This is worth a go once you have completed all the other elements of the One-Minute Endgame Challenge. It doesn’t turn up very often, but Capablanca thought it worth practising, to get a feel for the power of the Bishop pair, and how they work together.
The technique is as you might expect: herd the defending King to the side, then towards a corner, and then rearrange the pieces to deliver checkmate
Italian Game, French Defence, Tarrasch Defence…
A bit old now, but worth every penny you pay for it
An Exeter Junior Chess Club booklet
Edition 2., December, 99
Bibliography:
Kasparov/Keene, Batsford Chess Openings
Levy/Keene, An Opening Repertoire for the Attacking Club
Player
Walker, Chess Openings for Juniors
Various magazines and other books
III. Less usual tries for White
III.A. The Vienna Opening, 2. Nc3
III.A.2. Vienna Game with 3. g3
III.A.3. Vienna Game with 3. Bc4
III.B. Bishop’s opening, 2. Bc4
III.C. The King’s Gambit, 2. f4
III.C.1. King’s Bishop’s Gambit, 3. Bc4
III.C.2. King’s Knight’s Gambit, 3. Nf3
III.D. Centre Game & Danish Gambit, 2. d4
IV.B.1. The Exchange variation 4. Bxc6
IV.B.1.b) Barendregt line 5. O-O
IV.B.2. Lopez Four Knights’ Variation, 5. Nc3
IV.B.3. The Andersson-Steinitz line, 5. d3
IV.B.4. Open Morphy Variation with 5… Nxe4
IV.B.6. An alternative to the Open Morphy: Archangel Variation
with 5…b5
IV.B.6.a) Archangel with 7. d4
IV.B.6.b) Archangel with 7. c3
IV.B.6.c) Main line Archangel with 7. Re1
IV.C. 3. d4 Scotch Game and gambits
IV.C.1. Scotch Game with 5. Be3
IV.C.2. Scotch Game with 5. Nb3
IV.C.3. Scotch And Goring Gambits
IV.E. Two Knight’s Defence, 3… Nf6
IV.E.1. The Max Lange Attack 4. d4
IV.E.1.a) Max Lange with 5… Nxe4
IV.E.1.a)(1) Sacrificial 7. Nc3
IV.E.1.b) Max Lange with 5… Bc5
IV.E.2. Main line Two Knights’ with 4. Ng5
IV.E.3. Closed variation with 4. d3
IV.E.4. Two Knights’ with 4. Nc3
V.A.1. Euwe – Reti (Amsterdam) 1920
V.A.2. Estrin – Riskin (Moscow) 1963
V.B. Main Line Two Knights’ Defence
V.B.1. Bibikov – Neishtadt (USSR) 1946
V.C.1. Neikirch – Halir (Corr) 1969
V.C.4. Kunz-Hentzgen, Corr.1973
V.C.5. Wirtz – Fahnenschmidt (Marburg) 1955
The two general opening rules are:
Rule 1: Develop as fast and as actively as you
can
Rule 2: Get a stake in the centre, and try to stop your
opponent
What does this mean in the e-pawn openings?
Plan A for White:
try and build a big centre with c3,d4 etc.
try and destroy Black’s hold in the centre with f4 or
d4
You can see that the move d4 may do both: after …exd4, cxd4
Black’s centre pawn has disappeared and White has the perfect pawn
centre. This is the worst case for Black
Plan A for Black:
Rule 1: develop as fast as you can
Rule 2: try to hang on to your own stake in the centre,
or at least make sure you destroy White’s as well.
Both sides may be able to maintain the e-pawn centre with pawns
on e4/e5, or these may disappear and both sides have a central
d-pawn (d4/d5). Lastly, all four central pawns may vanish. In each
case Black should have equal play.
if White doesn’t do much, grab as much of the centre as
you can
Again, the move …d5 often forms part of Black’s plans. If
Black can play this in safety, you will usually have equalised at
least.
With or without the d-pawns the natural break is f4/…f5, and
either side can hope to plant a Knight on f4/f5.
The open e-file usually means exchanges of the heavy pieces,
as
neither side can afford to abandon control of the file. The right
square to plonk a Knight is e4/e5
With both files open exchanges are likely, and unless one side
can seize the centre by force, or has the two bishops, play is
drawish.
So, let’s have a look at some variations.
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3
The commonest and probably the best move here, but there are
alternatives. We divide this booklet into:
White plays 2. Nf3
Less usual tries for White
III. Less usual tries for
White
III.A. The Vienna Opening,
2. Nc3
This old move is not bad: it threatens nothing but holds up
Black’s …d5, and leaves open the possibility of 3. f4. How should
Black reply?
2… Nf6
This is Rule 1: develop as fast and as actively as you can
White has several choices here: 3. f4, 3. Bc4 and 3. g3 are
common
3… d5
And this is Rule 2: keep hold of your share of the centre, or
hit back with …d5. [The move 3…d6 looks half-right, but blocks
in the Bf8 and gives up on playing …d5. 3…d5 is all right.]
Now you should get an equal game, although, as always, you must
be careful.
4. fxe5
[4. exd5 exf4 5. d4 Bd6 6. Qe2+ Kf8! Inkiov-Pinter, 1982.
BCO2 give this as a slight edge to Black]
4… Nxe4
5. d3
[Natural development by 5. Nf3 Be7 6. d4 O-O 7. Bd3 f5 8.
exf6 Bxf6 9. O-O Nc6 10. Ne2 Bf5 11. c3 Qd7 12. Bf4 Rae8 leads to a
level d-pawn type of centre
Now after 5. d3 Black can simplify carefully and gain
equality:
5… Nxc3 6. bxc3 d4
6…Be7 is more solid-looking, perhaps
7. Nf3 Nc6 8. cxd4 Nxd4
[Instead 8… Bb4+ 9. Bd2 Bxd2+ 10. Qxd2 Nxd4 11. c3 Nxf3+
12. gxf3 Qh4+ 13. Qf2 Qxf2+ 14. Kxf2 f6 is level:
]
9. c3 Nxf3+ 10. Qxf3 c6 11. d4 Qh4+ 12. g3 Qg4 13. Bg2
Qxf3 14. Bxf3 Be6
with a level endgame; not much chance for Black to win in this
line I’m afraid.
Vienna Game with 3. g3
This line was fashionable amongst masters a few years ago. White
isn’t doing much, so just follow rules one and two: first
develop:
3… Bc5 4. Bg2 O-O 5. d3 Re8
Then hit back with …d5.
6. Nge2 c6 7. O-O d5 8. exd5 Nxd5 9. Kh1 Bg4
=
with a level game, as in Portisch-Toran 1961.
III.A.3. Vienna Game with 3.
Bc4
If White plays this I recommend you reply
3… Nc6
[There is an exciting line 3… Nxe4 4. Qh5 Nd6 5.
Bb3
when Black can survive with … Be7, but I don’t think you
should let White get into this line]
4. d3 Bb4 5. Nf3 d6 6. O-O Bxc3 7. bxc3 Na5
[Fritz reckons you should play 7… h6]
8. Bb3 Nxb3 9. cxb3
When play is level.
III.B. Bishop’s opening, 2.
Bc4
This became fashionable as a way of avoiding the Petroff. The
right move is:
2… Nf6
Now White’s most common move is:
3. d3
[The line 3. d4 exd4 4. Nf3 is the dangerous Urusoff Gambit
4…Nxe4 when 5. Qxd4 Nf6 6. Bg5 Be7 7. Nc3 c6 8. O-O-O d5 9. Rhe1
Be6 leads to a strong attacking game for White
Simply 4… Nc6 5. O-O transposes to the Two Knights’ lines
below]
3… Nc6 4. Nf3
This transposes to a quiet line of the Italian ( Giuoco
Piano/Two Knights’ ) group of openings
[4. f4 is the only attempt to be original, but is a poor
version of the King’s Gambit where White has been committed to
d2-d3. One line might go:
4…exf4 5. e5 d5 6. exf6 dxc4 7. fxg7 Bxg7 8. Bxf4 cxd3 9.
cxd3 Qe7+ 10. Ne2 Bxb2, when White is in all sorts of
trouble]
4… Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. Bb3
Having developed quickly, you are now ready for:
6…d5 7. exd5 Nxd5 8. Re1 Bg4 9. h3
Now, the book line goes:
9… Bh5 10. g4 Bg6 11. Nxe5 Nxe5 12. Rxe5,
when BCO2 gives:
12…Nb6!=
Dolmatov-Chekhov, 1981.
This is a move Gary Lane ignores in his popular book.
But Lane does suggest the magnificent mess starting:
9… Bxf3
e.g.
10. Qxf3 Nd4 11. Qxd5
Qxd5 12. Bxd5 Nxc2
If you prefer this sort of game, this is a nice try.
III.C. The King’s Gambit,
2. f4
Emanuel Lasker, world champion after Steinitz, said that gambit
pawns should always be taken if you haven’t broken any opening
rules. He adds, you take them, not to hang on to them, but to make
your opponent waste time and energy getting the pawn back.
Meanwhile, you can develop and prepare to hit back.
This is good advice, but just as in the Vienna Gambit, we will
also look quickly at a line with …d5.
2… d5 3. exd5
Now you can try the relatively unanalysed 3…c6
3…c6
The Nimzovitch counter-gambit; 3…e4 is the old Falkbeer
counter-gambit. Either way you get a good gambit line of your own
against the King’s Gambit. But Lasker would undoubtedly play:
2… exf4
Now White has two main ways of continuing:
(a) King’s Bishop’s Gambit, 3. Bc4
(b) King’s Knight’s Gambit, 3. Nf3
III.C.1. King’s Bishop’s
Gambit, 3. Bc4
Black can play simply
3… Nf6 (Rule 1)
4. Nc3 c6 (Rule 2)
with good chances.
III.C.2. King’s Knight’s
Gambit, 3. Nf3
I have always liked
3… Be7
This Cunningham Variation reinforces the ancient weakness on the
e1-h4 diagonal, and covers the e-file.
4. Bc4
Now 4…Bh4+ is a fair try, but it’s easier to go
4…Nf6 5. e5
Alternatives include
[5. Nc3 c6]
[5. O-O d5]
but these should cause you no trouble. After 5. e5
5… Ng4 6. O-O d6
Black has an equal game.
III.D. Centre Game & Danish Gambit, 2.
d4
Don’t mess around, just play
2… exd4
Now White has a choice:
(a) Centre Game, 3. Qxd4
(b) Danish Gambit, 3. c3
or White can try to transpose into the Scotch with 3. Nf3.
This exposes the Q to attack, when it is hard to find a good
retreat.
3… Nc6 4. Qe3 Nf6 5. Nc3 Be7
[or 5… Bb4 6. Bd2 O-O 7. O-O-O Re8 8. Bc4 d6 9. f3 Na5 10.
Bb3 Be6 =+
with slight advantage to Black, according to BCO2]
6. Bd2 d5 7. exd5 Nxd5 8. Nxd5 Qxd5
Black is ahead in development, which makes the opposite-side
castling difficult to play for White. The game is equal.
3… dxc3 (Lasker!)
[Although 3… Qe7 is an interesting way of
declining]
Now 4. Nxc3 is a sort of ‘half-Danish’, and is likely to
transpose to the Goring Gambit, dealt with under the Scotch Game
section below. The Danish proper is:
4. Bc4 cxb2 5. Bxb2
When White has a genuinely dangerous lead in development.
Correct technique here is to return some of the material to get
your own development back on track.
5… d5 6. Bxd5 Bb4+
[or 6… Nf6 7. Bxf7+ Kxf7 8. Qxd8 Bb4+ 9. Qd2 Bxd2+ 10.
Nxd2
is a level ending with rival majorities, and is as good try to
win as any for Black.]
7. Nc3 Nf6
when Black has good chances of an advantage – either securing
the two bishops in an open position, or developing quickly and then
keeping the pawn. If you find yourself as Black thinking about odd
or cramped moves just to try and hang on to the pawn, my advice is:
let it go.
The best reply, is, of course:
White has a few different tries here, the main ones being
3. Bb5, the Ruy Lopez
3. d4, the Scotch Game
3. Bc4, the Italian game which can lead to the Giuoco Piano.
Here I recommend the Two Knights’ Defence.
This is the most important move at master level. The ‘Spanish
torture’ (Ruy Lopez was a Spanish priest) is the main winning
weapon for White and has held centre stage for hundreds of years.
At junior level, though, there are a few ways to play it, depending
on how much you trust your opponent to play lines you like. John
Walker recommends the exciting Open Morphy Defence with 5…Nxe4,
but White can veer off into some really dull lines on moves 4 and
5, and if anything your two moves tempt White to play a dull line.
The Open Morphy is very well known and hard to play for both sides,
so I’ll throw in one more alternative: the Archangel Variation. See
what you think for yourself.
My own recommendation is the old Cordel Defence with
3… Bc5
Bobby Fischer played this a few times in the ‘sixties, and never
had any trouble reaching a level game. It avoids any trouble you
may have with the Exchange Variation and Lopez Four Knights’ lines
below. Let’s look at how you can try and get into the Open Morphy
lines, and perhaps then you can will see why I started looking at
the Cordel line.
To get into the Open Morphy line you play
3… a6
hoping for
4. Ba4
White has an important alternative here, which might be played
just out of nerves.
IV.B.1. The Exchange variation
4. Bxc6
After
4. Bxc6 dxc6
White can play either the old main line
(a) 5. d4
or the Barendregt line
(b) 5. O-O
The move 5.Nxe5 is met by 5…Qd4, regaining the pawn.
White is going for the better ending with this move; the hope is
that all the pieces will come off, when White can create a passed
pawn on the K-side with f4-f5 and e4-e5-e6 while your Q-side
majority is crippled. So Black should avoid too many exchanges and
play very actively, using the two bishops and open lines.
5… exd4 6. Qxd4 Qxd4 7. Nxd4 c5 8. Nf3
Bg4
with equal chances.
IV.B.1.b) Barendregt line 5.
O-O
Bobby Fischer revived this in the ‘seventies, and it is still
being tried.
What should you do? The book line is roughly equal after
5… f6 6. d4 exd4 7. Nxd4 c5 8. Nb3 Qxd1 9. Rxd1 Bg4 10. f3
Be6 11. Bf4 c4 12. Nd4 O-O-O 13. Nc3 Bf7 14. Nf5 Rxd1+ 15. Rxd1 Ne7
16. Ne3 Ng6 17. Bg3 Bc5 18. Kf2 Rd8 =/+=
(Vitolins-Romanishin 84) with at most a small advantage for
White.
But I reckon at junior level the line
5…Bg4
is worth a punt:
6. h3 h5!
Now
7. hxg4 hxg4 8. Nxe5 Qh4 9. f4 g3
leads to mate.
So White should play either
7. c3
with a probable draw after
7…Qd3 8. Re1
[8. hxg4 hxg4 9. Nxe5 Bd6 10. Nxd3 Bh2+ 11. Kh1 Bg3+ 12. Kg1
Bh2+ drawn
8… Bxf3 9. Qxf3 Qxf3 10. gxf3 O-O-O 11. Kf1 Be7 12.
Ke2 Bg5 13. Na3 Ne7 14. Rg1 Bh6 15. Nc4 f6 16. h4 c5 17.
d3
Or, the best line,
7. d3
White can get a small advantage here I think, but has to play
lots of good moves.
7… Qf6 8. Nbd2 Ne7 9. Re1 Ng6 10. d4 Bd6 11. hxg4 hxg4
12. Nh2 Rxh2 13. Qxg4 Qh4 14. Qxh4 Rxh4 15. Nf3 Rh5 16.
dxe5
[16. c3 f6 17. Be3 += bco2]
16… Nxe5 17. Nxe5 Bxe5 18. c3 g5 19. Be3
g4
]
If White plays the main line with 4. Ba4,
we continue to steer for the Open Morphy with
4… Nf6
hoping for
5. O-O
Sadly, White has several alternatives here, and if all your
opponent knows about the Ruy Lopez ends after the third move, you
may well startle White into playing one of these lines:
5. Nc3 Lopez Four Knights
5. d3 Andersson-Steinitz
There is also
[5. Qe2
which is no problem, but it does stop you playing your
intended 5…Nxe4. Instead 5…Be7 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. b3 Bd6 8. Bb2
Qe7 9. d3 =
9… Bg4 10. Nbd2 O-O-O is simply level]
IV.B.2. Lopez Four Knights’
Variation, 5. Nc3
5. Nc3
Now …d5 is difficult, but White has little chance of
advantage.
5…b5 6. Bb3 Be7 7. d3
[7. a4 is more risky: 7…b4 8. Nd5 Nxe4
when Black may have the edge.]
7… d6 8. Nd5 Na5 =
with equality: BCO2.
IV.B.3. The Andersson-Steinitz line, 5.
d3
White intend to play slowly. There’s not much you can do but
trot out the usual recipe: develop and play …d5. This should lead
to level play.
5. d3 d6 6. c3 Be7 7. Nbd2 O-O 8. Nf1 b5 9.
Bc2
[9. Bb3 d5 10. Qe2 Be6]
9… d5 10. Qe2 Re8
with equality.
After 5. O-O we can at last enter the
IV.B.4. Open Morphy Variation
with 5… Nxe4
The main line of the Open Morphy variation goes:
6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5 Be6 9. c3 Bc5
When Black has superb development, although may look a little
loose. The Open variation has been a great favourite of fighting
players like Euwe and Korchnoi.
10. Nbd2 O-O 11. Bc2
Now you might even consider the Dilworth line:
11… Nxf2 12. Rxf2 f6 13. exf6 Bxf2+ 14. Kxf2
Qxf6
Botvinnik has tried this, although it is clearly risky to give
up a piece in such an apparently equal position.
