B01

Scandinavian Defense 1
2...Qxd5 3.d4
Solak,D-Vukovic,Z/Herzeg Novi 2001 ;
The Scandinavian Defence became very popular A1c) 5...0-0-0 6.Be3 Nf6
in the last years and many strong players added is a transposition to the line 3...¤c6 4.
it to their opening repertory. The practice has ¤f3 ¥g4 5.¥e2 ¤f6 6.¥e3 0-0-0 afore
shown that Black is able to achieve a very solid analysed ( 6...e5 leads to the line 3...e5
set-up and has good chances to keep the 4.¥e3 ¤c6 5.¤f3 ¥g4 6.¥e2 0-0-0 );
balance. A2) 5.c4 Qh5 6.Be2 0-0-0 7.Be3 e5
( 7...e6 ) 8.d5 e4?! 9.Ng5 Bxe2
The line we give for White are very solid, their ( 9...Bb4+ 10.Nc3 Bxc3+ 11.bxc3 Bxe2
main goal being to avoid an active counter-play 12.Qxe2 Qxe2+ 13.Kxe2 Ne5 14.Bd4
of Black. In the most cases White gains a h6 15.Bxe5 hxg5 16.Bxg7 Rh7
minimal edge, but the real struggle is during the 17.Bd4± ) 10.Qxe2 Qxe2+ 11.Kxe2 Ne5
middlegame. 12.Nd2 Re8 13.Rhc1 ( 13.Ngxe4 Nxc4
14.Nxc4 Rxe4 15.Rac1² ) 13...h6
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 ( 13...f5 14.Bd4!± ) 14.Ngxe4±
Now, Black has 2 main options: 2...Qxd5 and 2... Guseinov-Stefanova, 1999 ;
Nf6. B) 4.Ne2!? e5 ( 4...Nf6!? 5.Nbc3 Qa5
6.d5? Nb4! ; 4...Bg4 5.Nbc3 Qa5 6.f3 Bh5
Qxd5 7.a3 e6 8.Be3² Donner-Goldinger, 2001 )
By playing this line, Black exposes his queen to 5.Nbc3 Bb4 6.Bd2 Bxc3 ( 6...Qd8 7.dxe5
the attack of Nb1 (after Nc3), but Nc3 will also Nxe5 8.Bf4² ) 7.Bxc3 exd4 8.Nxd4 Nxd4
embarrass the c-pawn to go ahead. 9.Qxd4 Qxd4 10.Bxd4± Nguyen Anh Dung -
We will treat a line that gained some popularity Nay Oo, 2004 ;
nowadays 3.d4. C) 4.Be3 e5 5.Nf3 leads to the line 3...e5 4.
¥e3 ]
3.d4 [
Black's task after this move is not so easy. C) 3...Nf6 4.c4!? ( 4.Nf3 Bg4 5.Be2 Nc6
White can fight for an opening advantage leads to the line 3...¤c6 4.¤f3 ¤g4 5.¥e2 ¤f6
without risking anything, but we must admit that afore analysed )
Black normally equalizes with an accurate play. A) 4...Qd8 5.Nf3² ;
However another advantage of this line is the B) 4...Qe4+ 5.Ne2 ( 5.Be3 Ng4 6.Nc3
possibility to avoid the more studied paths of the Nxe3 7.Nxe4 Nxd1= ) 5...e5 6.Nbc3 Bb4
systems arised after 3.Nc3. 7.Bd2 Bxc3 8.Bxc3
