Weak pawns

Posted on September 28, 2026 by DrDave

“Doubled, isolated and blockaded pawns are weak: avoid
them!”

— Fine, Basic Chess Endings

Introduction

“That’s what this match is all about – Pawns,
isolated or hanging. They might just as well play without
pieces.” — Eddie GUFELD, considering yet another IQP position
in the 1974 Karpov-Korchnoi match (Game 16, position after White’s
24th move)

The English GM David Norwood once said that he made an offer to
analyse and comment on some club players’ games. They expected him
to offer some brilliant analysis, showing them where they had
missed golden opportunities, but his advice was more simple:
“remember Pawns can’t move backwards“. Now, that is one of
the first things any chess player learns, so they were very
disappointed – why was he telling them what they already knew?
Well, they may have known, but they were playing as if they didn’t
know. They were advancing pawns too far, too fast, too often. They
were moving pawns forward which got surrounded and caught, they
moved pawns forward which created holes near their king, they moved
pawns forward which became the focus of a sacrifice. And once they
had moved them forward, they couldn’t move them back. So be careful
with your Pawns!

The two principal problems with poor Pawn formations
are:

(1) opportunities provided to the opponents pieces (e.g.
occupation of ‘holes’)

(2) weaknesses of the Pawns themselves.

Let us start with a notable example:

Weak pawns: the ultimate collection: Deep Blue –
Kasparov, 1996

Just horrible: every one of the six Black Pawns is isolated, or
isolated and doubled! The b-Pawns are also blockaded. Kasparov
staked everything on a King’s-side hack but after 25.
b3! Deep Blue just grabbed the material and steered clear
of the tactics.

There is a lot of meat in this game, which I append if
you want to go over it, but it should tell you one thing if nothing
else: weak Pawns can lose you the game.

Could Kasparov have defended everything instead of trying
to hack? Well, no. It’s a bit like Franklin’s “For the want of
a nail…”: for the want of a friendly neighbour, a d-Pawn is
weak; to look after the d-Pawn, the Knight is assigned guard duty;
for the want of the Knight, the initiative is lost; for the want of
active play, ground is lost on both sides of the board; for the
want of pieces free from defence, more weakness are conceded…
Once you have more than one weakness, the problem snowballs, and
your Pawns fall like ripe fruit into the arms of your opponent.

Playing against Pawn weaknesses needs some persistence
but also some flexibility: this transformation of
advantages is seen in several games below.

Spielmann,R – Nimzowitsch Aaron (San ) (9) [B29]
1911

Black develops pressure against the hanging Pawns.

16… Ba6 17. Rac1 Rac8 18. Qb3 f6

Tension is now high: White initiates a tactical sequence to avoid
losing the c-Pawn, which Black is happy to see to a conclusion.

19. Qa4 fxe5 20. dxe5 Ba3 21. Qxa3 Bxc4 22. Re4
Qd7 23. h3

23… Bd5

The hanging Pawns have vanished. Has White equalised? By
no means. Black has a superior Bishop, a Queen’s-side Pawn
majority, and one of those odd minority Pawn formations on the
King’s-side which make it difficult for White to make use of his
majority. There is still a lot of play in the position, and Black
won.

…0-1 (42)

As well as transformation of positional advantages, you
can see changes in the Pawn structure – which may be sought by both
sides. One well-known sequence may transform an isolated Pawn
structure to one with hanging Pawns:

Rubinstein-Nimzovich

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Nf3 Nc6
6.Bf4 cxd4 7.Nxd4 Bb4 (isolated pawn)

8.e3 Nf6 9.Nxc6 bxc6 (pawn island)

10.Bd3 O-O 11.O-O Bd6 12.Bg3 Bxg3 13.hxg3
c5 (hanging pawns)

The game continued:

14.Rc1 Be6 15.Qa4 Qb6 16.Qa3 c4 17.Be2 a5 18.Rfd1
Qb4 19.Rd4 Rfd8 20.Rcd1 Rd7 21.Bf3 Rad8 22.Nb1 {?!}
22…Rb8 23.R1d2 Qxa3 24.Nxa3 Kf8 25.e4 dxe4 26.Rxd7 Nxd7
27.Bxe4 Nc5 28.Rd4 Nxe4 29.Rxe4 Rxb2 30.Nxc4 Rb4 31.Nd6 Rxe4
32.Nxe4 Bxa2 {… 0-1}

A bit of theory

There is one general problem with Pawn moves: the
creation of holes, which your opponent’s pieces can occupy.
Tarrasch used to say, “Every Pawn move loosens the
position“. So the first and simplest form of weakness in a
Pawn formation is the hole.

There are four principal varieties of weak Pawn:

backward Pawn

doubled Pawns

isolated Pawn

hanging Pawns

And there is one further idea which you should know
about:

Pawn islands.

Fine’s comment on the title page is in his endgame book,
which may give you a clue that the weakness of weak Pawns is most
important in the endgame: this is true. It may also give you a clue
that in the middlegame there may be some compensations for having
weak Pawns: this is also true, and is the basis for Tarrasch’s
famous dismissal of the supposed weakness of the isolated Queen’s
Pawn:

“Before the endgame, the Gods have placed the
middle-game.“

The most miserable Pawn is the backward Pawn. There are very few
compensations for having a backward Pawn. On the other hand, I have
enjoyed demonstrating the positive side of hanging Pawns more than
once; these are probably the least miserable of the lot. Almost any
variety of weak Pawn is more miserable if it is blockaded or
otherwise cannot move out of the way of an attack: this is the
meaning of Fine’s last warning about blockaded
Pawns. I’ll consider each type of Pawn weakness and
discuss their advantages and if appropriate their compensations.

Backward Pawn.

Black has a backward Pawn at d6.

White has a potentially backward Pawn at c3.

Disadvantages of Backward
Pawns:

The Pawn on d6 is exposed to attack along the d-file but can
neither be supported by a friendly Pawn nor easily be moved out of
the way. The square in front of it (d5) is a potential outpost for
a White Knight.

Possible compensations with
Backward Pawns:

They may support neighbouring Pawns which are strong: above, Black
has a strong central point at e5.

Doubled Pawns

White has doubled Pawns at c3/c4 and g2/g3.

Disadvantages of Doubled
Pawns:

The hindmost Pawn at c3 is effectively backward, but it is the Pawn
on c4 which is most difficult to defend, as no Rook at c1 can
support it.

Possible compensations with
Doubled Pawns:

Doubling of Pawns should yield an open file: here the b-file might
not offer much but the h-file might be worth something. Capturing
towards the centre may give an extra ounce of influence over some
central squares: here the d-Pawn is both supported by a Pawn at c3
while the d5 square is covered by the Pawn at c4.

Isolated Pawn

White has an isolated Pawn at d4.

Black has an isolated Pawn on h7

Disadvantages of Isolated
Pawns:

The isolated Pawn, like a backward Pawn, cannot be defended and
often cannot advance easily. It is therefore weak, and the square
in front of it is a potential outpost for opposing Knights.

Possible compensations with
Isolated Pawns:

The Pawn may support other pieces e.g. Knight on e5, and in the
example the Pawn on d4 gives extra space and mobility to White.
This is not true of Black’s Pawn on h7, which is only weak.

Hanging Pawns

White has hanging Pawns at c4 and d4.

Disadvantages of Hanging
Pawns:

The Pawns are not quite isolated but have the same sorts of
problems, for, if one advances to be supported by the other, the
hindmost

Possible compensations with
Hanging Pawns:

Hanging Pawns on d4 and c4 confer a space advantage, which can be
nurtured for attack. An advance of one or other Pawn may open lines
for the attack, or result in a Passed Pawn.

Pawn islands

White has two Pawn islands to Black’s three.

Disadvantages of extra Pawn
islands:

The Pawns on the edges of Pawn islands are not isolated, but they
are slightly exposed. We might call them “semi-detached”; there is
only one Pawn which can protect them, and only one Pawn which can
protect the square in front of them. This looseness can be
exploited to create more obvious weaknesses.

Possible compensations with
extra Pawn islands:

Gaps between Pawn islands may be useful half-open files. I also
alluded, in the Spielmann-Nimzovitch game above, to a split
minority possibly being better at restraining an opponent’s
majority than an intact majority.

Winning against holes in the
Pawn formation

Steinitz,W – Blackburne,J
London, 1876

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. d3 d6 6. c3 Be7
7. h3 O-O 8. Qe2 Ne8 9. g4 b5 10. Bc2 Bb7 11. Nbd2 Qd7 12. Nf1 Nd8
13. Ne3 Ne6 14. Nf5 g6 15. Nxe7+ Qxe7

Morphy and his contemporaries would probably have been
very much surprised if anybody had told him that only ten moves
later White pieces would be settled permanently on f6 and h6.

16. Be3 N8g7 17. O-O-O c5 18. d4 exd4 19. cxd4 c4 20. d5
Nc7 21. Qd2 a5 22. Bd4 f6 23. Qh6 b4 24. g5 f5 25. Bf6

Here we are…!

25… Qf7 26. exf5 gxf5 27. g6 Qxg6 28. Bxg7
Qxh6+ 29. Bxh6 Rf6 30. Rhg1+ Rg6 31. Bxf5 Kf7

[31… Rxg1 32. Rxg1+ Kh8 33. Bg7+ Kg8 34. Be5+ Kf7
35. Rg7+ Ke8 36. Rxc7]

32. Bxg6+ hxg6 33. Ng5+ Kg8 34. Rge1
1-0

Winning against a Backward
Pawn

Bogoljubow,Efim –
Capablanca,Jose (New York ) (09) [D05] 1924

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d5 3. e3 e6 4. Bd3 c5 5. b3 Nc6 6. O-O Bd6
7. Bb2 O-O 8. Nbd2 Qe7 9. Ne5 cxd4 10. exd4 Ba3 11. Bxa3 Qxa3 12.
Ndf3 Bd7 13. Nxc6 Bxc6 14. Qd2 Rac8

There is some anxiety developing about White’s c-Pawn. His next
move is probably a mistake.

15. c3 a6 16. Ne5 Bb5 17. f3 Bxd3 18. Nxd3 Rc7
19. Rac1 Rfc8 20. Rc2 Ne8 21. Rfc1 Nd6 22. Ne5 Qa5 23.
a4

With straightforward moves Black has put a lot of pressure on the
c-Pawn. His next is a little tactical finesse, which creates a
double attack on two neighbouring Pawns.

23… Qb6 24. Nd3 Qxb3 25. Nc5 Qb6 26. Rb2 Qa7
27. Qe1 b6 28. Nd3 Rc4 29. a5 bxa5 30. Nc5 Nb5 31. Re2

White has been wobbling dreadfully, and finally topples.

31… Nxd4 32. cxd4 R8xc5 0-1

Winning with a Backward
Pawn

Zinn – Sveshnikov, Decin [B33]
1974

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 6.
Ndb5 d6

One of the most puzzling of modern variations: didn’t the games on
Knight outposts suggest that Black is virtually lost? Well, he is
if White proceeds smoothly, exchanges all the right pieces, and
Black has no counterplay.

7. Bg5 a6 8. Na3 b5 9. Bxf6 gxf6 10.
Nd5

All according to plan A, but there are some differences: Black has
an interesting collection of K-side pawns which may allow …f6-f5
and …Rg8, and White’s Knight on a3 is taking no part in the
struggle.

10… f5 11. Bd3 Be6 12. Qh5 Bg7 13. O-O f4 14.
c3 O-O 15. Nc2 f5

Black is making maximum use of the f-pawns and White looks at least
as loose as Black.

16. Ncb4 Nxb4 17. Nxb4 d5 18. exd5 Bd7 19. Bc2
Be8 20. Qe2 Kh8 21. Rad1 Qh4 22. f3 Rf6 23. Qe1 Qg5 24. Qxe5 Bd7
25. Qe7 Rg8

Black follows his pawn sacrifice with a Bishop!

26. Qxd7 Rf7

The f-pawns keep White’s pieces from defending the King, and White
has no answer to the vacating sacrifice …Bd4.

0-1

Winning against Doubled
Pawns

Mattison – Nimzovich
(carlsbad) CHERNEV [E21] 1929

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 Bxc3+ 5. bxc3 d6 6.
Qc2 Qe7 7. Ba3 c5 8. g3 b6 9. Bg2 Bb7 10. O-O O-O 11. Nh4 Bxg2 12.
Kxg2 Qb7+ 13. Kg1 Qa6 14. Qb3 Nc6 15. Rfd1 Na5

White has a problem with the front c-Pawn, which can be patched up
only at the cost of creating holes. Black’s Knights leap about all
over the White Pawns.

16. Qb5 Qxb5 17. cxb5 Nc4 18. Bc1 a6 19. bxa6
Rxa6 20. dxc5 bxc5 21. Ng2 Nd5 22. Rd3 Rfa8 23. e4 Ne5

“The centre cannot hold…”

0-1

Winning with Doubled
Pawns

Bhend, E – Hort, V (Kecsemet)
[B00] 1964

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nf6 5. Nxf6+
gxf6

All a bit early to call – we observe the Pawn differences, but not
much else. Black has a doubled Pawn, and and extra open file.

6. c3 Bf5 7. Nf3 e6 8. Bf4 Bd6 9. Bg3 Qc7 10. Qb3
Nd7 11. Be2 O-O-O 12. Nd2 Nb6 13. a4 a5 14. O-O Rhg8

Black’s Rooks have done their duty in occupying the files: Black
now executes a simple King’s-side attack.

15. Rfe1 Bxg3 16. hxg3 h5 17. Bf3 Bg4 18. Be2 h4
19. gxh4

Some brisk tactics finish the job.

19… Bh3 20. Bf1 Rxg2+ 21. Bxg2 Rg8 22. Kf1 Rxg2
23. Nf3 Qf4 24. Re3 Nd5 25. c4 Nxe3+ 26. Qxe3 Rg1+ 0-1

Winning against an Isolated
Pawn

Lasker-Reshevsky, Nottingham
1936

Here’s another isolated/hanging pawn game, showing the weakness of
the pawn being turned to attack.

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Bxc4
c5 6. Nc3 a6 7. O-O b5 8. Bd3 cxd4 9. exd4 Bb7 10. Bg5 Be7 11. Qe2
O-O 12. Rad1 Nbd7 13. Ne5 Nd5

Always this blockade: here it also offers desirable exchanges.

14. Bc1 Nxc3 15. bxc3 Nf6 16. a4 Qd5 17. Nf3 Rfc8
18. Bb2 Ne4 19. Rc1 Ng5

Black has developed strong pressure along the long diagonal.

20. axb5 axb5 21. Bxb5 Nxf3+ 22. gxf3 Qg5+
0-1

One might ask:

why does the side attacking the IQP blockade the square
in front of it?

and why should the side with the IQP avoid exchanges?

Simple answers: you blockade the IQP because it may
advance to d5 and blow up your position, and you avoid exchanges if
you have an IQP because the endings are bad for you and you might
make use of the extra space to create an attack.

Winning with an Isolated
Pawn

Stoltz – Thomas, Zaandamk
[D40]1946

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 c5 5. e3 Nc6 6. a3 cxd4
7. exd4 dxc4 8. Bxc4 Be7 9. O-O O-O 10. Re1 a6 11. Ba2 b5

White’s advantage seems trifling – a good Rook on e1, and the move
– but is rapidly converted through the characteristic d4-d5 break.
White can see no tactical opportunity in particular, but a general
optimism based on open lines 12. d5 exd5 13. Nxd5 Nxd5 14.
Qxd5 Qd6

[14… Bb7 15. Bg5 with a strong initiative based on
his more active pieces 15… Bxg5

[or 15… Na5 16. Qf5 Bxg5 17. Nxg5 g6 18.
Nxf7]

16. Nxg5 Qxd5 17. Bxd5 h6 18. Ne4]

15. Rxe7 Qxe7 16. Qxc6 Bg4 17. Be3 Rac8 18. Qd5
Rfd8 19. Qg5 Qxg5 20. Nxg5

White has secured two pieces for a rook, and his initiative
endures.

20… Rd7 21. f3 Bf5 22. g4 Bd3 23. Rd1 Rcd8 24.
Bb6 Bc4 25. Rxd7 Rxd7 26. Bxc4 bxc4 27. Ne4 f5 28. gxf5 Kf7 29. Ba5
Rd5 30. Bc3 h5 31. Kf2 Kg8 32. f6 1-0

Winning against Hanging
Pawns

Fischer – Spassky WCh (6)
[D59] 1972

1. c4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. d4 Nf6 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bg5 O-O 6. e3 h6
7. Bh4 b6 8. cxd5 Nxd5 9. Bxe7 Qxe7 10. Nxd5 exd5 11. Rc1 Be6 12.
Qa4 c5 13. Qa3 Rc8 14. Bb5 a6 15. dxc5 bxc5 16. O-O Ra7 17. Be2
Nd7

Black seems to have supported his Pawns nicely, but Fischer’s next
three moves exploit the remaining looseness to create a new
formation in which White has the better minor piece, prospects of
attack, and an enduring initiative.

18. Nd4! Qf8 19. Nxe6 fxe6 20. e4! d4 21. f4 Qe7
22. e5 Rb8 23. Bc4 Kh8 24. Qh3 Nf8 25. b3 a5 26. f5 exf5 27. Rxf5
Nh7 28. Rcf1 Qd8 29. Qg3 Re7 30. h4 Rbb7 31. e6 Rbc7 32. Qe5 Qe8
33. a4 Qd8 34. R1f2 Qe8 35. R2f3 Qd8 36. Bd3 Qe8 37. Qe4 Nf6 38.
Rxf6 gxf6 39. Rxf6 Kg8 40. Bc4 Kh8 41. Qf4 1-0

Winning with Hanging
Pawns

Bertok – Fischer [D59]
1962

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Be7 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Bg5 O-O 6. e3 h6
7. Bh4 b6 8. cxd5 Nxd5 9. Bxe7 Qxe7 10. Nxd5 exd5 11. Be2 Be6 12.
O-O c5 13. dxc5?! 13… bxc5 14. Qa4 Qb7!

