Download PGN of July ’19 1 d4 d5 2 c4 games
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Slow Slav 6...Bg6 7.Be2 Nbd7 8.0-0 Bd6 [D12]
When his bishop is challenged with 6.Nh4 Artemiev generally drops back to g6, the simplest response:
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In Wang Hao - Artemiev, V the Chinese GM managed to find a slightly unusual set-up against which the Russian was close to equality, but never quite achieved it. This can be a problem in the Slow Slav, as a solid set-up for Black doesn't always lend itself to generating counterplay! So perhaps 12.Rb1 (aiming to retain dark-squared bishops) should be met with a sort of Stonewall where Black plays for ...f5, just as Vallejo Pons once played.
Queen's Gambit Accepted 3 e4 e5 4 Nf3 exd4 5 Bxc4 Bb4+ 6.Bd2 [D20]
In Dubov, D - Postny, E White spices up his gambit with 9.b4, a line that was more in vogue a generation ago. The idea is that White wants to create additional threats and widen the front whilst ahead in development.
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The young Russian later came up with a novelty, which required very precise play from Black, but instead Postny made a couple of small errors and was soon in trouble. My recommendation is 16...Bf5! (rather than 16...Be6) after which I think that it's equal.
QGA Vienna Gambit Hybrid 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.e4 b5 [D24]
Early complications led to White winning a piece for only a couple of unthreatening pawns in Tomashevsky, E - Alekseenko, K. One of the advantages of playing a slightly offbeat but popular set-up is that you might surprise your opponent, but a disadvantage is that he might be ready and can surprise you in turn! Here 8.a4 hasn't been played very often and turns out to be rather promising:
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Indeed, I'm still not sure how Black can respond and achieve full equality. In my search for a possible improvement, I only found a tightrope-walking idea! The game continued with 8...Nc6 9.a5 Ba6 10.Na3 and now instead of 10...Bb4+ maybe Black can get away with 10...Nxa5 when I couldn't find anything substantial for the first player.
Queen's Gambit Accepted 6.0-0 a6 7.Nc3 b5 8.Be2 [D27]
The critical theoretical position in Cheparinov, I - Yu Yangyi arises after 13.e4, but before that various transpositions (even from a Semi-Slav, for example) were possible.
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The e-pawn is taboo, but several other moves seem fine, but when preparing you really shouldn't rely too much on your engine. The point is that the long-term weaknesses on the queenside are underestimated by the machines. In some of the games that have reached this position Black's activity hasn't been enough and he has suffered, so check for those ideas which lead to White having to make committal moves as well. Yu Yangyi got on OK with 13...Be7 and I have no reason to question his choice.
QGA 7 a4 Nc6 8.Qe2 [D27]
The encounter Ivanchuk, V - Inarkiev, E flowed so well for the Ukrainian legend it suggests that the calm Bc1-d2-e1 manoeuvre employed by White has some bite. Indeed, statistics suggest that it has been White's best scoring option in recent years. Although d4-d5 is known in many IQP scenarios (see 15.d5) it doesn't always lead anywhere as White's more active pieces are not necessarily that dangerous. Here Black had resources but it was certainly more difficult for him to handle. So my advice for QGA practitioners is to restrain (and even stop) the d4-d5 break, so alternatives on move thirteen are where I recommend that you investigate.
Queen's Gambit Declined, Exchange Variation Ng1-e2 [D35]
In the Exchange Variation, White has the option of castling either way. In general, going long almost always feels less secure and this proved to be the case in Timofeev, Arty - Sjugirov, S. It wasn't White's king that was the problem, more that 14.Nf4 turned out to be dubious:
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Maybe the point is that with 0-0 and f2-f3 White is in less of a hurry in finding the right moment for his committal moves, whereas after 0-0-0 the fear of Black's counterplay can get one to rush matters!
In the opening, the 8...Nf8 and 9...Ne6 manoeuvre has been quite popular over the years. There are of course similarities with other lines, but in the notes it was noticeable that Black can sometimes take the opportunity to castle long himself! So it's not just White who can play that high-flexibility game!
QGD/Semi-Tarrasch 7.Rb1 [D35/D41]
The Semi-Tarrasch (D41) arises after 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 c5 (well officially anyway!). In Cheparinov, I - Lu Shanglei a QGD Exchange Variation move order (D35) was seen 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 c5.
Here White can of course calmly continue with 7.Nf3 allowing transposition into the main lines following 7...cxd4 8.cxd4 Bb4+, but avoiding the bishop check with either 7.a3 or (as here) 7.Rb1 gives the game something of independent significance. Hence the D35/D41 label!
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Cheparinov's early Rb1 is reminiscent of some lines in the Grünfeld (see the Daring Defences column) where the pawn structure is essentially the same, but here the bishop is less active on e7 than on g7. As a rule, I have the impression that these positions are more comfortable for White, as you'll see in my annotations. However, Lu Shanglei was fine if he'd started with the precise 21...b5! before placing his rook on d8.
QGD Cambridge Springs 8.Rc1 [D52]
The opening didn't come as a surprise to anyone in Tomashevsky, E - Dreev, A as both players have had this variation a number of times in recent years. Tomashevsky obtained some advantage, but Dreev's experience and good defensive technique earned him a draw. As to the theory, well this game is important in that White introduced a strong novelty 15.Nh4 and got somewhat the better of the struggle:
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The problem from Black's point of view is that the alternatives don't seem to equalize either. So the ball is still in Black's court when it comes to seeking a fully satisfactory response to 13.Rxe2! which I consider to be more dangerous than 13.Qxe2.
Till next month, Glenn Flear
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