Chess (August): Wang Hao sqeeks by Magnus to win Biel

[Jack Rabbit]

25. Ponomariov - Caruana, Round 2 (Full Opening Theory: Spanish Royal Sicilian Game)

[center]


Ruslan Ponomariov
[/center][font size="1"]Photo by karpidis modified from flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/8022405@N02/2961348805/)
(Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)
[/font]

Ruslan Ponomariov - Fabiano Caruana
Sparkassen Chess Meeting, Round 2
Dortmund, 14 July 2012

Spanish Royal Sicilian Game: Rat Defense (Rossolimo Variation)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5

[center]BLACK[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE[/center][center]Spanish Royal Sicilian Game[/center][center]Position after 3.Bf1b5[/center]

• Nowadays, this is played as a way for White to dodge the Sveshnikov Defense (3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5).

3...d6

• The text is the Rat Defense, which is most effective in stopping an early e4e5.
• [font color="red"](Dragon Defense)[/font] If [font color="red"]3...g6[/font] (like Dragon Defense in an Open Sicilian, Black will put pressure on the center with his minor pieces at a distance) [font color="red"]4.0-0 Bg7[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]5.c3 Nf6 6.Re1 0-0[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]7.d4 cxd4[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]8.cxd4 d5 9.e5 Ne4[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]10.Nc3 Nxc3 11.bxc3[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]11...Na5[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]12.Bg5 a6 13.Bd3[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]13...Bd7 14.Qd2 Rc8 15.Rab1 b5 16.h4 Nc4 17.Qc1[/font] is equal (J. Polgar-Muir, Euro ChT, Haifa, 1989).
• [font color="burgundy"]13...Qc7 14.Rc1 b5 15.Nd2 f6 16.exf6 exf6 17.Bh4[/font] is equal (Moshina-Rybenko, World University ChW, Ulaan Baatar, 2002).
• If [font color="darkred"]12.Ba3[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]12...Bd7 13.Qa4 Bxb5 14.Qxb5[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]14...a6[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]15.Qc5!? e6 16.Bb4 Nc4 17.Qe7 Qxe7 18.Bxe7 Rfc8[/font] gives Black a fair advantage with a Rook trained on a backward pawn (Vujadinovic-Jelic, TT, Belgrade, 2009).
• [font color="burgundy"]15.Qb4 e6 16.Qb1 Re8 17.Bc5 Qd7[/font] remains equal.
• [font color="darkpink"]14...Nc4[/font] draw (Matanovic-Janosevic, IT, Skopje/Ohrid, 1968).
• If [font color="magenta"]12...Bg4 13.h3[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]13...Bxf3 14.Qxf3 a6 15.Bf1 Rc8 16.Rab1[/font] gives White a fair advantage, but Black can get counterplay against the backward c-pawn (Asmundsson-Kristensen, TT, Glücksburg, 1977).
• [font color="darkorange"]13...Bd7 14.Bd3 Rc8 15.Qc1 Nc4 16.Bb4 Re8[/font] remains equal.
• If [font color="darkred"]11...Qa5 12.a4 Bg4[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]13.Re3 Rac8 14.h3[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]14...Bf5 15.Nh4 Bd7 16.f4 a6 17.Be2 Nd8 18.Bd2[/font] is equal (Bormida-Dr. Smith, Corres, 1997).
• If [font color="magenta"]14...Bxf3?! 15.Rxf3! a6 16.Bf1[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]16...b5?! 17.Ba3! Ra8 18.e6 b4 19.exf7+ Kh8 20.cxb4[/font] gives White an extra pawn, the initiative and a huge advantage in space (Adorjan-Sax, Hungarian Ch, Budapest, 1973).
• [font color="darkorange"]16...Qd8 17.h4 h5 18.Qb3 Na5 19.Qb4[/font] gives White a fair advantage,
• If [font color="magenta"]13.Ba3 Qxc3 14.Re3[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]14...Qa5!? 15.Bxc6! bxc6 16.Bxe7 Rfe8 17.Bd6[/font] gives White a comfortable game (Lacourrelle-Visier Segovia, IT, Las Palmas, 1972).
• [font color="darkorange"]14...Bxf3! 15.Rxc3 Bxd1 16.Bxc6 Rfc8 17.Rxd1 Rxc6 18.Rxc6 bxc6 19.Bxe7[/font] gives White a small advantage with stronger pawns.
• If [font color="darkred"]10.Bxc6 bxc6 11.Nbd2[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]11...c5 12.dxc5[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]12...Nxc5 13.Nb3 Nxb3 14.Qxb3[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]14...d4 15.Bg5 h6 16.Bh4 g5 17.Bg3[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]17...Bf5 18.Rad1 d3 19.e6 f6 20.Rd2 h5[/font] gives Black a fair advantage; White must find an escape route for his kingside pieces (Dveinys-Degraeve, Ol, Bled, 2002).
• [font color="burgundy"]17...Bg4 18.Qd3 Qd5 19.Re4 Bxf3 20.Rxd4 Qb7 21.Qxf3[/font] gives White a slight advantage (Gaponenko-Skripchenko, ITW, Biel, 2005).
• If [font color="darkpink"]14...Bg4 15.Nd4 Rb8 16.Qg3 Bd7 17.b3 Qa5[/font] is equal (Brodsky-Alekseev, Op, Hoogeveen, 2002).
• [font color="purple"]12...Bg4 13.Nb3 Rc8 14.Qd4 f6 15.exf6 Bxf6 16.Ne5[/font] gives White an extra pawn; Black has more than sufficient activity to seek counterplay (Rozentalis-A. Muir, Euro ChT, Batumi, 1999).
• If [font color="magenta"]11...Bf5 12.Nh4 Be6 13.Nb3[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]13...a5 14.a4 c5 15.Nxc5 Nxc5 16.dxc5 Qc7[/font] gives Black the advantage in space after he recovers his pawn (Oral-Lanka, Czech ChT, 2000).
• [font color="darkorange"]13...g5!? 14.f3! gxh4 15.fxe4 h3 16.Nc5 hxg2[/font] is equal (Alekseev-Jakovenko, Russian Ch, Krasnoyarsk, 2003).
• If [font color="darkred"]8.e5 Nd5 9.cxd4[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]9...d6 10.Nc3 Nxc3 11.bxc3[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]11...Bg4 12.exd6 Qxd6 13.h3[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]13...Bxf3 14.Qxf3 e6 15.Bf4[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]15...Qd7 16.Bxc6 bxc6 17.Rab1 Rfc8 18.Rb3[/font] gives White a fair advantage in space (Glek-Lependin, Russian Ch, Krasnoyarsk, 2003).
• [font color="burgundy"]15...Qa3 16.Bxc6 bxc6 17.Qxc6 Rac8 18.Bd6 Rxc6 19.Bxa3[/font] gives White a weak extra pawn and more space (Sandipan-Jirovsky, Bundesliga 0607, Germany, 2006).
• If [font color="magenta"]13...Bf5 14.a4[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]14...Rfd8 15.Ba3[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]15...Qc7 16.Qb3 a6 17.Bxc6 Qxc6 18.Ne5[/font] forces the exchange on e5, giving White a clear advantage (Rosito-Bonatti, IT, Buenos Aires, 1991).
• [font color="darkorange"]14...Bf6 15.Ba3 Qc7 16.Bxc6 bxc6 17.Ne5 Rfd8 18.Qf3[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Brynell-Heinola, IT, Täby, 2007).
• [font color="burgundy"]11...a6 12.Bxc6 bxc6 13.h3 Be6 14.Bf4 d5 15.Nd2[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Sonjaya-Siregar, Op, Bali, 2000).
• If [font color="magenta"]9...Nc7 10.Nc3[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]10...Nxb5 11.Nxb5 a6 12.Nc3 d6 13.exd6[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]13...Qxd6 14.d5 Ne5 15.Bf4[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]15...Nxf3+ 16.Qxf3 Qb4 17.d6 Be6 18.dxe7 Qxe7 19.Ne4[/font] remains equal (Bryn-Johnsen, Op, Tromsø, 2006).
• [font color="burgundy"]15...Bg4? 16.Bxe5! Bxe5 17.Rxe5 Qxe5 18.Nxe5 Bxd1 19.Rxd1[/font] gives White a material edge of two Knights, both active, against an inactive Rook (Salimaki-Akcan, Euro Club Cup, Kemer, Turkey, 2007).
• If [font color="darkorange"]13...exd6[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkorange"]14.Bg5[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkorange"]14...Qa5?! 15.d5 Ne5 16.Nxe5 dxe5 17.Be7 Re8 18.d6[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkorange"]18...Be6 19.Qf3 Rab8 20.Rad1 f5[/font] then:
• [font color="darkorange"]21.Nd5?! e4! 22.Qb3 Kf7 23.Re2 Be5 24.Qb6[/font] is equal (Fressinet-Wippermann, Rpd Op, Mainz, 2008).
• [font color="burgundy"]21.Qg3! Qc5 22.h4 e4 23.h5 Qe5 24.Qh4[/font] possibly gives White enough to win.
• If [font color="hotpink"]18...Bd7 19.a3[/font] then:
• [font color="hotpink"]19...Bc6? 20.b4! Qb6 21.Nd5 Bxd5 22.Qxd5[/font] White wins (Kivijarvi-Meins, Euro Club Cup, Ohrid, 2009).
• [font color="purple"]19...e4 20.Nxe4 Rac8 21.b4 Qf5 22.Rc1 Rxc1 23.Qxc1 a5 24.Qc5[/font] leaves Black enough to fight on, but his chances are dwindling.
• [font color="darkpink"]14...Qb6 15.Nd5 Qa5 16.Ne7+ Nxe7 17.Bxe7 Re8 18.Bxd6[/font] is equal.
• [font color="#C00080"]14.h3 h6 15.Be3 Bf5 16.a3 g5 17.d5[/font] gives White a slight edge (Dembo-T. Kosintseva, Euro ChW, Chisinau, Moldova, 2005).