White is not well-placed to harass the pawns, while Fischer is
making use of his own trumps – like the half-open b-file.

15. Qa3 Nd7 16. Ne1 a5 17. Nd3 c4

This is a very committal move. The b-Pawn is pinned down,
the d-Pawn becomes backward, and the fourth rank becomes
blocked.

18. Nf4 Rfb8 19. Rab1 ? (Nxe6)
19… Bf5 20. Rbd1 Nf6 21. Rd2 g5

White is terribly short of ideas. It’s “make your mind up” time!

22. Nxd5

[22. Nh5 Ne4 23. Rc2 Qb4]

22… Nxd5 23. Bxc4 Be6 24. Rfd1? 24…
Nxe3 (oops) 25. Qxe3 Bxc4 26. h4 Re8 27. Qg3 Qe7
28. b3 Be6 29. f4 g4 30. h5 Qc5+ 31. Rf2 Bf5 0-1

Winning against extra Pawn
islands

Capablanca,Jose –
Kupchik,Abraham (Havana ) (07) [C49] 1913

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Bb4 5. O-O O-O 6.
Bxc6 bxc6 7. Nxe5 Qe8

8. Nd3 Bxc3 9. dxc3 Qxe4

[9… Nxe4 10. Re1]

10. Re1 Qh4 11. Qf3 Ba6 12. Bf4 Rac8 13.
Be5 (idea /\ Nc5)13… Bxd3 14. cxd3 Qg4 15. Bxf6
Qxf3 16. gxf3 gxf6

Assessment, +/-: better Pawns, fewer Pawn islands,
more active pieces. The weakest spot in the Black position is the
isolated a-Pawn, and it is here that an attack should be directed.

17. Re4

First, Capablanca mobilises and centralises his pieces.
There is never any sense of rush when Capa plays an ending. This
ease of mobilisation is a dynamic advantage to add to the static
ones just listed.

17… Rfe8 18. Rae1 Re6 19. R1e3 Rce8 20. Kf1 Kf8
21. Ke2 Ke7

Now, White can attack the a-pawn.

22. Ra4 Ra8 23. Ra5

restrains the Pawns

23… d5!?

I can sympathise with the bid for space but this is not
forced and has the disadvantage of leaving the c-Pawns without
support – backward, although not exposed on a file. White quickly
blockades the Pawns.

24. c4! Kd6

[24… dxc4 leaves all Black’s Pawns isolated and
most of them doubled!]

[24… d4 25. Re4 Kd6 26. b4 Re5 27. Ra6 ‘hopeless’,
said Capa]

25. c5+ Kd7 26. d4

Black’s pawns have become fixed, cutting off the
Queen’s-side.

26… f5

Hoping to nip out to h6 with some play.

27. Rxe6! fxe6 28. f4

Clearing the third rank for a Rook

28… Kc8 29. Kd2 Kb7?!

Black has achieved a solid defence of the a-Pawn and Whiite can
achieve little else there. But White has access to both sides of
the board via the third rank. [29… Rb8!? 30. Kc3

[30. b3 blocks the third rank]

[30. Kc2 Rb4 31. Kc3 Rc4+ 32. Kd3 Rb4]

30… Rb7 may have been better]

30. Ra3 Rg8 31. Rh3 Rg7

This defence from the side keeps the Black Rook more
active than moving it to defend from h8, but I’m sure Black also
considered …Rg1!?, giving up a Pawn to get the Rook active. It
looks a bit speculative here but is the right sort of idea to have
in mind.

32. Ke2 Ka6 33. Rh6 Re7 34. Kd3 Kb7 35. h4 Kc8
36. Rh5 Kd7 37. Rg5 Rf7

Again, Black has achieved a solid, if passive, defence. White now
returns his attention to the Queen’s-side.

38. Kc3 Kc8 39. Kb4 Rf6 40. Ka5 Kb7 41. a4 a6 42.
h5 Rh6

White is poised on both fronts but can improve the position of his
pieces no further. It is time to try and force the issue.

43. b4 Rf6 44. b5!?

[44. Rg7! Rh6 first would have been better, according
to Capa: 45. b5 axb5 46. axb5 cxb5

[46… Rxh5 47. b6]

47. Kxb5 e.g. 47… Rxh5 48. c6+ Kb8 49.
Ka6]

44… axb5 45. axb5 Rf8

Off to sieze the a-file!

[45… Rf7 46. h6 Re7 47. Rg7 is hopeless: so Black
must counterattack.]

46. Rg7 Ra8+ 47. Kb4 cxb5 48. Kxb5
Ra2

Black has gained some activity. Of course, White does not retreat
and defend with Rg2.

49. c6+ Kb8 50. Rxh7

White has an h-pawn. Can the lone Black Rook do enough to
compensate?

50… Rb2+ 51. Ka5 Ra2+ 52. Kb4 Rxf2 53. Re7
Rxf4?!

Natural, but not exact.

[53… Rb2+! 54. Kc3 Rh2 55. Rxe6 Ka7 56. h6 Kb6
which isn’t great but Black is also fighting with the King
now]

[53… Rh2? 54. Rxe6 Rxh5 55. Re5 Ka7 56.
Kc5]

54. h6 Rxd4+ 55. Kb5 Rd1 56. h7

A Pawn on the seventh seems worth three in the bush!
Black can only hope to harass the King with checks, but these are
soon exhausted.

56… Rb1+ 57. Kc5 Rc1+ 58. Kd4 Rd1+ 59. Ke5 Re1+
60. Kf6 Rh1 61. Re8+ Ka7 62. h8=Q Rxh8 63. Rxh8 Kb6 64. Kxe6 Kxc6
65. Kxf5 Kc5 66. Ke5 c6 67. Rh6 Kb5 68. Kd4 1-0

Winning with extra Pawn
islands

This ought to work rather like the extra files in doubled Pawn
positions, but damned if I could find any convincing complete
games. I did dig a couple of examples out of my opening files,
though:

Geller’s Quiet System – Bronstein [B06] 1993

1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. c3 d6 4. Nf3
Nf6

5. Nbd2

[5. Bd3 (best)]

5… O-O 6. Be2

[6. h3 b6 7. Bc4 e6 8. O-O Bb7 9. Qe2 c5 10. dxc5
bxc5 11. e5 dxe5 12. Nxe5 Nd5 13. Ndf3 Nd7 14. Bg5 Qc7 15. Nxd7
Qxd7 16. Rad1 Qc7 17. Rfe1 Nb6 18. Bd3 c4 19. Bc2 Nd5

Simagin-Bronstein, Moscow 1967

[0-1,44]]

6… b6 7. O-O e6

(To stop e4-e5-e6 and discourage d5 in reply to the
coming …c5. Benko has in fact played 7…Bb7 without immediate
harm, but this is safer)

8. Re1 Bb7 9. Bd3 c5 10. dxc5 bxc5 11. e5 dxe5
12. Nxe5 Nc6 13. Ndc4 Nxe5 14. Nxe5 Qc7

=+ K/B

(Better bishops, possibilities of play on b-file, and
some central influence from Pe6; moreover, the Queen’s-side
majority cannot really get going, as there is no real ‘candidate’
for promotion)

15. Qe2 Rab8 16. Bd2 Ba8 17. Nc4 Nh5 18. Be4 Bd5
19. b3 Rfd8 20. Rad1 Nf6 21. Bc2 Qb7 22. Na5 Qb6 23. Nc4 Qa6 24.
Ne3 Qxe2 25. Rxe2 Bc6 26. f3 a5

Filip-Bronstein, Moscow 1967

[0-1,85]

=/+

The secret arts of castling

Posted on September 28, 2026 by DrDave

“Castle because you will or because you must; but not because
you can.” — Pillsbury

What can we infer from Pillsbury’s advice? Castling is desirable:
it whips the King out from under the central battle, and it gets a
Rook into play where lines may be opened. But it is also a move
which must be weighed against other moves. Careless, automatic
castling can waste time that could be better spent on other things,
and you can also castle from the frying pan into the fire. Below
I’ll look at the whys and wherefores of castling.

Castling not at all
I show this game to all the juniors. Get your King out of the way!
And if your opponent doesn’t castle, open up lines to the uncastled
King for your Rooks.
Wojciechowski – Weiss (Munich)
[C15]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nge2 dxe4 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6.
Nxc3 f5

?! The only way to hang on to the pawn, but it would have been
safer to let it go. (Nimzo and Weiss did know this, but must have
thought themselves capable of the defence.)
7. f3 exf3 8. Qxf3 Qh4+
[8…Qxd4 9.Qg3 Nf6 10.Qxg7 Qe5+ 11.Be2 Rg8 12.Qh6
Rg6 13.Qh4 Bd7 14.Bg5 Bc6 15.0-0-0 Bxg2 16.Rhe1 Be4 17.Bh5 Nxh5
18.Rd8+ Kf7 19.Qxh5 Kg7 20.Nxe4 fxe4 21.Bh6+ Kf6 22.Rf8+ 1-0
Alekhin Alexander-Nimzowitsch Aaron/Bled 1931]
9. g3 Qxd4 10. Be3 Qg4 11. Qg2

White must preserve the Q having sacrificed two pawns
11… Nf6 12. Be2 Qg6 13. O-O-O Nc6 14. Nb5 Qf7
15. Bc5 a6 16. Bf3 Nd8 17. Qd2 Nd5 18. Bxd5! axb5 19.
Rhe1

White’s major pieces are the main artillery in the attack against
the uncastled King
19… Bd7 20. g4 Nc6 21. gxf5 Qxf5 22. Bxe6 Bxe6
23. Qd7+ 1-0

Castling into it
This is the opposite fault: castling into an area where lines are
more easily opened up against you.
Blackburne – Blanchard (London)
[C30] , 1891
1. e4 e5 2. f4 Bc5 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. Nf3 exf4 ? 5. d4 Bb4 6.
Bxf4 d5 7. e5 Bxc3+ 8. bxc3 Be6 9. Bd3 h6 10. O-O Nge7 11.
Rb1

a rook’s first duty is to sieze the open files (or half-open ones)
11… b6 12. Qd2 O-O

optimistic!
13. Bxh6
sacrifices like this don’t take much thought…
13… gxh6 14. Qxh6 Ng6 15. Ng5 Re8 16.
Rxf7
[16. Qh7+ or 16.Bxg6 both win]
16… Bxf7 17. Qh7+ Kf8 18. Qxf7#
1-0

Dubois – Steinitz Wilhelm
(London (England)) [C55] 1862
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. O-O Nf6 5. d3 d6 6. Bg5
h6

Black, not having castled, can advance on the King’s-side with
impunity.
7. Bh4 g5 8. Bg3 h5 9. Nxg5 h4 10. Nxf7 hxg3 11.
Nxd8 Bg4 12. Qd2 Nd4 13. Nc3 Nf3+ 14. gxf3 Bxf3 15. hxg3 Rh1#
0-1

Nigel Holloway’s Suicide
Variation.
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5
e6 7. f4 Be7 8. Qf3 Qc7 9. O-O-O O-O?!
Nigel Holloway’s infamous Suicide Variation of the
Najdorf Sicilian.

10. Bd3!? critical
10… Nc6 11. Nxc6 bxc6 12. e5 dxe5 13.
Qh3
[13. Ne4 Nd5 14. Bxe7 Nxe7 15. Ng5 h6 16. Nh7 Rd8-/+
Helman-Holloway, NCC 1973]
13… h6 14. Bxh6 gxh6 15. Qxh6 Rd8and 16.
g4 [16. Rhe1 “or almost anything else” and no-one
could find a decisive line for White]
[10. Qg3 Nbd7 11. Bd3 b5 12. Rhe1 b4 13. Nd5 exd5 14.
Nf5+- Hartston-Holloway, GB chp 1973 – “being Bill Hartston, he
claimed that he thought of this over the board”.]

Hoffmann – Petroff (Zt, Warsaw
(Poland)) [C53] castling: into it?, 1844
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. e5
Ne4 7. Bd5 Nxf2 8. Kxf2 dxc3+ 9. Kg3 cxb2 10. Bxb2 Ne7 11. Ng5 Nxd5
12. Nxf7

12… O-O! 13. Nxd8 Bf2+ 14. Kh3 d6+ 15. e6 Nf4+ 16. Kg4
Nxe6 17. Nxe6 Bxe6+ 18. Kg5 Rf5+ 19. Kg4 h5+ 20. Kh3 Rf3#
0-1

Castling Queen’s-side

nn – nn [B75] castling:
castling Queen’s-side, 1993
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3
Bg7 7. f3 Nc6 8. Qd2 a6 9. O-O-O Bd7 10. g4 Rc8 11. Be2 O-O 12.
h4

Opposite-side castling and asymmetric pawns/files usually adds up
to a race to mate the opponent’s King. Both sides will throw pawns
forward to open up lines for the attack.
12… Nxd4 13. Bxd4 Qa5 14. Kb1 e5 ! 15. Be3 Be6
16. a3 Rfd8 17. Bg5 Rd7 18. h5 Rdc7 19. h6 Rxc3 !? 20. hxg7 R8c6
21. Bxf6 Rb6

! exciting stuff!
22. Bb5 !! 22… Rxb5 23. Qxd6 Rc8 24. Qf8+ Rxf8
25. gxf8=Q+ Kxf8 26. Rxh7 1-0

Castling into it
Queen’s-side

Keres,Paul – Botvinnik,Mikhail
(ch_URS ) (03) [E35] , 1941
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5 5. cxd5 exd5 6. Bg5
h6 7. Bh4 c5

8. O-O-O Bxc3 9. Qxc3 g5 10. Bg3 cxd4 11. Qxd4 Nc6 12. Qa4
Bf5 13. e3 Rc8 14. Bd3 Qd7 15. Kb1 Bxd3+ 16. Rxd3 Qf5 17. e4 Nxe4
18. Ka1 O-O 19. Rd1 b5 20. Qxb5 Nd4 21. Qd3 Nc2+ 22. Kb1 Nb4
0-1

Castling late
Castling late runs the risk of not being able to castle at all,
because your King gets trapped in the middle. However I was very
struck watching Jon Speelman on TV many years ago, refraining from
castling to give an extra tempo for the attack. This is
characteristic of no-one so much as Petrosian.

Speelman – Mestel (BBC TV)
[A42] castling: delayed castling, 1979
1.d4 d6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 e5 5.d5 Nd7 6.Be2 a5 7.a3
Ngf6 8.Bg5 0-0 9.Rb1

“Speelman, an original player, is trying a novel plan here. He
delays castling, and uses the extra move to make progress on both
wings.”
9…h6 10.Be3 Nc5 11.Bf3 Bd7 12.b4 axb4 13.axb4
Na4 14.Nge2 Ne8 15.Nxa4 Rxa4 16.Qc1 Kh7 17.Nc3 Ra8
18.h4!

18…h5 19.Bd1 f5 20.exf5 Bxf5 21.Bc2 Nf6 22.Bg5
Qd7

23.0-0!
“Finally! Now Black can no longer counter with a
general advance of the King’s-side Pawns.” — James/Barden
23…c6 24.dxc6 Qxc6 25.Bxf5 gxf5 26.Nd5
a Pawn sac! 26…Nxd5 27.cxd5 Qxd5
[27…Qd7] 28.Rd1 Qe4 29.Rxd6 f4 30.f3 Qe2 31.Rb2
Qb5 32.Qb1+ Kh8 33.Rbd2 e4 34.Bh6 Qe5 35.Qxe4 Rfe8? 36.Bxg7+
Qxg7 [36…Kxg7 37.Qg6+] 37.Qxf4 Ra1+
38.Kh2 Rf8 39.Qxf8+ Qxf8 40.Rd8 Kg7 41.Rxf8 Kxf8 42.Rd7
1-0

Terpugov,E – Petrosian,T
(Moscow Zenit_Spartak m) , 1957
1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d6 3. Nc3 Bg4 4. e4 c6 5. h3 Bxf3 6. Qxf3
Nbd7 7. Be3 e6 8. g4 d5 9. e5 Ng8

In closed position it is difficult to open lines against the King,
and if there are no other open lines it may not be essential to
connect the Rooks.
10. O-O-O b5 11. Bd3 Nb6 12. Kb1 Nc4 13. Bc1 Qb6
14. g5 Ne7 15. h4 c5 16. dxc5 Qxc5 17. Rhe1 g6 18. b3 Bg7 19. bxc4
bxc4 20. Bf1

Only now does Black castle, having spent each of his precious
ration of moves in the most effective way.
20… O-O 21. Ka1 Rfb8 22. Nb1 Nc6 23. Qg3 Rxb1+
24. Kxb1 Rb8+ 25. Ka1 c3 26. Bd2 Nb4 27. Bd3 Qc4 0-1

Petrosian,T – Barendregt,J
(Beverwijk), , 1960
1. c4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6 4. e4 c5 5. d5 e5 6. Be2 Nh6
7. h4 f5 8. Bg5 Qb6 9. Rb1 Nf7 10. Bd2 a5 11. Nf3 h6 12. g3 Na6 13.
a3 Qd8 14. Qc2 h5 15. exf5 gxf5 16. Ng5 Qf6 17. Na4 f4
[17… Qd8 18. Ne6 Bxe6 19. dxe6 Nh6 20. Bxh5+ Ke7
21. Bxh6 Bxh6 22. Qxf5+]
18. Nb6 Bf5 19. Bd3 Bxd3 20. Qxd3 Rb8 21. Ne4
Qd8