After the more frequently used 3.Nc3, Black can B1) 8...Nc6 9.dxe5 ( 9.d5 Ne7 10.b3 )
play two completely different systems: 3...Qa5 9...Nxe5 10.Qd4 Nxc4 11.Qxe4+ Nxe4
and the modern 3...Qd6. 12.Bxg7 Rg8 13.Rc1² ;
B2) 8...Nbd7 9.Qb1 Qxb1+ 10.Rxb1² ;
A) 3... e5 C) 4...Qa5+ 5.Bd2 Qb6 6.c5 Qe6+
Below are other alternatives for Black. ( 6...Qxb2 7.Bc3+- ; 6...Qc6 7.Nc3² ) 7.Be2
Nc6 8.Nf3 Qg4 9.Bc3 Qxg2 10.Rg1 Qh3
[B) 3...Nc6 11.d5© ]
A) 4.Nf3 Bg4 ( 4...e5 leads to the line 3... [
e5 4.¤f3 ¤c6 ) D) 3...Bf5 4.Nf3
A1) 5.Be2 ( 4.Nc3 Qa5 leads to the main line of
A1a) 5...e6 6.0-0 0-0-0 7.Be3 Nf6 Scandinavian Defence 3.¤c3 £a5 4.d4 ;
8.Nbd2 Be7 9.c4 Qf5 10.Qb3² 4.c4?! is not good now because of 4... Qa5+
Jonkman-Porth, 1992 ; 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Be3 Nb4 7.Rc1 Nxa2 8.Ra1
A1b) 5...Nf6 6.Be3 ( 6.c4!? ) 6...0-0-0 Nxc3³ ;
7.Nbd2 Qf5 8.0-0 h5÷ However, it is worth considering 4.Be3!? )
 2

4...Qe4+ 5.Be3 Qxc2 6.Qxc2 Bxc2 7.Nc3 7.Nf3 Nge7 8.Nbd2 Bg4 9.Bg3 0-0-0
( Worse is 7.Na3? Be4 8.Nb5 Na6 9.Rc1 10.Bd3 Nf5 11.h3 Nxg3 12.fxg3 Bxf3+
Bxf3 10.gxf3 c6 11.Nc3 Nc7³ 13.Nxf3 Rhe8 14.Kd2 Nxe5 15.Nxe5 Rxe5
Van Riemsdijk,H-Man Yee,C/Americana 1/2-1/2 Movsesian-Istratescu, 2003 ]
1999 ) [ 4.Nf3
7...c6 8.d5© ] A) 4...exd4 5.Qxd4 Qe6+!? ( 5...Qxd4
[ 6.Nxd4² ; 5...Nf6 6.Nc3 Qxd4 7.Nxd4² )
E) 3...c5 4.Nc3 ( 4.Be3 cxd4 5.Nc3 Qa5 6.Be2 ( 6.Be3 Nc6 7.Qa4 Bc5 ) 6...Nc6= ;
6.Qxd4² ) 4...Qxd4 5.Qxd4 cxd4 6.Nb5 Na6 B) 4...Nc6 5.Nc3 ( 5.Be3 leads to the line
7.Nf3 f6 8.Nfxd4 e5 9.Nb3² ] 3...e5 4.¥e3 ¤c6 5.¤f3 ) 5...Bb4 6.Bd2
[ Bxc3 7.Bxc3 e4 ( 7...exd4? 8.Nxd4 Nxd4
F) 3...g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.c4 ( 5.Be2 Nf6 6.0-0 9.Qxd4 Qxd4 10.Bxd4± )
0-0 7.Re1 Qd8 8.c4² Nun,J-Beckmann,K/ B1) 8.Nd2!? Nf6 9.Nc4 0-0 ( 9...Be6
Germany 1992 ) 5...Qd8 6.h3 Nf6 7.Nc3 0-0 10.Ne3 Qd7 11.Bb5 a6 12.Ba4 0-0
8.Be3² Movsesian,S-Pal,P/Hlohovec 1995 ] 13.Bxc6 Qxc6 14.Bb4 Rfe8 15.c4!ƒ
Rozentalis,E-Petrov,M/Athens GRE 2003 )
4.Be3 10.Ne3 Qd6 11.d5 Ne7 12.Bc4 Rd8
[ 4.Nc3 13.Qd4 c6 14.0-0-0² Zecevic-Muse,
A) 4...Qxd4 5.Qxd4 exd4 6.Nb5 2004 ;
A1) 6...Kd8 7.Nxd4² ; B2) 8.Ne5 Nxe5 9.dxe5 Ne7 ( 9...Be6
A2) 6...Bb4+? 7.Bd2 Bxd2+ 8.Kxd2² 10.Qxd5 Bxd5 11.0-0-0² Bratanov-