There are many alternatives in the Open Morphy at each point for
both players, so I have only indicated some of the outlines above.
Look in books like BCO2 for more information. Or, if the number of
variations you see in the books frightens you, please consider the
Archangel Variation
5… b5 6. Bb3 Bb7
which I discuss below.
But I have a feeling that most White junior players won’t let
you play these lines, and instead will veer off with the
natural-looking Exchange or Four Knights’ lines.
Having seen the number of ways White can shoot off into odd
lines, you can see why I would like to recommend the Cordel
variation. After
3…Bc5
White’s best try is
4. c3
[or 4. O-O Nge7 5. c3 Bb6 6. d4 exd4 7. cxd4 d5 8. exd5 Nxd5
9. Re1+ Be6 = Evans-Fischer 1960]
Now the only lines I could find in BCO2 started
4… f5
…with White getting the advantage after
5. d4 fxe4 and
5. exf5 e4.
But Fischer’s treatment was more simple: e.g.
4… Nge7 5. d4 exd4 6. cxd4 Bb4+ 7. Bd2 Bxd2+ 8. Qxd2
a6 9. Ba4 d5 10. exd5 Qxd5 11. Nc3 Qe6+ 12. Kf1 Qc4+ 13. Kg1 O-O
14. d5 Na7 15. Re1
15… Nf5
[or 15… Ng6]
which was soon drawn: Tal-Fischer, 1960.
Fischer also had several games with the bolder line
4… Nf6
For example
5. d4 exd4
[5… Bb6 6. O-O O-O 7. Re1 exd4 8. cxd4 d5 9. e5
Ne4
drawn shortly, Unzicker-Fischer 60]
6. e5 Ne4 7. O-O
[7. cxd4 Bb4+ 8. Bd2 Nxd2 9. Nbxd2 O-O 10. O-O a6 11. Ba4 d6
= Jimenez-Fischer 60]
7… d5 8. Nxd4 O-O 9. f3 Ng5 10. Bxc6 bxc6
drawn Gligoric-Fischer 60.
So on this evidence, the Cordel Defence is a simple way to get
your pieces out against players who you don’t trust to enter the
main lines.
IV.B.6. An alternative to the
Open Morphy: Archangel Variation with 5…b5
5… b5 6. Bb3 Bb7
Now the best line is (c) 7. Re1, but White has been tempted to
go for a quick break with either
(a) 7. d4 or
(b) 7. c3 and 8. d4
IV.B.6.a) Archangel with 7. d4
7. d4
This is nothing to be scared of.
7… Nxd4 8. Nxd4 exd4 9. e5 Ne4 10. c3 dxc3 11.
Qf3
This looks awkward, but Black can survive happily.
11…d5 12. exd6 Qf6 13. d7+ Kd8!
14. Qxf6+ Nxf6 15. Nxc3 Kxd7 16. Bf4 =
With equality, accoring to Vlastimil Hort.
IV.B.6.b) Archangel with 7. c3
This is more patient but not stronger.
7. c3
Black can now make a mess with
7…Nxe4 8. d4 Na5 9. Bc2 exd4 10. b4 Nc4 11. Bxe4 Bxe4 12.
Re1 d5 13. Nxd4 Bd6
14. f3 Qh4 15. h3 Qg3 16. Nf5 Qh2+ 17. Kf2 O-O-O 18. fxe4
dxe4 19. Qg4 Kb8 20. Qxe4 Rhe8
Black is doing fine here.
IV.B.6.c) Main line Archangel with 7.
Re1
7. Re1 Bc5
White now plays his Plan A
8. c3 d6 9. d4 Bb6
Black is solid and well-developed, as in many lines of the
Lopez, but here has posted the bishops on much more active squares,
pointing at the White King. Black can play very actively now,
castling Queen’s side and hammering down the other wing.
10. Bg5 h6 11. Bh4 Qd7 12. a4 O-O-O 13. axb5
axb5
14. Bxf6
This is the strongest line:
[14. Na3 g5 15. Bg3 h5 16. dxe5
[16. h4 was essential: 16…gxh4 17. Bxh4 Rh6 18. Nxb5 Rg8
19. Qd3 exd4 20. cxd4 Nb4 and Black is still spuddling away
well]
16… h4 17. exf6 hxg3 18. hxg3 g4 19. Nd4 Rh7 20. Bd5
Rdh8=+
with an edge for Black, according to BCO2]
14… gxf6
Now White does best to try and keep things under wraps with
15. Bd5
But Black can give White some nervous moments with:
15…Rhg8 16. Kh1 Qg4 17. Rg1 exd4 18. cxd4 f5 19. Nc3
fxe4 20. Nxe4 Qf5 21. Nc3 Nb4 22. Bxb7+ Kxb7=
Klovans-Shirov 87: equal, accoring to BCO2
IV.C. 3. d4 Scotch Game and
gambits
The old (1826) Scotch Game is
3… exd4 4. Nxd4
People have recently found some new ideas in lines that had been
abandoned, but I think interest is waning again as these ideas
become better known. The natural move is
4…Bc5
when White has two natural moves: 5. Nb3 and 5. Be3, although
you must also consider 5. Nxc6 (and I have even seen 5. Nf5!?)
[If 5. Nxc6 bxc6 6. Bd3 Ne7 7. O-O d5 should hold, but more
accurate 5…Qf6! 6. Qe2 bxc6 7. Nc3 Ne7=]
IV.C.1. Scotch Game with 5.
Be3
5. Be3 Qf6 6. c3 Nge7 7. Bc4
White has tried many moves in this position, but this Icelandic
line is the most current.
[One alternative being 7. g3 d5 8. Bg2 dxe4 9. Nb5
[or 9. Nd2 Bb6 10. Nxe4 Qg6 11. O-O Bg4 12. Qa4 O-O 13. Nc5
Ne5 14. Bf4 Bxc5 15. Bxe5 c6+=
with only a small advantage to White, according to Gary
Lane]
9… Bxe3 10. Nxc7+ Kf8 11. fxe3 Rb8 12. Nd5 Qg5 13. Nf4 Qc5
14. O-O g5 15. Nh5 Be6
Klovan-Romanishin 74, with complications avouring black
(Lane)
After 7. Bc4 the equaliser used to be 7…Ne5 8. Be2 and
8…d6/8…Qg6 (see BCO2), but that has started to creak.
Will Black succeed in reiforcing the line? Karpov has still
happily played 8…Qg6 9. O-O d6 10. f3! O-O 11. Nd2 d5!? and
perhaps that is OK.
7… O-O 8. O-O Bb6 9. Nc2
[or 9. Na3 Nxd4 10. cxd4 d5 11. exd5 Rd8 12. Qh5 h6
13.
Rfe1 Bf5 14. Qf3 Rd7 15. Nb5 Rad8
unclear/equal, Chandler-Short 91]
[White could also try 9. Bb3 Na5 10. Bc2 Nc4 11. Bc1 d5 12.
exd5 Bxd4 13. cxd4 Bf5 14. Nc3 Bxc2 15. Qxc2 Nb6 16. Qe4 Qd6 17.
Bf4 Qd7 18. d6 cxd6 19. a4 Rfe8 20. Qf3 Nc6 21. Rfd1 Rad8
=/+=
Polgar-Zuniga 92
9. Nc2 d6 10. Bxb6 axb6 11. f4
Now
11…Be6 12. Nd2 Bxc4 13. Nxc4 Qe6
leaves White with a small space advantage. In the game
Kasparov-Short (Linares 1991) Black tried
11…g5!? 12. f5 Ne5 13. Be2 Bd7 14. c4
when
14…Ba4! 15. b3 Bc6
would have been the best line.
IV.C.2. Scotch Game with 5.
Nb3
You must retreat with
5… Bb6
Now White usually chases the Bishop with
6. a4 a6
Gary Lane reckons this gives White good chances, but one move
order he doesn’t consider is
7. Nc3 Nge7 8. Bg5 f6!
Now
9. Bh4 O-O
and now
10. Bc4+ Kh8 11. Qd2 d6 12. f4 Ng6 13. Bg3 Na5 =+
Rodriguez-Unzicker, 1970
or
10. Qd2 d6 11. a5 Ba7 12. O-O-O Be6 13. Nd5 Bxd5! (an
improvement on an old Hort-Portisch game) 14. exd5 Ne5 15. Nd4 Bxd4
16. Qxd4 Nf5 17. Qe4 Nxh4 18. Qxh4 f5=
and according to ChessBase , Black has
achieved a pleasant equality.
IV.C.3. Scotch And Goring Gambits
After 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 White may try
4. c3
[4. Bc4 leads to lines of the Italian Game, below]
Black can equalise with
4… d5
[The old recommendation 4… d3 5. Bxd3 d6
is OK after 6. h3 g6 7. Bg5 Nf6 8. Nbd2 Bg7 9. Nd4 O-O 10.
Nxc6 bxc6 11. f4 Rb8 12. O-O Qe8 = Raaste-Westerinen, 1979, but
leads to a less east time after
6. Bf4 Be7 7. h3 Nf6 8. Nbd2 Bd7 9. Qc2 += BCO2]
5. exd5 Qxd5 6. cxd4 Bg4 7. Be2 Bb4+ 8. Nc3 Bxf3 9. Bxf3
Qc4
10. Qb3
Neither [10. Bxc6+ bxc6 11. Qe2+ Qxe2+ 12. Kxe2 O-O-O 13.
Be3 Ne7=]
[Nor 10. Be3 Bxc3+ 11. bxc3 Qxc3+ 12. Kf1 Qc4+ 13. Kg1 Nge7
14. Rc1 Qxa2 15. Ra1 Qc4 16. Rc1 (drawn here marshall-capablanca,
1926) 16… Qa2 17. Ra1 Qc4 18. Rc1 Qb4
-+ Bryson-Flear, Edinburgh 1985, are any good for
White]
10… Qxb3 11. axb3 Nge7 12. O-O a6 =
with equality, Ljubojevic-Ree, 72.
Lastly, but most importantly, we must consider how you should
reply to:
You can defend the Giuoco Piano, which is OK, except you cannot
rely on White to play an interesting open game. The best way to get
a good game going is:
IV.E. Two Knight’s Defence,
3… Nf6
White has several tries here:
(a) Max Lange Attack with 4. d4
(b) Main line Two Knights’ with 4. Ng5
(c) Closed line with 4. d3
(d) Variation with 4. Nc3
IV.E.1. The Max Lange Attack 4.
d4
After 4. d4 Black must reply:
4… exd4
The alternatives are unattractive:
[4… Nxe4 5. dxe5 Nc5 else Qd5 6. O-O Be7 7. Nc3+-
]
[4… Nxd4 5. Bxf7+ Kxf7 6. Nxe5+ Ke8 7. Qxd4+-]
[4… d6 5. Ng5 Nxe4
[not 5… Be6 6. d5]
6. Bxf7+ Ke7 7. Bb3 +-]
Now
5. O-O
[5. e5 is no worry
5… d5 6. Bb5 Ne4 7. Nxd4 Bd7 8. Bxc6 bxc6 9. O-O Be7 10.
f3 Nc5 11. f4 Ne4 12. f5 Bc5 13. e6 fxe6 14. fxe6 Bxe6 15. Qh5+ Kd7
16. Be3 Qe7
when Black is quite OK]
Black now has a choice:
(a) Max Lange with 5… Nxe4
(b) Max Lange with 5… Bc5
I include analysis of both lines in case you fancy playing this
as White.
IV.E.1.a) Max Lange with 5…
Nxe4
This is the most complex line.
6. Re1 d5
Now White has two important attacking alternatives:
Sacrificial 7. Nc3
or
Tricky 7. Bxd5
Although, both lines are tricky and sacrificial!
IV.E.1.a)(1) Sacrificial 7.
Nc3
7. Nc3 dxc3
[or 7… dxc4 8. Rxe4+ Be7 9. Nxd4 f5 10. Rf4 O-O 11. Nxc6
Qxd1+ 12. Nxd1 bxc6 13. Rxc4 Bd6 14. Nc3 =
Botvinnik]
8. Bxd5 Be6
[8… Bf5 9. Bxe4 Bxe4 10. Rxe4+ Be7 = BCO ]
9. Bxe4 Bb4 10. b3 Qxd1 11. Rxd1
11… Rd8 12. Be3 a6
Black has an extra pawn which is hard to keep and harder to make
use of. The storm has blown itself out.
So let’s look at the alternative
7. Bxd5 Qxd5 8. Nc3
Another surprising Knight move. This is a terribly well-analysed
position, so whoever knows most about it should win. One line
goes:
8… Qa5
[8… Qh5 9. Nxe4 Be6 10. Bg5]
9. Nxe4 Be6 10. Neg5 O-O-O 11. Nxe6 fxe6 12. Rxe6
Bd6
[or 12… Qf5 13. Qe2 h6 14. Bd2 Qxc2 = Bogolyubov]
13. Qe2 Qh5 14. h3 Rde8 15. Bd2 Ne5
And again White’s attack has blown out.
IV.E.1.b) Max Lange with 5…
Bc5
5…Bc5
6. e5
Black has only one good move here:
6…d5
To see why:
[6… Ng4 7. Bf4 O-O 8. h3 Nh6 9. Bxh6 gxh6 10. c3
+-
+-]
[6… Ne4 7. Bd5 f5 8. exf6 Nxf6 9. Bg5 +-
+-]
Now the main line of analysis goes:
7. exf6 dxc4 8. Re1+ Be6 9. Ng5 Qd5 10. Nc3 Qf5 11. Nce4
O-O-O
This is exciting stuff! White has a strong K-side attack and
control of the e-file. But Black has an extra pawn, good central
hold and has sent the King off into safer territory. Black can even
think about a K-side counter-attack. For example:
12. Nxe6 fxe6 13. fxg7 Rhg8 14. Bg5 Rd7 15. Nf6 Qxg5 16.
Nxd7 Rxg7
and White has run out of steam…
Now, you can research this lot for yourselves, but there’s a lot
to it. For example, if you check this line in the Levy/Keene book,
they give 12. g4!
They also say Black’s 8…Be6 is ” more or less forced,
since on 8…Kh8 comes 9. Bg5 cxb2 10. Bh6+ Kg8 11. Nc3! with a
tremendous game for the pawn… e.g. … 11…Bf8 12. Bxf8 Kxf8 13.
Ne4 followed by 14. Qd2 with clear advantage to White .”
Whereas, if you look in BCO2, you find ” 8…Kh8 9. Bg5 cxb2
10. Bh6+ Kg8 11. Nc3 f8 12. Bxf8 Kxf8 13. Ne4 f5 =+ ” – that
is, advantage to Black, and instead White can only hope for
equality after 12. Nxd4 Bxh6!. So I don’t know how many recent
books you need, although Andrew Soltis (who seems to be going for
the world record of chess books published) has written a repertoire
book from White’s point of view about the Moller and the Max
Lange.
IV.E.2. Main line Two Knights’
with 4. Ng5
The main line, which I recommend, goes:
4… d5
But there is an alternative: the Wilkes-Barre variation or
Traxler Counterattack.
[4… Bc5
This is wild and exciting chess, although I have a nasty
suspicion that White can just play safe with
5. Bxf7+ Ke7 6. Bb3 Rf8 7. O-O d6 8. Nc3
when I don’t see how Black can justify both the pawn deficit
and poor King position.
But it’s worth a look, and I include some examples in the
games section. Even if you don’t ever play the variation, you might
learn from some of the tactical ideas.]
After 4. Ng5 d5, White should try
5. exd5
Now the only right move here is
5… Na5
Although 5…Nb4, 5…Nd4 and 5…Nxd5 have been tried.
[5… Nxd5 can lead to the famous Fried Liver
Attack
6. Nxf7
This is the famous Fried Liver Attack (or Fegatello) After
6… Kxf7 7. Qf3+ Ke6 8. Nc3 Nce7 9. d4 c6
We can only say the position is unclear!
But White can actually play the simple 6. d4
with the better game, and when Nxf7 is a real
threat]
After 5…Na5, play usually goes
6. Bb5+ c6 7. dxc6 bxc6
When there are two well-known gambit lines
(a) 8. Be2 h6 9. Nf3 e4 10. Ne5 Bd6 11. f4 exf3 12. Nxf3
O-O
and
(b) 8. Qf3 Rb8 9. Bxc6+ Nxc6 10. Qxc6+ Nd7
I enclose a game in each line below.
IV.E.3. Closed variation with
4. d3
4… d5 5. exd5 Nxd5 6. O-O f6 is one time when the Rule 2 shoud
perhaps be broken, as Re1 to follow is uncomfortable, although I
don’t know if Black is in any great danger.
4…Bc5 of course returns you to the Giuoco Pianissimo
(spit).
And another safe line is 4… Be7.
But the alternative
4… h6
is quite OK. The idea is: in the slow Closed Morphy Variation
(5…Be7) of the Ruy Lopez, Black often re-organises with …O-O,
…Rfe8, …Bf8, …g6 and …Bg7. Now with 4. d3, White has said
that they plan to play it slow, so you might as well put the B on
g7 straight away. 4…g6 loses to 5. Ng5, so you play 4…h6 first.
The only way to take advantage of this apparent waste of time is to
break open the centre with d3-d4, but this is also a loss of time
(d2-d3 then d3-d4), and Black can adjust.