• If [font color="darkorange"]10...d6 11.exd6 Qxd6[/font] then:
• [font color="darkorange"]12.Bxc6 bxc6 13.Bg5 Re8 14.Qd2 Nd5 15.Bh6[/font] is equal (Belkhodja-Shirov, Ol, Palma de Mallorca, 2004).
• [font color="purple"]12.Ne4 Qd5 13.Nc3 Qd6 14.Ne4 Qd7 15.Nc5 Qd5[/font] is equal (Ferguson-Kotronias, Op, Isle of Man, 2007).
• If [font color="darkred"]7.h3[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]7...e5[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]8.d4 cxd4 9.cxd4 Nxd4 10.Nxd4 exd4 11.Qxd4[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]11...d5 12.e5 Ne4[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]13.Nc3 Nxc3 14.bxc3 Qa5 15.a4 Be6 16.Ba3[/font] gives White a fair advantage in space (Kobalia-P. Smirnov, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2004).
• [font color="burgundy"]13.Nd2?! Ng5 14.Nb3 Ne6 15.Qb4 f6 16.exf6 Qxf6[/font] is equal (Novikov-Iskusnyh, Russian Ch Qual, Tomsk, 2004).
• If [font color="magenta"]11...a6 12.Ba4[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]12...Re8 13.e5 b5 14.Bb3 d6 15.Rd1 Nh5 16.Qxd6[/font] gives White an extra pawn and more space (Kazhgaleyev-Z. Kozul, World ChT, Lucerne, 1997).
• [font color="darkorange"]12...d5 13.e5 Ne4 14.Nd2 Qa5 15.Nf3 Be6 16.Bb3[/font] gives White stronger pawns (Stellwagen-Baramidze, Match, Maastricht, 2004).
• If [font color="magenta"]8.d3 d6 9.Nbd2 Bd7 10.Nf1[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]10...a6 11.Ba4 b5 12.Bc2 Na5 13.Be3 Rc8 14.Rc1[/font] is equal (Brodsky-R. Popov, IT, Krasnodar, 1995).
• [font color="darkorange"]10...Ne8 11.Bg5 f6 12.Bd2 Kh8 13.b4 cxb4 14.cxb4[/font] gives White a small advantahe in space and freedom (Kholmov-Vasiukov, IT, Moscow, 1998).
• If [font color="magenta"]7...Qb6 8.Na3 d5[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]9.e5 Ne8[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]10.d4 cxd4 11.cxd4 Nc7 12.Bxc6 Qxc6[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]13.Qb3 Ne6 14.Be3 f6 15.Rac1 Qd7 16.Nc2 b6[/font] is equal (Ponomariov-Van Wely, Euro ChT, Plovdiv, 2003).
• [font color="burgundy"]13.Be3 Bd7 14.Qd2 Rfc8 15.Rec1 Qb6 16.Rc3 Ne6[/font] is equal (Chiburdanidze-Simic, Op, Baden-Baden, 1987).
• If [font color="darkorange"]10.d3 Nc7 11.Ba4 Ne6 12.Nc2[/font] then:
• [font color="darkorange"]12...d4?! 13.cxd4 Ncxd4 14.Ncxd4 cxd4[/font] is equal (Smyslov-Su. Polgar, Match, Prague, 1995).
• [font color="purple"]12...Rd8! 13.Ne3 Nxe5 14.Nxe5 Bxe5 15.c4 Qd6[/font] allows White to recover his pawn, but Black has the advantage in space.
• If [font color="darkorange"]9.d3[/font] then:
• [font color="darkorange"]9...a6 10.Ba4 Qc7 11.e5 Nd7 12.d4 b5[/font] gives Black a small advantage in space (Blau-Kuijpers, Ol, Lugano, 1968).
• [font color="purple"]9...Rd8 10.Qe2 d4 11.Bxc6 bxc6 12.cxd4 cxd4 13.Nc4[/font] gives White a fair advantage in space (Karpov-Lisenko, TT, Riga, 1968).
• If [font color="darkred"]5.Nc3[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]5...Nf6[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]6.Re1 0-0 7.e5 Ne8[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]8.Bxc6 dxc6[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]9.h3 Nc7 10.d3[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]10...Ne6 11.Ne4 b6[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]12.Neg5[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]12...h6 13.Nxe6 Bxe6[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]14.b3 Qd7 15.Qe2 Bd5 16.Bb2 Qf5 17.Nh4[/font] gives White a small advantage with the initiative (Adorjan-T. Horvath, Hungarian Ch, Budapest, 1976).
• [font color="burgundy"]14.Qe2 Qd7 15.Bf4 Rfe8 16.Rad1 Rad8 17.b3[/font] is equal (Mainka-Frübing, Bundesliga 1112, Mülheim, 2011).
• [font color="darkpink"]12...Nd4 13.Nxd4 cxd4 14.e6 f6 15.Nf7 Qd5[/font] gives Black a slight advantage; White cannot maintain the Knight at f7 (Adorjan-Sveshnikov, Chigorin Mem, Sochi, 1976).
• If [font color="magenta"]12.a4 a5 13.Bd2 Nd4 14.Bf4[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]14...Be6 15.Nxd4 Qxd4 16.Qd2 Bxe5 17.Bxe5 Qxe5 18.Ng5[/font] reamins equal (Schleber-Breder, Bundesliga 0910, Mülheim, 2010).
• [font color="darkorange"]14...Nxf3+ 15.Qxf3 Be6 16.Qg3 h6 17.h4 Qd7 18.b3[/font] remains equal (Tseshkovsky-Kiss, Op, Eger, 1989).
• If [font color="magenta"]10...b6 11.Be3 Ne6[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]12.Ne2 a5 13.Qd2 Re8 14.Bh6 Bh8 15.Nf4[/font] (Simacek-Calzetta Ruíz, Op, Olmouc, Czechia, 2001).
• [font color="darkorange"]12.Qd2 Nd4 13.Qd1 h6 14.Bf4 Be6[/font] remains equal (Timman-Van der Wiel, Blitz, Brussels, 1987).
• If [font color="magenta"]9.d3[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]9...Bg4 10.h3 Bxf3 11.Qxf3 Nc7[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]12.Re4 Ne6[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]13.Ne2!? Qd5 14.Qg3 f5 15.exf6 exf6 16.Nf4[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Galego-Sutovsky, Op, Benasque, 1996).
• [font color="hotpink"]13.Bd2 Qb6 14.b3 Nd4 15.Qf4 Qc7[/font] remains equal.
• [font color="purple"]12.Qg3 Ne6 13.f4 Nd4 14.Qf2 f6[/font] remains equal (Arapovic-Matulovic, Yugoslav Ch, Bjelovar, 1979).
• [font color="darkorange"]9...Nc7 10.Ne4 b6 11.Bd2 Ne6 12.Be3 Nd4 13.Nxd4 cxd4[/font] gives Black a slight advantage in space (Carlsen-Khalifman, Op 0405, Drammen, Norway, 2005).
• If [font color="magenta"]8.d3 Nc7 9.Bc4 Ne6[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]10.Nd5 d6 11.exd6 Qxd6 12.a4 b6[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]13.c3?! Bb7[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]14.Ng5 Ne5 15.Nxe6 Qxe6 16.Nf4 Qd6 17.Bb3 Rad8[/font] gives Black a comfortable game (Dedes-Kotronias, Op, Ano Liosia, Greece, 1995).
• [font color="burgundy"]14.Bg5 Nxg5 15.Nxg5 Ne5 16.Qb3 e6 17.Ne4 Qd8[/font] gives Black a comfortable advantage in space (Cafferty-Matulovic, IT, Birmingham, 1975).
• [font color="darkpink"]13.Nc3 Bb7 14.Ne4 Qd7 15.h4 Na5 16.Bxe6 Qxe6[/font] remains equal.
• If [font color="darkorange"]10.Bxe6!?[/font] then:
• [font color="darkorange"]10...fxe6 11.Ne4 Nxe5 12.Nxe5 Bxe5 13.Bh6 Rf7!? 14.Ng5[/font] is equal (Spangenberg-Kharlov, Op, São Paulo, 1991).
• If [font color="purple"]10...dxe6 11.Bf4 b6[/font] then:
• [font color="purple"]12.Qd2!? Bb7! 13.Bh6 Nd4 14.Nxd4 cxd4 15.Ne4 Qd5[/font] gives Black a small advantage in space (Markidis-Zakarian, Greek ChT, Ermioni, 2006).
• [font color="hotpink"]12.h4 h5 13.Qd2 Bb7 14.Bh6 Nd4[/font] remains equal.
• If [font color="magenta"]6.d3 0-0 7.h3 d6[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]8.Bxc6 bxc6 9.e5 Nd5 10.Re1[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]10...Nxc3 11.bxc3 Be6 12.Bf4 Qd7 13.Qd2 f6 14.exd6 exd6[/font] is equal (Morozevich-Kramnik, Amber Rapid, Monte Carlo, 2005).
• [font color="burgundy"]10...h6 11.Ne4 f5 12.Ng3 f4 13.Nf1 g5 14.c4 Nc7[/font] is equal (Morozevich-Van Wely, Amber Blind, Monte Carlo, 2004).
• If [font color="darkorange"]8.Be3 Bd7 9.Qd2[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkorange"]9...a6 10.Bxc6 Bxc6 11.Bh6 e5[/font] then:
• [font color="darkorange"]12.Bxg7 Kxg7 13.Ne2 Nh5 14.g4 Nf6 15.Ng3 Nd7[/font] is equal (Andreisian-T. L. Petrosian, Armenian Ch, Yerevan, 2008).
• [font color="purple"]12.Nh2 Bxh6 13.Qxh6 Kh8 14.Rae1 Qe7 15.Qh4 Nd5[/font] is equal (Handke-Arnaudov, Op, Bad Wiessee, 2008).
• [font color="hotpink"]9...Re8 10.Bh6 Bh8 11.Rae1 a6 12.Bxc6 Bxc6[/font] is equal (Caoili-Yee, Op, Honolulu, 1997).
• If [font color="magenta"]5...d6 6.e5[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]6...dxe5 7.Bxc6+ bxc6 8.Re1 f6[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]9.d3 Nh6 10.Be3[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]10...Nf5 11.Bxc5 0-0 12.d4 exd4 13.Nxd4 Nxd4 14.Qxd4 Qxd4 15.Bxd4[/font] is equal (Cosulich-Damjanovich, TT, Milan, 1972).
• [font color="hotpink"]10...Qa5 11.Ne4 c4 12.dxc4 0-0 13.Qd2 Qxd2 14.Nexd2 Nf7[/font] is equal (Hölzl-Gligoric, IT, Vienna, 1980).
• [font color="purple"]9.b3 Nh6 10.Ba3 Qa5 11.Na4 c4 12.d4 cxd3[/font] gives Black a small advantage with an isolated pawn on an open file to target after 13.cxd3 (Lastin-Volzhin, Op, Novgorod, 1999).
• [font color="darkorange"]6...d5?! 7.d4! Bg4 8.dxc5 e6 9.Re1 Nge7 10.Bg5[/font] gives White a comfortable game (Philipowski-Lenic, Op, Bled, 2001).

