Download PGN of December ’25 Flank Openings games
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Réti, Lasker System 2.g3 d5 3.Bg2 Bf5 4.c4 c6 [A11]
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 d5 3.Bg2 Bf5 4.c4 c6 5.Qb3 Qb6 6.d3 e6 7.Be3 Qxb3 8.axb3 a6 9.Nc3 Nbd7 10.Nd4 Bg6 11.cxd5 exd5 12.Nc2!:
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Diego Flores used the dark-squared grip plan known from the modern classic Wang Yue-Lu Shanglei 2015, in an Argentinian Championship game and methodically obtained positional domination until the game took a messy turn in Flores, D - Acosta, P.
Reversed Benoni 1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 e6 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 d4 5.0-0 Nc6 [A13]
After 1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 e6 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 d4 5.0-0 Nc6 6.d3 Bc5 7.Nbd2 0-0 8.Nb3 Be7 9.h3 the World Champion took a prophylactic approach in Gukesh, D - Nogerbek, K. The critical position arose after the further 9...e5 10.e3 dxe3 11.Bxe3 a5 12.d4:
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Black played too softly with 12...exd4?! 13.Nbxd4 (instead of the principled 12...e4! 13.Ne5 h5!) giving White a small but stable edge. The game went in a very good direction for White, but Black ultimately saved the day.
Keres System 2...c6 3.d4 exd4 4.Qxd4 Nf6 5.Bg2 Na6 [A20]
In another game from the Argentinian Championship, Perez Ponsa, F-Villanueva, M, after 1.g3 e5 2.c4 c6 3.d4 exd4 4.Qxd4 Nf6 5.Bg2 Na6 6.Nf3 Bc5 7.Qe5+ Be7 8.0-0 0-0 9.Nc3 Re8 10.Rd1 Bb4 11.Qf5 Black plunged into active play with 11...Bxc3 12.bxc3 Rxe2!?, with the intention of sacrificing an exchange by 13.Be3 Qe7 14.Qd3 Rxe3!:
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An interesting battle ensued, not without mistakes by both sides. Objectively the exchange sacrifice holds water.
Four Knights 3.e3 Nc6 4.Qb3 [A28]
In Mamedyarov, S - Kantor, G, White repeatead Fabiano Caruana’s opening innovation with 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.e3 Nc6 4.Qb3, but the game transposed to one of the classic lines of the Four Knights Variation after 4...a5 5.Nf3 Bb4 6.a3 Bxc3 7.Qxc3 Qe7 Instead of the active 8.b4, White chose the provocative path with 8.b3!? d5 9.cxd5 Nxd5 10.Qc2 e4 11.Ng1 0-0 12.Bb2 Bf5 13.f4!?:
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Black took up the gauntlet with 13...exf3!? 14.Qxf5 Nxe3. In an objectively equal position, Black failed to find the right follow-up, resulting in White’s win thanks to his extra material.
Four Knights 4.d4 exd4 5.Nxd4 Bb4 6.g3 Bxc3+ [A28]
Arjun Erigaisi never ceases to find little known ideas for an unbalanced game. The game Eirgaisi, A - Petrov, M will change the reputation of this line as totally harmless: 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.d4 exd4 5.Nxd4 Bb4 6.g3 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3 Na5 8.e4!?:
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The dynamic pawn sacrifice allows White to offset his structural weakness with active play and put pressure on the opponent. The line opens new avenues for practical tests.
Symmetrical English 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.d4 0-0 6.Nc3 d5 [A30]
In Rapport, R - Shankland, S, Richard Rapport, a frequent guest in our section over the last few motnhs, again showed that his Reti/English repertoire holds some venom: 1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.d4 0-0 6.Nc3 d5 7.dxc5 Qa5 8.0-0 dxc4 9.Qd4!:
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The position has simplifying tendencies, but Black’s opening problems are not solved trivially. Rapport managed to get a slight edge against usually extremely well prepared Shankland, but then a small inaccuracy made White unable to make the most of it.
Pure Symmetrical 5.d3 d6 6.Qd2 e5 [A36]
1.c4 g6 2.Nc3 c5 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 Nc6 5.d3 d6 6.Qd2:
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Ivanchuk, V - Shankland, S was a clash of ideas interesting both from the perspective of the opening phase, and the instructive endgame masterclass by Shankland.
Pure Symmetrical, Botvinnik System piece sac [A37]
1.Nf3 c5 2.c4 Nc6 3.Nc3 e5 4.g3 g6 5.Bg2 Bg7 6.d3 Nge7 7.h4!? h6 8.h5 g5 9.Nxg5!?:
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Yuffa, D - Aizeneberg, B featured this interesting sacrificial line, which leads to highly complex play and definitely deserves more tests. Neither side seemed ideally prepared for the resulting positions.
Until next month, Lukasz.
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