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Hi everybody,
This month is the last time you will get my update in the middle of the month! From now on you will always get it on time, which will be better for every subscriber. This means that the April update will be coming pretty soon! :)

First of all this month I will look at 3...g6 and 3...Bc5 in the Ruy Lopez. You will also get my opinion about every principal Schliemann/Jaenish line -this should interest quite a few of you. I hope you will enjoy it and that I manage to answer some of those questions you ask yourself on this opening.

In the second part we will finish the article I started last month on the Four Knights. Olivier


Download PGN of March '06 1 e4 e5 games


Latest news at the highest level

1) The game Karjakin - Govciyan gave me the opportunity to give my opinion of the Ruy with 3...g6:

2) The rapid game Morozewitch - Aronian (played recently in the Amber Tournament) was an occasion for me to refresh my memory of the Schliemann/Jaenish Gambit:

It took me a long time and it is rather dense. Have a look as there are some really fantastic positions!!

3) The game Kosteniuk - Onishuk features an improvement on what used to be the pet line of Leko a few years ago, 13 e5!?:

Alexandra's play in the early middlegame was brilliant!


2) New ideas

1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 d4 Bb4!?

C) 5...Qe7

This line leads to very solid positions where Black tries to equalize without provoking waves:

We will further sub-divide this into two parts:

C1) White play 6 Nxc6 and may obtain a slightly better position, as happened in the game Rublevsky - Svidler.

C2) White plays for the kill with 6 Qd3! as in the game Rublevsky - Onishuk:

Here White can really claim an advantage. The attack played by Rublevsky here is simply perfect.


D) 5...0-0

This is the best line for Black and the most exciting one. Black plays "à la Morphy" and sacrifices a pawn for quick development. I believe that it is the only way for Black to get a full equality:

From the diagram position the best continuation for White is 6 Qd3 Re8 7 Bd2. Now Black has two ways to play sharply.

D1) 7 ..d5

This lead to an extremely sharp struggle where White seems to have the better chances according to my analysis:

However, there might be some improvements, I am counting on you! This is illustrated by the game Yurtaev - Kochyev.

D2) 7...Nxd4

This move was supposed to be refuted but I have found an amazing idea that brings easy equality after some hair-raising complications. You really must have a look at the nice game Rade - Azarov!


3) Analysis and Errata

a) Correction of some previous analysis. After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 b5 6.Bb3 Bb7 7.d3 Bc5 8.Nc3 0-0 9a4 Na5 10axb5 Nxb3 11cxb3 axb5 12 Rxa8 Bxa8 13 Nxe5 d5 15 Bg5 dxe4 16 dxe4:

In my last update I said something wrong here and now is the time to correct it - see Errata.

b) A fantastic position coming from the analysis hidden in the game Nadhyranov-Safin, should Black try 15...axb4!? instead:

In this position White wins, it is simply amazing, see Analysis. Thanks to Phil Adams who suggested this pretty idea.


Thanks for reading, and see you soon.

Olivier Renet


Please post your Kingpawn Opening queries on the 1 e4 e5 Forum, or subscribers can write to me at Olivier@chesspublishing.com if you have any questions.