ForumHelpSearchMy ProfileSite InfoGuests InfoRepertoireLinks
I'm taking over from my former student Gawain for a few months while he is busy playing chess - congratulations to him on his Commonwealth success!
I do hope that my work with Chess Publishing will help enthusiasts and serious chess players to improve their 1 e4 ... knowledge and to ultimately achieve better results.
In this July update I will mainly focus on the Caro-Kann which is no surprise as this opening is gaining more and more popularity in each top level chess tournament. The Pirc and Alekhine also found their way onto this update.

Download PGN of July '11 1 e4 ... games

>> Previous Update >>


Caro-Kann Defence Advance 3...Bf5 4 h4 [B12]

I decided to comment on two games starting in the position after 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.h4 h5 5.c4 e6 6.Nc3 Ne7 7.Nge2:

Here the games differ: in Aleeksev - Shimanov Semifinal Russia 2011, Black played Karpov's idea 7...Bg4, while in Aleeksev - Khairullin Semifinal Russia 2011, he preferred 7..Nd7.

In my opinion both games are very interesting, and in both White had pressure.

I also analyzed the following position from the Shirov-Anand match, with (1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.h4 h5) 5.Bg5:

Anand came well prepared and took the initiative at an early stage, see Shirov - Anand Leon Masters (5) 2011.


Advance 3...Bf5 4 g4 [B12]

The next example is also from the Shirov - Anand match (3) where Shirov tried the really sharp line 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.g4:

but again Shirov failed to even equalize with white.


Advance 3...Bf5 Short Variation [B12]

The next two games involve another set up in the advanced Caro, 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 c5 6.Be3 cxd4 7.Nxd4 Ne7 8.Nd2 Nbc6 9.N2f3 Be4 10.0-0 Ng6:

Both games reached this position but in both White had nothing from a theoretical point of view. See Fier - Ducarmon Enci Limburg 2011, and Caruana - Laznicka AAI GM New Delhi 2011.



Austrian Attack- 5...0-0 [B09]

I also did some analysis of the Pirc and Alekhine's Defences and in both I opted for White's sharpest reactions, meaning the Austrian Attack and the Four Pawns Attack.

In Karjakin - Ivanchuk Bazna 2011, after 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.f4 Bg7 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Bd3 Na6 7.0-0 c5 8.d5:

Karjakin outplayed easily his opponent, but I think Ivanchuk's next move was at fault.



Alekhine's Defence Four Pawns Attack [B03]

And finally in game 8 between Kondenko - Volkov Voronez 2011, following 1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.c4 Nb6 5.f4 dxe5 6.fxe5 Nc6 7.Be3 Bf5 8.Nc3 e6 9.Nf3 Be7 White played 10.Be2:

Although the main line with 10.d5 is more attractive, as has been mentioned before on this site this more modest line is good and deserves some further investigation.



Till next month, Grandmaster Milos Pavlovic.

>> Previous Update >>

Please post you queries on the 1 e4 ... Forum, or subscribers can email me at support@chesspublishing.com.