[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2013.12.03"]
[Round "?"]
[White "1.b3 d5"]
[Black "Nimzo-Larsen Ideas for White"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "A12"]
[Annotator "Illingworth,Max"]
[PlyCount "111"]
[EventDate "2013.??.??"]
{We'll complete this mini-survey by examining 1...d5, which is the most likely
move to lead to normal positions that may be found in other openings.} 1. b3 d5
2. Bb2 Nf6 ({Against} 2... c5 {it is very important to play} 3. e3 (3. Nf3 f6
$1 {leaves White unable to prevent ...e5 and} 4. e3 e5 5. d4 cxd4 6. exd4 e4 7.
Nfd2 f5 8. c4 Nf6 {isn't good enough for White.}) 3... Nc6 (3... a6 {takes a
tempo out to stop Bb5+. But this isn't White only option and} 4. c4 (4. f4 Nc6
5. Nf3 {with two extra tempi on the Dutch would be my most serious suggestion.}
) 4... d4 5. exd4 cxd4 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. Bd3 $5 {is an interesting turbo-charged
Snake Benoni - White will play 0-0, Re1 and Be4 to put a lot of pressure on
the d4-pawn and develop quickly.}) 4. Bb5 {I think White should play this
before Black can play ...a6.} (4. f4 Nf6 5. Nf3 g6 6. Bb5 Bg7 7. Bxc6+ bxc6 8.
O-O O-O 9. d3 (9. Nc3 {intending Na4 to attack the weak c5-pawn was correct,
when the engine says the position is equal but I would find White's position
much easier to play in an OTB game.}) 9... d4 {Now ...Ng4 or ...Nd5 is coming,
and White has problems.} 10. e4 Ng4 11. Nbd2 Ne3 12. Qe2 Nxf1 13. Rxf1 Ba6 14.
a4 Qd6 15. g3 c4 16. bxc4 c5 17. Ba3 Rfc8 18. Nb3 Rc6 19. e5 Qc7 20. Ng5 f6 21.
Ne4 fxe5 22. fxe5 Qxe5 23. Bxc5 Rd8 24. Bxa7 Bb7 25. Qf2 Rf8 26. Qxd4 Rxf1+ 27.
Kxf1 Qf5+ 28. Qf2 Ra6 29. Bc5 Bxe4 30. dxe4 Qxe4 31. Nd2 Qh1+ 32. Qg1 Rf6+ 33.
Ke2 Re6+ 34. Kd1 Qa8 35. Bd4 Bxd4 36. Qxd4 Qh1+ {0-1 (36) Karjakin,S (2775)
-Bologan,V (2681) Beijing CHN 2012}) 4... Bd7 {(else White can take on c6 and
make use of his superior pawn structure in Nimzo style)} 5. f4 Nf6 6. Nf3 e6 7.
O-O {and we reach a normal position we'll consider later.}) (2... Bg4 {is a
move designed to nuisance White by preventing e3. White has a lot of options
but I'll show just two:} 3. Nf3 (3. h3 Bh5 4. g4 Bg6 5. d3 f6 6. f4 (6. e3 e5
7. Bg2 {with an unusual Hippo seems best. While I wouldn't say White is better,
Black has played some fishy moves and with Nd2, Ne2-g3 and Qf3 White has very
easy play.}) 6... e5 7. e3 Bd6 8. f5 Bf7 9. Bg2 Ne7 10. c4 c6 11. Nc3 Nd7 12.
Nf3 b5 {isn't a very helpful example, 1/2-1/2 (12) Petrosian,T (2649)
-Blagojevic, D (2524) Golden Sands BUL 2013}) 3... Bxf3 4. exf3 e6 5. g3 Nf6 6.
Bg2 Be7 7. O-O O-O 8. f4 c5 9. d3 Nc6 10. Nd2 Qd6 11. Nf3 {White seems a bit
better here because of his bishops and strong control of e5. In the game he
goes on to play c3 and d4 and just clamp down on Black's position to good
effect.} Nd7 (11... d4 $5 {is interesting to block the b2-bishop's potential
but this also gives the g2-bishop a beautiful diagonal.}) 12. Qd2 Bf6 13. c3 b5
14. d4 b4 15. cxb4 cxb4 16. Rfc1 Rfc8 17. Bf1 Ne7 18. Bb5 Nf8 19. Ne5 Qb6 20.
