 43 Na5 Ke6 44 Ke3 Ke5 45 Kd3 Nd7 46 Nb7 Kf5 47 c5 Kg4 48 Kd4 Nxc5 49 Nxc5 Kxg3 50 Nxa6 Kxh4 White is close enough to the pawns to draw comfortably. 51 Ke3 Kg3 52 Nc5 h5 53 Ne4+ Kg2 54 Kf4 h4 55 Ng5 h3 56 Nxh3 ½-½ Game 19 M.Munoz Pantoja-V.Moskalenko Catalan League 2014 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 Bg5 Bg7 5 e5 A sharp line which attempts an immediate attack. However, as Black has done little wrong it would violate the logic of the chess board for such efforts to gain an advantage. 5 ... Nfd7 6 f4 0-0

Question: Why doesn’t Black undermine the centre immediately with 6 ... c5? Isn’t that the usual strategy in the Pirc? Answer: Strategically speaking you’re right, but here there’s a slight problem that after 7 exd6 Black’s e-pawn is pinned so he can’t recapture. And first playing 7 ... f6 would not be good after 8 Bh4 exd6 9 Qe2+ Kf7 10 Qc4+ Kf8 11 dxc5, when Black’s king can’t castle and White is developing quickly. 7 Bc4 Nc6 Question: Hang on a second! Doesn’t that block Black’s c-pawn and leave him unable to disrupt White’s centre? Answer: Actually this is the start of an alternative and noteworthy plan. Black wants to drive White’s light-squared bishop from c4 with ... Nb6 and ... Na5, and then hit the centre with ... f7-f6. This also has the benefit of attacking the bishop on g5. Question: So 7 ... c5 is still bad, right? Answer: Yes, once again White can play 8 exd6 and now Black can’t even move his f-pawn because it’s pinned against his king. 8 Nf3 Nb6 9 Bb3 Na5 10 0-0 Nxb3 11 axb3

11 ... f6 A key move for Black - White’s centre must die! 12 exf6 exf6 13 Bh4 d5 Black stakes a claim in the centre having gained the bishop-pair. And White’s remaining bishop is not a great piece because it stands on the same colour squares as the pawns on f4 and d4. 14 Ne1 Instead, 14 h3 Qd6 15 Nh2 Re8 16 Qd2 Bd7 17 Qf2 a5 18 Kh1 a4 saw Black get an edge in K.Mahdi-V.Kupreichik, Oberwart 2002. 14 ... c6 Securing d5. 14 ... Bf5 had been played in a couple of earlier games, but White can sometimes attack this bishop with g2-g4. 15 Nd3 Qc7 16 Kh1 Bf5 17 Nc5 Black waited for White to put his knight on d3 before playing 16 ... Bf5 so that 17 g4 can be answered by 17 ... Bxd3 18 Qxd3 f5. Black would definitely have the better bishop then. 17 ... h5 18 h3 Kf7

Moving the king to where it protects squares along the e-file and at the same time making ... Rh8 ideas possible. 19 Rf2 Nd7 20 Qf3 Nxc5 21 dxc5 Rfe8 22 Ra4? A serious slip by White which ‘should’ have lost. 22 Rd2 would have been a sensible move, though Black is better there. 22 ... Re1+ 23 Kh2 23 Rf1 Rxf1+ 24 Qxf1 Bxc2 just wins a pawn for Black. 23 ... g5 24 Bxg5 Fishing in these troubled waters is the best try. 24 ... fxg5 25 Qxh5+ Bg6 26 Qxg5 Bf6 27 Qg4 Rh8 28 g3? White wants to stop a rook landing on h4, but this should have made it relatively easy for Black. 28 ... d4 29 Re2 Rxe2+ 30 Nxe2

30 ... Qe7? A serious slip which lets White back into the game. 30 ... Bh5 31 Qf5 Bxe2 32 Rxd4 Bg4! is the end of the road for White. 31 Nxd4 Qe3 32 Qe2 Qxe2+ 33 Nxe2 Rd8 34 Kg2 Rd2 35 Kf3 Bxc2 36 Nc3 Bxc3? Once again missing a killer blow. After 36 ... Bxb3 37 Rxa7 Rxb2 38 Rxb7+ Ke6 White’s position is hopeless as his knight is threatened and Black might also play ... Bd1+, winning the rook on b7. 37 bxc3 Bxb3 Frittering away the last of his winning chances. 37 ... Rd3+ still looked very good for Black. 38 Rxa7 Rd7 39 f5

Black’s beautiful position has vanished into smoke and he is left with a difficult endgame which may well be drawn. Of course, none of this has massive significance for learning to play the Pirc Defence. 39 ... Kf6 40 Kf4 Rd1 41 g4 Rf1+ 42 Kg3 Bd5 43 Rxb7 Rf3+ 44 Kh4 Rxc3 45 Rh7 Rxc5³ 46 Rh6+ Ke5 47 Kg5 Rc1 48 Rh8 c5 49 Re8+ Kd4 50 h4 c4 51 h5 c3 52 h6 Rh1 53 Rc8 Bc4 54 Rd8+ Bd5 55 Rc8 Bc4 56 Rd8+ Ke3 57 Re8+ Kd2 58 Rd8+ Ke3 59 Re8+ Kd4 60 Rd8+ Ke5 61 Re8+ Kd4 62 Rd8+ Bd5 63 Rc8 ½-½ Game 20 E.Mnatsakanian-G.Khodos USSR Championship, Yerevan 1962 1 e4 g6 2 d4 Bg7 3 Nf3 d6 4 Nc3 Nf6 5 Bg5 0-0 6 Qd2 d5 An echo of the 6 ... d5 we saw in Gonzalez Perez-Peralta.

7 Bd3 Question: Isn’t White winning a pawn with 7 Bxf6 followed by capturing on d5? Answer: Once again Black has adequate resources. He would meet that with 7 ... exf6!, after which 8 exd5 (8 Nxd5? is powerfully met by 8 ... f5! when 9 Nc3 fxe4 10 Nxe4 Re8 11 Ne5 Bf5 12 Ng3 f6 is very good for Black) 8 ... Re8+ 9 Be2 Nd7 10 d6 (or 10 0-0 Nb6 11 Rae1 Rf8 followed by 12 ... Nxd5, which will be fine for Black) 10 ... cxd6 11 0-0 Nb6 12 Rfe1 was a game N.Starr-C.Wilman, Yerevan Olympiad 1996, and now 12 ... Bd7 intending 13 ... Qc7 would be the best with an equal game. Note that 7 exd5 is harmless here. After 7 ... Nxd5 8 Ne4 Nf6 9 Nxf6+ exf6 10 Be3 Nc6 11 Be2 Ne7 12 Bh6 Bxh6 13 Qxh6 Bg4 14 Qd2 Nf5 15 Ng1 Bxe2 16 Nxe2 Qd5 White was struggling slightly in W.Watson-C.McNab, London 1982. 7 ... c5!?

Sharpening the struggle. After 7 ... dxe4 8 Nxe4 Nxe4 9 Bxe4 Nd7 10 0-0 Nf6 Black would have a solid and rather equal position. Evidently that’s not enough for him. 8 dxc5 Question: Does 8 Bxf6 work this time? Answer: This time Black would answer with 8 ... Bxf6, after which 9 Nxd5 Bxd4 10 c3 Bg7 11 0-0-0 Nc6 leaves him with the bishop-pair to compensate for White’s slightly better pawn structure, not to mention the potential dangers to White’s king on the queenside. 8 ... Nxe4 9 Nxe4 dxe4 10 Bxe4 Qxd2+ 11 Nxd2

11 ... Na6!? Continuing to play very aggressively. The engines suggest the safer 11 ... h6 at this point when 12 Bf4 f5 13 Bd5+ e6 14 Bc4 Bxb2 15 Rb1 Bg7 is more comfortable for White, though it’s doubtful whether he can make anything of this. Khodos, on the other hand, is aiming for active piece play even at the cost of a pawn. 12 c6 Rb8 13 Bf4 13 Bxe7 Re8 14 Bd6 f5 is messy, but the engines suggest 13 0-0-0 after which 13 ... bxc6 14 Nb3 f6 15 Be3 seems to leave Black struggling. 13 ... e5 14 Be3 bxc6 15 Bxa7? Allowing his pawns to be split like this is a serious mistake by Mnatsakanian. He should have played 15 Nb3 with what is possibly a slight edge due to his better pawn structure. 15 ... Rxb2 16 Nb3 Bf5 17 Bxf5 gxf5 18 0-0 After 18 c3 Black continues with 18 ... Ra8 when 19 Bb6 c5 20 c4 (20 Bxc5 Nxc5 21 Nxc5 Rb5 22 Nd7 Rc8 actually leads to White’s knight being trapped) 20 ... Rb8 21 Bxc5 R2xb3 22 axb3 Nxc5 23 0-0 Rxb3 and with two pieces for the rook, he has all the chances. 18 ... Ra8 19 Bb6 Nb4 20 a4 White is facing ruin on the queenside. 20 c4 is hardly better after 20 ... Raxa2 21 Rad1 Bf6 22 Nc1 Ra1, etc. 20 ... Nxc2 21 Rab1 Rxb1 22 Rxb1

22 ... Rxa4 With two extra pawns for Black the rest is a matter of technique. There are still a few tactical twists to come from the ingenious Khodos. 23 Na5 Rb4 24 Rxb4 Nxb4 25 Kf1 Or if 25 Bc5 Nd3 26 Be7 c5. 25 ... Bf8 26 Bd8 Kg7 27 Ke2 f6 28 Kd2 Kf7 29 Kc3 Be7 An ingenious way to defend the c6-pawn. Khodos was evidently an out and out tactician. 30 Bxe7 Nd5+ 31 Kc4 Nxe7 32 Nb7 f4 33 Nd8+ Kg6 34 f3 Nf5 Giving up c6 to get at g2. 35 Nxc6 Ne3+ 36 Kd3 Nxg2 37 Ke4 Ne3 38 Ne7+ Kg5 39 Nc6 Nf1 40 h3 Nd2+ 0-1

Chapter Four Lines with Be3 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 Be3

White has a nexus of systems based on Be3 all of which will be included in this chapter. The traditional one is 4 Be3 and this can then transpose into the others should White later play Ng1-f3. For example, the 150 Attack traditionally arises after 4 Nf3 Bg7 5 Be3 when our repertoire move is 5 ... a6, but this position can also arise via 4 Be3 a6 5 Nf3 Bg7. Then there’s 4 Nf3 Bg7 5 h3 0-0 6 Be3, which once again we will meet by pushing our a-pawn with 6 ... a6. This time there are several alternative move orders such as 4 Be3 a6 5 h3 Bg7 6 Nf3 0-0, 4 Be3 a6 5 Nf3 Bg7 6 0-0 0-0 and 4 Nf3 Bg7 5 Be3 a6 6 h3 0-0. This may sound very complicated, but in fact I’m giving you a very simple way to handle these Be3 lines. You just meet White’s Be3 with ... a6 and otherwise get on with your development. 4 ... a6!

Question: Excuse me, but that’s an odd looking move. What’s the point? Answer: The main idea is to expand on the queenside with ... b7-b5, which puts pressure on e4 ( ... b5-b4 can become a direct threat to the e4-pawn), and also be the start of an advance against White’s king, should he castle queenside. At the same time Black is keeping open the possibility of playing ... Nb8-d7 and ... c7-c5, attacking White’s centre and giving Black the possibility of a half-open c-file. Question: That’s all very well, but shouldn’t Black be developing first? Answer: Well this is one of the beauties of the Pirc. Without the pieces in immediate conflict Black can often afford to develop more slowly than in other openings and start his middlegame plans instead. In this case delaying ... Bf8-g7 and ... 0-0 takes the sting out of White’s plan of Qd1-d2 and Be3-h6, which might otherwise be very dangerous. And not least because just about everyone knows how to attack a fianchetto king position with h2-h4-h5, bringing the rook on h1 into play. After 4 ... a6 White has a choice of different moves with the main one (5 h3) branching off into several different plans. 5 h3 This can still transpose into the system with 5 Nf3 Bg7 6 h3, but it also keeps some aggressive options open. There are, meanwhile, a couple of plans for White which don’t involve playing h2-h3: a) 5 Nf3 Bg7 6 Qd2 omits h2-h3 because White often wants to push the pawn up to

h4 and h5. However, Black’s ... a6 is very useful against this plan as he can play 6 ... b5. After 7 Bh6 0-0 8 Bd3 Nc6 9 Bxg7 Kxg7 White’s most critical line is 10 e5 dxe5 11 dxe5 Ng4 12 0-0-0 (12 Qf4 features in Visser-Buchal), and after 12 ... b4 ...

... he has a choice between 13 Nb1 (Emms-Pein), 13 h3 (Trbojevic-Galyas) and 13 Rhe1 (Sulava-Kozakov). Alternatives to White’s 10 e5 are covered within RydstromJones. 5 Qd2 is a traditional approach which announces White’s intention to launch into a kingside attack with f3, 0-0-0 and h2-h4. Against this Black’s delay in playing ... Bf8-g7 is definitely beneficial as after 5 ... b5 the threat of ... b5-b4 forces White to defend his e-pawn and at the same time any Be3-h6 will not exchange a bishop that has already used a tempo for development. White has two reasonable ways of defending e4, with 6 f3 being his choice in Ghosh-Jones and 6 Bd3 chosen in Sprenger-Grischuk. 5 ... Bg7

With plans involving Qd2 and Bh6 off the agenda (5 h3 would lose time if White later pushes the pawn to h4 and h5), Black sees this as a good time to continue his kingside development. Again, we have reached a parting of the ways in which three different plans are available to White. 6 Nf3 The quietest, but soundest of White’s options here. The two alternatives are somewhat manic, but nonetheless dangerous if Black doesn’t know what he’s doing: a) 6 f4 is an aggressive try, switching to a kind of Austrian Attack in which White hopes to prove that his 5 h3 is more useful than Black’s 4 ... a6. Black should answer with 6 ... 0-0, after which both 7 Nf3 e6 (Petrik-Tkachiev) and 7 Qf3 e5 (ZiskaDanielsen) are fine for him. b) 6 g4 is equally aggressive when I don’t particularly like the traditional offerings of 6 ... c6 and 6 ... h5. On the other hand, I do like Yuri Balashov’s 6 ... Nfd7! which the experienced Russian GM essayed successfully in Dmitriev-Balashov. 6 ... 0-0 7 a4 Black was ready to play 7 ... b5 after other moves. Now, with White having weakened his queenside, he doesn’t need to be concerned about White castling long. So with his next move Black switches to central play, aiming for ... e7-e5. 7 ... Nc6 7 ... b6 is a popular try here, but the text is better if you’re starting out with the Pirc because it’s simpler and more direct. It’s also the move which I’ve had more experience with so I feel better qualified to talk about it.

White has a choice now with our main line being the choice of the strongest players. 8 a5 This is how Nigel Short played it against me, aiming for a slight advantage on the queenside due to his space there. Yet as he showed me after the game Black should have been fully equal. The alternatives don’t give White anything here either: for example, 8 d5 Ne5 is Nuri-Georgiev, 8 Qd2 e5 is Olsson-Davies, and 8 Be2 e5 is Darga-Davies. 8 ... e5 9 dxe5 dxe5 10 Bc4 Qe7 11 0-0 Rd8 12 Qb1 After 12 Qc1 the right move is 12 ... Be6, but after the move played it was a slight error. I should now have played 12 ... Nd4 with full equality. Instead, in Short-Davies, I went 12 ... Be6 and had to suffer before making a draw. Game 21 D.Ghosh-G.Jones Dubai Open 2014 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 Be3 a6 5 Qd2 This is one of several moves for White. It looks as if White is still playing for the classic attacking scheme with Be3-h6, but he hasn’t yet committed himself to either f2f3 or castling queenside. If White plays 5 Nf3 he is more or less announcing that he’s going for a quiet treatment of the position, and after 5 ... Bg7 6 h3 0-0 we reach a position which will be further investigated in Nuri-Georgiev, Olson-Davies, Short-Davies and Darga-Davies. A more subtle approach is with 5 h3, which can still be followed up with 6 Nf3,

though after 5 ... Bg7 White has interesting alternatives in 6 f4 (see Petrik-Tkachiev and Ziska-Danielsen), and 6 g4 (see Dmitriev-Balashov). 5 ... b5 6 f3 Securing the e4-pawn and possibly intending to throw his kingside pawns forward with g2-g4. 6 Bd3 is a more flexible move which features in the next game, Sprenger-Grischuk. 6 ... Nbd7 7 a4

Question: I thought White was planning to castle long and charge his kingside pawns forward, so what’s that move about? Answer: This is another plan. The idea is to seal the queenside where Black is aiming for counterplay and, after ... b4 and Nd1/Nce2, to be able to reinforce the d4pawn with c2-c3. White then hopes that it will be difficult for Black to gain counterplay, after which he can gradually advance on the kingside. After the aggressive looking 7 g4 I quite like the move 7 ... Nb6 which provides a retreat square on d7 for the knight on f6. After 8 Nd1 h5 9 g5 Nfd7 10 f4 d5 11 e5 e6 12 b3 c5 Black was getting play on the queenside whilst White’s kingside advance had been blocked in S.B.Hansen-T.Hillarp Persson, Gothenburg 2011. 7 ... b4 8 Nce2 White has tried other knight moves here too. For example: a) 8 Nd1 Rb8 9 a5 Bg7 10 Bc4 0-0 (this is safe now that White is no longer geared up for a kingside attack) 11 Ne2 c5 12 dxc5 Qc7 13 c6 Qxc6 14 Ba2 Nc5 15 0-0 Qc7 16 Nf2 Bd7 17 Rfd1 Rfc8 gave Black an excellent position in V.Baklan-M.Tseitlin,

Yerevan 1997. b) 8 Na2 a5 9 Nc1 Bg7 10 Bc4 0-0 11 Nd3 was K.Biro-M.Kimerling, Slovakian League 2012, and now 11 ... d5 12 exd5 Nb6 would have broken up White centre and given Black excellent play. 8 ... Rb8 This looks right to me, preparing to play ... c7-c5 and recapture with the knight should White take. After the immediate 8 ... c5 Black is forced, after 9 dxc5, to recapture with the pawn as otherwise b4 hangs, and this takes the d6-pawn away from its guard duty over the centre. 9 g4

9 ... Bb7 I’m not convinced this was the best because of the possibility of g4-g5 and the fact that the bishop gets in the way of the rook on b8 in some lines. It’s possible that Jones had some ... Nxe4 ideas in mind, but these look somewhat dubious. 9 ... c5 seems better to me, after which 10 g5 Nh5 11 Ng3 Nxg3 12 hxg3 Bg7 gives Black good play on the h8-a1 diagonal. 10 h4 10 g5 looks quite awkward for Black. It’s possible that Jones intended 10 ... Nxe4 (10 ... Nh5 11 Ng3 Nxg3 12 hxg3 c5 is relatively best, but would be better with ... Bg7 included instead of ... Bb7), but this seems to be good for White after 11 fxe4 Bxe4 12 Ng3 Bxh1 13 Nxh1 because the two minor pieces will be stronger than a rook and two pawns here. 10 ... e5

A flank attack is often best met by a counter blow in the centre. Question: Why didn’t Black stop White’s kingside attack with 10 ... h5? Answer: Because after 11 g5 Black would have to put his knight on a poor square such as h7 or g8. 11 h5 Continuing the typical kingside attack, even though Black’s king isn’t there. In this case I suppose it can be categorized as a ‘space gaining lunge’. Question: Can’t White play 11 0-0-0 here? Answer: Yes he can, but Black would then get counterplay with 11 ... exd4 12 Nxd4 c5 13 Nb3 Ne5 intending 14 ... c4. White’s king is far from secure on the queenside, not least because of his a2-a4 move. 11 ... exd4?! Perhaps not the best. Black has a very interesting and thematic alternative here in 11 ... d5!?: for example, 12 hxg6 fxg6 13 g5 Nh5 14 0-0-0 dxe4 15 fxe4 Bd6 16 Bg2 0-0 with Black having his share of the chances in this complex position. 12 Nxd4 Bg7 And here Black might have considered 12 ... c5 followed by 13 ... Ne5. 13 h6

Question: Doesn’t that stop White’s attack along the h-file? Answer: Yes it does, though White thinks that the time gained by driving the bishop back home makes it worth it. 13 hxg6 was also worth considering: for example, after 13 ... hxg6 (13 ... fxg6? 14 Ne6) 14 Rxh8+ Bxh8 15 0-0-0 White’s chances look preferable. 13 ... Bf8 14 g5 The prelude to an interesting exchange sacrifice. Of course, the pawn on b4 is immune because of 14 Qxb4 c5, but White can consider 14 Nb3 here, to make that into a real possibility. After 14 ... c5 15 g5 Nh5 16 Qh2 White has ideas such as Nh3, Be2 and f4 to embarrass the knight on h5. None of this looks very pleasant which reinforces my view that Jones should have played 11 ... d5. 14 ... Nh5 15 Rxh5!? Certainly tempting, but by no means necessary. 15 ... gxh5 16 Nh3 Ne5 17 Be2 Rg8

18 Nf2 The immediate 18 Nf5 was possibly even better. White certainly has compensation for the exchange here. 18 ... Qd7 19 Nf5 An ideal square for the white knight. 19 ... d5 20 f4? After this Black manages to escape into an endgame in which White’s compensation is less convincing. 20 Bd4!? was the right move when 20 ... dxe4 21 Nxe4 Bxe4 22 fxe4 Rd8 23 Qf4 leaves Black with a difficult position. 20 ... dxe4 21 Qxd7+ Nxd7 22 Bxh5 Black is the exchange up, but White is not without compensation. Here he might have tried 22 0-0-0: for example, 22 ... h4 23 Bg4 Rd8 24 Nxh4 Nb6 25 Re1 leaves Black with ongoing difficulties in activating his pieces. 22 ... Nf6 23 Be2 And not 23 gxf6? because of 23 ... Rg1+. 23 ... Nd5 Instead, 23 ... Bc8 24 Ng7+ Bxg7 25 hxg7 Nd5 26 Nxe4 Rxg7 27 Bd4 isn’t easy for Black either.