22. Bxa5 O-O 23. Qd1 f3 24. b4 Nh6 25. Rb3 Ng4 26. O-O Bf6
27. Qxf3! Qe7
[27… Bxh4 28. Qh1 Be7 29. Qxh5 Nf6 30. Qg6+ Kh8 31.
Kg2]
[27… Rf7 28. Qf5 Rh7 29. f3]
28. Qf5 Rf7 29. Qxh5 Rg7 30. f3 Bxh4 31. fxg4 Rh7
32. Qf5 1-0

Yates Frederick D – Alekhin
Alexander (San Remo) [C71] , 1930
This is the record-holder, I think!
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 d6 5. Nc3
Bd7 6. d3 g6 7. Nd5 b5 8. Bb3 Na5 9. Bg5 f6 10. Bd2 c6 11. Ne3 Nxb3
12. axb3 Nh6 13. b4 f5 14. Qe2 Nf7 15. Nf1 Qe7 16. Ng3 f4 17. Nf1
g5

Neither side seems able to castle with safety on either wing!
18. Bc3 h5 19. N3d2 Bg4 20. f3 Be6 21. d4 Bg7 22.
Qd3 exd4 23. Bxd4 Ne5 24. Qe2

Finally, Black commits the King.
24… O-O 25. h3 c5 26. Bc3 cxb4 27. Bxb4 Nc6 28.
Bc3 Bxc3 29. bxc3 Qf6 30. e5 Nxe5 31. Ne4 Qe7 32. Nfd2 Bc4 33. Nxc4
Nxc4 34. Rd1 Qe5 35. Qd3 Rf5

And now White:
36. O-O d5 37. Qxd5+ Qxd5 38. Rxd5 Rxd5 39. Nf6+
Kf7 40. Nxd5 Rd8 41. Nb4 Rd2 42. Ra1 a5 43. Nc6 Rxc2 44. Nxa5 Ne3
45. Rb1 Rxg2+ 46. Kh1 Rg3 47. Nc6 Rxh3+ 0-1

Castling not at all
(reprise)

Basman – Wall (UK chp
Eastbourne) (2) [A00] , 1990
1. h3 e5 2. a3 d5
Basman has made a career out of this sort of thing.
3. c4 c6 4. cxd5 cxd5 5. g4 Nc6 6. Bg2 Be6 7. d3
Nge7 8. Nc3 Ng6 9. Nf3 Be7 10. g5 f5 11. gxf6 gxf6 12. Rg1 Qd7 13.
h4 h5 14. Qa4 O-O-O

Basman has argued that Kings are safe in the middle as long as you
don’t move the central pawns. It all depends on whether your
opponent can open lines, which depends on pawn mobility.
So White must restrain the Black central pawns.
15. b4 b6 16. Bd2 Kb8 17. b5 Na5 18. Na2 Nb7 19.
Nb4 Bxb4 20. axb4 Nd6

White starts a pincer movement.
21. Bh3 Bxh3 22. Rxg6 Rhg8 23. Rxf6 Rg7 24. Bg5
Qc8 25. Rc1 Rc7 26. Rc6 1-0

And while MJB can get away with this sort of thing, it
still involves definite risks.

Bryson – Basman (Cr) [B00],
1986
1. e4 g5 2. d4 h6 3. Bd3 d6 4. Ne2 c5 5. c3 Nf6 6. O-O Nc6
7. Kh1 Bg4 8. f3 Bh5 9. Be3 e6 10. Nd2 Be7 11. a3 cxd4 12. cxd4 d5
13. e5 Nh7 14. Qc2 Nf8 15. b4 Bg6 16. f4 Rc8 17. Rac1 a6

A bit French, which is odd for Basman, whose games usually look
Martian… If you know about the French, you may feel that White’s
position looks better – Black lacks Queen’s-side counterplay
against the attack.
18. f5 exf5 19. Bxf5 Bxf5 20. Qxf5 Rh7 21. Nc3
Rc7 22. Nb3 Rd7 23. Na4 Rc7 24. Nac5 Bxc5 25. Nxc5

Black has blockaded the central files, but the Bishop files are
haemorrhaging. 25… Ne7 26. Qf6 Rc6 27. e6 Nxe6 28. Nxb7
Qc7 29. Rxc6 Qxc6 30. Nc5 Nxc5 31. dxc5 Qe6 32. Bd4 Kd7 33. Qf2 f5
34. Re1 Qc6 35. Qe2 f4 36. a4 Qxa4 37. Qe6+ Kd8 38. Qb6+ Kc8 39.
Bf6 Rf7 40. Qe6+
Fittingly, the decision comes down the King’s e-file.
1-0

Castling tactics
Unusually, castling can be used as a positive element in a tactical
idea. It’s worth knowing about this, because it is easy to
overlook.

Mikhailov,V – Weteschnik,M (FS
IM A, Budapest) (5), 1995
1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 c5 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bf4 Nf6 6. e4 a6
7. a4 Nc6 8. dxc5 Bxc5 9. Qxd8+ Kxd8 10. Bxc4 Bb4

11. e5 Ne4 12. O-O-O+ 1-0

Thanks to mig for this game, and to others who
contributed games with the same theme, including Joshua Bromberg,
Dan Scoones, and Matt Guthrie. There are many reasons to like the
internet, and chess is one of
them.
A curiosity:
Wohl,A (2405) – Curtis,J (Doeberl Cup, Canberr )
(2290) (3), 1996
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3
a6 6. f4 e6 7. Qf3 Qc7 8. Be3 b5 9. Bd3 Bb7 10. g4 b4 11. Nce2 d5
12. e5 Ne4 13. f5 Nd7 14. fxe6 Nxe5 15. exf7+ Qxf7 16. Qxf7+ Kxf7
17. Rf1+
[17. O-O+ was possible]
17… Ke8 18. h3 Nc5 19. Nf4 Nc4 20. Bxc4 dxc4
21. Nfe6 Nxe6 22. Nxe6 Kd7 23. Ng5 Re8

24. O-O-O+ Kc8 25. Nf7 Rg8 26. Bf4 Bc5 27. Nd6+ Bxd6 28.
Bxd6 Rd8 29. Rf4 Kd7 30. Rxc4 Ke6 31. Rcd4 Rge8 32. Bxb4 Rxd4 33.
Rxd4 h5 34. gxh5 Rh8 35. Rd6+ Kf5 36. Rd7 Bc8 37. Rxg7 Rxh5 38. Rc7
Rh8 39. Bc3 Rg8 40. b3 Kf4 41. h4 Bf5 42. Bd2+ Kg4 43. Rc4+ Kh5 44.
Bg5 Re8 45. Kd2 Re6 46. a4 Bg4 47. Rc7 Re2+ 48. Kd3 Rh2 49. Rh7+
Kg6 50. Rh6+ Kg7 51. Ke4 Bd1 52. Kd3 Bh5 1-0

Lasker Ed. – Thomas (London),
1912
1. d4 f5 2. e4 fxe4 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 e6 5. Nxe4 Be7 6.
Bxf6 Bxf6 7. Nf3 O-O 8. Bd3 b6 9. Ne5 Bb7 10. Qh5 Qe7 11. Qxh7+
Kxh7 12. Nxf6+ Kh6 13. Neg4+ Kg5 14. h4+ Kf4 15. g3+ Kf3 16. Be2+
Kg2 17. Rh2+ Kg1

18. Kd2#
[18. O-O-O# is given by many sources, which was
possible, but was not Lasker’s choice]
1-0

Playing White against odd Black defences after 1.e4 (2) piece play

Posted on September 28, 2026 by DrDave

A4. Piece attacks vs.
Pirc/Modern 1. e4 …d6/…g6: 1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4.
Be3

The trouble with the Pirc is that Black will just lurk behind
his pawns, and your pieces won’t find much to attack. I play the
Pirc/Modern as Black, and am always more impressed by systems which
threaten to open lines with pawn breaks than any of the piece play
lines. But that’s not to say they aren’t all dangerous; the player
with a plan will always beat the player without one.

There are two principal ‘piece play’ lines available:

1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nf3 g6 4. Bc4 Bg7 5.
Qe2

White concentrates on rapid development and aims at a timely
e5.

The other line I have in mind is:

1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. Be3 Bg7 5.
Qd2

Now the simple idea is to play the standard attack with O-O-O,
f3, g4, h4, Nge2-g3 and h5. Let’s see this in action:

Hort,V – Rota [B07], Aachen/SW,16,18

1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. Be3 Bg7 5. Qd2 O-O 6.
O-O-O

6… c6 7. Bh6 b5 8. f3 a5 9. h4 b4 10. Na4 Bd7 11.
h5

11… Nxh5 12. Rxh5 Bxh6

[12… gxh5 13. Qg5 b3 14. Qxg7#]

13. Rxh6 c5 14. Rh2 1-0

This plan depends a little on Black castling King’s side,
although it will not have guaranteed safety on the other side, nor
in the centre. See the example games.

Example Games
A4

Firstly, let’s look at a few games in the Bc4 lines .

A4.1. Examples with Bc4

Christ,R – Kljako,D [B07], it, Biel

1. e4 d6 2. d4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. Bc4 Nf6 5. Qe2 c6 6. e5
dxe5 7. dxe5 Nd5 8. Bd2

Simple development is the trademark of the White system

8… Nxc3 9. Bxc3 O-O 10. f4 a5 11. a4 b6 12. Nf3 Ba6
13. Rd1 Qc7 14. O-O Bxc4 15. Qxc4 Na6

White has a simple advantage in space.

16. Ng5 h6 17. Ne4 Qc8 18. Rd3 Rb8 19. Rh3 b5 20. Qe2 b4
21. Bd2 f5

Black was cramped, but this bid for freedom looks very
loose.

22. exf6 exf6 23. f5 g5 24. Qc4+ Kh7 25. Bxg5 fxg5 26.
f6 Bh8 27. Nxg5+ Kg6

Black’s King is being knocked about all over the place, while
the Black pieces watch glumly from the wings.

28. Rxh6+ Kxh6 29. Qh4+ Kg6 30. Qh7+ Kxg5 31. h4+ Kg4
32. Qg6+ 1-0

Knippel,M – Stratmann,B [B08], NRW

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nc3 g6 3. e4 d6 4. Bc4 Bg7 5. Nf3 O-O 6.
Qe2 Nc6 7. e5

This is the key break in the Bc4 systems.

7… Ng4 8. h3 Nh6 9. g4 Na5 10. Bd3 b6 11. Bf4 Kh8 12.
O-O-O

Black’s next move seals the centre, but White’s King’s side
attack can now proceed without worrying about the central
tension.

12… d5 13. Qe3 Ng8 14. Rdg1 h6 15. h4 Nc4 16. Bxc4
dxc4 17. h5 Bb7 18. g5

It looks grim for the Black King.

18… Bxf3 19. Qxf3 Qxd4 20. Rd1 Qc5 21. Rd5 Qc6 22.
gxh6 Nxh6 23. hxg6 Qxg6

Recapturing with the pawn wasn’t pretty, but this fails to:

24. Rdd1 1-0

25. Rdg1 is killing.

See also the games under the Gurgenidze
System

A4.2. Examples with Be3

Adams,M – Wolff,P [B07], London

1. e4 d6 2. d4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. Be3 c6 5. Qd2 b5 6. h4
Nf6 7. f3 Qc7 8. Bh6 Bxh6 9. Qxh6 Be6 10. Nh3 Bxh3 11. Rxh3 Nbd7
12. O-O-O

White’s K-side initiative persuades Black to castle Queen’s
side.

12… Nb6 13. Kb1 O-O-O 14. Qe3 e5 15. a3 d5 16. dxe5
Qxe5 17. f4 Qe7 18. e5 Nfd7

White opens up the Q-side; he can skip the Rh3 across
easily.

19. a4 a6

Taking on a4 will allow Ba6+.

20. a5 Na8 21. Nxd5 cxd5

The entry of the Queen is decisive.

22. Qa7 Nc7 23. Rc3 Nb8 24. g3 1-0

Lane,G – Saucey,M [B07], Royan

1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6 4. Be3 Nf6 5. Qd2 O-O 6. f3
e5 7. Nge2 c6 8. O-O-O Nbd7 9. g4 b5 10. Nb1 Nb6 11. Ng3 Be6 12.
b3

Black now takes on d4, and the game starts to look rather like
the Yugoslav Attack in the Sicilian Dragon.

12… exd4 13. Bxd4 d5 14. g5 Nfd7 15. Bxg7 Kxg7 16. f4
f6 17. h4 Bg4 18. Be2 Bxe2 19. Qxe2 Qe7 20. Rdg1

Again, White’s attack has proceeded faster than Black’s.

20… f5 21. exf5 Qxe2 22. f6+ 1-0

Black will have no prospects in the endgame with White’s secure
pawn on f6.

Chacon,E – Blazquez,J. L [B07], Alicante

1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6 4. Be3 Nf6 5. f3 c6 6. Qd2
O-O 7. Bh6 Bxh6 8. Qxh6 Qb6 9. O-O-O Nbd7 10. h4

A typical thrust.

10… c5 11. d5

Often, if the situation in the centre is clear, the attack is
easier.

11…Ne5 12. h5 Bd7 13. Be2 c4 14. Nh3

White threatens Ng5 after which hxg6 and f4 look very
strong.

14… Bxh3 15. Rxh3 g5 16. Qxg5+ Kh8 17. g4 Rg8 18. Qd2
Qa5 19. g5 Ne8 20. f4 Nd7 21. Qd4+ f6 22. Bg4 Nc5 23. Bf5 Qb6 24.
Kb1 h6 25. Bg6 Nd7

White’s King’s-side initiative will persist into an endgame.

26. Qxb6 Nxb6 27. gxh6 1-0

After 27… Nc7 28. h7 Rg7

[28… Rgf8 29. Bf5 Na6 30. Rg3 Nc5 31. Rdg1 Rfe8 32. Rg7
Nbd7]

29. Rg3 e5 30. h6

the endgame is hopeless for Black.

A5. Piece attacks vs.
Sicilian: lines with piece play

A5.1. Ideas with Be2

It would be wrong to say there is much theory on these
lines.

The basic idea is to develop the King’s side pieces quickly, and
play c3 and d4 (very much the same plan as the normal 1. e4 e5
openings).

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3

Now Black has a basic choice between 2…d6, 2…Nc6 and 2…e6.
Alternatives are less strong, e.g. 2…a6 3. c4 or 2…Nf6 3. e5.
These should not be scorned – GMs have played each line – but are
less good for Black than normal lines.

2…d6

[after 2… e6 White can play an interesting gambit,
borrowed from a variation of the English Opening: 3. Be2 Nc6 4. b4
Nxb4

[4… cxb4 5. d4]

5. c3 Nc6 6. d4;

(compare the line 1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 e4 4. Ng5
b5)]

3. Be2 Nf6

[3… e6 4. c3 Nc6 5. d4 Nf6 6. Nbd2]

4. c3 Nc6 5. d4 cxd4 6. cxd4 Qa5+ 7. Nc3 Nxe4 8.
d5

…with interesting gambit play in each line.

A5.2. Ideas with Bb5

Rossolimo Variation with 2… Nc6

3. Bb5

Now the most common line is

3…g6

Alternatives:

[3… Nf6 e.g. 4. e5 Nd5 5. Nc3 Nc7 6. a4 Nxb5 7.
axb5]

[3… e6 e.g. 4. O-O Nge7 5. c3 d5 6. exd5]

4. O-O Bg7 5. c3 Qb6 6. Na3 Nf6 7. Re1

[or 7. e5 Nd5 8. Bc4 Nc7 9. d4]

…when White has good play.

Rossolimo Variation with 2…d6

3. Bb5+

This is a complex line. After 3…Bd7 White will often play 4.
Bxd7+ and 5.c4, placing the pawns on light squares to complement
the dark-squared bishop.

One example in another line:

3… Nd7 4. d4 cxd4 5. Qxd4 Ngf6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Nc3 Be7 8.
O-O a6 9. Bxd7+ Bxd7 10. Rad1 Bc6 11. Rfe1 O-O 12. Bxf6
gxf6

Again, White has good piece play, although the bishops may be
dangerous

Example games
A5

A5.1. Examples with Be2

Basman-Stean,Hastings
1974

This is a famous game in this line.

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Be2 Nf6 4. c3 Nc6 5. d4 cxd4 6.
cxd4 Nxe4 7. d5 Qa5+ 8. Nc3 Nxc3 9. bxc3

9…Ne5

[9… Nd8 may be better]

10. Nxe5 Qxc3+ 11. Bd2 Qxe5 12. O-O Qxd5

[The main alternative is 12… a6

Nikolenko-Obukhov 1991

13. Rb1 g6 14. Rxb7 Bg7

[14… Bxb7 15. Qa4+ Kd8 16. Ba5+ Kc8 17. Qe8#]

15. Qa4+ Kf8 16. Rc7 Bf5

[16… Qxe2 17.Qc6 Bb7 18. Qxb7 Re8 19. Rc8 Qb5 20. Rxe8+
Qxe8 21. Rc1]

17. Qc6 Rd8 18. Bxa6

idea Re1 – Gallagher]

The game as it goes is a rout.

13. Rb1 e6 14. Bb5+ Bd7 15. Bxd7+ Kxd7 16. Qa4+ Kd8 17.
Rb5 Qc6 18. Rc1 Qa6 19. Ra5 Qd3 20. Be3 d5 21. Rxa7 Rxa7 22. Qxa7
Ba3 23. Qb8+ Ke7 24. Bg5+ f6 25. Qxb7+ Kd6 26. Qc7#

A5.2. Examples with Bb5

Georgiev,Kr – Feher,G [B30], Cappelle

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 e6 4. O-O Nge7 5. b3 Qb6 6.
Na3 Ng6 7. Bb2 a6 8. Nc4 Qc7 9. Bxc6 Qxc6

White is miles ahead in development, so breaks with d4.

