Grandmaster Repertoire 1B

The Queen’s Gambit

By

Boris Avrukh

Quality Chess
www.qualitychess.co.uk
 Preface
Having dealt with the Catalan in volume 1A, this book continues the reworking of my original
Grandmaster Repertoire on 1.d4, by offering an elite repertoire against Black’s remaining possible
answers to the Queen’s Gambit. The book spans 24 chapters, which have been divided into three
main sections:

The Queen’s Gambit Accepted

This marks the single biggest change from Grandmaster Repertoire 1, as I made the bold decision
to replace 3.e3 with the more ambitious 3.e4, in order to put more immediate pressure on Black.
True, this requires a good level of theoretical knowledge, but the effort should pay off in the long
run. These first six chapters contain a multitude of fascinating positions which White players can
greatly enjoy.

The Slav Defence

My core recommendation against the Slav remains the same, with 3.¤f3 ¤f6 4.e3 my preferred
weapon. The theory has developed significantly since 2008, and my coverage has expanded from
95 pages (spread over nine chapters) to 203 pages over twelve chapters. The biggest single change
came after 4...¥g4, when I have switched from 5.¤c3 to 5.h3. But even in those variations where
my recommendation has remained broadly the same, I have added numerous improvements and
refinements to bring the repertoire fully up to date.

Smaller Lines
The final six chapters cover all of Black’s remaining defences. My recommended line against the
Chigorin has become extremely popular since GM 1 was published, so the coverage has now
been split across two chapters in order to accommodate the many new developments. Next is the
Albin Counter Gambit, where I have kept the same basic set-up for White, but recommended
something completely new against Black’s main line. The Tarrasch Defence benefited from the
Grandmaster Repertoire treatment in the 2011 book of Aagaard and Ntirlis, who found a nice way
to neutralize my previous recommendation. Hopefully, the devotees of that defence will not have
such an easy time against the new weapons featured in Chapter 22 of this work. The final chapters
of the book deal with the rare defences 2...¥f5, 2...¤f6 and 2...c5; even these unusual moves are
no picnic for White, although I have some nice ideas of course...

***

I hope that you will find a lot of useful material in this book, which will bring you many more
successes with the Queen’s Gambit.

Boris Avrukh
Chicago, July 2016
 Contents
Preface 3
Key to symbols used & Bibliography 6

Queen’s Gambit Accepted

1 Minor Lines 7
2 3...c5 23
3 3...¤c6 35
4 3...¤f6 48
5 3...e5 62
6 4...exd4 73

Slav
7 3...dxc4 93
8 4...g6 107
9 4...a6 133
10 Stonewall 149
11 Meran Style 161
12 4...¥g4 5.h3 ¥h5 184
13 5...¥xf3 196
14 4...¥f5 and 5...a6 212
15 5...e6 6.¤h4 ¥g4 225
16 6...¥e4 235
17 6...¥g6 259
18 Main Line with 8...¥d6 276

 Smaller Lines
19 Chigorin – Introduction 296
20 Chigorin with 3...dxc4 311
21 Albin Counter Gambit 336
22 Tarrasch Defence 349
23 2...¥f5 360
24 2...¤f6 and 2...c5 369

Variation Index 387

 

  

er
a pt   
  

Slav
   
Ch
10    
  



Stonewall
Variation Index
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.¤f3 e6 4.e3 f5
5.¥d3 ¤f6 6.0–0 ¥d6 7.b3
A) 7...0–0 8.¥a3 150
A1) 8...¤e4 150
A2) 8...¥xa3 152
B) 7...£e7 8.¥b2 0–0 9.¤c3!? 153
B1) 9...b6 154
B2) 9...¤e4 155
B3) 9...¥d7 157

A1) note to 10...¤d7 B2) after 15...¥c7 B3) after 12...c5

  
      
      
        
         
          
        
   
       
  
15.a4!N 16.b4!N 13.¤f4!N
150 Slav

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.¤f3 e6 4.e3 f5 10...¤f6 11.¥xd6 £xd6 12.¤bd2 ¤f7

This blend of the Slav and the Stonewall 13.£b2 £e7 14.b4 White had started his play
Dutch is quite playable against an early e2-e3. on the queenside and had the much easier
Our main line will be different from that of game in Gallego Jimenez – Alonso Martinez,
GM 1. Mondariz 2002.
4...¥d6 does not have any real independent
significance after 5.b3, as 5...f5 will transpose 6.0–0 ¥d6
to this chapter while 5...¤f6 will lead to the 6...¥e7 is much less popular. The simplest
Meran set-up of Chapter 11. continuation is 7.b3 0–0 8.¥a3, when 8...¥xa3
 9.¤xa3 transposes to variation A2 below.

