Download PGN of February '11 1 e4 ... games
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Pirc/Modern Defence [B07]
I start the update with a look at Gallagher - Karim. Following 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Bg5 Bg7 Joe tried the interesting 5.e5 and after 5...dxe5 6.dxe5 Ng4 7.Qxd8 Kxd8 he went for the rare 8.0-0-0+!?:
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Objectively I believe Black can get out of the opening safely but he certainly has to be accurate.
Caro-Kann - King's Indian Attack [B10]
This is the first time I've looked at a game of my own on the Black side of the Caro-Kann. In Zygouris - Jones my opponent was surprised by my opening move and eventually thought for close to twenty minutes before continuing 2.d3 d5 3.Nd2 e5 4.Ngf3 Bd6 5.g3 Nf6 I feel Black already has comfortable equality. I managed to create a strong queenside initiative and following 17...c4!:
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White was in a lot of trouble.
Caro-Kann Advance 3...Bf5 [B12]
I now move onto the main meat of the update. Adams - Monroy saw Mickey adopting the Short Variation. In the following position:
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I really like Mickey's 10.b4! keeping Black very passive.
In Carlsen - Wang Hao the current world number one tried 4.Be3 which was very topical a few years ago. Following 4...e6 5.Nd2 Nd7 6.Ngf3 Bg6 7.Be2 Wang Hao opted for 7...Nge7 but 8.Nh4 gave White the better game.
The following position was reached after 23 moves:
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Can you spot how Carlsen finished off his opponent?
Returning to the Short Variation, Gashimov - Ivanchuk followed the topical 5...c5 variation. Gashimov showed impressive preparation and achieved a great initiative with a pawn sacrifice. Ivanchuk had a bad day and lost quickly. The final position highlights the dangers Black faces in this variation:
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The next couple of games focus on the 4.h4 variation. I start with another game of mine in which my generally well prepared opponent tried the unusual 4...Qb6!?. In Jones - Stokke I was happy with my creative play. In the diagrammed position:
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I played 8.e6! forcing Black to solve some concrete problems.
Nepomniachtchi - Nakamura was another battle fought in the 4.h4 variation. Nakamura opted for 4...h5 and the mainline but came up with the interesting novelty 7...Bg4!?:
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Which he says he believes is an idea of Karpov's
Larsen/Bronstein 5...gxf6 [B16]
Nigel Short has had a lot of success with offbeat lines and in Gopal - Short he outplayed the young Indian after 4..Nf6 5.Nxf6 gxf6 6.c3 Bf5 7.Nf3 Nd7 8.g3 Qa5!?:
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an unusual move with the idea of either exchanging queens or preventing White from castling. Nigel played a great game which is well worth checking out.
Classical Caro-Kann [B19]
Finally I investigate Wang Hao-Ponomariov, which followed a topical line in the 11.Bd2 line. I believe Black shouldn't have any major problems out of the opening but Ponomariov had an off-day and Wang Hao won easily. I have also incorporated a reader's question about 15...Re8.
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This is the position after 15.Nf5.
That's it for this month. I hope you have fun reading through the games and I'll be back again soon.
All the best, Gawain
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