No.

6, February 11, 2009

OPENINGS
what’s hot and what’s not?
XIIIIIIIIY
Why not try that other 9r+l+k+ntr0
9zpp+-+pzpp0
9n+p+p+-+0
Marshall Gambit? 9+-+-+-+-0
9-vLP+q+-+0
9+-+-+-+-0
By IM Merijn van Delft & IM Robert Ris 9PzP-+LzPPzP0
9tR-+QmK-sNR0
xiiiiiiiiy
Between Wijk aan Zee and events like the Topalov- Frequency
Kamsky match and Linares, we have time to look at
the level slightly below that. At the Moscow Open
many new interesting ideas were played.

what’s hot?
In our game of the week White did a good job with the Marshall Score
Gambit in the Semi-Slav. Since White lost quickly in the high-
profile game Van Wely-Gustafsson in Dortmund last summer,
many questions remained, but in Lysyj-Sjugirov some of them are
answered. In fact, in the diagram position all three ¥ moves have a
nice score for White. Below we take a closer look at 9.¥a5.

Creativity is the key word in describing further opening

developments this week. While some former world champions
have predicted the death of chess and these days opening
novelties are found beyond move 20 or even move 30, it is still
possible to invent new stuff early in the game. Even in very well
known positions, that is!

Nikolenko’s 6.¤d5!? is a very tricky anti-Dragon line that never

caught on after it was played by Tal amongst others back in the
seventies. Entirely new is Boris Savchenko’s 6.¤3e2!? as a way
to battle the solid Caro-Kann, and Hillarp Persson’s 8...b5!? in
the Slav is a spectacular new pawn sacrifice that was repeated in
Moscow by Lastin. Chess is not exhausted yet! Source: Megabase + TWIC, 2500+ only

At the level slightly below the absolute world top, most openings seem to be playable again. Remarkable is the further suffering of the
Sveshnikov. In all grandmaster games this week, the positional 9.¤d5 ¥e7 10.¥xf6 ¥xf6 and now the trendy move 11.c4 was played,
with good results for White. Is it too much to weaken the d5 square after all? The game
Timofeev-Smirnov features a beautiful positional exchange sacrifice followed by strong
domination (see page 3).
what’s Not?
1 of 3
ChessVibes OPENINGS what’s hot and what’s not? No. 6, February 11, 2009

Beating the Semi-Slav: 9.¥a5 in the Marshall

Suddenly the Marshall Gambit of the Semi-Slav (4.e4!?) appeared in a super tournament last
year (Van Wely-Gustafsson, Dortmund 2008) but the brave Dutchman lost after a mere 18
moves. At the Moscow Open, GM Lysyj fared better, using a devastating novelty.

