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It's so nice to do something different for a change, so when Eric suggested that we swapped sites for a month I jumped at the chance.

I'll start my update with some critical play in the Trompowsky, since this is apparently what the crowd demands.


You can download the January '06 d-pawn specials games directly in PGN form here: Download Games


Trompowsky [A45]

And what could be more critical than the position after 1 d4 Nf6 2 Bg5 Ne4 3 Bf4 c5 4 f3 Qa5+ 5 c3 Nf6 6 d5 Qb6 7 e4!? Qxb2 8 Nd2 Qxc3 9 Bc7!:

, as this is has become one of the main battlegrounds since Eric annotated Chernyshov-Grischuk, and there is a new idea for Black contained within Pavlovic-Alexsandrov. I'm not sure what to think about White's fantastic idea, other than that it appears to be working at the moment! If that is true, it's a most important new development.

Rivero-Mirzoev is another Tromp, where Black essays the solid 2...e6 and follows up with the unusual 6...Qg6!?:

If White responds woodenly, he gets nothing and so it is fascinating to see how Rivero's gambit 7 Nf3 works out.



London System [A45 & D02]

We follow with Ponomariov vs Fritz, another remarkable duel where the computer plays like a human, mistakes and all! It is rare to see a machine falter on the brink of victory, but it happens here!

Drahutin Sahovic passed away recently, which is a great loss to chess .His original games contributed a great deal to the ongoing legacy of chess. I present a small tribute here , which in its own way paints a very favourable portrait of the London System. Check out White's dream position after 10 Qh3:

See Game six.



Blackmar-Diemer [D00]

Moving swiftly to the Blackmar-Diemer I get caught up for an instant in the propaganda and we take a look at an entertaining White win. Trumpf-Vignioli features the sharp 8 Qe1:

after which Black has only one really good move, but fails to find it in the game. Where the BDG is concerned, we have been there before I think.



Barry Attack [D00]

The Barry Attack is still b***********g away at full volume. Despite several good ways for Black to counter, Sulava-Brkic provides a further method for the second player which is not so good. Check out White's big edge after 14 Qd2!



Colle-Zukertort [D05]

Then I close my adventure into foreign territory with Ostojic-Todorovic, a combative Colle-Zukertort. Black equalizes well enough but in the end gets downed by a fine attack. 28 Rfe1!!:

is particularly good.




Well, that's about it. Nice to make your acquaintance, if only briefly and I wish you all the best, Andy