 7.b3
   I will first consider A) 7...0–0, although
B) 7...£e7 is by far Black’s most popular move.
  
   A) 7...0–0 8.¥a3

    As a rule, allowing the bishop exchange gives

    White easy play, although some accuracy will
still be needed. I considered A1) 8...¤e4 and
   A2) 8...¥xa3.
 A1) 8...¤e4 9.¥xd6 £xd6
 
5.¥d3 ¤f6
Black can also develop his knight in a  
different way: 5...¥d6 6.0–0 ¤h6 7.b3   
(Another concept worthy of consideration is:
7.¤e5!? 0–0 8.f4 ¤d7 9.¤c3 ¤f6 10.¥d2 ¥d7   
11.¦c1 ¥e8 12.a3 ¥h5 13.£e1 White had a   
lasting advantage in Meier – Aronian, Antalya
2013.) 7...£e7 8.¥b2 0–0 9.£c1 ¤d7 10.¥a3
  
Exchanging the dark-squared bishops is a  
thematic plan against the Stonewall structure.
A good example continued:
  
  
  
  10.£c2!
White’s plan involves a quick ¦c1, trying to
   complicate Black’s queenside development.
  
    10...¤d7
  Another line is: 10...b6 11.cxd5 cxd5
(11...exd5 12.¤e5 is unpleasant for Black)
   12.¦c1 ¥b7 13.¤c3 ¤c6
  

 Chapter 10 – Stonewall 151

 
     
    
     
     
      
   
    
         
 
14.£b2 £e7 15.a3 ¦ac8 16.¤e2 ¦c7 17.¦c2 14.¤e2N ¦h6 15.b4² The fact that ...c5 has
¦fc8 18.¦ac1 ¤d8 19.¦xc7 ¦xc7 20.h4!² not been played makes White’s advantage
White maintained the upper hand in Ivanhoe obvious, as Black is going to suffer with his
– Stockfish, engine game 2012. passive light-squared bishop.

10...¦f6 fails to impress: 11.¤e5 ¤d7 12.f4! The text move is a principled option, intending
A thematic idea in such positions. 12...¦h6 to put the knight on g4. In Davidov – Pilkin,
13.¥xe4! dxe4 14.¤c3 ¤f6 corr. 2014, I believe White should have reacted
 in the following way:
  
    
     
   
     
      
    
     
  
This position occurred in Tripp – Allen,
corr. 2014, and now 15.a4!N would have    
been clearly better for White. He is starting to
develop an initiative on the queenside, while

12.¤c3!N ¤g4 13.¤d1
Black does not have much happening on the This may not look like a great square for the
kingside and his light-squared bishop is poor. knight, but this piece is actually on its way to
e5!
11.¦c1 ¤df6!?
The other obvious try is: 11...¦f6 12.¤c3 13...¥d7 14.h3 ¤h6 15.¤b2 ¥e8
b6 13.£b2 ¥b7 (13...a5 makes the b6-pawn 15...¤f7 16.¥f1 g5 17.¤d3 g4 18.¤fe5²
vulnerable after 14.¤a4!) In Schultheiss – also favours White.
Meissner, email 2010, a logical continuation
would have been:
152 Slav

 Another nice game continued: 10...a6

  11.¤c2 b5 12.c5! ¤d7 13.¤e5 £c7 14.f3
   ¤c3 15.£e1 ¤a4 16.¤xd7 ¥xd7 17.¦b1 a5

     
     
     
  
     
  
      
   
16.¥f1 f4 17.exf4 £xf4 18.¤d3 £f6 19.¦e1
¤f5 20.£b2

18.f4! axb4 19.¤xb4± In P.H. Nielsen
White preserves a nice positional pull.
– Tikkanen, Sweden 2008, White had a
clear positional advantage due to the poor
A2) 8...¥xa3
position of Black’s minor pieces.
11.£b3 a6 12.¤c2 b6 13.a4 ¥b7 14.c5 b5
This is the usual choice, drawing the white
knight away from the centre. 
  
9.¤xa3   
  
   
  
    
     
      
    
  15.axb5 cxb5 16.¦ad1 ¤c6 17.¤e5±
This was Ilincic – Doncea, Timisoara 2008.
   White’s passed c-pawn should be an important
   factor in the long run.

