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Opening Lanes Gary Lane
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The English Riviera Once again I am inviting readers to personally ask me questions for ChessCafe.com. However, this time it will be at the British Championships. The last session was at the World Cup held in Khanty-Mansiysk in Siberia, Russia where temperatures as low as -20 and there was no train station within 100 miles, which put some people off from dropping by to ask a question or two. This time the seaside town of Torquay plays hosts to the championships, with warm weather expected and plenty to do in the neighbouring Riviera towns of Paignton and Brixham. The novelist Agatha Christie came from this area and her old house and scenes from her books attracts thousands of visitors, so with all that going for the picturesque area I am expecting a bumper response. In the mean time back to the chess e-mails. Krishneel Nair from Fiji sent an interesting question. He writes “Could you please help me with my analysis of a sub-variation of the Ruy Lopez Exchange: 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 a6 4 Bxc6 dxc6 5 d4 (normally White plays 5 0-0 and later pushes d4, but 5 0-0 has so much literature that I thought about using 5 d4 for a change) 5...exd4 6 c3. The catch in this line is that with c3 White offers a pawn (just as in a gambit), but Black has a few good replies such as 6...d3, 6...c5, 6...dxc3 or even something else. I set up the position on Fritz and ran an engine tournament including Shredder 11, Crafty, and a few other engines. I’m still analysing and commenting on the moves. What do you think?” The move 6 c3 certainly got me thinking because it is a bit different. It took some time, but eventually I found an appropriate game that included such a daring gambit. Lazaros Vizantiadis-Jose Miguel Ridameya Tatche Varna Olympiad 1962 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 a6 4 Bxc6 dxc6 5 d4 exd4 6 c3?!
I am always on the lookout for new ideas and have to confess to never seeing this one before. Mr. Nair certainly gets top marks for inspiration and if the game was an Internet blitz game, you are likely to win on time. I think he is right that refusing the gambit gives White a lively game, and more importantly the novelty can be off putting for the defender. However, I can’t help thinking that Black’s best policy is to grab the gambit pawn, swap queens, and win the ending. I could only track down two games in this line, but thankfully one of them echoed my thoughts. 6...dxc3! In the game P.Karmzon-J.Foster, Uppsala 1992, Black tried the neutral approach with 6...d3 when the game continued 7 Be3 Nf6 8 0–0 Be7 (8...Nxe4 is a possibility when 9 Re1 Be7 10 Bd4 Nf6 11 Bxf6 gxf6 12 Nbd2 0–0 favours Black despite his kingside pawn barrier having been disrupted) 9 Nbd2 Be6 10 e5 Ng4 11 Nd4 Nxe3 12 Nxe6 Nxd1 13 Nxd8 Rxd8 14 Raxd1 0–0 15 Nb3 Rfe8 16 Nc1 d2 (16...Rd5! is the right choice in view of 17 f4 Bc5+ 18 Kh1 Red8 preserving the extra pawn with a winning position) 17 Nb3 Rd7 18 g3 Red8 19 f4 h5 20 Rf2 when White has managed to win back his pack and the shock seemed to affect Black who went on to lose.; 6 ..c5 7 cxd4 (I think 7 0–0 dxc3 8 Qc2 is the right way to create gambit style play) 7...cxd4 8 0–0 (8 Nxd4 c5 9 Nb3 Qxd1+ 10 Kxd1 is fine for Black, who can use his pair of bishops on an open board to harass White’s misplaced king) 8...c5 9 Bg5 Be7 10 Bxe7 Qxe7 11 b4 with some play for the pawn. 7 Qxd8+ Kxd8 8 Nxc3 White may well have a slight lead in development, but without the queens it will be difficult to exploit the fact to create some tactics. 