24 Ng4 Question: Why didn’t White play 24 Nxe4 winning a pawn? Answer: Well, that’s the kind of move that engines recommend, not least because that’s a pawn White’s just taken. But on the other hand, the e4-pawn does quite a lot to block in Black’s own pieces, most notably along the e-file and the a8-h1 diagonal. 24 ... Rg6 25 Rd1 Nxe3 26 Ngxe3 Bd6?! It’s tempting to have one of White’s strong knights exchanged, but the dark-squared bishop is a high price to pay. 26 ... Rd8 was a better move. 27 Nxd6+ Rxd6 And not 27 ... cxd6 because of 28 Bh5 Re6 29 Bg4 Re7 30 Bf5 with serious problems for Black. 28 Rxd6 cxd6 29 Ng4 Ke7 30 Nf6

Although Black is the exchange up, this position is far from easy for him due to the bind White has on the kingside. 30 ... Rh8 31 Kd2 d5 32 c3 bxc3+ 33 bxc3 Kd6 34 a5?! Putting the pawn on to a dark square, but using up a vital tempo. 34 Bh5 would have been better when 34 ... Bc8 (34 ... Ke6 35 Bg4+ Ke7 36 Bf5 wins the h7-pawn) 35 Bxf7 Be6 36 Be8 keeps White well in the game. 34 ... Bc8 35 c4?! Trying to break up Black’s pawns, but possibly not the best. White might have done better with 35 Ke3, after which 35 ... Bf5 36 Kd4 Rb8 37 Bh5 Ke6 38 Nxd5 might offer better chances of salvation. 35 ... dxc4 36 Bxc4 Kc5 37 Kc3 Bf5 38 Bxa6 It could be that 38 Nh5 was a better chance, though it’s still Black who’s playing for the full point after 38 ... Rd8 39 Ng3 Rd4 40 Bxa6 Bd7. 38 ... Rd8 39 Be2 e3

40 a6? After 40 Nh5 Black can win, but it’s far from trivial: for example, 40 ... Rd4 41 a6 Bg6 42 Nf6 Rxf4 43 a7 Ra4 44 Nd7+ Kc6 45 a8Q+ Rxa8 46 Bf3+ Kxd7 47 Bxa8 Ke6 48 Bf3 Ke5 49 Be2 Kf4 50 Kd4 Bf5 threatens 51 ... Bg4, winning for Black. 40 ... Rd2 41 a7 Ra2 42 Bd3? 42 Nd5 was the only chance to get some counterplay but Black wins anyway: for example, 42 ... Ra3+ 43 Kb2 Rxa7 44 Nxe3 Be4 45 Kc3 Ra3+ 46 Kd2 Ra2+ 47 Ke1 Kd4 48 Ng4 Ba8 49 Kf1 Ke4 50 Bc4 Ra1+ 51 Ke2 Kxf4 52 Nf6 Kxg5 53 Nxh7+ Kxh6, etc. 42 ... Ra3+ 43 Kb2 Rxa7 0-1 White can’t take on f5 because Black’s e-pawn would queen. Game 22 J.Sprenger-A.Grischuk Mainz (rapid) 2007 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 Be3 a6 5 Qd2 b5 6 Bd3

In the previous game, Ghosh-Jones, White played the immediate 6 f3. Question: What’s the difference between these two moves? Answer: Not much if White follows up his 6 Bd3 with 7 f3, but there is an alternative. 6 ... Bb7 7 f3 Securing his e-pawn because of the threat of ... b5-b4. Question: You mentioned after White’s 6 Bd3 that he doesn’t need to follow up with 7 f3. What are his other options? Answer: White can give 6 Bd3 quite independent significance if he plays 7 a3, which tries to dispense with the move of the f-pawn altogether. An example of this approach was a game L.Dominguez Perez-V.Kramnik, Nice (rapid) 2010, which went 7 ... Nbd7 8 Nf3 e5 9 0-0 exd4 10 Bxd4 Bg7 11 a4 b4 12 Nd5 c5 13 Bxf6 Nxf6 14 Nxf6+ Qxf6 15 e5 dxe5 16 Nxe5 0-0 and gave Black a thoroughly satisfactory game because of his two bishops. 7 ... Nbd7 8 a4

Trying to disrupt Black’s game before he plays the thematic ... c7-c5 and gets an excellent form of Sicilian-type position. 8 ... b4 Gaining a tempo on the knight on c3, but potentially giving White the c4-square. Question: Could Black play 8 ... c6 instead? Answer: Yes indeed, this seems to be a very reasonable option and has in fact been played. After 9 Nge2 Bg7 10 0-0 0-0 11 Rfd1 Qc7 12 Nc1 e5 13 dxe5 dxe5 14 axb5 axb5 15 Rxa8 Rxa8 16 Nb3 Bf8 Black had a very satisfactory position in M.Van DelftM.Klinova, Hoogeveen 1999. 9 Nce2 c5 10 c3

10 ... bxc3 There’s a case for delaying the capture on c3 with 10 ... Rc8: for example, after 11 cxb4 Black can play 11 ... cxd4 12 Bxd4 e5 13 Bc3 d5 14 exd5 Nxd5 15 Bxa6 Bxa6 16 Qxd5 Bxb4! 17 Bxb4 Qh4+ with a powerful initiative. 11 bxc3 Clearly White shouldn’t recapture with the queen as after 11 Qxc3 cxd4 12 Nxd4 Rc8 Black would have a central pawn majority to add to his trumps. 11 ... Bg7 12 a5 0-0 13 Nh3 Qc7 This is a typical position for lines with f3. Black stands well because of his flexibility and the possibility of striking in the centre with ... d5 and/or ... e5. 14 0-0 e5 15 d5 Reaching a kind of King’s Indian structure, but one in which Black stands well. His next two moves create a nice outpost for a knight on c5 which doesn’t often happen in the King’s Indian. 15 ... c4 16 Bc2 Nc5 17 Rfb1 Bc8

The bishop is better here after White’s 15 d5. With the centre closed Black is playing for the typical ... f7-f5 pawn lever. 18 Nf2 Bd7 19 Nc1 Bb5 20 Nd1 Nh5 Not only getting ready for ... f7-f5, but envisaging putting the knight on f4. After 21 g4, for example, Black would play 21 ... Nf4 as a pawn sacrifice. 21 Nb2 f5 The characteristic King’s Indianesque thrust. 22 Na4?! Hereabouts it seems that White missed Grischuk’s 26th move in his initial calculations and didn’t then spot it on his 23rd through 25th moves either. Had he done so he might have preferred 22 exf5 at this point and after 22 ... gxf5 23 Na4 Bxa4 24 Bxa4 f4 25 Bxc5 (if 25 Bf2 e4!) 25 ... Qxc5+ 26 Qf2 Qxd5 27 Na2 he would certainly have better chances than in the game. 22 ... Bxa4 23 Bxa4 fxe4

24 Bc6 Rad8 25 Bxc5? It’s becoming clear that White has overlooked Grischuk’s 26th move. He had to play 25 fxe4, after which 25 ... Nxe4 26 Qc2 Qf7 27 Na2 Qf5 28 Re1 Qg4 leaves Black a pawn up, but does not spell instant disaster. 25 ... dxc5 26 fxe4? Still missing the reply. White should have tried 26 Qe3, with what is admittedly a horrible position after 26 ... exf3 27 gxf3 e4!, releasing all Black’s pieces into the attack. 26 ... Qxc6! 0-1 The pin on the d5-pawn has cost White a piece. Game 23 T.Petrik-V.Tkachiev Dresden Olympiad 2008 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 Be3 a6 5 h3 Bg7 6 f4 0-0 7 Nf3 A more natural move than 7 Qf3 which will be examined in Ziska-Danielsen. A further possibility for White is 7 e5, but this allows Black to play for a quick ... c7-c5 without first having to play ... b7-b5: for example, 7 ... Nfd7 8 Nf3 c5! .

7 ... e6 Question: Can’t Black expand on the queenside here with the immediate 7 ... b5? Answer: That was actually tried in M.Adams-N.Zhukova, Gibraltar 2012, after which 8 e5 Nfd7 9 Bd3 Nb6 10 Qe2 N8d7 11 0-0-0 e6 12 h4 led to a powerful attack for White. Tkachiev’s refinement aims to meet 8 e5 with 8 ... Nd5, playing more in the centre than Zhukova managed. 8 e5 Given that Black’s reply seems to be OK for him, White might consider delaying or omitting the e4-e5 thrust. For example, 8 Bd3 was played in E.Djingarova-T.Vasilevich, Vrnjacka Banja 2005, after which 8 ... Nc6 9 0-0 b5 10 e5 Nd5 11 Nxd5 exd5 12 Qd2 dxe5 13 fxe5 f6 14 exf6 Bxf6 15 c3 Be6 16 Bh6 Bg7 17 Bxg7 Kxg7 and now 18 a4 would have given White the initiative. Instead of 9 ... b5, Black should have played 9 ... Ne7! and then prepared for ... c7-c5 with ... b7-b6. This is a plan I used a lot against the Austrian Attack and it offers good fighting chances. 8 ... Nd5! 9 Nxd5 exd5 10 Bd3 Nc6 11 c3 Also after 11 Qd2 Black more or less equalizes with 11 ... dxe5 12 fxe5 f6. 11 ... dxe5 12 fxe5 f6

The exchange of White’s e5-pawn wedge leads to comfortable equality for Black. Of course, it might not be easy to win this position without some mistakes on White’s part. 13 exf6 Qxf6 14 0-0 Bf5 15 Bxf5 Qxf5 16 Qb3 A bit optimistic, the queen doesn’t look great on this square. 16 Qd2 intending Rae1 seems to be equal, though it seems that both players had ambitions at this point in the proceedings. 16 ... Na5 17 Qb4 b6 18 Rae1 Qd7 19 b3 Rae8 20 Qa3 Re4 Occupying the outpost on the open file. 21 Ne5 Qe8 22 Rxf8+ Bxf8 23 Qc1 Nc6

24 Nxc6 24 Bf4 seems like a more comfortable way to hold the balance. 24 ... Qxc6 25 Bf4 Bd6 26 Rxe4 dxe4 27 c4 Bxf4 28 Qxf4 b5 29 c5 The queen endgame should also be a draw, and so it turns out. But this is not without some late drama. 29 ... Qd5 30 Qe3 b4 31 Kf1 a5 32 Qf2 Qd7 33 Ke1 a4 34 Qf6 axb3 35 axb3 Qd5 36 Kd2 e3+ 37 Kxe3 Qxb3+ 38 Ke4 Qc2+

39 Kd5?

The final moves appear to have been played with both players short of time. Here White inadvertently slips up, but then Black doesn’t manage to exploit the error. White should play 39 Ke3, after which 39 ... Qc3+ 40 Kf2 Qd2+ is a draw and nothing more. 39 ... b3 Missing 39 ... Qa2+!, after which 40 Ke5 Qe2+ 41 Kd5 c6+ 42 Kd6 b3 43 Qd8+ Kg7 44 Qc7+ Kh6 sees Black’s king escape the checks whilst the passed b-pawn is ready to roll. After the move played it’s a draw by perpetual check. 40 Qd8+ Kg7 41 Qxc7+ Kh6 42 Qf4+ Kg7 43 Qe5+ Kh6 44 Qe3+ Kg7 45 Qe7+ Kh6 46 Qh4+ ½-½ Game 24 H.Ziska-H.Danielsen Klaksvik 2006 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 Be3 a6 5 h3 Bg7 6 f4 0-0 7 Qf3

Question: That looks a bit primitive. What’s the point and what can we do about it? Answer: Basically White is ready to meet our ... b7-b5 with e4-e5, hitting the rook on a8, so the argument is that it makes Black’s last move rather pointless. However, the queen is far from optimally placed on f3, not least because it occupies the natural square for the knight on g1. So Black just has to adjust his plans. 7 Nf3 was covered in the previous game, Petrik-Tkachiev. 7 ... e5!

Hitting straight back in the centre makes perfect sense. That’s not to say that quieter moves are out of the question here: for example, 7 ... c6 8 0-0-0 Qa5 9 Kb1 b5 10 e5 Ne8 11 Nge2 Be6 12 a3 Nc7 13 g4 Bd5 14 Nxd5 Nxd5 15 Bd2 Qb6 16 Bg2 Nd7 17 Nc3 Nxc3+ 18 Bxc3 Rfc8 19 b3 a5 saw Black get counterplay in Z.Majeric-B.Medak, Pula 1999. 8 0-0-0 exd4 9 Bxd4 White has more terrain right now, but with opposite-side castling this is not the primary consideration. What matters is whose attack hits home first. 9 ... Nc6 10 Bf2 Bd7 11 Bh4 The pin looks nasty, but this bishop also gets in the way of an advance of White’s hpawn. 11 ... Qc8 12 g4 b5!

13 Nd5 Nxd5 14 exd5 Na5 Looks obvious, but Black didn’t actually need to move this knight due to the position of White’s queen and rook on the a8-h1 diagonal. 14 ... Qb7 would have been better first, keeping more options for the knight. 15 Be1 Nc4 15 ... Nb7 followed by ... Nc5 was worth considering here. 16 Bxc4 bxc4 17 Bc3 With Black’s dark-squared bishop coming off White can claim an edge. 17 ... Re8 18 Bxg7 Kxg7 19 f5?! But not this way. 19 Qc3+ Kg8 20 Nf3 was correct when White has a nice game. 19 ... Qd8 20 Qc3+ Qf6 21 Qxf6+ Black would have been relieved to get the queens off after his dark squares looked

so weak. However, at this stage White can’t really avoid the exchange because 21 Qxc4 is strongly met by 21 ... Rab8. 21 ... Kxf6 22 fxg6 hxg6 23 Rh2 Re3 A powerful move, preventing White from developing his knight to f3 and at the same time putting pressure on the h3-pawn. 24 Rf2+ Kg7 25 Kd2 Rae8

26 Rf3 This probably wasn’t the best, but 26 Rf4 R3e4 would also leave White fighting to draw. 26 ... c3+! 27 bxc3 R3e4 28 Rd3 Bb5 29 Rd4 Bc4 29 ... Rxd4+ 30 cxd4 Bc4 would have been a simpler way. 30 Rb1 30 Kc1 would have made it harder for Black as 30 ... Bxa2 31 Nf3 Bc4 32 Rxe4 Rxe4 33 Nd2 drags him into a drawish rook endgame. 30 ... Rxd4+ 31 cxd4 Bxa2 32 Ra1 Bxd5 The players may have been running short of time at this point. Maintaining the apawn with 32 ... Bc4 looks better. 33 Rxa6 Bg2 34 Ra3 Re4 35 Rg3 Bf1 36 c3 g5 37 Rf3 Bc4 ½-½ Black’s position is still preferable, but he can’t make any progress. Game 25 I.Dimitriev-Y.Balashov Krasnodar 1996

1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 Be3 a6 5 h3 Bg7 6 g4

Question: That looks like a pawn storm except that Black hasn’t castled. So what’s the idea? Answer: It’s more of a general space-gaining move which attempts to swamp Black before he gets a proper foothold in the centre. It’s likely, for example, that White will follow up with f2-f4 as well when Black will need to have some counterplay organized. 6 ... Nfd7 Question: That looks like an even stranger reply! What’s Black up to? Answer: He wants to expand on the queenside with ... b7-b5, but with White ready to put his bishop on g2 the immediate 6 ... b5 can be answered by 7 e5 Nfd7 8 Bg2. This gave White a good game after 8 ... c6 9 exd6 exd6 10 a4 in S.Lejlic-R.Milovanovic, Tuzla 1991. Black is way behind in development and his pieces no longer make sense. 6 ... Nfd7 also prepares two other levers, ... c7-c5 and ... e7-e5, which Black can adopt should circumstances make them favourable. 7 a4

At least preventing ... b7-b5, but now another plan kicks in. Question: What if White plays 7 Bg2 in order to meet 7 ... b5 with 8 e5? Doesn’t that just transpose into Lejlic-Milovanovic? Answer: This is where the subtlety of Balashov’s 6 ... Nfd7 comes in, it also prepares a possible ... c7-c5 or ... e7-e5. In the case of 7 Bg2 Black can play 7 ... c5! 8 Nge2 0-0 9 Qd2 Nc6 10 0-0-0 Qa5 when he gets excellent counterplay against White’s king. 7 ... c5! 8 d5 Black should meet 8 dxc5 with 8 ... dxc5 9 Nf3 Nc6 10 Qd2 0-0 11 0-0-0 Qa5, which would leave him with ideas of 12 ... Nb6 or maybe 12 ... b5. 8 ... Qa5 9 Bd2 0-0 10 f4

10 ... e6 10 ... Qb4!? is also very interesting, though this is more of an engine move rather than a human one. 11 Bg2 11 g5 would have been an alternative, though Black could then consider 11 ... Qb4!? 12 Bg2 (protecting e4) 12 ... c4 intending 13 ... Nc5. It’s all very complex and messy. 11 ... Qd8 Question: If Black has to make such an abject retreat can his position really be good? Answer: Balashov is getting ready to play 12 ... exd5 and then meet 13 Nxd5 with 13 ... Bxb2. He also has the idea of playing 12 ... Qh4+ to displace White’s queen. So in fact the queen move energizes his position rather than deteriorates it. 12 Qf3 exd5 13 exd5 b5!? Sacrificing a pawn to activate his pieces. The engine likes 13 ... Nb6!? 14 b3 a5 intending ... Na6, ... Nb4 and ... c4. Needless to say grandmaster would have great difficulty weakening the b5-square like that! 14 axb5 Bb7 15 Nge2 Nb6 16 bxa6 Nxa6 With the knight on a6 ready to hop into the b4-square, Black has good counterplay. 17 0-0 Nb4 18 Rxa8 Bxa8 Black is getting his pawn back now because White can’t defend both d5, so he tries to stir up trouble on the kingside. 19 f5 N4xd5 20 Ne4

20 Qf2 might have been a better way to try and hold the balance. After the move played Black is better due largely to the weakness of White’s king. 20 ... Nf6 21 N2g3 Nxe4 22 Nxe4 Nc4 23 Bc1

23 ... d5 Question: Doesn’t 23 ... Nxb2 just win a pawn? Answer: Black could have taken the pawn, but after 24 Qf2 Nc4 25 Bg5 the position becomes very messy. Balashov instead makes the practical decision to advance his central pawn majority, and the engine confirms that this was the right thing to do. 24 Nc3 24 Ng5 h6 traps the knight and after 25 fxg6 (or 25 f6 Bh8!) 25 ... Bd4+ 26 Kh1 hxg5 White gets insufficient compensation. 24 ... d4 25 Ne4

25 ... Nd6?! But here Balashov misses the best line. 25 ... Ne3 would have been a strong move: for example, 26 Bxe3 dxe3 27 c3 (and not 27 f6 Bxe4! or 27 fxg6 hxg6 28 c3 f5, winning a piece) 27 ... Bxe4 28 Qxe4 Qd2 when the passed pawn is a tower of strength, and White’s king and b2-pawn are additional weaknesses. 26 Qf4 Nxe4 27 Bxe4 Bxe4 28 Qxe4 Re8 Black’s position is somewhat preferable now due to his safer king. Though White should still be able to hold the balance with accurate play. 29 Qf3 Qc7 30 b3?! 30 Bf4 was probably more accurate when 30 ... Qd7 31 fxg6 hxg6 32 b3 is only marginally better for Black. 30 ... c4! 31 fxg6 hxg6 32 bxc4 Qxc4 33 Qb3

Trading queens is the best way to try and shield the vulnerability of White’s king. He should probably be able to draw the endgame with ‘best play’, but that can be difficult to achieve in a practical game and with a ticking clock. 33 ... Rc8 34 Bg5?! 34 Bd2 was a better chance for salvation: for example, 34 ... Qxb3 35 cxb3 Rc2 36 Rd1 Rb2 37 b4 is holding for the time being. 34 ... Qxb3 35 cxb3 Rc3 36 Rb1 Be5 37 h4 f6 38 Bd2 Rg3+ 39 Kf2?! 39 Kf1 Rxg4 40 Be1 would have given White better chances of defence, holding the h-pawn whilst keeping the rook behind the passed b-pawn. 39 ... Rxg4 40 b4 Protecting the h-pawn with 40 Rh1 would have been more tenacious, but it’s unlikely that White could have held after 40 ... Rg3 41 b4 Rb3 followed by the improvement of Black’s king. 40 ... Rxh4 41 Rb3? This makes it easy for Black though White was lost anyway. For example, after 41 Ke2 Rh3 42 b5 g5 43 b6 d3+ White doesn’t have a good square for his king. 41 ... Rh2+ 42 Ke1 g5 43 b5 0-1 Black is winning easily after 43 ... g4 44 b6 g3 45 b7 Rh1+ 46 Ke2 g2 47 b8Q+ Bxb8 48 Rxb8+ Kf7, for example. Game 26 Y.Visser-S.Buchal Pardubice Open 2005

1 e4 d6 The order of moves actually used in the game was 1 ... g6 2 d4 Bg7 3 Nc3 d6 4 Be3 a6 5 Nf3 Nf6, but I have deliberately doctored it to avoid confusion! If you were to play 1 ... g6 it can transpose into a Pirc, but meanwhile White has many more options. 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 Be3 a6 5 Nf3 Bg7 6 Qd2

6 ... b5 Question: Can Black also play 6 ... 0-0 here? Answer: Yes, and after 7 Bh6 b5 it transposes back into the game. 7 Bh6 0-0 Question: Can’t Black play 7 ... Bxh6 8 Qxh6 b4 here to win the e4-pawn? Answer: This particular pawn snatch without development looks way too risky. After 9 Nd5 Nxe4 10 Bd3 Nf6 11 Qg7 Rf8 12 Nxf6+ exf6 13 0-0 Be6 14 Rfe1 Black’s position is horrendous and White can just take back his pawn with Qxh7. 8 Bd3 Nc6 9 Bxg7 Kxg7 10 e5 The sharpest and most critical move after which Black needs to know what he’s doing. 10 d5 and other moves will be examined within Rydstrom-Jones. 10 ... dxe5 11 dxe5 Ng4 12 Qf4?! This obvious move appears to protect the e5-pawn, but Black has a great tactic. The superior 12 0-0-0 will be examined within the context of Emms-Pein, Trbojevic-Galyas

and Sulava-Kozakov. 12 ... Ncxe5! 13 Nxe5

13 ... Qd6 Pinning and winning the knight on e5. 14 Be4 Trying to get the initiative. Question: Can’t White get out of the pin with 14 Nxg6? At least he doesn’t lose a pawn that way. Answer: That’s a good question, and White can indeed maintain material parity like that. However, after 14 ... hxg6 15 Qxd6 cxd6 16 Be2 Nf6 17 Bf3 Ra7 18 0-0-0 Rc7 Black had the better pawn structure in M.Sadler-V.Ivanchuk, Monaco (rapid) 1998, and went on to win. 14 ... Nxe5

15 0-0 Question: Why can’t White just snap off that rook on a8? Answer: Because after 15 Bxa8 Nd3+ he loses his queen! 15 ... Rb8 16 Rad1 A threat appears, but this doesn’t trouble Black much. White has quite inadequate compensation for the pawn. 16 ... Qf6 17 Qg3 17 Qxf6+ exf6 would have marginally compromised Black’s kingside pawn majority, but his pieces would be well placed for the endgame. By keeping the queens on White hopes to keep some kind of initiative though sadly for him it never materializes. 17 ... e6?! I don’t like this move as it weakens the dark squares. 17 ... Be6 looks more natural, developing a piece. After 18 f4 Ng4 19 h3 Nh6 the knight wants to come to a nice square on f5 and meanwhile Black is ready to oppose rooks on the d-file. 18 b3 Rb6 19 f4 Nd7 20 f5?! This looks ‘forceful’, but it gives Black e5 for his queen. 20 Qe3 intending Bf3 and Ne4 would have made life more difficult for Black. 20 ... Qe5! 21 Rf4 21 f6+ Kg8 is safe enough for Black: for example, after 22 Qh4 Qxc3 Black can always sacrifice back with ... Nxf6 to remove the danger of mate. 21 ... exf5 22 Bxf5 Nf6 23 Bxc8 Rxc8 24 Rdf1

24 Nd5 was a better chance, the point being that 24 ... Nxd5 25 Rxf7+ wins Black’s queen. After the move played White’s initiative just ebbs away, leaving him a pawn down for nothing. 24 ... Re8 25 a4 Qc5+ 26 Kh1 Re3 Black now has the initiative as well which doesn’t bode well for White’s prospects. 27 R4f3 Rbe6 28 Nd1 Rxf3 29 Qxf3 bxa4 30 bxa4 Qxc2 That’s pawn number two. 31 Nc3 Qd2 32 Ne4 Qd5 Killing off White’s hoped for counterplay before it develops. 32 ... Rxe4?! would have been wrong because of 33 Qxf6+ Kh6 34 Qxf7 when suddenly White is back in the game. 33 Nxf6 Qxf3 34 gxf3 Rxf6 34 ... Kxf6 35 Rc1 would make it more difficult for Black to win. 35 Kg2 c5 36 Rc1 Rc6 37 Kf2 Kf6 38 Ke3 Ke5 39 Rc4 f5 40 Rh4 c4 Passed pawns should be pushed! 41 Kd2 h5 42 Kc3 f4 0-1 Game 27 J.Emms-M.Pein Southend 1999 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 The game actually featured a 2 ... g6 move order, but once again this is a Modern Defence in which Black’s delaying ... Nf6 gives White a much greater range of options.

3 Nc3 g6 4 Nf3 Bg7 5 Be3 0-0 6 Qd2 a6 7 Bh6 b5 8 Bd3 Nc6 9 Bxg7 Kxg7 10 e5 dxe5

11 dxe5 Question: Can’t White take with the knight here? Answer: White needs the wedge on e5, even if the pawn is not secure. After 11 Nxe5 Bb7 12 Nxc6 Bxc6 Black is doing well. 11 ... Ng4 12 0-0-0 b4

13 Nb1 It has recently emerged that White has some very interesting tries in this position, and these deserve to be treated within the context of their own games. We will be looking at 13 h3!? next within Trbojevic-Galyas and then 13 Rhe1 within Sulava-Kozakov, but in both cases Black’s position seems quite playable. Meanwhile the natural 13 Ne4 is strongly met by 13 ... Qd5 14 Kb1 Bf5 with White being suddenly beset by problems. 13 ... Qd5 The immediate 13 ... Ngxe5 is less good because of 14 Nxe5 Nxe5 15 Qxb4 Qd6 16 Qc3 Qf6 17 Rhe1 Nxd3+ 18 Rxd3 when White might try claiming a tiny edge because of his superior pawn structure. 14 Qf4 Nxf2 Question: That looks dangerous. Isn’t there a safer option for Black? Answer: Unfortunately not. But as a Pirc player you need to get used to entering critical lines or choose 1 ... e6 or 1 ... c6 on your first move! 15 Bc4 Qc5 16 Rd5 Qb6 17 Re1 Be6?! This natural move seems to be wrong, at least in the light of engine analysis. The engine prefers 17 ... Bf5, after which 18 Re2 Rad8 19 Rdd2 Ng4 20 h3 Nh6 seems fine for Black, the position of his knight on h6 notwithstanding. 18 Rd2

18 ... Rad8 Probably the best try. 18 ... Bxc4 19 Qxc4 Rad8 is strongly met by 20 Rf1 when Black’s knight on f2 seems to be trapped. 19 Bxe6 fxe6 20 Qh4 Rxd2 21 Nbxd2 h6 22 Rf1 g5 Black is having to resort to desperate measures to save the knight on f2, and he ends up in a miserable endgame, but at this stage there is nothing else. 23 Qg3 Qe3 24 Qxf2 Qxf2 25 Rxf2 g4 Gets the knight back, but Black’s pawns look like Swiss cheese. 26 Re2 gxf3 27 Nxf3 Rf4 28 Rd2 Possibly not the best. 28 Re3 intending 29 c3 looks like more of a problem for Black. 28 ... Re4 29 Rd7 Nxe5 30 Nxe5 Rxe5 31 Rxe7+ Kf6

32 Rh7 h5 33 Kd2 The drawish tendencies of rook endgames are asserting themselves. After 33 Rxc7 Re1+ 34 Kd2 Rg1 Black is getting his pawn back with a likely draw. 33 ... Rc5 34 g3 c6 35 Rh6+ Ke7 36 Kd3 Kd6 37 Rh8 Rg5 37 ... Rf5 might have been a simpler route to the draw. 38 b3 38 c3 was the last try for White. 38 ... Rc5 39 Kd2 Rd5+ 40 Ke3 Ra5 41 Kd3 Rc5 42 Rh7 Rc3+ 43 Kd2 Rc5 44 h4 Rd5+ 45 Ke2 Rc5 46 Kd2 Rd5+ 47 Ke3 Rc5 48 Kd2 Rd5+ ½-½ Game 28 M.Trbojevic-M.Galyas Budapest 2015 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 Nf3 Bg7 5 Be3 0-0 6 Qd2 a6 7 Bh6 b5 8 Bd3 Nc6 9 Bxg7 Kxg7 10 e5 dxe5 11 dxe5 Ng4 12 0-0-0 12 Qf4 was White’s choice in Visser-Buchal, which we looked at earlier. 12 ... b4 13 h3!?

