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In this March update I tried to cover another blank spot on the site - a rather popular line of the QGD with 5. Bf4 and 7. c5. As a rule, it leads to rather dull and closed positions with a slight edge for White. However, play might become sharp, and careful preparation often brings the desired result - in two recent games White came up with strong novelties, while Black replied once.

Download PGN of March '09 1 d4 d5 games


5. Bf4 QGD [D37]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bf4 O-O 6. e3 Nbd7 7. c5 c6:

Mchedlishvili - Warakomski: In a slightly worse but defendable position Black allowed a typical piece sacrifice and was lucky to save half a point due to his opponent's omission.

Karpov - Georgiev: Anatoly Karpov met his opponent's typical Q-side action very ambitiously. He gave up all his Q-side pawns - all but one which he managed to advance to the 7th rank. Then he sacrificed the exchange in order to support his passer and achieved sufficient compensation. The position was still roughly balanced when Black suddenly panicked and gave up a piece for nothing...

Nyback - Carlsen: One more example of a typical piece sacrifice, 20. axb5!:

This makes White's Q-side pawns so strong that even one of the World's top players could find nothing to oppose them.

Nakamura - Bruzon Bautista: The Q-side is rather closed in such positions but Black should keep a proper balance between a desire to get counter chances and a careful defence of the flank - otherwise White would break through without hesitation.

Milos - Vescovi: Here Black was a bit slow with his typical Q-side play but White's hasty reply brought him nothing but problems.

Khismatullin - Zvjaginsev: As a rule, when the Q-side gets closed White keeps a slight edge thanks to his space advantage. Here he came up with ambitious idea to open a second front on the K-side but it wasn't well prepared and just helped Black to strike back.

Tomashevsky - Riazantsev: Evgeny Tomashevsky played a nice game - at first the prophylactic h2-h3 before developing his light-squared bishop helped him to enter the complications with a useful extra move. The following strong novelty, 26. Rc6!, got him an almost decisive advantage:

He converted this without any problems.

Akobian - Onischuk: Varuzhan Akobian preferred an alternative option that was thought to be rather harmless for Black, but a strong new idea caused Black real headaches. White eventually failed to convert an extra piece in the ending, but we can still conclude that Black has to do some good home work in this principled line.

Cyborowski - Berkes: A rare option on move 10 might help Black to solve the problems which he is recently facing in this principled line. However, more analysis and practical tests are required.


Ruslan

 

If you have any questions, then please post a message at the 1 d4 d5 Forum, or subscribers can email me at ruslan@chesspublishing.com.