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C20-C29: Unusual 2 nd Moves Written by GMs Nigel Davies, Tony Kosten, Victor Mikhalevski & Olivier Renet Last updated Wednesday, April 20, 2011 XIIIIIIIIY 9rsnlwqkvlntr0 9zppzpp+pzpp0 9 + + + +0 9+ + zp + 0 9 + +P+ +0 9+ + + + 0 9PzPPzP zPPzP0 9tRNvLQmKLsNR0 xiiiiiiiiy fter 1 e4 e5, two of White's most popular 2nd moves are undoubtedly 2 ¤f3 and 2 ¤c3. However, in the early codes of our 'C20-C29 book', the sleepy knights hardly stir! Instead, we get a fascinating assortment of rarer ideas, followed by lots of actionpacked goodies with 2 ¥c4 hitting the frail f7pawn, and finally a slumbering knight awakens, sees what it's been missing, and springs out of its b1-block with 2 ¤c3 in the vivacious Vienna Game! A personal favourite of mine is the individual 'C26 book', entitled "Starring Smyslov's smart system". What a pointscorer that one is! So, prepare yourself for a feast, and then have lots of fun and success trying out the many lines in your own (winning!) games. GM Paul Motwani A All the game references highlighted in blue have been annotated and can be downloaded in PGN form using the PGN Games Archive on www.chesspublishing.com.

C20-C29: Unusual 2nd Moves · 4 fxe5 ¤xe4 Vienna 2...Nf6 3.f4 [C29] Press F5 to toggle the Navigation Pane, then click on the appropriate bookmark to go straight to that section.Others

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  • C20-C29:

    Unusual 2nd Moves

    Written by GMs Nigel Davies, Tony Kosten, Victor Mikhalevski & Olivier Renet

    Last updated Wednesday, April 20, 2011

    XIIIIIIIIY 9rsnlwqkvlntr0 9zppzpp+pzpp0 9-+-+-+-+0 9+-+-zp-+-0 9-+-+P+-+0 9+-+-+-+-0 9PzPPzP-zPPzP0 9tRNvLQmKLsNR0 xiiiiiiiiy

    fter 1 e4 e5, two of White's most popular 2nd moves are undoubtedly 2 ¤f3 and

    2 ¤c3. However, in the early codes of our 'C20-C29 book', the sleepy knights

    hardly stir! Instead, we get a fascinating assortment of rarer ideas, followed by

    lots of action−packed goodies with 2 ¥c4 hitting the frail f7−pawn, and finally a slumbering

    knight awakens, sees what it's been missing, and springs out of its b1-block with 2 ¤c3 in

    the vivacious Vienna Game! A personal favourite of mine is the individual 'C26 book',

    entitled "Starring Smyslov's smart system". What a point−scorer that one is! So, prepare

    yourself for a feast, and then have lots of fun and success trying out the many lines in your

    own (winning!) games. GM Paul Motwani

    A

    All the game references highlighted in blue have been annotated and can be downloaded in PGN form using the PGN Games Archive on www.chesspublishing.com.

  • Contents

    1 e4 e5 2 ¤c3

    XIIIIIIIIY 9rsnlwqkvlntr0 9zppzpp+pzpp0 9-+-+-+-+0 9+-+-zp-+-0 9-+-+P+-+0 9+-sN-+-+-0 9PzPPzP-zPPzP0 9tR-vLQmKLsNR0 xiiiiiiiiy

    2 d4 exd4 3 £xd4 (3 c3 Danish Gambit [C21]) 3...¤c6 Center Game [C22] 2 ¥c4 ¤f6 (2...c6 3 £e2 Bishop's Opening 2...Others [C23]) 3 d3 c6 Bishop's Opening

    2...Nf6 [C24] 2 a3 Other 2nd moves [C20]

    2...¤f6

    2...¤c6 3 ¥c4 ¤f6 (3...¥c5 Vienna Game 2...Others [C25]) 4 d3 Vienna 3.Bc4 Nf6 [C28]

    3 f4

    3 ¥c4 ¤xe4 4 £h5 Vienna 3.Bc4 Nxe4 [C27] 3 g3 Vienna 2...Nf6 3.g3 [C26]

    3...d5

    XIIIIIIIIY 9rsnlwqkvl-tr0 9zppzp-+pzpp0 9-+-+-sn-+0 9+-+pzp-+-0 9-+-+PzP-+0 9+-sN-+-+-0 9PzPPzP-+PzP0 9tR-vLQmKLsNR0 xiiiiiiiiy

    2

  • 4 fxe5 ¤xe4

    Vienna 2...Nf6 3.f4 [C29]

    Press F5 to toggle the Navigation Pane, then click on the appropriate bookmark to go

    straight to that section.