Bd3 g6 21. Rc5 Bxe5 22. Rxc8 Rxc8 23. fxe5 Nf5 24. Be2 Qd8 25. Qxb4 f6 26. Qd2
fxe5 27. dxe5 Nd7 28. Rc1 Rc5 29. g4 Nh4 30. Rxc5 Nxc5 31. f3 Qf8 32. Qe3 Nd7
33. Kf2 Nc5 34. Kg3 g5 35. Qxg5+ Ng6 36. h4 Nd7 37. h5 Qc5 38. hxg6 Qg1+ 39.
Kf4 d4 40. gxh7+ {1-0 (40) Artemiev,V (2554)-Bodek,M (2386) Chongqing CHN 2013}
) 3. e3 (3. Nf3 {may also be played, transposing to 1.Nf3 d5 2.b3 lines.}) 3...
g6 {This has been Black's most common response of late, treating the position
in Grunfeld style, but personally I'd be very happy to face this as White.} (
3... Nbd7 4. Nf3 g6 {avoids the doubling of Black's pawns with Bxf6, but} 5. c4
dxc4 6. bxc4 Bg7 7. Be2 (7. d4 $5 O-O 8. Nc3 {is also possible.}) 7... O-O 8.
O-O c5 9. d3 b6 10. Nbd2 Bb7 11. Qc2 Qc7 12. Rfd1 Rfe8 13. Bc3 {I think White
can claim a small edge because of his central majority. He can also play a4-a5
to exchange the a-pawns and leave Black with one more pawn island.} e5 14. Qb2
Bc6 15. a4 Rab8 16. Ra3 h6 17. Qa1 Nh7 18. a5 Nhf8 19. h4 Ne6 20. axb6 axb6 21.
h5 g5 22. Ra7 (22. Ne4 {intending Ng3 would have been quite strong here.})
22... Rb7 23. Rxb7 Bxb7 24. Ne4 f5 25. Ng3 Rf8 26. Nd2 g4 27. e4 Nf4 28. Bf1
fxe4 29. Ndxe4 Bc6 30. Re1 Qd8 31. Re3 Qh4 32. Qa7 Ne6 33. Qa1 Nd4 34. Qd1 Nf6
35. Nxf6+ Qxf6 36. Qd2 Qf4 37. Ne4 Qf5 38. Ng3 Qg5 39. Re1 Qxd2 {1/2-1/2 (39)
Artemiev,V (2560)-Mamedov,R (2641) Baku AZE 2013}) (3... c6 4. f4 {looks like
a pretty good Bird's Opening once again as Black wouldn't normally play ...c6,
and} Bf5 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. h3 h6 7. Nc3 e6 8. g4 Bh7 9. Bg2 (9. Qe2 {and 0-0-0
would be my preference.}) 9... Bd6 10. d3 O-O (10... e5 $1 11. fxe5 Nxe5 {
would be quite good for Black.}) 11. Qd2 e5 12. O-O-O d4 13. exd4 exf4 14. g5
hxg5 15. Nxg5 Nh5 16. Nxh7 f3 17. Bxf3 Bf4 18. Nxf8 Ndf6 19. d5 Kxf8 20. dxc6
bxc6 21. Bxc6 Rc8 22. Bb7 Rc7 23. Ba6 Nd7 24. Bc4 Nb6 25. Qxf4 Nxf4 26. Kb1
Nxc4 27. dxc4 Rd7 28. a4 Rxd1+ 29. Rxd1 Qc8 30. Nd5 Ne6 31. Ba3+ Ke8 32. Ne7
Qb7 33. Rd5 Nc7 34. Nf5 {1-0 (34) Jobava,B (2710)-Ma Qun (2534) Fujairah City
UAE 2012}) (3... c5 4. Nf3 Nc6 (4... e6 5. c4 Nc6 6. cxd5 exd5 7. Be2 Bd6 8.
O-O O-O 9. d4 cxd4 10. Nxd4 {is another way to play the position. Black isn't
at all worse here but depending on his repertoire may not be that comfortable
with an IQP.}) 5. Bb5 Bd7 (5... e6 6. Ne5 Qc7 7. f4 Bd6 8. O-O O-O 9. Bxc6 bxc6
10. d3 {with ideas of Rf3-h3(g3) is already dangerous for Black.}) 6. O-O e6 7.
Bxc6 (7. c4 $5 {is also interesting, getting into a Reti-style position.}) 7...
Bxc6 8. Ne5 Rc8 9. d3 Be7 10. f4 O-O 11. Nd2 {and while objectively Black is
okay, White has a very easy plan of attacking on the kingside and Black must
defend accurately to maintain the balance.}) 4. c4 {I quite like this move,
intending to take on d5 and reach a Grunfeld position without Black getting
pressure against White's centre.} (4. Bxf6 exf6 5. d4 {is possible if you
understand Trompowsky positions as White, but in this exact position} c5 $1 {
attacking the d4-pawn is a bit annoying.}) 4... Bg7 (4... c6 5. cxd5 cxd5 6.