 10.£c1 ¤e4

9...£e7 Another instructive example continued:
9...¤e4 10...b6 11.£b2 ¥b7 12.cxd5! A well-timed
This has been just as popular as our main tension release, as Black cannot recapture with
line, but it makes it easier for White to the e-pawn. 12...cxd5 13.¦fc1 ¤c6 14.¤c2
develop a queenside initiative: ¦fc8 In Tratar – Wiesinger, Aschach 2004,
10.b4! £e7 White should have played:
 Chapter 10 – Stonewall 153

 to the previous note) 15.¤ac4 ¤d7 16.¤xd7

  £xd7 17.¦fe1 White keeps the upper hand.
  
   12.¦ac1 ¦f6
   This has occurred in several correspondence
     games, but for some reason the most natural
continuation has never been tried:
 
  
      
  
15.¤ce1!N a6 16.¥f1 Followed by ¤d3,
retaining a long-term positional edge.
  
   
    
    
     
      
   
13.b4!N
  I checked the following logical line:
   13...b6 14.¤b1 ¥b7 15.¤c3 ¦h6 16.¤e2
    I prefer White, as Black has no real initiative
 on the kingside.
11.£b2 ¤d7
11...b6 has been played twice and Black B) 7...£e7 8.¥b2 0–0
went on to win both games, but White can get 
a good position with: 12.¤e5! ¥b7 13.f3 ¤f6

 
     
     
     
      
     
 
     
     
 
14.cxd5! ¤xd5 (14...cxd5 15.¦ac1² is similar 9.¤c3!?
154 Slav

I decided to deviate from my previous a) 12...¥xe5?! 13.dxe5 c5 14.f3 ¤g5 15.¤f4

recommendation of 9.£c1, as Black has ¦d8 16.cxd5 ¥xd5 17.£e2 a5?! White
recently shown some improvements after eventually won a long game in Gelfand –
9...b6 10.¥a3 c5. Morozevich, Astana (rapid) 2012, but it could
have been over a lot sooner if he had found:
We will consider B1) 9...b6, B2) 9...¤e4 and 
our main continuation of B3) 9...¥d7.   
9...¤bd7 has no special significance, as
   
10.¦c1 leaves Black with nothing better than    
transposing to variation B2 with 10...¤e4.   
However, White may also try to punish Black’s     
move order with 10.cxd5 ¤xd5 11.e4!?ƒ.  
B1) 9...b6 10.¦c1 ¤e4
 
   
10...¥b7 is met by the typical 11.cxd5! 
intending 11...¤xd5 12.e4, or 11...cxd5N 18.h4!N ¤f7 19.e4! White is already winning,
12.¤b5, in both cases with better chances. as 19...fxe4 20.fxe4 ¥b7 21.¤xe6! would be
 devastating.

  b) 12...¤d7 is best; this position will be

    covered under variation B2 below, where it
occurs via the move order 9...¤e4 10.¦c1
   ¤d7 11.¤e2 b6 12.¤e5 ¥b7, when 13.f3 is
   my recommendation for White.

   11...exd5
  I also checked 11...¤xc3 12.¦xc3 exd5
   (White is also better after 12...cxd5 13.¤e5
¥b7 14.£e2) 13.¦c2 ¥b7 14.¤e5! and White
   gets some annoying pressure.
 
White has more than one promising
continuation here.
 
   
11.cxd5!?N
Objectively this probably isn’t any stronger
   
than the alternative – but it’s an interesting   
option against the particular move order    
chosen by Black.
 
11.¤e2 ¥b7 12.¤e5 is the normal plan, when   
Black’s options include:
  

 Chapter 10 – Stonewall 155

12.¤e2 ¥b7

12...c5? would be premature in view of   
13.dxc5! bxc5 14.¥xe4 dxe4 15.£d5†.   
13.¤e5     
I believe that White’s chances are preferable    
in this complex position. Here is an illustrative
line:    
   
13...c5 14.f3 ¤g5 15.f4! ¤e4
15...¤e6 allows 16.g4! fxg4 17.¤g3 when
 
White seizes a dangerous initiative on the   
kingside. 
 18.b4! cxb4 19.¤g3!
   White has a promising initiative on the
kingside. Of course, we also had the simple
   option of 11.¤e2, which is likely to transpose
     to the variation below, so it’s a pleasant choice
for White.
  