Thus far we’ve followed the previous game, Emms-Pein, in which 13 Nb1 was played, but here White comes up with a dangerous new move. White’s other dangerous try is the nonchalant 13 Rhe1 as played in the next game between Sulava and Kozakov. 13 ... Ngxe5?! Question: Why doesn’t Black take the knight on c3? He’s then attacking White’s queen! Answer: In fact that’s the critical line, but when faced with a dangerous-looking innovation it’s not easy to find the right way. Besides having the difficult job of working through complex variations, there’s the very real fear that your opponent has prepared everything at home, and quite possibly with the help of some silicon beast. In any event the line runs 13 ... bxc3! 14 Qxc3 Nxf2 15 Be4 (15 e6+ f6 16 Be4 Nxe4 17 Qxc6 Qe8 18 Qxe4 Rb8 is also fine for Black) 15 ... Nxe4 16 Qxc6 Qe8 17 Qxe4 Rb8 and Black is ready to hit back with ... Qb5 and ... Bf5 or ... Bb7. 14 Nxe5 Nxe5 15 Qe3

15 ... Nd7 Question: That looks a bit passive. Was it really Black’s best? Answer: It’s probably not worse than anything else, and really Black should have played 13 ... bxc3. Here are the other options: a) 15 ... Nxd3+ 16 Rxd3 Qe8 is met by 17 Nd5 when the line 17 ... Bf5 18 Rd2 (if 18 Nxc7 Qc6) 18 ... Qa4 19 Qxe7 Rae8 20 Qf6+ Kg8 21 Ne7+ Rxe7 22 Qxe7 b3 23 Qa3 Qxa3 24 bxa3 bxc2 25 Rd4 leaves White with all the chances in the endgame. b) 15 ... c6 16 Qxe5+ f6 17 Qe1 bxc3 18 Qxc3 Qb6 may be tenable for Black, but it’s certainly not pleasant after 19 Rhe1 Ra7 20 f4 . 16 Nd5 This looks good, but 16 Ne4 would have been objectively stronger. 16 ... e6 17 Nxb4 Qf6?! Here it was Black who had a better move in 17 ... Bb7, after which 18 Be4 Bxe4 19 Qxe4 c5 gives him fully equal play. 18 c3 Safeguarding his king and leaving White with the better development and the better pawn structure. 18 ... Ne5 19 f4 Nxd3+ 20 Nxd3 Bb7 21 Nc5 The knight is very effectively posted here. 21 ... Bc6 22 Nd7 Bxd7 23 Rxd7 Rad8 24 Rhd1 Rxd7 25 Rxd7 Rd8

Question: Why didn’t Black defend the c-pawn with 25 ... Rc8? Answer: That would have held the c-pawn, but left Black’s rook very passively placed. He made a judgement call, and possibly not the right one, that getting the rook active was the better choice. And this might have been influenced by factors we don’t know about such as the amount of time left on the clocks and his opponent’s demeanour. 26 Rxc7 Rd5 27 Rc4 h5 28 Rd4 Ra5 Of course, Black can’t afford an exchange of rooks; any simplification makes things much easier for White. The problem that White has, meanwhile, is that an advance of his queenside pawn majority will expose his king. 29 a4 h4 30 b3 Rf5 31 Re4 Qe7 32 Kb2 Qb7 33 Qe2 a5 34 Rd4 Qc7 35 Qe3 Qc6 36 Qe4 Qc5

Provoking b3-b4 might have had a practical side to it, such as getting White to ‘do something’ when short of time, but objectively speaking 36 ... Qc7 would have been better. 37 b4 axb4 38 cxb4 Qa7 39 Kb3 Qe7 40 Rc4 Pushing one of the passed pawns would have been more to the point. 40 ... Rd5 41 Rd4 Rf5 42 Rd3 Here too White should be pushing his pawns! 42 ... Qc7 43 Qd4+ Kh7 44 Qc4 Qb7 45 Rd2 Qb8 46 Rd4 Qb7 47 Qe2 Qc7 48 Qd2 Qb6 49 Qd3 Qc6 50 Qc2 Qb6 51 Qf2? Suddenly, and perhaps in time trouble, White makes a mistake. 51 Qd2 should still be winning for him with accurate play. 51 ... e5! 52 Qxh4+ Rh5

53 Qd8?? Panic! White can draw with 53 Qe7! because 53 ... exd4 54 Qxf7+ gives him a perpetual check. 53 ... Qxd4 54 Qxd4 exd4 55 b5 Losing without a fight because White’s king gets cut off from the passed d-pawn. 55 Kc2 would at least make Black think. 55 ... Rc5 56 b6 d3 0-1 Game 29 N.Sulava-M.Kozakov French Team Championship 2008 1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Be3 a6 6 Qd2 b5 7 Bh6 0-0 8 Bd3 Nc6 9 Bxg7 Kxg7 10 e5 dxe5 11 dxe5 Ng4 12 0-0-0 For 12 Qf4 see Visser-Buchal. 12 ... b4 13 Rhe1!?

Question: What’s that? Has White overlooked the fact that his knight is being attacked? Answer: No, this spectacular move was quite intentional! For 13 h3!? see Trbojevic-Galyas and for 13 Nb1 see Emms-Pein. 13 ... bxc3?! It must be difficult to refuse the offer to take the knight, but this looks like a mistake. The engine suggests that 13 ... Rb8 is a better move though it’s hard for a human to see why. After 14 Na4 Black has 14 ... Qd5!, hitting both e5 and a2, and after 15 b3 Ncxe5 16 Nxe5 Nxe5 17 Bxa6 Qxg2 18 Rxe5 Bxa6 he obtains an equal game. 14 Qxc3

14 ... Qd5? Another mistake, which testifies at least to the shock value of 13 Rhe1. Black should try the retrograde-looking 14 ... Qe8 when 15 e6+ Nf6 16 Be4 Bb7 17 Ng5 h6 18 exf7 Qc8 seems to hang on. Question: What happens after 14 ... Nxf2? Answer: White can play 15 Be4 Nxe4 (or 15 ... Nd4 16 e6! Nxe4 17 Rxe4, winning back the piece with an overwhelming position) 16 Qxc6 Qe8 17 Qxa8 Nc5 18 Qd5 with a winning position, as in a game S.Bruchmann-S.Buchal, German League 2010. 15 Be4 Qxa2 16 Bxc6?! Not bad, but not the best. White has a stronger move in 16 Bd5! when 16 ... Qa1+ 17 Kd2 Qa4 18 Bxc6 Qf4+ 19 Ke2 leaves Black busted, despite the wanderings of White’s king. 16 ... Rb8 17 e6+

17 ... f6? Losing. 17 ... Nf6 was a better chance: for example, 18 exf7 Qa1+ 19 Kd2 Qxb2 20 Qxb2 Rxb2 21 Rxe7 Rxf7 gives Black what’s probably a tenable endgame. 18 Rd4 A real bone-cruncher. White is threatening both 19 Ra4 and the knight on g4. 18 ... Ne5 18 ... Qa1+ 19 Kd2 Qxb2 20 Qxb2 Rxb2 21 Rxg4 simply wins a piece. 19 Nxe5 fxe5 20 Ra4 Qxe6 21 Rxe5 Qf6 22 Rxe7+ Kh8 23 Rf4 Bf5 24 g4 1-0 After 24 ... Qxc3 25 bxc3 Black has no good bishop move so will lose a piece. Game 30 T.Rydstrom-G.Jones Gibraltar 2015 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 Nf3 White could also transpose into the position that arises after Black’s 5th move with 4 Be3 a6 5 Nf3 Bg7. 4 ... Bg7 5 Be3 a6

Question: What’s the difference between this and 5 ... 0-0 6 Qd2 a6? Answer: Not much, though I have given the move order in the game so as to try and clarify matters. When White plays Be3 we are answering with ... a6, whether this occurs on move 4, 5 or 6. 6 Qd2 0-0 7 Bh6 This is certainly consistent, though it isn’t White’s only move. Here are two alternative tries: a) 7 Bd3 Bg4 8 0-0-0 e5 9 d5 Bxf3 10 gxf3 Nh5 11 Ne2 Qf6 12 Qb4 b5 13 Qc3 Qe7 and White’s doubled pawns made it very difficult to open lines on the kingside in B.Carlier-D.Gurevich, Cappelle la Grande 1995. b) 7 a4 b6 8 Bh6 Bb7 9 Bd3 Nbd7 10 0-0 e6 11 Bxg7 Kxg7 12 Rfe1 c5 13 e5 Ng4 14 Be4 d5 15 Bd3 cxd4 16 Nd1 f6 completed the job of undermining White’s centre and left Black with a good game in J.Gallagher-L.Van Wely, Krumbach 1991. 7 ... b5 Threatening ... b5-b4 to drive the knight on c3 away from the defence of White’s epawn. 8 Bd3 8 Bxg7 Kxg7 9 Bd3 Nc6 is a simple transposition of moves. 8 ... Nc6 9 Bxg7 Kxg7

10 d5 A popular choice for White with several alternatives having been played. Besides this and the critical 10 e5 (which we have already examined), there are several alternatives for White: a) 10 0-0-0 e5 11 d5 Na5 12 Kb1 Bd7 prepares for counterplay on the queenside with moves such as ... Qb8 and ... b4 or ... Nc4. b) 10 h4 is well met by 10 ... Bg4, throwing a spanner in the works of White’s kingside play and putting pressure on d4 into the bargain. c) 10 Nd5 e5 11 Nxf6 Qxf6 12 d5 Ne7 13 a4 ½-½ was I.Khenkin-I.Smirin, New York 2000, and now Black’s best would have been 13 ... Bg4 14 Be2 c6, starting to prise open lines on the queenside. d) 10 a4 was tried in M.Hebden-D.Collier, Guernsey 2011, when 10 ... Bg4 11 e5 dxe5! (11 ... Ne8 was played in the game, but was bad after 12 Be4!) 12 dxe5 Nd7 13 Be4 Bxf3 14 gxf3 Ndxe5 15 Qxd8 Raxd8 16 f4 f5 17 Bg2 Nd4 18 fxe5 Nxc2+ 19 Ke2 Nxa1 20 Rxa1 bxa4 21 Rxa4 Rb8 brings about a drawish endgame. 10 ... Ne5 11 Nxe5 11 Nd4 is well met by 11 ... e6 12 0-0 (12 dxe6 is strongly answered by 12 ... c5!) 12 ... Bb7 13 dxe6 c5 14 Nf3 Nxf3+ 15 gxf3 fxe6 and Black is clearly better because of the weakness of White’s kingside. 11 ... dxe5

12 h4 Consistently playing for an attack on Black’s king, though it might have been time to abandon this plan and just castle kingside. The position would then be more or less equal. In the game M.Kozakov-A.Chernin, Lvov 2000, White instead played 12 a4, but after 12 ... b4 13 Na2 a5 14 c3 Black successfully undermined White’s centre with 14 ... e6. After 15 cxb4 (15 dxe6 Bxe6 16 cxb4 axb4 17 Nxb4 c5 18 Nc2 c4 19 Be2 Qxd2+ 20 Kxd2 Nxe4+ is good for Black) 15 ... exd5 16 bxa5 c5 17 exd5 Qxd5 18 Nc3 (18 00 Rd8 wins material) 18 ... Qxg2 19 0-0-0 Rxa5 White was in big trouble. 12 ... h6 A noteworthy idea. Black is getting ready to meet 13 h5 with 13 ... g5, keeping the kingside locked up tight. 13 0-0-0 Qd6 14 Kb1 c5 15 dxc6 Be6 The c6-pawn isn’t going anywhere so Black can wait with its capture. 16 Ne2 Neither 16 f3 Qxc6 nor 16 Nd5 Nxd5 17 exd5 Qxd5 18 b3 Qxc6 are at all dangerous for Black. 16 ... Rfd8 17 f3 Lending extra protection to e4 and preparing to widen the pawn storm with g2-g4. 17 ... Qxc6 18 g4 Nd7 Once the knight is away from f6, Black can meet g4-g5 with ... h6-h5. 19 Rh2 Nc5 20 Nc1 b4 21 Qe3 a5 22 Rhd2 Rdb8 23 b3 a4 24 Rf2?! This makes matters worse. White should have tried 24 h5!? which would keep him in the game. After 24 ... g5 25 Qe2 there is at least no immediate win for Black.

24 ... axb3 25 cxb3 Na4

26 bxa4 26 Ka1 Nc3 27 Rdd2 Ra3 would also leave White defenceless. 26 ... b3 Black is crashing through on the queenside. 27 Bb5 Or 27 axb3 Bxb3 28 Rdd2 Bc2+ 29 Ka1 Qxa4+ followed by mate. 27 ... bxa2+ 28 Nxa2 Rxa4 Sweeping the support away from the bishop on b5. 29 Nc3 Rxb5+ 0-1 30 Nxb5 Qxb5+ 31 Rb2 Ba2+ 32 Kc1 (or 32 Ka1 Qa5, etc) 32 ... Rc4+ 33 Rc2 Qb1+ is devastating. Game 31 K.Nuri-K.Georgiev Zurich Open 2014 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 Nf3 Bg7 5 h3 0-0 6 Be3 a6

Question: So it’s 6 ... a6 here too? Answer: Yes, this is our formula for meeting all these Be3 systems, making it relatively easy to remember what to do. 7 a4 Question: Well, that’s spoilt our plans! What are we going to do now? Answer: Well, it’s also spoilt one of White’s possible plans, which was to castle queenside. With the pawn on a4 this is a much more dangerous place to put the king. Besides 7 a4 White has tried some other moves of which the most significant are 7 Bd3 and 7 e5: a) 7 Bd3 b5 8 Qe2 b4 9 Nb1 Nbd7 10 Nbd2 c5 11 dxc5 Nxc5 12 0-0 Qc7 (12 ... Bb7 is also good here) 13 a3 bxa3 14 Rxa3 Nxd3 15 Qxd3 was J.Benjamin-N.Davies, Hastings 1987/88, and now 15 ... d5 16 e5 (16 exd5 Bf5 is good for Black) 16 ... Bf5 17 Qd4 Ne4 18 Qxd5 Rfd8 19 Qc4 Bxe5 20 Nxe5 Qxe5 would have maintained equality. b) 7 e5 Nfd7 8 exd6 cxd6 9 Bc4 Nb6 10 Bb3 Nc6 11 0-0 Na5 12 Re1 Re8 13 Ne4 Nxb3 14 axb3 Nd5 was very comfortable for Black in M.Tissir-F.Peralta, Brena Baja 2005. 7 ... Nc6 There’s another line for Black here in 7 ... b6, though it’s less reliable than just playing for ... e7-e5.

8 d5 8 Qd2, 8 Be2 and 8 a5 will be examined in subsequent games. 8 ... Ne5 The simplest. Although Black temporarily contracts doubled e-pawns, these will be liquidated with a later ... e7-e6. 9 Nxe5 dxe5

10 a5 White has also tried other options here. For example: a) 10 Be2 e6 11 dxe6 Bxe6 12 0-0 Qe7 13 Qc1 a5 14 Bg5 c6 15 Qe3 Qb4 was fine for Black and agreed drawn here in M.Golubev-B.Badea, Baile Tusnad 1997. b) 10 Bc4 Ne8 (10 ... e6 would leave Black with doubled e-pawns this time, so an alternative approach is indicated) 11 Qd2 Nd6 12 Bb3 was S.Fedorchuk-L.Ootes, Delft 2010, and now 12 ... Bd7 intending ... b7-b5 and ... Qd8-b8 would have been a good way to get counterplay. 10 ... e6 The simplest and most sensible approach, simply eliminating Black’s doubled epawns. Question: Can Black play the 10 ... Ne8 plan that we saw him use against 10 Bc4? Answer: He can and has done that, but it makes less sense if we’re not attacking a bishop on c4 when we do that. 11 Bc5 Re8 12 Bc4 exd5 13 Nxd5? A pawn sacrifice of dubious merit. 13 Bxd5 Nxd5 14 Nxd5 Be6 would have been

about equal. 13 ... Nxe4 14 Be7 14 Ne7+ Kh8 leaves White without a good follow-up. 14 ... Qd7

15 Qe2 Retreating the bishop with 15 Bb4 would have been better here, though Black is still a good pawn up. 15 ... Nd6 The engine tells me that 15 ... c6! is even stronger here, but it involves heading into a morass of complications. After 16 Nb6 Qxe7 17 Nxa8 (17 Qxe4 Bf5 is just a pawn up with a strong pair of bishops to boot) 17 ... Qb4+ 18 c3 Nxc3! 19 Qd2 Qxc4 20 Qxc3 Qe4+ 21 Kf1 Bf5 22 Nb6 Rd8 Black’s initiative is too powerful, but this is all very difficult to work out. 16 Bf6 Qc6 17 Bb3 Nb5 Here too Black had a stronger line in 17 ... Be6 18 Bxg7 (18 Rd1 Bxd5 19 Bxd5 Qc5 wins the a5-pawn as a bonus) 18 ... Bxd5 19 Bxd5 Qxd5 20 Bh6 Nf5, heading to d4. 18 Ne7+? Losing immediately. White had to try 18 Qc4 which enables him to fight on after 18 ... Qd6 19 Bxg7 Kxg7 20 Nc3, albeit a pawn down. Now White’s problems spiral out of control. 18 ... Rxe7! 19 Bxe7 Nd4

20 Qe3 Be6 20 ... Qxg2 21 0-0-0 was less clear. 21 Ba4? This leads to a winning attack for Black. 21 0-0 was the best chance, after which 21 ... Bxb3 22 cxb3 Qe8 23 Bg5 h6 24 Bh4 (if 24 Bxh6 Nf5) 24 ... Nc2 25 Qc3 Nxa1 is just a pawn down. 21 ... b5 22 axb6 Qxg2 23 0-0-0 cxb6 24 c3? Losing immediately. 24 Rhg1 would have been more tenacious. 24 ... Nf5 0-1 White is losing the bishop on e7. Game 32 K.Olsson-N.Davies Budapest 1993 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 Nf3 Bg7 5 h3 0-0 6 Be3 a6 7 a4 Nc6 8 Qd2

Question: Is White planning to castle queenside and attack Black’s king with Be3-h6 and h3-h4-h5? Answer: Probably not as this plan does not fit in with his previous moves. 7 a4 made the queenside a less habitable place for his king and advancing the h-pawn will lose time after White’s 5 h3. 8 ... e5 9 dxe5 dxe5 10 Rd1 Qe7 Looking to annoy White’s queen with ... Rd8 whilst looking to harass White on the queenside with ... Qe7-b4. 11 Bd3 Rd8 12 Bg5 Be6

13 0-0 Rd7 Preparing to double rooks on the d-file whilst also moving the rook from the gaze of the bishop on g5. 14 Qe3 The position is already quite difficult for White and there are some tactical pitfalls around. In the game F.Aklanov-A.Voinov, Siberia 2007, White played 14 Ne2 only to be hit by 14 ... Nxe4! 15 Bxe4 Rxd2 16 Bxe7 Rxe2 17 Bd3 e4! 18 Bxe2 exf3 19 Bxf3 Nxe7 20 Bxb7 Rb8 21 Bxa6 Bxb2, with Black clearly on top due to his two minor pieces being stronger than White’s rook. 14 ... Qb4 An annoying move for White to meet. Besides unpinning the knight on f6 it puts pressure on a4, e4 and b2. 15 Be2 Rad8 16 b3 Protecting a4 and b2, but Black’s reply is very strong. In retrospect it would have been better to play 16 Rb1. 16 ... Nd4! 17 Nd5 Trying to shoot his way out of trouble. A somewhat better try would have been 17 Na2 when 17 ... Qc5 18 Bd3 h6 19 Bxf6 Bxf6 keeps strong pressure. Note that 20 Nxd4 exd4 21 Qxh6 is bad because of 21 ... Bg5! when White’s queen has no good move. 17 ... Bxd5 18 Nxe5? 18 Nxd4 is strongly answered by 18 ... Nxe4! when 19 Bxd8 exd4 wins material. 18 ... Nxe2+ The engine tells me that 18 ... Nxc2 was even stronger, but I like to keep it simple when I’m winning.

19 Qxe2 Qxe4 20 Qxe4 Nxe4 21 Nxd7 Rxd7

With two pieces for a rook this is won for Black. The big thing is to get in with the king. 22 Be3 Nc3 23 Rd3 Be6 24 Rxd7 Bxd7 25 Re1 Be6 26 Bf4 Nd5 27 Be5 Bxe5 28 Rxe5 Kf8 29 c4 Nb4 30 Kf1 Ke7 31 Ke2 Kd6 32 Re3 After 32 Re4 a5 White’s pawns are blockaded and the scene is set for Black’s king to get into b4. 32 ... Nc2 33 Rd3+ Kc5

With Black’s king coming in the end is nigh. 34 Kd2 Nd4 35 g4 b5 36 axb5 axb5 37 Kc3 37 cxb5 Nxb3+ will pick up the b5-pawn as well. 37 ... Nxb3! 38 Re3 Of course, 38 Kxb3 bxc4+ wins the rook. 38 ... Bxc4 39 Re5+ Kd6 40 Re8 c5 41 Rh8 Be6 42 Rxh7 b4+ 43 Kc2 c4 44 Rh8 Nd4+ 45 Kc1 c3 46 Rd8+ Ke5 47 f4+ Ke4 48 f5 gxf5 49 h4 f4 0-1 Game 33 N.Short-N.Davies Hastings 1987/88 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 Nf3 Bg7 5 h3 0-0 6 Be3 a6 7 a4 Nc6 8 a5

Question: What’s the point behind that? Answer: It’s a move that makes Black’s queenside pawns immobile and therefore potentially vulnerable. This becomes apparent some 30 moves later with White’s 38 Ndc5, though I could have avoided that torture with 12 ... Nd4. 8 ... e5 9 dxe5 dxe5 10 Bc4 Qe7 Preparing to put the rook on d8 to harass White’s queen. Question: Can’t Black get a drawish endgame here by exchanging queens?

Answer: After 10 ... Qxd1+ 11 Kxd1 Rd8+ 12 Kc1 Black’s position is not quite as comfortable as it may seem at first sight. For one thing his queenside pawns are immobile (as mentioned after White’s 8 a5) and, secondly, he doesn’t have a great square to develop his c8-bishop to as if he puts it on e6 he contracts doubled e-pawns. Black may be able to draw with accurate play, but there’s enough here for White to cause him problems. 11 0-0 Rd8

12 Qb1 This is a clever move from Short, preparing to meet 12 ... Be6. After the game Short explained his choice here in that he thought that 12 Qc1 was more than adequately answered by 12 ... Be6, so he was looking for something that would not allow me an easy life. 12 ... Be6?! Falling in with White’s intentions. Black should play 12 ... Nd4 in this position, as was played in some later games. For example, I.Ater-L.Gofshtein, Beersheba 1991, continued 13 Ng5 Be6 (13 ... Rf8 14 Qd1 h6 also seems quite playable here) 14 Nxe6 Nxe6 15 Bxe6 Qxe6 16 Qa2 Qxa2 17 Rxa2 and now Black should probably activate his king’s bishop with 17 ... Bf8 when the position is more or less equal. 13 Bxe6 Qxe6 14 Ra4 h6 Covering g5, but probably this wasn’t necessary. 14 ... Rd7 might have been more accurate when 15 Qa2 Qxa2 16 Nxa2 Bf8 seems more or less equal. 15 Qa2 Qxa2 16 Nxa2 And not 16 Rxa2 Nb4 because White loses the c2-pawn. 16 ... Rd7 17 Nc1 Re8 18 Nd3 Bf8 19 Rfa1

White is better now because of the immobility of Black’s queenside pawns and White’s plan of bringing a knight to c5. It needs some patient manoeuvring by White, but it’s a difficult plan to stop. 19 ... Kg7 20 Kf1 Nh7 21 Nd2 Ng5 22 f3 Ne6 23 Nb3 f6 24 Rc4 Red8 25 Ke2 It’s interesting that the engine doesn’t understand White’s manoeuvres at all and fails to recognise White’s edge. 25 ... Bd6 26 g3 Rf7 27 h4 h5

28 Rd1 Rff8 29 c3 Kf7 30 Ra4 Rfe8 31 Nd2 Rd7 32 b4 Red8 33 Nb3 Bf8 There was a case for playing more actively here with 33 ... f5!?, but after 34 Raa1 f4 35 gxf4 exf4 36 Bf2 Ne5 37 Nbc5 Nxc5 38 Nxc5 Bxc5 39 Rxd7+ Rxd7 (or 39 ... Nxd7 40 bxc5 and 41 Rb1 will tie Black down to his b-pawn) 40 Bxc5 White is still slightly better, and can press his advantage with Rg1 next. 34 Ra2? A curious mistake by White which should lose a pawn. Unfortunately I missed it! 34 ... Ke8? Overlooking a neat little tactical sequence with 34 ... Bxb4! 35 cxb4 Rxd3 36 Rxd3 Rxd3 37 Kxd3 Nxb4+ 38 Kc4 Nxa2. Note that in the final position White cannot trap the knight on a2 with 39 Na1 because of 39 ... Nd4. 35 Rad2 Be7 36 Bc5 Bd6 37 Bxd6 Rxd6 37 ... cxd6 38 Nb2 Na7 39 Na4 would start to get very unpleasant for Black. 38 Ndc5 Rxd2+ 39 Rxd2 Rxd2+ 40 Kxd2

White is better too in this knight endgame, but fortunately I managed to hang on. 40 ... Ncd8 41 Ke3 Ke7 42 f4 exf4+ 43 gxf4 Kd6 44 Nxe6 Nxe6 45 f5 45 c4 might have been harder to defend against. 45 ... gxf5 46 exf5 Nd8 47 Ke4 Nc6 48 Nd2 Ne7 49 Nc4+ Kc6 50 Ne3 b6 51 Ng2?! 51 Nf1 would have allowed White to keep pressing for the win. After the text I get a draw. 51 ... bxa5 52 bxa5 Nc8 53 Ne3 ½-½ Game 34 K.Darga-N.Davies Germany League 1987 1 d4 d6 2 e4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 Nf3 Bg7 5 h3 0-0 6 Be3 a6 7 a4 Nc6 8 Be2 A simple and solid developing move, but one which doesn’t trouble Black much. 8 ... e5 9 dxe5 dxe5 10 0-0 Another move to have been tried here is 10 Bc5, but then 10 ... Re8 11 Qxd8 Nxd8 12 0-0 b6 13 Be3 Bb7 14 Nd2 Ne6 15 Bd3 Bf8 was at least equal for Black in M.Lujan-C.Amura, La Punta 2012. 10 ... Be6

Question: Can’t Black play 10 ... Qe7 here, with similar play to the previous game? Answer: Yes, indeed, and it may well be his best. There is one tactical point in that 11 Nd5 (11 Bg5 Be6 also seems OK) can be answered by 11 ... Nxd5 12 exd5 Nd4, because 13 Nxd4 (or 13 Bxd4 exd4 14 Nxd4 Bxd4) 13 ... exd4 14 Bxd4? Bxd4 15 Qxd4 Qxe2 wins a piece. Vadim Milov has played 10 ... h6 here, but it doesn’t look as good. After 11 Qc1 Kh7 12 Bc5 Rg8 13 Rd1 Qe8 14 Qe3 b6 15 Ba3 Ra7 16 Rd2 Black was in trouble in S.Yudin-V.Milov, Moscow 2009. 11 Ng5 Nd4 Black might also consider 11 ... Qe7 12 Nxe6 fxe6, intending to put a knight on d4 after ... Rad8 or ... Ne8. Personally I’ve had an aversion to these pawns since losing a game to John Donaldson with them in the early 1980s, but that doesn’t mean this is unplayable. 12 Nxe6 Nxe6 Question: Could Black consider 12 ... fxe6 in this position too? It does keep the strong knight on d4. Answer: Yes, he could. I probably rejected it because of the painful memory of that Donaldson game, but after 13 Bc4 Kh8 14 Bg5 Qd6 15 Be3 Rad8 16 f3 Qb4 Black stood well in R.Shetty-V.Koshy, Indian Championship 1994. 13 Bc4 Nd4

14 Bg5 Looking for peace. The critical move here is 14 f4 which Black should probably meet with 14 ... Bh6. However, this may not be that comfortable for Black if White then continues with 15 g4!?. 14 ... h6 15 Bxf6 ½-½ Overall I’d say that if Black doesn’t like the positions with ... fxe6, he should probably play 10 ... Qe7 in this line.