Bb5+ Bd7 (6... Nc6 7. Bxc6+ bxc6 8. Qc2 {also leads to interesting play with
pressure against the c6-pawn, though Black has the two bishops in return.}) 7.
Bxf6 exf6 8. Bxd7+ Nxd7 9. Ne2 {Now White has exactly what he wants: pressure
against the isolated d5-pawn and the better minor pieces.} Bd6 10. Nbc3 Nb6 11.
h4 h5 12. Qc2 Rc8 13. Qd3 Be5 14. a4 Rc7 15. a5 Na8 16. Qb5+ Rd7 17. d4 a6 18.
Qa4 Bc7 19. Nxd5 Bxa5+ 20. b4 Bc7 21. Nec3 f5 22. g3 Kf8 23. Qb3 Kg7 24. b5
axb5 25. Qxb5 Nb6 26. Nxb6 Bxb6 27. O-O Re8 28. Rfb1 Rd6 29. Ne2 Re4 30. Nf4
Kh7 31. Nxh5 Bc7 32. Nf4 Rdxd4 33. exd4 Bxf4 34. gxf4 Qxh4 35. Qb3 Qxf4 36.
Qxf7+ Kh6 37. Rb3 {1-0 (37) Rapport,R (2693)-Papadimitriou,A (2232) Athens GRE
2013}) (4... dxc4 5. Bxc4 Bg7 6. Nf3 O-O 7. O-O c5 {is also a far from silly
approach by Black. After} 8. d4 cxd4 9. Nxd4 Bd7 10. Nd2 Nc6 11. N2f3 (11. Rc1
{might keep a nibble; if} Ne5 12. N4f3 Nxc4 13. Nxc4 {it's not so easy for
Black to complete his development.}) 11... Qa5 12. a3 Nxd4 13. Bxd4 Bb5 14. b4
Qa6 15. Bxb5 Qxb5 16. a4 Qf5 17. Rc1 Rfc8 {Black was completely fine and held
the draw comfortably.} 18. Rxc8+ Qxc8 19. Qa1 Ne8 20. Rc1 Qd7 21. Bxg7 Nxg7 22.
Ne5 Qd6 23. h3 Qxb4 24. a5 Ne6 25. Ng4 f6 26. a6 Rb8 27. f4 Kg7 28. Rd1 Nc5 29.
axb7 Rxb7 30. Kh2 Qb2 31. Qa5 Qe2 32. Rd2 Qe1 33. Nxf6 Qxe3 34. Nd5 Qe1 35.
Qc3+ Kf7 36. Ne3 Qg3+ 37. Kxg3 Ne4+ 38. Kf3 Nxc3 39. Rd3 Rc7 40. Nd5 Nxd5 41.
Rxd5 Ke6 42. Ra5 Kd6 43. Kg4 Kc6 44. Ra1 Kb5 45. Rb1+ Kc6 46. Ra1 Kb5 47. Rb1+
Kc6 {1/2-1/2 (47) Short,N (2680)-Meier,G (2623) Warsaw POL 2013}) 5. Nf3 (5.
cxd5 O-O 6. Nf3 Qxd5 7. Be2 (7. Nc3 Qd8 8. d4 {is an obvious try, but} c5 9.
dxc5 Qa5 {gives Black good counterplay.}) 7... c5 8. O-O ({I would prefer} 8.
Nc3 Qd8 9. O-O Nc6 10. Rc1 b6 11. d4 cxd4 12. Nb5 Bb7 13. Nfxd4 Nxd4 14. Qxd4
a6 (14... Qd5 15. Qxd5 Nxd5 16. Bxg7 Kxg7 17. Bf3 {also gives White light
pressure, though it's completely manageable after} Rfd8 {.}) 15. Nc7 Rb8 16.
Bxa6 {Now it is a trainwreck for Black.} Bxa6 17. Nxa6 Ra8 18. Nb4 Qxd4 19.
Bxd4 Ne4 20. Rfd1 b5 21. f3 Bxd4 22. Rxd4 Nd6 23. e4 Rfc8 24. Rdd1 f6 25. Kf2
Kf7 26. Ke3 g5 27. Kd2 g4 28. Ke3 h5 29. Kf4 gxf3 30. gxf3 Ke6 31. Nd5 Ne8 32.
Rxc8 Rxc8 33. a4 bxa4 34. bxa4 Rc2 35. Ra1 Rxh2 36. a5 Kd6 37. a6 Ng7 38. a7
Ne6+ 39. Kg3 {1-0 (39) Artemiev,V (2524)-Riazantsev,A (2708) Khanty-Mansiysk
RUS 2013}) 8... Nc6 9. d3 b6 10. Nbd2 Bb7 11. a3 {(this Hedgehog setup doesn't
seem so effective when Black hasn't played ...e5, but it works well in the
game)} Rad8 12. Qb1 a5 13. Nc4 Nd7 14. e4 Qh5 15. Bxg7 Kxg7 16. Qb2+ Kg8 17.