5. O-O
[or 5. Nc3 d6 6. a3 g6 7. h3 Bg7 8. Be3 O-O 9. Qd2 Kh7 10.
g4 Nd7 11. Rg1 Nb6
= Spassky-Belyavsky 82 12. g5 Nxc4 13. dxc4 h5]
5… d6 6. c3 g6 7. d4 Qe7 8. Nbd2 Bg7 9. Re1 O-O 10. h3
Bd7 11. Nf1 Rae8 =
Nunn-Spassky 82
with equality, BCO2
IV.E.4. Two Knights’ with 4. Nc3
4… Nxe4 5. Nxe4
[5. Bxf7+ Kxf7 6. Nxe4 d5 7. Neg5+ Kg8, when Black has the
advantage in the centre]
[5. O-O
Boden-Kieseritsky Gambit 5… Nxc3 6. dxc3 Be7, when you
have no weaknesses but must defend solidly for a while. If you
don’t fancy this you can always try the plan 4…Be7, 5…O-O and
6…Na5]
5… d5 6. Bd3 dxe4 7.
Bxe4 Bd6
with equality.
V.A.1. Euwe – Reti (Amsterdam)
1920
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. O-O Nxe4 6. Re1 d5
7. Bxd5 Qxd5 8. Nc3 Qa5 9. Nxd4 Nxd4 10. Qxd4 f5 11. Bg5 Qc5
12. Qd8+ Kf7 13. Nxe4 fxe4 14. Rad1 Bd6 15. Qxh8 Qxg5
16. f4 Qh4 17.
Rxe4
17… Bh3 18. Qxa8 Bc5+ 19. Kh1 Bxg2+ 20. Kxg2
Qg4+
21. Kf1 Qf3+ 22. Ke1 Qf2#
0-1
V.A.2. Estrin – Riskin (Moscow)
1963
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. O-O Nxe4 6. Re1 d5
7. Bxd5 Qxd5 8. Nc3 Qa5 9. Nxe4 Be6 10. Bd2 Qf5 11. Bg5
11… h6 12. Bh4 g5 13. Nxd4 Nxd4 14. Qxd4 gxh4 15. Nf6+
Ke7 16. Nd5+
1-0
V.B. Main Line Two Knights’
Defence
V.B.1. Bibikov – Neishtadt
(USSR) 1946
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Na5 6. Bb5+ c6
7. dxc6 bxc6
8. Be2 h6 9. Nf3 e4 10. Ne5 Bd6 11. f4 exf3 12. Nxf3 Qc7
13. d4 Ng4
4. c3
Bxh2 15. xh2 g3
16. d2 c4
17. Bxc4 e3
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Na5 6. Bb5+ c6
7. dxc6 bxc6
8. Qf3
Black chooses an unusual reply which goes badly wrong.
8… Qb6 9. Nc3 Be7 10. d3 h6 11. Be3 Qc7 12. Nd5 Nxd5
13. Qxf7+ Kd8
14. Qxd5+ cxd5 15. Nf7#
V.C. Wilkes-Barre
Variation N WARNING N
These games contain uncut scenes of chess violence. Do not play
through them late at night, or in the presence of sensitive
adults.
V.C.1. Neikirch – Halir (Corr)
1969
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 Bc5 5. Nxf7 Bxf2+ 6. Kxf2
Nxe4+
7. Kg1
7… Qh4 8. g3 Nxg3
9. Nxh8 d5 10. Bxd5 Bh3 11. c3 Nd4 12. Bf3 O-O-O 13. Nf7
Rf8
0-1
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 Bc5
5. Bxf7+ Ke7 6. Bd5
6… d6 7. c3 Rf8 8. d4 exd4
9. Bxc6 bxc6 10. O-O dxc3 11. Nxc3 h6
12. Qe2 Bg4 13. Nf3 Nd7 14. h3 Bxf3 15. gxf3 g5 16. Be3
Ne5 17. Bxc5 dxc5 18. Kg2 Rxf3 19. Rh1 Qg8
White resigned, seeing no way to stop the threats of …Raf8 and
…g4, combined with perhaps …c4-c3 and …Nd3. Estrin was world
correspondence champion, and has published a book on the
Wilkes-Barre Variation!
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 Bc5 5. Bxf7+ Ke7 6. Bd5
Nb4 7. d4 exd4 8. O-O Nbxd5 9. exd5 Re8 10. Qd3 h6 11. Qg6 hxg5 12.
Qxg7+ Kd6 13. Bxg5 Rf8 14. c4 dxc3 15. Nxc3
Black resigns, for if 15… Bd4 16. Nb5+ Kxd5 17. Nxd4, and the
King will die in the centre of the arena.
V.C.4. Kunz-Hentzgen,
Corr.1973
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 Bc5 5. Nxf7 Bxf2+ 6. Kf1
Qe7 7. Nxh8 d5 8. exd5 Bg4 9. Be2 Bxe2+ 10. Qxe2 Nd4 11. Qxf2 O-O-O
12. Ke1 Ne4 13. Qf7 Qh4+ 14. Kf1
14… Qg4
White resigns
V.C.5. Wirtz – Fahnenschmidt
(Marburg) 1955
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 Bc5
5. Nxf7 Bxf2+
6. Kxf2 Nxe4+
7. Ke3 Qe7 8. Kxe4 d5+ 9. Bxd5 Qh4+ 10. g4 Bxg4 11.
Bxc6+
11… Bd7+ 12. Ke3 Qd4+ 13. Ke2 bxc6 14. Rg1 Bg4+ 15.
Rxg4 Qxg4+ 16. Ke1 Qh4+ 17. Kf1 O-O 18. Qe2 Rxf7+ 19. Kg1 Raf8 20.
d3 Rf2
White resigns
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 Bc5 5. Nxf7 Bxf2+
6. Kxf2 Nxe4+
7. Kg1 Qh4 8. g3 Nxg3 9. Nxh8 d5 10. Bxd5 Bh3 11. c3 Nd4
12. Bf3 O-O-O
13. Nf7 Rf8
White resigns
Notes:
——–
1. checks are not indicated – an ECO quirk
2. I have been sparing with the qualifications (lines
with and without
certain moves) as they are implicit in the classification
anyhow.
3. I have typed all the castling moves with capital ‘O’s
not zeroes (0).
4. Volunteers to proofread take one step forward.
5. English variation names added Spring 1997
– 1. R’ 1. e4, 1. d4
Irregular openings.
– 1. d4 R’ 1 …d5, 1… Nf6
Untypical replies to 1.d4
– 1. d4 Nf6 2. R’ 2. c4
Untypical replies to 1…Nf6
– 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 R’ 2… e6, 2… g6
Untypical Indian systems.
– 1. e4 R’ 1… c5, 1… e6, 1… e5
Most Semi-Open Defences
– 1. e4 c5
Sicilian Defence
– 1. e4 e6
French defence
– 1. e4 e5
Double King Pawn games
– 1. d4 d5
Double Queen Pawn games
– 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 + d7-d5
Grunfeld Defence
– 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6
Indian systems with …e6
– 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 ‘ d7-d5
Indian systems with …g6 (except Grunfeld)
– 1. R’ 1. e4, 1. d4
Irregular openings.
– 1. d4 R’ 1 …d5, 1… Nf6
Untypical replies to 1.d4
– 1. d4 Nf6 2. R’ 2. c4 (humongous typo on (c) page!)
Untypical replies to 1…Nf6
– 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 R’ 2… e6, 2… g6
Untypical Indian systems.
1. R’ 1. e4, 1. d4, 1. c4
Irregular openings.
1. R,
1. g3,
1. b4
Irregular Openings,
Benko Opening,
Sokolsky (Polish Opening)
1. b3
Nimzo-Larsen Attack
1. f4
Bird’s Opening
1. f4 d5
Bird’s Opening
1. Nf3
Reti Opening
1. Nf3 Nf6
Reti Opening with 1…Nf6
1. Nf3 d5
Reti Opening with 1…d5
1. Nf3 d5 2. g3
Reti Opening, Barcza System
1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 c5 3. Bg2
Reti Opening, Barcza System
1. Nf3 d5 2. c4
Reti Opening
1. c4
English Opening
1 c4
English Opening
1 c4 c6
English Opening, systems with 1…e6
1 c4 c6 2. Nf3 d5 3. b3
(Reti Opening)
1 c4 e6
English Opening, systems with 1…e6
1 c4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. O-O
(Reti Opening)
1 c4 Nf6
English Opening, systems with 1…Nf6
1 c4 Nf6 2. Nc3
English Opening, systems with 1…Nf6
1 c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e6
English Opening, Anglo-Indian
1 c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e6 3. e4
Flohr-Mikenas Variation
1 c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e6 3. e4 c5
Flohr-Mikenas Variation
1. c4 e5
English Opening with 1…e5 (King’s English, or Reversed
Sicilian)
1. c4 e5
English Opening, Reversed Sicilian
1. c4 e5 2. Nc3
English Opening, Reversed Sicilian
1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6
English Opening, Reversed Sicilian
1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. g3 c6
English Opening, Reversed Sicilian
1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. g3 g6
English Opening, Reversed Sicilian
1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6
English Opening, Reversed Sicilian, Closed Systems
1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. d3 d6
English Opening, Reversed Sicilian, Closed Systems
1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Nf3
English Opening, Reversed Sicilian, Closed Systems
1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Nf3 Nf6
English Opening, Reversed Sicilian, Four Knights’
Variation
1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. g3
English Opening, Reversed Sicilian, Four Knights’
Variation
1. c4 c5
Symmetrical English
1. c4 c5
Symmetrical English
1. c4 c5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. d4
Symmetrical English, Anti-Benoni
1. c4 c5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 e6
Symmetrical English, Anti-Benoni
1. c4 c5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 e6 5. Nc3 Nc6
Symmetrical English, Anti-Benoni
1. c4 c5 2. Nc3
Symmetrical English
1. c4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6
Symmetrical English, Closed systems
1. c4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3
Symmetrical English, Closed systems
1. c4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. Nf3
Symmetrical English, Closed systems
1. c4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. Nf3 Nf6
Symmetrical English, Closed systems
1. c4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. Nf3 Nf6 6. O-O O-O 7. d4
English Opening, Maroczy Bind
1. d4
Queen Pawn games
1. d4
Queen Pawn games
1. d4 d6
Queen Pawn games, systems with 1…d6
1. d4 d6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4
Modern Defence, Averbakh Variation
1. d4 c5
Benoni
1. d4 c5 2. d5 e5
Old Benoni (…g6) or Czech Benoni (…Be7)
1. d4 Nf6
Indian systems
1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3
Indian systems with 2. Nf3
1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 b6
Indian systems with 2. Nf3
1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6
Indian systems with 2. Nf3
1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. g3
Indian systems with 2. Nf3
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4
Indian systems
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4
Indian systems with 2. c4
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e5
Budapest Gambit
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e5 3. de5 Ng4
Budapest Gambit, main line accepted
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 d6
Old Indian Defence
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 d6 3. Nc3 e5 4. Nf3
Old Indian Defence
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 d6 3. Nc3 e5 4. Nf3 Nbd7 5. e4
Old Indian Defence
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5
Benoni Defence
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5
Benko Gambit
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5 4. cb5 a6 5. ba6
Benko Gambit Accepted
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5 4. cb5 a6 5. ba6 Ba6 6. Nc3 d6 7. e4
Benko Gambit Accepted, Classical Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6
Modern Benoni
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6
Modern Benoni
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 ed5 5. cd5 d6 6. Nf3 g6
Modern Benoni
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 ed5 5. cd5 d6 6. Nf3 g6 7. g3
Bg7 8. Bg2 O-O
Modern Benoni, Fianchetto Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 ed5 5. cd5 d6 6. Nf3 g6 7. g3
Bg7 8. Bg2 O-O 8. Bg2 O-O 9. O-O Nbd7
Modern Benoni, Fianchetto Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 ed5 5. cd5 d6 6. Nf3 g6 7. g3
Bg7 8. Bg2 O-O 8. Bg2 O-O 9. O-O Nbd7 10. Nd2 a6 11. a4 Re8
Modern Benoni, Fianchetto Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 ed5 5. cd5 d6 6. e4
Modern Benoni, Main Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 ed5 5. cd5 d6 6. e4 g6 7. f4
Modern Benoni, Four Pawns (Mikenas) Attack
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 ed5 5. cd5 d6 6. e4 g6 7. f4 Bg7
8. Bb5
Modern Benoni, Bishop Check Variation (Taimanov)
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 ed5 5. cd5 d6 6. e4 g6 7. f4 Bg7
8. Nf3 O-O
Modern Benoni, Four Pawns (Mikenas) Attack
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 ed5 5. cd5 d6 6. e4 g6 7. f4 Bg7
8. Nf3 O-O 9. Be2 Re8
Modern Benoni, Four Pawns (Mikenas) Attack
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 ed5 5. cd5 d6 6. e4 g6 7. Nf3
Modern Benoni, Classical variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 ed5 5. cd5 d6 6. e4 g6 7. Nf3
Modern Benoni, Classical Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 ed5 5. cd5 d6 6. e4 g6 7. Nf3
Bg7 8. Be2
Modern Benoni, Classical Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 ed5 5. cd5 d6 6. e4 g6 7. Nf3
Bg7 8. Be2 O-O
Modern Benoni, Classical Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 ed5 5. cd5 d6 6. e4 g6 7. Nf3
Bg7 8. Be2 O-O 9. O-O
Modern Benoni, Classical Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 ed5 5. cd5 d6 6. e4 g6 7. Nf3
Bg7 8. Be2 O-O 9. O-O a6
Modern Benoni, Classical Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 ed5 5. cd5 d6 6. e4 g6 7. Nf3
Bg7 8. Be2 O-O 9. O-O a6 10. a4 Bg4
Modern Benoni, Classical Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 ed5 5. cd5 d6 6. e4 g6 7. Nf3
Bg7 8. Be2 O-O 9. O-O Re8
Modern Benoni, Classical Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 ed5 5. cd5 d6 6. e4 g6 7. Nf3
Bg7 8. Be2 O-O 9. O-O Re8 10. Nd2
Modern Benoni, Classical Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 ed5 5. cd5 d6 6. e4 g6 7. Nf3
Bg7 8. Be2 O-O 9. O-O Re8 10. Nd2 Na6
Modern Benoni, Classical Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 ed5 5. cd5 d6 6. e4 g6 7. Nf3
Bg7 8. Be2 O-O 9. O-O Re8 10. Nd2 Na6 11. f3 Nc7
Modern Benoni, Classical Variation
1. d4 f5
Dutch Defence
1. d4 f5
Dutch Defence
1. d4 f5 2. g3
Dutch Defence
1. d4 f5 2. e4
Dutch Defence, Staunton Gambit
1. d4 f5 2. e4 fe4 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5
Dutch Defence, Staunton Gambit
1. d4 f5 2. c4
Dutch Defence
1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nc3
Dutch Defence
1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. g3
Dutch Defence
1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. Nf3
Dutch Defence, Leningrad Variation
1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. O-O d6 7. Nc3
c6
Dutch Defence, Leningrad Variation
1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. O-O d6 7. Nc3
Nc6
Dutch Defence, Leningrad Variation
1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. g3 e6 4. Bg2
Dutch Defence, Classical variation
1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. g3 e6 4. Bg2
Dutch Defence, Classical Variation
1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. g3 e6 4. Bg2 Be7
Dutch Defence, Classical Variation
1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. g3 e6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O
Dutch Defence, Classical Variation
1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. g3 e6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. O-O d5 7. b3
Dutch Defence, Stonewall Variation
1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. g3 e6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. O-O d5 7. b3
c6 8. Ba3
Dutch Defence, Stonewall Variation
1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. g3 e6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. O-O d5 7. Nc3
c6
Dutch Defence, Stonewall Variation
1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. g3 e6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. O-O d6
Dutch Defence, Iljin-Zhenevsky Variation
1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. g3 e6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. O-O d6 7. Nc3
Qe8
Dutch Defence, Iljin-Zhenevsky Variation
1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. g3 e6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. O-O d6 7. Nc3
Qe8 8. Qc2
Dutch Defence, Iljin-Zhenevsky Variation
1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. g3 e6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. O-O d6 7. Nc3
Qe8 8. b3
Dutch Defence, Iljin-Zhenevsky Variation
– 1. e4 R’ 1… c5, 1… e6, 1… e5
Most Semi-Open Defences
– 1. e4 c5
Sicilian Defence
1. e4
King Pawn games
1. e4 R + 1… Nc6
King Pawn games, inc. Nimzovitch defence
1. e4 d5
Centre Counter Defence (Scandanavian)
1. e4 Nf6
Alekhin’s Defence
1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4
Alekhin’s Defence
1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. Nf3
Alekhin’s Defence, Classical Variation
1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. Nf3 Bg4
Alekhin’s Defence, Classical Variation
1. e4 g6
Modern Defence
1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6
Pirc (Robatsch) Defence
1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. Nf3
Pirc Defence, Classical Variation
1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf63. Nc3 g6 4. f4
Pirc Defence, Austrian Attack
1. e4 c6
Caro-Kann Defence
1. e4 c6
Caro-Kann Defence
1. e4 c6 2. Nf3 d5 3. Nc3 Bg4
Caro-Kann Defence, Two Knights’ Variation
1. e4 c6 2. d4
Caro-Kann Defence
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. ed5 cd5
Caro-Kann Defence, Exchange Variation
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. ed5 cd5 4. c4 Nf6 5. Nc3
Caro-Kann Defence, Panov-Botvinnik attack
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
Caro-Kann Defence
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 de4 4. Ne4 Nf6 5. Nf6 gf6
Caro-Kann Defence, Bronstein-Larsen variation
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 de4 4. Ne4 Nd7
Caro-Kann Defence, with 4…Nd7
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 de4 4. Ne4 Bf5
Caro-Kann Defence, classical variation
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 de4 4. Ne4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. h4 h6 7. Nf3
Nd7
Caro-Kann Defence, classical variation
1. e4 c5
Sicilian Defence
1. e4 c5
Sicilian Defence
1. e4 c5: – 2. f4, -2. d4
Sicilian Defence, Grand Prix (Vincken) Attack and Morra
Gambit
1. e4 c5 2.c3
Sicilian Defence, Alapin Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nc3
Sicilian Defence, Closed Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3
Sicilian Defence, Closed Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. d3 d6
Sicilian Defence, Closed Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. d3 d6 6. Be3
Sicilian Defence, Closed Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3
Sicilian Defence
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 a6
Sicilian Defence, O’Kelly Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nf6
Sicilian Defence, Nimzovitch Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6
Sicilian Defence with 2…Nc6
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6
Sicilian Defence with 2…Nc6
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6
Sicilian Defence, Rossolimo Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4
Sicilian Defence
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4
Sicilian Defence
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 g6
Sicilian Defence, Accelerated Dragon Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 g6 5. Nc3 Bg7 6. Be3 Nf6 7.
