"Center Counter Defense, The Portuguese Variation" by Selby
Anderson, 1997 Pickard & Son, Paperback, Figurine Algebraic
Notation 95pp., $14.95 Reviewed by Glenn Budzinski

National Master Selby Anderson's "Center Counter Defense, The
Portuguese Variation" is nothing if not esoteric. Continuing with
the trend that is becoming more common in today's opening
literature, this work examines a specific variation within the Center
Counter (or Scandinavian) Defense, namely the line 1 e4 d5 2 ed5
Nf6 3 d4 Bg4, popularized by several Portuguese Masters. (See
Diagram)

This thin but comprehensive book consists of 95 pages, including
an Introduction, a detailed Index of Variations and Bibliography.
Each of the five chapters takes a look at a particular sub-variation.
Chapter One covers 4 Be2; Chapter Two focuses on 4 f3; 4 Nf3 is
the subject of Chapter Three; Chapter Four, 4 Bb5 and third move
variants for White are surveyed in the final chapter.

The main line given by "Encyclopedia of Chess Openings, Volume
B" (ECO) 1997 edition, variation B 01, is 4 f3, Anderson's Chapter
Two. John Emms also provides coverage of this move in his
excellent 1997 treatise "The Scandinavian" (see the review in The
Chess Cafe Archives). Evidently, the critical game in this line is
Lanka-Hauchard, Torcy 1991, won by White and cited by all three
sources.

Thus, after 4 f3, Black inevitably responds 4...Bf5, leaving White
with two choices: 5 c4 and 5 Bb5. Lanka-Hauchard continued 5
Bb5 Nbd7 6 c4 a6 7 Bd7 Qd7 8 Ne2 e6 9 de6 Qe6 10 b3. ECO
stops here, assessing a small advantage to White. Emms offers the
entire 30-move game, while Anderson follows it through move 19,
where he suggests what may be a significant improvement:
10...0-0-0 11 0-0 Bc5 12 Kh1 Bd4 13 Nd4 Qd7 14 Bb2 c5 15 b4
cd4 16 b5 ab5 (Emms believes that ...Rhe8 is Black's best,
followed by 17 ba6 ba6 18 Nd2 d3 19 Rb1 Re2 with a "finely
balanced position"; according to Anderson, White can do better in
this line with 18 Na3, which led to a White victory in a 1996
correspondence game) 17 Na3 bc4 18 Nc4 Kb8 19 Ba3. At this
point, Emms continues with 19...Qd5 of Lanka-Hauchard, but
Anderson posits that 19...Qe6 "not only holds on, but confers a
slight advantage to Black" as in Palac-Liardet, a 38-move draw
from 1997 Cannes (page 42).

Another conflict between Emms and Anderson occurs after 5 Bb5
Nbd7 6 c4 a6. White can now try 7 Ba4, a move which receives an
"!" from Anderson, as well as a claim by him that it "is the
refutation of 6...a6" (page 42). It is over Black's reply 7...b5 that
the two authors differ. (See Diagram) Emms gives 7...b5! 8 cxb5
Nb6 9 bxa6+ Nxa4 10 Qxa4+ Bd7 11 Qb3 Rxa6 "with plenty of
play", while Anderson recommends 7...b5 8 cb5 Nd5 and either 9
Nc3, 9 a3 or 9 Ne2, with the latter as, perhaps, the move of choice.
According to analysis by Anderson, White may be able to emerge
with an advantage after 9 Ne2 e6 10 0-0 Bd6 11 Nbc3 0-0 12 Nd5
ed5 13 ba6 Ra6 14 Bf4 Bf4 15 Nf4 Qg5 16 Nd5 Bh3 17 Rf2 Bg2
18 Rg2 Qd5 19 Bb3 Qd6 20 Rc1 (page 44).

Chapter Three deals with the 4th move option Nf3, described by
Anderson as the "classically correct move" (page 48). (See
Diagram) After 4...Qd5 5 Be2 Nc6 6 Nc3 Qf5, a critical position
for the entire sub-variation is reached. Now, 7 Be3 (considered to
be dubious by Emms) leads to Mortensen-Damaso, 1992
Debrecen, won by Black in 23 moves. However, both authors point
out that White has better in 7 d5 Nb4 8 Nd4 Be2 9 Qe2 Qd7 10 0-0
Nbd5 11 Nd5 Nd5 12 Rd1. Emms stops here and concedes that
although White cannot hold the d5 pawn "he does have some play
for it". Assessing the same position, Anderson offers a much
bolder pronouncement, stating that "White is richly compensated
for the pawn, while Black has a long, arduous defense ahead"
(page 57). He also provides the following additional analysis: 13
c4 Nb4 14 a3 Na6 15 b4 c5 16 Nf5 Qc7 17 b5 Nb8 18 Bb2 Rg8 19
Be5 Qc8, noting here that White has adequate compensation for
the pawn-minus. Apparently, 4 Nf3 may be a critical test of the
entire 3...Bg4 Portuguese Variation.

Of course, White can avoid the Portuguese in its entirety by
refraining from 3 d4. Often he chooses 3 c4, leading to the
complex, but interesting, Icelandic Gambit after 3...e6. After the
obvious 4 de6 Be6, there are two White choices, 5 d4 or 5 Nf3.
Anderson prefers 5 Nf3 and even awards it an "!" (Page 78). A
main line continues 5...Qe7 6 Qe2 Nc6 7 d4, when Black is
confronted with three options: 7...0-0-0, 7...Bf5 and 7...Ba4. Both
Emms and Anderson cite the game Grabics-Carvalho, Bratislava
1993, 8 d5 Nb4 9 Qe7+ Be7 10 Na3 0-0-0 11 Nd4 Bg6 12 Be2 c6,
considered to be equal by Anderson, but unclear by Emms (after 9
more moves.) Anderson, however, suggests that White play a3
rather than d5, giving 7...Bf5 8 Qe7+ Be7 9 a3 0-0-0 10 Be3 Rhe8
11 Nbd2 Ng4 12 h3 Ne3 13 fe3 Bf6 14 Kf2, when "White has
consolidated, and Black's compensation for the gambit pawn is
more elusive than ever" (page 86).

Although the book contains a detailed index of covered variations,
there is no index of players or games. Material consists mostly of
game fragments, many from the 1990s including 1997, plus
Anderson's own analysis and ideas, but few complete games. 

Kudos to Anderson for taking the time to prepare an extensive
bibliography, which includes 23 sources, plus "Inside Chess" and
"En Passant" magazine articles. Curiously, however, general
opening encyclopedias such as ECO are not listed.

If you're seeking an alternative defense against e4, especially if
you're already somewhat familiar with the Center Counter, the
Portuguese Variation may have merit. While this writer is seldom
enamored with opening books that are so narrow in scope that they
focus on only one particular variation, this is a work that could
make him reassess that view. Selby Anderson has put together a
concise, well-researched, objective accounting of a lesser-known
opening line and, by doing so, has made a strong case for the
variation's viability. It's unfortunate that the book's specialized
scope will probably limit its appeal to more experienced players
only, since Anderson's efforts are deserving of a much better fate.