    Ctrl + 2 resizes the page.

    All rights reserved Chess Publishing Ltd

    3

  • Others 2nd moves [C20]

    Last updated: 16/03/07 by Olivier Renet

    1 e4 e5 2 c3

    XIIIIIIIIY 9rsnlwqkvlntr0 9zppzpp+pzpp0 9-+-+-+-+0 9+-+-zp-+-0 9-+-+P+-+0 9+-zP-+-+-0 9PzP-zP-zPPzP0 9tRNvLQmKLsNR0 xiiiiiiiiy

    A kind of accelerated Ponziani? White intends to build a broad pawn centre with d2−d4 but

    all this takes time. Other rarities include the Portuguese Opening with 2 ¥b5 after which 2...c6 3 ¥a4 ¤f6 4

    £e2 ¥c5 5 ¤f3 d5! 6 exd5 0-0 gave Black good compensation for the pawn in Vescovi,G−Sokolov,I/Malmo 1995 (14).

    After Mengarini's 2 a3 Black should adopt a set−up in which the move of White's a−pawn is relatively pointless, for example 2...¤f6 3 ¤c3 (3 d3 d5 4 f4!? a reversed ... f5 Philidor! Surtees,M−Palliser,R/British Championship, Swansea 2006) 3...¥c5 (3...¤c6 4 ¤f3 g6 makes sense, see C47) 4 ¤f3 d6 5 h3 ¤c6 6 d3 a6 7 g3 0-0 8 ¥g2 ¥e6 and Black was OK at this point in Wahls,M−Brueckner,T/Bundesliga 1991 (21).

    2...¤f6 3 d4 ¤xe4

    Black's simplest may be 3...d5 4 dxe5 ¤xe4 with easy equality.

    4 dxe5 ¥c5?

    Either missing or underestimating the reply. Another way to blunder was with 4...d5 5 exd6 ¥xd6? allowing 6 £a4+, but 5...¤xd6 is

    OK.

    4

  • 5 £g4 ¤xf2 6 £xg7 ¦f8 7 ¥g5

    and White was already winning in the game Morphy,P−Buttin,P/Paris 1858 (29).

    5

  • Danish Gambit [C21]

    Last updated: 14/08/03 by Nigel Davies

    1 e4 e5 2 d4 exd4 3 c3

    XIIIIIIIIY 9rsnlwqkvlntr0 9zppzpp+pzpp0 9-+-+-+-+0 9+-+-+-+-0 9-+-zpP+-+0 9+-zP-+-+-0 9PzP-+-zPPzP0 9tRNvLQmKLsNR0 xiiiiiiiiy

    3...¤e7!?

    An interesting and economical answer to the Danish. Black prepares ...d7−d5 followed by a knight recapture, but without having to worry about his knight being attacked by e4−e5.

    4 cxd4 d5 5 e5 ¤f5 6 ¤c3 ¥e7 7 ¤f3 0-0 8 ¥d3 ¤c6 9 ¤e2 f6 10 a3 fxe5 11 dxe5 ¤h4 12 ¤xh4 ¥xh4

    and Black had a good game in Voigt,M−Hector,J/Hamburg International, Germany 2000 (27).

    6

  • Center Game [C22]

    Last updated: 14/08/03 by Nigel Davies

    1 e4 e5 2 d4 exd4 3 £xd4

    XIIIIIIIIY 9rsnlwqkvlntr0 9zppzpp+pzpp0 9-+-+-+-+0 9+-+-+-+-0 9-+-wQP+-+0 9+-+-+-+-0 9PzPP+-zPPzP0 9tRNvL-mKLsNR0 xiiiiiiiiy

    3...¤c6 4 £e3 ¤f6

    Another good way to play it for Black is with 4...g6 when the fianchettoed king's bishop will both protect Black's king and strike out along the h8−a1 diagonal. One example is 5 ¤c3 ¥g7 6 ¥d2 ¤f6 7 0-0-0 0-0 8 £g3 d6 9 h4 £e7 10 f3 ¥e6 11 ¤ge2 d5 when Black got a good game in Silva,F−Santos,C/Porto Open, Portugal 2000 (29).