A2a) 8...Kd8 9.Nxd4 Nf6 10.Re1 Re8 Arnaudov, 2004 ) 10.Be2 ( 10.Qxd5 Nxd5
( 10...c5 11.Nb3 b6 12.Nf3² ) 11.Rxe8+ 11.Bd4 Nb4 12.Bb5+ c6 13.Ba4 Be6=
Kxe8 12.Bd3² ; Fernandez Garcia-Karpov, 2003 )
A2b) 8...Na6 9.Nxd4 Nc5 10.Re1+ 10...Be6= Kastelic-Djurkovic, 2003 ;
Ne7 ( 10...Be6 11.Nxe6 Nxe6 C) 4...Bg4 ]
12.Bc4² ) 11.Bc4 Bg4 12.Kc1 Rd8 4...Nc6
13.Ngf3 Kf8 (Negulescu-Ceteras, [ 4...exd4 5.Nc3 Bb4 ( 5...Qa5 6.Qxd4 Nc6
Romania 1996) 14.Re3!² ; 7.Bb5 Bd7 8.Qe4+ Be7= ) 6.Qxd4 Qxd4
A3) 6...Na6 7.Nxd4 Bd7!? with the idea 7.Bxd4² Gaponenko-Petrovic, 2004 ]
0-0-0= ; [ 4...c6 5.Nf3² ]
B) 4...Bb4 5.c4
B1) 5.Bd2 Qxd4 6.Nf3 Qd6 7.Nb5 [ 5.Nf3 Bg4 6.Be2 0-0-0 ( 6...exd4 7.Nc3
Bxd2+ 8.Qxd2 Qe7! ( 8...Qxd2+ 9.Kxd2 Bb4 8.0-0 Qh5 9.Nxd4 Bxe2 10.Ncxe2
Na6 10.Nxe5² Dolezal,R-Pfeifer,M/ 0-0-0 11.Nf4 Qxd1 12.Raxd1 Nge7= ) 7.Nc3
Klatovy 1994 ) 9.0-0-0 Bg4 ( 9...Nc6 ) Bb4 8.0-0 Bxc3 9.bxc3 e4 10.Nd2 Bxe2
10.Be2 Nc6 11.Qg5!? Qxg5+ 12.Nxg5 11.Qxe2² Gaponenko-Kizova, 2004 ]
Bxe2 13.Nxc7+ Ke7 14.Rd2 Rd8 [ 5.Ne2?! Bg4 6.Nbc3 ( 6.f3 Bxf3 7.Nbc3
15.Rxe2 Rd7 16.Nb5 f6= ; Bb4 8.Bd2 Bxc3 9.Nxc3 Bxd1 10.Nxd5
B2) 5.a3?! Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Nc6 7.Be3 0-0-0³ (Myers) ) 6...Bb4 7.dxe5 Qxe5ƒ
Nf6 8.Nf3 Bg4 9.Be2 Qa5³ ; (Wahls) ]
B3) 5.Nf3 Bg4 6.Be2 exd4 7.0-0! Bxc3 5...Qa5+
8.bxc3² Vasquez-Ruiz, 2003 ] [ 5...Bb4+?! 6.Nc3 Qa5 7.d5! Nce7
[ 4.dxe5 Qxd1+ ( 4...Qxe5+ 5.Be2 Bg4 ( 7...Bxc3+ 8.bxc3 Nce7 9.Qb3² Slavin,P-
6.Be3 Bxe2 7.Qxe2² ) 5.Kxd1 Nc6 6.Bf4 Christopher,H/IECC 2000 ) 8.Bd2 Ng6 9.a3
Bc5 ( 6...Bf5 7.c3 Nge7 8.Nf3 Ng6 9.Bg3 Bxc3 10.Bxc3 Qb6 11.b4² Vilic-Schwartz,
Bg4 10.Nbd2 Ngxe5 11.Be2 Bd6 12.Nxe5 corr.1994 ]
Bxe2+ 13.Kxe2 Bxe5 14.Bxe5 Nxe5= 6.Bd2
Moyses,Z-Cubas,J/Imperatriz BRA 2003 ) [ 6.Nc3? exd4 7.Bxd4 Be6 8.Be3 Nf6³ ]
 3

[ 6.Qd2? Qxd2+ 7.Nxd2 Nxd4∓ ] 12.Bxd5 exd5 13.Qxa7² Kindermann-

6...Bb4 7.d5 Bxd2+ Pirrot, 2004 ) 7...0-0 8.Bf1 c5 9.c4
[ 7...Nd4 8.Bd3 Bxd2+ ( 8...Nf6 9.Nc3 0-0 N5f6 10.Nc3 cxd4 11.Nxd4²
10.Nge2 Bg4 11.a3 Bxc3 12.Bxc3 Qb6 Jonkman-Fernandez Barre, 2000 ;
13.f3² ) 9.Qxd2 Qxd2+ 10.Nxd2 Nf6 11.Ne2 B2c) 5...a6 6.Be2 e6 7.0-0 c5 8.c4
Nxe2 12.Kxe2= ] N5f6 9.Nc3 cxd4 (Vasiukov-Hamid,
8.Qxd2! 1992) 10.Qxd4!? Bc5 11.Qh4² ;