Nfe5 Qh4 18. Nxd7 Rxd7 19. Nxb6 {was already winning for White, but Black went
on to swindle the game.} Rc7 20. Nd5 Rd7 21. Rac1 Nd4 22. Rxc5 Nxe2+ 23. Qxe2
Bxd5 24. exd5 Ra7 25. Rfc1 Qd4 26. Qe3 Qxe3 27. fxe3 Rb7 28. R1c3 Rfb8 29. Rc8+
Rxc8 30. Rxc8+ Kg7 31. Rc3 Kf6 32. Kf2 Ke5 33. Kf3 Kxd5 34. d4 Kd6 35. e4 f6
36. Ke3 Rb5 37. Kd3 Rh5 38. h3 Rg5 39. g4 h5 40. d5 hxg4 41. hxg4 Rxg4 42. Rc6+
Kd7 43. Ra6 Rg3+ 44. Kc4 Re3 45. Rxa5 Rxe4+ 46. Kc5 g5 47. a4 Re3 48. Ra7+ Ke8
49. b4 g4 50. Ra8+ Kf7 51. Rh8 Rh3 52. Rd8 g3 53. Kd4 {0-1 (53) Jobava,B (2711)
-Kamsky,G (2762) Beijing CHN 2012}) 5... c6 6. Be2 O-O 7. O-O {I think this
version of the Schlechter is no worse than the normal version with White
having played d4 and Nc3 instead of b3/Bb2. In many lines the White position
is more flexible after d3.} Nbd7 (7... Bg4 8. d3 Bxf3 9. Bxf3 Nbd7 10. Nc3 e6
11. Rc1 {would also slightly favour White.}) 8. d3 Re8 (8... b6 9. Nbd2 Bb7 10.
Rc1 {is also easier for White, though as usual Black keeps a solid and
flexible position. White may contemplate e4 after Qc2 and Rfd1 to make inroads
in the centre.}) 9. cxd5 (9. Nbd2 e5 10. cxd5 cxd5 11. Rc1 {with ideas of
playing in Reti-style with Rc2, Qa1 and Rfc1 would be my preference.}) 9...
cxd5 10. Nc3 (10. d4 $5 {loses a tempo, but Black's pieces are very misplaced
in this structure and this could give White enough for some initiative.}) 10...
e5 11. Rc1 (11. d4 e4 12. Nd2 {brings the game to a French Defence pawn
structure, but it's hard to say in whose favour it is.}) 11... a6 12. b4 b6 (
12... Nb6 {instead seems rather comfortable for Black as it isn't easy to put
pressure on Black's centre without playing d4.}) 13. d4 e4 14. Nd2 h5 15. Qb3
Nf8 16. b5 Ne6 17. Rc2 Bf8 18. Rfc1 Bd6 19. Ba3 Bc7 20. h3 a5 21. Na4 Rb8 22.
Rc6 Bd7 23. R6c3 Rb7 24. Kf1 Bb8 25. Ke1 Ng7 26. Kd1 Nf5 27. g4 hxg4 28. hxg4
Ne7 29. g5 Ng4 30. Kc2 Nxf2 31. Rf1 Bg3 32. Kb1 Be6 33. Bc1 Bh4 34. Qc2 Nf5 35.
Nb3 Nd3 36. Bxd3 exd3 37. Qxd3 Ng3 38. Rf3 Bf5 39. Rxf5 Nxf5 40. Rc6 Bxg5 41.
Kb2 Bxe3 42. Bxe3 Rxe3 43. Qd2 Qe8 44. Nc3 Re6 45. Nxd5 Rxc6 46. bxc6 Qxc6 47.
Nc3 Rd7 48. a4 Nd6 49. Qd3 Re7 50. d5 Qc4 51. Qxc4 Nxc4+ 52. Kc2 Nd6 53. Nd4
Kf8 54. Kd3 Ke8 55. Nc6 Re1 56. Kd4 {0-1 (56) Nevednichy,V (2590)-Iordachescu,
V (2614) Kozloduy BUL 2013 Summary; The evaluation for these lines is similar
to that from last week, but I think White's chances for an edge are somewhat
higher after 1...d5 compared to the lines with 1...e5. My preference for Black
would probably be simple chess with ...Nf6, ...c5 and ...Nc6 but White has a
lot of attacking ideas in that middlegame which are well known from the
Rubinstein Nimzo-Indian. I should add that for optimal results in this system,
it is advisable to know how to play the typical middlegame positions with
reversed colours, such as the Dutch Defence and Nimzo-Indian. In any event,
good luck with your games in this system!} * 