8...Ke8 9 Be3 Bg4 10 Ne5 Be6
Black should now coast to victory using endgame technique. Alas, such things only happen at the very top level while the rest of us still expect ups and downs in the game. This one does not fail to disappoint with Black only just getting over the finishing line with a victory that is only just deserved. 11 f4 f6 12 Nf3 Bb4 13 0–0 Ne7 14 Na4 Nc8 15 e5 Instead, 15 Bc5 looks annoying for Black because of the following lines: a) 15...a5 16 a3 Bxc5+ 17 Nxc5 Kf7 18 Rac1 Rb8 19 f5 Ba2 20 b3 a4 21 bxa4 with the initiative having regained the precious pawn. b) 15...Ba5 16 Nd4 Bd7 17 Nb3 Bb6 18 Rfd1 with some promising play for the pawn that White scarcely deserves. c) 15...Bxc5 16 Nxc5 Kf7 17 Nd4 Bc4 18 Rfc1 leaving the light-squared bishop with no safe retreat. 15...Bd5 16 Bd4 f5?! I reckon 16...Kf7 to maintain the tension looks good for Black rather than granting White a passed e-pawn. 17 a3 Be7 18 Rac1 Rf8 19 Nc3 Be6 20 Na4 b6 21 Be3 c5 22 b4 Bd7 23 Nc3 Be6 24 bxc5 bxc5 25 Na4 c4 26 Bc5?! 26 Nc5! is an improvement: 26...Bd5 27 Ng5 Bxg5 (or 27...h6? 28 Nge6 when the fork will win material) 28 fxg5 c6 29 Bd4 giving White the superior chances, because Black’s pieces lack harmony. 26...Nb6 27 Bxe7 Kxe7 28 Nc5 Bd5 29 Nd4 g6 30 h3 Rfd8 31 Rfd1 Nd7 32 Na4 Nb6 33 Nc5 a5 34 g4 fxg4 35 hxg4 a4 36 Re1 Ra5 37 Nce6 c5 38 Nxc5 Rxc5 39 f5 Bf7 40 f6+ Ke8 41 Nf3 Be6 0–1 Just in case Mr. Nair is still keen on the opening, I think 5 d4 is a perfectly acceptable way for White to play very solidly with some chances to win. It is basically a drawing weapon, but there are still some players who aim for the win. Sam Collins-Thomas Kett Liverpool 2008 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 a6 4 Bxc6 dxc6 5 d4 The exchange variation of the Ruy Lopez has been used by numerous great players such as Emmanuel Lasker and Bobby Fischer with the idea of swapping queens and enjoying a slight advantage in the endgame because of Black’s doubled pawns. The thing is they did not play 5 d4, instead preferring 5 Nc3 or 5 0–0 inducing 5...f6 before 6 d4. Although, the Exchange Lopez remains popular, the 5 d4 variation does not attract many strong players. The exception in this case is the strong Irish international master who is quite happy to lure his lower rated opponent into a relative side line. A simple example of how encouraging 5...f6 gives White extra options is demonstrated by the following opening trick: 5 0–0 f6 6 d4 exd4 7 Nxd4 Bc5? 8 Qh5+ winning. 5...exd4 6 Qxd4 Qxd4 7 Nxd4
