Opening Lanes by Gary Lane Grand Prix Crash A new idea in the Sicilian is always news especially if you are Kasparov and it is around move 20. Therefore, it sounds great that Michael Lee Williams (USA) has managed to totally confuse his opponent after just two moves! Is it a record or a bad move? He writes "In a postal game after 1 e4 c5 2 f4 I decided to throw him a twist with 2...e5. This turned the game into a type of King's Gambit . I won the game and there are moves on either side I'm not sure about to this day; The whole game ran 1 e4 c5 2 f4 e5 3 Nf3 exf4 4 Bc4 Nc6 5 d3 Bd6 6 Nc3 a6 7 0-0 h6 8 d4 cxd4 9 Nd5 g5 10 e5 Bc5 11 Kh1 d6 12 exd6 Qxd6 13 Re1+ Be6 14 Nd2 0-0-0 and he resigned without reply to an 'if' move of 15 Ne4 Qf8. I would be interested in your view of 2...e5, if not in the whole game." The game is certainly short, sharp and entertaining. White starts to go wrong with 8 d4 which releases the tension followed by unwisely sacrificing further pawns. It is probably more accurate to play 7 a4 to rule out the possibility of ...b5 and follow up with Nd5 to attack f4. The question is whether 2...e5 is a new concept to cause those who play the Grand Prix Attack to go off course and crashing into the barriers or has it all been played before? The answer is that unfortunately it is unlikely to be called the William's Variation as it was analysed by Philidor a couple of hundred years ago. In those days 1 e4 c5 2 f4 often used to transpose to a poor version of the Advance French after 2...d5 3 e5 rather than continue in the accepted manner in relation to the Grand Prix Attack. The idea of 2...e5 has the nice trick of 3 fxe5? which loses in dramatic fashion after 3...Qh4+. However, a little caution gives White a good game because the c-pawn merely blocks in Black's pieces. If in doubt who would suggest that the best way to cope with 1 e4 e5 2 f4 is to play 2...c5 and say it with a straight face? Some recent games demonstrate that White should have all the fun: D.Lima-P.Perez Las Palmas 1989 1 e4 c5 2 f4 e5 (See Diagram) The perfect way to stun your opponent but watch out if he starts to smile! 3 Nf3 d6 4 Bc4 Bg4 5 0-0 (See Diagram) 5...Bxf3 Black is usually reluctant to break the pin as it merely helps White to open the f-file. However, the natural 5...Nc6 allows the unlikely looking 6 Bxf7+! Kxf7 7 Ng5+ followed by Qxg4 leaves White with an extra pawn while Black has an exposed king and can contemplate going home early. 6 Qxf3 Nf6 7 d3 Nbd7 8 g4! A sign that White is determined to punish Black's opening choice by striking out with a kingside pawn advance. 8...exf4 9 g5 Ng8 Black started out by playing an enterprising second move but is now reduced to having to retreat. 10 Bxf4 f6 11 Nc3 a6 12 Bxg8 Rxg8 13 Qh5+ g6 14 Qxh7 Lima wins a pawn to confirm his big advantage. 