Download PGN of May '08 1 d4 d5 games
Chigorin Defence [D07]
Roussel Roozmon - Miladinovic: This attempt to transpose from the Chigorin Defence to the Albin Counter Gambit does not seem to work well. White's clever reaction helped him to obtain a tangible advantage, although there was still no need for Black to lose on move 12.
Chebanenko System [D15]
Gyimesi - Bindrich: Black played a very unexpected and well-known mistake on move 7 and was punished in style:
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White's queen sacrifice was quite impressive!
Main Slav [D17]
Wang Hao - Caruana: Wang Hao cleverly followed the game Aronian - Carlsen, Candidates (m/6) Elista 2007, but then introduced a good novelty, which I suggested in the Candidates Elista 2007 Bulletin, and later on Chess Publishing. However, the young Italian player probably missed these resources and gave his opponent a full point without any resistance.
QGA [D26]
Naumann - Sprenger: Alexander Naumann prepared a strong novelty to counter Black's rare set-up and scored a full point without sweat.
Vienna Variation [D39]
Malakhatko - Perez Felipe: A rare continuation helped Black to solve all his opening problems but then he missed a series of wonderful blows although he was only one step from safety.
Moscow Variation [D43]
Rowson - Granda Zuniga: Jonathan Rowson successfully met his opponent's slow play with an attacking set-up which brought the desired result after a nice knight sacrifice.
Beckhuis - Steingrimsson: The shocking 12. Nxf7!? brought White a big success in the battle Topalov-Kramnik/Wijk aan Zee 2008. However, Black's extra piece should give him chances and here Hedinn Steingrimsson tries to defend Black's position. His interesting novelty 15...Rb8 seems promising:
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Although White still keeps attacking prospects and it requires more analysis and practical tests to make precise conclusions. As to the game, both players exchanged mistakes but White was the last to make the wrong step in a winning position.
Werle - Motylev: While playing such a complicated system as the Anti-Moscow Gambit White has to be well prepared as sometimes a slight inaccuracy can spoil his initiative, and thus his compensation for the pawn. Here White failed to equalise and soon blundered...
Meran Defence [D47-48]
Nielsen - Baramidze: The line with 9. a3 does not seem too ambitious but it is not without poison:
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Here Black found himself under strong pressure in a well-known line and he failed to show anything to improve an unfavourable situation...
Peralta - Strunsky: White played a very rare line in the Meran and developed a strong initiative thanks to his opponent's dubious play, although his later play was not free from mistakes either ...
Ruslan
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