Bc4
Sicilian Defence, Accelerated Dragon Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 g6 5. c4
Sicilian Defence, Accelerated Dragon Variation, Maroczy
Bind
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 g6 5. c4 Bg7
Sicilian Defence, Accelerated Dragon Variation, Maroczy
Bind
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 g6 5. c4 Bg7 6. Be3
Sicilian Defence, Accelerated Dragon Variation, Maroczy
Bind
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 g6 5. c4 Bg7 6. Be3 Nf6 7. Nc3
Ng4
Sicilian Defence, Accelerated Dragon Variation, Maroczy
Bind
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6
Sicilian Defence with 2…e6
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6
Sicilian Defence with 2…e6
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 a6
Sicilian Defence, Kan Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 a6 5. Bd3
Sicilian Defence, Kan Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 a6 5. Nc3
Sicilian Defence, Kan Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nc6
Sicilian Defence, Paulsen/Taimanov Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nc6 5. Nc3
Sicilian Defence, Paulsen/Taimanov Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 a6
Sicilian Defence, Paulsen/Taimanov Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7
Sicilian Defence, Paulsen/Taimanov Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Be3
Sicilian Defence, Paulsen/Taimanov Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Be3 a6 7. Be2
Sicilian Defence, Paulsen/Taimanov Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6
Sicilian Defence with 2…d6
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6
Sicilian Defence with 2…d6
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5
Sicilian Defence, Sicilian Check Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5 Bd7
Sicilian Defence, Sicilian Check Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd4 4. Qd4
Sicilian Defence, Chekhover Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4
Sicilian Defence
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nf6 5. f3 e5 6. Bb5
Sicilian Defence
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nf6 5. Nc3
Sicilian Defence
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bc4
Sicilian Defence, Sozin Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Be2
Sicilian Defence
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Be2 e5 7. Nb3
Sicilian Defence, Boleslavsky Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5
Sicilian Defence, Richter-Rauser Attack
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5
Sicilian Defence, Richter-Rauser Attack
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 Bd7 7.
Qd2
Sicilian Defence, Richter-Rauser Attack
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 e6
Sicilian Defence, Richter-Rauser Attack
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qd2
Sicilian Defence, Richter-Rauser Attack
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qd2
Be7 8. O-O-O O-O 9. f4
Sicilian Defence, Richter-Rauser Attack
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qd2
Be7 8. O-O-O O-O 9. f4 Nd4 10. Qd4
Sicilian Defence, Richter-Rauser Attack
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qd2
a6
Sicilian Defence, Richter-Rauser Attack
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qd2
a6 8. O-O-O Bd7
Sicilian Defence, Richter-Rauser Attack
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qd2
a6 8. O-O-O Bd7 9. f4 Be7
Sicilian Defence, Richter-Rauser Attack
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qd2
a6 8. O-O-O Bd7 9. f4 Be7 10. Nf3 b5 11. Bf6
Sicilian Defence, Richter-Rauser Attack
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6
Sicilian Defence, Dragon Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6
Sicilian Defence, Dragon Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. f4
Sicilian Defence, Dragon Variation, Levenfish
variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3
Sicilian Defence, Dragon Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. Be2
Nc6 8. O-O
Sicilian Defence, Dragon Variation, Classical
Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. Be2
Nc6 8. O-O O-O 9. Nb3
Sicilian Defence, Dragon Variation, Classical
Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3
Sicilian Defence, Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3
O-O
Sicilian Defence, Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3
O-O 8. Qd2 Nc6 9. Bc4
Sicilian Defence, Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3
O-O 8. Qd2 Nc6 9. Bc4 Bd7 10. O-O-O
Sicilian Defence, Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3
O-O 8. Qd2 Nc6 9. Bc4 Bd7 10. O-O-O Qa5 11. Bb3 Rfc8 12. h4
Sicilian Defence, Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6
Sicilian Defence, Scheveningen Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6
Sicilian Defence, Scheveningen Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6 6. g4
Sicilian Defence, Scheveningen Variation, Keres
Attack
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6 6. f4
Sicilian Defence, Scheveningen Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6 6. Be2
Sicilian Defence, Scheveningen Variation, Classical
System
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6 6. Be2 a6
Sicilian Defence, Scheveningen Variation, Classical
System
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6 6. Be2 a6 7. O-O
Qc7 8. f4 Nc6
Sicilian Defence, Scheveningen Variation, Classicial
System
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6 6. Bc4
Sicilian Defence, Scheveningen Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6 6. Bc4 a6 7. Bb3
b5
(Sicilian Defence, Najdorf Variation)
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6 6. Bc4 Nc6
(Sicilian Defence, Najdorf Variation)
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6 6. Bc4 Nc6 7. Be3
(Sicilian Defence, Najdorf Variation)
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6
Sicilian Defence, Najforf Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6
Sicilian Defence, Najdorf Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. g3
Sicilian Defence, Najdorf Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be2
Sicilian Defence, Najdorf Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. f4
Sicilian Defence, Najdorf Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5
Sicilian Defence, Najdorf Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6
Sicilian Defence, Najdorf Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4
Sicilian Defence, Najdorf Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4
Qb6
Sicilian Defence, Najdorf Variation, Poisoned Pawn
Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4
Be7
Sicilian Defence, Najdorf Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4
Be7 8. Qf3 Qc7 9. O-O-O Nbd7
Sicilian Defence, Najdorf Variation
– 1. e4 e6
French defence
– 1. e4 e5
Double King Pawn games
1. e4 e6
French Defence
1. e4 e6
French Defence
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. ed5 ed5
French Defence, Exchange Variation
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5
French Defence, Advance Variation
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
French Defence, Tarrasch Variation
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Nc6 4. Ngf3 Nf6
French Defence, Tarrasch Variation, Guimard system
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Nf6
French Defence, Tarrasch Variation
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. Bd3 c5 6. c3 Nc6 7. Ne2
cd4 8. cd4
French Defence, Tarrasch Variation
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5
French Defence, Tarrasch Variation
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5 4. ed5 ed5
French Defence, Tarrasch Variation
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5 4. ed5 ed5 5. Ngf3 Nc6
French Defence, Tarrasch Variation
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
French Defence with 3. Nc3
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
French Defence
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6
French Defence, Classical Variation
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Bb4
French Defence, MacCutcheon Variation
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7
French Defence, Classical Variation
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e5 Nfd7 6. Be7 Qe7
French Defence, Classical Variation
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4
French Defence, Winawer Variation
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5
French Defence, Winawer Variation
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5
French Defence, Winawer Variation
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bc3 6. bc3
French Defence, Winawer Variation
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bc3 6. bc3 Ne7
French Defence, Winawer Variation
1. e4 e5
Double King Pawn games
1. e4 e5
Double King Pawn games
1. e4 e5 2. d4 ed4
Centre Game & Danish Gambit
1. e4 e5 2. d4 ed4 3. Qd4 Nc6
Centre Game
1. e4 e5 2. Bc4
Bishop’s Opening
1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6
Bishop’s Opening
1. e4 e5 2. Nc3
Vienna Game
1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6
Vienna Game
1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Bc4 Ne4
Vienna Game, Frankenstein-Dracula Variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Bc4 Nc6
Vienna Game
1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. f4 d5
Vienna Gambit
1. e4 e5 2. f4
King’s Gambit
1. e4 e5 2. f4
King’s Gambit
1. e4 e5 2. f4 d5
King’s Gambit
1. e4 e5 2. f4 d5 3. ed5 e4 4. d3 Nf6
King’s Gambit, Falkbeer Counter-Gambit
1. e4 e5 2. f4 ef4
King’s Gambit Accepted
1. e4 e5 2. f4 ef4 3. Nf3
King’s Knight’s Gambit
1. e4 e5 2. f4 ef4 3. Nf3 Be7
King’s Gambit, Cunningham Variation
1. e4 e5 2. f4 ef4 3. Nf3 d5
King’s Gambit, Modern Variation
1. e4 e5 2. f4 ef4 3. Nf3 g5
King’s Gambit
1. e4 e5 2. f4 ef4 3. Nf3 g5 4. Bc4 Bg7
King’s Gambit, Hanstein Variation
1. e4 e5 2. f4 ef4 3. Nf3 g5 4. h4
King’s Gambit, Kieseritsky Variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3
Double King Pawn games with 2. Nf3
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3
Double King Pawn games
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6
Philidor Defence
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6
Petroff Defence
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. d4
Petroff Defence, Steinitz Variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6
Double King Pawn games
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 ed4 4. Nd4
Scotch Game
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3
Three Knights’ Game
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. d4
Scotch Four Knights’
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5
Four Knights’ Game
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Bb4
Four Knights’ Game
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4
Italian Game
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4
Italian Game
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4
Evans’ Gambit
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bb4 5. c3 Ba5
Evans’ Gambit
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3
Giuoco Piano
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 ed4 6. cd4
Giuoco Piano
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6
Two Knights’ Defence
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d4 ed4 5. O-O Ne4
Two Knights’ Defence
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5
Two Knights’ Defence
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. ed5 Na5
Two Knights’ Defence, main line gambit
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. ed5 Na5 6. Bb5 c6 7.
dc6 bc6 8. Be2 h6
Two Knights’ Defence, main line gambit
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5
Ruy Lopez (Spanish Game)
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5
Ruy Lopez Opening (Spanish Game)
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nd4
Ruy Lopez, Bird’s Defence
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 d6
Ruy Lopez, Steinitz Defence
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 f5
Ruy Lopez, Schliemann Gambit
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Bc5
Ruy Lopez, Classical Defence
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6
Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O d6
Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Ne4
Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bc6
Ruy Lopez, Exchange Variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bc6 dc6 5. O-O
Ruy Lopez, Exchange Variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4
Ruy Lopez (Spanish Game), Morphy Defence
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4
Ruy Lopez, Morphy Defence
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 d6
Ruy Lopez, Modern Steinitz Variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 d6 5. O-O
Ruy Lopez, Modern Steinitz Variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 d6 5. Bc6 bc6 6. d4
Ruy Lopez, Modern Steinitz Variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 d6 5. c3
Ruy Lopez, Modern Steinitz Variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 d6 5. c3 Bd7
Ruy Lopez, Modern Steinitz Variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 d6 5. c3 Bd7 6. d4 g6
Ruy Lopez, Modern Steinitz Variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6
Ruy Lopez, Morphy Defence
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O
Ruy Lopez, Morphy Defence
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O d6
Ruy Lopez, Modern Steinitz Variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 5. O-O: + 5…Ne4, 5… Be7
Ruy Lopez (Spanish Game), Open Morphy Defence
(5…Ne4)
Ruy Lopez (Spanish Game), Closed Morphy Defence
(5…Be7)
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Ne4
Ruy Lopez, Open Morphy Variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Ne4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3
d5 8. de5 Be6 9. Qe2
Ruy Lopez, Open Morphy Variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Ne4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3
d5 8. de5 Be6 9. c3
Ruy Lopez, Open Morphy Variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Ne4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3
d5 8. de5 Be6 9. c3 Be7
Ruy Lopez, Open Morphy Variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7
Ruy Lopez, Closed Morphy Defence
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Bc6 dc6
Ruy Lopez, Delayed Exchange Variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Qe2
Ruy Lopez, Worral Attack
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 d6
Ruy Lopez, Closed Morphy Defence
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7.
Bb3
Ruy Lopez, Closed Morphy Defence
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7.
Bb3 O-O 8. c3 d5
Ruy Lopez, Marshall Gambit
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3
O-O 8. c3 d6
Ruy Lopez (Spanish Game), Closed Morphy Defence
(5…Be7), Main line
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7.
Bb3 O-O 8. c3 d6
Ruy Lopez, Closed Morphy Defence
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7.
Bb3 O-O 8. c3 d6 9. d4
Ruy Lopez, Closed Morphy Defence
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7.
Bb3 O-O 8. c3 d6 9. h3
Ruy Lopez, Closed Morphy Defence
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7.
Bb3 O-O 8. c3 d6 9. h3 h6
Ruy Lopez, Closed Morphy Defence
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7.
Bb3 O-O 8. c3 d6 9. h3 Nb8
Ruy Lopez, Closed Morphy Defence, Breyer Variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7.
Bb3 O-O 8. c3 d6 9. h3 Nb8 10. d4
Ruy Lopez, Closed Morphy Defence, Breyer Variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7.
Bb3 O-O 8. c3 d6 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2
Ruy Lopez, Closed Morphy Defence, Tchigorin Variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7.
Bb3 O-O 8. c3 d6 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7
Ruy Lopez, Closed Morphy Defence, Tchigorin Variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7.
Bb3 O-O 8. c3 d6 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. Nbd2 Nc6
Ruy Lopez, Closed Morphy Defence, Tchigorin Variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7.
Bb3 O-O 8. c3 d6 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. Nbd2 cd4 13.
cd4
Ruy Lopez, Closed Morphy Defence, Tchigorin Variation
– 1. d4 d5
Double Queen Pawn games
– 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 + d7-d5
Grunfeld Defence
1. d4 d5
Double Queen Pawn games
1. d4 d5
Double Queen Pawn games
1. d4 d5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Bg5
(Richter-)Veresov System
1. d4 d5 2. Nf3
Double Queen Pawn games
1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Bg5
Double Queen Pawn games
1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. e3
Colle System
1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. e3 e6
Colle System
1. d4 d5 2. c4
Queen’s Gambit
1. d4 d5 2. c4 Nc6
Queen’s Gambit, Tchigorin defence
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e5
Queen’s Gambit, Albin Counter-Gambit
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e5 3. de5 d4 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. g3
Queen’s Gambit, Albin Counter-Gambit
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Slav Defence
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Slav Defence
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Slav Defence
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 Bf5
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Slav Defence
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. cd5 cd5
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Slav Defence, Exchange
Variation
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. cd5 cd5 5. Bf4 Bf5
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Slav Defence, Exchange
Variation
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Slav Defence
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dc4 5. a4
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Slav Defence, Dutch
Variation
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dc4 5. a4 Bf5
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Slav Defence, Dutch
Variation
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. e3
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Slav Defence, Dutch
Variation
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. e3 e6 7. Bc4
Bb4 8. O-O O-O 9. Qe2
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Slav Defence, Dutch
Variation
1. d4 d5 2. c4 dc4
Queen’s Gambit Accepted
1. d4 d5 2. c4 dc4
Queen’s Gambit Accepted
1. d4 d5 2. c4 dc4 3. Nf3
Queen’s Gambit Accepted
1. d4 d5 2. c4 dc4 3. Nf3 a6 4. e3
Queen’s Gambit Accepted, Alekhin Variation
1. d4 d5 2. c4 dc4 3. Nf3 Nf6
Queen’s Gambit Accepted
1. d4 d5 2. c4 dc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3
Queen’s Gambit Accepted
1. d4 d5 2. c4 dc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3
Queen’s Gambit Accepted
1. d4 d5 2. c4 dc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6
Queen’s Gambit Accepted
1. d4 d5 2. c4 dc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Bc4 c5 6. O-O a6
Queen’s Gambit Accepted
1. d4 d5 2. c4 dc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Bc4 c5 6. O-O a6 7. Qe2
Queen’s Gambit Accepted
1. d4 d5 2. c4 dc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Bc4 c5 6. O-O a6 7. Qe2
b5 8. Bb3 Bb7
Queen’s Gambit Accepted
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Orthodox Defence
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Orthodox Defence
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Orthodox Defence
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Tarrasch Defence
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cd5 ed5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. g3
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Tarrasch Defence,
Schlechter-Rubinstein system
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cd5 ed5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. g3 Nf6 7. Bg2
Be7
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Tarrasch Defence,
Schlechter-Rubinstein system
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Orthodox Defence
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. cd5 ed5 5. Bg5 c6 6. Qc2
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Exchange Variation
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Orthodox Defence
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 Bb4
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Ragozin Variation
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 Bb4 5. Bg5 dc4
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Vienna Variation
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Orthodox Defence with 4. Nf3
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 c5
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Semi-Tarrasch (Improved
Tarrasch) Defence
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 c5 5. cd5
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Semi-Tarrasch (Improved
Tarrasch) Defence
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 c5 5. cd5 Nd5 6. e3 Nc6 7. Bd3
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Semi-Tarrasch (Improved
Tarrasch) Defence
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 c6
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Semi-Slav Defence
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 c6 5. Bg5 dc4
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Semi-Slav Defence, Anti-Meran
System
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 c6 5. e3
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Semi-Slav Defence
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 c6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Bd3
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Semi-Slav Defence
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 c6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dc4 7. Bc4
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Semi-Slav Defence, Meran
Variation
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 c6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dc4 7. Bc4
b5 8. Bd3 a6
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Semi-Slav Defence, Meran
Variation
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 c6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dc4 7. Bc4
b5 8. Bd3 a6 9. e4 c5 10. e5 cd4 11. Nb5
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Semi-Slav Defence, Meran
Variation
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Orthodox Defence with 4. Bg5
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Orthodox Defence
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Nbd7
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Orthodox Defence
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Nbd7 5. e3 c6 6. Nf3
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Orthodox Defence
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Orthodox Defence
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Rc1
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Orthodox Defence
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Orthodox Defence
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 h6 7. Bh4
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Orthodox Defence
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 h6 7. Bh4
Ne4 8. Be7 Qe7 9. cd5 Nc3 10. bc3
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Orthodox Defence, Lasker
System
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 h6 7. Bh4
b6
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Orthodox Defence, Tartakower
Variation
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 h6 7. Bh4
b6 8. cd5 Nd5
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 Nbd7
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Orthodox Defence with 4. Bg5,
main line
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 Nbd7
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Orthodox Defence
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 Nbd7 7.