14...Rg7 15 Qh8 Nb6 16 gxf6 Rf7 17 Bg5 Black is two pawns down and completely lost. The game continued: 17...Qd7 18 Qh4 0-0-0 19 a4 a5 20 Qg3 Re8 21 b3 Rh7 22 Rf3 Kb8 23 Raf1 Ka8 24 Nb5 Re5 25 h4 Nc8 26 Qe1 b6 27 Qg3 Qf7 28 Qg4 Kb7 29 c3 d5 30 Qg3 dxe4 31 Qxe5 exf3 32 Qe4+ Ka6 33 Qa8+ Na7 34 Nxa7 Qxa7 35 Qxf8 Qb7 36 Qe8 Qd5 37 Qe4 Qxb3 38 Qc4+ Qxc4 39 dxc4 1-0 A.Hennings-J.Pohlers Binz 1995 1 e4 c5 2 f4 e5 3 Nf3 exf4 4 Bc4 (See Diagram) 4....Nc6 In the game D.Cordover-H. Kazemi, Perth 1994, Black tried 4...Qc7 but White soon opened up the position to his advantage: 5 0-0 d6 6 Nc3 Nf6 7 d4! Be6 8 Nd5 Qd7 9 Qe2 Be7 10 Bb5! Nc6 11 Nxf6+ Bxf6 12 d5 and wins material. 5 d3 Bd6 6 Nc3 Nf6 7 0-0 0-0 8 Kh1 a6 9 a4 Qc7 10 Nh4 Be5 11 Ne2 g5 12 Nf3 h6 13 g3 d6 13...fxg3 is a sterner test of White's plan. 14 gxf4 gxf4 15 Bxf4 Bxf4 16 Nxf4 Kh8 17 Qd2 Qd8 18 Nh5 A glorious finish. (See Diagram)1-0 Of course, 18...Nxh5 19 Qxh6+ Kg8 20 Rg1+ wins. If anyone is in any doubt that 2...e5 has been known to be dubious for some time then I can present some impressive evidence in the form of a spectacular game. Raphael - W.Montgomery London 1856 1 e4 c5 2 f4 e5 3 Nf3 Nc6 4 Bc4 d6 5 d3 Bg4 6 0-0 Nd4? (See Diagram) 7 Bxf7+! Ke7 If 7...Kxf7 White goes on the rampage after 8 Ng5+ Ke8 9 Qxg4 Nxc2 10 Ne6! Qd7 11 fxe5 Ne7 12 exd6 Qxd6 13 Bf4 Qd7 14 Nc7+ with advantage to White. 8 fxe5 Bxf3 9 Bg5+ Kd7 10 e6+ Kc6 11 Bxd8 Bxd1 12 Be8# (See Diagram) Remarkable! 1-0 Kartik Viswanathan (India) asks "I have played a game which went 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 f3 Nbd7 6 Be3 0-0. Here on 7 Nh3, the line 7...e5 gives Black equality. Are there any other moves better than 7 Nh3?" It is arguable that 7...e5 leads to equality and that there are lots of players of the Samisch who would be willing to contribute their victories in the line. If you want to look for an alternative the obvious suggestion would be 7 Qd2 when the game usually continues 7...c5 8 Nge2 a6 9 0-0-0 Qa5 10 Kb1 b5 with doubled-edged play. Naturally, there are plenty of ways for both sides to deviate in a maze of complications. One way to cut down on the amount of theory is to play 8 Bd3 with the simple of idea of continuing to develop with Nge2 and 0-0. B.Spassky-H. Pfleger Bundesliga 1985/1986 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 f3 g6 4 c4 Bg7 5 Nc3 Nbd7 6 Be3 0-0 7 Bd3 (See Diagram)7...c5 8 Nge2 cxd4 9 Nxd4 Ne5 10 Be2! It looks a bit odd to retreat the bishop but practice proves it is the best choice. The point is that Black's centralised knight can soon be nudged out of the way with f4. 10 ...Bd7 10...a6 was seen in M.Petursson-J.Lenchner, New York 1987, with White soon forcing the e5 knight to retreat and enter a decent ending after 11 Rc1 e6 12 f4 Nc6 13 0-0 e5? 14 Nxc6 bxc6 15 fxe5 dxe5 16 Qxd8 Rxd8 17 Bg5 Rd6 18 c5 Re6 19 Bc4 Ne8 20 Rcd1! (there is no rush to grab the rook when White can improve his pieces while taking the material at his leisure) 20...Bf8 21 Rd8 Ng7 22 Bh6 Bb7 23 Rd7 Bc8 24 Rdxf7 Bxc5+ 25 Kh1 Ra7 26 Rxa7 Bxa7 27 Rf6 1-0. 