10. d4 cxd4 11. Nxd4

Black now grabs a hot pawn while behind in development. (Kids!
Don’t try this at home!)

11… Qxe4 12. Re1 Qf4 13. Nb6 Rb8 14. Nd5

Almost inevitable

14… f6 1-0

Smirin,I – Nun,Ji [B30], Polanica

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 e6 4. O-O Nge7 5. b3 Ng6 6.
Bb2 Be7 7. Bxg7 Rg8 8. Bb2 h5 9. Nc3 Qc7 10. Re1

10… h4 11. Nd5

A very typical Sicilian sacrifice.

11…exd5 12. exd5 Nd4 13. Nxd4 cxd4 14. Ba3 Qa5 15.
Bxe7 Nxe7 16. Qe2 Qa3

White threatens Qe5 and d6, winning the knight. Black keeps the
Knight, but loses the King.

17. Qe5 Kf8 18. d6 Ng6 19. Qf6 Qa5 20. Bc4 Rg7 21. Re7
1-0

Bogumil – Sarosi [B30], Budapest

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 e6 4. O-O Nge7 5. c3 d5 6.
exd5 Qxd5 7. d4 cxd4 8. c4 Qd8 9. Nxd4 Bd7 10. Nf3 Nf5 11. Nc3 Be7
12. Ba4 O-O 13. Bc2 Nh4 14. Nxh4 Bxh4 15. b3 Bf6 16.
Ba3

A neat move making use of the extra space and mobility.

16… Re8

[If 16…Bxc3, 17. Qd3!]

17. Qd3 g6 18. Rad1 Ne5 19. Qg3 Qa5 20. Ne4 Bg7 21. b4
Qc7 22. Nd6 Red8 23. Bb2 Nc6

White is obviously winning. He finds a neat unmasking (Nf5)

24. Bxg7 1-0

B. Slow attacks with f4 against
the common half-open defences

The move f4 is often a strong idea against the Sicilian and
Pirc, and to some extent the French; less good against other lines.
The ideas are similar:

 develop rapidly

use the extra space given by the extra central
pawn

use the f4 pawn to break open lines against the
King

B1. Playing f4 vs. Alekhin
1. e4 Nf6: 1. e4 Nf6 2. d3 and 3. f4

Sadly, this line has no real force and is not a good line to
adopt.

If you insist on consistency, you can try it, but otherwise I
would look at a different line.

Example games
B1

Lazarevic,M – Maric,D (6) Pula, 1990[B02]

1. e4 Nf6 2. d3 d5 3. e5 Nfd7 4. f4 Nb6

With the N on b6 it is harder to organise the obvious ‘French’
break with f6.

5. c3 c5 6. Nf3 Bg4 7. Be2 e6 8. Na3 Be7 9. O-O O-O 10.
Nc2 Nc6 11. Ne3 Bxf3 12. Bxf3

Black has done everything right so far, but gets careless.

12… d4 13. Ng4 dxc3 14. bxc3 c4 15. d4 Nd5 16. Bxd5
Qxd5 17. Ne3 Qb5 18. Qe2 Rac8 19. f5 Bg5 20. f6 gxf6 21. Ng4 Ne7
22. Bxg5 fxg5 23. Nf6+

White should never have been allowed to reach this easy
attacking position.

23… Kg7 24. Qh5 h6 25. Ng4 Ng8 26. Nxh6 Nxh6 27. Qxg5+
Kh7 28. Rf6 Nf5 29. Rf1 Rg8 30. Qh5+ 1-0

B2. Playing f4 vs. Caro-Kann 1. e4 c6: 1. e4 c6 2. Nc3 d5 3. f4 (a
line of the Dunst opening, 1.Nc3)

I couldn’t find a single example of this with f4. This is
probably because it’s not a very good line!

Example games
B2

Van der Vaeren – Savva, Haifa, 1989[A00]

1. e4 d5 2. Nc3 dxe4 3. Nxe4 c6 4. Bc4 Nf6

This could have arisen from the Caro-Kann

5. Nxf6+ exf6 6. Ne2 Be6 7. Bxe6 fxe6 8.
Nf4

Hitting at the weak White squares. Black now prompts an
elementary combination.

8… e5 9. Qh5+ Ke7 10. Ng6+ hxg6 11. Qxh8 Kf7 12. Qh3
Qd7 13. Qb3+ Ke7 14. O-O b6 15. d3 Qd5

An interesting moment: I would have swapped off here to try and
win on material.

16. c4 Qd6 17. Be3 c5 18. a4 Nc6 19. a5 Nb4 20. axb6
Qxb6 21. f4 exf4 22. Bxf4 Kf7 23. d4 Nd5 24. Qf3

Black is very wobbly here.

24… Nxf4 25. Qxa8 Ne2+ 26. Kh1 Nxd4 27. Rxa7+ Kg8 28.
Qd5+ Qe6 29. Qxe6+ Nxe6 30. Re1 1-0

B3. Playing f4 vs. French 1.
e4 e6: 1. e4 e6 2. Nc3 d5 3. f4 (a line of the Dunst opening,
1.Nc3)

Now, I have found a few of these. With the P on e6, Black is
necessarily a little more passive than the Caro lines above. I
don’t think White can claim much advantage (indeed, John Watson
reckons that the Pf4 may be in the way of the Bc1), but it’s an
easy line to understand.

Example games
B3

Hill,S – Wright,A , ch-AUS/SW,5,18, 1989[B21]

1. e4 c5 2. f4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 dxe4 5. Nxe4 Nc6 6.
Bc4

White has nicely centralised pieces.

6… Nf6 7. Nxf6+ Qxf6 8. O-O Bd6 9. d3 Bxf4 10. Ng5
Qxg5 11. Bxf4 Qe7 12. Qg4 O-O 13. Rae1 Kh8 14. Qg3 Rd8 15. c3 b6
16. Re3 Re8

Every White piece is well-placed.

17. Bd5 Bb7 18. Be4 Nd8 19. Bg5 f6

White now plays a sacrifice which is easy to think of but hard
to analyse!

20. Bxh7 Kxh7 21. Qh4+ Kg8 22. Bxf6 gxf6 23. Rg3+
1-0

Campora,D. H – Shirazi,A , Ch New York ( open ),
1989[B21]

1. e4 c5 2. f4 e6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. Bb5 Nge7 5. O-O a6 6.
Be2 g6 7. d3 Bg7 8. c3 d5 9. Nbd2 O-O 10. Qe1 b5 11. Qf2
Qb6

A position that could have arisen from either the French or the
Sicilian.

12. e5 f6 13. d4 cxd4 14. cxd4 fxe5 15. fxe5 g5 16. g4
h5 17. gxh5 g4 18. h6 Bxh6 19. Nc4 dxc4 20. Bxh6 Nf5

Rather a sign of distress; White is winning.

21. Bxf8 Kxf8 22. Nh4 Ncxd4 23. Bxg4 Bb7 24. h3 Qc5 25.
Rae1 Kg8 26. Kh2 1-0

B4. Playing f4 vs.
Pirc/Modern 1. e4 …d6/…g6: 1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. f4
(Austrian Attack)

Against the Pirc, f4 is not a particularly slow line!

1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. f4 Bg7 5. Nf3
O-O

[5… c5 is probably a better way to equalise, or so the
books say in 1990]

6. Bd3 Nc6 7. O-O

The White attack is easy to understand; White will complete
development and then break with e5 or f5 – or both!

Example games
B4

Ekebjaerg,Ove (2580) – Van Manen,Gerben (2580) cr
Blass-mem, 1990[B07]

1. Nc3 Nf6 2. e4 d6 3. f4 g6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. d4 O-O 6. Bd3
Nc6 7. O-O Bg4 8. e5 Nd7 9. Be3

A set-up for White which is easy to understand. I have watched
relatively weak (170-grade) players carve up 200-strength players
in this line.

9… dxe5 10. dxe5 f6 11. exf6 Bxf6 12. h3 Be6 13. Qe2
Bf7 14. Rad1 Qe8 15. f5

The classic break.

15… Kh8 16. fxg6 Bxg6 17. Bxg6 hxg6 18. Nd5 Rc8 19.
Bh6 Rf7

Black is busted.

20. Ng5 Bxg5 21. Bxg5 Nb6 22. Nxb6 cxb6 23. Qe6 Rf5 24.
Rxf5 gxf5 25. Rd7 Rd8 26. Bxe7 1-0

Mednis-Vadasz 1978

Another typical White win in this line

1. d4 d6 2. e4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. f4 Bg7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Bd3
Nc6 7. O-O Bg4 8. e5 dxe5 9. dxe5 Nh5 10. Be3 f6 11. exf6 Bxf6 12.
h3 Bxf3 13. Qxf3

threat f5

13… Bd4 14. Ne2 e5 15. Nxd4 Nxd4

[15… exd4 16. Bd2 Ne5 17. Qxb7 Rb8 18. Qe4 Nxd3 19. Qxd3
Rxb2]

16. Qe4 Nxf4 17. Bc4+

1-0

[17… Nfe6 18. Qxe5]

Bareev – Norwood, Marseilles, 1990[B09]

Norwood, in his book Winning with the
Modern , offers this game as a reason for Black to
avoid the Austrian at all costs.

1. d4 d6 2. e4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. f4 Bg7 5. Nf3 c5 6.
e5

[Book is 6. dxc5 or 6. Bb5+]

6…Ng4

[6… Nfd7! was essential]

7. dxc5 dxc5 8. Qxd8+ Kxd8 9. h3 Nh6 10. Be3 b6 11.
O-O-O+ Bd7 12. g4 Kc8 13. Ng5 f6

Yeuch

14. Rxd7 Kxd7 15. Bb5+ Kc8 16. Ne6 Bf8 17. Nd5 Nf7 18.
Ndc7 Nd8 19. Rd1 Nxe6 20. Nxe6 fxe5 21. Rd8+ Kb7 22.
Bd3

1-0

Black never got going.

B5. Playing f4 vs. Sicilian
(a) 1. e4 c5 Grand Prix attack

This is another system where the White side is easy to
understand, and where Black has struggled to find a clear
equaliser. 2. f4 can lead to the slow Sicilian with g3 and Bg2, but
several English players have adopted the more aggressive system
with Bc4. We will look at both systems.

A second idea is to play Bb5xNc6 and then play a slow
Dutch-style attack with Qe1 and Qh4.

1. e4 c5 2. f4 g6

There are alternatives:

[2… d5 can be met by 3. Nc3 (EG)

[The point of 2…d5 is the wicked gambit line 3. exd5 Nf6
4. c4 e6 5. dxe6 Bxe6 devised by Mikhail Tal]

]

[2… e6 3. Nc3 d5

[3… Nc6 4. Nf3 Nge7 5. Bb5 d5 6. Qe2 d4 7. Nd1]

4. Nf3]

3. Nf3 Bg7 4. Nc3 Nc6 5. Bc4

[The other idea in this line is 5. Bb5 to exchange off the
Nc6, and then play a standard Dutch-style attack with Qe1 and Qh4
(EG)]

Black can play ….d6 (EG) but more often goes:

5… e6

6. f5

This is the sharpest line, although White does not have to
gambit

[e.g. 6. O-O Nge7]

Now the complications that follow…

6… exf5 7. d3 Nge7 8. O-O O-O? (EG)

6… gxf5 7. d3

…must be known in a little detail to be played safely. There
is also plenty of scope for original analysis – for example, what
should happen after

6… d5

The gambit is probably best declined with

6… Nge7 7. fxe6 dxe6

[7… fxe6 may be better

when Black’s King is in danger but the central pawn mass is
dangerous and may trap the White Q-side pieces]

There are also many lines with f4 in the open Sicilian i.e.. 1.
e4 c5 2. Nf3 (…) 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 (…) 6. f4.

Example games
B5a

First, a straightforward quick attack down the King’s side

Hodgson – Ady, Streatham Vs Ymca, London,
1981[B23]

1. e4 c5 2. f4 g6 3. Nf3 Bg7 4. Nc3 Nc6 5. Bc4 e6 6. f5
exf5 7. d3 Nge7 8. O-O O-O?

This natural-looking move is probably a decisive mistake. Black
has no effective counter to White’s simple mating attack.

9. Qe1 Nd4 10. Qh4 Nxf3+ 11. Rxf3 fxe4 12. Rh3 h6 13.
Bg5 Re8 14. Rf1 d5 15. Nxd5 hxg5 16. Nf6+ Black
resigns

[16. Nf6+ Kf8

[or 16… Bxf6 17. Qh7+ Kf8 18. Qxf7#]

17. Nh7+ Kg8 18. Bxf7+ Kh8 19. Nxg5+ Bh6 20. Qxh6#]

1-0

Next, a slower attack with the Bb5 idea

Hebden – Large, British Ch’p, 1982[B21]

1. e4 c5 2. f4 Nc6 3. Nf3 g6 4. Bb5 Bg7 5. Bxc6 dxc6 6.
d3 Nf6 7. Nc3 O-O 8. O-O b6

White has an obvious plan. And the player with a plan will
always beat the player without one.

9. Qe1 Ne8 10. Qh4 Nd6 11. f5 gxf5 12. e5 Ne8 13. Bh6 f6
14. Kh1 Bxh6 15. Qxh6 Ng7 16. Rae1 Be6 17. Ne2 c4 18. Nf4 cxd3 19.
cxd3 Bxa2

Black might as well snatch a pawn, he has achieved nothing to
counter White’s simple attack.

20. e6 Qc8 21. Re3 Nxe6 22. Nxe6 Bxe6 23. Rxe6
Rf7

[23… Qxe6 24. Ng5 Qf7 25. Nxf7 Rxf7]

24. Rfe1 1-0

And what if Black throws a spanner in the works with 2…d5?

Plaskett – Howell, British Ch’p, 1983[B21]

1. e4 c5 2. f4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 e6 5. Nf3 Be7 6.
Bc4 Nf6 7. Qe2 Nc6 8. c3 O-O 9. O-O b6 10. d3 Bb7 11. Ng3 Bd6 12.
Bd2 Qc7 13. Ng5

Black’s pieces are nicely placed but going nowhere. White, as
usual, knows where he is going!

13… Ne7 14. N5e4

forcing an exchange he had earlier avoided

14… Nxe4 15. dxe4 Ng6 16. Nh5 Kh8 17. Rae1 Rad8 18.
Bc1 Rd7 19. e5 Be7 20. f5 exf5 21. Rxf5 Bd5 22. Bxd5 Rxd5 23. Qg4
Qd7 24. Ref1 Kg8

25. Nxg7 Kxg7 26. Qh5 Kg8 27. Bh6 Qe6 28. Bxf8 Nxf8 29.
c4

[29. Rxf7 Rxe5]

29… Rd4 30. Rxf7 Qg6 31. Qf3 Ne6 32. Rxe7 Rf4 33. Rxe6
1-0

Ekebjaerg,Ove – Danner,Georg, cr
Nielsen-mem, 1987

[B23/07]

1. Nc3 c5 2. e4 d6 3. f4 g6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Bc4 e6 6. f5
Ne7 7. O-O O-O

A typical sort of position in this line, although an odd move
order (no …Nc6)

8. fxe6 fxe6 9. Ng5 d5 10. Rxf8+ Qxf8 11. exd5 b5 12.
Bxb5 exd5 13. Qf3 Qxf3 14. Nxf3

White is simply a pawn up and needs only consolidate to win the
ending.

14… Ba6 15. Ba4 Bb7 16. d3 Nbc6 17. Bg5 h6 18. Bxe7
Nxe7 19. Re1 Nf5 20. Bd7 Nd4 21. Be6+ Nxe6 22. Rxe6

White has given up both bishops, which would make me anxious,
but he seems to know what he is doing.

22… g5 23. Na4 Rc8 24. Ne5 Rc7 25. Re8+ Kh7 26. Nc3 a6
27. Nd1 d4 28. b3 h5 29. Nb2 g4 30. Nbc4 Kh6 31. Nd6 Bd5 32. Nec4
Kg6 33. Nb6 Bf7

34. Nxf7 1-0

Without the light-squared bishop Black is in trouble, but it
might have been worth struggling on over the board (this was
postal).

Hodgson – Nunn, Aaronson Open, 1978[B23]

1. e4 c5 2. f4 g6 3. Nf3 Bg7 4. Nc3 Nc6 5. Bc4
d6

[5… e6 and now 6. f5, 6.e5, 6.O-O, 6. d3, and 6.a3 have
been tried. Since Grandmaster Nunn lost this dashing game to the
young Hodgson, hardly anyone has tried this line!]

6. O-O Nf6 7. d3 O-O 8. f5 gxf5 9. Qe1 fxe4 10. dxe4 Bg4
11. Qh4 Bxf3

[11… Bh5 idea …Bg6]

12. Rxf3 Ne5 13. Rh3 Ng6

[13… Nxc4 14. Nd5 Re8 15. Nxf6+

[15. Bh6 Bxh6 16. Qxh6 Ne5 17. Rf1]

15… exf6 16. Qxh7+ Kf8 17. Rg3 Bh8]

14. Qg3 Qd7 15. Nd5 Nxd5 16. Bxd5 e6 17. Bb3 d5 18. Qf3
c4 19. Ba4 Qxa4 20. Qh5 Rfd8 21. Qxh7+ Kf8 22. Bh6 Bxh6 23. Rxh6
Rd7

[23… c3 =+ Nunn]

24. Rf1 Ke8 25. Qg8+ Nf8 26. Rxe6+ Kd8 27. Qxf8+ Kc7 28.
Qc5+ Kd8 29. Rh6 1-0

B5. Playing f4 vs. Sicilian
(b)Traditional Closed Sicilian

This line has been adopted by three World champions at one time
or another: the young Karpov, the mature Spassky, and by Smyslov
throughout his chess career. And as we shall see, Kasparov knows
about the line.