7…Bd7 Black prepares to castle queenside. Also possible is a) 7...Nf6 8 Nd2 Bd7 9 0–0 0–0–0 10 Re1 Bc5 11 N2b3 Bb6 12 c4 Bxd4 13 Nxd4 c5 14 Nc2 Nxe4 15 Rxe4 Bf5 16 Re1? (16 f3! Bxe4 17 fxe4 Rd1+ 18 Kf2 Re8 19 b3 Rxe4 20 Be3 is arguably White’s best chance of survival) 16...Bxc2 17 Be3 b6 18 Rac1 Bd3 and Black was better in L.Roberts-H.Lang, London 1997. b) 7...Bd6 8 Nc3 Ne7 9 0–0 0–0 10 f4 Re8 11 Nb3 f6 12 f5! is taken from the classic game E.Lasker-J.Capablanca, St.Petersburg 1914, which is analysed in detail in many books. c) 7...c5 8 Ne2 Bd6 9 Nbc3 f6 10 Bf4 Be6 11 0–0–0 Rd8 12 Nd5 Kd7? (12...Bxd5 13 exd5 Kf7 offers equal chances) 13 Nxc7! Kxc7 14 Rxd6 Rxd6 15 Rd1 Bc4 16 Nc3 g5 17 Bxd6+ Kc6 18 Bg3 b5 19 b3 1–0, M.Koch-R.Muehlens, German Team Championship 1996. 8 Be3 White just carries on developing, but there are different views on how exactly White should proceed: a) 8 Nd2 0–0–0 9 Ne2 Ne7 10 b3 Ng6 11 Bb2 Re8 12 0–0–0 f5 13 f3 soon led to a draw in M.Buckley-H.Lang, British team Championship (4NCL) 1998.; b) 8 Nc3 0–0–0 9 Be3 and now play might continue b1) 9…Bb4 10 0–0–0 (10 Nde2 to avoid the doubled pawns is naturally a popular alternative when 10...Nf6 11 f3 is equal) 10...Bxc3 11 bxc3 Ne7 12 h3 Rde8 13 Rde1 c5 14 Nf5 Bxf5 15 exf5 Nxf5 16 Bxc5 b6 looks a little better for Black thanks to white’s doubled c-pawns, G.Taopa-R.Laxman, Dubai 2009. b2) 9...g6 10 0–0–0 Bg7 11 Nde2 Nh6 12 Bd4 f6 (White should hardly be afraid of this line, but Black would merely argue that he is keeping the pieces on the board to try and avoid a clear cut draw) 13 f3 b6 14 h4 c5 15 Be3 Nf7 16 Nd5 Kb7 17 h5 g5 18 Ng3 (the critical continuation has to be 18 h6! when 18...Bxh6 {18...Nxh6 is well met by 19 e5! with the superior opportunities} 19 Nxf6 is excellent for White) 18...h6 19 Nf5 Bxf5 20 exf5 Rhe8 led to level chances in M.Naslund-D.Arngrimsson, Reykjavik 2009. b3) 9...Re8 10 0–0–0 Bb4 11 Nde2 f5 12 exf5 Bxf5 13 a3 Bd6 14 Bf4 Bc5 15 Bg3 Nf6 16 f3 Nd5! (the knight is heading for the vacant e3-square, where the attack against the g2-pawn will be irritating for White) 17 Nd4? Nxc3 18 bxc3 Bxa3+ 19 Kb1 Bd7 20 Rhe1 Bd6 0–1, K.Saket-S.Iuldachev, Gurgon 2009. c) 8 Bg5 f6 9 Be3 0–0–0 10 Nd2 g6 11 f4 Nh6 12 h3 Re8 13 Kf2 Nf7 14 Rhe1 (or 14 N4b3 Nd6 15 Nc5 is about level) 14...Nd6 15 Kf3 c5 16 Ne2 Bc6 Black has found a clever combination to exploit the fact it is the white king defending the e4-pawn 17 Nc3 f5 18 Kf2 Nxe4+ 19 Ncxe4 Bxe4 0–1, M.Golmayo de la Torriente-A.Alekhine, Hamburg 1930. 8...0–0–0 9 Nd2 f6!? It is not the end of the world, but when you are not obliged to play ...f7-f6 after five moves in the opening, there is no need to play it later. I prefer a more positive approach. A sample line runs 9...c5 10 Ne2 b6 11 0–0–0 Ne7 12 Nf4 Ng6 13 Nxg6 hxg6 14 Bf4 Be6 15 Rhe1 Be7 16 Nf3 Rxd1+ 17 Rxd1 Bg4 with roughly equal play. 10 0–0–0 c5 11 Ne2 b6 12 Nf4 Ne7 13 Nc4 Nc6 14 b3 b5 15 Nb2 Ne5 I suspect that 15…Re8 is more promising; aiming to meet the obvious 16 f3 with 16…f5 when White will struggle to prove his superiority from the opening. 16 c4 16 Nbd3 is the sensible alternative, but White is seeking more than equality and rolls the dice by volunteering to weaken his position. 16...Ng4 17 Rhe1 Bd6 18 Nbd3 Nxe3 19 Rxe3 Rhe8 20 g3 c6 20...Kb7 also looks like a solid response. 21 Rd2 Kc7 22 Rc2 Kb6?! It might look ugly, but 22...b4 is necessary when I still think Black is fine. 23 b4!