11 0-0 a6 12 Rc1 Rc8 13 Qb3 13 b3 to protect the pawn is also good for White. 13...Qa5? A typical move in this variation to activate the queen but the peculiarities of the position demand another course of action is required. 14 Nf5! (See Diagram) Spassky spots that the black queen can be trapped straight out of the opening. 14...gxf5 If 14...Qd8 to defend e7 then White is soon on top after 15 Nxg7 Kxg7 16 Qxb7 Rb8 17 Qxa6 Rxb2 18 c5 when White has an extra pawn. 15 Bb6 Nxf3+ 16 Bxf3 Qe5 17 exf5 Black has managed to avoid losing the queen by returning the sacrificed material but he has been left with a tough struggle. White has a strong pair of bishops and can continue to gain time by harassing the black queen. 17...Rce8 18 g4 Bh6 19 Rce1 Qf4 20 Be3 The queen has finally been hunted down by Spassky. 20...Qxe3+ 21 Rxe3 Bxe3+ 22 Kh1 Bg5 23 Qb6 h5 An attempt to conjure up some counterplay. 24 gxh5 Kh8 25 Ne4 Nxe4 26 Bxe4 Rb8 27 f6! A good way to bring the game to an abrupt finish. 27...Bxf6 If 27...exf6 then 28 Qxd6 Rfd8 29 Qg3+-. 28 Rxf6 exf6 29 Qd4 1-0 I.Zaja-M.Ankerst Bled 1998 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 f3 0-0 6 Be3 a6 7 Bd3 Nbd7 8 Nge2 c5 9 0-0 (See Diagram) 9...b6 Black's position is fairly solid but not very inspiring. In S.Savchenko-S.Matveeva, Rostov 1993, Black opted for 9...Rb8 which did little to help his position. There followed: 10 Qd2 cxd4 11 Nxd4 Nc5 12 Be2 Bd7 13 Rac1 Na4 14 Nxa4 Bxa4 15 b4 Nd7 16 f4 e5 17 Nb3 Bc6 18 Qxd6 exf4 19 Bxf4 Qb6+ 20 Kh1 Rbe8 21 b5! Re6 22 Qd3 Bxe4 23 Qxd7 Bxg2+ 24 Kxg2 Rxe2+ 25 Kh1 Rxa2 26 Rcd1 axb5 27 cxb5 Rb2 28 Rd6 Qa7 29 Ra6! Rf2 30 Rc1 bxa6 31 Qxa7 Rxf4 32 bxa6 Be5 33 Qe7 1-0 10 Qd2 The reason why this variation can so easily be recommended is that even if White is not sure of the exact continuation then general development is the right answer. 10...cxd4 11 Nxd4 Bb7 12 Be2 Re8 13 Rfd1 Both sides are content to manoeuvre their pieces to better squares. White has a slight edge thanks to his space advantage. 13...Rc8 14 Rac1 Qc7 15 a4 e6 Black volunteers to weaken the d-pawn but the idea is to find a way to lash out with ...d5. 16 Nb3 Bf8 17 a5 bxa5 18 Ra1 d5?! (See Diagram) Black should consider 18...a4 to make it awkward for White to install a knight on a5. 19 cxd5 exd5 20 Nxa5 Nc5 Black struggles on with a pawn deficit as 20...dxe4? 21 Nxb7 Qxb7 22 Bxa6 is easily winning for White. 21 Qd4 Nfd7 22 Nxb7 Qxb7 23 Nxd5 Nb3 The counterplay is a bluff as White has everything under control. 24 Bxa6 Qb8 25 Bxc8 Nxd4 26 Bxd7 Ne2+ 27 Kf1 Rd8 28 Kxe2 A rook and two pieces for the queen is generous compensation. 28...Qxb2+ 29 Kf1 Rxd7 30 Rab1 Rxd5 31 exd5 Qe5 32 Bg1 g5 33 d6 Bxd6 34 Rb8+! Bxb8 35 Rd8+ Kg7 36 Bd4 Qxd4 37 Rxd4 Bxh2 38 Ke2 Be5 39 Rd5 f6 40 Kd3 Kg6 1-0 "What is the best line for Black in the following opening: 1 e4 e5 2 f4 Nc6 3 Nf3 f5 4 d3." asks Tommi Kangasmaa (Finland). A look at the games stemming from 4 d3 have a familiar theme of Black obtaining a decent opening and then drifting. For example: M.Escudero-J. Martinez St.Feliu 1994 1 e4 e5 2 f4 Nc6 3 Nf3 f5 4 d3 Miles reckons that the position already offers equal chances. 