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. d3 d6 6.
f4

[6. Be3 e5 7. Qd2 is another popular line; Black gets into
trouble after 6…e6 7. Qd2 Nge7?! 8. Bh6 e.g. 8…O-O? 9. h4! or
8…Bxh6 9. Qxh6 Nd4 10. O-O-O]

6… e6 7. Nf3 Nge7 8. O-O O-O 9. Be3 Nd4

is the main line, although Spassky has tried 9. Bd2. After
6…e5 Spassky has experimented with more active 7. Nh3 Nge7 8. O-O
Nd4 9. f5!?

Theory is not so critical in the Closed Sicilian because of the
non-forcing nature of the line.

Example games
B5b

Spassky – Geller, Candidates,
1968

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 d6 3. g3 Nc6 4. Bg2 g6 5. d3 Bg7 6. f4
Nf6 7. Nf3 O-O 8. O-O Rb8 9. h3 b5 10. a3 a5 11. Be3 b4 12. axb4
axb4 13. Ne2 Bb7 14. b3

Another defensive move! Is White just going to stand and get
punched apart?

14… Ra8 15. Rc1 Ra2 16. g4

At last an attacking gesture

16… Qa8 17. Qe1 Qa6 18. Qf2 Na7 19. f5

The characteristic break

19… Nb5 20. fxg6

Opening the f-file (so what? see move 23!)

20… hxg6

[20… fxg6 21. Nf4 Bc8 22. Ng5 Nc7]

21. Ng5 Na3 22. Qh4 Rc8

the Q-side is about to give, but…

23. Rxf6 exf6 24. Qh7+ Kf8 25. Nxf7 Rxc2

[25… Kxf7 26. Bh6 Rg8 27. Nf4 Rxc2 28. Rf1 Kf8 29. Nxg6+
Kf7 30. Nf4

or Nh8+

30… Kf8 31. Nh5 Bxh6 32. Qxh6+ Ke7 33. Qh7+ Kd8 34.
Nxf6

is just terrible]

26. Bh6 Rxc1+ 27. Nxc1 Kxf7 28. Qxg7+ Ke8 29.
g5

[29. e5 Bxg2 30. e6]

29… f5 30. Qxg6+ Kd7 31. Qf7+ Kc6 32.
exf5+

1-0

32… Kb6 33. Qxb7+ Qxb7 34. Bxb7 Kxb7 35. f6 1-0

Psakhis – Kasparov, La Manga, 1990
[compare B23]

Oddly, one of the best example games I have on file for the
Closed Sicilian is this one, from quite a different opening

1. c4 g6 2. Nc3 Bg7 3. g3 Nc6 4. Bg2 d6 5. Nf3 e5 6. d3
f5 7. O-O Nf6

8. Rb1 h6 9. b4 O-O 10. b5 Ne7 11. a4 Be6 12. Ba3
Rc8

Black does not rush but secures the Q-side.

13. Nd2 b6 14. e3 g5 15. d4 exd4 16. exd4
f4

17. Re1 Bg4 18. Nf3 Qd7 19. c5 Rce8 20. Rc1 Nf5 21. Qd3
Kh8 22. cxd6 cxd6 23. Rxe8 Qxe8 24. Rf1 Qh5

The Black pieces hover like vultures

25. Ne4 Nxe4 26. Qxe4 Bh3 27. Ne5 Bxg2 28. Kxg2 g4 29.
Bxd6 Rf6 30. Bb8 Qh3+

0-1

Smyslov – Romanishin, Moscow, 1976 [B23]

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. d3 d6 6. Nh3
h5

The sixth moves on each side are unusual.

7. f4 Bg4 8. Qd2 Nd4 9. Ng1 Qd7 10. h3 Be6 11. Nce2 h4
12. g4 f5 13. exf5 gxf5 14. g5

Black can find no refuge on the King’s-side, it is clear.

14… O-O-O 15. Nxd4 cxd4 16. Ne2 Bf7 17. c3 dxc3 18.
bxc3 Kb8 19. Rb1 d5 20. O-O e5 21. fxe5 Bxe5 22. d4 Bc7 23. c4 Ne7
24. c5 Rdg8 25. Qb4 Bd8 26. Rf3 Nc6 27. Qb5 Bh5 28.
Rfb3

White’s tripling is very threatening.

28… Rg7 29. Nf4 Bxg5 30. Nxh5 Rxh5 31. Qe2
Bxc1

And the coup de grace:

32. Rxb7+ Qxb7 33. Qe8+ Kc7 34. Rxb7+ Kxb7 35. Qxh5 Nxd4
36. Kf1 Be3 37. Qh8 Rd7 38. Qe8 1-0

The Colle System (web page version)

Posted on September 28, 2026 by DrDave

Attacking in the Queen-pawn openings:
the Colle system

The Colle opening proper goes 1. d4 d5 and now 2. Nf3 3. e3 4. Bd3
with Nbd2, O-O, Re1 and e4 to follow. If Black hits the d-pawn with
…c5, White should reply c3 to shore up the centre. The formation
c3-d4-e3 is the famous Colle triangle.

Although White takes two moves to achieve e4, it should
lead either to an open game after …dxe4 or, if Black avoids the
exchange, the strong advance e5.

Black should keep up the pressure on d4, holding up
White’s e4 break and threatening to isolate the d-pawn.

Here’s a game to get us started:

Landau – Book, Kemeri, 1937

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. e3 e6 4. Bd3 c5 5. c3 Nbd7 6. Nbd2 Bd6 7.
O-O O-O

8. Re1 Diagram

An accurate and important move.

[8. e4 cxd4 9. cxd4 dxe4 10. Nxe4 Nxe4 11. Bxe4 Qb6
and, if anything, Black has better prospects]

8… Qc7 This is probably best:

[8… b6 is too slow]

[8… e5 too early: 9. e4! +=]

[8….c4 is a mistake: 9. Bc2 and 10. e4 will now
come with greater force]

[8… Re8 9. e4 dxe4 10. Nxe4 Nxe4 11. Bxe4 cxd4?
Diagram

12. Bxh7+ Kxh7 13. Ng5+ Kg6 14. h4 Rh8 15. Rxe6+ +-
Fine]

Variation

9. e4 cxd4 10. cxd4 dxe4 11. Nxe4 Nxe4 12. Rxe4 Re8 13. Rh4 Nf8 14.
Ng5 h6 15. Qh5 e5 16. Bd2 exd4 17. Rc1 Qe7 18. Ne4

18… Ng6 (else Bxh6)

19. Bg5 Qe5

[19… hxg5 20. Qh7+ Kf8 21. Qh8+ Nxh8 22.
Rxh8#]

20. f4 Qd5

[20… Qa5 21. b4]

White now lands two good punches

21. Nf6+ gxf6 22. Bxg6

Black’s pawn cover has suddenly disappeared.

22… Bf8

[22… fxg6 23. Qxg6+ Kf8 24. Qxf6+ Qf7 25. Bxh6+ Kg8
26. Qg5+ Kh8 27. Bg7+ Kg8 28. Rh8#]

[22… fxg5 23. Qxh6 gxh4 24. Bh7+ Kh8 25. Be4+ Kg8
26. Bxd5]

23. Rc7 Be6 24. Bxf6 Qxh5

Ordinarily, exchanging queens is an important achievement
for the defence.

25. Bxh5 Rec8

Has Black held on long enough?

26. Bxf7+ and still they come!

26… Kh7

[ 26… Bxf7 27. Rg4+ Kh7 28. Rxf7+ Bg7 29. Rgxg7+
Kh8 30. Rg6#]

27. Rxc8 Bxc8 28. Bxd4

Cashing in

28… Bf5 29. Rh5 1-0

Here’s another Colle game by that demon attacker, Harry
Pillsbury.

Pillsbury – Amateur, Toronto, 1899

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 e6 3. e3 Nf6 4. Bd3 Nbd7 5. O-O b6 6. Nbd2 Bd6

The Classic Colle start.

7. e4 dxe4 8. Nxe4 Bb7 9. Nxd6+ cxd6 10. Bf4 Bxf3 11.
Qxf3 d5 12. Bd6 Rc8 13. Rfe1 Rc6 14. Ba3 a5 15. c4 Ne4

The game has developed differently to Landau’s, but Pillsbury still
has a fine attack based on his Bishops and the poor Black K
position.

16. cxd5 Ng5 17. Qg3 Rc8 18. dxe6 Nxe6 19. Rxe6+ fxe6 20.
Qg6+ hxg6 21. Bxg6+ 1-0

Here’s the man himself, who perfected the modern approach
to the opening.

This is well worth going through move by move.

Colle – Stoltz, Bled, 1931

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. e3 c5 4. c3 Nbd7 5. Nbd2 Qc7 6. Bd3 e5 7. e4
dxe4 8. Nxe4 Nxe4 9. Bxe4 Nf6 10. Bc2 cxd4

11. O-O (a pawn offer, which should not have been accepted) 11…
dxc3 12. Nxe5 Bd6 13. Ba4+ Kf8

[13… Bd7 14. Nxd7 Nxd7 15. Re1+ Kf8 16. Bxd7 Qxd7
17. bxc3]

14. Bf4 Bg4 this attempt to mix it is understandable but
ill-judged 15. Ng6+ Kg8

[15… hxg6 16. Bxd6+ Kg8 17. Bxc7 Bxd1 18.
Raxd1]

16. Bxd6 Bxd1 17. Bxc7 Bxa4 18. Nxh8 Nd5 19. Ba5 c2 20.
Bd2 Kxh8

White has a small advantage, which he exploits
perfectly

21. Rfe1 Kg8 22. Rac1 Rc8 23. Re4 Bd7 24. Rd4 Be6 25. b3
b5 26. Ba5 g5 27. Rd2 Rc6 28. Rcxc2 Ra6 29. b4 Rd6 30. a3 h6 31.
Rc5 a6 32. Bc7 Rd7 33. Be5 Kh7 34. h3 h5 35. Bb2 Kg6 36. Rc6
1-0

And Colle again. Take this one slowly if you play it
through, there’s a lot to enjoy!

Colle – O’Hanlon, Nice Ol, 1930

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. e3 c5 4. c3 e6 5. Bd3 Bd6 6. Nbd2 Nbd7 7.
O-O O-O 8. Re1 Re8 9. e4 dxe4 10. Nxe4 Nxe4 11. Bxe4 cxd4

12. Bxh7+ Kxh7 13. Ng5+

13… Kg6

[13… Kg8 This is the only real alternative.
Analysis by Euwe and Kramer suggests that White’s attack is wortha
draw but no more. The variations and ideas are very typical of the
h7 sac in the Colle and are worth playing over.

14. Qh5 DIAGRAM

Variation

(A) 14… Ne5 15. Rxe5

[or 15. Qh7+ Kf8 16. Ne4 Ng6 17. Nxd6 Qxd6 18. h4 Ke7
19. h5 Rh8 20. Bg5+ Ke8 [20… Kf8 21. hxg6 Rxh7 22.
gxh7 wins] 21. Qxg7 Rxh5 22. Qf6 Qe7 and Black is
better]

15… Bxe5 16. Qxf7+ Kh8 17. Qh5+ and White has
nothing better than perpetual check]

(B) [14… Qf6 15. Qh7+ Kf8 16. Ne4 Qe5 17. cxd4 Qd5
?

[17… Qxd4 18. Qh8+ Ke7 19. Bg5+ wins]

[17… Qxh2+ 18. Qxh2 Bxh2+ 19. Kxh2 is about
level]

18. Qh8+ Ke7 19. Qxg7 with strong attack]

(C) 14… Nf6 15. Qxf7+ Kh8 16. Re4 Nxe4

[16… Bxh2+ 17. Kxh2 Nxe4 18. Qh5+ Kg8 19. Qh7+ Kf8
20. Qh8+ Ke7 21. Qxg7+ Kd6 22. Nf7+ wins the Q]

17. Qh5+ Kg8 18. Qh7+ Kf8 19. Qh8+ Ke7 20.
Qxg7#]

Back to the game!

14. h4 Rh8

[14… f5 15. h5+ Kf6 16. Qxd4+ Be5 17. Qh4 g6 18. f4 +-]

15. Rxe6+ Nf6

[15… fxe6 16. Qd3+ Kf6 17. Qf3+ Kg6 18. Qf7+ Kh6
19. Nxe6+]

16. h5+ Kh6

[ 16… Rxh5 17. Qd3+ Kh6 18. Qh7#]

17. Rxd6 Qa5 18. Nxf7+ Kh7 19. Ng5+ Kg8 20. Qb3+ 1-0

A superb game — although Black could have held on in
theory, he was blown away.

Some
Colle theory

Let’s start again, having got the idea of the opening, and look at
some detail of move order.

Start as we have seen: 1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. e3 c5

I will explain some of the ideas behind the moves in the
games above.

Black gets into a little trouble with 4…e6.

4. c3

Now, we often see

4… e6

What next?

Black’s Queen’s Knight should go to d7, supporting c5,e5
and f6

The most logical development for both sides is probably

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. e3 e6 4. Bd3 c5 5. c3 Nbd7 6. Nbd2
Bd6 7. O-O O-O 8. Re1!

For this position, see Landau-Book (our first game
above). It’s probably about equal, but Black cannot relax for a
moment.

Black’s Queen’s Knight should not go to c6 but to
d7

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. e3 c5 4. c3 e6 5. Nbd2 Nc6

natural, but less accurate

6. Bd3 Bd6 7. O-O O-O 8. dxc5 Bxc5 9. e4 e5(!) 10. exd5
Nxd5 11. Qe2 Bg4 12. Ne4+=

Black can just about equalise in this line:

[9… Qc7 10. Qe2 Bd6 11. Re1 Ng4 12. h3 Nge5 13.
Nxe5 Nxe5 14. exd5 exd5 15. Nf3 Nxd3 16. Qxd3 Qc4 17. Rd1 Qxd3 18.
Rxd3 Rd8

…and the two bishops compensate for the isolated
pawn in the endgame

Black cannot develop fast enough to get in the …e5
counter in one move

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. e3 c5 4. c3

4… Nbd7 5. Nbd2 Qc7

aiming at …e5

6. Qa4 g6 7. c4 Bg7 8. cxd5 Nxd5 9. e4 N5b6 10. Qc2
+=]

Black can equalise by developing the Queen’s
Bishop

If White’s Bd3 is threatening, and Black’s …e6 leads to
difficulty if the Bc8 gets stuck , the natural move is …Bf5.

In fact, this is recommended as leading to an equal
game.

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. e3

3… Bf5 e.g. 4. Bd3 e6 5. Bxf5 exf5 6. Qd3 Qc8 7. b3 Na6
8. O-O Be7 9. c4 O-O 10. Nc3 c6 11. Bb2 Ne4

Black is comfortable

Also possible is 3…Bg4 and later …e6, also
equalising.

Black can try to blunt the power of the Bd3 by
…g6

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. e3 c5 4. c3

4… g6 5. Nbd2 Nbd7 6. Bd3 Bg7 7. O-O O-O DIAGRAM

Now Fine says only 8. b4, changing plan, is good enough
for White because the main plan with e4 leads to a slightly worse
game:

[8. e4 dxe4 9. Nxe4 cxd4 10. Nxd4 Ne5 11. Nxf6+ Bxf6
12. Be2 Bd7 =+]

But even if Black adopts the …g6 idea, the game need
not be easy

Eliskases – Rosetto, Mar del
Plata, 1950

1. Nf3 d5 2. d4 c6 3. e3 g6 4. Bd3 Bg7 5. Nbd2 Nh6 6. c3 O-O 7. O-O
Nd7 8. e4 dxe4 9. Nxe4 Nf5 10. Bf4 Nf6 (?) 11. Nxf6+ Bxf6

White has the advantage in the centre

12. Qd2 Qb6 13. Rfe1 c5

it would have been better to aim for the …e5 break

14. Bxf5 Bxf5 15. Be5

15… Rfd8 naive

[15… Bxe5 16. Rxe5 White’s small force is making
very nasty threats]

[15… Kg7 best]

16. Qh6 Bxe5 17. Rxe5 cxd4 18. Ng5 Qf6

19. Rxe7 Qg7

[19… Rd7 20. Rae1]

20. Qh4

[20. Qxg7+ Kxg7 21. Rxf7+ Kg8 22. Rxb7 d3 with
counterplay]

20… dxc3 21. Rxf7 cxb2 22. Rxg7+ Kxg7

23. Re1 Rd7

[23… b1=Q 24. Qxh7+ Kf6 25. Qe7#]

[23… h6 24. Re7+ Kg8 25. Qc4+ Kh8 26.
Rh7#]

[23… Re8 24. Qd4+ Kg8 25. Qc4+ ! 25… Kg7 26. Qc3+
Kg8 27. Qb3+ Kh8 28. Qxb2+ winning]

24. Qb4 Re8 25. Qxb2+ Kh6 26. Nf7+ resigns 26… Kh5 27.
g4+ Bxg4 28. Rxe8 1-0

You can actually apply the style of the Colle in many
d-pawn openings.

NN-NN

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 c6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 Bd6

Here we go again…

7. e4 dxe4 8. Nxe4 Nxe4 9. Bxe4 Nf6 10. Bc2 O-O 11. O-O
c5 12. Bg5 cxd4 13. Qxd4 !

13… Be7

[13… Bxh2+ 14. Kxh2 Ng4+]

14. Qh4 ! 14… h6 15. Bxh6 gxh6 16. Qxh6 Qa5 17. Ng5 e5
18. Bh7+ Kh8 19. Be4+ Kg8 20. Rfe1 Bg4 21. Re3 Rad8 22. Rg3 Rd4 23.
Ne6 fxe6 24. Rxg4+ 1-0 [24. Rxg4+ Kf7 25. Qg6#]

Here’s Harry Pillsbury again, on the White side of the
Slav.