[ 8.Nxd2 Nd4 9.Bd3 Nf6= ] B2d) 5...g6 6.0-0 Bg7 7.Re1 0-0
8...Qxd2+ 9.Kxd2 Nd4 8.Bf1 c5 9.c4 N5b6 10.a4 a5 11.d5²
[ 9...Nce7 10.Nc3 Bd7 11.Re1 f6 12.Bd3 Schmidt-Debald, 1994 ]
0-0-0 13.Nge2 Nh6 14.f4² ] [ 3...c6?! This pawn sacrifice doesn't yield
10.Nc3 f6 11.Re1 Ne7 12.f4!? exf4 13.Re4 Black enough compensation. White's pawn
Ndf5 14.Rxf4 Bd7 15.Bd3 (Varga-Savic, structure is very solid, while Black gains no
2002) 0-0-0 16.Nf3!? g5 17.Re4 Ng6 18.c5² signifiant lead in development. 4.dxc6
A) 4...Nxc6 5.Nf3 Bg4 6.h3 Bh5 7.0-0
( 7.Nc3 Qc7 8.Be2 e5 9.d3 0-0-0
B01 10.Bd2² Weltz-Mueller, 1994 ) 7...Qb6
Scandinavian Defense 8.Be2± Matsuura-Silveira, 2003 ;
2...Nf6 3.Bb5+ B) 4...bxc6 5.Bc4 e5 6.d3 Bc5 ( 6...Bg4
7.Ne2 Bc5 8.Nbc3 Nbd7 9.0-0 0-0
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 10.Kh1 h6 11.Bb3 Bb6 12.Na4 e4?
The most common reply, intending to capture 13.dxe4 1-0 Wittmann,W-Deutsch,L/Austria
the d5-pawn by the knight. Here we present a 1989 ) 7.Nc3 (White has other ways to fight
very interesting system that doesn't allow Black for an advantage, for example 7.Be3!?
to play actively in the opening. Bxe3 8.fxe3 Qb6 9.Qc1 Ng4 10.Ke2
Nxe3 11.Qxe3 Qxb2 12.Nf3 Qxa1
3.Bb5+!? An intermediate check that forces 13.Nxe5 0-0 14.Rf1‚ Mieses-Tartakower,
Black to put a piece on d7, thus embarrassing 1907 ;or 7.Nf3 Bg4 8.h3 Bh5 9.Nc3 Nbd7
Black's fight for the center. 10.g4 Bg6 11.Nh4± ) 7...Ba6 ( 7...Bg4
8.Nge2 Nbd7 9.0-0 0-0 10.Be3±
3... Bd7 Maier,C-Sandmeier,T/Germany 1993 )
[ 3...Nbd7 8.Bxa6 Nxa6 9.Nf3 Ng4 10.0-0±
A) 4.d4 Nxd5 ( 4...a6 5.Be2 Nxd5 6.Nf3 ; Leonhardt,P-Tartakower,S/Hamburg 1910 ]
4...g6 5.Nf3 Bg7 6.0-0 0-0 7.Re1² 4.Be2 This is the simplest way to fight for an
Saldano-Hunganski, 2004 ) 5.Nf3 ; opening advantage. White's plan consists in the
B) 4.Nf3 following stages:
B1) 4...a6 5.Be2 Nxd5 6.d4 b5 ( 6...g6 1) Building a solid set-up in the center with d4,
7.c4 N5f6 8.Nc3² Slovineanu-Kutnik, Nf3 and 0-0
1999 ) 7.0-0 e6 8.a4 b4 9.c4 bxc3 2) Removing Black's knight from d5 with c2-c4,
10.bxc3² Taylor-James, 2004 ; sometimes preparing the push c2-c4 with a3 in
B2) 4...Nxd5 5.d4 order to avoid the knight's jump to b4.