Chapter Five Classical Lines 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 Nf3 Bg7 5 Be2 0-0 6 0-0

The position after 6 0-0 characterizes the so called Classical Variation in which White hopes that simple development and his slight central space advantage will make it difficult for Black to equalize. Certainly this line is relatively risk free from White’s perspective, though it is doubtful that he can hope for any kind of meaningful edge. Indeed, if Black knows what he’s doing it seems very difficult to prove anything for White. 6 ... Bg4 The start of a campaign for the central dark squares; Black intends to follow up with 7 ... Nc6. Many other moves have been tried here, including 6 ... c6, 6 ... c5, 6 ... Nc6, 6 ... Nbd7, 6 ... e6, 6 ... a5 and 6 ... a6, but the plan introduced with 6 ... Bg4 is still the simplest and most solid, as well as giving Black his share of the winning chances. 7 Be3 This is White’s most popular choice by far, simply reinforcing the d4-pawn, but he has tried other moves which need our attention: a) 7 h3 gains the bishop-pair, but allows Black counterplay if he follows what Mikhail Gurevich did in Guliyev-Gurevich. b) 7 Bg5 is similar to 7 h3, especially if White follows up with h2-h3 anyway. Once

again Mikhail Gurevich showed the way in Arizmendi Martinez-Gurevich. 7 ... Nc6

The logical follow-up to 6 ... Bg4. Black is taking aim at d4 and will be increasing his pressure there with ... e7-e5 and/or ... Nf6-d7. 8 Qd2 Once again, the most popular move and, once again, there are alternatives: a) 8 d5 looks obvious because it gains time on the knight on c6, but White loses his duo of pawns on e4 and d4 when he does this. A good way for Black to respond is with 8 ... Bxf3 9 Bxf3 Ne5, which is what he did in Vedder-Gurevich. b) 8 Nd2 offers the exchange of light-squared bishops reasoning that when Black later plays ... e7-e5 he will be left with the bishop of the colour on which his pawns are then placed. Although this is true Black nonetheless obtains good counterplay because of White’s loss of time, the game Meier-Grischuk being a good model. c) 8 Qd3 is one other possibility which hopes to gain a more aggressive post for the queen than d2. Yet in this case the queen is also somewhat exposed, something that Black managed to exploit with 8 ... Nd7 9 Nd2 Nb4 in Polugaevsky-Sax.

Question: Is the idea of 8 Qd2 to exchange dark-squared bishops with Be3-h6? Answer: Not really. It’s more to be able to bring a rook to the d-file either after Black plays ... e7-e5 and White captures (occupying the open file), or if he meets Black’s ... e7-e5 with d4-d5. In the latter case a rook on d1 can inhibit any ... c7-c6, undermining the d5-pawn. 8 ... e5 Black has also tried waiting moves here, such as 8 ... Re8 and 8 ... Nd7, but 8 ... e5 is the simplest and most direct way to play. 9 d5 White can also exchange pawns with 9 dxe5, which is a line with a drawish reputation. However, if Black plays accurately, as he did in Bezgodov-Khalifman, he certainly shouldn’t be worse. And he can also just keep playing if he wants to win as Bobby Fischer, Anatoly Karpov and Magnus Carlsen have amply demonstrated. 9 ... Ne7

The position looks a bit like a King’s Indian Defence now, but with a major and very important difference. White’s knight on c3 blocks his c-pawn, which in turn means that the plan of opening the c-file by advancing his c-pawn to c5 has now been rendered very difficult. 10 Rad1 At least inhibiting the possibility of Black’s ... c7-c6 lever. From a structural point of view Black’s most natural plan is now to play for ... f7-f5, though this is not easy to achieve with the current disposition of forces on the kingside. Accordingly he needs to reorganize. 10 ... Bd7 11 Ne1 White in turn is adjusting his forces and may now be able to play f2-f4 quite effectively. 11 ... b5!? The last link in the chain by which Black gains counterplay. With 11 ... b5!? he threatens to destabilize White’s pieces with a possible ... b5-b4 which in turn makes White’s f2-f4 advance difficult. This has become something of a main line and the game Perez Garcia-Arencibia Rodriguez shows how play may develop. Game 35 R.Perez Garcia-W.Arencibia Rodriguez Cuban Championship, Santa Clara 2005 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 Nf3 Bg7 5 Be2

Question: That looks very modest! What is White aiming for? Answer: White just wants to calmly develop his pieces and put the onus on Black to make some kind of statement in the centre. That duo of pawns on e4 and d4 will be an advantage if the can be maintained on these squares. 5 Be2 0-0 6 0-0 Bg4

This, in conjunction with 7 ... Nc6, is Black’s most popular and respected response. There are some supporters of 6 ... c6 and even other moves, but we will only be looking at 6 ... Bg4. Question: What is Black’s plan when he plays 6 ... Bg4? Answer: By following up with 7 ... Nc6 and ... e7-e5, he is aiming to force some kind of clarification in the centre, i.e. to disrupt White’s e4- and d4-pawn duo. This is the first step towards gaining counterplay. 7 Be3 Nc6 8 Qd2 This is White’s main option here. We’ll be looking at his alternatives in subsequent games. 8 ... e5 The simplest and most reliable choice for Black. Alternatives, such as 8 ... Nd7 and 8 ... Re8, have also been tried, but they are no better than 8 ... e5 and arguably carry more risk. 9 d5 9 dxe5 is also possible and will be considered in the next game.

9 ... Ne7

10 Rad1 This has been White’s most popular option by far, aiming to stop Black’s liberating ... c7-c6, but the array of alternatives needs to be mentioned: a) 10 h3 can be calmly met by 10 ... Bd7 when 11 Nh2 c6 12 dxc6 Bxc6 was fully equal for Black and agreed drawn at this point in G.Franzoni-R.Ekstroem, Swiss League 2003. b) 10 Ne1 is also well met by 10 ... Bd7 when 11 f3 c6! 12 dxc6 Bxc6 13 Bc4 d5 14 exd5 Nexd5 15 Nxd5 Bxd5 16 Bxd5 Nxd5 was already better for Black in D.VismaraS.Sarno, Turin 1996. This is a good illustration of why 10 Rad1 is an important move. c) 10 a4 Bd7 is still a good move, intending either ... Ng4, ... c7-c6 or possibly even both. After 11 b4 c6 12 Rfd1 cxd5 13 exd5 Ng4 Black actually got them both in with a very good position in the game L.Evertsson-J.Yrjola, Norrkoeping 2010. d) 10 Bh6 doesn’t make much sense here because White is exchanging his ‘good’ bishop (the one on the opposite colour to his fixed pawns) without any prospect of getting an attack. After 10 ... Nd7 11 Bxg7 Kxg7 12 Ne1 Bxe2 13 Qxe2 c6 14 dxc6 bxc6 15 Rd1 Qc7 16 Qd2 Nc8 17 Nd3 Ncb6 18 b3 Rad8 Black stood well in S.PetrovicS.Marangunic, Bjelovar 1979. 10 ... Bd7

Question: Why is Black retreating? Isn’t that just a loss of time? Answer: The bishop has done its job on g4 and now makes room for a possible ... Ng4 and ... f7-f5. There are also ideas of playing ... b7-b5 here, looking to destabilize White’s knight on c3 so as to put pressure on e4. Note also that in a closed position such as this, time is not the most important factor. 11 Ne1 Again White’s most popular choice, but two alternatives deserve a mention: a) 11 Bh6 is well met here by 11 ... b5! Threatening ... b5-b4: for example, 12 Bxg7 Kxg7 13 Bd3 Qb8 14 Ne2 Qb6 15 Ng3 Bg4 16 Be2 Bxf3 17 Bxf3 Nfg8 18 Bg4 f5! 19 exf5 Nh6 20 Bh3 Nhxf5 21 Ne4 ½-½ was L.Barczay-R.Keene, Dortmund 1982. b) 11 h3 can also be met by 11 ... b5 here: for example, 12 b4 a5 13 a3 Qb8 14 Bg5 Kh8 15 Rb1 a4 16 Rbd1 Qb7 17 Qd3 Rab8 18 Bxf6 Bxf6 19 Nb1 Rfd8 20 c4 c6 21 dxc6 Bxc6 22 Nc3 bxc4 23 Qxc4 d5 24 exd5 Nxd5 25 b5 Nxc3 26 bxc6 Nxe2+ 27 Qxe2 Qxc6 28 Nxe5 Qe6 was at least equal for Black in A.Karpov-J.Timman, Amsterdam 1976. 11 ... b5! Once again Black’s key move, aiming to destabilize the knight on c3 and thus put pressure on e4. 12 a3 There are other ways to defend e4 here with Black aiming for queenside counterplay in both cases: a) 12 f3 Qb8 13 a3 a5 14 Qd3 b4 15 Nb1 c6 16 dxc6 Nxc6 17 Qxd6 Nd4 saw Black

take the initiative in P.Enders-A.Finkel, Budapest 1995. b) 12 Nd3 a5 13 b4 c6 14 dxc6 Bxc6 15 f3 Qc7 16 bxa5 Qxa5 17 Rb1 d5 18 Nxe5 Nxe4 19 fxe4 Bxe5 20 Bd4 was agreed drawn in L.Psakhis-E.Gufeld, Sochi 1979. 12 ... a5

The consistent follow-up. 13 Nd3 Qb8 Threatening ... b5-b4 once again. 14 b4 c6! With White having weakened himself on the queenside, Black breaks open the centre. 15 dxc6 Bxc6 The bishop capture seems to have been the only move Black has played, but he could well consider 15 ... Nxc6 here. The engine is giving a small edge to Black: for example, after 16 f4 axb4 17 axb4 Ng4 18 Nd5 Ra3. 16 f3 d5 17 Bc5 Re8 18 Nf2?! Not White’s best. The engine is also giving White an edge after 18 bxa5 dxe4 19 fxe4 Nxe4 20 Nxe4 Bxe4 21 Qb4 which may be another good reason to choose 15 ... Nc6 for Black. 18 ... d4 Also not best according to the engine. It gives the line 18 ... axb4 19 Nxd5 Nexd5 20 exd5 Nxd5 with Black for choice. 19 Na2 Nd7 20 Bxe7 Rxe7 21 bxa5 Nf6

Another improvement for Black seems to be 21 ... Qd6 when 22 Nb4 can be answered by 22 ... Nb8. 22 Rb1 B.Lengyel-T.Chapman, Budapest 2008, followed this one up to this point, but now White chose to play 22 Nb4 instead, which looks like an important improvement. After 22 ... Be8 (22 ... Bd7 is better, but still nice for White) 23 a6 Bf8, he should have continued with 24 c3, which does seem quite strong. Black, of course, could have improved earlier, and most notably with 15 ... Nxc6. 22 ... Rea7 23 Nb4 Bd7 24 a6 Qc7 25 Rb3 Bf8 26 Nfd3 Be6 27 Rbb1 Nd7?! The immediate 27 ... Bc4 would probably have been my choice, looking to remove the defenders of that a6-pawn. 28 f4 Bc4 29 fxe5 Re8 30 Nd5 Bxd5 31 exd5 Nxe5 32 Nxe5 Rxe5 33 Bxb5 Rxd5 34 a4 Bd6 Black was probably wishing he hadn’t left that a6 pawn live, though the position is still very messy because of the opposite-coloured bishops. 35 h3 Re5 36 Kh1 Qc5

37 Qf2 37 Rf4 was better with a clear advantage for White. Now Black slips away. 37 ... Re3 38 Qf6 Re6 39 Qd8+ Kg7 40 Rbe1 Bc7 41 Qd7 Bf4 42 Qd8 Rxe1 42 ... Bc7 was the simpler path. 43 Rxe1 Be5 44 Bd3 Re7 45 Qa8 Qa5 46 Rf1 Bd6 47 Bb5 Be5 ½-½ White should still be better here, but it’s difficult for him to get his a6-pawn any further. Game 36 A.Bezgodov-A.Khalifman Kazan 2005 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 Nf3 Bg7 5 Be2 0-0 6 0-0 Bg4 7 Be3 Nc6 8 Qd2 e5 9 dxe5 A quiet alternative to 9 d5. This exchange of pawns in the centre has a drawish reputation, but I’d say that only applies at GM level. As you get further below that there will always be chances if you keep playing good moves. 9 ... dxe5 10 Rad1

10 ... Qc8 Question: Why is Black giving up the d-file like that? Answer: He’s not really abandoning it as such, he just wants to bring his rook to d8 when White’s queen will have to move. 11 Qc1 Rd8 Challenging White for control of the d-file. 12 Rxd8+ Nxd8 13 Rd1 Ne6

14 h3 Question: Hasn’t Black just left e5 undefended? What happens if White plays 14 Nxe5? Answer: Black can win White’s e-pawn in return with 14 ... Bxe2 15 Nxe2 Nxe4. 14 ... Bxf3 15 Bxf3 c6 Another good move is 15 ... Qf8 when 16 Nd5 Nxd5 17 Rxd5 Nd4 18 Bxd4 exd4 19 e5 Qe7 was Z.Ribli-J.Nunn, German League 1990. 15 ... c6 keeps more play in the position which is why I’ve chosen it as the main line. 16 a3 Another possibility for White is 16 Ne2, but then 16 ... Qc7 17 c3 a5 18 a4 Bf8 19 Qc2 Bc5 20 Bxc5 Nxc5 was slightly better for Black in H.Milligan-A.Ker, Queenstown 2012. 16 ... Qc7 17 Ne2 a5 Staking out some territory on the queenside. 18 g4 White in turn feels obliged to do the same on the other flank. Actually this might also be considered to be a defensive move against ... h7-h5, by which Black would also take space on the kingside and introduce ideas such as ... Kh7 and a later ... Bg7-h6. Of course, he can also offer the exchange of bishops with ... Bf8 and ... Bc5. 18 ... Bf8 19 g5 Nd7 20 Bg4 Ndc5

It’s best not to allow White the opportunity to give Black doubled e-pawns. Now Black is hitting e4, so White needs to do something about it. 21 f3 a4 More queenside space. It is possible that b2 may one day become a target, though the main point of this move is to make b2-b4 difficult for White. 22 Kg2 Be7 23 h4 Rd8 24 Rxd8+ Qxd8 25 Qd2 With the queens coming off, it starts to look very drawish. 25 ... h6 26 Qxd8+ Bxd8 27 gxh6 Bxh4 28 f4 exf4 29 Nxf4 Nxf4+ 30 Bxf4 Nxe4 31 Bc8 Nc5 32 Be3 b6 33 b4 axb3 34 cxb3 Nxb3 35 Bxb6 Be7 36 a4 Bb4 37 Ba6 Na5 38 Kf3 Kh7 39 Be3 f5 40 Ke2 Bd6 41 Bb6 Nb3 42 Bc4 Nc5 43 a5 Kxh6 44 a6 Nxa6 ½-½ Game 37 R.Vedder-M.Gurevich Vlissingen Open 2006 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 Nf3 Bg7 5 Be2 0-0 6 0-0 Bg4 7 Be3 Nc6 8 d5

A committal line which obliges Black to give up the bishop-pair, but at the same time leads to the dissolution of White’s valuable pawn duo. 8 ... Bxf3 Question: Does Black have to play that? Can’t he move his knight straight away, without first capturing on f3? Answer: Not at all. 8 ... Nb8 has been played may times by Alexander Chernin, and with good results, but the capture on f3 leads to simpler play, which makes it more suitable for newcomers to the Pirc. Question: What about 8 ... Ne5, isn’t that a good move? Answer: Not really. After 9 Nxe5 Bxe2 10 Qxe2 dxe5 Black has doubled pawns and a rather grotty looking bishop on g7. White would certainly be for choice in that position. 9 Bxf3 Ne5 10 Be2 c6 Looking for play along the c-file and to get the queen out to a5. 11 f4 Ned7

12 Bf3 Qa5 13 Qe1 Not so much an attacking move (Qe1-h4 is not the idea), as a way of trying to consolidate. Another move to have been tried here is 13 Qd2, after which 13 ... cxd5 14 exd5 Nb6 15 Qd3 Rfc8 16 Bd4 Qa6 17 Qxa6 bxa6 18 Rad1 Nc4 19 Na4 Nd7 saw Black effectively mobilizing his pieces on the queenside in D.Ayupov-I.Lutsko, St Petersburg 2004. 13 ... Rfc8 14 Rd1 White has tried two other moves here, but neither of them seem to be dangerous for Black: a) 14 Bd4 was played in G.Ageichenko-A.Bitman, Moscow 1998, and now 14 ... cxd5 15 e5 Ne4 16 Nxe4 Qxe1 17 Raxe1 dxe4 18 Bxe4 Rc7 would have been Black’s most solid option when he has an equal game. b) 14 dxc6 bxc6 15 Rd1 Qc7 16 g4 was B.Gurgenidze-R.Keene, Tbilisi 1974 and now Black might have made room for his f6-knight on d7 by playing 16 ... Nb6 17 g5 Nfd7 18 Be2 e6 with a solid position. 14 ... cxd5 15 exd5 Nb6 16 Bd4 Rc7

17 Ne4 A very serious and rather inexplicable mistake - presumably White miscalculated something. 17 a3 would have been better, after which Gurevich would probably have continued with 17 ... Ne8, exchanging off the d4-bishop which is essentially the lynch pin of White’s position. 17 ... Qxe1 18 Nxf6+ Bxf6 19 Rfxe1 Rxc2 That was a free pawn! 20 Bxf6 exf6 21 Rc1 Rac8

Keeping a solid edge. 21 ... Rxb2 was worth a thought, though White can then get

counterplay with 22 Re7. 22 Re8+ Rxe8 23 Rxc2 Re7 24 Kf2 Kf8 25 g3 f5 26 b3 This stops Black’s knight coming to c4 or a4. Gurevich must now activate his knight via a longer route. 26 ... Rd7 27 Ke3 Ke8 28 Kd3 Kd8 29 a3 Na8 Aiming for c7, after which the knight can go to b5, a6 and c5, or e8 and f6. 30 Kd2 Nc7 31 b4 Re7 32 Rc3 Re8 33 Re3? After the exchange of rooks White loses another pawn. He had to try something else, for example, 33 a4. 33 ... Rxe3 34 Kxe3 Nb5 35 Be2 35 a4 Nc3 36 a5 Na2 37 b5 Nc3 38 b6 axb6 39 axb6 Na4 would be the end of White’s b6-pawn. 35 ... Nxa3 36 Kd2 Kc7 0-1 Perhaps White thought he might box the knight but this ends his dream. After 37 ... Kb6 and 38 ... Nb5, Black is going to be winning. Game 38 G.Meier-A.Grischuk Mainz (rapid) 2007 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 Nf3 Bg7 5 Be2 0-0 6 0-0 Bg4 7 Be3 Nc6 8 Nd2

Question: What’s the point of that move?

Answer: White hopes that after the exchange of light-squared bishops, and a subsequent ... e7-e5 by Black and d4-d5 by White, that he will have the ‘better’ bishop. 8 ... Bxe2 9 Qxe2 e5 10 d5 Ne7 11 Bg5 This is one of several moves that White has tried and is designed against Black’s possible central action with ... c7-c6. Here’s a brief run down of the alternatives: a) 11 a4 c6 12 dxc6 bxc6 13 Rfd1 d5 14 Bc5 Qc7 15 Nb3 Rfd8 16 exd5 Nexd5 17 Ne4 Nxe4 18 Qxe4 h6 was fine for Black in M.Taimanov-E.Gufeld, Jurmala 1978. b) 11 f4 exf4 12 Bxf4 Nd7 (heading for the weak square on e5) 13 Nf3 Ne5 14 Nxe5 Bxe5 15 Bxe5 dxe5 16 Qe3 f6 17 Rad1 Nc8 neatly reorganizes Black’s position with a strong knight on d6 and no accessible weak points. c) 11 Nc4 b5! 12 Nxb5 (12 Nd2 b4 13 Na4 Qd7 14 b3 c6 also gives Black good play) 12 ... Nxe4 13 Rad1 Qd7 gives Black a nice game due to his central pawn majority and the possibility of advancing his e- and f-pawns later. 11 ... Nh5 11 ... c6 is not good here because of 12 dxc6 bxc6 13 Rad1 Qc7 14 Nc4 Rad8 15 Qf3, exerting strong pressure. 12 g3 Preventing Black’s knight from hopping into f4, but slightly weakening his king position. 12 ... h6 13 Bxe7 Qxe7

14 Nd1 Question: That looks like a miserable and retrograde move. What’s the point?

Answer: The knight is making way for the c-pawn to advance as White’s key pawn lever is c2-c4-c5. Meanwhile, it might also be needed to help White defend on the kingside, perhaps with f2-f3 and Nd1-f2. 14 ... Nf6 15 f3 Making way for the knight to come to f2. 15 ... h5 16 Nf2 Bh6 17 Nd3 c6

18 dxc6 Question: Why didn’t White play 18 c4, as I thought that was his plan? Answer: The problem is that after 18 ... h4, intending 19 ... Nh5, it looks like Black is taking the initiative on the kingside. This may be what prompted a change of plan, with White not wanting to remain passive behind a closed centre. 18 ... bxc6 19 Rae1 h4 20 f4 Trying to get the initiative before Black is fully organized. Slower play just isn’t going to get anywhere: for example, Black can meet 20 Nc4 with 20 ... hxg3 21 hxg3 Kg7, aiming to activate his rook along the h-file. 20 ... hxg3 21 hxg3 Nh5 22 Qg4 Kh7 23 Nf3 exf4 24 gxf4 Rae8 25 Kg2 Qe6 The simplest way to defuse an initiative is through exchanges. And if Black succeeds in doing this he might argue that the e4- and f4-pawns are vulnerable. 26 Ng5+ As White will have to trade queens anyway it would have been better to do so immediately. 26 Qxe6 fxe6 27 Ng5+ looks equal. 26 ... Bxg5 27 Qxe6

A bail out? Perhaps only now did Meier realize that 27 Qxg5 is answered by 27 ... Qc4, attacking both e4 and c2. 27 ... Nxf4+ 28 Nxf4 fxe6 29 Nxe6 Rxf1 30 Nxg5+ Kh6 31 Rxf1 Kxg5

This rook endgame should be drawn ,of course, but that assumes ‘best play’. In fact Black has some chances here. 32 Rd1? 32 Rg1 looks like the right way. After the move played White loses a pawn. 32 ... Rxe4 33 Rxd6 Re2+ 34 Kf3 Rxc2 35 Rd7 a5 36 Ra7 Rc5 37 Ke4 Kg4 38 Kd4 Rc2?! 38 ... Rb5 seems to keep some hopes of winning alive. 39 Rxa5 Rxb2 40 a4 g5 41 Ke5 Rd2?! And here Black might have tried 41 ... Kf3 42 Ra7 g4. 42 Rc5 Ra2 43 Kf6 Rxa4 44 Rxg5+ ½-½ White will win Black’s c-pawn with 45 Rc5 Ra6 46 Ke6 and 47 Kd6. Game 39 L.Polugaevsky-G.Sax Buenos Aires Olympiad 1978 1 Nf3 g6 2 e4 Bg7 3 d4 d6 4 Nc3 Nf6 5 Be2 0-0 6 0-0 Bg4 7 Be3 Nc6 8 Qd3 This move experiences a brief spell of popularity after Anatoly Karpov employed it in one of the games against Victor Korchnoi in their famous match in Baguio City. The queen is more active here than on d2 and leaves that square free for his knight on f3, but it can also be vulnerable to tempo-gaining attacks from Black’s pieces.