    5 ¤c3 ¥e7 6 ¥d2 d5 7 exd5 ¤xd5 8 £g3

    8 ¤xd5 £xd5 White would be unable to castle queenside because of the attack on the a2 pawn.

    8...¤cb4 9 0-0-0?

    7

  • XIIIIIIIIY 9r+lwqk+-tr0 9zppzp-vlpzpp0 9-+-+-+-+0 9+-+n+-+-0 9-sn-+-+-+0 9+-sN-+-wQ-0 9PzPPvL-zPPzP0 9+-mKR+LsNR0 xiiiiiiiiy

    Relatively best is 9 ¤xd5 £xd5 10 ¥xb4 (10 £xg7 ¤xc2+ 11 ¢d1 ¦f8 12 ¢xc2 ¥f5+ 13 ¢c1 0-0-

    0 14 ¤f3 ¥b4) 10...£e4+! with some advantage to Black. 9 £xg7? ¥f6 attacks both g7 and c2.

    9...¤xc3 10 bxc3

    Forced, as either 10 ¥xc3? or 10 £xc3? is answered by 10...¤xa2+

    10...¤xa2+ 11 ¢b2 ¥e6 12 ¤e2 c5!

    and with ...Qb6+ threatened White was in all sorts of trouble in Smith,A−Ferguson,M/Birmingham ENG 2000 (24).

    8

  • Bishop's Opening 2...Others [C23]

    Last updated: 14/08/03 by Nigel Davies

    1 e4 e5 2 ¥c4

    XIIIIIIIIY 9rsnlwqkvlntr0 9zppzpp+pzpp0 9-+-+-+-+0 9+-+-zp-+-0 9-+L+P+-+0 9+-+-+-+-0 9PzPPzP-zPPzP0 9tRNvLQmK-sNR0 xiiiiiiiiy

    2...c6

    A logical if somewhat slow looking move, aiming for ...d7−d5. Alternatives are as follows: a) 2...¥c5 3 b4!? (A kind of accelerated Evans Gambit) 3...¥xb4 4 c3 ¥c5 5 d4 exd4 6

    ¥xf7+ ¢xf7 7 £h5+ g6 8 £xc5 £e7 9 £d5+ £e6?! (9...¢g7 is better) 10 £xe6+ dxe6 11 cxd4 was better for White in Delanoy,A−Kamenecki,S/Cannes Open 2000 (38).

    b) 2...f5 3 ¥xg8?! (Rather than grab material like this, White should play either 3 d3 or 3 d4 ) 3...¦xg8 4 exf5 d5 5 £h5+ g6 6 fxg6 ¦xg6 7 ¤e2 ¤c6 8 0-0 ¥g4 9 £xh7 ¦h6 and

    Black had a strong attack in the game Fisher,A−Steinitz,W/London 1872 (24). c) 2...¤c6 3 f4 ¤f6 4 ¤f3 ¤xe4?! (4...exf4 is much better) 5 ¥d5! ¤f6 6 ¥xc6 dxc6 7 fxe5

    ¤g4 8 d4 and White had a clear edge in Strijbos,M−Deyirmendjian,J/Avoine Open 1995 (21).

    3 £e2

    This slow move is not the critical test of 2...c6. 3 d4 looks much more logical as after 3...exd4 4 £xd4 White's queen can't be attacked by

    Black's queen's knight because the c6 square is occupied.

    3...d6 4 c3 f5 5 d3 ¤f6 6 exf5?!

    9

  • XIIIIIIIIY 9rsnlwqkvl-tr0 9zpp+-+-zpp0 9-+pzp-sn-+0 9+-+-zpP+-0 9-+L+-+-+0 9+-zPP+-+-0 9PzP-+QzPPzP0 9tRNvL-mK-sNR0 xiiiiiiiiy

    Giving Black a preponderance of central pawns. 6 ¤f3 is better.

    6...¥xf5 7 d4 e4 8 ¥g5 d5 9 ¥b3 ¥d6

    and Black's well fortified and centralised army gave him the advantage in Bruehl,C−Philidor,F/London Blindfold Simul 1783 (47).