B2a) 5...c6 6.Bd3 g6 ( 6...N7f6 7.h3 3) Making use of the strong pawn center or the
Qc7 8.0-0 e6 9.c4 Nf4 10.Bc2² space advantage on the queenside.
Yudasin-Schneider, 2001 ) 7.0-0 Bg7 Normally Black tries to meet this plan by putting
8.Re1 0-0² White was only slightly pressure on White's pawn center, but with an
better in Movsesian-Orfalea, 2002 ; accurate play White is able to conserve his
B2b) 5...e6 is rather passive 6.0-0 Be7 strong central phalanx.
7.Re1 ( 7.c4 N5b6 8.c5 Nd5 9.c6 [The alternative 4.Bc4 leads to a sharp game
bxc6 10.Bxc6 Rb8 11.Qa4 0-0 where Black has an interesting counter-play. ]
 4

4...Nxd5 10.Na3 0-0= ;

[ 4...Bf5 5.Nf3 Nxd5 6.d4 leads by B) 8.Bb5 Bd6 9.Ne5 Ndb4!„ ;
transposition to the main line. ] C) 8.a3 Bd6 9.c4 Nf4 10.Bxf4 ( 10.d5
5.d4 Bf5 Nxe2+ 11.Qxe2 Nb8 12.dxe6 0-0
[Finachettoing the dark-sqaured bishop by 13.exf7+ Rxf7© ) 10...Bxf4 11.d5 Ne5
5...g6 is not a good solution in this position. ( 11...Ne7 12.Qd4 Bh6 13.g4÷ ) 12.Nc3
The other bishop embarrasses Black's normal 0-0= ]
development, thus emphasizing the idea of 3. [ 7...Bd6 8.c4
¥b5+. 6.c4 Nb6 7.Nc3 Bg7 ( 7...Bc8 8.Nf3 A) 8...Nb4 9.a3! Nc2 10.Ra2
Bg7 9.Be3 0-0 10.h3 Nc6 11.Qd2 e5 A1) 10...Nc6 11.d5 N6d4 ( 11...Ne5
12.d5 Na5 13.b3 e4 14.Nd4 c5 15.Nc2± 12.Nbd2² ) 12.Nxd4 Nxd4 13.Qxd4± ;
Moldovan,D-Hogea,C/Romania 1994 ) 8.c5 A2) 10...Nxd4 11.Qxd4 e5 12.Qe3 Bxb1
Nc8 9.Nf3 ( 9.Bf4 0-0 10.Bf3 Nc6 11.Nge2 13.Ra1 Bc2 14.c5 Be7 15.Qc3 Ba4
e5 12.dxe5 Nxe5„ Suetin,A-Lutikov,A/ 16.Nxe5² ;
Leningrad 1960 ; 9.d5!? c6 10.Qb3 b6 B) 8...Nf6 9.Qb3 Qc8 10.Nc3²
11.Bf3 0-0 12.Be3 cxd5 13.Bxd5 Nc6 Goh Wei Ming-Laylo,D/Mallorca 2004 ]
14.Rd1² Bronstein-Lutikov, 1960 ) 9...0-0 [ 7...c5 8.a3 Nd7 ( 8...Nc6 9.c4 Nf6 10.Be3
( 9...e6 10.Bg5 Ne7 11.Ne4² cxd4 11.Nxd4 Nxd4 12.Bxd4 Bd6 13.c5²
Honfi-Blachmann, 1991 ) 10.Be3 b6 Bednarski,J-Sydor,A/Lublin 1965/EXT 2001 )
(Kogan,A-Shrentzel,M/Israel 1990) 11.0-0² ] 9.c4 N5b6 10.Nc3 Be7 11.Be3²
[ 5...Nb6 This retreat invite White to play c4, Gavric-Filipovic, 2004 ]
but it is better to postpone it. 6.Nf3 ( 6.c4?! 8.a3 0-0
is strongly met by e5! with very good play for [ 8...Nc6 9.c4 Nb6 10.Nc3 Bg4 ( 10...0-0
Black ) 6...Bg4 7.0-0 e6 8.a4!? a5 9.Bg5 leads to the main line ) 11.d5! exd5 12.cxd5
Be7 10.Bxe7 Qxe7 11.h3 Bh5 12.Ne5 Bxf3 13.Bxf3 Ne5 14.Be4²
Bxe2 13.Qxe2² Pourkashiyan,A-Sikorova,O/ Savon,V-Dzindzichashvili,R/Gori 1971 ]
Mallorca 2004 ] 9.c4 Removing ¤d5 from his central position,
[ 5...Nc6?! This is already too much. Black White accomplishes the second part of his plan.