8 ... Nd7!

Question: That looks odd. What’s the idea? Answer: Black is using the slightly exposed position of White’s queen to profitably delay ... e7-e5. The point is that if White now plays d4-d5, Black can answer with ... Nce5, hitting the queen. The stem game with 8 Qd3 did actually see the immediate 8 ... e5, after which 9 d5 Nb4 (9 ... Ne7 10 Nd2 is slightly better for White) 10 Qd2 a5 11 h3 Bd7 12 Bg5 Qe8 13 Nh2 Kh8 14 a3 Na6 15 Bh6 Bxh6 16 Qxh6 was fine for Black in A.Karpov-V.Korchnoi, World Championship (Game 18), Baguio City 1978. However, White can probably do better with 13 Ne1 or 15 Ng4 Nxg4 16 hxg4, when in either case his position seems preferable. 9 Nd2 Nb4! 10 Qc4 Bxe2 11 Nxe2 c5!

12 dxc5 Question: What about 12 c3, just strengthening White’s centre? Answer: I’m glad you asked me that as Black has a rather brilliant response in 12 ... Rc8!!. The idea is that 13 cxb4 (13 dxc5 Nc2 is very nice for Black) 13 ... cxd4 attacks both the queen on c4 and bishop on e3, and sees Black gain the advantage. 12 ... dxc5 13 Rad1 13 Bxc5 Nxc5 14 Qxb4 is well met by 14 ... Na6!, the idea being that after 15 Qxb7 Qxd2 16 Qxa6 Bxb2 17 Rad1 Qxc2 Black recovers his pawns and has a strong bishop against White’s knight. 13 ... Qc7 14 Nf3 b6 15 c3 Nc6 16 Bf4 Nde5 17 Bxe5 Bxe5! 17 ... Nxe5 18 Nxe5 Bxe5 19 f4 would be slightly better for White because of his space and the potential for reaching queen and knight against queen and bishop. 18 b4 Bg7

19 g3 Black can meet 19 bxc5 with 19 ... Na5 (19 ... Rfc8 is also interesting), which gives him counterplay curiously similar to some lines of the Grünfeld. For example, after 20 Qb5 he can play 20 ... Nb7 21 cxb6 axb6 22 Rd7 Nd6 23 Rxc7 Nxb5 24 Rxe7 Rxa2 with a likely draw. 19 ... Rac8 20 bxc5 Nb8 20 ... Na5 was also good, but Sax wanted to stop a white rook coming to d7. 21 Qa4 bxc5 Black could also play 21 ... Qxc5, after which 22 Qxa7 Nc6 23 Qa4 Ra8 24 Qb3 e6 gives him ample compensation for the pawn because of the weakness of White’s pawns on a2 and c3. My guess is that although Sax was very much at home with the initiative, he felt a special sense of responsibility in this game as this was a USSR-Hungary Olympiad match. So he chose the respectable line rather than what might have been the optimal one. 22 Rd3 22 Kg2 would have been better, both here and on the next move. 22 ... Qb7 23 Rd5 e6

24 Rd6 24 Rdd1 would have been better now than on his 27th move, but this would be a difficult move to play when your last move was 23 Rd5. 24 ... c4 25 Qc2 Nd7 26 Rb1 Qc7 27 Rdd1 Nc5 Suddenly it’s Black’s position that’s preferable, as his knight wants to land on d3. 28 Ne1 Qc6 29 f3 Rfd8 30 Rxd8+ Rxd8 31 Rd1 Rxd1 32 Qxd1 Qa4 32 ... Qb6 seems to pose White far more problems. 33 Qxa4 Nxa4 34 Nc2 Nxc3 35 Nxc3 Bxc3 36 Kf1

The Russian endgame technique kicks in. Polugaevsky improves his king position rather than hurrying to recapture his pawn as he knows it isn’t going anywhere. 36 ... Ba5 37 Ke2 Bb6 38 Na3 Bg1 39 Nxc4 h5 40 h3 Kg7 ½-½ Game 40 N.Guliyev-M.Gurevich French Team Championship 2004 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 Nf3 Bg7 5 Be2 0-0 6 0-0 Bg4 7 h3

Question: That seems like a good move. Isn’t White just getting a useful bishop-pair now? Answer: He does get the two bishops, but now Black aims for counterplay on the dark squares in the centre. And take careful note of how Mikhail Gurevich goes about this. 7 ... Bxf3 8 Bxf3 Nc6 Putting pressure on the central dark squares. If White now plays 9 d5 Black can answer with 9 ... Ne5 followed by ... c7-c6, with similar play to the game VedderGurevich. 9 Be3 White has another interesting move here in 9 Ne2, aiming to reinforce his d4-pawn with c2-c3. Black should meet this with 9 ... Nd7: for example, 10 c3 e5 11 a4 a5 12 Be3 exd4 13 Nxd4 (13 cxd4 Re8 14 Nc3 Nb4 would get the knight to a good square

whilst restraining White’s centre) 13 ... Nce5 14 Be2 Nc5 15 Qc2 Re8 16 b4 Ncd7 17 f4 Nc6 18 b5 Ne7 19 Rad1 Nd5 20 Bc1 N5b6 intending ... Nc5 gave Black good counterplay in P.Velicka-E.Rozentalis, Stockholm 2005. 9 ... Re8

Question: What’s the point of that move, as the e-file is closed? Answer: Black wants to play ... e7-e5 on his next move and meet d4-d5 with ... Nc6-d4. And when White takes this knight the rook is opened up against the pawn on e4. This is in fact what now happens in the game. 10 Ne2 e5 11 d5 Nd4

The point behind 9 ... Re8. 12 Nxd4 exd4 13 Qxd4 Gurevich has also had 13 Bxd4 played against him: for example, 13 ... Nxe4 14 Bxg7 Kxg7 15 Bxe4 Rxe4 16 Qd3 (16 Re1 Qe7 17 Qd2 Re8 18 Rxe4 Qxe4 19 Qc3+ Qe5 was more pleasant for Black in N.Skalkotas-A.Vragoteris, Athens 1991) 16 ... Qe7 17 Qb3 Rb8 18 Qc3+ Kg8 19 Rfe1 Re8 20 Rxe4 Qxe4 21 Qxc7 Qxd5 and Black was slightly better in N.Chadaev-M.Gurevich, Turkish Team Championship 2012. 13 ... Ng4!? Looking to create imbalance. 13 ... Nxe4 would have been solid enough, but the symmetrical pawn structure has drawish tendencies. 14 Qd2 Nxe3 15 Qxe3 Bxb2

Opposite-coloured bishops are not as drawish are many people believe. In an endgame without rooks or queens they do have drawish tendencies, but in the middlegame they favour the side with the initiative. 16 Rab1 Qf6 Necessary in order to stop the immediate capture of the b7-pawn. White can still go after this pawn, but it allows Black the initiative. 17 Qb3 Be5 18 Qxb7 Qf4 The point. Black threatens mate on h2 and White can’t block this with 19 g3 because his bishop on f3 would fall. Accordingly his king is forced to go for a walk. 19 Rfe1 19 Rfd1 might have been better, but after 19 ... f5 20 Kf1 a5, stopping White’s rook coming to b4, it isn’t easy for White to defend himself. The engine is giving this as approximately equal, but in practice it’s a very difficult position to play. 19 ... Qh2+ 20 Kf1 Bc3 21 Red1 Ba5 Both defending c7 and preparing to put the bishop on the superb a7-g1 diagonal. This creates a degree of urgency in White’s play. 22 g3 Giving back the pawn to try and organize the defence. White was probably quite perturbed by lines such as 22 Qb2 f5 23 Ke2 Bb6 when Black has developed a powerful attack. 22 ... Qxh3+ 23 Bg2 Qh2 24 Qb3 Re5 25 Qb7 Ree8 Was this a tacit offer of a draw by Gurevich, allowing a repetition with 26 Qb3? I suspect he would have found a way to play on for the full point. 26 e5 Bb6

27 e6 This looks good at first, but it meets with a powerful reply. 27 exd6 was better when 27 ... Qh5 28 Qa6 cxd6 leaves Black’s position preferable, but it’s not necessarily lost for White. 27 ... Rab8! 28 Qc6 The engine wants to sacrifice the queen with 28 exf7+!? Kxf7 29 Rxb6 Rxb7 30 Rxb7, but I doubt this would save the game for White. 28 ... fxe6 29 dxe6 Here too White can sacrifice to break the attack, this time with 29 Rxb6 axb6 30 dxe6. Unfortunately for White, it seems to leave him with woefully inadequate compensation after 30 ... Re7. 29 ... Rf8!

A cruncher. 30 Rxb6 Qxg3! An important tactical point. 30 ... Rxb6 is not good because of 31 Qd5, when suddenly White is back in the game. 31 Rd2? White caves in, but the position is losing anyway. 31 ... Rxb6 32 Qxb6 axb6 33 e7 Qxg2+! Better than holding on to the material. 34 Kxg2 Re8 35 Rd4 Rxe7 36 Rc4 Kf7 37 a4 Ke8 0-1 Game 41 J.Arizmendi Martinez-M.Gurevich Andorra Open 2005 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 Nf3 Bg7 5 Be2 0-0 6 0-0 Bg4 7 Bg5 Nc6 8 h3 Bxf3 9 Bxf3 Nd7 10 Ne2

10 ... Qe8 Question: I guess that Black wants to play 11 ... e5, but isn’t that a cumbersome way to unpin the e-pawn? Why not play 10 ... h6 11 Bh4 g5 12 Bg3 e5? Answer: The problem with that is that Black would weaken his light squares, most notably f5. However, he could consider 10 ... h6 11 Bh4 and then 11 ... Qe8 followed by 12 ... e5. After 10 ... h6 there is in fact a good chance White would play 11 Be3 when 11 ... e5 12 c3 Nb6 13 Qb3 Na5 14 Qc2 Nac4 15 Bc1 exd4 16 Nxd4 Qh4 ½-½ was G.MilosZ.Azmaiparashvili, Spanish Team Championship 1992. 11 c3 Reinforcing the d4-pawn so as to keep Black’s bishop on g7 under lock and key. 11 ... e5 12 g3 Nb6

Question: What’s the idea behind that move? Answer: Black wants to play ... f7-f5 with play on the kingside, but at the moment this could be answered by Qb3+. So Black is shielding his b-pawn and at the same time introducing ideas like ... Nc4, should White’s g5 bishop retreat to e3. 13 dxe5 Question: I was more worried about 13 d5, taking space on the queenside. How would I play it after that? Answer: The closing of the centre would make Black’s kingside play with ... f7-f5 much more effective. It’s well known that an attack on the flank is best met by a counter in the centre, so when you close the centre this becomes much more difficult and both players would seek play on the flanks instead. A sample line is 13 d5 Nb8 (aiming to come to d7, which is a much better square than e7) 14 a4 a5 15 Nc1 N8d7 16 Nd3 f5 and Black has good counterplay. 13 ... Qxe5 14 Bf4 Qb5 Black’s queen is becoming very annoying for White and is in little danger of being trapped. Here he’s threatening to take on b2 of course. 15 b3 Ne5 16 Bg2 a5 And now the a-pawn joins the action, the idea being to weaken White’s queenside with ... a5-a4. 17 Nd4 Qa6 18 a4 c6

Question: Doesn’t that weaken the pawn on d6? Answer: It does slightly, but Black judges that stopping the white knight coming to b5 was much more important. Meanwhile the d-pawn can be defended, if necessary, by moving a rook to d8. And White has weaknesses of his own to take care of. 19 Qc2 Nbd7 20 Rfd1 Nc5 21 Be3 Qb6 21 ... Rfe8 might have been slightly better here, activating the rook on the half-open e-file. This is a typical move in such situations. 22 Rab1 Qc7 23 f4 Ned7 24 b4 Question: Isn’t White getting a lot of space here whilst at the same time driving Black’s pieces back? Answer: Yes, but at the same time he’s creating a lot of weaknesses at the back as all his pawns have now moved. This last move, by the way, involves an interesting exchange sacrifice which Black decides to decline. In any case his position is OK. 24 ... axb4 25 cxb4 Nxa4 26 Nb5 Exploiting the pin along the c-file. 26 ... Qb8 27 Nxd6 Nc3

28 e5 The point, White is offering one of his rooks, but has a massive knight on d6 and bishops that bear down on Black’s queenside. Gurevich decides to fight fire with fire and launches a counter sacrifice of a piece. 28 ... Nxe5!? 28 ... Nxd1 29 Rxd1 would give White lots of compensation for the exchange, and indeed Black would be well advised to break the bind with 29 ... Nxe5 30 fxe5 Bxe5, with chances for both sides. Gurevich’s choice to sacrifice straight away leads to a similar position. 29 fxe5 Bxe5 30 Ne4 Forcing Black’s hand. 30 ... Ra2 31 Qd3 Nxb1 32 Qxb1 Ra1 33 Qc2 Rxd1+ 34 Qxd1 Qd8 Activating the queen so as to reach an endgame or exchange another of White’s minor pieces with ... Be5-d4. If Black were to reach an endgame with a rook and two pawns against two minor pieces, he might well have some winning chances. 35 Qf3 Bd4 36 Kh2 Bxe3 37 Qxe3 Qe7 38 Qd4 ½-½

Question: Why did the players agree to a draw? Answer: Black’s nominal material advantage (rook and two pawns against two minor pieces) won’t be enough to make progress with the queens on the board. For if he advances his pawns his king will become more exposed, something that would not be the case with the queens having been exchanged.

Chapter Six Fianchetto Lines 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 g3

The Fianchetto Variation, with 4 g3, is known as a quiet system which aims at maintaining White’s e4/d4 pawn duo. It became popular in the 1980s when Anatoly Karpov and others used it to effect, though gradually Black discovered good methods of obtaining counterplay. 4 ... Bg7 5 Bg2 0-0 6 Nge2 The most harmonious set-up for White’s pieces that became the main line. Having said that, 6 Nf3 is sometimes still played, and can come about because White transposed into a Pirc from some other opening (for example, 1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 g6 3 g3 Bg7 4 Bg2 0-0 5 0-0 d6 6 Nc3 followed by 7 e4). In any case De Gleria-Kasimdzhanov demonstrates a good way to handle it for Black. Question: What’s the difference between these two moves and why is 6 Nge2 better? Answer: 6 Nf3 allows the knight to be pinned with ... Bg4 at some point and gets in the way of the bishop on g2. This has two effects. Firstly, White is not covering e4 as securely as he might like and, secondly, he’ll find it harder to open the h1-a8 diagonal.

This presents Black with some options like playing for ... b7-b5 that might not have been in the position after 6 Nge2. With 6 Nge2, on the other hand, White has e4 well protected and Black has to watch out for e4-e5, unveiling the bishop on g2 without also having to move the knight out of its way. One further advantage is that White can often play h2-h3, g3-g4 and then post his knight on g3. And yet another possibility is f2-f4 by White without moving his knight. 6 ... e5

Black doesn’t need further preparation for this move unless White’s knight is on f3. 7 h3 Question: What’s the point of that? Isn’t it a loss of time? Answer: White is mindful of the fact that Black might play 7 ... Nc6 and wants to defend the d4-pawn with Be3, and had he played 7 0-0 then 7 ... Nc6 (threatening 8 ... exd4 9 Nxd4 Nxe4!) 8 Be3 Ng4 is unpleasant. 7 ... c6 With White having used time to combat 7 ... Nc6 (7 h3 prepared 8 Be3), Black switches plans and stays flexible with his pawns. If White does not now prevent it, Black might expand on the queenside with 8 ... b5. 8 a4 Preventing 8 ... b5 by Black, but losing more time. And White is also creating a potential outpost for a black knight on b4 which could become quite annoying.

8 ... exd4 Looking to exploit White’s loss of time (7 h3 and 8 a4) by opening the position. Black will now be able to attack White’s e4-pawn along the e-file (possibly in conjunction with ... Na6-c5), and will often hit back in the centre with ... d6-d5. Question: Doesn’t Black’s d-pawn become weak in this situation? Answer: Potentially it can become weak, though to get at it White would have to deal with all sorts of other issues stemming from Black’s active pieces. Besides pressure against e4 ( ... Rf8-e8 and ... Nb8-a6-c5), Black might put pressure on the a7g1 diagonal with a timely ... Qd8-b6. This would all need to be neutralized before White could even think about exploiting the d6-pawn. Note that Black has a good alternative here in 8 ... a5 which will often lead to similar positions as 8 ... exd4 if Black captures on d4 at a later date. For an example of 8 ... a5 see Rasulov-Onischuk. 9 Nxd4 Re8 10 0-0 Na6 Aiming for either c5 or b4, depending on what White does. Note that in this line Black has done without playing ... a7-a5, possibly considering it an inefficient use of time once he has opened the position with 8 ... exd4. 11 Re1 Nb4

With the e4-pawn well defended Black chooses b4, but he might well have come to c5 after 11 Be3. Black has good counterplay and went on to win in StoockalovPonomariov. Game 42 V.Stoockalov-R.Ponomariov Ukrainian Team Championship 2000 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 g3 Bg7 5 Bg2 0-0 6 Nge2

It was eventually discovered that this is the most harmonious set-up for White’s pieces. 6 Nf3 will be explored in the game De Gleria-Kasimdzhanov. Question: What are the major differences between 6 Nge2 and 6 Nf3? Answer: The main ones are that the bishop on g2 continues to protect e4. Another important difference is that the knight cannot be pinned with ... Bc8-g4. Thirdly, it’s often a good idea for White to route the knight round to the kingside with h2-h3, g3-g4 and Ne2-g3. And, fourthly, White sometimes plays f2-f4 and the knight doesn’t block his f-pawn on e2. 6 ... e5 7 h3 c6

Question: I thought Black should put a knight on c6 here so as to put pressure on d4 and make White clarify the central tension? That’s what he did in the Classical System with 5 Be2 after all. Answer: The problem with that line is that although it’s playable, Black can’t actually force a good and dynamic central set-up. Instead, he makes room for the queen to come out to c7, b6 or a5 whilst covering up the d5-square and preparing a possible ... b7-b5. The important thing to note is that Black does not put his b8-knight on d7 in this line; it’s going to come out to a6 and possibly b4. 8 a4 Preventing 8 ... b5, but creating an outpost for a black knight on b4. If White just develops with 8 Be3 Black can indeed play 8 ... b5, after which 9 a3 Nbd7 10 0-0 Qc7

11 f4 Bb7 12 dxe5 dxe5 13 f5 a5 14 g4 b4 15 Nb1 c5 16 Nd2 Rfd8 17 Ng3 Nb6 18 g5 Ne8 19 Qf3 Nd6 20 Qf2 Ndc4 saw Black nicely regroup his pieces and gain counterplay in M.Bartel-M.Gurevich, Beijing (blitz) 2008. Gurevich’s play here is a great model of how to handle this situation for Black. 8 ... exd4 Black has another interesting option here in 8 ... a5, securing b4 in preparation for ... Na6 and possibly ... Nb4. I’ve given an example of this in Rasulov-Onischuk. 9 Nxd4 Re8 10 0-0 Na6 11 Re1 Nb4

12 Bg5 There is a subtle point to this move in that when Black drives the bishop away with 12 ... h6, White hopes he will no longer find it easy to play a later ... d5; e5 Nd7 and then undermine the e5-pawn with ... f6. However, the ... d5 plan still seems playable for Black as will be shown in the note to Black’s 13th move. Note that this is not White’s only option here, but the alternatives allow Black to get his ... d5 plan in. For example: a) 12 f4 d5 13 e5 Nd7 14 g4 Nf8 15 Nf3 f5 16 g5 Ne6 17 Na2 Na6 18 Be3 Bf8 was fine for Black in J.Jens-F.Konings, Dutch League 2012, as he has blockaded White’s e5pawn and is starting to activate on the queenside. b) 12 a5 d5 13 e5 Nd7 (13 ... Ne4 is also good, but I like the plan that Planinec uses here) 14 f4 f6 15 exf6 Rxe1+ 16 Qxe1 Nxf6 17 Nce2 Qf8 18 Bd2 Na6 19 Kh2 c5 20 Nf3 Bf5 and Black stood well in M.Bjelajac-A.Planinec, Zagreb 1977. 12 ... h6 13 Bd2 a5 As I mentioned above, 13 ... d5 seems playable here and after 14 e5 Nd7 15 f4 a5 Black wants to play 16 ... Nc5 and then ... f7-f6. Of course, there are those amongst us

who wouldn’t like playing ... h7-h6 and later ... f7-f6, but that doesn’t make it unplayable. 14 Re2 Bd7 Renouncing 14 ... d5 for the time being, possibly because Ponomariov considered it too easy for White to play. After 15 exd5 Rxe2 16 Ncxe2 Nbxd5 Black certainly seems to be fine, but the position may be somewhat drawish. 15 Be1 White doesn’t know what to do and finds a passive move which hands over the initiative to Black. 15 Ra3 was a better idea to meet 15 ... Qb6 with 16 Be3. 15 ... Qb6 16 Rd2 d5 17 exd5 Nbxd5 18 Nxd5 Nxd5

19 c4 19 Bxd5 cxd5 gives Black an isolated d-pawn, but White’s kingside is horribly weak without a light squared bishop. 19 ... Nf6 Black can win a pawn with 19 ... Bxd4 20 Rxd4 Rxe1+ 21 Qxe1 Qxd4 22 cxd5 cxd5 23 Rd1 Qxa4 24 Rxd5, but he might have thought that just dropping back with the knight would be more unpleasant for his opponent. Practical considerations often play a part in such decisions, for example the relative amount of thinking time. 20 f3 At least stopping 20 ... Ne4 and preparing to play 21 Bf2. Seeing no good way to exploit the pin on the a7-g1 diagonal, Ponomariov drops his queen back voluntarily. 20 ... Qc7 21 Bf2 Rad8 22 Rc1 h5 23 Rc3 Bh6 24 Rdd3 Bc8 25 g4?! This doesn’t look particularly wise; Black now has a new outpost on f4. 25 ... Bf4 26 b3 hxg4 27 hxg4

27 ... Bg3?! Allowing White to simplify, which certainly helps the defence. 27 ... Nd7 would have been far more unpleasant, aiming for c5 or e5. 28 Bxg3 Qxg3 29 Ne2 Qc7 30 Rxd8 Rxd8 31 Rd3 Re8 32 Qd2 Nd7 33 Re3 Qb6 34 Kf2 Rd8? 35 Qd4? After defending pretty well, White starts to slip. 35 Qc3 was better when the game continues. 35 ... Nc5 36 Qc3? And this loses on the spot. 36 Qf6 was the best try when 36 ... Nxb3 37 Kg3 Qxe3 38 Qxd8+ Kg7 39 Qxc8 Qxe2 40 Qxb7 Qxc4 leaves Black with an extra pawn but some work still to do. 36 ... Nd3+ 0-1 Game 43 V.Rasulov-V.Onischuk Nakhchivan Open 2015 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 g3 Bg7 5 Bg2 0-0 6 Nge2 e5 7 h3 c6 8 a4 a5

Question: Why did you give 8 ... exd4 in the previous game and 8 ... a5 here? I thought this was partially a repertoire book! Answer: The two moves are actually very similar; in both cases we’re looking to bring the knight on b8 to a6 and possibly b4. It’s also likely that Black will play ... exd4 after first playing 8 ... a5. I’ve presented a choice in this line to show that although the initial repertoire is rather prescriptive, you can choose your own path. And that might mean replacing some of the other lines I’ve given over time. 9 0-0 Na6 10 Be3 White has also tried 10 Bg5 here, but it’s nothing special. After 10 ... Nb4 11 Qd2 Be6 12 Rad1 Bc4 13 Rfe1 Qc7 14 b3 Ba6 15 Kh2 White felt so confident about his position that he offered a draw in B.Chatalbashev-V.Spasov, Plovdiv 1999. 10 ... exd4 11 Bxd4 After 11 Nxd4 White’s bishop is not especially well placed on e3, which is why he didn’t put it there when given a choice on move 12 in Stoockalov-Ponomariov. Here 11 ... Re8 12 Nde2 Nc5 13 Bxc5 (13 f3 is very weakening and blocks in the bishop on g2) 13 ... dxc5 14 Qxd8 Rxd8 15 Rad1 Be6 16 f4 Nd7 17 b3 f5 18 e5 Bf8 was slightly better for Black in S.Grover-E.Rozentalis, Kavala 2010. The two bishops will help Black activate his queenside pawns whilst White’s kingside majority is firmly blockaded. 11 ... Be6

