Download PGN of August ’25 1 e4 e5 games
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Petroff 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4 d5 6.Bd3 Bf5 7.0-0 Be7 [C42]
Top British GM Mickey Adams gave a model demonstration of White’s chances in this line in the recent English Championships. After 8.Re1 0-0 9.Nbd2 Nd6 10.Nf1 c6 11.Bf4 Bxd3 12.Qxd3 Na6:
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Here 13.h4!? is something interesting I have looked at previously, but after the normal 13.Ng3 the way Mickey slowly improved his position on the kingside is worth noting in Adams, M - Royal, S.
Petroff: 3.d4 Nxe4 4.Bd3 Nc6 [C43]
A very different line of the Petroff here, which continued with a critical line 5.Nxe5 Nxe5 6.dxe5 Nc5 7.Bc4 d6 8.Qf3 Ne6 9.exd6 Bxd6 10.Be3:
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I’m not a massive fan of this line for Black, although I mention two alternatives to the 10...0-0 of the game that seem a little more promising. White won a complex game in Kogan, A - Grove, P.
Scotch Game: 4...Bc5 5.Nf5!? [C45]
I don’t know what to add as the diagram position, as this move is not considered to be any good but was played by a 2500 player in Clarke, B - Okhai, S:
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Of course the ‘refutation’ must start with 5...d5! but in fact Black’s advantage at the end of all the complications is very small - modern engines tend to show that just about anything is playable. There was a big rating difference, although White’s win was still pretty comfortable in the end.
Two Knights: 4...Be7 5.0-0 0-0 6.a4 a5 [C55]
A slightly unusual combination of ...Be7 with ...a5 was played against my teammate in the recent Portugal Team Championship. After the obvious 7.Re1 d6:
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I would say that 8.Nc3!? might be the best way to exploit Black’s idea, whilst 8.Nd2 led to pretty normal positions where White eventually won after serious complications in Droin, A - Ferreira, J.
Spanish, Smyslov Variation 9...h6 10.d4 Re8 [C93]
We start looking at this line with White just trying to transpose to a Zaitsev with 11.a3. When this was declined with 11...Bd7, then 12.Nbd2 Bf8 13.Bc2 a5!? occurred:
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Here the key thing to note is that because of the weakened light squares on the kingside, ...a4 followed by ...Na5 is a big strategic threat. 14.a4!? avoided those problems in the game, but Black outplayed his opponent in the complications in Schitco, I - Eljanov, P.
Instead the way to take advantage of Black’s slow move ...h6 is 11.Nbd2 Bf8 12.Nf1, being in time to transfer the knight to g3. Then again we see 12...Bd7:
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Here I played the logical 13.Ng3 in Grieve, H - Martinez Duany, L when Black went for a different plan with 13...Na5 14.Bc2 c5 in Chigorin style. I always find any version of allowing d5 in this structure a little suspect though, and eventually won the game.
The very next day, White deviated with the slightly tricky 13.Bc2 in Albornoz Cabrera, C - Martinez Duany, L against the same opponent! This leaves Black little option other than 13...a5, which he then perfectly followed up with 14.a4 bxa4 15.d5 Nb8 16.Bxa4 c6! with decent counterplay, and he held a draw in the rook ending.
Finally we look at the way I would recommend to play this system for Black in the game Samant, A - Zoler, D. Black delays ...Bf8 with 11...Bd7 12.Nf1 a5!?:
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Things work out a little better for Black now if White responds with a4, whilst instead after 13.Bc2 a4 14.Ng3 Bf8 Black is ready with ...Na5. This is another very complicated structure, so I look at some sample lines to help unpack it.
Until next month! Harry
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