[center]BLACK[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE[/center][center]Spanish Royal Sicilian Game: Norman Defense[/center][center]Position after 3...e7e6[/center]

• [font color="blue"](Norman Defense)[/font] If [font color="blue"]3...e6[/font] (Black will directly defend d5) then:
• If [font color="blue"]4.0-0 Nge7[/font] then:
• If [font color="blue"]5.c3[/font] then:
• If [font color="blue"]5...a6 6.Ba4 b5 7.Bc2 Bb7[/font] then:
• If [font color="blue"]8.Qe2[/font] then:
• If [font color="blue"]8...d5 9.e5[/font] then:
• If [font color="blue"]9...d4 10.Be4[/font] then:
• If [font color="blue"]10...Nd5 11.d3[/font] then:
• If [font color="blue"]11...dxc3 12.Nxc3[/font] then:
• If [font color="blue"]12...Be7 13.Rd1 0-0 14.d4[/font] then:
• If [font color="blue"]14...cxd4[/font] then:
• [font color="blue"]15.Bxd5!? exd5 16.Nxd4 Nxd4 17.Rxd4 Bc5[/font] gives Whitethe initiative and a small advantage in space (Anisimov-Shariyazdanov, Op, St. Petersburg, 2003).
• [font color="#8000C0"]15.Nxd5 exd5 16.Bc2 Qb6 17.Bf4 Rfe8 18.Rac1 Rad8[/font] reamins equal.
• [font color="#0080C0"]14...Nxc3 15.bxc3 cxd4 16.cxd4 Na5 17.Bxb7 Nxb7 18.h4[/font] is equal (Rublevsky-Eljanov, Euro Club Cup, Saint Vincent, Italy, 2005).
• [font color="#8080C0"]12...Nxc3 13.bxc3 Be7 14.d4 cxd4 15.cxd4 Qd7 16.a4[/font] is equal (Morozevich-Van Wely, Amber Rapid, Monte Carlo, 2002).
• [font color="darkcyan"]11...Be7 12.c4 bxc4 13.dxc4 Nb6 14.Ne1 Qc7[/font] gives Black a slight advantage in space (Gu Xiaobing-Yu Lie, Zhejiang, 2009).
• If [font color="darkblue"]10...Ng6 11.cxd4 cxd4 12.d3[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkblue"]12...Be7 13.Nbd2 0-0 14.Nb3[/font] then:
• [font color="darkblue"]14...Qb6?! 15.h4 Rfd8 16.h5 Nf8 17.h6[/font] gives White stronger pawns and more space (Pavasovic-Oral, TT, Baden-Baden, 1999).
• [font color="darkcyan"]14...a5 15.Bd2 a4 16.Bxc6 Bxc6 17.Nbxd4 Bb7 18.Rfc1[/font] is equal; White has an extra pawn that he should advance but cannot (Fritz 13).
• [font color="dodgerblue"]12...Qd7 13.h4 Bc5 14.h5 Nge7 15.h6 gxh6 16.Bxh6[/font] gives White greater activity and better pawns (Kanmazalp-Nuri, World Youth BU18, Porto Carras, 2010).
• If [font color="darkblue"]9...Qb6 10.Re1 d4[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkblue"]11.Be4[/font] then:
• [font color="darkblue"]11...Ng6 12.d3 Be7 13.cxd4 Nxd4 14.Nxd4 cxd4 15.Nd2[/font] is equal (Shikalov-Aleshnya, Corres, 2003).
• [font color="darkcyan"]11...Rd8 12.d3 Ng6 13.h4 Be7 14.h5 Nf8 15.Bf4[/font] gives White a fair advantage in space (Sebag-M. Socko, Euro ChW, Rijeka, 2010).
• If [font color="dodgerblue"]11.cxd4 Nxd4 12.Nxd4 cxd4[/font] then:
• If [font color="dodgerblue"]13.Be4 d3 14.Bxd3[/font] then:
• [font color="dodgerblue"]14...Nc6 15.Be4 Rd8 16.d3 Nd4 17.Qe3 Bc5[/font] gives Black a slight edge owing to his command of the dark squares in the center (Arizmendi Martínez- San Segundo Carillo, Spanish Ch, Cala Mendia, 2001).
• If [font color="slateblue"]14...Qc6?! 15.f3 Qc5+ 16.Kh1 Ng6 17.Be4 Bxe4 18.Qxe4[/font] is equal (Rublevsky-Minasian, IT, Montecatini Terme, 2000).
• If [font color="darkcyan"]13.Na3?! Rc8 14.Be4 Bxe4 15.Qxe4 Qc6[/font] gives Black a comfortable game; it will cost White more to initiate a Queen exchange than Black.
• If [font color="darkblue"]8...Ng6 9.d4 cxd4 10.cxd4[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkblue"]10...Be7 11.Nc3 0-0[/font] then:
• if [font color="darkblue"]12.Be3[/font] then:
• [font color="darkblue"]12...f5?! 13.Rad1 fxe4 14.Bxe4 b4 15.d5 [/font] gives White early domination of the board (Sanduleac-Bressac, Op, Cappelle-la-Grande, 2011).
• [font color="darkcyan"]12...Rc8 13.Rac1 Na5 14.Bd3 Nc4[/font] remains equal
• If [font color="dodgerblue"]12.a3 Rc8 13.Be3 Na5[/font] then:
• If [font color="dodgerblue"]14.Rad1?! Nc4! 15.Bc1 Nxa3[/font] then:
• If [font color="dodgerblue"]16.bxa3?[/font] then after [font color="dodgerblue"]16...Rxc3 17.Bb2 Nf4[/font] Black wins (Berke-Toma, Euro ChW, Rijeka, 2010).
• [font color="slateblue"]16.Bd3 Nc4 17.g3 Bb4 18.Na2 Bd6[/font] gives White a substantial advantage with his active minor pieces, but White's game is still playable.
• [font color="darkcyan"]14.Nd2 f5 15.f4 fxe4 16.Bxe4 Bxe4 17.Ndxe4 Qc7[/font] gives Black just a slight advantage.
• If [font color="dodgerblue"]10...Nh4[/font] then:
• If [font color="dodgerblue"]11.Nbd2 Rc8 12.d5 Ne5[/font] then:
• [font color="dodgerblue"]13.Bb3 13...Nexf3+ 14.Nxf3 Nxf3+ 15.Qxf3 Bd6 16.Bf4[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Degraeve-Nataf, GMT, Clichy, 2002).
• [font color="slateblue"]13.Nd4 Bd6 14.N2b3 Nc4[/font] draw (Degraeve-Bacrot, Frech Ch Qual, Marsailles, 2002).
• [font color="darkcyan"]11.Rd1 Rc8 12.Nxh4 Qxh4 13.Nc3 Be7 14.Be3 0-0[/font] is equal (Adams-Lautier, IT A, Wijk aan Zee, 2002).
• If [font color="darkblue"]8.Re1 Rc8 9.a4 b4[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkblue"]10.d4 bxc3 11.d5[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkblue"]11...Nb4?![/font] then:
• If [font color="darkblue"]12.Nxc3?! Ng6 13.Bb1 Be7 14.g3 0-0 15.h4 d6[/font] then:
• [font color="darkblue"]16.h5 Ne5 17.Nxe5 dxe5 18.dxe6 fxe6 19.Qg4[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Smyslov-Ivanchuk, Blitz, Tilburg, 1994).
• [font color="steelblue"]16.Ng5 h6 17.Nh3 Bf6 18.h5 Ne5 19.Nf4 Re8[/font] gives Black a better center and the advantage in space (Nedev-S. Zhigalko, Euro Club Cup, Fügen, 2006).
• [font color="slateblue"]12.bxc3! Nxc2 13.Qxc2 Ng6 14.Na3 Be7 15.Rb1[/font] continues to give White a comfortable game (I. Smirin-Efimov, Euro Ch, Plovdiv, 2008).
• [font color="darkcyan"]11...cxb2 12.Bxb2 Nb4 13.Nc3 Ng6 14.Na2 c4[/font] gives Black a passed pawn and general queenside aggression that is of immediate concern to White; White otherwise has a better center (F. Olafsson-Galliamova, TT, Vienna, 1993).
• If [font color="dodgerblue"]10.d3 Ng6[/font] then:
• [font color="dodgerblue"]11.Nbd2 Be7 12.d4 bxc3 13.bxc3 cxd4 14.cxd4 Nb4[/font] gives Black the initiative and active minor pieces; White has a good center (Slododjan-Glek, IT, Bonn, 1995).
• [font color="darkcyan"]11.Be3 Be7 12.Nbd2 0-0 13.d4 bxc3 14.bxc3 cxd4 15.cxd4 Nb4[/font] gives Black the initiative and better minor pieces; White has a center pawn duo (Miroshnichenko-Kransenkow, Euro Ch, Ohrid, 2001).
• If [font color="darkblue"]5...d5 6.exd5 Qxd5[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkblue"]7.Re1 Bd7 8.Na3 Ng6[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkblue"]9.Bf1 Be7 10.d4 cxd4 11.Nb5[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkblue"]11...Rc8 12.Nfxd4 Nxd4 13.Nxd4[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkblue"]13...Qa5 14.g3 0-0 15.Bg2 e5[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkblue"]16.Nb3 16...Qc7 17.h4[/font] then:
• [font color="darkblue"]17...Rfe8 18.h5 Nf8 19.h6 g6 20.Qd3 a6 21.Bd2[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Schoonhoven-Percze, Corres, 2002).
• [font color="#8000C0"]17...Rfd8 18.h5 Nf8 19.Qd5 Bc6 20.Qxe5 Rd1 21.Bf4[/font] gives White an extra pawn with exchanges that cannot be avoided on tap (Malakhov-Agopov, Euro ChU20, Tallinn, 1997).
• [font color="steelblue"]16.Nc2 Bc6 17.Bxc6 bxc6 18.h4 Rfe8 19.Qg4[/font] gives White stronger pawns and control of the half-open e-file; Black has slightly more space (Gelfand-Sveshnikov, Euro Club Cup, Ljubljana, 1995).
• [font color="slateblue"]13...a6 14.g3 Qc5 15.Bg2 b5 16.h4 Bf6 17.Be3[/font] gives White a comfortable game (Morozevich-Fominyh, Russian Ch, Elista, 1995).
• [font color="darkcyan"]11...0-0-0 12.cxd4 e5 13.dxe5 Qxd1 14.Rxd1 Bg4 15.Rxd8+ Rxd8[/font] is equal (Chekhov-Sveshnikov, Russian ChT, Podolsk, 1992).
• If [font color="dodgerblue"]9.Bc4 Qh5 10.d4 cxd4[/font] then:
• If [font color="dodgerblue"]11.Nb5! Rc8 12.Be2[/font] then:
• [font color="dodgerblue"]12...dxc3 13.Ng5 cxb2 14.Bxh5 bxa1Q 15.Nxf7 Qf6[/font] is equal (Fercec-Sveshnikov, Op, Nova Gorica, 1999).
• If [font color="slateblue"]12...Qd5 13.Nfxd4[/font] then:
• [font color="slateblue"]13...a6?! 14.Bf3 Qc5 15.Be3 Nce5 16.Bxb7[/font] leaves White close to winning with an extra pawn and greater activity (Rublevsky-Shabalov, Ol, Elista, 1998).
• [font color="steelblue"]13...Be7 14.Bf3 Qc5 15.a4 Nxd4 16.Nxd4[/font] gives White a safer King, more activity, more space and the initiative.
• [font color="darkcyan"]11.cxd4!? Bxa3 12.bxa3 0-0 13.d5 exd5 14.Qxd5 Qxd5 15.Bxd5[/font] is equal (Vachier Lagrave-Spiridonov, IT, Clichy, 2001).
• If [font color="dodgerblue"]7.d4 cxd4[/font] then:
• [font color="dodgerblue"]8.c4 Qd6[/font] then:
• If [font color="dodgerblue"]9.Qxd4 Qxd4 10.Nxd4 d7[/font] then:
• If [font color="dodgerblue"]11.Nxc6 Bxc6 12.Nc3 Rc8[/font] then:
• [font color="dodgerblue"]13.b3 Nf5 14.Bb2 Bxb5 15.Nxb5 Bc5 16.Rfd1 h5[/font] is equal (Erturan-Salem, Op, Albena, Bulgaria, 2012).
• [font color="#8000C0"]13.Rd1 a6 14.Bxc6+ Rxc6 15.b3 Ng6 16.Bb2[/font] draw (Collinson-Ansell, 4NCL 0607, Coventry, 2007).
• [font color="#1640C0"]11.Rd1 0-0-0 12.Nc3 Nxd4 13.Rxd4 Nf5 14.Rxd7 Rxd7[/font] is equal (Wang Hao-Khairullin, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2005).
• If [font color="darkcyan"]9.Nxd4 Bd7[/font] then:
• [font color="darkcyan"]10.Nxc6 Nxc6 11.Nc3 a6 12.Ba4 Qxd1 13.Rxd1[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Timman-Sveshnikov, IT, Wijk aan Zee, 1981).
• [font color="slateblue"]10.Nb3 Nf5 11.c5 Qc7 12.Nc3 0-0-0 13.Qg4 Nfd4[/font] draw (Mikhalchishin-Kramnik, IT, Dortmund, 1992).
• If [font color="darkcyan"]8.Nxd4 Bd7 9.Be2 Nxd4 10.cxd4[/font] then:
• [font color="darkcyan"]10...Nf5 11.Be3 Nh4 12.f3 Nf5 13.Bf2 Bc6 14.Nc3[/font] gives White a safer King and a slight initiative; Black has more space (Almer-Rosenkilde, Politiken Cup, Copenhagen, 2006).
• [font color="slateblue"]10...Nc6 11.Be3 Be7 12.Nc3 Qa5 13.a3 0-0 14.b4[/font] gives White the initiativwe and a comfortable advantage in space; Black has stronger pawns (Vachier Lagrave-Frade Marques, French ChTU20, Pau, 2000).
• If [font color="darkblue"]5.Re1 a6[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkblue"]6.Bf1 d5[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkblue"]7.exd5[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkblue"]7...Nxd5 8.d4[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkblue"]8...Nf6 9.Be3[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkblue"]9...Be7[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkblue"]10.c4 0-0 11.Nc3 cxd4 12.Nxd4 Bd7 13.Nb3[/font] then:
• [font color="darkblue"]13...Ne5 14.Bg5 Ng6 15.Qd4 Qc7 16.Rad1 Rad8 17.Be3[/font] is equal (Fressinet-Nataf, Op, Reykjavik, 2006).
• [font color="#4080C0"]13...Na5 14.Nc5 Qc7 15.N5a4!? Bb4! 16.Rc1 Bxa4 17.Qxa4[/font] is equal (Totsky-Golod, Op, Cappelle-la-Grande, 2007).
• If [font color="dodgerblue"]10.Nc3 cxd4 11.Nxd4[/font] then:
• [font color="dodgerblue"]11...Bd7 12.Nb3 Qc7 13.Bg5 0-0 14.Qf3 Rac8 15.Rad1 Rfd8[/font] is equal (Mosionzhik-Suetin, Soviet ChT, Moscow, 1966).
• [font color="darkcyan"]11...Nxd4 12.Bxd4 Bd7 13.Ne4 Bc6 14.Nxf6+ Bxf6 15.Bxf6 Qxf6[/font] gives Black a slight advantage (Stean-Taimanov, IT 7576, Hastings, 1975).
• [font color="#8000C0"]9...cxd4 10.Nxd4 Nxd4 11.Qxd4 Qxd4 12.Bxd4 Bd7 13.c4[/font] is equal (Mastrokoukos-Rogers, Op, Chania, Greece, 1991).
• If [font color="dodgerblue"]8...cxd4 9.Nxd4[/font] then:
• If [font color="dodgerblue"]9...Ndb4 10.Nxc6 Qxd1 11.Rxd1 Nxc6 12.c4[/font] then:
• [font color="dodgerblue"]12...Bc5 13.Nc3 0-0 14.Na4 Ba7 15.Be3 Bxe3 16.fxe3[/font] gives White more space and a remote pawn majority; Black has better pawns (Kuba-Gärtner, Austrian ChT 0102, Graz, 2002).
• [font color="#8000C0"]12...Be7 13.Nc3 Bf6 14.Na4 Rb8 15.Nb6 0-0 16.Rb1[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Kuba-Weissenbeck, Austrian ChT 0102, Graz, 2002).
• If [font color="darkcyan"]9...Be7 10.Nxc6 bxc6[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkcyan"]11.Nd2 0-0[/font] then:
• [font color="darkcyan"]12.Nc4 Qc7 13.c3 a5 14.Qh5 Bf6 15.Bd2 a4[/font] remains equal (Werner-Prescha, Bundesliga West, Germany, 1996).
• [font color="steelblue"]12.c3 Qc7 13.Nf3 Rb8 14.Qc2 c5 15.Bd3 h6[/font] remains equal (So. Polgar-Larsen, Op, North Bay, Ontario, 1995).
• [font color="slateblue"]11.c4 Nf6 12.Qf3 Bb7 13.b3 0-0 14.Bb2[/font] remains equal (Ruíz-Zepeda, Pan-Am Ch, Cali, 2001).
• If [font color="dodgerblue"]7...Qxd5 8.Nc3 Qd8[/font] then:
• If [font color="dodgerblue"]9.d3 Nf5 10.g3 Be7[/font] then:
• If [font color="dodgerblue"]11.Bg2 0-0 12.Ne4 b6 13.Bf4 Bb7 14.c3[/font] remains equal (Biyiasis-Browne, Pan-Am Ch, Winnieg, 1974).
• If [font color="slateblue"]11.Ne4 0-0 12.Bf4 f6[/font] then:
• If [font color="slateblue"]13.g4!? Nfd4![/font] (Black has a small advantage) [font color="slateblue"]14.Nfd2?[/font] then after [font color="slateblue"]14...f5! 15.gxf5 exf5 16.Ng3 Ne6 17.Be5 f4[/font] Black wins (Kornin-Milos, IT, Curitiba, Brazil, 1983).
• [font color="#7A5DC7"]14.c3 f5 15.gxf5 Rxf5 16.cxd4 Rxf4[/font] continues to give Black a small advantage.
• [font color="steelblue"]13.c3 e5 14.Qb3+ Kh8 15.Bd2 Na5 16.Qc2 Be6[/font] remains equal.
• [font color="darkcyan"]9.b3 Nf5 10.Bb2 Be7 11.Ne4 0-0 12.Ne5 Nxe5 13.Bxe5 Nd4[/font] is equal (Rotta-Kramnik, Op, São Paulo, 1991).
• If [font color="dodgerblue"]7.d3 h6 8.Nbd2 b6[/font] then:
• [font color="dodgerblue"]9.h4 Bb7 10.h5 Qc7 11.c3 0-0-0 12.b4[/font] remains equal (Sutovsky-Vorobiov, World Cup, Khanty-Mansiysk, 2011).
• If [font color="slateblue"]9.exd5 Nxd5 10.Ne4 Bb7[/font] then:
• [font color="slateblue"]11.d4?! cxd4! 12.Nxd4 Nxd4 13.Qxd4 Nb4[/font] gives Black a comfortable game (Toth-Kramnik, TT, Rio de Janeiro, 1991).
• [font color="steelblue"]11.c4 Nf6 12.Nxf6+ Qxf6 13.Qb3 Qd8 14.Bd2 Bd6[/font] remains equal.
• [font color="darkcyan"]6.Bxc6 Nxc6 7.d4 cxd4 8.Nxd4 d6 9.Nc3[/font] transposes into [font color="darkblue"]Khamatgaleev-Alekseev,[/font] above.
• If [font color="darkblue"]a) 4.Bxc6 bxc6[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkblue"]5.d3 Ne7 6.Qe2[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkblue"]6...Qc7 7.Ng5[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkblue"]7...Ng6 8.f4 c4[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkblue"]9.dxc4 Ba6 10.b3[/font] then:
• [font color="darkblue"]10...Nxf4 11.Qf3 Qa5+ 12.Bd2 Qxg5 13.Bxf4 Qa5+[/font] is equal (Bauer-Nataf, French Ch, Besançon, 2006).
• [font color="slateblue"]10...Bc5 11.e5 d5 12.exd6 Bxd6 13.0-0 0-0-0 14.Nc3[/font] gives White a considerable advantage in space (Anand-Radjabov, World Rpd Ch M, Mainz, 2006).
• [font color="darkcyan"]9.0-0 cxd3 10.cxd3 Bc5+ 11.Kh1 f6 12.Nh3 0-0[/font] gives Black a small advantage in space (Bologan-Rafjabov, Ol, Torino, 2006).
• If [font color="dodgerblue"]7...e5 8.f4 exf4 9.0-0 Ng6 10.Qh5[/font] then:
• If [font color="dodgerblue"]10...d6 11.Bxf4[/font] then:
• If [font color="dodgerblue"]11...h6 12.Nxf7 Qxf7 13.Bxd6 Qe6 14.Bxf8 Rxf8 15.Nd2[/font] gives White only two pawns for a Bishop, but he has stronger pawns , the initiative and the advantage in space in compensation (Grischuk-Shirov, Tal Mem, Moscow, 2006).
• [font color="#1640C0"]11...Nxf4 12.Rxf4 g6 13.Qf3 Bg7 14.Rxf7 Bd4+[/font] is equal (Karjakin-Carlsen, Blindfold Trmt, Bilbao, 2007).
• [font color="#8000C0"]10...Bd6 11.g3 fxg3 12.Rxf7 gxh2+ 13.Kh1 Ba6[/font] leaves Black forcing White to disassemble his premature attack in order to take Black's h-pawn (Cornette-Palac, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).
• If [font color="dodgerblue"]6...Ng6 7.h4 h5 8.e5[/font] then:
• If [font color="dodgerblue"]8...f6 9.Qe4 Kf7 10.Nbd2[/font] then:
• [font color="dodgerblue"]10...Ba6 11.b3 d5 12.exd6 Qxd6 13.Bb2[/font] gives White a radiant Queen in the center and stronger pawns; Black has a slight edge in space (Yudasin-Fedorowicz, Marshall CC Ch, New York, 2003).
• If [font color="darkcyan"]8...Be7[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkcyan"]9.Qe4 c4 10.dxc4[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkcyan"]10...Rb8 11.Nbd2 c5[/font] then:
• [font color="darkcyan"]12.Qe3 Qc7?! 13.b3 f5 14.Bb2 Bb7 15.0-0-0[/font] gives White an extra pawn and a better center (Hamdouchi-Doghri, Sekkat Mem, Casablanca, Morocco, 2005).
• [font color="#8000C0"]12.b3 Bb7 13.Qe3 f5 14.Bb2 Bc6 15.g3[/font] gives White a comfortable game with an extra pawn.(Palac-Nijboer, Op, Metz, 2001).
• [font color="steelblue"]10...Qc7 11.Nc4 Ba6 12.Bf4 Bxc4 13.dxc4[/font] gives White a healthy advantage in space (Speck-Kayumov, Ol, Torino, 2006).
• [font color="slateblue"]9...d5 10.exd6 Qxd6 11.Bg5 Bxg5 12.hxg5[/font] gives White a very comfortable game (Kayumov-Sharbaf, Op, Bubai, 2006).
• If [font color="dodgerblue"]5.0-0 Ne7[/font] then:
• If [font color="dodgerblue"]6.d3 Ng6 7.Ng5[/font] then:
• If [font color="dodgerblue"]7...e5 8.Qh5 Qe7[/font] then:
• If [font color="dodgerblue"]9.Nc3 d6[/font] then:
• [font color="dodgerblue"]10.a3 h6 11.Nh3 Nh4 12.f4 g6[/font] gives Black the initiative and a small advantage in space, but also a poorly placed Knight; White has stronger pawns ().
• [font color="#8000C0"]10.Ne2 h6 11.Nh3 Nh4 12.Ng5 Ng6 13.Nh3 Qh4[/font] is equal (Sofronie-Jankovic, Euro Ch, Budva, 2009).
• If [font color="darkcyan"]9.Na3 d6 10.Nc4 h6 11.Nh3[/font] then:
• [font color="darkcyan"]11...Be6 12.f4 exf4 13.Nxf4 Bxc4 14.dxc4 Ne5 15.b3[/font] is equal (Kolovana-Lujan, Ol, Khanty-Mansiysk, 2010).
• [font color="slateblue"]11...Bxh3 12.Qxh3 Qe6 13.Qxe6+ fxe6 14.Bd2 Be7 15.g3[/font] gives White more freedom stronger pawns and a slight advantage in space (Lutz-Nedev, World ChT, Yerevan, 2001).
• If [font color="darkcyan"]7...f6 8.Nh3[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkcyan"]8...d5 9.Qh5 Bd6 10.f4 0-0 11.c4[/font] then:
• [font color="darkcyan"]11...Bc7 12.Qe2 Re8 13.Kh1 Qe7 14.Nc3 Rd8 15.b3[/font] (Brodsky-Krasenkow, Op, Koszalin, 1998).
• [font color="steelblue"]11...Be7 12.Qe2 d4 13.Nd2 Qc7 14.Nf3 Bd7[/font] Is equal (Psakhis-Portisch, Op, Biel, 1995).
• [font color="slateblue"]8...Be7 9.f4 0-0 10.Nd2 d5 11.Qh5 Qe8[/font] gives Black a small advantage; White's kingside aggression is premature (Zamina-Jurkiewicz, World JrCh Girls, Athens, 2001).
• If [font color="darkcyan"]6.b3 Ng6 7.Bb2 f6 8.e5 Be7[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkcyan"]9.d3 0-0 10.Nbd2[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkcyan"]10...fxe5 11.Nxe5 Nxe5 12.Bxe5 d6 13.Bg3 e5[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkcyan"]14.f4 exf4 15.Bxf4[/font] then:
• [font color="darkcyan"]15...Bf6 16.Rb1 Bf5 17.Kh1 Qd7 18.Qf3 d5[/font] is equal and shortly drawn (Matulovic- Vojinovic, TT, Herceg Novi, 1999).
• If [font color="#8000C0"]15...Bf5 16.Qf3 Qd7 17.Qg3 Bf6 18.Rab1 Bd4+ 19.Kh1[/font] gives White stronger pawns and a small advantage in space (Matulovic-Perunovic, TT, Vrnjacka Banja, 1998).
• If [font color="#0080C0"]14.Qe2 Bg5 15.Ne4 Bh6 16.f3 a5 17.a4 Ra7[/font] is equal (Spassky-Gulko, IT, Linares, 1990).
• If [font color="slateblue"]10...Qc7 11.Nc4[/font] then:
• [font color="slateblue"]11...Ba6 12.Re1 Rf7 13.Qd2 Raf8 14.Qa5 Qxa5[/font] give Black a comfortable game (Matsuura-Milos, Brazilian Ch, 1995).
• [font color="steelblue"]11...Nh8?! 12.Nfd2 fxe5 13.Qg4 Ng6 14.Rae1 d6[/font] is equal (Zhu Chen-Gulbas, Ol, Torino, 2006).
• If [font color="slateblue"]9.Na3 fxe5 10.Nxe5 Nxe5 11.Bxe5 0-0[/font] then:
• [font color="slateblue"]12.f4 d6 13.Bc3 d5 14.Be5 Bf6 15.Qe2 Qa5[/font] gives Black a small advantage in space (Matulovic-Adorjan, Euro ChT, Bath, 1973).
• If [font color="steelblue"]12.Nc4 d6 13.Bg3 e5[/font] draw (Kholmov-Shcherbakov, Chigorin Mem, St. Petersburg, 1999).
• If [font color="darkblue"]b) 4.Nc3 Nge7 5.0-0[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkblue"]5...a6 6.Bxc6 Nxc6 7.d4 cxd4 8.Nxd4[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkblue"]8...d6[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkblue"]9.Re1[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkblue"]9...Be7 10.Nxc6 bxc6 11.Qg4 Kf8[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkblue"]12.b3 e5 13.Qe2 Be6 14.f4 f6 15.Na4[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Glek-Ciemniak, Op, Groningen, 1992).
• If [font color="dodgerblue"]12.e5 d5 13.Ne2[/font] then:
• If [font color="dodgerblue"]13...h5 14.Qg3 h4 15.Qg4[/font] then:
• [font color="dodgerblue"]15...h3 16.g3 c5 17.c4 Bb7 18.Nc3 Qb6[/font] is equal (Khamatgaleev-Alekseev, Russian Cup, Togliatty, 2001).
• [font color="#8000C0"]15...g6 16.Nf4 c5 17.c4 Bb7 18.cxd5 Bxd5 19.Bd2[/font] gives White fewer pawn weaknesses and more spaace (Gispslis-Ennsberger, Op, Passau, 1998).
• If [font color="darkcyan"]13...c5 14.Ng3 h6[/font] then:
• [font color="darkcyan"]15.Re3 g6 16.Rf3 Ke8 17.c4 Qc7 18.cxd5 exd5[/font] remains equal (Kristol-Anton, Corres, 1994).
• [font color="slateblue"]15.c4 g6 16.Rd1 Qc7 17.Bf4 d4[/font] remains equal (Movsesian-A. Kogan, Op, Zlin, 1995).
• If [font color="dodgerblue"]9...Bd7 10.Nxc6[/font] then:
• If [font color="dodgerblue"]10...Bxc6 11.Nd5 Be7 12.Nxe7 Qxe7[/font] then:
• If [font color="dodgerblue"]13.b3 0-0 14.Ba3 Rfd8 15.Qd2[/font] then:
• [font color="dodgerblue"]15...e5 16.Rad1 Rd7 17.c4 Qe6 18.Qd3 Rad8 19.Rd2[/font] is equal (Yandemirov-Galliamova, IT, Lvov, 1995).
• [font color="#8000C0"]15...Qf6 16.Rad1 Qg6 17.f3 d5 18.Qd3 b5 19.e5 [/font] gives White a s slight advantage in space (Chiburdanidze-Sveshnikov, Soviet Ch 1st L, Tashkent, 1980).
• [font color="#0080C0"]13.Qd3 d5 14.e5 0-0 15.Be3 Rfc8 16.c3[/font] gives Black a small advantage in space.
• If [font color="darkcyan"]10...bxc6 11.e5[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkcyan"]11...dxe5 12.Rxe5 Be7 13.Bf4 0-0 14.Re3[/font] then:
• [font color="darkcyan"]14...Bc8 15.Qh5 g6 16.Qh6 f6[/font] gives White greater activity and more space (Gipslis-Golod, IT, Minsk, 1993).
• [font color="#0080C0"]14...Ra7 15.Rd3 c5 16.Qh5[/font] gives White a comfortable game (Gipslis-Soronkin, IT, Ostrava, 1992).
• If [font color="slateblue"]11...d5 12.Qg4 h5[/font] then:
• [font color="slateblue"]13.Qg3!? h4! 14.Qg4 h3[/font] gives Black a small advantage in space (Yudasin-Salov, KO, Tilburg, 1993).
• [font color="steelblue"]13.Qf3 Qh4 14.Ne2 Qb4[/font] remains equal.
• If [font color="dodgerblue"]9.Nxc6 bxc6[/font] then:
• If [font color="dodgerblue"]10.Qg4 Qf6 11.Qg3 Be7[/font] then:
• [font color="dodgerblue"]12.e5 dxe5 13.Ne4 Qg6 14.Qxe5[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Glek-Korchnoi, Swiss ChT, 2007).
• [font color="slateblue"]12.f4 0-0 13.e5 Qf5 14.exd6 Bxd6[/font] remains equal (Gdanski-Vandevoort, Euro ChT, Debrecen, 1992).
• [font color="darkcyan"]10.e5 d5 11.Qg4 Qc7 12.Re1 c5 13.b3 Bb7[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Chiburdanidze-Galliamova, ITZW, Djakarta, 1993).
• If [font color="dodgerblue"]8...Qc7 9.Re1 Bd6[/font] then:
• If [font color="dodgerblue"]10.Nxc6 dxc6 11.Qh5 e5[/font] then:
• If [font color="dodgerblue"]12.Be3 b5 13.a4 Rb8[/font] then:
• [font color="dodgerblue"]14.axb5 axb5 15.Ra7 Rb7 16.Rxb7 Bxb7[/font] remains equal (Ekström-Nataf, Euro Ch, Ohrid, 2001).
• [font color="#8000C0"]14.a5 0-0 15.Red1 Be6 16.Bb6 Qe7[/font] gives Black a slim advantage with better minor pieces (Belkhodja-Degraeve, French Ch, Marseilles, 2001).
• If [font color="darkcyan"]12.f4[/font] then:
• [font color="darkcyan"]12...g6 13.Qf3 b5 14.f5 Qe7 15.Qg3 Bb7 16.fxg6 hxg6[/font] is equal (Sadvakasov-Sorokin, Russian Cup, Perm, 1997).