Pillsbury,Harry N – Winawer, S (Budapest, 1896)

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. e3 Nf6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 Bd6 7. O-O
O-O

Not the Colle opening, but we can see the approach at work:

8. e4 dxe4 9. Nxe4 Nxe4 10. Bxe4 Nf6 11. Bc2 h6 12. Be3
Re8 13. Qd3 Qc7 14. c5 Bf8 15. Ne5

Black starts to mix it, but White’s better position suggests that
only White can profit when tactics break out.

15…Bxc5 16. Bxh6 Bxd4 17. Qxd4 gxh6 18. Qf4 Nd5 19.
Qxh6 f6 20. f4 Re7 21. Ng6 1-0

Towards conscious competence

Posted on September 27, 2026 by DrDave

UNCONSCIOUS INCOMPETENCE
- You don’t do a blunder check (or some other part of the process)
CONSCIOUS INCOMPETENCE
- You do a blunder check but it’s slow and you still miss stuff
CONSCIOUS COMPETENCE
- You do a blunder check and do it well
UNCONSCIOUS COMPETENCE
- You do a blunder check out of habit and it (usually) works

The pieces at their best

Posted on September 21, 2026 by DrDave

How pawns make life easy (and hard) for pieces.

The best B Q K N R P ever!

Also, the best pieces and the worst pawns…

 [Event "Best Bishop"] [Site "?"] [Date "1970.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Fischer, Robert J"] [Black "Andersson, Ulf"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A01"] [PlyCount "85"] [EventDate "1970.??.??"] 1. b3 e5 2. Bb2 Nc6 3. c4 Nf6 4. e3 Be7 5. a3 O-O 6. Qc2 Re8 7. d3 Bf8 8. Nf3 a5 9. Be2 d5 10. cxd5 Nxd5 11. Nbd2 f6 12. O-O Be6 13. Kh1 Qd7 14. Rg1 Rad8 15. Ne4 Qf7 16. g4 g6 17. Rg3 Bg7 18. Rag1 Nb6 19. Nc5 Bc8 20. Nh4 Nd7 21. Ne4 Nf8 22. Nf5 Be6 23. Nc5 Ne7 24. Nxg7 Kxg7 25. g5 Nf5 26. Rf3 b6 27. gxf6+ Kh8 28. Nxe6 Rxe6 29. d4 exd4 30. Bc4 d3 31. Bxd3 Rxd3 32. Qxd3 Rd6 33. Qc4 Ne6 34. Be5 Rd8 35. h4 Nd6 36. Qg4 Nf8 37. h5 Ne8 38. e4 Rd2 39. Rh3 Kg8 40. hxg6 Nxg6 41. f4 Kf8 42. Qg5 Nd6 43. Bxd6+ 1-0 [Event The best Queen in the world ever] [Site "queen: dominant when centrali"] [Date "1920.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Rubinstein"] [Black "maroczy, gothenburg"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D63"] [Annotator "Regis,Dave"] [PlyCount "69"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d5 3. c4 e6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Nc3 O-O 7. Rc1 Re8 8. Qc2 dxc4 9. Bxc4 c5 10. O-O cxd4 11. Nxd4 a6 12. Rfd1 Qa5 13. Bh4 Ne5 14. Be2 Ng6 15. Bg3 e5 16. Nb3 Qc7 17. Qb1 {!} Qb8 18. Bf3 Qa7 19. Na5 {!} Bb4 20. Nc4 Bd7 21. Nd5 Nxd5 22. Bxd5 Be6 23. Qe4 { [#] ! The Queen enters the fray, reinforcing several points of attack at once. The Black pieces are not easily able to harass her.} Bxd5 24. Rxd5 Rac8 25. Rcd1 Bf8 26. b3 b5 27. Nd6 Bxd6 28. Rxd6 Rc7 29. h4 {!} f6 30. Qd5+ Kh8 31. h5 Nf8 32. h6 Ng6 { [#] The Queen now makes the decisive invasion.} (32... gxh6 33. Rxf6) 33. Qe6 Rf8 34. Rd7 gxh6 35. Bh4 (35. Bh4 Nxh4 36. Qe7 Rxd7 37. Rxd7 Qxd7 38. Qxf8#) 1-0 [Event The best King in the world ever] [Site "king: active in ending"] [Date "1956.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Tal"] [Black "Lisitsin (STEAN/CHERNEV)"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B71"] [Annotator "Regis,Dave"] [PlyCount "107"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. f4 Nc6 7. Nxc6 bxc6 8. e5 Nd7 9. exd6 exd6 10. Be3 Be7 11. Qf3 d5 12. O-O-O Bf6 13. Bd4 O-O 14. h4 Rb8 15. Qf2 Rb4 16. Bxf6 Nxf6 17. a3 Qb6 18. Qxb6 Rxb6 19. Na4 Rb7 20. Bd3 Nh5 21. Rhf1 Re7 { [#] How to save the f-pawn?} 22. f5 {! Can't be done, but Tal gives it up for a high price - scrambled pawns.} gxf5 (22... Bxf5 23. Bxf5 gxf5 24. Rxf5) 23. Rfe1 (23. Bxf5 Ng3) 23... Rfe8 24. Rxe7 Rxe7 25. Kd2 { [#] In Exeter we say "KUFTE!" (King Up For The Endgame!)} Ng3 26. Kc3 f4 27. Kd4 Bf5 { [#] And there it is, nicely posted in the middle of a lot of weak Black pawns.} 28. Rd2 Re6 29. Nc5 Rh6 30. Ke5 {!} Bxd3 31. cxd3 Rxh4 32. Kd6 Rh6+ 33. Kc7 Nf5 34. Kb7 Nd4 35. Rf2 a5 36. Rxf4 Ne6 37. Rg4+ Kf8 { [#] } 38. Kxc6 {!} Nxc5+ 39. Kxc5 Re6 40. Kxd5 Rb6 41. b4 axb4 42. axb4 Ke7 {Too late} 43. Kc5 Rf6 44. Rd4 Rf5+ 45. Kb6 Rf6+ 46. Kc7 Rf5 47. Re4+ Kf6 48. Kc6 Rf2 49. g4 h5 50. gxh5 Kg5 51. b5 f5 52. Rb4 f4 53. b6 f3 54. b7 {1-0} (54. b7 Rc2+ 55. Kd5 f2 56. b8=Q f1=Q 57. Qg3+ Kf6 (57... Kxh5 58. Rh4#) (57... Kh6 58. Qg6#) 58. Qe5+ Kf7 59. Rb7+ Rc7 ( 59... Kg8 60. Qg7#) (59... Kf8 60. Qh8#) 60. Rxc7+ Kf8 61. Qh8#) 1-0 [Event The best Knight in the world ever] [Site "outpost for knight on d5"] [Date "1945.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "smyslov"] [Black "rudakowsky (CHERNEV)"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B83"] [Annotator "Regis,Dave"] [PlyCount "55"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Be2 Be7 7. O-O O-O 8. Be3 Nc6 9. f4 Qc7 10. Qe1 (10. Ndb5 Qb8 11. Qd2 a6 12. Nd4) 10... Nxd4 11. Bxd4 e5 12. Be3 Be6 13. f5 { [#] } Bc4 $2 {? Black needs that Bishop. White now has a simple plan: exchange off the other defender of the d5 square, improve the position of his pieces, and look for the win!} (13... Bd7 14. Rd1 Bc6) 14. Bxc4 Qxc4 15. Bg5 {!} Rfe8 16. Bxf6 Bxf6 { [#] } 17. Nd5 {!} Bd8 (17... Qxc2 18. Rf2 Qc6 (18... Qa4 19. b3) 19. Rc1 Qd7 20. Nc7) 18. c3 b5 19. b3 Qc5+ 20. Kh1 Rc8 { [#] White now transfers his attention to the King} 21. Rf3 Kh8 22. f6 gxf6 23. Qh4 Rg8 24. Nxf6 Rg7 (24... Bxf6 25. Qxf6+ Rg7 26. Rg3 Rcg8) 25. Rg3 Bxf6 26. Qxf6 Rcg8 27. Rd1 {Black's position cracks.} d5 28. Rxg7 {!} (28. Rxg7 Rxg7 29. Rxd5 Qf8 30. Rd8) 1-0 [Event The best Rpoks in the world ever] [Site "rooks on files: open"] [Date "1907.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Van Vliet"] [Black "Znosko-Borovsky (CHERNEV)"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D00"] [PlyCount "72"] 1. d4 d5 2. e3 c5 3. c3 e6 4. Bd3 Nc6 5. f4 Nf6 6. Nd2 Qc7 {!} 7. Ngf3 {?!} cxd4 8. cxd4 Nb4 9. Bb1 Bd7 10. a3 Rc8 11. O-O Bb5 12. Re1 Nc2 13. Bxc2 Qxc2 14. Qxc2 Rxc2 { [#] } 15. h3 Bd6 16. Nb1 Ne4 17. Nfd2 Bd3 18. Nxe4 Bxe4 19. Nd2 Kd7 20. Nxe4 dxe4 21. Rb1 Rhc8 22. b4 R8c3 23. Kf1 Kc6 24. Bb2 Rb3 25. Re2 Rxe2 26. Kxe2 Kb5 27. Kd2 Ka4 28. Ke2 a5 29. Kf2 axb4 30. axb4 Kxb4 31. Ke1 Kb5 {!} 32. Kd2 Ba3 33. Kc2 Rxb2+ 34. Rxb2+ Bxb2 35. Kxb2 Kc4 36. Kc2 b5 {0-1 van vliet-znosko-borovsky 1907 (CHERNEV)} 1-0 [Event The best Pawn in the world ever] [Site "model ending: passed pawns mu"] [Date "1960.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "fischer, rj"] [Black "berliner (usa ch'p)  [t50"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B03"] [PlyCount "71"] 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. c4 Nb6 5. exd6 cxd6 6. Nc3 g6 7. Bd3 Bg7 8. Nge2 Nc6 9. Be3 O-O 10. O-O e5 11. d5 Ne7 12. b3 Nd7 13. Ne4 Nf5 14. Bg5 f6 15. Bd2 Nc5 16. Nxc5 dxc5 { [#] White has a passed pawn. Usually this is an endgame theme, but here we see it throughout a middlegame with Queens.} 17. Bxf5 Bxf5 18. f4 exf4 19. Nxf4 Qd6 { [#] not the best blockader, and the other potential blockaders are quickly exchanged.} 20. Nh5 {It's not a very good bishop, but once it is exchanged White's own dark-squared bishop will have no opposition in its prosecution of the advance of the d-pawn} Rae8 21. Nxg7 Kxg7 22. Bf4 Qd7 23. Qd2 Rf7 24. Bh6+ Kg8 25. Rae1 Rfe7 26. Rxe7 Qxe7 27. h3 Qe4 28. Qf2 Qe7 29. g4 Bd3 30. Rd1 Be4 31. d6 Qe5 32. Bf4 Qc3 33. d7 Rd8 34. Qe2 Qf3 ( 34... Qxh3 35. Qxe4 Qxg4+ 36. Kf2 {(threat Qe8+)}) 35. Qxf3 Bxf3 36. Bc7 { [#] simple as that} 1-0 [Event The best pieces and the worst pawns in the world ever] [Site "weak pawns: creating holes"] [Date "1876.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "steinitz, w"] [Black "blackburne, j (london)"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C77"] [PlyCount "67"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. d3 d6 6. c3 Be7 7. h3 O-O 8. Qe2 Ne8 9. g4 b5 10. Bc2 Bb7 11. Nbd2 Qd7 12. Nf1 Nd8 13. Ne3 Ne6 14. Nf5 g6 15. Nxe7+ Qxe7 { [#] "Morphy would probably have been very much surprised if anybody had told him that only ten moves later White pieces would be settled permanently on f6 and h6"} 16. Be3 N8g7 17. O-O-O c5 18. d4 exd4 19. cxd4 c4 20. d5 Nc7 21. Qd2 a5 22. Bd4 f6 23. Qh6 b4 24. g5 f5 25. Bf6 { [#] here we are...} Qf7 26. exf5 gxf5 27. g6 Qxg6 28. Bxg7 Qxh6+ 29. Bxh6 Rf6 30. Rhg1+ Rg6 31. Bxf5 Kf7 (31... Rxg1 32. Rxg1+ Kh8 33. Bg7+ Kg8 34. Be5+ Kf7 35. Rg7+ Ke8 36. Rxc7) 32. Bxg6+ hxg6 33. Ng5+ Kg8 34. Rge1 1-0