The decisive mistake! Correct is 17...£g4! 18.h3

game of the week  (18.¦d4 £xg2 19.£xe6+ ¢f8 20.¦g4 £f1+
21.¦e1 £d3 seems to win but after 22.¥xf6
Lysyj,I (2620) - Sjugirov, S (2562) genius computer play! 12...¦d8!? 13.£g3 £g6 Black takes the full point home after the cool
Moscow Open, February 7, 2009 14.¤h4 £xg3 15.hxg3 ¤h6 16.f4 ¤c5 17.0–0–0 22...¤g6!) and only now 18...£f4! since after
D31 Semi-Slav., Marshall Gambit, 9.¥a5 ¤e4 was Vallejo Pons-Pavasovic, Crete 2007 19.¦d4 (19.g3 £h6 20.£xe6+ ¢f8 and Black’s
while 12...0–0–0!? is the third option. defence is stubborn) 19...£h6 20.£xe6+ ¢f8
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.¤c3 c6 4.e4!? 13.0–0–0 £xe2 21.¦h4 ¤c5 the killer 22.£h3 is no longer
The Marshall Gambit is a very principled way to After 13...¦d8? 14.¦he1 ¤c5 White wins with available! After 22.£c4 £g6 23.¦g4 £f7 24.¥b4
grab the initiative right from the start. After 4.¤f3 the brutal line 15.b4 ¤a4 16.¤g5! £g6 17.¥h5! £xc4+ 25.¦xc4 ¤a6 26.¥xe7+ ¦xe7 27.¦xe7
Black may want to play the sharp Noteboom £xh5 18.¤xe6 ¥xe6 19.£xd8+ ¢f7 20.£xh8 ¢xe7 28.¦xc6 the ending is equal.
Variation 4...dxc4 5.a4 ¥b4 6.e3 b5 7.¥d2 a5 ¤xc3 21.¦d8+-. 18.¦d4 £h6
8.axb5 ¥xc3 9.¥xc3 cxb5 10.b3 ¥b7 11.bxc4 b4 14.£xd7+ ¢f7 15.¦he1!? 18...£f5 19.g4 £g6 (19...¤c5 20.gxf5 ¤xd7
12.¥b2 ¤f6 with lively play ahead. Also interesting is 15.£d4 ¦hd8 16.£g4 ¢f8! 21.fxe6+) 20.£xe6+ ¢f8 21.¤e5 also wins.
4...dxe4 5.¤xe4 ¥b4+ 6.¥d2 £xd4 7.¥xb4 (16...£xf2? 17.¤g5+) 17.¦de1 £d3 18.¦xe6 19.£xe6+ ¢f8 20.¦h4 ¤c5
£xe4+ 8.¥e2 (18.¤d4? ¦xd4! 19.£xd4 ¤b4! 20.£xd3 ¤xd3+ And so does 20...£g6 21.¤e5 fxe5 22.¦f3++-.
Now Black is a pawn up, but his black squares 21.¢c2 ¤xe1+ 22.¦xe1 e5 gave Black a healthy 21.£h3! £g6
are weakened and he is lacking in development. extra pawn in Volkov-Frolyanov, Moscow 2008) XIIIIIIIIY
8...¤a6 18...h5! (18...¤c5? 19.¦xe7 wins for White) 9r+-+rmk-+0
8...£xg2 has always had a dubious reputation, 19.£f4 (19.£xh5 £xc4 20.¦he1 ¤b4! and 9zp-+-sn-zpp0
ever since the game Ragozin-Botvinnik, after 21.¦xe7 there is nothing better than to 9-zpp+-zpq+0
Moscow 1951. accept the perpetual: 21...¤xa2+ 22.¢c2 ¤b4+
9+-sn-+-+-0
XIIIIIIIIY 23.¢c1 ¤a2+ 24.¢c2 ¤b4+ ½–½ Kaganskiy-J.
9-+-+-+-tR0
9r+l+k+ntr0 Geller, Moscow 2006) 19...¤c5 20.¦xf6+!? gxf6
21.£xf6+ ¢e8 22.¤e5 £h7 23.¦e1 a5! but this
9+PvL-tRN+Q0
9zpp+-+pzpp0 9P+-+-zPPzP0
9n+p+p+-+0 may be a bit too much for White.
15...£xc4 16.¦e3 9+-mK-+-+-0
9+-+-+-+-0 xiiiiiiiiy
Protecting the ¥ and thus creating the threat b3.
9-vLP+q+-+0 16...¦he8 22.¤d4!N
9+-+-+-+-0 16...£xa2? 17.¤e5++-; 16...¦hd8? 17.¤e5+! The first new move and easy to spot with help of
9PzP-+LzPPzP0 fxe5 18.¦f3+ £f4+ 19.¦xf4+ exf4 20.£xd8 ¦xd8 the computer. A previous game saw 22.¦xh7?
9tR-+QmK-sNR0 21.¦xd8 with a technical win. ¤d5! 23.¦h8+ ¢f7 24.¦exe8 ¦xe8 25.¦xe8
xiiiiiiiiy 17.b3 ¤xc3 and Black was taking over in A.Barsov-J.
9.¥a5 XIIIIIIIIY Geller, Moscow 2006.
The other critical continuations are 9.¥d6 and 9r+-+r+-+0 22...¤d5
9.¥c3. 9zp-+Qsnkzpp0 22...h6 23.¦g3 £h7 (23...£f7 24.¦xh6!) 24.b4!
9...b6 10.£d6 ¥d7 9nzpp+pzp-+0 Now if the ¤ moves, then ¤e6 comes while
10...bxa5? loses on the spot to 11.¦d1 f6 12.f3 after 24...¤d5 25.¥d2 ¤e4, 26.¦xg7 ¢xg7
9+-+-+-+-0
and Black has to give up the defence of the c6- 27.¦xh6 gives a decisive attack.
pawn.
9-+q+-+-+0 23.¦g3 ¤d3+
11.¥c3 f6 12.¤f3
9+PvL-tRN+-0 23...£f7 24.¦xh7 ¤f4 (24...¤xc3 25.¦h8+ ¢e7
12.0–0–0 0–0–0 13.¥f3 ended in a nightmare for 9P+-+-zPPzP0 26.¦xg7+-) 25.£g4 is killing.
White in the recent game Van Wely-Gustafsson, 9+-mKR+-+-0 24.¦xd3 ¤xc3 25.¦xc3 ¦e1+ 26.¢b2 £b1+
Dortmund 2008: 13...£xc4 14.¥e2? £xa2 xiiiiiiiiy 27.¢a3 ¦e5 28.¦h5 g5 29.¤xc6 ¦e2 30.¦xh7
15.¤f3 ¤c5 16.¤e5 ¤e4 17.¥c4 £a1+ 18.¢c2 17...£f4? ¦xa2+ 31.¢b4 £e4+ 32.¦c4 £e1+ 33.¢b5 1–0
£a4+ and White resigned.
12...¤e7?!
From now on the character of play becomes
forced and Black can only save himself by
lysyj - sjugirov
2 of 3
ChessVibes OPENINGS what’s hot and what’s not? No. 6, February 11, 2009