    10

  • Bishop's Opening 2...Nf6 [C24]

    Last updated: 20/04/11 by Victor Mikhalevski

    1.e4 e5 2.¥c4

    XIIIIIIIIY 9rsnlwqkvlntr0 9zppzpp+pzpp0 9-+-+-+-+0 9+-+-zp-+-0 9-+L+P+-+0 9+-+-+-+-0 9PzPPzP-zPPzP0 9tRNvLQmK-sNR0 xiiiiiiiiy

    2...¤f6 3.d3

    This quiet move has been all the rage in recent years. 3.d4

    XIIIIIIIIY 9rsnlwqkvl-tr0 9zppzpp+pzpp0 9-+-+-sn-+0 9+-+-zp-+-0 9-+LzPP+-+0 9+-+-+-+-0 9PzPP+-zPPzP0 9tRNvLQmK-sNR0 xiiiiiiiiy

    The Urusoff Gambit, which has attracted the attention of gambiteers worldwide. 3...exd4

    4.¤f3 ¤xe4 (Much safer is 4...¤c6, which transposes into a Two Knights Defence.) 5.£xd4 ¤f6 6.¤c3 c6 7.¥g5 d5 8.0-0-0 ¥e7 9.£h4 ¤bd7 (An alternative is 9...¥e6, though this still offers White dangerous attacking chances after 10.¦he1 ¤bd7

    11

  • 11.¥d3 (or 11.¤d4!? ) ) 10.¦he1 dxc4 11.¥xf6 gxf6 12.¤e4 0-0 13.¤g3 and despite the extra piece it was difficult to see a defence for Black in Avrukh,B−Skripchenko−Lautier,A/Anibal Open, Spain 2001 (21).

    3.£e2 ¥c5 4.d3 0-0 Short,N−Kramnik,V/London ENG 2010.

    3...c6

    3...¤c6 could transpose into the Two Knights, but White has other possibilities, 4.¤c3 ¥b4 5.¤ge2 d5 6.exd5 ¤xd5 7.0-0 for instance.

    3...¥c5 is also possible, 4.¤f3 0-0 5.0-0 (5.¤xe5?! d5 6.exd5 ¦e8 7.d4 ¥xd4! 8.£xd4 ¤c6³) 5...d6 6.c3 ¥b6 7.¤bd2 c6 8.¥b3 with symmetry, and close to equality, Karjakin,S−Smeets,J/Nice FRA 2010.

    4.¤f3 d5

    XIIIIIIIIY 9rsnlwqkvl-tr0 9zpp+-+pzpp0 9-+p+-sn-+0 9+-+pzp-+-0 9-+L+P+-+0 9+-+P+N+-0 9PzPP+-zPPzP0 9tRNvLQmK-+R0 xiiiiiiiiy

    The most ambitious. 4...¥e7 A solid answer. 5.0-0 d6 6.c3 (6.h3 is equally harmless, for example 6...0-0 7.¥b3

    ¤bd7 8.c3 d5 9.£e2 dxe4 10.dxe4 £c7 as in Jasim,A−Safin,S/Dubai UAE 2001.) 6...0-0 (An interesting alternative is 6...¤bd7 7.¥b3 ¤f8!? as in Hendriks,W−Van der Sterren,P/Dutch Interclubs 2001.) 7.¦e1 ¤bd7 8.¤bd2 ¤b6 9.¥b3 ¥e6 and Black had a very solid game in Kamsky,G−Yusupov,A/Tilburg 1993.

    5.¥b3 a5!

    5...¥d6 is the old mainline, 6.exd5 ¤xd5 (6...cxd5 see Kamsky,G−Gelfand,B/Bazna ROM 2009) 7.0-0 0-0 8.¦e1 ¤d7 (8...¥g4 Black is ready to sacrifice a pawn for the initiative, 9.h3 ¥h5 Morozevich,A−Smeets,J/Novi Sad SRB 2009, when 10.g4 ¥g6 11.¤xe5 is critical.) 9.d4 Tiviakov's move, 9...exd4 10.¥xd5! cxd5 11.£xd4 ¥c5! Morozevich,A−Gelfand,B/Biel SUI 2009.