Qc2
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Orthodox Defence, Rubinstein
Variation
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 Nbd7 7.
Qc2 c5 8. dc5
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Orthodox Defence, Rubinstein
Variation
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 Nbd7 7.
Rc1
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Orthodox Defence
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 Nbd7 7.
Rc1 c6 8. Qc2
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Orthodox Defence, Tempo-Struggle
Variation
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 Nbd7 7.
Rc1 c6 8. Qc2 a6 9. cd5
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Orthodox Defence, Tempo-Struggle
Variation
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 Nbd7 7.
Rc1 c6 8. Bd3
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Orthodox Defence, Main
Variation
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 Nbd7 7.
Rc1 c6 8. Bd3 dc4 9. Bc4 Nd5
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Orthodox Defence, Capablanca
System
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 Nbd7 7.
Rc1 c6 8. Bd3 dc4 9. Bc4 Nd5 10. Be7 Qe7 11. O-O Nc3 12. Rc3 e5
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Orthodox Defence, Capablanca
System
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 Nbd7 7.
Rc1 c6 8. Bd3 dc4 9. Bc4 Nd5 10. Be7 Qe7 11. O-O Nc3 12. Rc3 e5 13.
de5 Ne5 14. Ne5 Qe5
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Orthodox Defence, Capablanca
System
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 R’ d7-d5
mostly King’s Indian Defence
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6
King’s Indian Defence
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. cd5 Nd5
Grunfeld Defence, Fianchetto Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. cd5 Nd5 6. e4 Nb6 7. Ne2
Grunfeld Defence, Fianchetto Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. Nf3 O-O
Grunfeld Defence, Fianchetto Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. cd5 Nd5 7. O-O
Grunfeld Defence, Fianchetto Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. cd5 Nd5 7. O-O
c5
Grunfeld Defence, Fianchetto Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. cd5 Nd5 7. O-O
Nb6
Grunfeld Defence, Fianchetto Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. O-O
Grunfeld Defence, Fianchetto Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. O-O c6
Grunfeld Defence, Fianchetto Variation, Schlechter
System
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. O-O c6 7. cd5
cd5
Grunfeld Defence, Fianchetto Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5
Grunfeld Defence
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bg5
Grunfeld Defence, Taimanov Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Qb3
Grunfeld Defence, system with 4. Bf4
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bf4
Grunfeld Defence, system with 4. Bf4
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bf4 Bg7 5. e3 O-O
Grunfeld Defence, system with 4. Bf4
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bf4 Bg7 5. e3 O-O 6. cd5 Nd5 7. Nd5
Qd5 8. Bc7
Grunfeld Defence, system with 4. Bf4
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cd5 Nd5
Grunfeld Defence, Exchange Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cd5 Nd5 5. e4 Nc3 6. bc3 Bg7 7. Bc4
Grunfeld Defence, Exchange Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cd5 Nd5 5. e4 Nc3 6. bc3 Bg7 7. Bc4
O-O 8. Ne2 c5
Grunfeld Defence, Exchange Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cd5 Nd5 5. e4 Nc3 6. bc3 Bg7 7. Bc4
O-O 8. Ne2 c5 9. O-O Nc6 10. Be3 cd4 11. cd4
Grunfeld Defence, Exchange Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cd5 Nd5 5. e4 Nc3 6. bc3 Bg7 7. Bc4
O-O 8. Ne2 c5 9. O-O Nc6 10. Be3 cd4 11. cd4 Bg4 12. f3 Na5 13. Bd3
Grunfeld Defence, Exchange Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3
Grunfeld Defence
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3
Grunfeld Defence
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Bg5
Grunfeld Defence, system with 5. Bg5
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Bf4
Grunfeld Defence, system with 5. Bf4
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Bf4 O-O 6. e3
Grunfeld Defence,
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. e3
Grunfeld Defence, Quiet (slow) system
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. e3 O-O 6. Qb3
Grunfeld Defence, Quiet (slow) system
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Qb3
Grunfeld Defence, Russian system
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Qb3 dc4 6. Qc4 O-O 7. e4
Grunfeld Defence, Russian system
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Qb3 dc4 6. Qc4 O-O 7. e4
Bg4
Grunfeld Defence, Russian system
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Qb3 dc4 6. Qc4 O-O 7. e4
Bg4 8. Be3 Nfd7 9. Qb3
Grunfeld Defence, Russian system, Smyslov variation
– 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6
Indian systems with …e6
– 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 ‘ d7-d5
Indian systems with …g6 (except Grunfeld)
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3
Neo-Catalan
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3
Neo-Catalan
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2
Catalan
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 dc4 5. Qa4
Catalan, Open Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 dc4 5. Qa4 Nbd7 6. Qc4
Catalan, Open Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 dc4 5. Nf3
Catalan, Open Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 dc4 5. Nf3 Be7
Catalan, Open Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nf3
Catalan, Closed Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. O-O Nbd7
Catalan, Closed Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. O-O Nbd7 7.
Qc2
Catalan, Closed Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. O-O Nbd7 7.
Qc2 c6 8. Nbd2
Catalan, Closed Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3
Indian Defences with 3. Nf3
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3
Indian system with 2…e6
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Bb4
Bogo-Indian Defence
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6
Queen’s Indian Defence
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. Nc3 Bb7 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 Bb4
Queen’s Indian Defence
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. e3
Queen’s Indian Defence, Closed Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3
Queen’s Indian Defence, Classical Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Bb7 5. Bg2 Bb4
Queen’s Indian Defence, Classical Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Bb7 5. Bg2 Be7
Queen’s Indian Defence, Classical Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Bb7 5. Bg2 Be7 6. O-O O-O 7. Nc3
Queen’s Indian Defence, Classical Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Bb7 5. Bg2 Be7 6. O-O O-O 7. Nc3
Ne4 8. Qc2 Nc3 9. Qc3
Queen’s Indian Defence, Classical Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4
Nimzo-Indian Defence
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4
Nimzo-Indian Defence
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3
Nimzo-Indian Defence, Three Knights’ System
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qb3
Nimzo-Indian Defence, Spielmann Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qb3 c5 5. dc5 Nc6
Nimzo-Indian Defence, Spielmann Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. a3 Bc3 5. bc3
Nimzo-Indian Defence, Samisch Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. a3 Bc3 5. bc3 c5 6. f3 d5 7. cd5
Nimzo-Indian Defence, Open Samisch Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. a3 Bc3 5. bc3 c5 6. e3
Nimzo-Indian Defence, Closed Samisch Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. a3 Bc3 5. bc3 O-O
Nimzo-Indian Defence, Samisch Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. a3 Bc3 5. bc3 O-O 6. e3
Nimzo-Indian Defence, Closed Samisch Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. a3 Bc3 5. bc3 O-O 6. e3 c5 7. Bd3
Nc6
Nimzo-Indian Defence, Closed Samisch Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4: + 4. Bg5, 4. Qc2
Nimzo-Indian Defence, Leningrad Variation
Nimzo-Indian Defence, Classical Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Bg5
Nimzo-Indian Defence, Leningrad Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Bg5 h6 5. Bh4 c5 6. d5 d6
Nimzo-Indian Defence, Leningrad Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2
Nimzo-Indian Defence, Classical Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 Nc6
Nimzo-Indian Defence, Classical Variation, Milner-Barry
Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5
Nimzo-Indian Defence, Classical Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5 5. cd5 ed5
Nimzo-Indian Defence, Classical Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5 5. a3
Nimzo-Indian Defence, Classical Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5 5. a3 Bc3 6. Qc3 Ne4 7. Qc2
Nimzo-Indian Defence, Classical Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 c5
Nimzo-Indian Defence, Classical Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 c5 5. dc5 O-O 6. Nf3
Nimzo-Indian Defence, Classical Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3
Nimzo-Indian Defence, Rubinstein Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3
Nimzo-Indian Defence, Rubinstein Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 c5
Nimzo-Indian Defence, Rubinstein Variation, Hubner
System
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 c5 5. Ne2
Nimzo-Indian Defence, Rubinstein Variation, Rubinstein
System
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 b6
Nimzo-Indian Defence, Rubinstein Variation, Fischer
Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 b6 5. Ne2
Nimzo-Indian Defence, Rubinstein Variation, Fischer
Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 b6 5. Ne2 Ba6
Nimzo-Indian Defence, Rubinstein Variation, Fischer
Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O
Nimzo-Indian Defence, Rubinstein Variation, (main
line)
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Bd3
Nimzo-Indian Defence, Rubinstein Variation, (main
line)
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Bd3 d5
Nimzo-Indian Defence, Rubinstein Variation (main
line)
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Bd3 d5 6. a3 Bc3 7. bc3
Nimzo-Indian Defence, Rubinstein Variation (Closed
Samisch Variation)
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Nf3
Nimzo-Indian Defence, Rubinstein Variation with
4…O-O
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Nf3
Nimzo-Indian Defence, Rubinstein Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Nf3 d5
Nimzo-Indian Defence, Rubinstein Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Nf3 d5 6. Bd3 b6
Nimzo-Indian Defence, Rubinstein Variation, Tal
Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Nf3 d5 6. Bd3 c5
Nimzo-Indian Defence, Rubinstein Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Nf3 d5 6. Bd3 c5 7. O-O
dc4 8. Bc4
Nimzo-Indian Defence, Rubinstein Variation, Bronstein
(Bd7) and Smyslov (Qe7) Variations
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Nf3 d5 6. Bd3 c5 7. O-O
dc4 8. Bc4 Nbd7
Nimzo-Indian Defence, Rubinstein Variation, Parma
Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Nf3 d5 6. Bd3 c5 7. O-O
Nc6
Nimzo-Indian Defence, Rubinstein Variation (main
line)
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Nf3 d5 6. Bd3 c5 7. O-O
Nc6 8. a3 dc4 9. Bc4 cd4
Nimzo-Indian Defence, Rubinstein Variation (main
line)
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Nf3 d5 6. Bd3 c5 7. O-O
Nc6 8. a3 Bc3 9. bc3
Nimzo-Indian Defence, Rubinstein Variation (main
line)
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Nf3 d5 6. Bd3 c5 7. O-O
Nc6 8. a3 Bc3 9. bc3 dc4 10. Bc4
Nimzo-Indian Defence, Rubinstein Variation (main
line)
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 R’ d7-d5
King’s Indian Defence
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6
King’s Indian Defence
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3
King’s Indian Defence
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. Nf3 d6 5. g3
King’s Indian Defence, Fianchetto Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. Nf3 d6 5. g3 O-O 6. Bg2 Nc6 7. O-O
a6
King’s Indian Defence, Fianchetto Variation, Panno
system
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. Nf3 d6 5. g3 O-O 6. Bg2 c5
King’s Indian Defence, Fianchetto Variation, Leningrad
variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. Nf3 d6 5. g3 O-O 6. Bg2 c5 7. O-O
King’s Indian Defence, Fianchetto Variation, Leningrad
variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. Nf3 d6 5. g3 O-O 6. Bg2 c5 7. O-O
Nc6 8. d5
King’s Indian Defence, Fianchetto Variation, Leningrad
variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. Nf3 d6 5. g3 O-O 6. Bg2 Nbd7
King’s Indian Defence, Fianchetto Variation, classical
system
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. Nf3 d6 5. g3 O-O 6. Bg2 Nbd7 7.
O-O e5 8. e4
King’s Indian Defence, Fianchetto Variation, classical
system
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. Nf3 d6 5. g3 O-O 6. Bg2 Nbd7 7.
O-O e5 8. e4 c6 9. h3
King’s Indian Defence, Fianchetto Variation, classical
system
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4
King’s Indian Defence
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4
King’s Indian Defence
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. h3
King’s Indian Defence, system with 5.h3
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. g3
King’s Indian Defence, Fianchetto Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Be2
King’s Indian Defence
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Be2 O-O 6. Bg5 c5
King’s Indian Defence, Averbakh Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Be2 O-O 6. Bg5 c5 7. d5
e6
King’s Indian Defence, Averbakh Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f4
King’s Indian Defence, Four Pawns’ Attack
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f4 O-O 6. Be2
King’s Indian Defence, Four Pawns’ Attack
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f4 O-O 6. Be2 c5 7. Nf3
King’s Indian Defence, Four Pawns’ Attack
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f4 O-O 6. Be2 c5 7. Nf3
cd4 8. Nd4 Nc6 9. Be3
King’s Indian Defence, Four Pawns’ Attack
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3
King’s Indian Defence, Samisch Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3
King’s Indian Defence, Samisch Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3 O-O
King’s Indian Defence, Samisch Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3 O-O 6. Be3 b6
King’s Indian Defence, Samisch Variation, Byrne
System
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3 O-O 6. Be3 Nc6
King’s Indian Defence, Samisch Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3 O-O 6. Be3 Nc6 7. Nge2
a6 8. Qd2 Rb8
King’s Indian Defence, Samisch Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3 O-O 6. Be3 e5
King’s Indian Defence, Samisch Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3 O-O 6. Be3 e5 7. Nge2
c6
King’s Indian Defence, Samisch Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3 O-O 6. Be3 e5 7. d5
King’s Indian Defence, Samisch Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3 O-O 6. Be3 e5 7. d5 c6
King’s Indian Defence, Samisch Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3 O-O 6. Be3 e5 7. d5 c6
8. Nge2 cd5
King’s Indian Defence, Samisch Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3
King’s Indian Defence, Classical Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3
King’s Indian Defence, Classical Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2
King’s Indian Defence, Classical Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5
King’s Indian Defence, Classical Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. d5
Nbd7
King’s Indian Defence, Classical Variation, Petrosian
System
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. O-O
King’s Indian Defence, Classical Variation, Old
system
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. O-O
Nbd7 8. Re1
King’s Indian Defence, Classical Variation, Old
system
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. O-O
Nbd7 8. Re1 c6 9. Bf1 a5
King’s Indian Defence, Classical Variation, Old
system
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. O-O
Nc6
King’s Indian Defence, Classical Variation, Mar del Plata
Variation
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
King’s Indian Defence, Classical Variation, Mar del Plata
Variation
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 Nd7 10. f3 f5
King’s Indian Defence, Classical Variation, Mar del Plata
Variation
This could be a short handout, of just one word: “Don’t!”
But you know I won’t stop at one word when a couple of thousand will probably do.
Most people suggest that beginning chessplayers should play
1.e2-e4 and aim for a open, attacking style of game.
Some players may like to try 1.d2-d4. I wrote
this piece after I watched 3 out of 4 boards at a match open with
1. d2-d4, and in my opinion, played it poorly.
Why might you want to play 1.d2-d4?
F because you are curious
F because it seems safer and more solid than 1.
e2-e4
F because people won’t expect it
F because I told you not to…
Let’s look at it more seriously then, and see what we think.
After 1. d2-d4, how should you place your pieces? One system of
development that looks quite reasonable starts with the Bishops:
your Queen’s Bishop can go to f4, then you play e2-e3, and develop
the King’s Bishop. So:
d2-d4, Ng1-f3, Bc1-f4, e2-e3, Bf1-d3, O-O, Nb1-d2
This is called the London system . It’s a perfectly
solid system, which masters can pay for a win. But I have a feeling
that this is not a great way for juniors to play. Most of them I
think would find this rather too slow and dull, everything gets
bogged down, and often neither side can come up with any ideas of
how to win and would have to rely on their opponent overlooking
something to win. If you are much better than a beginner, and you
like this style of playing, then you can have a go for either side,
but my advice is: stick to 1. e2-e4!
How should you play the London system as White or Black? Black
often develops their Bishops on f5 and d6. Because White is going
to take a few moves to achieve Bf1-d3, Black may play …Bc8-f5
first, and the light-squared Bishops come off. Also, Black will
often challenge the Bc1-f4 with …Bf8-d6, and the dark-squared
Bishops also come off. We then have a slow game with Knights and
Queens.
The first thing to do if you get into this sort of position
(whether you are White or Black) is to open up a file for
your Rooks . As Black, you may not be able to achieve
…e7-e5 very quickly, but it is likely that you can play …c7-c5.
So one good rule for playing Black in these openings is for you to
play …c7-c5 at some point. This means that your Queen’s Knight
should not be placed straightaway at c6 in front of the c-Pawn, but
instead go to c6 only after …c7-c5. Another idea is to play
…Nb8-d7, which actually supports the …c7-c5 break.
The reason that games with 1.d2-d4 are called
“closed” is because the positions are often slow with few open
lines. After 1. e2-e4 e7-e5 , all the major
openings set out to achieve the advance d2-d4 for White.
