Download PGN of December '09 Flank Openings games

Seasonal Bird [A02-03]

The first three games show the inherent flexibility of the Bird with both players able to construct their own patterns on the board.

Basman - Tal was a highly original affair with Basman making what looked like a Christmas tree and then missing several paths to victory.

I have fared less well with my own Bird experiments as you can see in Davies - de Vassal, but Malaniuk showed how it should really be done in his game against Thorfinnsson (Game 3). It helps to have played the Leningrad Dutch a lot because this gives players a solid understanding of the positions.

From Gambit [A02]

Many players fear the From Gambit (1.f4 e5 2.fxe5 d6) but perhaps there's no need to when it can be either accepted or declined.

In Grunberg - Kotronias Black comes up with 11...h6, which looks like a useful new move as it prevents Bg5-f6:

The attempts to use pure piece play for Black with 4...Nf6 or 4...Nc6 featured (respectively) in Dimitrov - Stojanovic and Taylor - Aigner and in both cases Black had problems with White's solid d2-d4 and e2-e3 construction.

There are also a couple of interesting ways to decline the From, 3.Nf3 dxe5 4.e4 being White's choice in Podinic - Sasu Ducsoara:

Chernyshov - Gorbunov featured 3.e6 instead:

I hadn't actually seen 3.e6 before preparing this update but it has been the choice of many strong players and leads to totally unexplored territory. If you want to play a chess game rather than 'theory' then this is a good way.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, Nigel Davies

e-mails

Please remember to point out and send your games to me. Drop me a line at the Flank Openings Forum, or subscribers can write directly to NigelDavies@chesspublishing.com.