Question: What’s Black’s plan here? Answer: Essentially he wants to play ... d6-d5 in order to equalize in the centre. Besides doing this with 11 ... Be6, he could also try to do it with 11 ... Nb4: for example, 12 f4 Re8 13 g4 d5 14 e5 Nd7 15 Ng3 b6 16 Re1 Ba6 17 Na2 Nxa2 18 Rxa2 Qc7 was nice for Black in S.Martinovic-S.Gligoric, Budva 1986. The idea of undermining e5 with ... f7-f6 actually encouraged White to play 19 g5, which is hardly a good sign for White because it makes his kingside pawn majority very difficult to advance. 12 g4 An aggressive, but thematic move. Given time White will play 13 Ng3 followed by g4-g5, exchanging off Black’s king’s bishop and then proceeding with f2-f4-f5. So this is no time for Black to react passively! A couple of alternatives have been tried here: a) 12 Qd2 Nb4 13 Rad1 Re8 14 Rfe1 Qc7 15 Nf4 Rad8 16 Qc1 (16 Nb1 was tried in F.Prochownik-A.Sznapik, Piotrkow Trybunalski 1977, and now Black should probably just play 16 ... Nd7 17 Bxg7 Kxg7 18 Qd4+ f6 when the weakness of d6 is compensated for by Black’s nice control of dark squares and the better bishop; after 19 Qxd6 Qxd6 20 Rxd6 Nc5 21 Nxe6+ Nxe6 22 Rxd8 Rxd8 23 Na3 Nc5 24 b3 Rd2 Black has full compensation for the pawn) 16 ... Bc8 17 b3 intending Qb2 is a good plan used in A.Zubarev-I.Timoshenko, Alushta 1999. Black might well respond to this with 17 ... Nd7 (rather than the 17 ... Re7 that was played in the game) when 18 Bxg7 Kxg7 19 Qb2 Ne5 20 Nce2 f6 gives Black good dark-square control and the better bishop to

compensate for White’s extra space and the slight weakness of d6. b) 12 f4 Bc4 13 Re1 Nb4 14 g4 was the continuation of L.Vajda-D.Dumitrache, Bucharest 1998, and now the engine likes 14 ... Re8 rather than 14 ... d5 as played. 12 ... d5 An equaliser. Although Black now contracts an isolated pawn, White’s position also has weaknesses. 13 exd5 Nxd5 14 Bxg7 Kxg7 15 Nxd5 Bxd5 16 Bxd5 Qxd5

Keeping the queens on with 16 ... cxd5 is also interesting: for example, 17 Qd4+ Kg8 18 Rad1 Rc8 gives Black adequate counterplay. 17 Qxd5 cxd5 18 Rfd1 Rfd8 19 Rd4 Rac8 20 c3 Rc4 21 Rad1 ½-½ Black has equalized here: for example, after 21 ... Rxd4 22 Rxd4 Nc7 23 Nf4 Kf6 24 h4 Ke5 25 Kg2 Ne6 the knights come off with a drawn rook endgame. Game 44 F.De Gleria-R.Kasimdzhanov German League 1998 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 g3 Bg7 5 Bg2 0-0 6 Nf3 White often tried this in the early days of the g3 systems before discovering that 6 Nge2 was a better idea. Opening theory often features such finesses which then gather steam as more people jump on board. These days the 6 Nf3 line is generally reached by non-Pirc move orders: for example, 1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 g6 3 g3 Bg7 4 Bg2 0-0 5 0-0 d6 6 Nc3 c6 7 e4 transposes to the position after White’s 7th move. 6 ... c6 7 0-0 Qc7

7 ... b5 is only going to be OK if Black has first played ... e7-e5, blocking the advance of White’s e-pawn. Right now it would be strongly met by 8 e5. 8 a4 e5 Mission accomplished. 9 dxe5 Giving up his pawn duo without a fight after which Black’s position is already quite promising. 9 h3 makes more sense here though this doesn’t look like anything special for White either. K.Landa-L.Yurtaev, Tomsk 1997, continued 9 ... Re8 10 Re1 Na6 11 Be3 Nb4 12 a5 Bd7 13 dxe5 dxe5 14 Bc5 Bf8 15 Bxf8 Kxf8 16 Qd2 Kg7 with at least equality for Black. 9 ... dxe5 10 a5 Na6

Question: I thought that a knight on the rim is grim? Answer: Often that’s the case, but it’s a generalization with many exceptions. In this particular case the knight is very well placed there as it might make its way to d4 via c5 and e6. It also leaves the bishop on c8 free to get out and doesn’t block the action of a rook on d8. 11 Qe2 Rd8 12 h3 Preparing to bring his bishop to e3 without having to worry about ... Nf6-g4. 12 ... Nc5 13 Qc4 Ne6?! 13 ... Bf8 might have been more annoying for White as 14 Be3 is strongly met by 14 ... Be6 15 Qe2 Ncxe4, winning a pawn. After Kasimdzhanov’s move White seems to have slightly the better of it. 14 Be3 Bd7 15 Rfd1 b5 Freeing himself of the burden of defending a7 with a rook. 16 axb6 axb6 17 Ng5

17 ... Rxa1 17 ... b5 looks more accurate here. Question: Isn’t that answered by 18 Nxe6 Bxe6 19 Nxb5? Answer: That might have been what Black was concerned about, but in fact it can be met by 19 ... Rxa1 20 Rxa1 Qb7, winning a piece. 18 Rxa1 h6 19 Nxe6 Bxe6 20 Qa6 Rb8 21 Qa7 It seems at first sight as if White is pressing, but Black can repel borders. 21 ... Rb7 22 Qa8+ Kh7 22 ... Rb8 23 Qa7 would repeat the position, but given the rating difference Kasimdzhanov no doubt wanted to keep the game going. 23 f4 b5 24 Kh2?! Starting to lose his way. White should have played 24 Qa6 when the struggle is still balanced. 24 ... b4 25 Na4 And here 25 Nd1 was better, avoiding the coming problems on the a-file. 25 ... exf4 26 gxf4 Rb5 Threatening 27 ... Ra5. White’s reply is more or less forced. 27 Qa7 Qxa7 28 Bxa7 Ra5

Setting up a very nasty pin. 29 Bb6 Ra8 30 Bc5? This ‘feels’ like the right square until you consider Black’s reply. 30 Be3 would have been a better idea. 30 ... Nh5! 30 ... Nd7 was another strong move, after which 31 Bxb4 Nb6 leaves White unable to defend the knight with 32 b3 because he would lose the rook on a1. 31 f5 31 Be3 is strongly met by 31 ... g5! when 32 fxg5 Be5+ 33 Kg1 hxg5 34 Bxg5 Rg8 35 h4 f6 wins for Black as when the bishop moves White gets hit by ... Be6-h3. White’s best might have been 31 Bxb4, but then 31 ... Nxf4 would be better for Black because of his strongly placed knight on f4. 31 ... Bc4 32 fxg6+ fxg6 Threatening 33 ... Bb5, winning the knight because White’s b-pawn is pinned to the rook on a1. 33 Bxb4 Bb5 33 ... Be5+! 34 Kg1 Bb5 would have been even stronger. 34 Rd1? The last try was 34 Bd6 when 34 ... Rxa4 35 Rxa4 Bxa4 36 b3 Bb5 37 c4 Ba6 38 e5 allows White to put up a fight. 34 ... Rxa4 35 c3 Ra7 Defending his second rank against a possible Rd1-d7. 36 Bf3 Be5+ 37 Kg1 Nf4 38 Rd8 Nxh3+ 39 Kg2 Nf4+ 40 Kf2 Nd3+ 0-1

Chapter Seven Other Lines 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6

In this section we will be looking at a variety of unusual white systems. 4 Nf3 There are a couple of independent lines associated with 4 Be2. After 4 ... Bg7 White can play either 5 h4 (see Rakhmangulov-Balashov) or 5 g4 (see KovacevicSeirawan). Both these lines are messy and unclear, but with Black having his share of the chances if he knows what he’s doing. White has also played 4 Bf4 (covered within Grosar-Smirin), and the tricky 4 Bc4 Bg7 5 Qe2 (see Kveinys-Gurevich), which was popular in the UK when I first started playing the Pirc. Once again Black needs to know what he’s doing, so don’t neglect these lines as they may well crop up. 4 ... Bg7 5 Bf4 Here too White can play 5 Bc4. Although this has gone out of fashion at GM level it can still crop up in club games, so study Jaracz-Gurevich carefully. 5 ... Nc6!?

A clever way of exploiting the early Bf4. If White attacks the knight with 6 d5, Black can counter with 6 ... e5!. Note that Black also has an interesting alternative here in 5 ... a6!?, which is quite similar to the 5 Be3 a6 lines. 6 Qd2 Bg4 Intensifying the pressure on d4. 7 d5 Bxf3 8 gxf3 White might have tried 8 dxc6 here when 8 ... Bxe4 9 Nxe4 Nxe4 10 Qb4 Nxf2 11 Kxf2 bxc6 is messy. After the text Black played 8 ... Ne5 in Grosar-Smirin and achieved very decent counterplay, but note that this line has been little explored and both sides might have improvements. Game 45 B.Jaracz-M.Gurevich Forni di Sopra Open 2011 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 Nf3 Bg7 5 Bc4

Question: That looks natural. Why isn’t it one of the main lines? Answer: It’s an old-fashioned move that was popular in the early days of the Pirc Defence. These days its terrors have been thoroughly shorn, but that doesn’t mean that Black doesn’t have to know what he’s doing. There are plenty of pitfalls for the unwary. 5 ... 0-0 6 Qe2 Bg4 Aiming to make life difficult for White by applying pressure against d4. 7 e5 White’s most consistent and logical response, but Black needs to consider the alternatives too: a) 7 0-0 can be met by 7 ... Nc6 8 Rd1 e5 9 dxe5 Nxe5. b) 7 Bg5 is also well met by 7 ... Nc6 when if 8 0-0-0 h6 9 Be3 e5 10 d5 (10 dxe5 is relatively best, but nothing special for White after 10 ... Nxe5) 10 ... Nd4 11 Bxd4 exd4 12 Rxd4 Nd7 13 Rd3 (13 Rdd1 Bxc3 14 bxc3 Ne5 15 h3 Bxf3 16 gxf3 Qf6 recovers the pawn with an excellent game) 13 ... Ne5 14 Re3 Bf6 and White has no good defence to the threat of ... Bg5, winning the exchange. 7 ... dxe5 8 dxe5 Nfd7 9 e6 Ne5! 10 exf7+ Kh8

Question: Is this really OK for Black? He’s lost a pawn and his kingside has been destroyed! Answer: Keep calm, and look at the positives. Whilst White has been charging his e-pawn forwards, Black has developed his pieces and is gaining very active play. Black’s king looks safe on h8 and it’s not clear where White’s will live. 11 Bd5 In this highly complex position White has tried several different moves, but Black seems OK in all cases: a) 11 Be3 is best met by 11 ... e6 (according to Fritz; 11 ... Bxf3 12 gxf3 Nxc4 13 Qxc4 Nc6 14 h4 Ne5 wasn’t too bad for Black either in J.Hickl-M.Stangl, Altensteig 1990) 12 Ne4 Nbc6 13 Ned2 Qf6 14 h3 Nxf3+ 15 Nxf3 Bxf3 16 Qxf3 Qxf3 17 gxf3 Rxf7 is about equal. b) 11 Bh6 is an ingenious try, attempting to decoy Black’s g7-bishop from the defence of the knight on e5 and meet 11 ... Nxf3+ with 12 gxf3, hitting the bishop on g4. However, Black can meet this well with 11 ... Nbc6 when 12 Rd1 Qc8 13 Bxg7+ Kxg7 14 Bd5 Qf5 15 Qe4 Qxe4+ 16 Bxe4 Bxf3 17 gxf3 Rxf7 was even slightly better for Black in T.Todorov-R.Tashkov, Belogradchik 2010. c) 11 h4 is a move thrown forward by the engine and needs to be handled accurately by Black. After 11 ... Nbc6 12 h5 gxh5 it’s difficult for White to break through on the kingside: for example, 13 Qe4 Nxc4 14 Qxc4 Bxf3 15 gxf3 Qd4 is already at least equal for Black. 11 ... Nbc6 12 Be3 e6 13 Bxc6

Possibly not the best. A couple of other moves have been played here: a) 13 Be4 is well met by 13 ... Bxf3 14 Bxf3 Nd4 15 Bxd4 Qxd4 when 16 Bxb7 Rab8 will pick up the pawn on b2 with a good game for Black. b) 13 h3 Bxf3 14 Bxf3 Nd4 15 Bxd4 Qxd4 16 0-0 was J.Franzen-J.Lechtynsky, Sumperk 1984, and now 16 ... Qb6 was probably best, with at least equality for Black. 13 ... bxc6 14 h3? This is a clear loss of time after which Black is clearly better. White would have been better off trying 14 Bh6!, after which 14 ... Nxf3+ 15 gxf3 Bh5 16 Bxg7+ Kxg7 is nice for Black, but probably better for White than the game. 14 ... Nxf3+ 15 gxf3 Bh5 16 Ne4 Rxf7 17 Ng5 Rf6 18 Rd1 Qe7

The engine tells me that 18 ... Qf8! is even stronger here. In any case White now errs and the game ends quickly. 19 Bd4? This looks natural, but Black’s reply wins material. 19 Qc4 would have kept White in the game: for example, 19 ... Qe8 20 0-0 h6 21 Ne4 Rxf3 is bad, but far from over. 19 ... Rf5 20 Bxg7+ 20 h4 Bxd4 21 Rxd4 h6 is also quite hopeless. 20 ... Kxg7 21 h4 h6 22 Nxe6+ Kf7 23 Rd3 Qxe6 0-1 Game 46 A.Kveinys-M.Gurevich Bonn 1996 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 Bc4 Bg7 5 Qe2

A trappy line that was popular in the UK in the early 1980s. It’s likely to be played more at club level than it is by grandmasters, but probably won’t crop up that much in any case. 5 ... Nc6 6 e5

6 ... Ng4 Question: What’s White’s idea after 6 ... Nxd4? Answer: He wants to sacrifice his queen with 7 exf6 Nxe2 8 fxg7 Rg8 9 Ngxe2, which leads to very murky positions. As 5 Qe2 exponents will probably get this more than you, it’s best avoided. 7 Bb5 Protecting his central pawns (7 ... dxe5 is answered by 8 d5), but losing time with the bishop. Still, this might be White’s best. After 7 e6 the practical choice is 7 ... f5 (7 ... Nxd4 may be good as well, though sensible people don’t try to memorize complicated lines that come up once in a decade, if that) 8 h3, after which 8 ... Nf6 9 d5 Na5 10 Bd3 c6 11 g4 f4 12 h4?! Nxd5 13 Nxd5 cxd5 was nice for Black in A.Sanahuja Palomo-M.Narciso Dublan, Barcelona 2006. 7 ... 0-0 8 Bxc6 Eliminating the pressure against e5, but at the cost of the two bishops. 8 Nf3 allows Black to take the e5-pawn with 8 ... dxe5 9 dxe5 Ncxe5. 8 ... bxc6 9 h3 Nh6 10 Nf3 c5!

Immediately setting about destroying White’s centre. When you play the Pirc you have to be prepared to play such moves and not be too meticulous about the immediate pawn count. 11 dxc5 Bb7 Getting a second bishop diagonal and preparing for ... Nf5 followed by ... Bxf3 and capturing on e5. Question: Couldn’t we just get the pawn back with 11 ... dxc5? Answer: Unfortunately that would not be very good for Black after just 12 0-0 intending Rd1, and after the relatively best 12 ... Nf5 Black still ends up a pawn down after 13 Rd1 Nd4 14 Qc4 Nxf3+ 15 gxf3 Qe8 16 Qxc5. If he tries to recover it with 16 ... Bxh3 then 17 Nd5 is very strong. 12 Bxh6 This stays a pawn up for the time being, but Black’s bishops are very strong here. White has been successful with alternatives here, but it was not because of the positions he obtained. For example: a) 12 Bd2 Nf5 13 0-0-0 Bxf3 14 Qxf3 Bxe5 15 h4 was played in S.KindermannW.Swic, St Johan in der Haide 1981, and now 15 ... Rb8 was best when Black has excellent play. b) 12 0-0 Nf5 13 cxd6 cxd6 14 exd6 Qxd6 15 Rd1 Qc6 16 Nd5 Rfd8 was already better for Black in B.Hund-D.Birnbaum, German League 2004, although he only lasted a few more moves after making a mistake. 12 ... Bxh6 13 0-0 Rb8 14 Rfd1

Kveinys would later play 14 Rab1 in this position, but even then Black had excellent compensation for the pawn after 14 ... Bg7 15 exd6 exd6 16 cxd6 Qxd6 in A.Kveinys-S.Keskinen, Jyvaskyla 2001. Again the final result was largely due to the 300-point rating difference between the players rather than any particular merits in White’s position. 14 ... Bg7 15 Ne4 Qe8 16 b4 Qc6 17 Nc3

17 ... dxc5 Arguably not the best capture. The engine prefers 17 ... dxe5 here, after which 18 Nd5 Rfe8 is fine for Black. This may be why Kveinys later chose 14 Rab1 against Keskinen. 18 b5 And this too seems not to be the best. White should play 18 Nd5 when 18 ... Qe6 19 Nxc7 Bxf3 20 Qxf3 Qc4 is about equal. 18 ... Qe6 19 Re1 Rfd8 20 Rab1 Bxf3 21 Qxf3 Bxe5 Winning a pawn, though White is not without counterplay. 21 ... Rd2 might have been more precise. 22 Qe3 Bxc3 23 Qxc3 Qd6 24 Re5 c4

24 ... c6 was the best chance to keep a small edge. After Gurevich’s choice it looks equal. 25 Rbe1 e6 26 Qxc4 Rd7 Here too there’s a case for 26 ... c6 to eliminate the weak c-pawn: for example, 27 Qxc6 Qxc6 28 bxc6 Rb6 with equality. It seems likely that Gurevich rejected this line because he wanted to win. 27 Rc5 Qd2 28 Re4 Rbd8 29 Qc3 White is slightly better now and Gurevich needs to play accurately to secure the draw. 29 ... Qd1+ 30 Re1 Qd6 31 Rc6 Qf4 32 Qe5 Qxe5 33 Rxe5 Rd1+ 34 Kh2 R8d2 35 Rxc7 Rxf2 36 Rxa7 Rxc2 37 a4 Rb2 38 Re3 Ra1 39 Rf3 Raa2 The play against White’s kingside and the optimal placement of the rooks behind White’s pawns guarantees a draw. 40 Rfxf7 Rxg2+ 41 Kh1 Rh2+ 42 Kg1 Rag2+ 43 Kf1 Rc2 44 Kg1 Rcg2+ ½-½ Game 47 A.Rakhmangulov-Y.Balashov Kolomna 2013 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 Be2 Bg7 5 h4 h5

Question: Doesn’t that weaken Black’s kingside? Answer: In a way, though the same can be said of White’s 5 h4. Meanwhile Black is making it hard for White to open lines in that sector as it will be very hard for him to play g2-g4. 6 Nf3 0-0 7 Ng5 Question: Isn’t that a bit primitive? Black’s king looks way too solid for that attack to work! Answer: In fact it’s not an attacking move at all. White’s main goal is to secure the e4-pawn and use his newly discovered outpost on g5. Question: But what about the weakening of White’s d4-square? Answer: Well, yes, indeed. And that is where Black now directs his counterattack. 7 ... Nc6

This makes sense with White’s knight having gone to g5; Black is taking aim at d4 and can follow up with ... e7-e5. Question: Can’t Black also counterattack with 7 ... c5? Answer: Unfortunately that’s not so good here as after 8 dxc5 Qa5 White can play 9 cxd6 because the pawn on e4 is protected by his g5-knight, making 9 ... Nxe4 impossible. 8 Be3 White has also played 8 f3, but this allows Black the opportunity to play 8 ... e5 9 d5 Nd4. After 10 Be3 c6 11 dxc6 bxc6 12 Kf2 Rb8 13 Rb1 Qa5 14 Qd2 Nxe2 15 Nxe2 Qxd2 16 Bxd2 d5 Black was better in M.Braun-P.Molnar, Hungarian League 2012. 8 ... a6!? An interesting and somewhat provocative move by Balashov, presumably playing ‘for the win’, yet he might have been better off with a more standard continuation. 8 ... e5 seems fine for Black here: for example, 9 d5 Ne7 (9 ... Nd4 10 Bxd4 exd4 11 Qxd4 seems to leave Black with inadequate compensation for the pawn) 10 f3 c6 11 Qd2 (11 dxc6 bxc6 12 0-0 d5 13 Na4 Ne8 14 Nc5 Nc7 15 Qe1 f6 16 Nh3 Ne6 17 Rd1 Qb6 was better for Black at this stage in Z.Mestrovic-T.Navinsek, Zadar 2003) 11 ... cxd5 12 exd5 a6 13 a4 Qa5!? 14 b4 Qd8 left White with no particularly safe place for his king in T.Martschausky-D.Margraf, Oldenburg 2001. 9 f3 b5 10 Qd2 e5 11 d5 11 dxe5 Nxe5 12 0-0-0 was certainly worth considering though White’s castled king doesn’t look that safe on the queenside and his knight on g5 gets in the way of the

traditional attempt to exchange Black’s dark-squared bishop with Be3-h6. 11 ... Nd4!

12 Bf1 This seems rather retrograde, but White wants to embarrass the knight with 13 Nd1 and 14 c3. Question: What if White takes the pawn with 12 Bxd4 exd4 13 Qxd4? Answer: Black would obtain excellent compensation with 13 ... Nh7 14 Qd2 b4 15 Nd1 Nxg5 16 hxg5 Re8 because of the long-term weakness of White’s dark squares due to his lack of a dark-squared bishop and pawns committed to light squares. 12 ... c5 Apparently securing the knight on its outpost, but White’s reply threatens to win it. 12 ... Nd7 can also be answered by 13 Nd1 when 13 ... f6 14 Nh3 b4 15 c3 (and not 15 Qxb4 because of 15 ... Nxc2+) 15 ... bxc3 16 bxc3 Nb5 17 a4 Na7 18 Nb2 leaves White better due to the weaknesses in Black’s queenside. 13 Nd1 13 dxc6 Nxc6 14 0-0-0 doesn’t look incredibly comfortable for Black either. 13 ... b4 Essential rescue operations for the knight. We now get a position that is highly reminiscent of a King’s Indian Defence, though not a particularly great one for Black. The main plus point is that it’s not easy for White to find a safe place for his king. 14 c3 bxc3 15 bxc3 Nb5 16 a4 Nc7 17 Nb2 Heading for the nice outpost on c4, which normally White wouldn’t have in the

King’s Indian.