Lessons in Philidor’s Defence

Posted on September 20, 2026 by DrDave

 [Event "Lessons in Philidor's Defence"] [Site "Exeter"] [Date "2014.06.07"] [Round "1"] [White "NN"] [Black "Philidor"] [Result "*"] [ECO "C41"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3  { What is Black's best reply? Let's have a look at the move}  2... d6  { What do you think of this? Looks rubbish? Looks OK? Your favourite? Never thought about it? You should always think about alternatives to 'obvious' moves. Even if you play the move you first thought if, thinking helps you understand the position, and there is often a lot going on. Also, you sometimes come up with a nice surprise. What do you think of 2...d6? What's the point? 2...d6 is called Philidor's Defence. Philidor was the strongest player of his day, so it's probably not a pointless move. But since Philidor, it has not been played much, so it might not be the best move  ( one or two Grandmasters today still play it at least occasionally ) . What are the good points and bad points about the move? How should White reply?}  ( 2... Nc6  { is undoubtedly the best reply, but sometimes you see others.}  ) 3. d4  { This is a good move - White prepares to develop the Queen's Bishop, takes another square in the centre, and puts Black's claim to the centre under pressure. How should Black meet the threat? A Avoid: 3...exd4  B Block - can't block the attack of either Pawn or Knight  C Capture or Pin Knight - 3...Bg4  D Defend - 3...Nc6 3...Nd7 3...Qf6 3...Qe7  E Counterattack: 3...f5 3...Nf6 Not obvious! Black has many choices. It's worth thinking through each if them to make sure you understand what is going on in this typical opening position. How can you decide? Well, position is a guide - but analysis is proof. However, definitive analysis not always possible - at some point you have to stop analysing and reach a judgement. Let's see if we can pick off two quickly:}  3... Nf6  { Improved Hanham variation This counterattack gives Black a moment to get organised while White defends the e-Pawn.}  ( { In fact, White now threatens to win a Pawn for nothing with } 3... a6 4. dxe5 ( { or even better } 4. dxe5 dxe5 5. Qxd8+ $1 Kxd8 6. Nxe5 ) 4... dxe5 5. Nxe5 ) * [Event "Lessons in Philidor's Defence"] [Site "Exeter"] [Date "2014.06.07"] [Round "2"] [White "NN"] [Black "Philidor"] [Result "*"] [ECO "C41"] 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 { and after } 3... Qf6  { white can gain time with} (3...Qe7 {I don't know any way to prove a win for White here, but I'd suggest we can say straight away these moves are not good on principle. Black's moves block either the King's Bishop (Qe7) or King's Knight (Qf6). So, we can see some more awkwardness coming up for Black. Also, these moves bring the Queen within reach of White's pieces: moves like} 4.Nc3 {threatens Nd5, making Black waste a move with} 4...c6) 4. Bg5  { . So, only if everything else fails should you consider a move like 3...Qe7. It may be survivable, but is not going to be comfortable. The best you can hope for is to 'get away with it'. Let's look at some others.} [Event "Lessons in Philidor's Defence"] [Site "Exeter"] [Date "2014.06.07"] [Round "3"] [White "NN"] [Black "Philidor"] [Result "*"] [ECO "C41"] 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 3... Bg4  { Black pins the Knight, so defending the threat, and develops a piece. So, this looks a bit better than the Queen moves. This move was played in one of best-known games in chess history. The great American Paul Morphy was interrupted during a performance of the opera The Barber of Seville by two toffs wanting a game. They played in consultation, with poor Morphy sat with his back to the action. Morphy went through them like a knife through butter, winning in just 17 moves, so I hope he didn't miss too much of the opera. The whole game is appended, but let's see the start.` Black is actually in difficulties here. How might you try and create problems for Black? Always look at forcing moves first - checks and captures. If these do not win, or force an advantage, then you can turn your mind to slower moves with a clear conscience. But only look at non-forcing moves once you have checked to see you have no way of making trouble for your opponent right now. You may be winning, and not know it! We have no check, but we have a forcing capture:}  4. dxe5 Bxf3 ( { This move indeed causes Black a problem, because the simple } 4... dxe5 5. Qxd8+ Kxd8 6. Nxe5  { loses a Pawn. So Black must play an in-between move before recapturing the pawn.}  ) 5. Qxf3 dxe5  { Now White gets the advantage by playing}  6. Bc4  { This is great for White. Six moves into the game and we can count the two Bishops, a lead in development and the initiative in White's favour. So, 3...Bg4 is probably not right.} [Event "Lessons in Philidor's Defence"] [Site "Exeter"] [Date "2014.06.07"] [Round "4"] [White "NN"] [Black "Philidor"] [Result "*"] [ECO "C41"] 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 3... exd4  { This is not entirely logical, since Black having played 2...d6 to support the e-pawn on e5, now gives up the e5 point. However, it might not be entirely a bad move. Having opened up the centre, Black should try and castle quickly on the King's side. There are two lines, depending on how Black intends to develop the King's Bishop, currently residing on f8. The efficient but passive development of the Bishop on e7 is called Antoshin's Variation:}  4. Nxd4 ( { Another way to play for White  ( as in the famous fake game Adams-Torre )  is } 4. Qxd4 Nc6 5. Bb5 Bd7 6. Bxc6 Bxc6 7. Nc3 Nf6 8. Bg5 Be7 9. O-O-O O-O 10. Rhe1  { White has a healthy space advantage, although Black is solid.}  ) 4... Be7 ( 4... g6  { In the riskier but more active line played by Larsen, the Bishop is developed in fianchetto on g7: The game might go:}  5. Nc3 Bg7 6. Bf4 Nc6 7. Nxc6 bxc6 8. Qd2 Nf6 9. O-O-O ) [Event "Lessons in Philidor's Defence"] [Site "Exeter"] [Date "2014.06.07"] [Round "5"] [White "NN"] [Black "Philidor"] [Result "*"] [ECO "C41"] 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 3... Nc6  { Well, if Black is trying to be consistent, perhaps Black should try to defend the e-Pawn. How should White reply to this?}  4. Bb5  { This renews the threat against the e-pawn.}  4... Bg4  { Not satisfactory because of 5. dxe5, as in the Morphy game.}  ( 4... Qf6 ) ( 4... Qe7  { Not satisfactory for reasons we have already looked at}  ) ( 4... exd4  { Not satisfactory because having decided to support our Pawn at e5, Black is now giving it up.}  ) ( 4... Bd7 ) ( 4... Nf6  { May be possible, in fact lead to the old Steinitz variation of the Ruy Lopez}  ) 5. Nc3 [Event "Lessons in Philidor's Defence"] [Site "Exeter"] [Date "2014.06.07"] [Round "6"] [White "NN"] [Black "Philidor"] [Result "*"] [ECO "C41"] 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 3... Nd7  { ( Hanham )  Stops the Bb5 idea White's best is undoubtedly}  4. Bc4  { How should Black reply? Very carefully! Black, having played so safe and solid, is very nearly losing!}  4... Ngf6 ( 4... h6  { being safe?}  5. dxe5  { forcing}  5... Nxe5 ( 5... dxe5 6. Bxf7+ $1 Kxf7 7. Nxe5+ Kf6 8. Qd4  { with a deadly attack worth trying different defences and attacks here - very good teaching position}  ) 6. Nxe5 dxe5 7. Bxf7+ $1  { This is a common situation where we have two ideas: try them in a different order, and perhaps you will see something new. Sometimes the order 1 = 2 doesn't work at all, but 2 = 1 wins a Queen. In our example here, the better order just leads to an even better position for us. So, even if you see a good move - don't bash it out, sit on your hands and think for a little while, and perhaps you will find something even better.}  ( { Now the obvious line is } 7. Qxd8+ Kxd8 8. Bxf7  { which is good for White, but we can make it a little better with}  ) ) ( 4... Be7  { Again, our favourite forcing move is strong:}  5. dxe5  { Instead:}  5... Nxe5  { Follow through forcingly:}  ( { Now the simple Pawn recapture is disasrous: } 5... dxe5 6. Qd5 $1 ) 6. Nxe5 dxe5 7. Qh5 $1  { Wins a pawn.}  ( { Now if we hope to win the pawn on f7 as in the 4...h6 line, we may be disappointed } 7. Qxd8+ Bxd8 $1  { However, f7 is a little bit tender, and e5 is unprotected... can you see a move which gives Black two problems at once?}  ) ) ( 4... c6  { This is the only way to survive, but White can still press hard.}  5. Nc3  { After}  ( { For example, we can go forward with the natural } 5. Ng5 Nh6  { But having seen this, White can play a very good move:}  6. a4  { This is obviously a decent idea if it stops Black gaining space on the Queen's-side with ...b5. However , White's move also sets a very subtle trap...}  ( { Here White should examine, but perhaps reject, the exciting sacrifice: } 6. Bxf7+ Nxf7 7. Ne6  { when Black may fall for}  7... Qe7 $2 8. Nc7+ Kd8 9. Nxa8  { : White has an exchange, but may lose the Knight - White has also managed to remove from the field of play the only two pieces that we had developed! So Black may start coming forward faster than we would like now, even if he falls into our trap.}  ) 6... Be7 7. Bxf7+ Nxf7 8. Ne6 Qb6 9. a5  { that's  ( partly )  what the pawn move was for}  9... Qb4+ 10. Bd2 Qc4 ( 10... Qxb2 11. Bc3 ) 11. Nc7+ Kd8 12. b3  { winning the Queen!}  ) 5... Be7  { a well-known line goes:}  ( 5... h6 6. a4 $1  { is the way to keep the edge.}  ) 6. dxe5 dxe5 7. Ng5 Bxg5 ( 7... Nh6 8. Ne6  { ! wins e.g.}  8... fxe6 9. Bxh6 gxh6 10. Qh5+ ) 8. Qh5 g6 ( { or } 8... Qf6 9. Bxg5 Qg6 10. Qh4  { +- Schlechter-Alekhin 1910}  ) 9. Qxg5 Qxg5 10. Bxg5  { What have we learned so far? It's surprising how close Black is to losing after these two slow moves, 2...d6 and 3...Nd7. So, if nothing else, we should have learned to be very careful before making such moves ourselves. Also, we should now know to think rather carefully in the opening before replying - some quite good-looking ideas have led to absolute disaster for Black, so it's worth looking for outright wins from the very first moves. Lastly, we have met a lot of nice tactical ideas, which occur in many different openings, not just Philidor's Defence. So, patterns we have seen here may well occur in your own games, even if none of your opponents ever play Philidor's Defence against you. For this reason, it's worth trying to see how many of these ideas you can remember  ( or work out again on a board )  without looking at this sheet. There is a lot going on in the opening, and you shouldn't play automatic moves assuming that you know what is going on. Sit on your hands and think! If not  [4"] 3...Nd7, then what?}  ) 5. dxe5 ( 5. Ng5 $2 ) 5... dxe5 ( 5... Nxe5 6. Nxe5 dxe5 7. Bxf7+  { wins a pawn, but not so straightforwardly as you might think at first:}  7... Kxf7 8. Qxd8 Bb4+ 9. Qd2 Bxd2+ 10. Nxd2 ) 6. Ng5 $1 [Event "Lessons in Philidor's Defence"] [Site "Exeter"] [Date "2014.06.07"] [Round "7"] [White "NN"] [Black "Philidor"] [Result "*"] [ECO "C41"] 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 3... f5  { but perhaps best is:}  4. Nc3  { White has tried many moves here:}  ( 4. Bc4 ) ( 4. dxe5 ) ( 4. exf5 ) 4... fxe4 5. Nxe4 d5  { Now, one idea is:}  6. Nxe5 dxe4 7. Qh5+ [Event "Lessons in Philidor's Defence"] [Site "Exeter"] [Date "2014.06.07"] [Round "8"] [White "NN"] [Black "Philidor"] [Result "*"] [ECO "C41"] [PlyCount "14"] [EventDate "2014.??.??"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nf6 4. Nc3 ({Another line giving white a simple small advantage is} 4. dxe5 Nxe4 5. Qd5 Nc5 6. Bg5) 4... Nbd7 {(Reaching a Hanham-style position with Nc3 not Bc4 ( cf. Hanham: with B on c4 Ng5 wins. ) Now} 5. Bc4 Be7 {The attempt to refute the defence, if it is refutable, is} 6. dxe5 ({Simple is} 6. O-O O-O 7. a4 {with a close battle ahead.}) ({BCO gives here} 6. Ng5 $5) (6. Bxf7+ $2 Kxf7 7. Ng5+ Kg8 8. Ne6 Qe8 9. Nxc7 Qg6 $1 10. Nxa8 $2 Qxg2 11. Rf1 exd4 12. Qxd4 Ne5 $19 { Once f7 is clear, Black can strike out for the King's-side with the Queen.}) 6... Nxe5 {Instead BCO prefers} ({ On} 6... dxe5 {then choosing the aggressive} 7. Ng5 O-O 8. Bxf7+ Rxf7 9. Ne6 Qe8 10. Nxc7 Qd8 11. Nxa8 {seems to be a mistake because of} b5 (11... b6 $11) 12. Nd5 $13 {- may be it's not clear, but maybe White should do better. Again, we have managed to remove from the field of play the only two pieces that we had developed!} (12. Qd3 $11 {Stockfish 14})) 7. Nxe5 ({Now Levy says here} 7. Be2 $1 {should preserve a plus.}) 7... dxe5 {when Black is far from refuted. } *

Coaching Zone at East Devon Congress 2026

Posted on September 20, 2026 by DrDave

Thanks to all those who attended, shared games, contributed comments and heckled; I hope you got something out of taking part.

LINK to Lichess study for Saturday game analysis: https://lichess.org/study/6WyVNXpv/

LINK to Lichess study for Sunday game analysis: https://lichess.org/study/QIirDybT

Short talks

Saturday
Sunday
- 11:00 Endgame study
- 12:00 Openings Q&A
- 1:00 Using computers
- 2:00 [Vote for a topic]
- 4:30 Candidate moves
- 5:30 Analysing your own games
Extra links
- Slav inspiration

Not all the talks actually happened but here are the intended slides; the slides were designed to support a talk and not to stand alone.

AnalyseYourGames Download

BoardsightVisualisation Download

Blunder-proofing Download

CandidateMoves Download

ElementsEvaluation Download

EndgamesTipsResources Download

MistakesMinor Download

MistakesMajor Download

Planning Download

OpeningsQ&A Download

UsingComputers Download

Safe and solid?

Posted on March 29, 2020 by DrDave

From a recent email

“The most important single feature of a chess position is the activity of the pieces… (opening, middle, and especially endgame)… The primary constraint on pieces’ activity is the pawn structure.”

— Michael STEAN

  [Event "Merseyside League"]  [Site "?"]  [Date "2019.10.15"]  [Round "?"]  [White "Blades, Tony"]  [Black "Webb, Tom"]  [Result "1-0"]  [ECO "A45"]  [PlyCount "49"]  [EventDate "2019.??.??"]   1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5 e6 3. e4 Be7 4. e5 Ne4 5. Bxe7 Qxe7 6. c3 (6. Qg4? Qb4+!) 6...  b6 $14 7. Nf3 (7. Bd3 $14) (7. Nh3 $14 {leaving the f-pawn free}) 7... Bb7 8.  Nbd2 (8. Bd3) 8... Nxd2 9. Nxd2 $11 d5 $6 {Transposing to a French structure,  but one without dark-squared Bishops.} (9... d6 $1 $11) 10. Bd3 Nd7 (10... c5  $1 $11 11. O-O Nc6 $1 12. Nf3 a5 $1 {The attack on d4 has slowed White down  and a swap of light-squared Bishops will do much to take the wind out of  White's sails.} 13. Qc2 h6 14. Qe2) 11. Qe2 O-O {Castling into it.} 12. O-O c5  13. f4 f5 14. exf6 Rxf6 $6 $16 {Black needs some activity to counter White's  obvious King's-side attack, but cannot get any on the King's-side itself.  Black had to move with all speed to create something on the other side of the  board.} 15. Rae1 Raf8 16. g3 Qd6 17. Nf3 cxd4 18. cxd4 Rh6 $2 $18 (18... g6 19.  Ng5 $16) 19. Ne5 $5 (19. Ng5 $1 $18) 19... Bc8 (19... Nxe5 20. fxe5 Qe7 21.  Rxf8+ Qxf8 22. Rf1 $18 (22. Rc1 $18)) 20. Ng4 Rhf6 21. Nxf6+ Rxf6 22. f5 Nf8  23. fxe6 Rxe6 24. Qh5 Rh6 25. Qf7+ 1-0

Opening Workshop 2018

Posted on August 25, 2018 by DrDave

Opening recommendations for beginners

- Your choice of opening will rest (or should rest) on several considerations: your style and temperament as a chessplayer, your time and aptitude for study, and your ambitions as a player. The standard recommendation for a junior with little experience is to play open, attacking lines with 1.e4 with both colours — this will let them some fun, will get their eye on for important basic tactics, and instil a sense of the importance of activity and development that should last them the rest of their lives, and they will likely enjoy learning a few lines and traps. But for an older player, perhaps more interested in getting a playable game while doing as little study as possible, then the Colle System or London System might suit better as White, and the French or Caro-Kann and Slav as Black. For someone with more affection for attacking chess, the Vienna and Closed Sicilian could suit.
Do you need a second-string opening?
- All else being equal, yes!
- This does not mean, mugging up on a new system the night before (many risks to this)
- It means, keeping a second opening system simmering in the background (friendlies, occasional serious games) all the time
- It helps if your second-string system is:
  - Low on theory – nothing sharp
  - Easy to learn – using a similar set-up in each game
  - Related to systems you already play
- Because of this last point, it isn’t easy to recommend one for everyone, but:
  - Low on theory/easy to learn: Colle, London, King’s Indian Attack, Closed Sicilian; Fort Knox, Stonewall, Scandinavian, Old Indian
  - Related to systems you already play: e.g. Worrall Attack for a Ruy Lopez player, Keres Defence for a Nimzo/Bogo player, King’s Indian for a Modern Defence player, Accelerated Dragon for a Dragon player,
Playing White against the Budapest Gambit
- http://exeterchessclub.org.uk/content/opening-workshop-2018-part-2
A non-standard line for Black against Bird’s Opening
- From’s Gambit (1.f4 e5) may not be satisfactory — and you have to be prepared for a transposition to the King’s Gambit with 2.e4 — while White can be relied upon to know the main lines with 1…d5. What else is there?
- Richard Palliser recommends in Beating Unorthodox Openings to play either 1…d5 2.Nf3 Bg4 or 1…d6 with the idea of an early …Bg4 and …e5. This system is missing from Taylor’s popular book.
- Just generally, I think that’s the right sort of line to try and find: the main lines will be familiar to your opponent and there is more to learn, even if they are the best lines. Something sound but offbeat shouldn’t be too hard to find. For similar reasons, I have recommended 1.b4 c6
How do you not get mated against the King’s Indian?
- First, let’s see the problem. In the main lines, we get a fixed pawn centre where Black is more or less obliged to hack down the King’s-side while the Queen’s-side burns.
- 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7.O-O 7… Nc6 8. d5 Ne7 9.Ne1 Ne8 10. Be3 f5 11. f3 f4 12.Bf2 g5
- You can just try and get better at defending, as that Queen’s-side attack is very appealing. But if not?
- The Benko line tries to tie up the King’s-side before pursuing Queen’s side play
- 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7.O-O Nc6 8. d5 Ne7 9.Ne1 Ne8 10. f3 f5 11. g4 *
- A line with a similar idea is the old Petrosian main line:
- 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. d5 Nbd7 8. Bg5 h6 9. Bh4 g5 10. Bg3 Nh5 11. h4 *
- The Averbakh line is directed against Black’s …e5 idea
- 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Be2 O-O 6. Bg5 e5 7. dxe5 dxe5 8. Qxd8 Rxd8 9. Nd5
- The Samisch rather fancies some King’s-side aggression for White:
- 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3
- Paul likes the Smyslov Variation: if Black insists on lashing out on the King’s-side, then all they may achieve is a position full of targets:
- 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. Nf3 O-O 5. Bg5 d6 6. e3 Nbd7 7. Be2 h6 8. Bh4 g5 9. Bg3
- More steady play by Black can result in a position where they have no easy plan:
- 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. Nf3 O-O 5. Bg5 d6 6. e3 Nbd7 7.Qc2 c6 8. Be2 h6 9. Bh4 g5 10. Bg3 e5 (10…Nh5 11. Nxg5) 11. O-O Re8 12. dxe5 dxe5 13.Rfd1 Qc7 14. Rac1)

The Caro-Kann
I made a play-though web page: http://exeterchessclub.org.uk/content/caro-kann

White tries against the Budapest Gambit

An appetiser: the Englund Gambit

Brian complained that he lost quickly facing this line. You might guess he fell into a trap which may be the main hope of Black when playing this line:

  [Event "?"]  [Site "?"]  [Date "2018.07.24"]  [Round "?"]  [White "Opening Workshop 2018"]  [Black "?"]  [Result "*"]  [ECO "A40"]  [PlyCount "16"]  [EventDate "2018.??.??"]  [SourceDate "2018.08.07"]  [SourceVersionDate "2018.08.07"]   1. d4 e5 2. dxe5 Nc6 3. Nf3 Qe7 4. Bf4 (4. e4) (4. Nc3 Nxe5 5. e4 {and Black  is going to struggle to get sorted quickly.}) (4. Qd5) 4... Qb4+ 5. Bd2 Qxb2 6.  Bc3 (6.Nc3!) 6...Bb4 7. Qd2 Bxc3 8. Qxc3 Qc1# *

Perhaps White can survive and even thrive after 6.Nc3, but why invite trouble? Once you know …Qb4+ might be a problem, improvements are not hard to find. 4.Nc3 is simple and good.

Anyhow, back to the Budapest Gambit. A brief statement for the defence: the first famous game played using it, and a more recent example.

