Wednesday 18 August 2010

RetiCK - quick reply to a reader suggestion

1.e4 c6 2.b3 d5 3.Bb2 dxe4 4.Ne2 Nd7 5.Ng3 Ngf6 6.Nc3 Nc5 7.Qe2 Bg4 8.Qe3 e6!? Diagram This is a suggestion from a reader of my first post on 2.b3 vs CK.


9.h3 Bf5

A) 10.Nxf5 exf5 11.g4!? f4! (11...Qd7 12.0-0-0 0-0-0 =; 11...fxg4?! 12.hxg4 Nxg4 13.Qe2 Nf6 14.0-0-0 Be7 15.Bh3 Qd6 16.Rde1 +=) 12.Qxf4 Ne6 13.Qg3 (13.Qe3 Bc5 14.Qg3 Bd6) 13...Bd6 14.Qg2 Nf4 15.Qg1 Diagram This is = (0.00) according to my engine, and probably it's right as white can pressure pawn e4 with 0-0-0, Re1, g4-g5 and even f2-f3.




B) 10.d4!? is an interesting alternative. 10...Ncd7 Diagram


Here white has a selection of choices, depending on what level of risk is acceptable for him.  

11.f3!?

11.Ncxe4 Nxe4 12.Nxe4 Bxe4 13.Qxe4 Qa5+ 14.c3 Ba3 15.Qc2 Bxb2 16.Qxb2 0-0 17.Be2 =;
11.0-0-0 Nd5 12.Nxd5 cxd5 13.Nxf5 (13.f3) 13...exf5 14.g4;
11.Nxf5 exf5 12.g4.

11...Bd6!? looks critical.

11...Bg6 12.fxe4 Qa5 13.0-0-0 Ba3 (13...Bb4 14.Kb1) 14.Be2 0-0-0 15.h4 h6 16.Bxa3 Qxa3+ 17.Kb1 Nb6 18.Rhf1 =;
11...Nd5 12.Nxd5 cxd5 13.fxe4 Bg6 (13...dxe4 14.0-0-0) 14.0-0-0=

12.Nxf5 exf5 13.fxe4 0-0 Diagram



14.0-0-0 (14.e5? c5!) 14...Nxe4 15.Nxe4 Re8 16.Kb1 Diagram


16...fxe4 

16...Rxe4 17.Qd2 Nf6 18.Bd3 Rf4?! (18...Re8 19.Bxf5=) 19.d5 cxd5 (19...Nxd5 20.c4!) 20.g3 (20.g4) 20...Rf3 21.g4 Diagram # with initiative.



17.d5 Be5 18.dxc6 bxc6 19.Bc1 Bf6 20.g4 Diagram with good compensation for the pawn according to the machine. Probably based on the bishop pair and a minority pawn storm with g4-g5. But if you're going to play any of this, you should of course check everything for yourself more carefully.

 



2 comments:

Anonymous said...

10.d4!? is very interesting indeed. And apologies for not giving my name. But I think black can play better. 14...fxe4, with the idea:
15.Nxe4-Re8 16.Nxf6+-Qxf6! with development adv. Seems risky in an over-the board game, but in corr I would happily play it.
-Rabiatov

Anonymous said...

Well, it's certainly one way to play it. 17.Qf3 Qxf3 18.gxf3 could be an ending White would want to explore though - bishop pair and more space, once the c4+d4 duo is established, but Black has resources too, e.g. e6-e5 and a Nd7-f8-g6-f4 manoeuvre.

/Thomas