can't ignore the struggle for the center. 6.c4 Nb6
A) 6...Nb6 7.d5 Nb4 8.a3 Na6 9.Be3 [ 9...Nf6 10.Nc3 Ne4 11.Qb3 ( 11.Nxe4
( 9.Nc3 c6 10.Nf3 cxd5 11.cxd5² Bxe4= ) 11...Nc6 ( 11...Nxc3 12.bxc3² )
Ciganikova,A-Sarakauskiene,Z/Bratislava 12.Qxb7 Nxd4 13.Nxd4 Qxd4 14.Nb5²
1993 ) 9...e6 10.Nc3 Bc5 11.Nf3 ( 11.Bxc5 Fernandez Romero - Carrete, 2004 ]
Nxc5 12.Qd4 Qe7 13.Qxg7 0-0-0© ) 10.Nc3 Now White prepares the third part of his
11...Qe7 12.Nd4² Kashtanov-Anisimov, plan, gaining more space on the queenside. He
1998 ; still need to consolidate his pawn center by
B) 6...Nf6 7.Nf3 ( 7.f4!? e6 8.Nf3 Bb4+ playing h3 (avoiding ¥g4) and ¥e3.
9.Nc3 Ne4 10.Qc2 Nxc3 11.bxc3 Bd6 The critical position arises after Black plays ¤c6,
12.Bd3² Mrdja-Lazzaro, 2001 ) 7...Bg4 ¥f6 that is normally met by White's moves h3
( 7...e6 8.a3 Ne7 9.Nc3 Ng6 10.Ne5 Bd6 and ¥e3, the moves order being less important.
11.f4² Szylar,E-Boudier,E/Bethune 2001 ) [ 10.h3 Nc6 11.Be3
8.d5 Bxf3 9.Bxf3 Ne5 (Bosch,J- A) ¹11...Bf6 12.Nc3 ( 12.b4?! e5! )
Hoogendoorn,J/Rotterdam 1999) 10.Bf4 12...Qd7 13.b4 returning to the main line ;
Nxf3+ 11.Qxf3 e6 ( 11...Qd7 12.Nc3 e6 B) 11...Qd7 12.b4 a6 13.Qb3 Bf6
13.0-0-0!± ) 12.dxe6 Bb4+ 13.Nc3² ] 14.Rd1² Magomedov-Peek, 2001 ]
6.Nf3 e6 7.0-0 Be7 10...Bf6
[It is worth considering 7...Nc6!? that retains [ 10...Nc6 11.h3 Bf6 12.Be3 h6 ( 12...Qd7
the possibility to play either ¥e7 or ¥d6. 13.b4 leads to the main line ) 13.b4 a6
A) 8.Re1 Bd6 9.c4 Ndb4 ( 9...Nf4 10.d5 ) 14.Qb3 ( 14.Ra2² ) 14...Nxd4 15.Bxd4 Bxd4
 5

16.Rad1 e5 17.Nxe5 Qf6 18.Rxd4 Qxe5

19.Rfd1² Turov,M-Ivanov,J/Ubeda 2000 ]
XABCDEFGHY
11.Be3 Nc6 12.h3 Qd7
[ 12...Bg6 13.Ra2!?² This move has not been
8r+-+-trk+({
played yet. White prepares either b4, ¦b2 or 7zppzpq+pzpp'
b3, ¦d2. ( 13.b4 e5! Hamdouchi,H-Adianto,U/
Cap d'Agde 2002 )] 6-snn+pvl-+&
[ 12...h6 Preventing g2-g4-g5 that is possible
when Black plays £e7. 13.b4 ( 13.Ra2!?² )
5+-+-+l+-%
13...e5 ( 13...a6 14.Ra2² Hitzgerova,G-
Maslak,K/Olomouc 2002 ; 13...Qd7 14.Ra2² )
4-zPPzP-+-+$
14.d5 e4 15.Nd4 Nxd4 16.Bxd4 c6 17.Rc1 3zP-sN-vLN+P#
cxd5 18.c5! Nd7 19.Nxd5² Lim Yee Weng-
Wang,P/Victoria 2004 ] 2-+-+LzPP+"
[ 12...a5!? Preventing White's expansion on
the queenside. 13.b3 ( 13.Rc1 Qd7 14.c5
1tR-+Q+RmK-!