17 ... Rb8 18 Nc4 This knight is very well placed here. 18 ... Nh7 19 Nxh7 Kxh7 20 Be2 Ne8 21 Bg5 f6 22 Be3 f5 An essential lever in such structures lest Black get strangled to death. 23 Bg5 Nf6?! A curious choice from Balashov who might have been driven by ‘practical matters’ at this moment. 23 ... Bf6 seems like the right choice here with Black’s position being not too bad. Balashov knows full well that exchanging Black’s dark-squared bishop is a desirable thing to do, but he might have wanted to exploit his opponent’s time trouble. 24 exf5 Bxf5 25 0-0 e4 Playing first and foremost for activity. And to exploit this move White feels obliged to further weaken his king position. 26 g4 hxg4 27 fxg4 Bc8 28 Rf4

28 ... Rb7 29 Raf1 Rbf7 30 Qc2 Qc7 31 h5 This looks very good for White, though judging from the remaining moves at least one of the players was in serious time trouble. 31 ... gxh5 32 Bxf6 Bxf6 33 Qxe4+ Kh8 34 Qg6 Qe7 35 Re4? 35 R1f2 would have been winning for White: for example, 35 ... Rg7 36 Qh6+ Rh7 37 Qxf8+ Qxf8 38 Rxf6 Qe7 39 Rf8+ Kg7 40 R8f7+ Qxf7 41 Rxf7+ Kxf7 42 Nxd6+ wins the bishop on c8 and gives White a won endgame. 35 ... Qd8 36 Ref4 Bxg4 Perhaps seeing that 36 ... Qe7 is answered by 37 R1f2, Balashov avoids the repetition, but the capture on g4 shouldn’t save him either. 37 Bxg4 hxg4 37 ... Rg7 38 Qh6+ Rh7 39 Qxf8+ Qxf8 40 Rxf6 would see Black having to surrender his queen. 38 Qh6+? 38 Kg2! would have been the end of the road for Black: for example, 38 ... Rg7 39 Rxf6 Rxg6 40 Rxf8+ goes a piece up. 38 ... Kg8 39 Nxd6 39 Rxg4+ Rg7 40 Rxg7+ Bxg7 41 Qe6+ Kh8 42 Qh3+ Kg8 43 Rxf8+ Bxf8 might have been slightly better for White, but his golden opportunity has passed. 39 ... Rh7 40 Qg6+ ½-½ Game 48 V.Kovacevic-Y.Seirawan Wijk aan Zee 1980

1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 Be2 Bg7 5 g4 A highly aggressive plan which aims for a kingside pawn storm. The only problem is that Black hasn’t committed his king to that sector. 5 ... c6 6 g5 Nfd7 7 h4 b5 Black counters White’s plan with his own expansion on the queenside. 8 h5 In a later game, J.Rigo-Z.Szabo, Budapest 2000, White decided against pushing on straight away in favour of 8 Nf3. After 8 ... Nb6 9 h5 Rg8 10 hxg6 hxg6 11 Rh7 N8d7 12 Be3 Bb7 13 a4 b4 14 Nb1 a5 15 c3 c5 a complex struggle arose in which Black had his share of the chances. 8 ... Rg8

Question: That’s a weird-looking move. What’s the idea? Answer: Black is vacating the h8-square for his bishop, should White push on next move with 9 h6. 9 hxg6 hxg6 10 Nf3 b4 11 Nb1 a5 12 a4 c5 Question: Doesn’t that give White the b5-square for his bishop? Answer: It does, but Black judges that this is a minor factor and that it’s more important to expand on the queenside and hit White in the centre. 13 d5 Nb6 14 c4

14 ... Kd7! Question: That’s another really weird move. Isn’t Black’s king in serious danger here? Answer: In fact Black’s king is quite safe here due to the pawns being locked in the centre and on the queenside. Meanwhile Black is now ready to challenge for control of the h-file with 15 ... Rh8. 15 Nbd2 Rh8 16 Rg1 This creates an interesting parallel with Seirawan’s 8 ... Rg8. 16 ... Kc7 17 Rb1 Getting his rook off the long diagonal in preparation for 18 b3. This game certainly makes a strange impression, almost as if it had been played by two martians! 17 ... Rh3 18 b3 Qh8

Richard Réti used to like such moves with White, putting his queen’s bishop on b2 and then arranging for his queen to go to a1. In this case it not only brings the power of the queen to bear on the h8-a1 diagonal, there’s a bonus in that it helps control the open h-file. 19 Nf1 N8d7 20 Bf4 Ne5 21 Nxe5 Bxe5 22 Bxe5 Qxe5 It’s now clear that Black is better. His queen occupies a dominant position whilst White meanwhile has weaknesses on the light squares and his king is unsafe. 23 f3 Bd7 24 Qc2 Qd4 25 Rg2 Rh1 26 Rf2 Qh8 Noting White’s intention to play f3-f4, Seirawan transfers his queen back to the hfile and towards h4. 27 f4 Qh4 28 Rd1 f6 29 gxf6 exf6

30 e5? Aiming for counterplay, but in reality just making matters worse. 30 Bf3 would have been more stubborn. 30 ... fxe5 31 fxe5 31 Qxg6 exf4 is also hopeless for White. 31 ... Rf8 32 exd6+ 32 Bd3 Bh3 leaves White completely tied up and in a hopeless position. 32 ... Kb7 33 Bd3 Re8+ 0-1 White is facing a catastrophic loss of material. Game 49 A.Grosar-I.Smirin Bratto 1997 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 Nf3 Black can meet 4 Bf4 with 4 ... Bg7 (or 4 ... a6 if he wants to also follow my 5 ... a6 suggestion after 4 Nf3 Bg7 5 Bf4) when 5 Qd2 is still met by 5 ... Nc6!, pressing on d4 as in the game. After 6 0-0-0 (6 Nf3 Bg4 transposes back into the main game) 6 ... 0-0 7 f3 (7 Bh6 Bxh6 8 Qxh6 would see Black hit back in the centre with 8 ... e5!) 7 ... a6 8 g4 (8 Bh6 is once again met by a blow in the centre: 8 ... e5 9 d5 Nd4) 8 ... Qe8 9 Bh6 e5 10 d5 Nd4 11 h4 c5 12 h5 b5!? led to a complex and double-edged game in S.Van Blitterswijk-L.Ftacnik, Dutch League 1997. 4 ... Bg7 5 Bf4

Question: What’s the idea behind this move besides just getting the bits out? Answer: This is a rare, but quite playable line. White has the usual idea of playing Qd2 and Bh6, but he might also be angling for a quick e4-e5. The drawback is that the bishop can become a target on f4 and be forced to lose time by moving should Black play ... e7-e5. 5 ... Nc6 Again this counterattacking move, aiming to play ... e5 in many lines. Yet given that Smirin’s play in the main line involves a messy sacrifice of a piece for three pawns I have a second suggestion in 5 ... a6!?, which has similarities to the 5 Be3 a6 lines considered earlier. We’re getting into little-known territory here, but M.Kandic-M.Socko, Gibraltar 2009, continued 6 e5 (6 Qd2 0-0 7 Bh6 b5 transposes into Rydstrom-Jones we used as a model for Black in the 5 Be3 line considered earlier in Chapter Four) 6 ... Nh5 7 Bg5 Nc6 8 exd6 Qxd6 9 d5 Nb4 10 Bd3 Nxd5 with a good extra pawn for Black.

Exercise: How would you meet 6 d5? Answer: Black does not need to move the knight, but can counterattack with 6 ... e5!, obtaining an excellent game. 6 Qd2 Bg4 7 d5 Bxf3 Question: Can’t Black still play 7 ... e5 here, as he did after 6 ... e5? Answer: Sadly not, as with the bishop on g4 White can play 8 dxc6 exf4 9 cxb7, etc. 8 gxf3 White has a major alternative here in 8 dxc6, after which 8 ... Bxe4 (8 ... Nxe4 isn’t as good after 9 Qe3) 9 Nxe4 Nxe4 10 Qb4 Nxf2 11 Kxf2 bxc6 produces a messy position in which Black has three pawns for the piece. This is not everyone’s cup of tea, especially as the engines favour White at this moment, and for this reason I’ve given an alternative treatment for Black in 5 ... a6. 8 ... Ne5 9 Be2 c6 10 0-0-0 0-0

11 Bh6 In a game Shredder 8-C.Valiente, Vicente Lopez 2004, White played 11 Kb1 instead, but after 11 ... cxd5 12 Nxd5 Nxd5 13 Qxd5 Qb6 14 Be3 Qc7 15 Bd4 Rac8 16 c3 a6 17 f4 e6 18 Qb3 Nd7 Black had good counterplay. 11 ... Bxh6 12 Qxh6 cxd5 13 Nxd5 Nxd5 14 Rxd5 Rc8 15 f4 Qc7 Threatening mate on c2 in keeping with the counterattacking spirit of the Pirc. 16 c3 e6 Again choosing counterattack over defence, and rightly so. After 16 ... Nd7 17 h4 Nf6 White can ignore the attack on his rook with 18 h5!. 17 Rd4 Nc6 Care is needed here. After 17 ... Qb6 18 Rhd1 Nc6 White can play 19 R4d3 threatening to go to h3. 18 Rd2 f5 Again hitting back, this time in the centre. Note that Black’s queen on c7 is now able to help defend the king along the second rank. 19 Rhd1 fxe4 20 Rxd6 Rcd8 21 Rxd8 Rxd8 22 Rxd8+ Nxd8

23 Qg5 Nf7 24 Qf6 Qb6 25 Bc4 Threatening the pawn on e6, but once again Black is ready with his own counterattack. 25 ... Qxf2 26 Bxe6 Qe1+ ½-½ It’s a draw by perpetual check: for example, 27 Kc2 Qe2+ 28 Kb3 Qb5+ 29 Ka3 Qa5+, etc.

Chapter Eight Third Move Alternatives 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6

Here we’ll look at alternatives to 3 Nc3. White can also defend the e4-pawn with 3 Bd3, 3 Nd2 and 3 f3. And they’re all quite interesting. 3 f3 3 Bd3 and 3 Nd2 are examined in Rausis-Davies and Dreev-Gharamian respectively. The move 3 f3 is probably the most serious of White’s third move alternatives, certainly judging from the players who have used it (Garry Kasparov, Viswanathan Anand, Boris Gelfand and others). 3 ... c5 4 Ne2 4 d5 is examined in Gelfand-Azmaiparashvili. 4 ... e6 5 Be3 d5!?

This last move produced a complex and double-edged game in Galkin-Kramnik. Black didn’t need to sacrifice a piece in the way that Kramnik did though this was certainly very interesting. Game 50 I.Rausis-N.Davies Dhaka 2001 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Bd3

A Rausis speciality. White develops a piece and at the same time keeps open the option of reinforcing his d4-pawn with c2-c3. 3 ... e5 Question: Can’t Black just play 3 ... g6 anyway, for the sake of simplicity? Answer: He can, but Black’s life is anything but simple after that. White then has several interesting 4th moves leading to quite different types of game: for example, 4 c4, 4 f4 and 4 Nf3. Hitting straight back in the centre makes Black’s life easier. 4 c3 White has tried other moves here, but Black always has good counterplay. For example: a) 4 d5 Nbd7 5 Ne2 c6 6 c4 Nc5 7 Nbc3 Nxd3+ 8 Qxd3 Be7 9 Rb1 0-0 10 b4 cxd5 11 cxd5 Nh5 12 0-0 f5 gave Black excellent counterplay in G.Hertneck-M.Adams, Munich 1993. b) 4 Nf3 exd4 5 Nxd4 g6 creates a set-up in which the bishop on d3 is awkwardly placed: for example, 6 0-0 Bg7 7 Re1 0-0 8 Nc3 Nc6 9 Bf1 was L.Aronian-P.Svidler, Moscow (blitz) 2009, and now Black’s simplest was probably 9 ... Nxd4 10 Qxd4 Ng4 11 Qd2 (11 Qd3 Qh4 12 Qg3 Qxg3 13 hxg3 Bd4 is awkward for White) 11 ... Re8 12 h3 Ne5, when White’s queen is awkwardly placed. 4 ... d5 Striking back in the centre like this is the most direct way to get counterplay. 5 dxe5 5 exd5 exd4 6 cxd4 Bb4+ 7 Bd2 Bxd2+ 8 Qxd2 0-0 9 Nc3 Nxd5 was fine for Black at this stage in G.Kamsky-K.Landa, Internet (blitz) 2006. 5 ... Nxe4

6 Nd2 Winning a pawn with 6 Bxe4?! dxe4 7 Qa4+ Bd7 8 Qxe4 is not to be recommended. After 8 ... Bc6 9 Qg4 h5 10 Qh3 Qd7 Black obtains a strong initiative. Meanwhile 6 Nf3 Nc6 7 Nbd2 Nc5 would just transpose back into the game after 8 Bb1 or to the note to White’s 7th move after 8 Bc2. 6 ... Nc5 7 Bb1 Question: That looks a bit odd. Why didn’t White just go back to c2? Answer: 7 Bc2 has often been played, though sometimes the bishop becomes a target for Black’s counterplay, either via ... d4-d3 or a knight landing on d4. The line runs 7 Bc2 Nc6 8 Ngf3 (8 b4 Ne6 9 Ndf3 g5 gives Black excellent counterplay, as does 8 Ndf3 Bg4 9 h3 Bh5 10 Bf4 Ne6 11 Bh2 d4, which was V.Shushpanov-V.Beim, Pardubice 2003) 8 ... Bg4 9 h3 Bh5 10 0-0 d4 11 cxd4 Nxd4 when White should probably play 12 Bb1, which loses a tempo. 7 ... Nc6 8 Ngf3 Bg4 9 0-0 Qd7 Black has a major alternative in 9 ... Be7: for example, 10 b4 (10 h3?! loses a tempo as it drives Black’s bishop where it wants to go, towards g6) 10 ... Ne6 11 Qa4 Bh5 12 b5 Nc5 13 Qf4 Ne6 14 Qg3 (14 Qa4 Nc5 is fine for Black) 14 ... Na5 15 Nd4! Nxd4 16 cxd4 Qd7 17 a4 0-0 18 f4 f5 19 Qh3 Bg6 20 Qc3 b6 21 Ba3 Rac8 22 Bxe7 Qxe7 was about even in V.Iordachescu-J.Timman, Malmo/Copenhagen 2005.

10 Re1 White should probably prefer the immediate 10 b4, after which 10 ... Ne6 11 h3 Bh5 12 Re1 a6 inhibits White’s b4-b5 idea and prepares to play ... Bg6 and/or ... Be7 followed by castling short. 10 ... 0-0-0 11 b4 11 h3 Bh5 12 b4 was well met by 12 ... d4! in B.Predojevic-E.Dearing, Mallorca Olympiad 2004. 11 ... d4 12 cxd4 Ne6 13 Qa4? This looks natural, but Black can just take the b4-pawn. White should have played 13 d5 when 13 ... Qxd5 14 Be4 Qb5 15 h3?! (15 a4 was best when 15 ... Qxb4 16 Rb1 Qc3 leaves the chances balanced) was D.Tishin-D.Dave, Alushta 2007, and now 15 ... Bxf3 (rather than 15 ... Bh5, as played in the game) 16 Qxf3 Nxe5 17 Bxb7+ Qxb7 18 Qxb7+ Kxb7 19 Rxe5 g6 would have been better for Black because of his very active pieces. 13 ... Bxb4 14 Be4 Bxf3! 15 gxf3 15 Bxf3 Nexd4 just munches White’s pawns and threatens to remove his valuable king’s bishop. 15 ... Nf4 16 Nb3 Nd5

I was not tempted by 16 ... Bxe1 17 Bxf4. 17 Bd2 Bxd2 18 Nxd2 f5 19 exf6 19 Bxd5 Qxd5 20 Nb3 might have been a better try for White, but we are talking about degrees of unpleasantness rather than anything approaching equality. His position is full of weaknesses and his kingside is smashed. 19 ... gxf6 20 Kh1 f5 21 Bd3 Nb6 22 Qa3 Kb8 23 Nb3 Qd5 24 Re3 Rhg8 24 ... Nxd4 was even better according to the engine. 25 Qc5 Qxc5 26 dxc5 f4 27 Bxh7? Losing immediately. 27 Re4 was a better try, though after 27 ... Rxd3 28 cxb6 axb6 Black certainly has all the chances. 27 ... fxe3 28 Bxg8 28 fxe3 Rh8 would leave White a rook for two pawns down. 28 ... e2 0-1 White has no good defence to the threat of 29 ... Rd1. Game 51 A.Dreev-T.Gharamian French Team Championship 2012 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nd2 e5 4 c3 Nbd7 5 Ngf3 Be7 Question: Why is Black putting his bishop on e7? I thought that in the Pirc you did a kingside fianchetto?

Answer: In this particular case White has nicely fortified the h8-a1 diagonal with his 4 c3, so the bishop will now be less effective on g7. So instead Black just brings it to e7 where it will be closer to possible action on the queenside. 6 Bd3 0-0 7 0-0 Re8

8 a4 Bf8 Question: Isn’t Black now undeveloping his bishop after taking the trouble to bring it to e7? That move looks ridiculous! Answer: The main problem with having the bishop on f8 earlier was that it blocked in the rook on h8. Now that the rook is out the bishop can drop back, and this actually opens up some pressure against White’s pawn on e4. 9 Re1 c6 10 b4 Here’s the queenside action which I mentioned in the note to Black’s 5th move. But it proves less effective here because squares like c5 and d6 are now covered. 10 ... Qc7 11 dxe5 This looks like a tacit admission that White has nothing, and with this simplification in the centre the game heads towards a drawish looking position. 11 Qb3 is a more aggressive looking try, but after 11 ... h6 12 Bb2 Nh5 13 Rad1 Nf4 14 Bf1 Nf6 Black had a solid and active game in Pham Chuong-Nguyen Sy Hung, Ho Chi Minh City 2010. 11 ... Nxe5 12 Nxe5 dxe5 13 Nc4 Be6 14 Qc2 Nd7

15 Be3 b5 Driving White’s knight back after which Black achieves comfortable equality. 16 Nd2 16 Na5 a6 is also nothing for White. 16 ... a5 17 axb5 cxb5 18 bxa5 Rxa5 ½-½ The position is now both equal and drawish. Game 52 B.Gelfand-Z.Azmaiparashvili Moscow 2001 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 f3

Question: That’s an odd-looking move. Shouldn’t White be developing his pieces rather than playing another pawn move? Answer: It’s actually quite a subtle move that has been favoured by a number of strong players. One of the points is that White is keeping open the option of moving his c-pawn forward two squares, so after 3 ... g6 he can try and transpose into the Sämisch Variation of the King’s Indian Defence (normally reached via a 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 f3 move order) with 4 c4. 3 ... c5 An interesting and aggressive counter by Azmaiparashvili, which aims to break up White’s Sämisch style pawn structure before it gets fully secured. Black’s next two moves are the key. 4 d5 e6!? 5 c4 b5! This comes just in time, before White stops this idea with 6 Nc3. White can now win a pawn in two different ways, but in either case his position has been left quite porous because of having moved so many pawns. 6 dxe6 The alternative is 6 cxb5, after which V.Feliciano-R.Felgaer, Mar del Plata 2012, continued 6 ... exd5 7 exd5 Be7 8 Ne2 0-0 9 Nec3 and now 9 ... Nbd7 was best (rather than the 9 ... Bb7 that was played in the game), after which 10 Bc4 is well met by 10 ... Ne5 and 10 Be2 Bb7 intending 11 ... Nb6 piles up pressure against d5). 6 ... fxe6

The best, aiming to build a pawn centre. 6 ... Bxe6?! 7 cxb5 d5 was A.DreevZ.Azmaiparashvili, Moscow (rapid) 2002, and now 8 exd5 Nxd5 9 Nc3 leaves Black with very little for the pawn. 7 cxb5 Question: What should Black do about 7 e5? If he takes White gets the queens off and then wins the pawn on b5. Answer: Black can counterattack with 7 ... Nh5 threatening ... Qh4+: for example, 8 Be3 (8 Nh3 bxc4 9 exd6 Bxd6 gives Black an active position) 8 ... Nc6 9 Nh3 bxc4 10 exd6 Bxd6 11 Nc3 0-0 12 Ne4 Be5 was already good for Black in E.Agrest-M.Leski, Nice 2000. 7 ... d5 8 e5 Nfd7 9 f4 c4 Making room for the bishop to come to c5. Gelfand anticipates this, but Black still gets a good game. 10 Be3 10 Nf3 was probably better. 10 ... Bc5 11 Bxc5 Nxc5 12 Qd4 The engine prefers 12 Nf3, but Gelfand was probably concerned that after 12 ... 0-0 his f4-pawn would be hanging. 12 ... Qa5+ 13 Nd2 Setting a clever trap. After 13 Nc3 Black can play 13 ... Nb3 when 14 axb3 Qxa1+ 15 Kf2 Qxb2+ is just good for Black. However, now things are a little different.

13 ... Qxb5 Question: Can’t Black play 13 ... Nb3 here too? Answer: That’s a good question, but Black was avoiding his opponent’s cunning intention. Gelfand had no doubt prepared 14 axb3 Qxa1+ 15 Kf2 when b2 is protected (the difference between 13 Nc3 and 13 Nd2), and White gets very good compensation for the exchange. 14 b3 This looks good at first, but White’s lack of development will count against him. 14 ... Qa5 15 Rc1 Nc6 16 Qc3 Qxc3 Not bad, but not the best. The engine loves 16 ... Nb4 when 17 bxc4 d4! 18 Qxd4 Bb7 followed by 19 ... Rd8 is too strong. 17 Rxc3 Nb4 18 a3 In a difficult situation Gelfand goes for active play. 18 bxc4 might have been better objectively, but after 18 ... d4! Black is doing well. 18 ... Nbd3+ 19 Bxd3 Nxd3+ 20 Rxd3 A rather drastic solution to White’s not inconsiderable problems. 20 Kf1 was the other way to go, but after 20 ... Nxf4 21 Ngf3 0-0 White is in all sorts of trouble. 20 ... cxd3 21 Ngf3 Bd7 22 Kf2 a5 23 a4 Ke7 24 Ke3 Rac8 25 Nd4 g5?! Opening up the kingside for his rooks, though sacrificing pawns in the endgame is not usually advisable. Just 25 ... Rhf8 was a steadier approach. 26 fxg5 Rcg8 27 h4 h6 28 g4 hxg5 29 h5 Keeping the kingside closed and creating a passed pawn. Black has lost his way

with 25 ... g5 being the culprit. 29 ... Rf8 30 N2f3 Rf4 31 Rg1 Re4+ 32 Kxd3 Bc8

33 Rc1? After fighting his way back into it White slips up. It might have been the clock that was the problem here. 33 Kd2 was better, just holding the g4-pawn. There aren’t any obvious ways to make progress for Black. 33 ... Rxg4 A pawn is a pawn, and Gelfand’s intended counterplay doesn’t really materialize. 34 Rc7+ Bd7 35 Nc6+ Ke8 36 Nb8 Rh7 37 Nd4? The final mistake after which it becomes easy for Black. 37 Nxd7 Rxd7 38 Rc6 was a better try, though the position would still be lost for White. 37 ... Rxh5 38 Nxd7 Rh3+ 39 Ke2 Re4+ 40 Kf2 Rxd4 41 Nf6+ Kd8 0-1 Game 53 A.Galkin-V.Kramnik Russian Championship, Moscow 2011 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 f3 c5 4 Ne2 e6 Kramnik sets about infusing the position with tension at the earliest opportunity. Instead, 4 ... cxd4 5 Nxd4 transposes into a line of the Sicilian more usually reached after the moves 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 f3.

5 Be3 Question: Can White take space with 5 c4? Answer: Indeed he can and this is not a terrible choice, but you always have to watch out for the fact that pawns can’t move back, so when you push them forwards you’re leaving gaping holes at the back. In a game P.Ponkratov-S.Yudin, Voronezh 2012. Black answered with 5 ... Be7 and after 6 Nbc3 0-0 7 d5 exd5 8 cxd5 Na6 9 Ng3 h5!? 10 Bxa6 bxa6 11 0-0 g6 12 Qc2 h4 13 Nh1 Nh5 had a dynamic position rather reminiscent of the Modern Benoni. Of course this whole line is off the beaten track and improvements for both sides are possible. 5 ... d5 6 dxc5 Nbd7 7 Nbc3 dxe4

8 b4 b6!? Question: Doesn’t that allow 9 c6? Answer: Kramnik probably intended the coming piece sacrifice. If this isn’t Black’s cup of tea he could also play just 8 ... a5 9 a3 exf3 10 gxf3 Be7, with an approximately even game. 9 c6 Bxb4 Almost forced after 8 ... b6. If 9 ... Ne5 there follows 10 Qxd8+ Kxd8 11 0-0-0+ Kc7 12 Bf4 Bd6 13 Nb5+, etc. 10 cxd7+ Bxd7 11 a3 Ba5 The engines don’t think much of Black’s compensation at this point, but he does have two pawns plus there are ongoing problems for White’s king. 12 Qd4 Qe7 13 fxe4 At first sight 13 Bf4 looks like a strong move, intending to come into d6, but Black can answer with 13 ... Nd5 14 Bd2 e3 15 Bxe3 Nxe3 16 Qxe3 Rc8 with excellent play for the piece. 13 ... e5 14 Qd3 0-0

15 Bg5 Another defensive try is 15 Kf2 but then Black can play 15 ... Bc6 and meet 16 Nd5 with 16 ... Bxd5 17 exd5 Rad8 18 c4 Ng4+ 19 Kg1 b5!. Once again Black has really good compensation. 15 ... Rac8 16 Bxf6 Qxf6 The engine prefers 16 ... gxf6 to stop White castling long, but this wouldn’t have been a particularly human choice. 17 0-0-0 17 Qxd7 Qh4+ 18 g3 Qxe4 is just good for Black. 17 ... Be6 18 Nd5 Bxd5 19 exd5 And not 19 Qxd5?? because of 19 ... Rcd8 20 Qb3 Qg5+, winning the rook on d1. 19 ... e4 20 Qd4 Qd6 21 h4? This, on the other hand, looks like a clear slip. White should play 21 Kb2, simply defending the pawn on a3. Black still has compensation here, for example, with 21 ... Rfe8 intending 22 ... Rc5 or 22 ... b5, but it’s still a very complicated game. 21 ... Qxa3+ 22 Qb2 Qc5 23 Rh3 e3

24 Rg3 Bd2+ 25 Kb1 g6 26 h5 Rfe8 Bringing a new piece into the attack whilst preparing to meet 27 h6 with 27 ... Qf8. 27 hxg6 hxg6 28 Rh3 Re5 29 Nc1 Bc3 30 Qb3? Losing his way. White’s position may still be tenable after 30 Qa2 as after 30 ... Qb4+ 31 Qb3 Qa5 32 Qa2 (32 Na2 Re4 has the deadly threat of 33 ... Rb4) 32 ... Qb4+ 33 Qb3 Qa5 there is a repetition. 30 ... Re4 31 Na2 Qa5 32 Ba6 32 d6 is similarly met by 32 ... Rb4!. 32 ... Rb4 Winning the queen. White can’t take the rook with his knight because of the mate on a1. 33 Bxc8 Rxb3+ 34 cxb3 e2 35 Nxc3 35 Rc1 Bf6 36 Rhc3 Qa3 is no better. 35 ... Qxc3! 0-1 After 36 Rxc3 exd1Q+ Black will take on d5 and have a queen and two pawns for the rook and bishop.