We can play it straight away ( 2. d2-d4 , the
Centre Game ) or after 2. Ng1-f3 Nb8-c6 3.
d2-d4 (the Scotch Game ). Perhaps the best way is
to prepare the advance with c2-c3 as in the Giuoco
Piano 1. e2-e4 e7-e5 2. Ng1-f3 Nb8-c6 3. Bf1-c4 Bc8-c5
4. c2-c3 Ng8-f6 5. d2-d4 ) or Ruy Lopez
1. e2-e4 e7-e5 2. Ng1-f3 Nb8-c6 3. Bf1-b5 a7-a6 4. Bb5-a4
Ng8-f6 5. O-O Bf8-e7 6. Rf1-e1 b7-b5 7. Ba4-b3 O-O 8. c2-c3 d7-d6
9. h2-h3 Nb8-d7 10. d2-d4 White could also play d2-d4 on
moves 5 or 9).
But after 1. d2-d4 it’s not obvious how to
achieve e2-e4 . Obviously White can just play
2.c2-c4 , which is the famous Queen’s Gambit. But there is
another system, named after the Belgian master Colle, which
specifically aims at e2-e4 and also leads to a nice open game. If
juniors do want to play 1.d2-d4 I always tell them
about this system.
The idea is:
1. d2-d4 2. Ng1-f3 3. e2-e3!
This does block in the Bc1 but doesn’t mean to leave it that
way. Continue:
4. Bf1-d3 5. Nb1-d2 6. O-O 7. Rf1-e1 (of
course, Black usually moves too!)
8. e2-e4!
Now White has good development and will get open lines for the
pieces. Like this:
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d5 3.e3 e6 4.Bd3 Be7 5.Nbd2 0-0 6.0-0
Nbd7 7.e4 dxe4 8.Nxe4 Nxe4 9.Bxe4 Nf6 10.Bd3 c5 11.dxc5 Bxc5 12.Bg5
Be7 13.Qe2 Qc7 14.Rad1 Rd8 15.Ne5 Bd7 16.Bxh7+ Kxh7 17.Bxf6 Bxf6
18.Qh5+ Kg8 19.Qxf7+ Kh7 20.Rd3 1-0
If you like the look of this, I have some notes on this
system tucked away somewhere.
The main Queen’s-Pawn openings usually are based around playing
c2-c4 rather than e2-e4. In the Queen’s Gambit after
1.d2-d4 d7-d5 White puts pressure on the Black
centre with 2.c2-c4 and later can play a Rook to
the c-file, which is likely to be opened.
When you know a bit more about how to play with each piece, the
Queen’s Gambit is a fine opening to play, but by the time
you know enough to play the Queen’s Gambit well, your opponent’s
may start avoiding 1. d2-d4 d7-d5 by
playing one of the Indian Defences 1. d2-d4
Ng8-f6 . Now there’s an idea: you mean, I don’t have to go
through all this London system stuff? Right! You can play the Black
side of the London system or the Colle to win if you fancy it, but
you might prefer to have something a little spicier. Not an Indian
Defence, but the Dutch Defence
The Dutch Defence is one of the oldest and most
aggressive defences to the Queen’s Pawn opening. It goes:
1. d2-d4 f7-f5
Now White has several ways of continuing. If White knows a bit
of theory they may know that one of the best ways to play for White
is to play a set-up with:
1. d2-d4 2. c2-c4 3. Ng1-f3 4. g2-g3 5. Bf1-g2 6.
O-O
After this Black has three systems:
Leningrad system:1…f7-f5 2…Ng8-f6 3…g7-g6
4…Bf8-g7 5…O-O 6…d7-d6
Classical system: 1…f7-f5 2…Ng8-f6 3…e7-e6 4…Bf8-e7
5…O-O 6…d7-d6
Stonewall system: 1…f7-f5 2…Ng8-f6 3…e7-e6 4…Bf8-e7
5…O-O 6…d7-d5
In each system Black gets a flexible development with chances of
a King’s-side attack. If you fancy this idea, I have tucked away
some notes on the Stonewall system
The Stonewall formation is aggressive but as you can tell from
its name, it is also quite solid. White cannot hope to make a quick
raid on Black’s position, while the f5 pawn is a beach-head for
your King’s-side attack. Ideas for Black include:
play …Qe8 and …Qh4
play …Kh8, …Rg8 and …g5
play …Ne4 and …Ndf6
re-organise your bishops with …Be7-d6 or
…Bd7-e8-h4
Of course, you can combine these ideas. Here’s a couple of
example games from an early Dutch fan, Mikhail Botvinnik, who later
became World Champion.
1.d4 f5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.Nc3 b6 5.Bg5 Be7 6.e3 Bb7
7.Bd3 0-0 8.0-0 Ne4 9.Bxe7 Qxe7 10.Rc1 Na6 11.a3 Rf6 12.Qa4 Nxc3
13.Rxc3 Bxf3 14.Qxa6 Rg6 15.g3 Qg5 16.Re1 Qh5 17.e4
17…Qxh2+ 0-1
18.Kxh2 Rh6+ 19.Kg1 Rh1#
Steiner Herman – Botvinnik M [A95/12] Ch Europe (juniors),
Groningen (Netherl, 1946
1.d4 e6 2.c4 f5 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 Bb4+ 5.Bd2 Be7 6.Nc3 0-0
7.Qc2 d5 8.Nf3 c6 9.0-0 Qe8 10.Bf4 Qh5 11.Rae1 Nbd7 12.Nd2 g5
13.Bc7 Ne8 14.Be5 Nxe5 15.dxe5 f4 16.gxf4 gxf4 17.Nf3 Kh8 18.Kh1
Ng7 19.Qc1 Bd7 20.a3 Rf7 21.b4 Rg8 22.Rg1 Nf5 23.Nd1 Rfg7 24.Qxf4
Rg4 25.Qd2 Nh4 26.Ne3 Nxf3 27.exf3 Rh4 28.Nf1 Bg5 0-1
Bg5-f4xh2 is on its way.
If White hasn’t met the Dutch defence before, it’s likely they
will just play their usual old moves: the London system, the
classical system or a Gambit.
The London system d2-d4, Ng1-f3, Bc1-f4 is just asking
for Black to play …d7-d6 and …e7-e5, with a good game.
If White plays a classical Queen’s Pawn game with d2-d4
c2-c4 Ng1-f3 Nb1-c3 Bc1-g5 e2-e3 Bf1-d3 Black can get a good
game with normal Dutch moves:
1.d4 f5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e3 0-0 6.Bd3 b6
7.Nge2 Bb7 8.0-0 Nh5 9.Bxe7 Qxe7 10.Ng3 Nxg3 11.hxg3 d6 12.f4
Nc6= (0-1,54) Harrwitz,D – Morphy,P (5) Paris match,
1858
1.d4 e6 2.Nf3 f5 3.c4 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.Nc3 0-0 6.e3 b6
7.Bd3 Bb7 8.0-0 Qe8 9.Qe2 Ne4 10.Bxe7 Nxc3 11.bxc3 Qxe7 12.a4 Bxf3
13.Qxf3 Nc6 14.Rfb1 Rae8 =+ (1-0,52)
. White went on to win this famous ending, but according to Robert
Bellin, sometime British Champion and longtime Dutch defender,
Black has the advantage because of his better Pawn structure.
If you are interested in these lines, or the various
gambits…
e.g. Karayannis-Bellin 1993 : 1. d4 e6 2. c4 f5
3. e4
….then I have some notes on the ways White can avoid the
Dutch main lines
Just as in the 1.e2-e4 openings, it is possible for White to
play mainly with pieces in the opening, hoping to save time by not
moving any more Pawns. But just as in the 1.e2-e4 openings like
Old Stodge , it is hard to stop Black getting easy
equality without hitting at the Black centre with Pawns, giving
them something to worry about.
After 1.e2-e4 e7-e5, White cannot be prevented from playing
d2-d4, which White can do straightaway (in the Scotch Game) or
after c2-c3 (Giuoco Piano and Ruy Lopez).
But in the 1.d2-d4 d7-d5 openings, it looks like e2-e4 and c2-c4
just lose a Pawn. So juniors and even adult club players often like
to play it slow and safe and simple, just getting their pieces out,
keeping the centre closed and hoping to arrange a King’s-side
attack.
White hopes that because the centre is likely to remain closed,
Black will find it hard to disturb the White build-up. Black must
either swap off the attacking pieces, and/or upset the White
centre.
White can always play e2-e4 as a gambit (The Blackmar-Diemer
Gambit ). Also, the c4 point is easy to guard with the Bc1,
and so White can play 2.c2-c4, the Queen’s Gambit ,
believing that Black will find it hard to get away with snatching
the c-Pawn. We will look at all of these systems for White, with
and without c2-c4.
All of these openings are dangerous if you don’t know what your
opponent is trying to do. But only the Queen’s Gambit is really
strong enough for Grandmasters.
1. d4 d5 2. c4
The idea behind the opening
I keep saying that it is difficult to put real pressure on your
opponent’s game without using a Pawn to hit at your opponent’s
central Pawns. In the Queen’s Gambit, White does this straight
away.
In gambit openings, White hopes that Black will waste time
taking and trying to hold on to the Pawn. In the Queen’s Gambit,
this is a better idea than usual, since Black cannot hold on to the
Pawn at all!
2…dxc4 3. e3 b5 4. a4 c6 5. axb5 cxb5 6.Qf3!
+-
Black can try other moves to hang on to the Pawn, but they are
all more trouble than the Pawn is worth! So, Black should not try
to hang on to the Pawn, but aim to hit back in the centre:
3. e3 e5! or 3.e3 c5!
Now, White need not scramble to get back the Pawn but should try
to hold on in the centre. A common sequence is:
3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 c5 5. Bxc4 e6 6. O-O
How to play against this opening
If you fancy the “accept then hit back” approach, then this
Queen’s Gambit Accepted line is easy to learn:
With colours reversed, this is the classic ‘bad Bishop’ endgame
with an isolated Queen’s-Pawn, from a famous Flohr-Capablanca game.
Black just managed to hold on, but had a struggle! White can try
little tricks on either side of the board, or try to slide the King
in on the unprotected dark squares, but Black can only sit and
suffer. So, playing Black against the Queen’s Gambit, this is what
you can hope to get to.
Example game
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 dxc4 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.e3 c5 6.Bxc4 Nc6
7.0-0 cxd4 8.exd4 Be7 9.Bf4 0-0 10.Qd2 b6 11.Rfd1 Nb4 12.Qe2 Bb7
13.Ne5 Nbd5 14.Bg3 Rc8 15.Rac1…
Now Rubinstein changed the Pawn structure with 15…Nxc3, and
went on to win with pressure against the c- and d-Pawns and using
the Bishop on the long diagonal.
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6.
Nf3 Nbd7 7. Rc1 a6
The idea behind the opening
The Swiss Defence is a way of declining the Queen’s Gambit.
Black develops quietly to start with, but is just ready to uncoil.
If White plays the automatic
8.Bd3,
Black hits back with
8…dxc4! 9. Bxc4 b5! 10. Bd3 c5!
In another famous Capablanca game, Black (Alekhin) had an easy
time after reaching this position:
I won’t give the whole game because it is rather long.
How to play this opening
White may see this Queen’s-side counter-punch coming. There are
two tries for White:
8. cxd5 (The Carlsbad variation – see below) or:
8. c5
After 8. c5 Black should stop the c-Pawn
8…c6
then hit back:
9.b4
9…a5! 10.a3 axb4 11.axb4 b6 12.Bd3 bxc5 13.bxc5 e5
14.Nxe5
(14.dxe5 Ne8=;
14.Bxf6 Bxf6 15.dxe5 Nxe5 16.Nxe5 Bxe5 17.Bxh7+ Kxh7 18.Qh5+
Kg8 19.Qxe5 Ba6! with compensation)
14…Nxe5 15.dxe5 Nd7 16.Bxe7 Qxe7 17.Qc2 Qh4 18.0-0
Nxe5 19.Be2 Ba6 20.Bxa6 Rxa6 21.Ra1 Qc4=
9.Bd3: see example game
Example game
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.Nf3 0-0 6.e3 Nbd7
7.Rc1 a6 8.c5 c6 9.Bd3 e5!
10.Nxe5
[10.dxe5 Ne8 11.Bf4;
10.Bxf6 Bxf6 11.dxe5 Be7!]
10…Nxe5 11.dxe5 Nd7 12.Bf4 Bxc5 13.h4 Re8 14.Bb1 Bf8
15.Qc2 g6 16.h5 Nxe5 17.hxg6 hxg6 18.Qd1 Bg7 19.Kf1 Qf6 20.Ne2 Bf5
21.Ng3 Bxb1 22.Rxb1 Rad8 23.Qd4 Nc4 0-1
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 Be7 5.
Bf4
The idea behind the opening
This is a proper Grandmaster opening and so you will not be able
to bash out moves without thinking and expect to get an equal game
(as if you ever can!)
How to play against this opening
The usual ideas of developing sensibly then hitting back in the
centre are the right recipe here.
4.Nf3 Be7 5.Bf4 0-0 6.e3 (we’ve developed
sensibly, so…) 6…c5 7.dxc5 Bxc5 8.Qc2 Nc6 9.Rd1 Qa5
10.a3 Be7 11.Nd2 e5 12.Bg5 d4 13.Nb3 Qd8 =
Example game
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bf4 0-0 6.e3 c5
7.dxc5 Bxc5 8.Qc2 Nc6 9.Rd1 Qa5 10.a3 Be7 11.Nd2 e5 12.Bg5 d4
13.Nb3 Qd8 14.Be2 a5 15.Na4 Ng4 16.Bxe7 Qxe7 17.exd4 Qh4 18.Bxg4
Bxg4 19.Rd2 exd4 20.0-0 Rad8 21.Nac5 d3 22.Qc3 Be2 23.Re1 a4
24.Nxa4 Rfe8 25.h3 Ne5 26.Rdxe2 dxe2 27.Nc1 b5 28.Nb6 Rd1 29.Nxe2
Nf3+ 30.gxf3 Rxe2 0-1
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. cxd5
This is the classic Exchange, but there is a variation that
comes out of the Swiss Defence.
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3
Nbd7 7. Rc1 a6 8.cxd5 exd5
This variation, from the Swiss Defence, is known as the Carlsbad
Variation.
The idea behind the opening
White simplifies the centre, hoping to make use of slightly more
active pieces and the open c-file. In the main Exchange Variation,
White often plays Rab1 and pushes the b-Pawn, but in the Carlsbad
Variation, this would waste time.
How to play against this opening
In the main line Exchange, Black can play a quick …Bf5; in the
Carlsbad, Black is more likely to head for a normal King’s-side
counterattack.
Example game
1.d4 e6 2.c4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Nf3 0-0
7.Rc1 a6 8.cxd5 exd5 9.Bd3 c6 10.Qc2 Re8 11.0-0 Nf8 12.Ne5 N6d7
13.Bxe7 Qxe7 14.Nxd7 Bxd7 15.Na4 Qg5 16.Nc5 Bg4 17.Nxb7 Bf3 18.g3
Qh5 19.Rfe1 Re6 20.Bf1 Rh6 21.h4 Ng6 22.Qxc6 Rf8 0-1
…d5,…e6 and …c6
The ideas behind the opening
Black ready for …e7-e5!
Grabbing the c-Pawn – risky!
Hitting the Bishop after ….dxc4: follow up with Bb7 and c7-c5
How to play this opening
I can’t promise that players of d2-d4 will rattle out the same
moves game after game like e4 Nf3 Bc4 d3…
There are several lines where the Semi-Slav is seen:
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 e6 or
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c6
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c6 4.Nf3 dxc4
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c6 4.e4 Bb4
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c6 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Bd3
Bd6
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c6 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Bd3
dxc4
and if you play the Dutch:
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c6 4.e3 f5!? [4.Nf3
f5?! is less good because of 5.Bf4, seizing control of e5]
Example games:
Here’s a “grab the c-Pawn” game, although you can see the risks
Black takes in the centre:
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c6 4.Nf3 dxc4 5.a4 Bb4 6.e3 b5
7.Bd2 a5 8.axb5 Bxc3 9.Bxc3 cxb5 10.b3 Bb7 11.bxc4 b4 12.Bb2 Nf6
13.Bd3 Nbd7 14.Qc2 Qc7 15.0-0 0-0 16.Rfc1 Rfc8 17.e4 e5 18.c5 exd4
19.Bxd4 Qc6 20.Nh4 g6 21.f3 a4 22.Qd2 b3 23.e5 Nh5 24.Be4 Qb5 25.e6
Bxe4 26.exd7 Qxd7 27.fxe4 a3 28.Qf2 Nf4 29.Rd1 Qg4 30.Kh1 b2
31.Rab1 a2 32.Qxb2 axb1Q 33.Rxb1 Qxh4 34.g3 Qd8 35.gxf4 Rcb8
0-1
And the other ideas can be seen in this shortie:
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.d4 e6 3.c4 d5 4.Nc3 c6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 a6
7.0-0 dxc4 8.Bxc4 b5 9.Bd3 c5 10.Qe2 Bb7 11.Rd1 Qc7 12.e4 cxd4
13.Nxd4 Bc5 14.Nb3 Bd6 15.h3 b4 16.Nb1 Ne5 17.Bf4 0-0 18.Bxe5 Bxe5
19.N1d2 Bxb2 20.Rab1 Bc3 21.Nc4 a5 22.e5 Nd7 23.Bxh7+ Kxh7 24.Qd3+
Kg8 25.Qxd7 Qxc4 26.Qxb7 a4 27.Nd2 Qxa2 28.Nf3 Qe2 0-1
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. g3
The idea behind the opening
This is a slow, rather tricky system to play against. White
hopes to keep Black under pressure and uncoil slowly.
