C20-C29:

Unusual 2nd Moves

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

Last updated Wednesday, April 20, 2011

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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

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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

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2

4 fxe5 ¤xe4

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

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3

Others 2nd moves [C20]

Last updated: 16/03/07 by Olivier Renet

1 e4 e5 2 c3

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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2...¤f6 3.d3

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

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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

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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

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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

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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!

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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

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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

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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

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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).

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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

XIIIIIIIIY 9rsnlwqkvl-tr0 9zppzp-+pzpp0 9-+-+-+-+0 9+-+pzP-+-0 9-+-+n+-+0 9+-sN-+N+-0 9PzPPzP-+PzP0 9tR-vLQmKL+R0 xiiiiiiiiy

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

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XIIIIIIIIY 9rsnlwqk+-tr0 9zppzp-vlpzpp0 9-+-+-+-+0 9+-+pzP-+-0 9-+-+-+-+0 9+-zP-+N+-0 9PzPP+Q+PzP0 9tR-vL-mKL+R0 xiiiiiiiiy

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.

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