Nd5 15.Bb5 h6 16.Qa4 Rfd8 17.Rcd1 xabcdefghy
Nde7 18.Bf4² Ivanov,A-Strenzwilk,D/
Connecticut 2001 ) 13...e5 14.d5 e4 15.Nd4 manages to conserve it by tactical means. A
Nxd4 16.Bxd4 c6 17.Rc1 cxd5 18.c5! Nc8 very important manouevre is Ra2-d2 that often
19.Bxf6 Qxf6 20.Nxd5² N.Kosintseva- helps White to enforce the pawn d4 or to pin
Stjazhkina, 2003 ] Black's Bd4 after its capture on d4 in certain
[ 12...Qe7? 13.g4! Bg6 14.g5 Nxd4 15.gxf6! lines.
Nxe2+ 16.Qxe2 gxf6 17.Rad1+- This is the last fashion in this line. As the
Turov,M-Vlassov,N 2004 ] practice has shown, Black has difficulties to
[ 12...Na5!? achieve the equality.
A) 13.c5 Nd5! ( 13...Nbc4 14.Ra2! Nxe3
15.fxe3² ) 14.Qa4 Nc6 15.Qb3 Na5 13...Rad8
16.Qa2 Nxc3 17.bxc3 b6= ; [ 13...Rfd8
B) 13.b3 c5 A) 14.Qb3 Nxd4 15.Bxd4 Bxd4 16.Rad1
B1) Black has no problem after 14.Ra2 e5 17.Nb5 Be4 ( 17...Qe7 18.c5 Be6
cxd4 15.Bxd4 Nc6 16.Rd2 ( 16.Bxf6 19.Qc2 Nd5 20.Nbxd4 exd4 21.Nxd4 a5
Qxf6 17.Qc1 Rfd8= Kosteniuk,A- 22.Nxe6 fxe6 23.Bd3 axb4 ½-½ Tucci,A-
Strenzwilk,D/Philadelphia USA 2003 ) Buchaillot,L/IECG Email 2001 ) 18.Nxe5 Qf5
16...Nxd4 17.Nxd4 Bxd4 18.Rxd4 Qf6= ; 19.Nxf7 Qg6 20.Bg4 Bc2 21.Qa2 Bxd1
B2) 14.Rc1 cxd4 15.Bxd4 Nxb3 22.Nxd8 Bxg4 23.c5+ Kf8 24.Nxd4 Rxd8
( 15...Nc6 16.Bc5² ) 16.Qxb3 Bxd4 25.Qd2 Qf6 26.cxb6 cxb6 27.hxg4 Rxd4
17.Rcd1 e5 18.Nxe5! Qf6 19.Rxd4 28.Qc2² Pugh,J-Azevedo,J/ICCF Email
Qxe5 20.Rfd1 Rfe8 21.Bf3² ] 2001 ;
13.b4! Diagram B) 14.Ra2
[ 13.Rc1 Rfd8 14.c5 Nd5 15.Bb5 a6= B1) 14...Nxd4 15.Bxd4 ( 15.Nxd4 Bxd4
Sedina,E-Stefanova,A/Warsaw 2001 ] 16.Rd2 e5 17.Nb5 Be6 18.Nxd4 exd4
19.Rxd4² Lutikov,A-Gipslis,A/Dubna
1976 ) 15...Bxd4 16.Rd2² ;
(Diagram) B2) 14...a5 15.b5 Nxd4 16.Bxd4 Bxd4
17.Rd2 e5 ( 17...Bxc3 18.Rxd7 Rxd7