• [font color="slateblue"]12...0-0 13.f5 f6 14.Kh1 Rd8 15.Re3 Qf7[/font] is equal (Boidman-Oral, IT, Prievidza, 1997).
• If [font color="darkcyan"]10.Nd5 exd5 11.exd5+ Ne5[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkcyan"]12.f4 0-0 13.fxe5 Bxe5 14.Nf3 Bf6[/font] then:
• [font color="darkcyan"]15.Qd3 h6 16.Be3 b5 17.Bd4 Bxd4+ 18.Qxd4[/font] gives White a slight advantage (Tomic-Popov, Euro Ch, Plovdiv, 2012).
• [font color="#8000C0"]15.Bg5 Bxb2 16.Rb1 Ba3 17.Qd3 Bc5+ 18.Kh1 f6[/font] gives Black a small advantage in space (Korneev-Khairullin, Russian Ch, Tomsk, 2004).
• If [font color="slateblue"]12.Nf5?! 0-0![/font] then:
• [font color="slateblue"]13.Bh6? gxh6! 14.Qh5 Ng6 15.Qxh6 Be5[/font] Black wins (Timman-Lautier, IT, Horgen, 1995).
• [font color="steelblue"]13.Bf4 f6 14.Re3 Qc4 15.Bh6 gxh6[/font] still gives Black a powerful advantage, but hard work and patience may pay off for White.
• If [font color="dodgerblue"]b1) 5...Nd4 6.Nxd4 cxd4 7.Ne2 a6[/font] then:
• If [font color="dodgerblue"]8.Bd3[/font] then:
• If [font color="dodgerblue"]8...Nc6 9.c3 Bc5 10.b4 Ba7[/font] then:
• If [font color="dodgerblue"]11.cxd4 d5[/font] then:
• [font color="dodgerblue"]12.e5 Nxb4 13.Qa4+ Nc6 14.Bb2 0-0 15.a3 Bd7[/font] is equal (Reichmann-Barbre, Corres, 1991).
• If [font color="darkcyan"]12.b5!? axb5 13.Bxb5[/font] then:
• [font color="darkcyan"]13...0-0!? 14.Bxc6 bxc6 15.e5 Qa5 16.a4 c5 17.Ba3[/font] remains equal (Hakki-Tissir, Mediterranean Ch, Beirut, 2003).
• If [font color="slateblue"]13...dxe4 14.d3 0-0 15.Ba3 Qa5 16.Bxc6 Qxa3 17.Bxe4[/font] remains equal
• If [font color="darkcyan"]11.a4[/font] then:
• [font color="darkcyan"]11...d5?! 12.exd5 Qxd5 13.c4 Qg5 14.Ba3[/font] (Movsesian-Krsek, Op, Moravka, 1994).
• If [font color="slateblue"]11...d6 12.cxd4 0-0 13.b5 Nxd4 14.Nxd4 Bxd4[/font] remains equal.
• If [font color="darkcyan"]8...d5 9.exd5[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkcyan"]9...Nxd5 10.c3 dxc3 11.dxc3 Bd6 12.Nd4 Qc7[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkcyan"]13.h3 Bd7[/font] then:
• [font color="darkcyan"]14.Re1 0-0-0 15.Qf3 Kb8 16.Qxf7 Bh2+ 17.Kh1 Rhf8[/font] gives White an extra pawnwhile Black has opportunities for attack on the kingside [(A. Muzychuk-Calzetta Ruíz, Euro ChTW, Goteborg, 2005).
• If [font color="#4080FF"]14.Qf3 Nf4 15.Be4 Ng6 16.Be3 Ne5 17.Qe2[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Svidler-Krasenkow, Euro Club Cup, Belgrade, 1999).
• If [font color="#8000C0"]13.Qh5 Nf4 14.Bxf4 Bxf4 15.Rfe1 g6 16.Qh4[/font] gives White a slight advantage (Nikolenko-Filippov, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2006).
• If [font color="slateblue"]9...Qxd5 10.c3 Nc6 11.Qc2 Bd6[/font] then:
• [font color="slateblue"]12.Be4 Qh5 13.Ng3 Qh4 14.Bxc6+ bxc6 15.cxd4[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Hebden-Reefat, British Ch, Scarborough, 1999).
• If [font color="steelblue"]12.f4 Bd7[/font] then:
• [font color="steelblue"]13.b4?! dxc3 14.dxc3 Bxb4 15.Rb1 Bc5+[/font] is equal (I. Zaitsev-Chekhov, Russian ChT, Podolsk, 1992).
• If [font color="#8040FF"]13.Be4 Qc5 14.Rf2 e5 15.g3 exf4 16.b4 Qb6[/font] remans equal.
• If [font color="darkcyan"]8.Ba4 Nc6 9.d3 Bc5[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkcyan"]10.c4 0-0 11.a3 a5[/font] then:
• [font color="darkcyan"]12.Bd2 b6 13.b4 Be7 14.Qb3 axb4 15.axb4[/font] gives White a small advantage in space and superior development (Chandler-Rogers, Op, Queenstown, New Zealand, 2006).
• If [font color="steelblue"]12.Ng3 Ne7 13.Bd2 f5 14.b4 Bb6 15.f4 axb4[/font] is equal (Krivec-Voicu, Euro ChTW, Novi Sad, 2009).
• If [font color="slateblue"]10.f4 d5 11.Ng3 dxe4 12.Nxe4[/font] draw (Glek-Larsen, Bundesliga 9596, Germany, 1995).
• If [font color="dodgerblue"]b2) 5...Qb6 6.Re1 Nd4[/font] then:
• If [font color="dodgerblue"]7.Bf1 Ng6 8.d3[/font] then:
• [font color="dodgerblue"]8...Be7 9.Nd2 0-0 10.a4 Qc7 11.Nc4 b6[/font] is equal (Ivkov-Montecatine Rios, IT, Seville, 1989).
• [font color="slateblue"]8...Nxf3+ 9.Qxf3 Be7 10.Qh5 d6 11.g3 Bd7[/font] is equal (Auchenberg-Larsen, IT, Copenhagen, 1979).
• If [font color="darkcyan"]7.Bc4 Nec6 8.d3 Be7 9.Nxd4 cxd4 10.Ne2 0-0 11.c3[/font] is equal (Bohm-Miles, IT, Amsterdam, 1977).
• [font color="#008000"](Gothic Defense)[/font] If [font color="#008000"]3...Nf6[/font] (this is a flexible move that may transpose into one of the others listed above) [font color="#008000"]4.Nc3[/font] then:
• If [font color="#008000"]4...Qc7[/font] then:
• If [font color="#008000"]Nb4 5.0-0 Nd4 6.Re1 a6 7.Bf1[/font] then:
• If [font color="#008000"]7...e5[/font] then:
• If [font color="#008000"]8.Bc4 d6 9.h3[/font] then:
• If [font color="#008000"]9...Be6 Bf6 10.d3 b5 11.Bxe6 fxe6 12.Nxd4[/font] then:
• If [font color="#008000"]12...cxd4 13.Ne2 Be7 14.c3 dxc3 15.Nxc3 0-0 16.Qb3[/font] then:
• [font color="#008000"]16...Qd7 17.Be3 Rab8 18.Rac1 Kh8 19.a3 Bd8 20.d4 exd4 21.Bxd4 e5[/font] is equal (Naiditsch-Banikas, Mindsports Rpd, Beijing, 2008).
• [font color="#4CC417"]16...Kf7 17.Bg5 Rab8 18.Rac1 Qd7 19.Ne2 Rbc8 20.d4 Rxc1 21.Rxc1 exd4 22.Nxd4 Rc8[/font] is equal (Manik-Parligras, Ol, Calvia, 2004).
• [font color="#808000"]12...exd4 13.Ne2 Qf7 14.f4 Be7 15.f5 exf5 16.exf5 Nd5[/font] is equal (Movsesian-And. Volokitin, IT, Sarajevo, 2005).
• [font color="forestgreen"]9...Be7 10.d3 h6 11.a4 0-0 12.Nh2 Be6 13.Ng4 Nxg4 14.hxg4 Qd7[/font] Is equal (Kamsky-Wang Yue, Grand Prix, Baku, 2008).
• If [font color="#6CC417"]8.Nd5 Nxd5 9.exd5 d6 10.c3 Nxf3+ 11.Qxf3 Be7 12.d4 0-0[/font] then:
• [font color="#6CC417"]13.Qg3 Bf6 14.dxc5 Qxc5 15.c4 Bf5 16.a3 Qc7 17.Be3[/font] gives White a slight advantage (Di Paolo-Salvador, Op, Genova, 2005).
• [font color="forestgreen"]13.dxe5 dxe5 14.Qg3 Bd6 15.c4 f5 16.Bd2 Rf6 17.Qa3[/font] is equal (A. Sokolov-Lautier, French Ch, Aix-les-Bains, 2003).
• If [font color="#6CC417"]7...Ng4 8.g3 Nxf3+ 9.Qxf3 Ne5[/font] then:
• If [font color="#6CC417"]10.Qe2[/font] then:
• If [font color="#6CC417"]10...e6 11.d3 d6 12.Bg2 Be7 13.f4 Nc6[/font] then:
• [font color="#6CC417"]14.Be3 0-0 15.Nd1 Bd7 16.c3 Rfc8 17.Nf2 b5 18.Kh1[/font] is equal (Kanerek-Lyaskovsky, Euro ChU16, Herceg Novi, 2008).
• [font color="#4CC417"]14.Nd1 0-0 15.c3 b5 16.Be3 b4 17.d4 bxc3 18.bxc3 Na5[/font] is equal (Kovacevic-Avrukh, Ol, Calvia, 2004).
• [font color="#808000"]10...d6 11.Nd5 Qd8 12.Bg2 g6 13.c3 Bg7 14.d3 e6 15.Ne3 Nc6 16.Nc2[/font] is equal (Laznicka-Morozevich, IT, Pamplona, 2006).
• [font color="forestgreen"]10.Qd1 e6 11.b3 Be7 12.Bb2 0-0 13.f4 Nc6 14.Nd5 exd5 15.exd5 Qd8 16.dxc6 dxc6 17.Qh5[/font] give White a comfortable game (Zdebskaya-A. Muzychuk, Euro ChW, Kusasasi, 2006).
• If [font color="#6CC417"]4...Nd4 5.e5 Nxb5 6.Nxb5 Nd5 7.Ng5 f5[/font] then:
• If [font color="#6CC417"]8.0-0 a6[/font] then:
• If [font color="#6CC417"]9.c4 Nb4 10.Nc3 e6 11.d3 Be7 12.Nf3 Nc6 13.Re1 d6 14.Bf4 0-0[/font] is equal (Djerkovic- Tessier-Desrosiers, Canadian Ch, Toronto, 2004).
• If [font color="forestgreen"]9.Nc3 Nxc3 10.bxc3 e6 11.d4[/font] then:
• [font color="forestgreen"]11...g6 12.Nf3 h6 13.Be3 b5 14.dxc5 Bb7[/font] is equal (T. Kosintseva-Romanko, FRussian ChW, Moscow, 2008).
• [font color="#808000"]11...Be7 12.d5 0-0 13.Qh5 h6 14.Nh3 d6[/font] is equal (Landa-Hanel, Op, Velden, 1996).
• If [font color="#4CC417"]8...e6 9.d4 cxd4 10.Qxd4 Be7 11.c4 Nb4 12.Qh4 a6 13.Nd6+ Bxd6 14.exd6[/font] gives White a strong advantage by cramping Black's center and retarding his development (Yee-Peters, SCCF Ch, Los Angeles, 2001).
• If [font color="forestgreen"]8.exf6 Nxf6 9.0-0 e6 10.d4 a6 11.Nc3 cxd4 12.Qxd4 Be7[/font] then:
• [font color="forestgreen"]13.Be3 0-0 14.Rad1 b5 15.Nge4 Nxe4 16.Nxe4 d5[/font] is equal (Gaenta-Eljanov, Euro ChU18, Balatonlelle, 2000).
• [font color="#808000"]13.a4 0-0 14.Be3 Qe8 15.a5 Qg6 16.Qd3 Qxd3 17.cxd3 d6 18.h3 h6[/font] is equal (Movsesian-Nun, Czech ChT, Czechia, 1995).