How to play against this opening
If you like the “grab the c-Pawn” strategy in the Semi-Slav, it
looks even better here with White having moved the Bishop off the
f1-a6 diagonal.
Example game
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c6 4.Nf3 dxc4 5.g3 b5 6.Bg2 Bb7
7.a4 a6 8.0-0 Nd7 9.e4 Ngf6 10.Qe2 Be7 11.Rd1 0-0 12.Bf4 Re8 13.Ne1
Qb6 14.g4 Nf8 15.g5 N6d7 16.Qg4 Ng6 17.Be3 c5 18.d5 Nde5 19.Qg3 b4
20.a5 Qc7 21.Na4 exd5 22.exd5 Bd6 23.Nb6 Nd3 24.Nxa8 Bxa8
0-1
These systems usually emphasise piece play rather than pressure
on the centre with Pawns. White has a standard attacking plan which
can walk straight through you if you aren’t careful. I’ll show you
one game to worry you, then lots more to show you what to do about
these systems.
1. d4 e6 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Bg5 Be7 4. Nbd2 d5 5. e3 O-O 6.
Bd3 b6 7. Ne5 c5 8. c3 Qc7 9. f4 Bb7 10. Qf3 h6 11. h4 Nc6 12.
Rh3
‘Normal’ moves from Black have allowed White to set up a
favourable ‘Stonewall’ formation with the dark-squared Bishop
outside the Pawn chain. With the centre closed, White shuffles
pieces over to the King’s-side and mugs the King.
12… Nxe5 13. fxe5 Ne4 14. Nxe4 dxe4 15. Bxe4 Bxe4 16.
Qxe4 Qd8 17. Bxe7 Qxe7 18. O-O-O c4 19. Rf1 b5
It’s not the f7-Pawn that is to be attacked but the King. “His
fortress becomes a prison”, says Tony Dempsey.
20. Rf6 Kh8 21. Rg3 b4 22. Qf4 bxc3 23. Qxh6+
1-0
Point made, I hope. Normal developing moves can lead to trouble
– so you need plan!
In these systems, White often develops the dark-squared Queen’s
Bishop early on, but first we will look at a popular system which
does just the opposite – it apparently locks in the Bishop
forever!
1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3.e3
The idea behind the opening
Now, White does know that the Bc1 must be got out, but will do
so later on.
White wants to play the difficult e2-e4, so sets about it in two
stages – first, developing pieces around the e4 point, with Bd3,
Nbd2, and Re1 or Qe2, and only then breaking with e3-e4, hoping
that the White pieces will ambush Black.
How to play against this opening
It is not hard to guess that after e2-e3 White wants to play
Bd3. So
3…Bf5
is a nice awkward move, when
4. Bd3 e6!
Is another nice awkward move (Alekhin).
The only way to be awkward back is
4. c4 e6 5. Qb3
but Black can cope with this – White’s Bishops are not
well-placed to attack. Here
5…Qb6
looks OK, or keep Queens on with
5…Qc8
Example game
1.Nf3 d5 2.d4 Nf6 3.e3 Bf5 4.c4 e6 5.Nc3 c6 6.Qb3 Qc8
7.Bd2 Nbd7 8.Rc1 Qb8 9.Be2 Bd6 10.0-0 h6 11.h3 0-0 12.cxd5 exd5
13.Na4 Re8 14.Bb4 Bc7 15.Nc5 Nxc5 16.dxc5 Ne4 17.Nd4 Bd7 18.Bd3 Qc8
19.Qc2 Bxh3 20.Bxe4 Rxe4 21.gxh3 Qxh3 22.f3 Re5 23.f4 Rxe3 24.Rf2
Bxf4 25.Nf5 Re4 26.Bd2 Qxf5 27.Bxf4 Qg4+ 0-1
1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3.Bf4
The idea behind the opening
White is developing smoothly and has some control over the dark
squares in the centre. White can play on either side of the board,
if allowed. So this is quite a sound, flexible system, and needs
some care to play against.
How to play against this opening
As I described above, Black should develop sensibly and look to
open lines for Rooks.
Example game
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bf4 Bf5 4.c3 e6 5.e3 Bd6 6.Bg3 0-0
7.Bd3 Bxd3 8.Qxd3 c5 9.Nbd2 Nc6 10.0-0 a5 11.a4 Ra6 12.Rad1 Bxg3
13.hxg3 cxd4 14.exd4 Rb6 15.b3 h6 16.Rfe1 Qc7 17.Rc1 Rc8 18.Rc2 Nb4
19.cxb4 Qxc2 20.Qxc2 Rxc2 21.bxa5 Rb4 22.Kf1 Nd7 23.Ke2 Rxb3
0-1
1. d4 d5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3.Bg5
The idea behind the opening
White has a number of new ideas in this line: perhaps White can
mess up Black’s Pawns with Bxf6, or use the pressure against the
Knight to play f3 and e4.
How to play against this opening
If you don’t want White to mess up your Pawns, then you must
play
3…Nbd7!
which may be the best move. But I think Bxf6 is not much to
worry about, and that you should get your Bc8 out if you can:
3…Bf5!
4.Bxf6 gxf6
recapture towards the centre if you can
5.e3 c6 6.Bd3 Bxd3 7.Qxd3 e6 8.e4 Nd7 9.Nf3 dxe4 10.Nxe4
f5 =
With Pawns on White squares and a Bishop on dark squares, Black
is ready to uncoil.
BCO2 also gives:
4. f3 Nbd7 5. Nxd5 Nxd5 6. e4 h6 7. Bh4 N7b6 8. exf5
Ne3! 9. Qd2 Nxf1 10. Kxf1=/+
Example game
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Bg5 Bf5 4.Bxf6 gxf6 5.e3 e6 6.Bd3
Bxd3 7.Qxd3 c6 8.Nge2 Nd7 9.e4 dxe4 10.Qxe4 f5 11.Qf3 Nf6 12.0-0-0
Qc7 13.h3 h5 14.Kb1 0-0-0 15.g4 hxg4 16.hxg4 Rxh1 17.Rxh1 Nxg4
18.Ne4 Bg7 19.Rh7 Bxd4 20.Ng5 Bf6 21.Nxf7 Rd7 22.Nf4 Rxf7 23.Nxe6
Qe5 0-1
1. d4 d5 2. e3 with f2-f4
The idea behind the opening
White hopes to strangle the centre with f4 then kick in the
King’s-side with Bf1-d3xh7+. It can work – if Black assumes there
is no danger! It’s also not a bad idea for Black, because White is
usually less defensive.
How to play against this opening
If you think about it, White is trying to attack without the
Bc1, and that means attacking without the Ra1! Because White has
been so obvious, Black can easily organise a defence. But you must
organise one – just developing without thinking will let White
carry out the plan. Don’t be in a hurry to castle into an
attack!
One nice idea is
2…Nf6 3. Bd3 Nc6!
Now:
4. f4 Nb4! 5. Be2 Bf5!
4. c3 e5!
If this is not your style, another nice idea is 3…g6, which
stops the Bxh7 trick, or play 3…Bg4 with the idea of …e6 and
…Bf5! or 3…g6 with the idea of …Bf5.
Oskum – Euwe Scheveningen, 1920
1.d4 d5 2.e3 Nf6 3.Bd3 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.f4 Bg4 6.Nf3 e6
7.Nbd2 Bd6 8.g3 Rc8 9.0-0 Nd7 10.Qe1 0-0 11.e4 cxd4 12.Nxd4 Qb6
13.Qf2 e5 14.exd5 Ne7 15.fxe5 Nxe5 16.Be4 f5 17.Ne6 fxe4 18.Qxb6
Rxf1+ 19.Kxf1 axb6 20.Nxe4 Bb8 21.Nf4 Rd8 22.Be3 Nc4 23.Bd4 Bxf4
24.gxf4 Nxd5 25.b3 Nce3+ 26.Kf2 Nc2 27.Rg1 Nxd4 28.cxd4 Bf5 29.Kf3
Bxe4+ 30.Kxe4 Nc3+ 31.Kd3 Nb5 32.Kc4 Nxd4 33.Rd1 b5+ 0-1
Example game
1.d4 d5 2.e3 Nf6 3.Bd3 c5 4.c3 c4 5.Bc2 Nc6 6.f4 Bg4
7.Nf3 Qd7 8.0-0 e6 9.Nbd2 Be7 10.h3 Bh5 11.Qe1 Bg6 12.Bxg6 hxg6
13.Ne5 Qc7 14.Ndf3 Ne4 15.Bd2 Rh6 16.b3 Na5 17.b4 Nc6 18.Ng4 Rh7
19.Nge5 Bf6 20.Qb1 Bxe5 21.fxe5 Ne7 22.Qb2 Nf5 23.Rfe1 Nfg3 24.Reb1
g5 25.Nh2 f5 26.Be1 g4 27.Bxg3 Nxg3 28.hxg4 fxg4 29.Nxg4 Qf7 30.Nh2
Qh5 0-1
1. d4 d5 2. e4
The idea behind the opening
White hopes that Black will take this Pawn and the f-Pawn,
giving White extra time and open lines for an attack.
This can work very well:
1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3 exf3 5.Nxf3 g6 6.Bc4
Bg7 7.0-0 0-0 8.Qe1 Nbd7 9.Qh4 e6 10.Bg5 Qe8 11.Rae1 c6 12.Ne5 Nd5
13.Ne4 Nxe5 14.dxe5 Kh8 15.Bxd5 1-0
How to play against this opening
This opening works so well because most club players are rubbish
at defence. So, to play against it, you either need to become
better at defence then accept the gambit, or decline it and hope
you haven’t let White get away with anything else.
If you play the French Defence as Black, there can be no arguing
with 2…e6 , transposing into your main defence to 1.e4.
Or, you can decline it with moves like 4…Bf5 or
4…e3 , or accept it with 4…exf3 5.
Nxf3
I have a feeling the best way is to take it, but don’t castle
into an attack, first have a hack at the White centre.
Example game
1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3 exf3 5.Nxf3 e6 6.Bg5
Be7 7.Bd3 c5 8.dxc5 Qa5 9.0-0 Qxc5+ 10.Kh1 Nbd7 11.Qe1
a6
We know have a little dance where Black tries to swap off
Queens, and White tries to trap the Black Queen. All this costs
White another Pawn.
12.Qh4 Qb4 13.Nd4 Qxb2 14.Nce2 Ne5 15.a4
Qb6
White thinks the time is right to blast a way through to the
Black King, but…
16.Rxf6 gxf6 0-1
…17. Bxf6 Qd8!
None of my own work: I read it all in a book.
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3
The main line Queen’s Indian position.
4… d5
I can’t help thinking this is dubious, immediately
blocking the diagonal.
[4… Bb7]
[4… Ba6]
5. cxd5 exd5
[5… Nxd5 6. e4 Nf6 7. Bb5+ Nfd7 8. d5]
6. Bg2 Bb7 7. O-O
7… c5?!
A bit loose – no rush for this, White can’t stop it.
[7… Be7]
8. Bg5 Be7 9. Nc3 O-O 10. dxc5 bxc5 11. e3 h6 12.
Bxf6 Bxf6 13. Qb3
There is the looseness made plain.
13… Qb6
[13… Qd7 14. Rfd1 Rd8 +/- 15. Rac1 [15. Ne1] [15.
Ne4]]
14. Nxd5 Qxb3 15. Nxf6+ gxf6 16. axb3 Na6 17.
Rfd1 Rfd8 18. Nh4 Rxd1+ 19. Rxd1 Bxg2 20. Kxg2
20… Nb4
Optically right – occupying the furthest outpost on a
file, in front of doubled isolated pawns – but strategically
mistaken: where’s the plan?
[20… Rb8 21. Rd3 c4 with counterplay]
21. Nf5 Kh7 22. Rd7 Kg6 23. g4 a5 24. Nd6 Nd3 25.
Nc4
[25. f4 Nxb2 26. f5+ Kg7
[26… Kg5 27. Kg3 a4 28. Nxf7#]
27. Rxf7+ Kg8 28. Rxf6]
25… Ne5 (sadly, probably best)
26. Nxe5+ fxe5 27. Rd5 Rb8 28. Rxe5 Rxb3 29. Rxc5 Rxb2
Black was sporting to resign here – I would have been rude enough
to play on, having been swindled in such positions myself.
1-0
1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Nf3 g6 4. g3 Bg7 5. Bg2 Nf6 6. O-O
O-O 7. Rb1 d6 8. h3 Bf5 9. d3 Qd7 10. Kh2 Rfe8 11. b4 a6 12. a4 e4
13. Ne1
Good – the exchange would come naturally to many players, but the
retreat is fine.
13… exd3 14. exd3
[14. Nxd3 Ng4+
[14… Be6 15. Nd5]
15. hxg4 Bxc3 16. gxf5]
14… h6 15. b5 axb5 16. axb5 Na5 17. Nc2 Ra7 18.
b6 cxb6 19. Rxb6 Nh7 20. Nd5 Ra6 21. Na3 Rxb6 22. Nxb6
White’s standard Queen’s-side attack has yielded only a little
pressure: White still has the b-pawn to pester.
22… Qe6
[22… Qd8]
23. g4!
Alert
23… Bxd3 24. Qxd3 Qe2 25. Qxe2 Rxe2 26. Nb5
Nxc4?? 27. Nxc4 Be5+
28. f4
[28. Nxe5 dxe5 29. Bxb7]
28… Bf6 29. Nbxd6 g5 30. fxg5 hxg5 31. Nxb7 Kg7
32. Nbd6 Nf8 33. Nf5+ Kg6 34. Ncd6 Ne6 35. Ne4 Nf4 36. Bxf4 gxf4
37. Nxf6 Kxf6 38. Rxf4 Kg5 39. Rf1 f6 40. Kg3 Rb2 41. h4+ Kg6 42.
h5+ Kg5 1-0
1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. cxd5 Nxd5 4. Nf3 g6 5. g3 Bg7 6. Bg2
Nxc3 7. bxc3 O-O 8. O-O Nd7 9. d4
[9. Rb1]
9… c6
Pick a plan for White!
10. e3
[10. Rb1]
[10. Ba3]
10… Nb6 11. Qe2 Be6 12. Nd2 Qc7 13. c4 Rfd8 14.
Ba3 Rd7 15. Rac1 Rad8 16. Rfd1 Qb8 17. Nb3
Black sacrifices a two pieces for Rook and Pawn.
Nominally this is equal but this normally favours the pieces – here
Black may have been encouraged by the doubled Rooks, but they bite
on granite on d4 while the White Bishops are too powerful
17… Bxc4 18. Rxc4 Nxc4 19. Qxc4
19… b6?
Hugh Alexander had a pet generalisation that players only
make blunders in losing positions. I don’t know if Black is
actually lost but nothing seems attractive, while White has an
obvious plan of parking the Knight on c5.
[19… e5 is the only active plan for Black, but it
doesn’t look promising here
20. Nc5 [20. Bh3]
20. Bxc6 Rc8 21. Rc1 Bf8 22. Qe2 Rdc7 23. d5 e6
24. Bxf8 Kxf8 25. e4
White maintains his bind with some simple moves, which
must have been very disheartening for Black!
25… exd5 26. exd5 Re7 27. Qd2 Qd6 28. Nd4 a6
29. Bb7!
A move anyone would be proud of.
29… Rxc1+ 30. Qxc1 Qb4
[30… Rxb7 31. Qc8+ Kg7 32. Qxb7 Qb4 33. Nf3 wins
easily
31. Nf3 a5 32. Qc8+ Re8 33. Qc7 Qg4
[33… Re2 34. d6 Qb1+ 35. Kg2 Qxa2! ]
34. d6 1-0
1. e4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. Qe2+ Be7 5. h3
Nf6
6. Qd3
surely d4 first is the way to untangle
6… h6 7. c4 O-O 8. Be2 Nc6 9. a3 a5 10. O-O Be6
11. Qc2 Qd7 12. d3 Bd6 13. Nbd2 b6 14. b3 Rfe8 15. Re1 Nh5 16. Nf1
Nf4 17. Bb2
17… Nxg2
A move that surely deserves a cheer, but exact analysis
may sober the crowd a little.
18. Kxg2 Bxh3+ 19. Kg1??
just awful, allowing the Queen in with check.
[19. Kh1 and White should get out in one piece (or
with one more piece) 19… Qg4 20. Ng3
[20. Ne3 Rxe3 21. Rg1 Rxf3 22. Rxg4 +/-]
20… Bxg3 21. fxg3 +/- 21… Qxg3
[21… Qh5 22. Nh2]
22. Rg1]
19… Qg4+ 20. Ng3 Bxg3 21. fxg3 Qxg3+ 22. Kh1
Re5 [22… Qg2#] 0-1
1. c4 e6 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 b6 4. d4 Bb4
A well-known position in the Nimzo-/Queen’s Indian complex
5. a3
But this is unusual – Black may take the knight without
prompting. 5.a3 is most dangerous when White has the plan f3 and e4
available. I think this is a ‘typical’ difference, in that I would
expect a Major player to have a concrete plan in mind
[5. g3] [5. Bg5] [5. Qb3]
5… Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 h6 over-cautious
7. Bf4
invites …d6/…e5
7… Bb7 8. e3
[8. Nd2 has f3 and e4 in mind ]
8… Ne4 9. Qc2 h5 10. h4 c5 11. Bd3 d5 12. cxd5
Qxd5 13. O-O c4 14. Bxe4 Qxe4 15. Qa4+ Qc6 16. Qxc6+ Bxc6 17.