    B2) 9...¤e4

   
   
     
   
16.dxc5!?   
This method of playing on the dark squares
greatly appeals to me.   
 
16.¤c3 ¤xc3 17.¦xc3 ¤c6 seems less
convincing.
  
  
16...bxc5
16...¥xc5 can be met by 17.¦f3 ¤d7

10.¦c1
18.¤xd7 £xd7 19.¥xe4 fxe4 20.¦g3 ¦f7 10.¤e2 is likely to lead to the same thing
21.¥e5 with a solid positional advantage. after a subsequent ¦c1.

17.¥xe4 fxe4 10...¤d7

17...dxe4 is even worse: 18.b4! ¤a6 10...b6 leads back to variation B1.
(18...cxb4? 19.£b3† ¢h8 20.¦fd1+–) 19.bxc5
¤xc5 20.¥a3! White has a clear plus. 11.¤e2 b6
156 Slav

11...¦f6 12.¤e5 ¦h6 should be met by the 12...b6

precise: 13.h3! (13.f3 £h4 14.h3 ¤g5 led to 12...a4 13.bxa4 doesn’t make much sense for
double-edged play in Sandipan – Megaranto, Black.
Biel 2013) 13...a5 (White is ready for 13...£h4 It is important to appreciate that 12...g5 can
14.¤f4, when 14...g5? is not possible in view be met by 13.¤h5! when the knight is quite
of 15.¤f3! and the black queen is trapped) stable, as 13...£f7 14.¤e5! is excellent for
This happened in Serban – Pirs, corr. 2011, White.
and now simplest would have been: 13.¤e5 ¤xe5
 13...¥b7 14.cxd5 cxd5 15.¥b5 is definitely
  better for White.
14.dxe5 ¥c5
 
   
    
      
    
    
     
   
14.f3!N ¤g5 15.£c2 Black’s play on the   
kingside looks rather fruitless.   

11...a5 15.¥d4! ¥d7 16.¥xe4 fxe4 17.¥xc5 bxc5
This is Scherbakov’s main line for Black. I 18.f3²
found a natural improvement: White keeps the better chances.

  12.¤e5 ¥b7
  This seems like the most natural move to me.
   Scherbakov gives 12...¤xe5 13.dxe5 ¥c5,
   after which I found a simple improvement for
   White:
  
   
      
   
12.¤f4!?N   
12.a4 g5!? 13.¤e5 ¤xe5 14.dxe5 ¥b4 was
okay for Black in Meier – Krasenkow, Sestao
  
2010.   
12.£c2 b6 was also pretty double-edged in  
Lautier – Pridorozhni, Khanty-Mansiysk   
2005. 
 Chapter 10 – Stonewall 157

14.¤d4!N (14.¤f4 a5 was roughly equal in


Gasanov – Zhigalko, Rijeka 2010) 14...¥b7   
15.cxd5 cxd5 16.f3 ¤g5 17.a3 a5 18.¦f2 ¦fc8
19.¦fc2² White keeps the better chances.
  
  
13.f3   
Logically driving the strong black knight
away.    
   
    
   
   
16.b4!N ¤d7
   16...¤a6 is met by 17.cxd5 cxd5 18.a3 when
   the black minor pieces on the queenside look
  totally misplaced.

  17.cxd5 exd5 18.f4! £xb4 19.¥a1!

   The knight is coming to d4 with a lot of
power, for instance:

13...¤ec5 19...g6 20.¤d4 ¤c5 21.g4!
In the event of 13...¤ef6N 14.¤f4 c5 White has a devastating attack.
15.£e2 ¦ac8 (it is hardly a good idea for Black
to release the tension with 15...cxd4?! 16.exd4 B3) 9...¥d7
dxc4 17.¥xc4±) 16.¢h1 White retains some
pressure.

  
14.¥b1 ¤xe5?!
Even though this move is not the best, it
 
is worth having it as the main line to see the   
instructive refutation.   
14...¤a6 is a safer choice although, in    
K. Schneider – Nyberg, Internet 2013, White  
could have continued improving his position
with 15.¤f4N ¦ac8 16.£e2².
  