[center]BLACK[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE[/center][center]Spanish Royal Sicilian Game: Rat Defense[/center][center]Position after 3...d7d6[/center]

4.0-0 Bd7 5.Re1 Nf6 6.c3 a6 7.Bf1

• If [font color="red"]7.Ba4 b5 8.Bc2[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]8...Bg4 9.d3[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]9...e6 10.Nbd2 Be7 11.h3 Bh5 12.Nf1[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]12...0-0 13.Ng3 Bg6 14.Nh4 d5[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]15.exd5[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]15...Nxd5 16.Nxg6 hxg6 17.Ne4[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]17...Nf6 18.Qf3 Qd7 19.Be3[/font] leaves White up by the exchange (Pavasovic-Movsesian, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).
• [font color="burgundy"]17...Qd7 18.h4 Nf6 19.Qe3 Nd5 20.Bd2[/font] gives White a slight edge.
• [font color="darkpink"]15...Qxd5 16.Nxg6 hxg6 17.Bf4 Rfd8 18.Qe2 Nh5 19.Nxh5[/font] gives White a slight advantage (I. Smirin-Tiviakov, Euro ChT, Goteborg, 2005).
• If [font color="darkred"]15.Nxg6 hxg6[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]16.e5!? Nd7 17.d4 cxd4 18.cxd4[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]18...Rc8 19.Be3 Nb4 20.Bb1 Nb6 21.a3 Nc6 22.b3[/font] is equal (Beltrami-Arkhangelsky, World Sr Ch, Lugano, 2005).
• [font color="darkorange"]18...Qb6 19.Be3 Rfc8 20.Rc1 Na5 21.Qg4 Nc4[/font] gives Black a slight advantage owing to the Knight stationed on the fine outpost at c4 (Aveskulov-Atakisi, Mindsports Rpd, Beijing, 2008).
• [font color="magenta"]16.exd5 Nxd5 17.Ne4 Qd7 18.h4 Nf6[/font] draw (Modiahki-Moiseenko, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2006).
• If [font color="darkred"]12...d5 13.Ng3 Bg6 14.Nh4[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]14...Qc7 15.exd5 Nxd5 16.Nxg6 hxg6 17.Ne4 Rd8 18.Bd2[/font] is equal (Svetushkin-Dreev, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2010).
• [font color="magenta"]14...0-0 15.Nxg6[/font] transposes into [font color="darkred"]Beltrami-Arkhangelsky[/font] and suborinate lines, above.
• [font color="burgundy"]9...e5 10.a4 Be7 11.Na3 Rb8 12.h3 Bh5 13.axb5 axb5 [/font] is equal (Quillan-Dzagnidze, Op, Gibraltar, 2007).
• If [font color="darkred"]8...e5 9.h3[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]9...Be7 10.d4 0-0 11.d5 Na5[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]12.Nbd2 Qc7 13.b3[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]13...c4[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]14.b4 Nb7 15.Nf1 a5 16.a3[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]16...Ra6 17.N3h2 Rfa8 18.g4 Ne8[/font] is equal (Lahno-Ernst, IT B, Wijk aan Zee, 2012).
• [font color="burgundy"]16...Ne8 17.Ne3 g6 18.Ng4 a4 19.Bh6 Ng7 20.Qd2[/font] gives White more freedom and a small advantage in space (Motylev-J. Markos, Euro Ch, Plovdiv, 2008).
• [font color="darkpink"]14.Nf1 cxb3 15.axb3 Nb7 16.Bd2 a5 17.Qe2[/font] is equal (Cornette-Tanrikulu, World Jr Ch, Istanbul, 2008).
• If [font color="magenta"]13...g6 14.Nf1[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]14...Nh5 15.Bh6 Rfb8[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]16.g4 Ng7 17.Ng3 c4[/font] draw (Elliot-Filippov, Ol, Turino, 2006).
• [font color="purple"]16.Qd2 Nb7 17.g4 Ng7 18.Ne3 f6 19.Kh2 Nd8 20.Rg1[/font] draw (Gonzalez-A. Stein, IT, Las Vegas, 2006).
• If [font color="darkorange"]14...Nb7!?[/font] then:
• [font color="darkorange"]15.Be3 Rfc8 16.Ng3 a5 17.a4 c4 18.b4[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Efimenko-Timofeev, Russian ChT, Russian ChT, Dagomys, 2010).
• [font color="purple"]15.Bh6 Rfc8 16.N3d2 Nh5 17.Bd3 Qd8 18.Be2[/font] is equal (de Goni-Radulski, IT, Brno, 2005).
• If [font color="magenta"]12.Nxe5 dxe5 13.d6[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]13...Be6 14.dxe7 Qxe7 15.Nd2 Rfd8 16.Qf3[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]16...c4 17.Nf1 Nb7 18.Bg5 h6 19.Bh4[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]19...Rd6?! 20.Qg3! Bd7 21.f4 Re6 22.f5 Qc5+ 23.Ne3[/font] gives White more freedom and space; the threat of 24.Rad1! is powerful (A. Muzychuk-Sasikiran, Op, Gibraltar, 2012).
• [font color="burgundy"]19...Nc5 20.Red1 Rab8 21.b4 cxb3 22.Rxd8+ Qxd8 23.axb3[/font] gives White a small advantage owing to the threat of 24.Rad1!.
• [font color="darkpink"]16...Nd7 17.Nf1 Qf6 18.Qg3 Qg6 19.Qh4[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Safarli-J. Markos, Euro Ch, Aix-les-Bains, 2011).
• If [font color="darkorange"]13...Nc4 14.dxe7 Qxe7 15.b3[/font] then:
• [font color="darkorange"]15...Nd6 16.Bg5 Bc6 17.Nd2 h6 18.Bh4[/font] is equal; White has more freedom and Black has more space (M. Turov-Gallego Jiménez, Op, Ubeda, 2001).
• [font color="purple"]15...Nb6 16.Be3 Bc6 17.Nd2 Nbd7 18.Qf3 Ne8 19.Qe2[/font] (Safarli-Agaragimov, Euro Ch, Plovdiv, 2012).
• If [font color="magenta"]9...g6[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]10.d4 Bg7 11.dxc5 dxc5 12.a4[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]12...0-0 13.axb5 axb5 14.Rxa8 Qxa8 15.Qd6[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]15...Rc8 16.Nxe5 Nxe5 17.Qxe5 Bc6 18.Qf4 Re8 19.Nd2[/font] gives White a slight edge in space (Chebotarev-Najer, Russian Ch, Tomsk, 2006).
• [font color="burgundy"]15...c4 16.Bg5 Be6 17.Nxe5 Nxe5 18.Qxe5 Nd7 19.Qg3[/font] gives White control of centeral dark squares in Black's territory (Ni Hua-Svidler, TM, Ningbo, 2008).
• If [font color="darkorange"]12...Rb8?![/font] then:
• [font color="darkorange"]13.Be3! Qe7 14.Nbd2 0-0 15.Nb3 c4 16.Nc5[/font] gives White a fair advantage in space (Caruana-Tiviakjov, Russian ChT, Dagomys, 2009).
• Also good is [font color="purple"]13.axb5! axb5 14.Be3 Qe7 15.Nbd2 0-0 16.Nb3[/font] when White has command of open files and threatens 17.Bxc5!, winning material (Savic-Fercec, Bosnian ChT, Vogosca, 2007).
• If [font color="darkorange"]10.a4 Bg7 11.d4 cxd4[/font] then:
• [font color="darkorange"]12.axb5 axb5 13.Rxa8 Qxa8 14.cxd4 0-0 15.Nc3 b4[/font] is equal (Sax-Olafsson, IT, Amsterdam, 1976).
• [font color="purple"]12.cxd4 0-0 13.Bg5 h6 14.Be3 exd4 15.Nxd4[/font] is equal (Xu Yuhua-Romanko, TMW, Sochi, 2009).

7...Bg4 8.h3 Bxf3

• If [font color="red"]8...Bh5[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]9.d3[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]9...e6[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]10.Nbd2 Be7 11.g4 Bg6 12.Nh4 Nd7 [/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]13.Ng2[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]13...e5 14.Nf3[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]14...h5 15.g5 Nf8 16.d4[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]16...cxd4 17.cxd4 exd4 18.Nxd4 Nxd4 19.Qxd4 Bxg5 20.Bxg5 Qxg5 21.Qxd6[/font] gives White a safer King and a slight edge in space (Zhong Zhang-Atakisi, Ol, Bled, 2002).


• [font color="burgundy"]16...Qd7 17.Ngh4 f6 18.Kh2 cxd4 19.cxd4 exd4 20.Nxd4 Nxd4 21.Qxd4 [/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Menzi-Nikolova, Euro ChTW, Porto Carras, 2011).
• [font color="darkpink"]14...Rc8 15.a3 Nf8 16.d4 cxd4 17.cxd4 h5 18.d5 [/font] remains equal (Zavgorodniy-Galliamova, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2002).
• If [font color="darkred"]13...0-0[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]14.f4!? h6![/font] (Black has a fair advantage in space) [font color="darkred"]15.Nf3 Bh7[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]16.f5 Nde5[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]17.Nf4 Nxf3+ 18.Qxf3 Bg5[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]19.Bg2 Qe7 20.Nh5[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]20...exf5?! 21.Bxg5! Qxg5 22.exf5 g6 23.Ng3 gxf5 24.gxf5[/font] gives White a slight advantage in space (Spassov-Halikas, Euro ChT, Plovdiv, 2003).
• [font color="burgundy"]20...Ne5 21.Qe2 Rae8 22.Rf1 Nd7[/font] continues to give Black a slight advantage.
• [font color="hotpink"]19.Qd1 Re8 20.Bg2 g6 21.Rf1 exf5 22.exf5 gxf5[/font] is equal (Reinderman-Tiviakov, IT B, Wijk aan Zee, 2000).
• [font color="purple"]17.Be3 Rc8 18.Rc1 d5 19.Nxe5 Nxe5 20.Bf4 Nc6[/font] gives Black a small advantage in space (Vescovi-Szmetan, Pan-Am Ch, Cali, 2001).
• [font color="darkorange"]16.Qe2 Qc7 17.Qf2 Rae8 18.f5 Nde5[/font] continues to give Black a fair advantage (D. Popovic-B. Vuckovic, TT, Herceg Novi, 2005).
• [font color="magenta"]14.Nf4! Bf6 15.Nf3 Nde5 16.Be3 Nxf3+ 17.Qxf3 h6[/font] gives White a slim advantage in space.
• If [font color="darkred"]13.Nxg6 hxg6[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]14.Nf3 Nde5 15.Be3 Nxf3+ 16.Qxf3[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]16...Bg5 17.d4 cxd4 18.cxd4 Bxe3 19.Qxe3[/font] is equal (Urquhart-Noritsyn, Candian Closed Ch, Toronto, 2006).
• [font color="burgundy"]16...e5 17.Qd1 Bg5 18.Bg2 Bxe3 19.fxe3 Qd7[/font] gives Black an insignifant edge in space (Xu Yuhua-Wang Lei, Chinese ChTW, Suzhou, 2001).
• If [font color="magenta"]14.f4 Bh4 15.Re2 g5[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]16.f5 Nde5 17.Re3 0-0[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]18.Nf3 Nxf3+ 19.Qxf3 b5 20.Bg2 Rb8 21.Qd1 b4[/font] gives White a fair advantage in space (Perunovic-Vuckovic, Serbian ChT, Zlatibor, 2006).
• [font color="burgundy"]18.Bg2 d5 19.exd5 exd5 20.Nf3 Nxf3+ 21.Qxf3 d4[/font] gives Black a fair advantage in space (Rublevsky-Timoshenko, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2004).
• If [font color="darkorange"]16.Nf3 gxf4 17.Nxh4 Qxh4 18.Bxf4[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkorange"]18...e5 19.Bh2 Nf8 20.a3[/font] then:
• [font color="darkorange"]20...Ne6 21.b4 0-0-0 22.Rb1 Nf4 23.Re3 Qe7[/font] gives Black a fair advantage in space (Sadvakasov-Grischuk, IT, Poikovsky, 2005).
• [font color="purple"]20...a5!? 21.b4!? axb4!? 22.axb4! Rxa1 23.Qxa1 cxb4 24.Qa8+[/font] gives White a slight advantage in space (Mahjoob-Sufian, Asian Ch, Subic Bay, 2009).
• [font color="hotpink"]18...0-0-0!? 19.Qd2! Nde5 20.Bg2 Qe7 21.d4[/font] is equal.
• [font color="darkred"]10.g4 Bg6 11.Nh4 Nd7[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]12.Ng2 e5 13.f4 exf4 14.Nxf4 Qh4 15.Ng2 Qd8[/font] is equal (Fedorchuk-Kononenko, Ukrainian Ch, Rivne, 2005).
• If [font color="magenta"]12.g5 e5 13.Qg4 Be7 14.Nf5[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]14...Bxf5 15.exf5 h6 16.h4 hxg5 17.hxg5 f6[/font] gives Black a small advantage owing to the open h-file (Rublevsky-Ivanchuk, Wold Blitz Ch, Almaty, Kazakhstan, 2008).
• [font color="darkorange"]14...0-0 15.h4 f6 16.Nxd6 fxg5 17.hxg5 Bxd6[/font] is equal (Venkatesh-Sriram, Indian Ch, Mumbai, 2003).
• [font color="burgundy"]9...e5 10.a4 Be7 11.Na3 Rb8 12.h3 Bh5 13.axb5 axb5[/font] is equal (Quillan-Dzagnidze, Op, Gibraltar, 2007).
• [font color="darkred"]9.d4 cxd4 10.cxd4[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]10...e5 11.g4 Bg6 12.d5 Nb8[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]13.g5 Nfd7 14.Nh4 Be7 15.Qg4 0-0 16.Nc3[/font] gives White a comfortable game (Ahu Chen-Dzagnidze, Euro Club Cup W, Antalya, 2007).
• If [font color="magenta"]13.Nc3?! Be7[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]14.Qb3 Nbd7 15.Qxb7!? Nc5 16.Qb4 h5 17.g5[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Hracek-Eames, Op 0910, Hastings, 2009).
• [font color="darkorange"]14.a4 0-0 15.a5 Nbd7 16.Nd2 Rc8 17.Nc4[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Lauterbach-Gu Xiaobing, Op, Queenstown, 2012).
• If [font color="magenta"]10...d5 11.e5[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]11...Ne4 12.g4 Bg6[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]13.e6 fxe6 14.Nc3 e5 15.Nxe4 Bxe4 16.Ng5 e6[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]17.dxe5 Bc5 18.Nxe4 dxe4 19.Qc2[/font] gives White a slight advantage in space (Vachier Lagrave-Wang Yue, YM, Lausanne, 2006).
• [font color="hotpink"]17.f3 Bg6 18.Nxe6 Qd7 19.Nxf8 Rxf8 20.dxe5[/font] gives White an extra pawn, stronger pawn and the Bishop pair in an open center; Black has a slender edge in space (Kharlov-Malakhatko, Rpd IT, Cap d'Agde, 2002).
• [font color="purple"]13.Be3 e6 14.Nbd2 Nxd2 15.Bxd2 Be7 16.Bc3 0-0[/font] gives White a slim advantage in space(Op, Swidnica, 2000).
• [font color="darkorange"]11...Ng8 12.Nc3 e6 13.g4 Bg6 14.Qb3 Rb8[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Drabke-Movsesian, German I-net Ch, Cyberspace, 2005).