Chapter Nine Second Move Alternatives 1 e4 d6

Besides 2 d4 White has a number of second move alternatives. The most important of these is 2 Nc3, delaying or omitting d2-d4. 2 Nc3 2 g3 also maintains the option of moving White’s c-pawn and is examined in TothStein, while attempts to set up a Grand Prix Attack type system with 2 Bc4 or 2 f4 are considered in Smolovic-Czebe. 2 ... Nf6 3 g3 g6 4 Bg2 Bg7 5 d3 0-0 6 f4 The most ambitious try for White, taking space on the kingside. In Houska-Gallagher we see 6 h3 intending 7 Be3, whilst 6 Nge2 is covered in the notes. 6 ... c5

Question: Haven’t we got some kind of Sicilian Defence now? And couldn’t we have done something that would have kept us in a Pirc? Answer: Yes, we’ve just transposed into a Closed Sicilian, but note that this isn’t an especially scary line for Black. 6 ... c5 is given simply because it’s such a logical move, taking control of the d4-square and expanding on the queenside. There’s no point playing something less logical because it would avoid transposing. 7 Nf3 Nc6 8 0-0 Rb8 9 h3 Preparing to build an attack on the kingside with g3-g4. 9 ... b5 10 a3

Conventional wisdom maintains that it’s better not to move pawns on the side you’re being attacked, but here the text has the advantage that it slows down Black’s queenside play. 10 ... a5 11 g4 Nd7

This makes it hard for White to develop his bishop on c1 because of the possibility of ... b5-b4. A complex struggle is in full flow with Black having his share of the chances - see the game Holmirzaev-Alekseev for details. Game 54 B.Holmirzaev-E.Alekseev Agzamov Memorial, Tashkent 2011 1 e4 d6 Here too the actual move order was a Closed Sicilian with 1 ... c5 2 Nc3 followed by 3 g3, and once again I have deliberately doctored the move order to show how a Pirc player would get into this. 2 Nc3 Nf6 3 g3 g6 4 Bg2 Bg7 5 d3 0-0 6 f4 Question: What’s idea with that move? Answer: White is taking space and creating the potential for a general advance on the kingside. He later continues this plan with 11 g4. 6 ... c5 7 Nf3 Nc6 8 0-0 Rb8 9 h3

Question: What’s that about? Is White worried about the pin with ... Bg4? Answer: Not really, though it does have that benefit. White’s real purpose is that he’s going to launch an attack on the kingside with g3-g4, f4-f5 and perhaps even Qe1h4. Question: But doesn’t that weaken his kingside? Answer: There is that potential, but with the centre closed and White’s king position packed with pieces, this is unlikely to become a factor in the near future, if at all. 9 ... b5 10 a3 Question: Now what’s White up to? I’ve heard that you shouldn’t advance pawns on the side you’re being attacked because that makes it easier for your opponent to open lines and get his rooks going. Answer: 10 a3 actually helps White delay Black’s queenside action as in order to keep his pawns together after playing ... b5-b4, Black needs to first play ... a7-a5. Even so, when he then plays ... b5-b4 White will exchange pawns and have temporary possession of the open a-file, and Black will spend some time trying to regain possession. 10 ... a5

11 g4 The original model for White’s play in this position was supplied by the game B.Spassky-E.Geller, 4th matchgame, Sukhumi 1968. In this game White played 11 Be3 first, and only later proceeded with g3-g4. However, an effective antidote to this plan was supplied by Garry Kasparov via 11 ... Nd7 (11 ... b4 12 axb4 axb4 13 Ne2 Bb7 14 b3 Ra8 15 Rc1 Ra2 16 g4 Qa8 17 Qe1 Qa6 18 Qf2 Na7 19 f5 set in motion a strong attack in Spassky-Geller) 12 Rb1 b4 13 axb4 axb4 14 Ne2 Bb7 15 g4 Ra8 16 c4 e6 17 g5 Re8 18 h4 d5 19 e5 Ne7 20 Ng3 Qc7 21 Bf2 Nf5, which was N.Short-G.Kasparov, Zurich 2001. 11 ... Nd7 Unveiling the g7-bishop, which makes it difficult for White to move his bishop on c1 because of the possibility of ... b5-b4. The immediate 11 ... b4 has also been played and appears to give Black excellent play too: for example, 12 Ne2 c4 13 f5 Ba6 14 fxg6 hxg6 15 Ng5 cxd3 16 cxd3 Nh7 17 Nxh7 Kxh7 18 h4 bxa3 19 Rxa3 Bxb2 20 Bxb2 Rxb2 left White with very little for his pawn in F.Apaydin-R.Mamedov, Urgup 2004. 12 f5 Nde5 13 Rb1 White feels obliged to secure b2, even though this can result in losing control of the a-file. After 13 Nxe5 Bxe5 14 Bh6 Black can even play 14 ... b4! when 15 Bxf8 bxc3 16 Bh6 cxb2 17 Rb1 Qb6 gives him more than enough for the sacrificed exchange. 13 ... e6 14 Be3 b4 15 axb4 axb4 16 Ne2 Nxf3+ 17 Rxf3 Ne5 18 Rf2 exf5 19 gxf5 Kh8!? Preparing to capture on f5 with play down the g-file. 19 ... Ra8 would also make sense, taking the open file that is immediately available. 20 b3 gxf5 21 exf5 Rg8 22 Ng3 Bf6 23 Ne4 Bb7 24 Kh1 Bxe4 25 dxe4 Bg5 26

Qd2 Bxe3 27 Qxe3 Qh4

Black is better here because of the powerful position of his knight on e5 and the weakness of White’s dark squares. In theory White might be able to defend, but the practical difficulties are considerable. 28 Rf4 Qh6 28 ... Rg3 29 Rxh4 Rxe3 is also good for Black, but with White’s king looking vulnerable it makes sense to keep the queens on. 29 Rd1 Rg5 30 f6 Qg6 31 Rf2 Rg8 32 Qe2 Rg3 33 Qf1 Qh6 34 Rxd6 Ng6 35 Rf3 35 Rd3 would have been more tenacious, but Black is winning after 35 ... Nh4 36 Rxg3 Rxg3 37 Kh2 Qg5, etc.

35 ... Rg5 35 ... Rxf3 36 Bxf3 Nf4 would have been stronger when White can no longer defend. 36 Rd2 White cracks under the pressure. 36 Rd5 would have hung on. 36 ... Nh4 37 Rff2 37 Qd3 might have held out a bit longer, just giving up the exchange, although White would be lost in any case. 37 ... Nxg2 38 Rxg2 Or if 38 Rd3 Ne3! 39 Rxe3 Rg1+ 40 Qxg1 Rxg1+ 41 Kxg1 Qxe3, etc. 38 ... Qxh3+ 39 Kg1 Qe3+ 40 Kh1 Rh5+ 41 Rh2 Rxh2+ 42 Rxh2 Qxe4+ 43 Rg2 Qxg2+ 44 Qxg2 Rxg2 45 Kxg2 h5 46 Kh2 Kh7 0-1 Game 55 J.Houska-J.Gallagher German League 2003 1 e4 d6 The first moves were actually 1 ... c5 2 Nc3 Nc6 3 g3 g6, which is a regular Closed Sicilian, but again I’ve changed them so as not to confuse Pirc players who wish to reach this set-up. 2 Nc3 Nf6 3 g3 g6 4 Bg2 Bg7 5 d3 0-0 6 h3

Question: What’s that for? Shouldn’t White be developing her pieces? Answer: White is preparing to put the bishop on e3, but the immediate 6 Be3 might well be answered by the annoying 6 ... Ng4. An alternative that needs a mention is 6 Nge2, but here too Black has little to fear. E.Knoppert-L.Van Wely, Dordrecht 2000, went 6 ... c5 7 0-0 Nc6 8 h3 Rb8 9 f4 Bd7 10 g4 b5 11 Ng3 a5 12 Be3 a4 13 a3 Nd4 14 g5 Ne8 15 f5 Bc6 16 Rf2 Nc7 17 Qf1 Be5 and White was struggling. 6 ... c5 7 Be3 Nc6 8 Nge2 Rb8 9 0-0 b5 10 Qd2 b4

11 Nd1 Question: That looks horribly passive. Shouldn’t White have played 11 Nd5? Answer: That would leave White’s pawns very inflexible after 11 ... Nxd5 12 exd5 Ne5, and after the further 13 f4 (13 Bh6? Bxh3 wins a pawn because of the knight fork on f3) 13 ... Nd7 14 d4 Ba6 Black would obtain excellent counterplay. 11 ... a5 12 Kh2 Not White’s most popular choice though obviously it is going to be playable. The two most common moves, together with suitable antidotes, are as follows: a) 12 Bh6 Bxh6 13 Qxh6 Nd4 14 Nxd4 cxd4 15 f4 Rb5 16 g4 Qc7 17 Rc1 Rc5 18 Rf2 Bxg4 19 hxg4 Nxg4 20 Qh4 Nxf2 21 Nxf2 Rxc2 22 Rxc2 Qxc2 resolved itself in Black’s favour in J.Emms-S.B.Hansen, German League 2002. b) 12 f4 Nd7 13 h4 Ba6 14 h5 gxh5 15 Rb1 Kh8 16 Nf2 Rg8 17 Nh3 Nd4 18 Ng5 Qf8 19 e5 h6 20 Ne4 Nf5 was complex but good for Black in E.Ghaem MaghamiE.Najer, German League 2009. 12 ... Qc7 13 Bh6 Bxh6 14 Qxh6 Nd4

15 Qd2 d5!? A dynamic approach to the position, but possible not the best. There was a good case for continuing the queenside pawn advance with 15 ... a4. 16 Nxd4?! Gallagher was probably planning to meet 16 exd5 with 16 ... Bxh3!? 17 Kxh3 Qe5, but this is more frightening than strong. It seems that White can defend with 18 g4, after which 18 ... Qxe2 19 Qxe2 Nxe2 20 f4 is quite playable for her. 16 ... cxd4 17 f4 dxe4 18 dxe4 Ba6 19 Re1 e5 Black is just better now because if his superior bishop and the weakness of c2. Such are the penalties of not grasping the nettle. 20 Nf2 Rfc8 21 Rac1 Rb6 22 Nd3 Bxd3 23 cxd3 Rc6 24 Rxc6 Qxc6 25 fxe5 Nd7 26 Qf4 Qe6 27 Qf2 27 Rc1 Rxc1 28 Qxc1 Qxa2 would gives Black a queenside pawn majority to add to his collection of advantages.

27 ... Nxe5 Gallagher characteristically chooses the most dynamic continuation and it also looks like the best. 27 ... Qxe5 28 Rf1 is more annoying for Black. 28 Qxd4 Rc2 29 Rf1 Nc6 30 Qd5 30 Qf6 is answered by 30 ... Qxf6 31 Rxf6 Nd4 when the attempt to keep the rook active with 32 Rd6 is answered by 32 ... Nf3+ 33 Kh1 Rc1+ 34 Bf1 Rxf1+ 35 Kg2 Nd2, etc. 30 ... Rxb2 31 Rc1 31 Ra1 Qxd5 32 exd5 Nd4 followed by bringing Black’s king over to control White’s d-pawn would also be winning for Black. 31 ... Ne5 32 Kh1 32 Kg1 might have been marginally better, keeping White’s king nearer the centre for the endgame, but it wouldn’t save White. 32 ... Qxd5 33 exd5 Rxa2 34 d6 The problem for White is that her d-pawn(s) can easily be stopped whilst it’s a whole lot harder to do anything about Black’s a- and b-pawns. This is a graphic illustration of the power of connected passed pawns in the endgame. 34 ... b3 35 Bd5 35 Rb1 would have been more tenacious, but White is still losing after 35 ... a4. 35 ... Rc2 36 Rf1 b2 37 Ba2 Kf8

38 d4 38 Kg1 Rc1 39 Kg2 (or 39 d4 Nc4) wouldn’t save White after 39 ... a4. 38 ... Rc1 39 Kg2 39 d7 doesn’t help White after 39 ... Rxf1+ 40 Kg2 Ke7 41 Kxf1 Nc4. 39 ... Rxf1 40 Kxf1 Nc4! The knight can’t be taken because Black would promote and meanwhile he wants to play 41 ... Na3 and then promote his b-pawn. 41 Ke2 Na3 0-1 Game 56 P.Toth-L.Stein Rio de Janeiro 1965 1 e4 This game actually started out with a 1 g3 g6 move order, eventually getting to the position after Black’s 7th move. Once again I’ve changed the move order to show clearly how the Pirc player will react. 1 ... d6 2 g3 More flexible than 2 Nc3 if White plans to fianchetto. By delaying the development of his knight he keeps the option of moving his c-pawn forward first. 2 ... Nf6 3 Bg2 g6 4 Ne2 Bg7 5 c4 Another set-up is possible for White here in 5 d4 0-0 6 0-0 e5 7 c4 (7 Nbc3 c6 takes us back into a Fianchetto Variation). I quite like the way the young Bobby Fischer handled this in M.Surgies-R.Fischer, Milwaukee 1957: 7 ... Nbd7 8 Nbc3 c6 9 Qc2 (9

d5 cxd5 10 cxd5 a5 is comfortable for Black because White’s knight on e2 doesn’t have anywhere very good to move to; meanwhile 11 Be3 can be met by 11 ... Ng4 12 Bd2 f5 with counterplay on the kingside) 9 ... Re8 10 Re1 a6 11 a4?! a5 12 f3 exd4 13 Nxd4 Qb6 14 Nce2 Nxe4!, winning a pawn and later the game. 5 ... 0-0 6 Nbc3 c5 7 0-0 Nc6

Question: Hasn’t this transposed into some kind of English Opening? Answer: Yes, indeed, and White has adopted a Botvinnik formation in which he hopes the hole in his pawn structure on d4 can’t be exploited. 8 d3 Rb8 9 Rb1 Ne8 10 Be3 Nd4 Ruling out d3-d4 by White. Black has also tried to bring his other knight in touch with the d4-square with 10 ... Nc7, though this allows White to get 11 d4 in. Even so this is nothing special for White after 11 ... cxd4 12 Nxd4 Ne6 13 Nde2 a6 14 a4 Ne5 15 b3 a5 16 h3 Nc5 17 Qc2 b6, which was a game T.Markowski-K.Piorun, Warsaw 2011. 11 Qc1?! Aiming for an exchange of dark-squared bishops with Be3-h6, presumably as the start to some sort of attacking gesture. Unfortunately for White this is quite the wrong plan as no attack will be forthcoming and this exchange weakens White’s central dark squares. A far more logical move is 11 b4, taking space and trying to undermine Black’s control of d4. Nonetheless Black seems fine here: for example, C.McNab-T.Van de Berkmortel, Cappelle la Grande 2009, continued 11 ... Nc7 12 Qd2 Bd7 13 Rfc1 e5 14

bxc5 dxc5 15 f4 Bg4 16 Rf1 Qd7 17 fxe5 Bxe5 18 Nf4 b5 19 Ncd5 Nxd5 20 Nxd5 bxc4 21 dxc4 Qd6 22 Rxb8 Rxb8 23 Kh1 f6 with an equal game. 11 ... Bg4 Provoking White into moving his f-pawn forwards a square on the assumption this creates additional weaknesses. 12 f3 Bd7

13 Bh6 Continuing his mistaken plan. 13 b4 was a better move here too, with approximate equality after 13 ... Nc7 14 Qd2 Nce6 . 13 ... Bc6 14 Bxg7 Nxg7 15 Nxd4 cxd4 Black is a bit better here. His doubled pawns seize space and White has some darksquare weaknesses. 16 Ne2 e5 17 f4 Certainly this makes sense as White’s logical pawn lever, but after Black’s reply the position opens up in his favour. 17 b4 might have been a better move. 17 ... f5 18 b4 18 c5 was the best chance here, though after 18 ... fxe4 19 dxe4 Black is the proud owner of a passed d-pawn and must be better because of this. 18 ... fxe4 19 dxe4 Rc8 20 Qd2 Qe7 21 Qd3 b6 22 Bh3 Rce8 Black is bringing latent pressure to bear on e4 which in turn obliges White to permanently close the e-file by capturing on e5. 23 fxe5 dxe5 24 a3 Nh5 25 c5 With the pressure mounting White lashes out in an attempt to get counterplay. This is understandable as after the ‘solid’ 25 Bg2 Black can play 25 ... Nf6, threatening both 26

... Qb7 and 26 ... Ng4 followed by 27 ... Ne3. 25 ... bxc5 26 Rfc1 26 Rxf8+ Kxf8 27 Rc1 Nf6 is not substantially different. Black is mounting pressure against e4. 26 ... Nf6 27 Bg2 Nd7

27 ... Qb7 was also very strong as the e4-pawn is falling. 28 Bh3 28 Qa6!? was the last chance to confuse the issue. 28 ... Kg7 29 Bxd7 Bxd7 30 Rxc5 Bh3 Switching to a new aim, gaining control of the f-file and building an attack against White’s king. 31 g4 Understandable desperation. 31 Kh1 Rf2 is also quite hopeless. 31 ... Bxg4 32 Ng3 Rf7 33 Rf1 Ref8 34 Rxf7+ Qxf7 35 Rc2 Qf4 36 a4 h5 37 Nh1 Bf3 0-1 White is unable to defend both his king and the e4-pawn: for example, 38 Nf2 is answered by 38 ... Qg5+. Game 57 M.Smolovic-A.Czebe Vrnjacka Banja 2013 1 e4 d6 2 Bc4 This apparently primitive reaction is more likely to crop up in club chess than the

games of grandmasters, and there’s more than a drop of poison to it. Another way to try and reach a similar set-up is with 2 f4, though this is well met by 2 ... d5, despite the loss of tempo. For example, 3 exd5 (3 e5 Bf5 4 Nf3 e6 5 d4 c5 6 Be3 Nd7 7 Nbd2 Rc8 8 Be2? Bxc2! 9 Qxc2 cxd4 was a nice trick that happened in D.Salinnikov-S.Yudin, Tomsk 2007) 3 ... Qxd5 4 Nc3 Qa5 5 d4 Nf6 6 Nf3 Bf5 7 Ne5 c6 8 Bc4 e6 9 Bd2 Qb6 10 Qe2 Nbd7 11 Nxd7 Kxd7 12 h3 h5 13 0-0-0 Rd8 14 Na4 Qc7 15 Nc5+ Kc8 gave Black a solid game in A.Kislinsky-D.Bocharov, Zvenigorod 2008. 2 ... Nf6 3 d3 g6 4 Nc3 Bg7 5 f4

Question: This looks like the Grand Prix Attack against the Sicilian. Is that right? Answer: Yes, it’s the same set-up for White and if Black were to play ... c7-c5 we’d probably have a transposition. But Black doesn’t need to do this and can instead prepare his counterplay more effectively with ... c6. 5 ... 0-0 6 Nf3 c6 A nice multipurpose move. Black prepares two different pawn moves, ... d6-d5 or ... b7-b5, and meanwhile might have a sneaky ... Qb6 at some point. 7 Qe2 b5 8 Bb3 a5 9 a4 Stemming the flow of Black’s queenside pawns, but meanwhile Black has gained a lot of space. 9 ... b4 10 Nd1 Nbd7 11 e5 In one amateur game, P.Ferrero-O.Coolen, French League 1998, White preferred to bide his time with 11 Nf2, but then Black was able to hit back with 11 ... Nc5 12 Bc4 d5, puncturing White’s pawn structure. After the further 13 exd5 cxd5 14 Bb5 Bd7

Black stood very well. 11 ... Nd5 12 0-0 Nc5 13 Bxd5 cxd5 14 b3 Bg4

15 Re1 Ne6 Black is clearly better here because of the weakness of c2. We can safely say that White’s opening has not been a great success. 16 Qf2 Rc8 17 Ra2 Bxf3 18 Qxf3 Nd4 19 Qf2 Nxb3 Winning a pawn. 20 cxb3 Rxc1 21 d4 Qb6 22 Rd2 e6 23 Ne3 Rc3 24 Ng4 Rfc8 After 24 ... Rxb3 White has the same kind of attack with 25 Nf6+ Bxf6 26 exf6 Qd8 27 Qh4 followed by f4-f5. 25 Nf6+ Bxf6 26 exf6 h6 After 26 ... Qd8 27 Qh4 White still has some tricks based on f4-f5 and after ... exf5 putting a rook on e7. The engine is confident that Black can defend, but in a practical game it never seems so easy. 27 Qh4 Kh7 28 g4

28 ... R8c7? In trying to play it too safe Black slips up. 28 ... Qd8 seems to neutralize the threats: for example, 29 f5 g5 30 Qf2 Qxf6 31 fxe6 Rf3! followed by recapturing on e6. 29 f5 g5 Perhaps Black had initially missed that 29 ... exf5 can be met by 30 Re8 threatening 31 Rh8+ followed by mate. Certainly it seems that he missed something as now White generates very serious threats. 30 Qf2 e5 Obviously Black can’t allow White to capture on e6, but now we get a drawn rook endgame. 31 dxe5 Qxf2+ 32 Kxf2 dxe5 33 Rxe5 Rxb3 34 Rdxd5 h5 35 gxh5 Rc6 35 ... Kh6 36 Rc5 also sees White escape, the problem for Black being his weak a5pawn. 36 Rxa5 Rxf6 37 Rab5 Rh3 38 Rxb4 Rxh2+

39 Kg3 Rxh5 40 a5 Rh1 41 Ra4 Ra6 42 Rb5 Kg7 43 Ra2 Rf1 44 Rf2 Rg1+ 45 Kh2 Rg4 46 Kh3 Rh4+ 47 Kg3 Rah6 48 f6+ Kg6 49 Rff5 Rh3+ 50 Kg2 Rh2+ 51 Kg1 Rh1+ 52 Kg2 R6h2+ 53 Kg3 Rh3+ 54 Kg2 R3h2+ 55 Kg3 Rh5 Avoiding the repetition in an attempt to keep the game going, but this position is a dead draw without any very serious mistakes. 56 a6 Rg1+ 57 Kf2 Rhh1 58 a7 58 Rfc5 would also lead to a draw: for example, after 58 ... Rf1+ 59 Ke3 Re1+ 60 Kd2 Rd1+ 61 Kc2 Rc1+ 62 Kd3 Rxc5 63 Rxc5 Ra1 64 Rc6 g4, etc. 58 ... Rf1+ 59 Kg2 Rhg1+ 60 Kh2 Rh1+ 61 Kg2 Rhg1+ ½-½ A lucky escape by White which is hardly an advert for his opening play.

Index of Complete Games Arizmendi Martinez.J-Gurevich.M, Andorra Open 2005 Asis Gargatagli.H-Peralta.F, Navalmoral Open 2011 Baskin.R-Onischuk.V, Zalakaros Open 2015 Bezgodov.A-Khalifman.A, Kazan 2005 Chudinovskikh.A-Marin.M, European Championship, Plovdiv 2008 Darga.K-Davies.N, Germany League 1987 De Gleria.F-Kasimdzhanov.R, German League 1998 Dimitriev.I-Balashov.Y, Krasnodar 1996 Dreev.A-Gharamian.T, French Team Championship 2012 Emms.J-Pein.M, Southend 1999 Faizulaev.A-Petrosian.T, Agzamov Memorial, Tashkent 2015 Galkin.A-Kramnik.V, Russian Championship, Moscow 2011 Gelfand.B-Azmaiparashvili.Z, Moscow 2001 Ghosh.D-Jones.G, Dubai Open 2014 Gonzalez Perez.A-Peralta.F, Barbera del Valles Open 2012 Grosar.A-Smirin.I, Bratto 1997 Guliyev.N-Gurevich.M, French Team Championship 2004 Holmirzaev.B-Alekseev.E, Agzamov Memorial, Tashkent 2011 Houska.J-Gallagher.J, German League 2003 Ivanov.O-Schlosser.P, Pardubice Open 2012 Jaracz.B-Gurevich.M, Forni di Sopra Open 2011 Kantans.T-Del Rio de Angelis.S, Riga Open 2012 Kovacevic.V-Seirawan.Y, Wijk aan Zee 1980 Kveinys.A-Gurevich.M, Bonn 1996 Ladron De Guevara Pinto.P-Peralta.F, Navalmoral Open 2012 Larrea.M-Peralta.F, Dresden Olympiad 2008 Meier.G-Grischuk.A, Mainz (rapid) 2007 Michiels.B-Schlosser.P, Pardubice Open 2009 Mnatsakanian.E-Khodos.G, USSR Championship, Yerevan 1962 Mrdja.M-Chatalbashev.B, Genoa Open 2005 Munoz Pantoja.M-Moskalenko.V, Catalan League 2014 Nuri.K-Georgiev.K, Zurich Open 2014 Olsson.K-Davies.N, Budapest 1993 Perez Garcia.R-Arencibia Rodriguez.W, Cuban Championship, Santa Clara 2005

Petrik.T-Tkachiev.V, Dresden Olympiad 2008 Polugaevsky.L-Sax.G, Buenos Aires Olympiad 1978 Raetsky.A-Rausis.I, Beirut Open 2014 Rakhmangulov.A-Balashov.Y, Kolomna 2013 Rasulov.V-Onischuk.V, Nakhchivan Open 2015 Rausis.I-Davies.N, Dhaka 2001 Rydstrom.T-Jones.G, Gibraltar 2015 Sanal.V-Savchenko.B, European Championship, Plovdiv 2012 Short.N-Davies.N, Hastings 1987/88 Smolovic.M-Czebe.A, Vrnjacka Banja 2013 Sprenger.J-Grischuk.A, Mainz (rapid) 2007 Stoockalov.V-Ponomariov.R, Ukrainian Team Championship 2000 Sulava.N-Kozakov.M, French Team Championship 2008 Sutovsky.E-Ivanchuk.V, FIDE World Cup, Khanty-Mansiysk 2011 Toth.P-Stein.L, Rio de Janeiro 1965 Trbojevic.M-Galyas.M, Budapest 2015 Vaisser.A-Jones.G, Isle of Man Masters, Douglas 2014 Vavulin.M-Grischuk.A, Moscow Superfinal (rapid) 2014 Vedder.R-Gurevich.M, Vlissingen Open 2006 Visser.Y-Buchal.S, Pardubice Open 2005 Weidemann.C-Le Roux.J, Biel Open 2012 Xu Xiangyu-Malakhov.V, Chinese League 2015 Ziska.H-Danielsen.H, Klaksvik 2006