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Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Sicilian 6.Bg5 Nbd7[B94]-TWIC 981

TWIC 981
The 6.Bg5 Nbd7 continues to be a fashionable line but the Bh4 plan should not be so dangerous as improvements for black are easy to find.

Interview with GM Vachier Lagrave.



Vachier Lagrave,M (2719) - Dominguez Perez,L (2757)
Sicilian 6.Bg5 Nbd7[B94]
FIDE World Cup 2013 
Tromso NOR (3.1), 17.08.2013

Position 1
Black has a clearly bad pawn structure. What do you recommend for white?

White to Play


34..Bb6

Thursday, August 8, 2013

Bog Activty

I am playing in a Tournament Aug 9-11 so there will be limited blog activity.

Pirc Austrian Attack 5..0-0[B09]-TWIC 977

TWIC 977
The Pirc gets even more popular with GM Moskalenko's new book. Here is a recent game featuring the aggressive Austrian Attack from the Scottish Ch. GM Gawain Jones got a dynamic game for the sacrifice pawn and won easily from there on.



More About Other Scottish Championships 2013
12 Scottish Power, Dumbarton, 2013 Scottish Championships
The Conundrum, Blair Drummond, Pretty Marion.


Bryson,D (2362) - Jones,G (2643)
Pirc Austrian Attack 5..0-0[B09]
120th ch-SCO 2013
Helensburgh SCO (1.1), 06.07.2013

Position 1
White threatened 23.d6+ winning the Bb7 with his last move. What do you recommend for black?

Black to Play


22.Bb3

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Najdorf Update-TWIC 978

TWIC 978
The Sicilian Najdorf remains at the height of fashion. Here are two key games from last week.

Game 1
6...Nbd7 has become the new main line. White got nothing special in the opening and only made progress late in the middlegame.

Solak,D (2598) - Kurnosov,I (2657)
Sicilian Najdor 6.Bg5 Nbd7 [B94]
Biel MTO 2013

Game 2
6...e5 has become the main way to defend against the English Attack and the only question is if black will followup with ...h5. 

Cheparinov,I (2678) - Schandorff,L (2522)
Sicilian 6.Be3 e5[B90]
Politiken Cup 2013

The Latest Book on the Najdorf


More About Biel-Host of the Biel MTO Tournament



Game 1
6...Nbd7 has become the new main line. White got nothing special in the opening and only made progress late in the middlegame.

Solak,D (2598) - Kurnosov,I (2657)
Sicilian Najdor 6.Bg5 Nbd7 [B94]
Biel MTO 2013
Biel SUI (7.3), 29.07.2013

Position 1
Black is desperately hanging on and now white must make a decision with his queen after 43...Bc2. What do you recommend for white?

White to Play


43..Bc2


Game 2
6...e5 has become the main way to defend against the English Attack and the only question is if black will followup with ...h5. Here GM Schandorff does without the restraining advance but after committing with ...f4, black came under intense pressure.

Cheparinov,I (2678) - Schandorff,L (2522)
Sicilian 6.Be3 e5[B90]
Politiken Cup 2013
Helsingor DEN (10.3), 04.08.2013

Position 1


39..Nd7

Friday, August 2, 2013

Sicilan Najdorf 6.Be3 e5 7.Nb3 Be6 8.f3 h5[B90]-TWIC 977

TWIC 977
The ...h5 restraining play continues to be an effective plan against the English Attack. GM Brodsky varied from the repertoire recommendation of The Sharpest Sicilian 2012 with 11..a5 and obtained a satisfactory game by continuing with ...a4 etc.

More About Minsk,Bulgaria



Khramov,Andrey (1903) - Brodsky,M (2562) 
Sicilan Najdorf 6.Be3 e5 7.Nb3 Be6 8.f3 h5[B90]
Minsk Open 2013 
Minsk BLR (1.3), 13.07.2013


Position 1
Black continueed with 11..a5 intending ...a4 with queenside counterplay. This varies from 11...g6, the repertoire recommendation of The Sharpest Sicilian 2012(Chess Stars 2012).

Black to Play


11.Qd2

Position 2
Forcing play has begun as both sides have pieces under attack. What do you recommend for black?

Black to Play

27.Qxa4