    6.¤c3

    6.a4 ¥b4+ 7.c3 ¥d6 Kurnosov,I−Volokitin,A/Budva MNE 2009.

    12

  • 6...¥b4

    Renewing the threat of ...a4.

    7.a3 ¥xc3+ 8.bxc3 a4 9.¥a2 £d6 10.0-0 0-0 11.¥g5 ¤bd7

    XIIIIIIIIY 9r+l+-trk+0 9+p+n+pzpp0 9-+pwq-sn-+0 9+-+pzp-vL-0 9p+-+P+-+0 9zP-zPP+N+-0 9L+P+-zPPzP0 9tR-+Q+RmK-0 xiiiiiiiiy

    12.¤h4

    White could try to set some problems with 12.exd5 cxd5 13.¦e1

    12...¤c5 13.f4 ¤cxe4!

    A correct piece sacrifice. 13...¤fxe4 14.fxe5! Rublevsky,S−Svidler,P/Khanty−Mansiysk RUS 2007.

    14.dxe4 ¤xe4

    soon leading to a perpetual in Karjakin,S−Gashimov,V/Monaco MNC 2011.

    13

  • Vienna Game 2...Others [C25]

    Last updated: 14/08/03 by Nigel Davies

    1 e4 e5 2 ¤c3 ¤c6

    The passive 2...d6 gave White a good game after 3 ¥c4 ¤f6 4 d3 c6 5 f4 ¥g4 6 ¤f3 exf4 7 h3 ¥xf3 8 £xf3 ¤bd7 9 ¥xf4 ¤e5 10 £e2 ¤xc4 11 dxc4 ¤d7 12 0-0-0 in Ivanchuk,V−Azmaiparashvili,Z/European Club Cup, Crete 2001 (28) as White had strong pressure on the d6 pawn.

    2...¥c5 can be answered by the interesting 3 f4 ¥xg1 (3...d6 is safest with a King's Gambit Declined) 4 ¦xg1 d6 5 d4 £h4+ 6 g3 £xh2 7 ¦g2 £h1 8 fxe5 dxe5 9 ¥e3 gave White a strong initiative in Nielsen,N−Lilja,R/Politiken Cup, Copenhagen, Den 2000 (19).

    3 f4

    XIIIIIIIIY 9r+lwqkvlntr0 9zppzpp+pzpp0 9-+n+-+-+0 9+-+-zp-+-0 9-+-+PzP-+0 9+-sN-+-+-0 9PzPPzP-+PzP0 9tR-vLQmKLsNR0 xiiiiiiiiy

    After 3 ¥c4 Black should probably avoid the natural 3...¥c5 (3...¤f6 is better) because of 4

    £g4 when 4...£f6 (4...g6 5 £f3 is also unpleasant for Black because of the weakness of his kingside

    but 4...¢f8 is an old idea of Hugh Alexander which is worth considering.) 5 ¤d5! £xf2+ 6 ¢d1 ¢f8 7 ¤h3 £d4 8 d3 d6 9 £h4 ¥xh3 10 £xh3 ¤a5 11 ¦f1 ¤xc4 12 £d7 f6 13 ¤xf6 1-0 was the famous miniature, Mieses,J−Chigorin,M/Ostend 1906, Black resigning because of 13...¤xf6 14 ¦xf6+ gxf6 15 ¥h6+ ¢g8 16 £e6#

    3...exf4

    14

  • After 3...¥c5 White should probably transpose into a King's Gambit Declined with 4 Nf3, as 4 fxe5 can be met by a dangerous gambit with 4...d6. In this position White should still decline the pawn with 5.Nf3 as after 5 exd6 £xd6 6 ¤f3 ¥g4 7 ¥e2 0-0-0 8 d3 f5 Black had a powerful initiative in Helsen,S−Akhayan,R/Borgerhout Open, Belgium 2002 (22).

    4 ¤f3 g5 5 h4

    Introducing the famous Hamppe−Algaier Gambit. Another possibility is 5 d4 when 5...g4 6 ¥c4 gxf3 7 ¥xf4 (7 £xf3 ¤xd4 8 ¥xf7+ ¢xf7 9 £h5+

    was Stephenson,N−Bielby,P/Durham Championship, England 1 1973 (20)) 7...fxg2? (7...f2+ would cleverly block the f−file.) 8 ¥xf7+ ¢xf7 9 £h5+ was Perez,F−Alekhine,A/Madrid 1943 (12).