  
15.dxe5 ¥c7
In Osipov – Korepanov, email 2007, White

This move is quite thematic for the Stonewall
missed a powerful idea: structure; the light-squared bishop is heading
for h5.
158 Slav

10.¤e5 ¥e8 11.¤e2 ¤bd7 when White has the following nice idea: 14.a4!
Black has also tried 11...¤fd7!?, when White ¤d5 15.¥a3 ¤b4 16.a5²
should continue with:
 After 12...¦d8, which occurred in Danner –
  Nikolac, Maribor 1980, I would suggest:
  
     
    
      
     
     
    
  
12.¤f4!N (Black was alright after 12.f4   
¤f6 13.c5 ¥c7 14.b4 ¥h5 in Van Wely – 
Krasenkow, Polanica Zdroj 2000) 12...a5 13.c5!?N ¥c7 14.b4 White can easily develop
(White is not worried about 12...¤xe5 13.dxe5 his initiative on the queenside, while Black
¥c7 14.£c1, when the e5-pawn cramps Black’s has no counterplay in sight. The following
pieces) 13.¥e2 ¤a6 14.¦c1² White keeps the line looks logical: 14...¤xe5 15.dxe5 ¤d7
more pleasant game. 16.f4 ¥h5 17.£c2 ¥xe2 Otherwise the knight
 will come to d4 and Black’s bishop will be
stranded. 18.¥xe2 b6 19.¥d4 White has a
  clear advantage.
  
    
    
       
     
     
    
  
12.f3!
A strong positional move: White takes
  
control over the e4-square and looks forward 
to having an opportunity to break with e3-e4 13.¤f4!N
one day. I found this improvement myself, though
it was also proposed by Mihail Marin in
12...c5 ChessBase Magazine 163.
I also checked 12...dxc4N 13.¤xc4 ¥c7,
 Chapter 10 – Stonewall 159

13.¦c1 ¦d8 14.£c2 dxc4 15.¥xc4 cxd4


16.exd4 occurred in Gelfand – Tomashevsky,   
Baku 2014, but now Black has an improvement:  
    
  
    
       
     
      
     

    
14.£c2!
 This is the best square for the queen.
16...¤h5!N Taking control over the f4-square,
with an unclear game.
14.£e2 allows Black to equalize by means
of: 14...cxd4 15.exd4 ¤xe5 16.dxe5 ¥c5†
13.¢h1 led to an eventual victory for White
17.¢h1 ¤h5=
in Iturrizaga Bonelli – Shabalov, Montevideo
2015, but it seems too slow.
14...¤b6
This seems as good a try as any for Black.
13...¦d8
After the premature 13...g5?! 14.¤h3 h6
Marin mentions 14...¥c7 15.¦ad1 when
15.£e2 (or 15.¤f2, as given by Marin) Black
White keeps the advantage.
has only weakened his position.
I also analysed: 14...cxd4 15.exd4 ¤xe5
13...¤b6 14.a4! is an important move, when
16.dxe5 ¥c5† 17.¢h1 ¤h5 18.¤xh5 ¥xh5
play may continue:
 
     
     
       
    
      
   
     
     
 
19.cxd5! ¦xd5 20.¥c4 ¦d7 21.¥xe6† £xe6
14...dxc4 15.¥xc4 ¤xc4 16.¤xc4 ¥c7
22.£xc5 White is a pawn up.
17.¤d3² White dominates the dark squares.
160 Slav

 Conclusion
  
   The Slav-Stonewall hybrid is a valid option
against our 4.e3 set-up. I recommend simple
    development with 5.¥d3 ¤f6 6.0–0 ¥d6
   7.b3, when Black must make a choice. 7...0–0
8.¥a3 by no means a disaster for him, but the
    exchange of dark-squared bishops is a definite
  achievement for White, whose subsequent
  plans may include preparing a queenside
advance, or perhaps manoeuvring the queen’s
    knight towards d3 and e5. 7...£e7 is the main
 line, which makes it harder for White to carry
out the desired bishop exchange. After 8.¥b2
15.a4!
Just as in the 13...¤b6 line above, White is 0–0 I recommend a change of direction from
going to harass the enemy knight. GM 1 with 9.¤c3!?, intending ¤e2, ¦c1 and
¤e5 at some point. A complicated game lies
15...¤h5 ahead, but my analysis shows that Black is
15...dxc4 16.¥xc4² is similar to the under some pressure in all variations.
aforementioned note on 13...¤b6.

16.¤xh5
16.a5 dxc4 17.bxc4 ¤a4!„ is not so clear.

16...¥xh5 17.a5 dxc4 18.bxc4


   
  
   
  
   
  
  
   

18...¤d7 19.f4²
White retains some pressure.