this week’s harvest

Accelarated Dragon Sicilian, Sveshnikov Caro-Kann Slav
XIIIIIIIIY XIIIIIIIIY XIIIIIIIIY XIIIIIIIIY
9r+lwqkvlntr0 9r+-wq-trk+0 9rsn-wqkvlntr0 9rsn-wqkvl-tr0
9zpp+-zpp+p0 9+-+-+pzpp0 9zpp+-zppzpp0 9zp-+-+pzpp0
9-+nzp-+p+0 9-+-zp-+-+0 9-+p+-+l+0 9-+p+psnl+0
9+-+N+-+-0 9zp-snPzp-vl-0 9+-+-+-+-0 9+p+p+-+-0
9-+-sNP+-+0 9-zp-+P+-+0 9-+-zP-+-+0 9-+PzP-+-sN0
9+-+-+-+-0 9+-+QsN-+-0 9+-+-+-+-0 9+QsN-zPP+-0
9PzPP+-zPPzP0 9PzP-+LzPPzP0 9PzPP+NzPPzP0 9PzP-+-+PzP0
9tR-vLQmKL+R0 9+-tRR+-mK-0 9tR-vLQmKLsNR0 9tR-vL-mKL+R0
xiiiiiiiiy xiiiiiiiiy xiiiiiiiiy xiiiiiiiiy
1.e4 c5 2.¤f3 d6 3.¤c3 ¤c6 1.e4 c5 2.¤f3 ¤c6 3.d4 cxd4 4.¤xd4 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.¤c3 dxe4 4.¤xe4 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.¤f3 ¤f6 4.e3 ¥f5
4.d4 cxd4 5.¤xd4 g6 6.¤d5 ¤f6 5.¤c3 e5 6.¤db5 d6 7.¥g5 a6 ¥f5 5.¤g3 ¥g6 6.¤3e2 5.¤c3 e6 6.¤h4 ¥e4 7.f3 ¥g6 8.£b3 b5
8.¤a3 b5 9.¤d5 ¥e7 10.¥xf6 ¥xf6
This odd-looking move was 11.c4 b4 12.¤c2 0–0 13.¥e2 a5 14.0–0 The Caro-Kann is a tough opening This inspired new idea was
invented back in 1971 already ¥g5 15.£d3 ¥e6 16.¦fd1 ¥xd5 17.cxd5 to beat, although it was under introduced during the Corus
and used by both Ljubojevic and ¤b8 18.¤e3 ¤d7 19.¦ac1 ¤c5 pressure during the Corus Chess Chess Tournament last month
Tal. With the chosen move-order Tournament. The classical main by Hillarp Person. The Swede
White is aiming to avoid a sharp White is scoring very well with the line with 4...¥f5 is well analysed, probably got inspired by Dobrov,
theoretical Dragon. White is relatively new 11.c4 in the positional but new ideas keep cropping up. who played the same move in the
threatening ¤b5 and so provokes main line of the Sveshnikov. In Even on move six novelties are Latvian (7.g4) attack in the Semi-
Black to weaken his black squares Timofeev-Smirnov the novelty possible as is witnessed by Boris Slav. Giri's decision not to accept
with 6...e6. In Nikolenko-Li Chao, 17.cxd5, giving up the strong Savchenko's 6.¤3e2!? against the pawn sacrifice doesn't seem
Black's 9...¤e5 is a serious error square on d5, was backed-up by Vuckovic. The idea is to exchange to be the critical test of Black's
and so you can see it's not White the fantastic positional exchange the bishop on g6 while ending setup, since c8-bishop is outside
who gets punished for playing twice sacrifice 20.¦xc5! after which White up with a more potential ¤ on g1 the pawn chain compared to the
with the same piece in the opening! kept domination until the end. instead of g3. Chebanenko-Slav (4...a6).

opening expert
Who: Peter Svidler Expertise: Grünfeld-Indian
Born: June 17, 1976 Why: His enormous calculating
Nationality: Russia abilities suit very well with this
Rating: 2723 dynamic opening system.

For many years already Peter Svidler is the leading expert on the Grünfeld. In Gibraltar, his Grünfeld successes
(2.5 out of 3) helped him a lot in earning tournament victory. His games with Berczes and Beliavsky are true model
games of what Svidler is capable of and may give other Grünfeld-lovers new hopes how to play against the ever-
dangerous 7.¥c4 system.

www.chessvibes.com/openings

ChessVibes Openings is a weekly PDF magazine that covers the latest news on chess openings. Which openings are hot in top level chess?
Which are not? Editors IM Merijn van Delft & IM Robert Ris keep you updated once a week! Singles issues cost € 1. You can subscribe too:
€ 18 for six months / € 25 a year (that’s less than € 0.50 per issue!). More info can be found at www.chessvibes.com/openings.

© 2009 ChessVibes. Copyright exists in all original material published by ChessVibes. Any copying or distribution (reproduction, via print, electronic format, or in any form whatsoever), as
well as posting on the web, is strictly prohibited without prior written permission.

3 of 3