    5...g4 6 ¤g5 d6!

    XIIIIIIIIY 9r+lwqkvlntr0 9zppzp-+p+p0 9-+nzp-+-+0 9+-+-+-sN-0 9-+-+PzppzP0 9+-sN-+-+-0 9PzPPzP-+P+0 9tR-vLQmKL+R0 xiiiiiiiiy

    More precise than 6...h6, when 7 ¤xf7 gives White dangerous compensation.

    7 d4 h6 8 ¤xf7 ¢xf7 9 ¥c4+ ¢g7 10 ¥xf4 ¥e7

    and White had difficulties demonstrating that he had adequate compensation in Forster,R−Almasi,Z/Horgen 1995 (26).

    15

  • Vienna 2...Nf6 3.g3 [C26]

    Last updated: 28/05/06 by Olivier Renet

    1 e4 e5 2 ¤c3 ¤f6

    Also after 2...¤c6 White can proceed with 3 g3 when 3...¥c5 4 ¥g2 a6 5 ¤ge2 d6 6 ¤d5 ¤f6 7 0-0 0-0 8 c3 ¤xd5 9 exd5 ¤e7 10 d4 gave White a slight space advantage in Schmittdiel,E−Smejkal,J/Polanica Zdroj 1991 (30)

    3 g3

    XIIIIIIIIY 9rsnlwqkvl-tr0 9zppzpp+pzpp0 9-+-+-sn-+0 9+-+-zp-+-0 9-+-+P+-+0 9+-sN-+-zP-0 9PzPPzP-zP-zP0 9tR-vLQmKLsNR0 xiiiiiiiiy

    This slow plan is a most interesting way of playing the Vienna, with White playing for an

    eventual f2−f4 unless Black reacts in the center. And when Black plays ...d7−d5 he opens up a diagonal for the bishop on g2.

    Alternatively White can play 3 ¥c4 ¥c5 (3...¥b4 4 f4 exf4 5 e5 was Alekhine,A−Euwe,M/Blitz tournament, The Hague 1921 (12), 3...¤xe4 is C27, and 3...¤c6 is C28) 4 d3 d6 (4...c6!? 5 ¤f3 b5 6 ¥b3 d6 was De Barberis,M−Skembris,S/Torino, Italy 2000 (14)) 5 f4 ¤g4 (Both 5...a6 6 ¤f3 ¤c6, as in Emms,J−Olesen,M/Hillerod 1995 (16), and 5...¤c6 6 ¤f3 transpose into a King's Gambit Declined) 6 f5 ¤f2 7 £h5 and White had a powerful attack in Emms,J−Jackson,A/Port Erin HUN 1999 (15).

    3...d5

    Probably Black's best. Slower plans tend to favour White because of his possible pawn levers with d2−d4 or f2−f4, for example:

    a) 3...¥c5 4 ¥g2 d6 5 ¤ge2 ¤c6 6 ¤a4 (6 0-0 a6 7 h3 0-0 8 ¢h2 ¤d4 9 f4 and White had attacking chances on the kingside in Motwani,P−Janssen,F/Eksakt Weekender,

    16

  • Tilburg 2001 (32).) 6...¥e6 7 d3 ¥d4!? (7...£d7 8 h3 preventing ...¥h3 as in Tseitlin,M−Humer,W/Wattens 1991) 8 h3 £e7 9 ¤ac3 ¥b6 level, Zvjaginsev,V−Sokolov,I/Poikovsky RUS 2006.

    b) 3...¥b4 4 ¥g2 0-0 5 ¤ge2 ¦e8 6 0-0 d6 7 h3 gave White the more promising prospects in Motwani,P−Westerinen,H/Gausdal 1992 1992 (31).

    c) 3...c6!? 4 d4 ¥b4 5 ¥g2 d5 was an interesting plan used in Wahls,M−Ivanchuk,V/F.I.D.E. World Ch., Las Vegas 1999 (15).