23...Rb8 Of course, 23...cxb4? allows the killer fork 24 c5+ winning. 24 bxc5+ Bxc5 25 Nxc5 Kxc5 26 Rd3 Or 26 cxb5+ Kxb5 27 Rd3 transposes to the game. 26...Bg4 27 cxb5+ Kxb5 28 f3 g5 29 Ne2 Be6 30 Nd4+ Ka4 31 Nxc6 1–0 The theme of the Exchange Ruy Lopez continues in the following question from Hernani Donato from Brazil. “Recently when playing a game online, Hernani- Jorge, Internet 2009, after 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 a6 4 Bxc6 dxc6 5 0-0 Bg4 6 h3 h5 7 d3 Qf6 8 Nbd2, my opponent played 8...g5 and played continued 9 Re1 Be6 10 Nb3 g4 11 Ng5. Can you work out how White can have a more comfortable game?” I can understand that 8…g5 might be a shock, but your opponent might have been inspired by reading my February 2009 column, which covered the topic. Nolan Hendrickson from the USA had been independently analysing the line and he seems to have inspired others to take up the challenge. Let’s take another look at a key game and if you don’t like the ending, I suggest you take a close look at the note to move eight and play 8 Be3 in the future. Nazar Firman-Boris Kharchenko Kharkov 2008 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 a6 4 Bxc6 dxc6 5 0–0 In weekend tournaments 5 Nxe5 sometimes wins a pawn, but experience has shown that 5...Qd4 easily wins back the pawn with the added bonus of a slight initiative after 6 Nf3 Qxe4+ 7 Qe2 Qxe2+ 8 Kxe2 Nf6 with the long-term idea of castling queenside. 5…Bg4 6 h3 h5!? This looks bizarre to newcomers, but it is firmly established as a standard line in this variation. 7 d3 It is not a good idea to be greedy with 7 hxg4??, but it has happened in the past when 7...hxg4 8 Nh2 Qh4 9 Re1 is great for Black and it becomes brilliant after 9…Bc5! because if White protects the f-pawn with 10 Qe2 (10 g3 Qxg3+ 11 Kh1 Rxh2 checkmate) , then 10…Qxh2+ 11 Kf1 Qh1 checkmate. 7…Qf6 8 Nbd2 If this whole line is becoming a problem, I would suggest 8 Be3 to stop the safe advance of the g-pawn and get ready to fight on after 8...Bxf3 9 Qxf3 Qxf3 10 gxf3 Bd6 11 Nd2 Ne7 and now in this level position you could try an old Shirov idea of 12 Rfb1!? preparing to advance the a- and b-pawns. 8…g5!?
This is the move annoying Mr. Donato. It is largely ignored in the books, but it is very tricky to meet when you have to work out the moves yourself. 9 Nc4 I have seen this referred to as the “safest move” to avoid complications. Also possible is 9 Re1 Be6 and now 10 Nb3 g4 11 Ng5 is the Internet game played by Mr. Donato as white, and I can see why he has problems because Black is on top.
For instance, 11..Bxb3! 12 axb3 Bh6 13 h4 Qe7 highlights the fact that the white knight is going nowhere safe and has to contend with the alarming prospect of ...f7-f6. Instead 10 d4 exd4 11 e5 Qg7 is Hendrickson’s line when I think 12 Nxd4 0–0–0 13 Nxe6 fxe6 is about equal, but the game X.Vila Gazquez-T.Nabaty, Herceg Novi 2008, continued 14 Qe2 g4 15 Qe3 Ne7 16 h4 Nf5 17 Qa7 g3 18 f3 Qe7 19 Ne4 Qxh4 20 Bg5 Bc5+! 21 Qxc5 (21 Nxc5?? Qh2+ 22 Kf1 Qh1+ 23 Ke2 Qxg2 checkmate) 21…Qh2+ 22 Kf1 Rd4 gave Black the winning chances.) 9…Bxf3 The aggressive alternative 9…Bd6? runs into 10 Bxg5 Bxf3 11 Bxf6 Bxd1 12 Bxh8 winning easily while 9…Qg7?! 10 Re1 Bc8 11 Nxg5 (maybe 11 h4 gxh4 12 Nxh4 needs to be tested) 11…f6 12 Nf3 Bxh3 is about equal, but the threat of checkmate in one in the opening is a bit off putting to say the least. 10 Qxf3 Qxf3 11 gxf3 f6 12 h4!? Bobby Fischer originally suggested this move. 12…gxh4 13 f4 A consistent idea to get rid of the doubled f-pawns, which goes together with 12 h4. Hendrickson suggests the line 13 Kh2 Bh6 “and with this trade it is safe to say we have ourselves a dynamic, yet unbalanced endgame.” I agree, but also possible is 13…Ne7!? with the idea that 14 Kh3 can be met by 14...Ng6, which is irritating for White because the h-pawn is protected and the advance f3-f4 is prevented from being safely played. 13…b5!? Black has to do something about the threat posed to the e5-pawn, so Black decides to shift the knight on c4. Also possible is 13…exf4 14 Bxf4 0–0–0 15 Kh2 (this position is fairly well known to very keen Exchange Lopez fanatics and is regarded as giving White good enough play for the pawn) 15...Nh6 (15…Ne7 16 Kh3 Ng6 17 Be3 b5 18 Rg1 leads to a level position) 16 f3 Bc5 17 Be3 Bxe3 18 Nxe3 Rdg8 19 Rg1 Rg5 led to equal chances in E. Rozentalis-T.Juroszek, Gdynia 1989. 