4...d6 5 Nc3 Nf6 Black is steadily developing and there is no sign of White finding a weak link in the opening. 6 fxe5 dxe5 7 Bg5 Bb4! Black has emerged from the opening with an active position and pressure against e4. 8 Be2 Be6 An improvement is 8 ..fxe4! to threaten the e4 pawn and after 9 Bxf6 Qxf6 10 dxe4 Bxc3+ 11 bxc3 Qg6 Black is better. The game concluded: 9 0-0 0-0 10 Kh1 h6 11 Bxf6 Rxf6 12 exf5 Rxf5 13 Ne4 Qd7 14 c3 Be7 15 Qc2 Raf8 16 Ng3 R5f7 17 b4 a6 18 a4 b5 19 axb5 axb5 20 Qb2 Qd6 21 Ne4 Qd8 22 Rad1 Bf5 23 Ng3 Bh7 24 Qb3 Kh8 25 Ne4 Qc8 (25...Qd7!?) 26 Qd5! Qb7 27 Nxe5 Rxf1+ 28 Rxf1 Rd8 29 Nf7+ Kg8 30 Nxd8+ Kh8 31 Nxb7 Na7 32 Qe6 1-0 If you are thinking that hundreds of years of King's gambit theory has been destroyed there is still hope for White by trying another line. K.Walter-G.Goessling Bundesliga 1994 1 e4 e5 2 f4 Nc6 3 Nf3 f5 4 exf5 (See Diagram) The best way to test a gambit is to take it. 4...e4 5 Ne5 Nf6 In J.Gallagher- A.Wohl, Kuala Lumpur 1992 Black chose a critical line with 5...Nxe5 inviting both sides to enter complications where the kings give up the right to castle. There followed: 6 fxe5 Qe7 7 Qh5+ Kd8 8 d4 exd3 9 Bxd3 Qxe5+ 10 Kd1(Gallagher assesses this position as unclear in NCO) 10...Nf6 11 Qf3 Bc5 12 Nc3 d6 13 Bf4 Qd4 14 Kd2 Bxf5 15 Rhf1? (15 Bxd6!?) 15...Bxd3 16 cxd3 Kd7 and Black is better according to Miles. 6 d3 d5 7 dxe4 dxe4 Not 7...Nxe4?? when 8 Qh5+ wins. 8 Qxd8+ Nxd8 9 g4 Bd6 Black can make life awkward for White but cannot disguise the fact that the ending with a pawn less is lost. 10 h3 h5 11 Ng6 Rh7 12 Rg1 Walter has managed to secure the extra pawn and can now think about developing the queenside. 12...hxg4 13 hxg4 Bc5 14 Rg2 Nc6 15 Nc3 Nd4 16 Be3 Nf3+ If 16 ..Nxc2+ 17 Rxc2 Bxe3 18 Nb5 hits c7 and is winning for White. 17 Kf2 Bxe3+ 18 Kxe3 Rh3 19 Re2 Nxg4+ 20 Kxe4 Rg3 21 Kd5+ (See Diagram) The king goes on the attack! 21...Kd8 22 Rd1 Bd7 23 Re7 Nf6+ 24 Kc4 Rxg6 25 Rexd7+ Nxd7 26 fxg6 c6 27 Bh3 b5+ 28 Kb3 1-0 If after all this White is still confused then I can add that 1 e4 e5 2 f4 Nc6 is also well met by 3 Nc3. Finally, Bob Anzalone (USA) asks a question that is still tormenting chess players after hundreds of years. "I'm an amateur player and I'm trying out the King's Gambit for White. I know that it may not be the most popular opening currently but what are your thoughts? Is it played out or can you really win with this opening?" A gambit always incurs a certain amount of risk but it is still being played successfully in international tournaments. The only person that I know who has said the King's Gambit has been refuted is the acclaimed English novelist Martin Amis. However, I understand that his chess playing ability is not as good as his books.