    4 exd5 ¤xd5 5 ¥g2 ¤xc3 6 bxc3 ¥d6

    XIIIIIIIIY 9rsnlwqk+-tr0 9zppzp-+pzpp0 9-+-vl-+-+0 9+-+-zp-+-0 9-+-+-+-+0 9+-zP-+-zP-0 9P+PzP-zPLzP0 9tR-vLQmK-sNR0 xiiiiiiiiy

    Personally I think it's better to delay putting Black's knight on c6 so as to have the option of

    neutralizing White's bishop on g2 with either ...c7−c6 or ...¦a8−b8 followed by ...b7−b6 and ...¥c8−b7.

    Even so, 1...e5 specialist Mark Hebden prefers 6...¤c6 and after 7 ¤f3 ¥c5 8 0-0 0-0 9 ¦e1 £f6!? (9...¦e8 10 d4 exd4 11 ¦xe8+ £xe8 12 cxd4 gave White the initiative in Motwani,P−Hebden,M/Millennium Blitz, Lichfield 20 2000 (28)) 10 ¦b1 (10 d3!?) 10...¥b6 11 £e2 ¥d7 he had a very reasonable game in Cooper,L−Hebden,M/Bradford ENG 2002 (26).

    7 ¤f3 0-0 8 0-0 ¤c6

    For 8...¤d7 9 ¦e1 see Motwani,P−Jonsson,B/Hafnarfjordhur 1992 (30).

    9 ¦b1

    White might also consider the immediate 9 d4 when 9...¥g4?! is Van Mil,J−Nieuwelink,K/Dutch Interclubs, Sas van Gent 2000 (20).

    9...¦b8 10 d4 h6 11 ¦e1 £f6 12 h3

    and once again White had a slight initiative in Motwani,P−Fritz 5/Brussels 2000 (25).

    17

  • Vienna 3.Bc4 Nxe4 [C27]

    Last updated: 05/04/04 by Nigel Davies

    1 e4 e5 2 ¤c3 ¤f6 3 ¥c4 ¤xe4 4 £h5

    XIIIIIIIIY 9rsnlwqkvl-tr0 9zppzpp+pzpp0 9-+-+-+-+0 9+-+-zp-+Q0 9-+L+n+-+0 9+-sN-+-+-0 9PzPPzP-zPPzP0 9tR-vL-mK-sNR0 xiiiiiiiiy

    4...¤d6 5 ¥b3

    5 £xe5+ should be met by 5... 5...£e7 (and not 5...¥e7? in view of 6 £xg7! ¥f6 7 £g4)

    5...¥e7

    A safe way to play this position for Black is with 5...g6, for example 6 £xe5+ £e7 7 £xe7+ ¥xe7 8 ¤d5 ¥d8 as in Dragojlovic,A−Dervishi,E/Cutro 2000 (49).

    After the natural 5...¤c6 Black has to play a controversial exchange sac:− 6 ¤b5 g6 7 £f3 f5 8 £d5 £e7 9 ¤xc7+ ¢d8 10 ¤xa8 b6 is the game Simmons,M−Hector,J/Jersey JCI 2003 (23).

    6 ¤f3 0-0?!

    This natural move is a serious mistake. Black should play 6...¤c6 7 ¤xe5 0-0 (7...¤xe5?! 8 £xe5 0-0 9 ¤d5 ¦e8 10 0-0 ¥f8 11 £f4 left

    Black under pressure in a game Alekhine,A−Euwe,M from the 1935 World Championship match) 8 ¤d5 ¤d4! with equality.

    7 h4 ¤c6

    18

  • After 7...g6 White would play 8 £xe5 ¥f6 9 £f4 ¦e8+ 10 ¢f1 ¥g7 11 d4 ¤c6 12 h5 with a strong attack.

    8 ¤g5 h6 9 £g6 ¥xg5 10 hxg5 £xg5 11 £xg5 hxg5 12 d3

    and despite the exchange of queens Black was under strong pressure in Gufeld,E−Tarve,U/Tallinn, Estonia 1969 (25).