14 Na5 Kd7 15 Be3 After 15 fxe5 fxe5 16 f4, I think 16...Bd6! is a good move to help maintain the initiative: 17 fxe5 (17 f5 Nf6 18 Kh2 Rag8 is good for Black) 17…Bxe5 18 c3 Nf6 gives Black a slight edge. 15…Nh6 Maybe Black can also try 15…Bb4 16 Nb3 Nh6 with play similar to the game. 16 f3 Rg8+ 17 Kf2 If 17 Kh2, then 17…Nf7 maintains a slight edge because a casual move such as 18 Rg1?! is met by 18…Bh6 winning another pawn. 17…h3 The extra doubled h-pawn might not seem important when you play 12 h4, but imprecise play by White has allowed Black to seize the initiative. 18 Rg1 It looks risky, but 18 Rh1 is probably the last chance to try and salvage something: 18…Rg2+ 19 Kf1 Rxc2 20 Rxh3 Nf7 21 Rxh5 Bb4! 22 Nb3 Rg8 and Black is still on top. 18…exf4 19 Bxf4 Bc5+ 20 Be3 Bxe3+ 21 Kxe3 h4 The doubled h-pawns are proving to be a menace, because if White starts trying to take them with Rh1, then a black rook can swoop down to the second rank or even play ...Rg3. 22 Kf2 f5?! This should make the job of winning much more difficult if White finds the right path by exchanging rooks. Instead, 22…c5 23 Nb3 Kd6 offer some winning chances. 23 Nb3 Raf8!? 24 Rxg8 Rxg8 25 Rg1
25…Ng4+! Black deserves a gold star for trying to complicate matters in order to win. An exchange of rooks would have led to a draw, but now White has to fathom further complications. 26 fxg4 fxg4 27 Rc1 The rook has to get out of the way, otherwise something like 27 Nd2 fails to impress upon 27...g3+ 28 Kf3 h2 29 Rh1 g2 and it is time to go home. 27…g3+ 28 Kg1 Rf8 29 Nd4 Of course, 29 Rf1? loses after 29...h2+ 30 Kg2 Rxf1 31 Kxf1 h1Q+; 29 d4 Rf2 30 Nc5+ Kd6 31 Nd3 gives White some chances to hold the position because compared to the game the white rook is protected, so if he engineers the same Rf1+ in the game, there is no obligation to exchange pieces. 29…Rf2 30 Nf5 h2+ 31 Kh1 g2+ 32 Kxh2 Rf1 This is an impressive end, but if only the white knight was on b3 or d3 protecting the rook, then Kxg2 would be possible. 33 Kxg2 Rxc1 34 Ne3 Re1 0–1 Transpo-Tricks In one of my previous columns, I asked if readers would like to share any opening transpositions that they have used successfully. This occurs when you switch openings in a particular line and it is likely to confuse an opponent, which often results in quick victories. Mark Nieuweboer from Suriname had some interesting ideas to disclose: “I have played the Old-Benoni as Black, 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 c5 3 d5 g6; 4...d6; 5...Bg7; 6...0-0; depending on White’s reaction Black can chose a kind of Benkö Gambit (7...b5;), the Benoni-Wall (7...e5;) , the Modern Benoni (7...e6;) or some independent stuff (7...Na6;). In my experience quite a few white players get confused at an early stage. Those who like to play old-fashioned Italian stuff should consider 1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 (that’s the trick; no Hanham, no Closed Hungarian, no Closed Italian) 3.Bc4 Nc6 (3...Nf6 4.Nf3 - Urussov Gambit; 3...Bb4+ 4.c3 is Danish/Göring Gambit without the Capablanca Defence) 4Nf3 Bc5 (Nf6 Two Knights) 5 c3.” These are all good fun and I think I have looked at the line 1 e4 e5 2 d4 exd4 3 Nf3 although 3…Nf6 transposes to a line in the Petroff ( 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nf6 3 d4 exd4), while 3…Bb4+ is probably the sternest test, because White has to enter a gambit line. Everyone please send more if you can think of any.
Finally, for those who cannot visit my home town to ask questions at the British Championships, then I suggest you get to know the area by reading a book by a chess player. This is not as you might imagine the English Riviera variation of the King’s Gambit, but a delightful tome about a famous crime writer. Bret Hawthorne’s Agatha Christie’s Devon published by Halsgrove is packed with photos as a guide to help readers in their search of the places mentioned in Christie’s autobiography and in the settings of the novels. It can be warmly recommended to fans of the entertaining crime writer. Opening Lanes is based on readers’ questions. Do you have a question about a particular opening line? Baffled by a branch of the Benoni or Budapest? Submit your questions (with your full name and country of residence please) and perhaps Gary will reply in his next ChessCafe.com column... Yes, I have a question for Gary! © 2009 Gary Lane. All Rights Reserved. |
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