  [Event "Berlin"]  [Site "Berlin"]  [Date "1918.??.??"]  [Round "?"]  [White "Rubinstein, Akiba"]  [Black "Vidmar, Milan Sr"]  [Result "0-1"]  [ECO "A52"]  [PlyCount "48"]  [EventDate "1918.??.??"]  [EventType "tourn"]  [EventRounds "6"]  [EventCountry "GER"]  [SourceTitle "HCL"]  [Source "ChessBase"]  [SourceDate "1999.07.01"]  [SourceVersion "2"]  [SourceVersionDate "1999.07.01"]  [SourceQuality "1"]   1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e5 3. dxe5 Ng4 4. Bf4 Nc6 5. Nf3 Bb4+ 6. Nc3 Qe7 7. Qd5 Bxc3+  8. bxc3 Qa3 9. Rc1 f6 10. exf6 Nxf6 11. Qd2 d6 12. Nd4 O-O 13. e3 Nxd4 14. cxd4  Ne4 15. Qc2 Qa5+ 16. Ke2 Rxf4 17. exf4 Bf5 18. Qb2 Re8 19. Kf3 Nd2+ 20. Kg3  Ne4+ 21. Kh4 Re6 22. Be2 Rh6+ 23. Bh5 Rxh5+ 24. Kxh5 Bg6+ 0-1   [Event "rooks on ranks and files"]  [Site "rooks on ranks and files"]  [Date "1994.??.??"]  [Round "?"]  [White "Whiteley"]  [Black "Agnos"]  [Result "0-1"]  [ECO "A52"]  [PlyCount "48"]  [EventDate "1994.??.??"]   1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e5 3. dxe5 Ng4 4. Nf3 Bc5 5. e3 Nc6 6. Be2 O-O 7. O-O Ncxe5 8.  Nxe5 Nxe5 9. Nc3 Re8 10. b3 a5 11. Bb2 Ra6 {[#] "A hacker's paradise" - CHESS  magazine} 12. Ne4 Ba7 13. Qd5 Rae6 {[#] The Rook pauses to support the Knight  on the half-open e-file} 14. Qxa5 Bb6 15. Qc3 Qh4 16. f4 Rh6 {[#] We all knew  that's where it really wanted to go.} 17. h3 d5 18. Ng5 Qg3 19. c5 Bxh3 20.  Nxh3 Rxh3 21. Qe1 Qh2+ 22. Kf2 Bxc5 {[#] Resigns 0-1} 23. Bd4 Qxf4+ 24. exf4  Bxd4# 0-1

And the prosecution:

The repertoire books I have available all assure us that you can get a safe plus against the Budapest without much effort.

They all recommend different lines, however! I don’t know if that is so reassuring…

  [Event "?"]  [Site "?"]  [Date "2018.07.24"]  [Round "?"]  [White "White tries against"]  [Black "Budapest Gambit"]  [Result "*"]  [ECO "A52"]  [Annotator "Theo"]  [PlyCount "25"]  [EventDate "2018.??.??"]  [SourceDate "2018.07.24"]  [SourceVersionDate "2018.07.24"]   1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e5 3. dxe5 Ng4 (3... Ne4 4. a3 (4. Nf3 Nc6 5. Nbd2 Bb4 6. a3  Nxd2 7. Bxd2 Bxd2+ 8. Qxd2 b6 9. e3 Bb7 10. Be2 Qe7 11. Qc3 O-O-O 12. Rc1 g5  13. c5 {Budapest Fajarowicz + 3 d5 ChessPub Guide 2002})) 4. Bf4 {Watson} (4.  Nf3 {Palliser, Avrukh} Bc5 5. e3 Nc6 6. Be2 O-O 7. O-O Ngxe5 8. Nxe5 Nxe5 9.  Nc3 Re8 (9... d6 10. b3 Qh4 11. Bb2 Ng4 12. h3 $1 $146 {Avrukh} Nf6 (12... Nxf2  13. Rxf2 Bxe3 14. Qe1 Bxh3 15. Nd5 Bc5 16. b4 Bxf2+ 17. Qxf2 Qxf2+ 18. Kxf2 Be6  19. Nxc7 Rac8 20. Nxe6 fxe6+ 21. Ke3 $16) 13. Bf3 Re8 (13... Qg5 14. Nb5 $1)  14. Nb5 Re7 (14... Bb6 15. Bd4 $14) 15. Bd4 $14) (9... a5 10. f4 (10. b3 Ra6  11. f4) 10... Nc6 (10... Ng6) 11. Bd3 d6 12. Qh5 f5 13. Kh1 Rf6 14. Nd5 Rf7 15.  b3 Nb4 16. Nxb4 axb4 17. Bb2 Bxe3 18. Rf3 g6 19. Qh6 Bd2 20. Bf1 Bc3 21. Rxc3  bxc3 22. Bxc3 Qf8 23. Qh3 Re7 24. Bb2 h5 25. Qc3 Kh7 26. a4 Bd7 27. c5 Bc6 28.  a5 dxc5 29. a6 b6 30. b4 Re4 31. bxc5 b5 32. Bd3 Re7 33. h3 Qf7 34. Bf1 Qe6 35.  a7 Qe3 36. Qxe3 Rxe3 37. Be5 Rxe5 38. fxe5 b4 39. Bc4 Kg7 40. Kg1 g5 41. g3 f4  42. gxf4 gxf4 43. Kf2 Be4 44. e6 Bc6 45. e7 h4 46. Ra6 Be8 47. Bd5 c6 48. Bxc6  Bxc6 49. Rxc6 b3 50. Rb6 Kf7 51. e8=Q+ Rxe8 52. Rxb3 Ra8 53. c6 Ke7 54. Rb8 {  1-0 (54) Mihajlovic,V (2315)-Vico,M (2160) Vrnjacka Banja 1996}) 10. Ne4 {  Palliser} (10. b3 $1 {Avrukh} a5 (10... d6 11. Bb2 Bd7 (11... Re6 12. g3 $5)  12. Qc2 Bc6 13. Rad1 Ng6 14. Nd5 Nh4 {0-1 (25) Roeschlau,B (2280)-Fohler,C  Mengen 1990 0-1 (25) Roeschlau,B (2280) -Fohler,C Mengen 1990} 15. g3 $1 $146)  11. Na4 $1 (11. Bb2 Ra6 {[#] "A hacker's paradise" - CHESS magazine} 12. Ne4  Ba7 13. Qd5 Rae6 {[#] The Rook pauses to support the Knight on the half-open  e-file} 14. Qxa5 Bb6 15. Qc3 Qh4 16. f4 Rh6 {[#] We all knew that's where it  really wanted to go.} 17. h3 d5 18. Ng5 Qg3 19. c5 Bxh3 20. Nxh3 Rxh3 21. Qe1  Qh2+ 22. Kf2 Bxc5 {[#] Resigns 0-1} 23. Bd4 Qxf4+ 24. exf4 Bxd4# {0-1 (24)  Whiteley-Agnos rooks on ranks and files 1994}) 11... Bf8 $1 (11... Ba7 12. c5  $1) (11... Qe7 12. Nxc5 Qxc5 13. Qd5 $1) 12. f4 Ng6 (12... Nc6 13. Bf3 Ra6 {  Moskalenko} (13... d6 14. Qd2 Bf5 15. Bb2 $1 {Avrukh}) 14. a3 $1 {Avrukh}) 13.  Qd3 $1 $146 {Avrukh} d6 (13... Ra6 14. e4 Rd6 15. Qc2) 14. Nc3 $14) 10... Bf8  11. Ng3 {White scores 60%+ from here} d6 (11... a5 12. f4) 12. f4 Nd7 13. e4  Nc5 14. Bf3 g6 15. Be3 Bg7 16. Bd4 Bxd4+ 17. Qxd4 Ne6 18. Qd2 Qf6 19. Ne2 Rb8  20. g3 b6 21. Rad1 Bb7 22. Nc3 Nc5 23. e5 dxe5 24. Bxb7 Nxb7 25. Nd5 Qd6 26.  fxe5 Rxe5 27. Nf6+ Kg7 28. Qxd6 Nxd6 29. Nd7 Rbe8 30. Nxe5 Rxe5 31. b3 h5 32.  Rfe1 Ra5 33. Re2 Nf5 34. Rd5 Ra3 35. Rd7 c5 36. Kg2 h4 37. g4 Nd4 38. Rf2 a5  39. g5 Nf5 40. Ra7 Kf8 41. Re2 Kg7 42. Ra8 {1-0 (42) Giorgadze,T (2505)  -Alvarez,R (2370) Malaga 1987}) (4. e3 Nxe5 5. Nh3 {Burgess & Pedersen 70%}  Bb4+ (5... Nbc6 6. Nf4 Bc5 7. Be2 O-O 8. O-O d6 9. Nc3 a5 10. b3 Re8 11. Bb2  Bf5 12. Kh1 Rc8 13. Nb5 Qd7 14. Nd4 Be4 15. f3 Bg6 16. a3 f6 17. Nxc6 Qxc6 18.  e4 Bf7 19. Nd5 Kh8 20. f4 Ng6 21. Nxf6 gxf6 22. Bxf6+ Kg8 23. f5 {1-0 (23) Van  Asperen,R (2258) -Soentges,K (2437) IECG email 1998 1-0 (23) Van Asperen,R  (2258) -Soentges,K (2437) IECG email 1998}) (5... g6 $5 {Moskalenko} 6. Nf4 Bg7  7. Nc3 O-O 8. Be2 d6 9. O-O Nbd7 10. Qd2 a5 11. b3 Nc5 12. Ba3 b6 13. Rad1 Bb7  14. Nfd5 f5 15. Qc2 Rf7 16. h3 c6 17. Nf4 Qc7 18. Rfe1 Rd8 19. Bb2 Ned7 20. a3  Nf6 21. b4 axb4 22. axb4 Na6 23. Qb3 c5 24. bxc5 bxc5 25. Nb5 {1-0 (25)  Aleksandrov,A (2617) -Gorbatov,A (2421) St Petersburg 2008}) (5... Ng6 $5) 6.  Bd2 Bxd2+ 7. Qxd2 d6 8. Nf4 O-O 9. Nc3 Nbd7 10. Be2 a5 11. O-O Nc5 12. Rad1 Bf5  13. f3 g5 (13... Re8) 14. Nh5 Bd3 15. Bxd3 Nexd3 16. Qc2 Ne5 17. Qf5 f6 18. Nd5  Ncd7 19. f4 Nxc4 20. Qxd7 Qxd7 21. Nhxf6+ Kg7 22. Nxd7 Rf7 23. Rc1 {1-0 (23)  Albrecht,R (2270) -Barberi,A (2220) Vienna 1996}) 4... Nc6 (4... g5 5. Bg3 (5.  Bd2) 5... Bg7 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. h4 $1 $14 {Taylor} (7. Nc3 Ngxe5 8. Nxe5 Nxe5 9. e3  d6 10. c5 $1 $16 {Watson})) 5. Nf3 Bb4+ (5... Bc5 6. e3 Qe7 7. Nc3) 6. Nbd2 {  transposes} (6. Nc3 {Kaufmann} Bxc3+ (6... Qe7 $2 {35} 7. Qb3 $1 {38} Bc5 {34}  8. e3 {37} Ngxe5 9. Nxe5 {35} (9. Nd5 $1 Qd6 10. O-O-O f6 11. Nd4 Kf7 12. Nb5  Qf8 13. Bg3 $18) 9... Nxe5 {33} 10. Nd5 Qd6 11. Qc3 {31} f6 12. Rd1 {30} a5 {31  } 13. Nxf6+ {29} gxf6 {29} 14. Rxd6 Bb4 {28} 15. Rxf6 {27} d6 {27} 16. Bxe5  dxe5 17. Bd3 {25} Ke7 18. Rh6 Be6 {26} 19. Ke2 {24} Bxc3 20. bxc3 e4 {25} 21.  Bxe4 {23} Bxc4+ {22} 22. Kd2 Bxa2 {21} 23. Bxb7 Rab8 {20} 24. Ra1 {21} Rxb7 {19  } 25. Rxa2 Rb5 26. Ra6 Rd8+ {16} 27. Ke2 {20} Rc5 28. R6xa5 Rxc3 29. Rh5 {19}  Rh8 {15} 30. Kd2 Rc6 31. Rc2 Rd6+ {14} 32. Ke2 c6 33. e4 {18} Kd7 34. Rd2 h6  35. Rxd6+ Kxd6 36. Kd3 Kc7 {13} 37. Kc4 {17} Kb6 38. e5 Ra8 39. Rxh6 Ra4+ 40.  Kb3 Re4 {12} 41. e6 c5 42. e7+ Kb5 43. Rh7 Kc6 {11} 44. h4 Kd7 {10} 45. h5 Re2  46. Rf7 Ke8 47. Rf3 {16} Re5 {7} 48. h6 Rxe7 49. Re3 Rxe3+ 50. fxe3 Kf7 51. g4  Kg6 52. g5 {1-0 (52) Slade,T (2070)-Hernandez,J (1575) Lake County Chess Club  2018 [Theo]}) 7. bxc3 Qe7 8. Qd5 f6 9. exf6 Nxf6 10. Qd3 d6 11. g3 O-O 12. Bg2  Bg4 13. O-O Rae8 14. Rab1 b6 15. Rbe1 Kh8 16. Bg5 Bxf3 17. Qxf3 Ne5 18. Qb7  Nxc4 19. Qxa7 Qe5 20. Qa6 Qc5 21. Bxf6 Rxf6 22. Rd1 c6 23. Rd4 d5 24. e4 Ne5  25. exd5 Qxc3 26. Rdd1 cxd5 27. Rxd5 Ref8 28. Qe2 Nf3+ 29. Kh1 h6 30. Rfd1 Ng5  31. Rd8 Qc5 32. Rxf8+ Qxf8 33. Rd2 Re6 34. Qf1 Qe7 35. Rd1 Re2 36. Kg1 Rxa2 37.  Qc4 Re2 38. Kf1 Re6 39. Qc8+ Kh7 40. Qc2+ Kh8 41. Qc8+ Kh7 42. Bd5 Rf6 43. Bg8+  Kg6 44. Re1 Qf8 45. Qc2+ Kh5 46. Bd5 Qb4 47. f4 Rf8 48. Qd1+ Kg6 49. Qd3+ Kh5  50. Rb1 Qc5 51. Rb5 {1-0 (51) Nikolic,P (2597)-Hector,J (2592) Germany 2010})  6... Qe7 (6... f6 7. exf6 Qxf6 8. e3 Qxb2 9. Be2 d6 10. O-O O-O 11. Nb3 Qf6 (  11... Nge5 12. c5) 12. c5) 7. e3 (7. a3 $2 Ngxe5 8. axb4 $4 (8. Nxe5 Nxe5 9. e3  Bxd2+ 10. Qxd2 d6 11. Qc3 (11. c5 dxc5 12. Qd5) 11... b6 (11... O-O 12. c5) (  11... f6 12. Be2 O-O 13. O-O) 12. c5 $1 bxc5 13. Bb5+ Bd7 14. Bxd7+ Kxd7 15.  Rd1) 8... Nd3#) 7... Ngxe5 8. Nxe5 Nxe5 9. Be2 O-O (9... d6 10. O-O Bxd2 11.  Qxd2) 10. O-O {idea Nb3 & a3} Bxd2 (10... Ng6 $1 {Taylor} 11. Bg3 Bd6 12. Bxd6  Qxd6 13. Rc1 (13. Ne4 Qe7 (13... Qe5 14. Nc3 d6 15. Qd2 Bd7 16. Rac1 Rfe8 17.  Nd5 $1 {Avrukh} (17. Nb5 {1-0 (31) Shipov, S (2540) -Tzermiadianos,A (2200)  Athens 1997 1-0 (31) Shipov, S (2540) -Tzermiadianos,A (2200) Athens 1997})  17... Rec8 (17... Rac8 18. f4 $1) 18. f4 Qe8 19. f5 Ne7 20. f6 Nxd5 21. cxd5)  14. Nc3 d6 15. Nd5 (15. Qd4) 15... Qd8 16. Qb3 (16. Qd4 c6 17. Nc3 Qe7 18. Rad1  Rd8 19. f4 f5 20. g3 Nh8 21. e4 $1 (21. Bf3 {1/2-1/2 (31) Gustafsson,J (2355)  -Lamprecht,F (2400) Hamburg 1997}) 21... Nf7 22. Bh5 Re8 23. Rfe1 $16 {Avrukh})  16... Rb8 17. Qa3 Ra8 18. Rad1 Be6 {=Taylor} 19. Rd2 (19. f4) 19... Re8 20.  Rfd1 b6 21. Qc3 {Watson}) 13... Qe5 14. Qc2 d6 15. Nf3 Qe7 16. Nd4 $1 {Watson})  (10... a5 11. Nb3 a4 12. Nd4 d6 13. Nc2 Bc5 14. b4 axb3 15. axb3 Bf5 16. Nd4  Bg6 17. Qd2 f6 18. Bg3 Rfe8 19. b4 Bb6 20. Qc3 c6 21. Nb3 Bc7 22. b5 Bf7 23.  Nd4) 11. Qxd2 d6 (11... a5) 12. b4 {White scores over 70% from here} b6 13. c5  {White tries against-Budapest Gambit} *

Hort,V – Rota [B07], Aachen/SW,16,18

Christ,R – Kljako,D [B07], it, Biel

Knippel,M – Stratmann,B [B08], NRW

Adams,M – Wolff,P [B07], London

Lane,G – Saucey,M [B07], Royan

Chacon,E – Blazquez,J. L [B07], Alicante

Georgiev,Kr – Feher,G [B30], Cappelle

Smirin,I – Nun,Ji [B30], Polanica

Bogumil – Sarosi [B30], Budapest

Lazarevic,M – Maric,D (6) Pula, 1990[B02]

Van der Vaeren – Savva, Haifa, 1989[A00]

Hill,S – Wright,A , ch-AUS/SW,5,18, 1989[B21]

Campora,D. H – Shirazi,A , Ch New York ( open ), 1989[B21]

Ekebjaerg,Ove (2580) – Van Manen,Gerben (2580) cr Blass-mem, 1990[B07]

Bareev – Norwood, Marseilles, 1990[B09]

Hodgson – Ady, Streatham Vs Ymca, London, 1981[B23]

Hebden – Large, British Ch’p, 1982[B21]

Plaskett – Howell, British Ch’p, 1983[B21]

Hodgson – Nunn, Aaronson Open, 1978[B23]

Smyslov – Romanishin, Moscow, 1976 [B23]

Attacking in the Queen-pawn openings: the Colle system

NN-NN

Short talks

White tries against the Budapest Gambit

Campora,D. H – Shirazi,A , Ch New York ( open ),
1989[B21]

Ekebjaerg,Ove (2580) – Van Manen,Gerben (2580) cr
Blass-mem, 1990[B07]

Hodgson – Ady, Streatham Vs Ymca, London,
1981[B23]

Attacking in the Queen-pawn openings:
the Colle system