    19

  • Vienna 3.Bc4 Nf6 [C28]

    Last updated: 12/05/09 by Victor Mikhalevski

    1 e4 e5 2 ¤c3 ¤c6 3 ¥c4 ¤f6 4 d3 ¥b4

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    After 4...¥c5 5 f4 d6 White has an interesting option in 6 f5 (6 ¤f3 is a King's Gambit

    Declined) when 6...¤e7 7 ¥g5 c6 8 ¥xf6 gxf6 9 £h5 d5 10 ¥b3 left Black under pressure in Conquest,S−Thorfinsson,B/Reykjavik Open, Iceland 2000 (23)

    A good fighting move is 4...¤a5, aiming to get the bishop pair after which 5 ¤ge2 c6!? (5...¥e7 Black is not in a hurry to capture the bishop, which can't escape the exchange anyway. 6 0-0 0-0 7 a4 ¤xc4 8 dxc4 Mamedyarov,S−Aronian,L/Nalchik RUS 2009) 6 a4 (6 a3 ¤xc4 7 dxc4 d6 8 b3 ¥e6 gave Black a good game in Cornette,M−Godena,M/Lausanne SUI 2001 (18).) 6...¤xc4 7 dxc4 ¥c5 8 0-0 d6 9 £d3 ¥e6 10 b3 0-0 11 ¥e3 ¥xe3 12 £xe3 a5 Black has nothing to fear in this opening and has already equalized, Mitkov,N−Friedel,J/Schaumburg USA 2006.

    5 ¤ge2

    Black can answer 5 ¤f3 with 5...d5 6 exd5 ¤xd5 7 0-0 ¥xc3 (7...¤xc3 8 bxc3 ¥xc3 is bad because of 9 ¤g5 ¥xa1 10 ¥xf7+ with a strong attack) 8 bxc3 ¥g4 with a double−edged game in Djurhuus,R−Fyllingen,R/Norwegian Ch., Asker, Norway 2 2000.

    5...d5 6 exd5 ¤xd5 7 0-0

    After 7 a3 ¥xc3+ 8 bxc3 ¥e6 Black had nothing to worry about in Adams,M−Motwani,P/London 1989 (44).

    20

  • 7...¥e6 8 ¥xd5 ¥xd5 9 f4

    as in Ale,C−Geus,R/Correspondence 1983 (12).

    21

  • Vienna 2...Nf6 3.f4 [C29]

    Last updated: 08/11/06 by Olivier Renet

    1 e4 e5 2 ¤c3 ¤f6 3 f4 d5 4 fxe5

    I don't recommend 4 exd5 ¤xd5 5 fxe5 ¤xc3 6 bxc3 £h4+ 7 ¢e2, when White's king found himself in all sorts of trouble in Hamppe,K−Steinitz,W/Vienna 1859 (23).

    4...¤xe4 5 ¤f3

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    After 5 d3 Black's simplest line is 5...¤xc3 (5...£h4+?! 6 g3 ¤xg3 7 ¤f3 £h5 8 ¤xd5 is

    probably very good for White, 5...¥b4!? 6 dxe4 £h4+ 7 ¢e2 ¥xc3 8 bxc3 ¥g4+ 9 ¤f3 dxe4 10 £d4 ¥h5 11 ¢e3 ¥xf3 12 gxf3 £e1+ 13 ¢f4 £h4+ 14 ¢e3 £e1+ is a known 'drawing line', though White can deviate from it with 12 Bb5+ or 11 Kd2 if he wants.) 6 bxc3 d4 with good play.

    5...¥e7 6 £e2 ¤xc3 7 dxc3

    22

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    White aims for ¥f4 and 0-0-0. 7 bxc3 0-0 8 d4 f6 9 ¥f4 fxe5 10 ¥xe5 ¤d7 and Black had a good game in

    Szczepkowska,K−Matras,A/Brzeg Dolny POL 2001 (16).

    7...c5 8 ¥f4 ¤c6 9 £f2

    9 0-0-0 ¥e6 10 h4 h6 11 g3 £d7 12 ¥g2 0-0-0 is very comfortable game for Black, Adams,M−Anand,V, Linares 1994.

    9...h6!

    A good move forestalling £g3 and controlling the important g5−square. Black wants to decide where he wants to castle later on.

    10 ¥e2 £b6

    See Istratescu,A−Karpov,A/Bucharest 2005.

    23

    C20–C29: Unusual 2nd Moves Contents Others 2nd moves [C20] Danish Gambit [C21] Center Game [C22] Bishop's Opening 2...Others [C23] Bishop's Opening 2...Nf6 [C24] Vienna Game 2...Others [C25] Vienna 2...Nf6 3.g3 [C26] Vienna 3.Bc4 Nxe4 [C27] Vienna 3.Bc4 Nf6 [C28] Vienna 2...Nf6 3.f4 [C29]