Download PGN of September ’25 d-Pawn Specials games
The Trompowsky: 2...e6 3 Nd2 c5 4 e3 cxd4 5 exd4 Be7 [A45]
The Tromp isn’t the only opening in the ‘A45’ code and 1 d4 Nf6 2 Bg5 e6 3 Nd2 c5 4 e3 cxd4 5 exd4 Be7 will often lead into ‘A46’ and Torre territory. However, White doesn’t have to rush with Ngf3 and 6 c3 b6 7 Nc4!? was a recent novelty:
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The knight is en route for a good square on e3, although this likely wasn’t enough to give White the advantage in van Foreest, J - Santos Latasa, J.
The Pseudo-Tromp: 2 c3 d5 3 Bg5 [D00]
It was widely thought that in the opening round of the Grand Swiss, Gukesh opted for 1 d4 Nf6 2 c3!? to avoid theory, but he may also have noted Magnus Carlsen’s recent use of 2...d5 3 Bg5. Black has a wide choice here, with 3...c6 4 Qc2!? Ne4! 5 Bf4 Bf5 6 Qb3 seen in Gukesh, D - Erdogmus, Y.
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Those two players would, of course, enjoy contrasting fortunes in Samarkand and here Black might even have fought for the advantage with 6...e5!? or just 6...Nd7, intending 7 Qxb7? e5!.
The Neo-London: 2 Bf4 c5 3 d5 d6 4 Nc3 [A45]
1 d4 Nf6 2 Bf4 c5 isn’t as trendy as it was not so long ago, but 3 d5 d6 4 Nc3 e5 remains an important line. As I’ve pointed out before, 5 Bg5!? Be7 6 Bxf6 Bxf6 7 e4 is unstereotyped and engine-approved:
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Humans, strong ones at that, have begun to use it, but it may not be too bad for Black, as we’ll see in Demchenko, A - Mamedyarov, S, where Black went 7...h5!? and White was a little fortunate to survive.
Jobava-Prié Attack: 3...a6 4 e3 b5 [D00]
After 1 d4 d5 2 Nc3 Nf6 3 Bf4 one line which has been slightly trendy of late is 3...a6 4 e3 b5!?. White has several options here, including 5 Nf3 Bb7 6 a3 e6 7 b4!?:
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This critical if committal advance was tested in Theodorou, N - Samunenkov, I, where White was pressing slightly before having to stage quite some rearguard to escape with half a point.
The Torre Attack: 2...e6 3 Bg5 h6 4 Bh4 b6 [A46]
1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 e6 3 Bg5 h6 4 Bh4 is very definitely a Torre and here Black isn’t forced to hunt down White’s dark-squared bishop with a quick ...g5. Indeed, 4...b6 5 Nbd2 Bb7 6 e3 Be7 7 Bd3 d6 is a sensible alternative:
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Here 8 h3 is directed against ideas of ...g5, but is also a little slow and Black went on to produce in a powerful performance in Korobov, A - Murzin, V.
Colle-Zukertort: 4 Bd3 Be7 5 b3 0-0 6 Bb2 b6 7 0-0 Bb7 8 Nbd2 Nbd7 [D05]
1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 d5 3 e3 e6 4 Nbd2 Be7 5 b3 0-0 6 Bb2 b6 7 Bd3 Bb7 8 0-0 Nbd7 is but one route into what is a pretty solid and highly respectable line for Black:
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White’s main move has been 9 c4, but of late 9 Qe2!? has attracted some interest and led to another well-contested draw in Keymer, V - Giri, A.
Colle-Zukertort: 4 Bd3 c5 5 b3 Be7 6 Bb2 0-0 7 0-0 b6 8 Nbd2 Bb7 [D05]
With a white win clearly overdue, step forward European Women’s Individual Champion, Teodora Injac, who met 1 d4 d5 2 Nf3 Nf6 3 e3 e6 4 Bd3 Be7 5 0-0 0-0 6 b3 b6 7 Bb2 c5 8 Nbd2 Bb7 not with 9 Ne5, but rather 9 Qe2. After 9...Nc6 10 a3! Black fought against White’s thematic knight leap with 10...Nd7!?:
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This would appear to be sufficient for rough equality, but White would still go on to outplay her younger opponent, finishing in style on the kingside in Injac, T - Beydullayeva, G.
Will we have more Colles to enjoy next month?
Until then, Richard
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