19.Qb3² ) 18.Nxe5 Bxf2+ 19.Rxf2 Qxd2
The critical position of this line. Despite of the 20.Qxd2 Rxd2 21.Rxf5
apparent fragility of his pawn center, White B2a) ¹21...Re8 22.c5 g6
 6

B2a1) 23.cxb6?! gxf5 24.bxc7 Rc2 18.Nxd4 exd4 19.Rxd4 Rxd4 20.Qxd4 Rd8
25.Bc4 Rxc3 ( 25...Kg7 26.Ne2 f6 21.Qc3² Polak,T-Buchnicek,P/Czechia 2004
27.Nf7!! Rxc4 28.Nd6+- ) 26.Bxf7+
Kf8 27.Bxe8 Kxe8 ( 27...Rxc7
28.Bh5± ) 28.b6 Ke7 29.Kf2 Ke6
30.Nf3 Kd7 31.Nd4 Rxa3∓ ;
B2a2) 23.Rf3 Rxe2 24.Nxe2 Nd5
25.Nxf7 Rxe2 26.Nd8 b6 27.c6 Re8
28.Nf7² ;
B2b) 21...Rc2 22.c5 Rxc3 23.cxb6
cxb6 24.Rf3?! ( 24.Bc4!± ) 24...Rc2?
( 24...Rac8² ) 25.Bc4± Kernazhitsky,L-
Buchnicek,P/Olomouc 2000 ]
[ 13...e5 14.d5 e4
A) 15.dxc6!? Qxd1 16.Bxd1
A1) 16...Bxc3 17.Rc1 Bb2 18.cxb7
Rab8 19.Nd4 Bg6 ( 19...Bxc1 20.Bxc1
Bg6 21.c5± ) 20.Rc2 Bxa3 21.c5 Nd5
22.c6 Bxb4 23.Ra2 a5 24.Bb3± ;
A2) 16...exf3 17.cxb7 Rab8 18.Rc1 fxg2
19.Kxg2 Bd3 20.Re1² ;
B) 15.Nd4 Nxd4 16.Bxd4² ]
14.Ra2
[ 14.Qb3!? Nxd4 15.Bxd4 Bxd4 16.Rad1 e5
17.Nb5 Qe6 18.Rfe1² Hait-Ulko, 1997 ]
14...Nxd4
[ 14...e5 15.d5 e4 16.Nd4 ( 16.dxc6 Qxd1
17.Nxd1 exf3 18.Bxf3 bxc6 19.Bc5 Bb1
20.Re2 Bd3 21.Bxf8 Kxf8= ) 16...Ne5
17.Qb3 Bg6 18.Rd2² Velicka,P-Buchnicek,P/
Tatranske Zruby SVK 2003 ]
15.Nxd4
[ 15.Bxd4 Bxd4 16.Rd2 e5 ( 16...Bxc3
17.Rxd7 Rxd7 18.Qb3 Bf6 19.Rd1 Rxd1+
20.Bxd1 Rd8 21.Bc2 Bxc2 22.Qxc2²
Hait-Romcovici, 1996 ) 17.Nxe5 Bxf2+
18.Rxf2 Qxd2 19.Qxd2 Rxd2 20.Rxf5 Rc2
21.c5 Rxc3 ( 21...Nc8 22.Rf3 Re8 23.Nxf7
Rexe2 24.Nxe2 Rxe2 25.Nd8² ) 22.cxb6
cxb6 23.Bc4² Kosintseva,N-Muzychuk,A/
Warsaw 2001 ]
15...Bxd4 16.Rd2 e5
[ 16...Bxe3 17.Rxd7 Rxd7 18.Qb3²
Kovalevskaya-Anisimov, 1999 ]
17.Nb5 Qe7
[ 17...c6 18.Nxd4 exd4 19.Rxd4 Qe7
20.Qd2 Rxd4 21.Qxd4 Rd8 22.Qc3²
Kun,G-Jamrich,G/Budapest 2001 ]
[ 17...Bxe3 18.Rxd7 Rxd7 19.Qb3² ]