Rfe1
White has an interesting alternative here
[17. Ne5 Bd5
[17… Bb5 18. a4 Ba6 19. Rfd1]
18. e4 Bxe4 19. Nxc4 Bd3 20. Nd6+ Ke7 21. Rfd1
Bc2]
17… Bxf3 18. gxf3 Nc6 19. a4 a5 20. Rab1 Ne7
21. e4 Ng6 22. Bg3 O-O 23. Rxb6 Rfe8 24. f4
White should press on with d4-d5, but this just buries the Bishop.]
24… Reb8 25. Reb1 Rxb6 26. Rxb6 Ne7 27. f3 Nc8
28. Rc6 Rb8 29. Rxc4 Nb6 30. Rc5 Nxa4 31. Rxa5 Nxc3 32. Kf2 g6 33.
Ke3 f5 34. Kd3 Nb5 35. Kc4
[35. Be1Kf7]
35… Nd6+ 36. Kc5
36… Nb7+ 0-1
[e.g. 36… Nb7+ 37. Kb5 Nxa5+ 38. Kxa5 Rb3 39. Bh2
Rxf3 40. e5 Rh3 41. Bg1 Rxh4 42. Be3 Rh3 43. Bc1 Rd3 44. Bb2 h4
+/=]
From 200 Open Games by David Bronstein (DESCRIPTIVE)
The games, observations and stories are a joy. Here are two:
It is commonly thought that chess is a game for silent people. As soon as my opponent had played P-KB4 I suddenly heard an angry:
‘And I’m having no refusal! Accept the sacrifice! If you don’t take the pawn I won’t continue the game!‘
There was nothing I could do. I accepted the old maestro’s gambit.
Several moves later Duz-Khotimirsky played a hurried move and, whilst I was considering my reply, decided … to change his move.
The spectators gasped, the judges wanted to stop the clocks, but Fedor Ivanovich suddenly shouted at everyone:
‘What on earth is this? Look, I made a bad move and now I’m changing it for a good one. Rules, you say? To hell with your rules, this is chess. Besides, you don’t object?‘ said my opponent, turning to me.
‘Please, it’s my pleasure!‘
And the game went on as if nothing had happened.
F.I. Duz-Khotimirsky defeated at the international Chigorin Memorial Tournament in St. Petersburg in 1909 both first prize-winners – the world champion and the champion of Russia, Lasker and Rubinstein.
In his game with Em. Lasker he conducted a K-side attack with exceptional accuracy, and in his game with A. Rubinstein he took over the initiative with a cunning pawn move and forced his opponent to make an unfavourable combination.
These successes earned the veteran fame with the chess public for many years, and he was called none other than ‘the scourge of champions’.
R. Fine expressed the view that a game would be lost in the last century after four mistakes, at the beginning of the present century only two, and in the middle of the 50’s only one mistake would be needed.
This inevitably suggests the conclusion that we are approaching the time when it will be possible to lose a game without making a single mistake!
The famous Grandmaster-journalist S.G. Tartakower warned us, not against making mistakes in general, but against making the last mistake, as he was convinced that the person who makes the last mistake loses the game. I should like to develop his idea.
Avoid minor mistakes! Most often he loses who makes the first minor mistake because it signifies the beginning of an incorrect strategical plan.
A quiet opening, an early exchange of queens, a leisurely … P-KN3 lulled Trifunovic’s imagination to sleep and when he saw that the black-squared bishop wanted to occupy the great KR1-QR8 diagonal, instead of the usual K2 square, he thought: why should I castle K-side? And he castled Q-side.
Two more minor mistakes followed on this one. First the KRP advanced one square, to make room for the bishop on KB4, and then the white bishop took advantage of this haven.
Three minor mistakes probably equal one full mistake.
Pinched wholemeal (as opposed to piecemeal) from Irving Chernev.
“In a book called Chesslets (1928), by Dr. J. Schumer, all the games are annotated by quotations from various writers.
Here is one of the games, with comments by Shakespeare:“
— CHERNEV, Wonders and curiosities of chess
This last-round game sealed the 1925 British Championship for Atkins.
These are extracts from Simon Webb’s superb series of articles for Barry Wood’s old CHESS magazine. Simon showed a panel of players a position and recorded their spoken thoughts for ten minutes. The articles are well worth digging out: obviously there is much more in the articles than I can present here, but it will give you a flavour of the sorts of issues that can arise. The joy of this technique, of course, is that you can repeat the exercise with the same or different positions in your own club.
The positions are presented twice, one without commentary if you would like to attempt 10 minutes thought on them, and once with a comment cherry-picked from Simon’s much more detailed discussion.
I have also added a famous example of master’s thinking.
Click e7 to flip the board
Click e7 to flip the board
Click e7 to flip the board
“…Thus all the panellists seemed to make a judgement about the position instantaneously, and spent the rest of the time trying to find evidence to support this judgement, Clearly it is very difficult to approach chess in a truly objective manner — so much seems to be based on ‘instinct’.” — Webb
[Comment from DR: I might add, that a misjudgement of this sort might lead to much fruitless searching for a winning line if you think you are better. Blumenfeld used to advise trying to look again with a fresh eye at a position to see if you haven’t overlooked some simple tactical point, but no less important to make sure you don’t overlook some important positional point. I have known players ignore really key features of a position (a Pawn majority, and open file) because they thought they knew what the position was ‘about’. Positions in books are selected to be ‘about’ one clear theme. Positions in most games are usually more complex!]
Click e7 to flip the board
“…Although experience is an advantage in telling a player what to look for, it can also restrict you into considering only ‘normal’ moves.
“JM [237] ‘s idea of meeting 1. P-B5 with …PxP and …P-K5 (was) difficult to spot, because …PxP is an abnormal way of meeting the thrust P-B5. This also applied to RY[160] and RN [165], who didn’t `consider …PxP because it would have looked anti-positional to them. To AP [ungraded player], however, …PxP was the obvious reply…
[Comment from DR: I like this observation. It may be that stronger players actually consider more ‘stupid’ moves than weaker ones – dismissing most of them, but not ruling them out without a glance! It may be that this is the only possible explanation for, say, some of Tal’s moves…]
Click e7 to flip the board
“They all settled fairly quickly on a king move so as to be able to get the rook into play with …R-QB1 (…) The main problem in this position is whether to play …K-R1 or …K-R2. (…) Although having ten minutes to use up, two of the panel (of four — DR) gave scarcely any consideration to which was the better king move.” — Webb
[Comment from DR: de Groot’s research is also relevant here. What his tests seemed to show was not that masters analysed very much deeper, but they homed in on the critical lines and issues much more quickly than non-masters. ]
Click e7 to flip the board
“A striking example of the different depths to which the players analysed was provided by the move 1…P-QB4. GJ[112] considered this for about five minutes, but in general terms, without actually mentioning a reply for White. JW[155] and IC[149] got as far as 1…P-QB4 2. Q-B2 R-R7 3. QxBP Q-KB3 4. Q-KB5 before giving the line up, but RW[208] continued with 4…Q-N7 5. R-Q8 R-R8 6. Q-B8 Q-N8 7. RxNch K-R2 8. Q-KB5ch and mates. I had always thought that strong players don’t analyse much deeper than weaker players, but this is a clear example to the contrary.” — Webb
[Comment from DR: This belief is rather widespread. de Groot’s research certainly seemed to argue more for the importance of judgement than calculation, but there has been a lot of work since which shows the importance of seeing ahead.]
“Korchnoy played 12. N-KN5! (-K4-B5), a move not considered by any of the panel…
“JN[236] thought almost exclusively in terms of concrete variations, whereas GJ[112] went to the opposite extreme… RW[208] and SJ[165] also gave very few concrete variations, and this may be more a question of style than strength…
“IC[149]… seemed to have the best-organised thought processes (…) It is not clear, however, whether this logical approach is necessarily all that effective, for it could be argued that if IC had adopted the RW approach of looking at moves twice he might have spotted 1. P-K4 B-N5 2. P-Q5 N-Q5! which seems good for Black” — Webb
[Comment from DR: This position illustrates for me quite nicely Kotov’s notion of ‘candidate moves’: Korchnoi’s actual choice wasn’t even considered by the panellists. Korchnoi may even have reviewed, and rejected, other moves that were not considered by them.
Kotov expands his approach to analysis by saying once the list of candidate moves is drawn up, each branch should be considered once and once only. IC has clearly read and believed, and this player may be more efficient because of it, but at least while we are improving this may be at the cost of accuracy. de Groot used to describe an approach of ‘progressive deepening’, and this may not just a more common approach but a more appropriate one for positions which are not highly tactical.]
“JN[236] and RW[208] had far more idea what they ought to be doing than the others, and this supports the widely held supposition that the greatest difference between stronger and weaker players is in the endgame.” — Webb
[Comment from DR: Howard Staunton complained that only the ‘magnates’ of the game were really skilled at endgame play, and this remains true!
But Capa advised, that chess study really should begin with the endgame.]
Chess master and psychologist de Groot gave this position to Alekhin, Keres, Euwe and other GMs at the 1938 AVRO tournament, as well as to a number of weaker, but still expert, players.
All the GMs except Flohr quickly found the win with 1. Bxd5 (1…exd5 2. Qf3 Qd8 3. Rfe1 Kg7 4. Ng4 Nxg4 5. Bxe7). They also analysed other forcing continuations like 1. Nxc6, which Alekhin considered just as strong and which Flohr actually preferred.
Hardly any of the other players suspected there was a forcing solution (even after 15-20 minutes, much longer than the GMs. For the most part, they opted for safe positional moves like 1. Rfe1 or 1. Bh6; nothing alerted their antennae to a concrete solution.
Every solver thought: White has an isolated d-pawn, so endgame problems, so attack now. But only the GMs chased it down to a line 4/5 moves deep. The lesser masters seemed unable to overcome two barriers to seeing the tactic: the safe appearance of the Black position, and the anti-positional appearance of 1.Bxd5.
“It is by no means easy to detect these chance factors which are not based on obvious strategic factors“, conclude Pfleger and Treppner, rather gloomily.
Oh, Flohr’s idea? Looking for something even better than Bxd5, he hatched 1.Nxc6 bxc6 2.Bxd5 cxd5 3.Bxf6 Bxf6 4.Nd7, winning the exchange… but it is only the ghost of the knight that goes to e7!
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6
This is nearly always
Black’s fourth move in the Sicilian, to force the N on b1 in front
of the c-pawn. Left alone, White may play c2-c4, stopping
counterplay with d7-d5 or b7-b5, and removing danger on the c-file.
5. Nc3 e6 6. Be2 a6 7. f4 Qc7 8. O-O Be7 9. Kh1 Nc6 10. Be3 Nxd4
11. Qxd4 O-O 12. Rad1 b5
Already making use of the minority. The
move b7-b5 is sometimes a way of threatening the e-pawn, but more
often keeps the c-pawn backward on an open file.
13. e5 !? 13…
dxe5 14. Qxe5 Qb8 ! 15. Qxb8 Rxb8 16. Ba7 Ra8 17. Bb6 Bb7 18. a3
Rfc8!
Chess magazines are full of quick White kills against the
Sicilian. Why do players bother with it, then? Because the longer
games where the attack founders and Black wins the endgame are too
long for magazines. Watch…
19. Ba5 g6 20. h3 ? 20… h5 21. Bf3
Bxf3 22. Rxf3 h4
Now White has a weakness on g2 as well as c2.
23. Rd2 Rc4 24. b3
Rc6 25. a4 b4 26. Ne2 Rac8 27. c4 bxc3 28. Rxc3
The weakness has
been replaced by one on b3.
28… Nd5 29. Rxc6 Rxc6 30. Rb2 Bf6 31.
Ra2 Rc8 32. Bd2 [32. b4 Rb8] 32… Rb8 33. Nc1 Nb4 34.
Bxb4 Rxb4 35. Rf2
The risks of the h2-h3 move are now clear.
35…Be7 36. Rf3
36… Bd6 37. Ne2 Re4 38. Rd3 [38. Rf2 Bc5] 38… Bc5 39.
Rc3 Bf2 40. Rc2 Kg7 41. Ng1 Rxf4 42. Nf3 Bg3 43. Kg1 Re4 44. Kf1 Re3 45. Rb2 e5 46. Rb1 e4 0-1
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Be2
a6 7. O-O Nf6 8. Be3 Be7 9. f4 d6 10. Qe1 O-O 11. Qg3 Bd7 12. e5
dxe5 13. fxe5 Nxe5 14. Bf4 Bd6 15. Rad1 Qb8 16. Rd3 Ne8 17. Ne4 Bc7
18. Rc3 Nc6 19. Bxc7 Nxd4 20. Bd3 Qa7 21. Nc5 Bb5 22. Be5
Nc6
White’s initial lead in development and control of the centre has
has got better and better.
23. Bxh7+ Kxh7 24. Rf4 f6 25. Rh4+ Kg8 26. Qh3
Nd8 27. Bd4 b6 28. Nxe6 Nxe6 29. Qxe6+ Qf7 30. Qe4 g5 31. Rh6 Ra7
32. Rch3 Qg7 33. Rg6 Rff7 34. c4 1-0
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be2
Qc7 7. O-O Nf6 8. Kh1 Bb4 9. Nxc6 bxc6 10. f4 O-O
[10… Bxc3 11. bxc3 Nxe4 12. Qd4 Nf6 13.
Ba3]
11. e5 Bxc3 12. bxc3 Nd5 13. Rf3
[13. Bf3] 13… c5 14. c4 Ne7 15. Rb1 Nf5
16. Bd3 Bb7 17. Rh3 g6 18. Bd2 Rab8 19. Rb3 d5
Always this blow in the Scheveningen. White is tempted by a
King’s-side attack, but this soon comes to an end because the bad
Bd2 cannot help.
20. Bxf5 ? 20… exf5 21. Rbg3 f6 22. exf6
[22. Qh5 Qg7] 22… d4 23. Rb3 Rxf6 24.
Qb1 Re6 25. Rhg3 Re2 26. Qd1 Rbe8
the difference in the power of the two bishops is enormous, and
White will never be able to play a light-squared bishop to f3 to
exchange off the Bb7
27. h3 Qc6 28. Rbf3 Qe6 29. Rb3 Bc6 30. Kh2 Qxc4
0-1
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3
Bg7 7. f3 Nc6 8. Qd2 O-O
White intends to hold the centre and attack the King.
There is a recipe fr these attacks: play Bh6xg7, h2-h5xg6, Qh6 and
Qxh7 mate! Black has got about ten moves to arrange an upset
in…
9. Bc4 Bd7 10. h4 Rc8 11. Bb3 Ne5 12. O-O-O Nc4
13. Bxc4 Rxc4 14. h5 Nxh5 15. g4 Nf6 16. Nde2 Qa5 17. Bh6 Bxh6 18.
Qxh6 Rfc8 19. Rd3
The first new move of the game! All this was known to theory.
19… R4c5 20. g5 Rxg5 21. Rd5 Rxd5 22. Nxd5 Re8
23. Nef4 Bc6 24. e5 Bxd5 25. exf6 exf6 26. Qxh7+ Kf8 27. Qh8+
1-0
Karpov’s team later claimed they had worked out the whole
game beforehand in analysis!
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3
Bg7 7. f3 Nc6 8. Qd2 O-O 9. Bc4 Bd7 10. h4 Rc8 11. Bb3 Ne5 12.
O-O-O
a typical Dragon line
12… Nc4 picks up a bishop
13. Bxc4 Rxc4 14. g4 b5 15. h5 b4 16. Nd5 e6 17.
Nxf6+ [17. Nxb4] 17… Qxf6 18. hxg6 hxg6
19. Qh2 Rfc8 20. Rd2 e5 21. g5 Qd8 22. Nb3 [22.
Nf5] 22… Qc7 23. Kb1 a5 24. Qf2 Rc6
you can see the potential of the half-open c-file when White
castles Q-side
25. f4 ?
allows opening of long diagonal
25… a4 26. Nd4 b3 27. f5 exd4 28. Qh4 bxc2+ 29.
Kc1 Qb6 30. Qh7+ Kf8 31. Rdh2 gxf5 32. exf5
32… Qxb2+ 33. Kxb2 dxe3+ 0-1
Let’s look at the finish again:
34. Kc1
[34. Qxg7+ Kxg7 35. Rh7+ Kf8 is lost]
34… Bb2+ 35. Kxb2 Rb8+ 36. Ka1 c1=Q+ 37. Rxc1 Rxc1#
0-1
1. c4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. e4 Nc6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Nf6 6.
Nc3
We have arrived at a Sicilian by transposition from the
English; White has played Nc3 behind the c-pawn. White has more
space, which he will try to maintain by preventing Black from
playing freeing moves like …b5. Then, when Black is passive and
White is fully developed, he will move to the attack.
6…Nxd4 7. Qxd4 d6 8. Bg5 Bg7 9. Qd2 O-O 10. Bd3
a5 11. O-O a4 12. Rac1 Be6 13. Qc2 Nd7 14. f4 Rc8 15. b3 axb3 16.
axb3 Nf6 17. Kh1 Qa5 18. f5 Bd7 19. Nd5
White invites the exchange of Knights, which would only serve to
open lines of attack for the Bishops and Rooks.
19…Qd8 20.Qf2 Bc6 21.Qh4 Bxd5 22.exd5 Re8
23.Rf3 Nd7 24.Rcf1 Bf6 25.Rh3 Nf8 26.fxg6 fxg6 27.Bxg6 hxg6 28.Rxf6
1-0