9.Qxf3 g6!?

• The Scheveningen set up does more to restrain White's center.
• [font color="red"]9...e6 10.d3 Be7 11.Nd2 0-0 12.Qd1 d5 13.e5[/font] remains equal (Campora-Marín Alejandro, Spanish ChT, Cala Galdana, 2001).

[center]BLACK: Fabiano Carauana[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Ruslan Ponomariov[/center][center]Position after 9...g7g6[/center]

10.d3!

• White has a small advantage with more freedom.

10...Bg7 11.Be3

• If [font color="red"]11.Bg5 0-0 12.Nd2 b5 13.Qe3[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]13...Re8 14.Nf3 b4[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]15.d4!?[/font] (this advance is slightly premature) then:
• [font color="red"]15...Qb6?! 16.d5 Nd8 17.Qd2 Nb7 18.Rad1[/font] gives White a comfortable game with a better center and more space (Kuehnel-Hjort, Corres, 1999).
• [font color="burgundy"]15...d5! 16.e5 Ne4 17.Bf4 bxc3 18.bxc3[/font] is equal
• [font color="darkpink"]15.Rac1 bxc3 16.bxc3 Qd7 17.Qd2[/font] continues to give White a small advantage with a more powerful 18.d4! threatened.
• If [font color="darkred"]13...b4!?[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]14.Bh6!? Bxh6 15.Qxh6 bxc3 16.bxc3 Qa5[/font] gives Black a slight edge (Fakhiridou-Hegarty, Euro ChTW, Porto Carras, 2011).
• [font color="magenta"]14.d4! bxc3 15.bxc3 cxd4 16.cxd4 h6 17.Bxf6[/font] gives White a fair advantage in space.

11...0-0 12.Nd2 Nd7 13.Qd1

• If [font color="red"]13.Nb3 Rc8[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]14.Rac1!? c4! 15.dxc4 Nce5 16.Qd1 Nxc4[/font] is equal (C. Braun-Sprenger, Op, Cappelle-la-Grande, 2012).
• [font color="darkred"]14.Qd1! Re8 15.Rc1 e6 16.d4 cxd4 17.cxd4[/font] continues to give White a small advantage in space.

13...b5 14.Nf3 (N)

• [font color="red"]14.a3!? Nb6! 15.Nf3 Na4 16.Qd2 d5 17.Bh6 d4[/font] is equal (Karttunen -Laznicka, Euro Club Cup, Rogaska Slatina, 2011).

14...Nb6

• White has a small advantage in space.

15.d4 Na4?!

• Black tries to provoke a weakness on White's queenside.
• If [font color="red"]15...cxd4[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]16.cxd4[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]16...d5 17.e5 Nc4 18.Bc1 Qa5 19.a4 Qb6 20.b3[/font] gives White a fair advantage in space.
• If [font color="darkred"]16...Rc8?! 17.b3! f5 18.Ng5[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]18...f4 19.Bxf4 Bxd4 20.Ne6[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]20...Qd7 21.Nxf8 Rxf8 22.Be3 Bxa1 23.Qxa1 Qb7 24.Qd1[/font] gives White stronger pawns and the Bishop pair.
• [font color="darkorange"]20...Qe8 21.Nxd4 Rxf4 22.a4 e5 23.Nxc6 Qxc6 24.a5[/font] gives White stronger pawns and better piece coordination; he is on the brink of winning.
• [font color="magenta"]18...Qd7 19.d5 Nd5 20.Rc1 Rxc1 21.Qxc1 Qc8 22.Qb1[/font] gives White an attack on the Knight hanging at b6, contol of an outpost at e6, and Black's Knight unable to retreat; Black has command of the ope c-file and the long diagonal.
• If [font color="darkred"]16.Nxd4?! Nxd4 17.cxd4[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]17...Nc4! 18.Bxc4 bxc4 19.Rc1 d5 20.Bf4 e6[/font] is equal.
• [font color="magenta"]17...d5 18.e5 Nc4 19.Bc1 Qb6 20.b3[/font] gives White a fair advantage in space and the initiative; Black must retreat his KInight to a5.

[center]BLACK: Fabiano Carauana[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Ruslan Ponomariov[/center][center]Position after 15...Nb6a4[/center]

16.Re2!

• White is not forced to advance his b-pawn and now has a fair advantage.

16...Qa5!?

• The Queen joins Black's queenside initiative, but it's hard to see what another piece can do.
• [font color="red"]16...Qc7 17.Rc2 Nb6 18.Qd2 Rfd8 19.Rac1 Qb7 20.d5[/font] continues to give White more space.

17.Rc1!

• White has a comfortable game. Black's pieces are too crowded on the queenside.

17...Rad8 18.Rec2 Qc7 19.b3 Nb6 20.a4!?

• White would get more out of his position by playing on the kingside.
• If [font color="red"]20.h4! h5 21.Ng5 Nd7 22.a4[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]22...bxa4 23.bxa4 Nf6 24.Bxa6 d5 25.e5 Ng4 26.Bb5[/font] gives White an extra pawn that is passed and more space.
• [font color="darkred"]22...Rb8 23.axb5 axb5 24.b4 c4 25.Be2 Ra8 26.d5[/font] gives White a substantial advantage in space.

20...bxa4!?

• While it is true that a pawn chain does not not need to be attack at its base, that's still usually the best place to do it.
• Better is [font color="red"]20...c4! 21.axb5 axb5 22.Rb2 d5 23.e5 Rb8 24.Ra1[/font] leaves Black's position more defensible, for example: 24...cxb3 25.Rxb3 Nc4 26.Qb1 Nxe3 27.fxe3 still gives White a fair advantage in space, but Black can maneuver his queenside pieces more easily and can bring the Knight to c4 via a5.

21.bxa4!

• White still has a comfortable advantage in space.

21...c4 22.a5?!

• White throws away a pawn and most of his advantage.
• [font color="red"]22.Rb2! Na5 23.Rcb1 Rb8 24.Qc2 e6 25.g3[/font] continues to give White a comfortable advantage.

22...Nxa5!

• Black is a pawn to the good.

23.Ra1 Nb3 24.Rxa6 d5!?

• This will not protect the c-pawn. In fact, it only makes the c-pawn more vulnerable.
• [font color="red"]24...Ra8 25.Rxa8 Rxa8 26.Rb2 d5 27.Nd2 Ra1 28.Rb1[/font] remains equal.

[center]BLACK: Fabiano Carauana[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Ruslan Ponomariov[/center][center]Position after 24...d6d5[/center]

25.exd5!

• White has a threat against Black's c-pawn and small advantage in space.
• [font color="red"]25.e5!? Qb7! 26.Rca2 Ra8 27.Rxa8 Rxa8 28.Rxa8+ Qxa8[/font] remains equal.

25...Nxd5

• Black's c-pawn is now inadequately protected.
• [font color="red"]25...Ra8!? 26.Bf4! Qb7 27.Rxa8[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]27...Rxa8 28.d6 Nd5 29.Bxc4 Nxf4 30.Rb2 exd6 31.Rxb3[/font] gives White an extra pawn; Black has a slender edge in space.
• [font color="darkred"]27...Qxa8 28.d6 exd6 29.Bxd6 Rc8 30.Be5 Qa5 31.Bg3[/font] gives White and extra pawn and Black more space; Black's Bishop has no prospects on the long diagonal.

26.Qe2

• The pawn count is even, White has pressure on the weak c-pawn and Black has a slim edge in space.
• If [font color="red"]26.Ra4!? Nb6 27.Rb4 Ra8 28.Qe2 Na5 29.Nd2[/font] leaves White with only a advantage; he could take the c-pawn if the Queen were behind the Bishop on the diagonal.

26...Na5 27.Bd2

• [font color="red"]27.Nd2 e6 28.Nxc4 Nxc4 29.Qxc4 Rc8 30.Qxc7 Rxc7 31.Ra3[/font] gives White an extra pawn and a small advantage in space.

27...Ra8 28.Rxa8 Rxa8 29.Ra2 Rc8?!

• This won't save the c-pawn.
• If [font color="red"]29...Rb8 30.Ne5 Bxe5 31.Qxe5 Qxe5 32.dxe5 Rb5 33.f4[/font] continues to give White a small advantage in space.

30.Ng5?!

• And this won't capture the c-pawn.
• [font color="red"]30.Ra4! Ra8 31.Be1 Nb6 32.Ra3 e6 33.Qa2[/font] gives White a comfortable game.

30...Nb3!

• The game is again equal.

31.Qxc4 Nxd2?

• Black may think he's being clever by forking the Queen, but he misses the obvious retort and its consequences.
• [font color="red"]31...Qb7! 32.Qa6 Qxa6 33.Bxa6 Ra8 34.Be3 e5 35.dxe5[/font] remains equal.

[center]BLACK: Fabiano Carauana[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Ruslan Ponomariov[/center][center]Position after 31...Nb3e2:B[/center]

32.Qxd5!

• White threatens the pawn at f7.

32...Nxf1

• If [font color="red"]32...e6[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]33.Nxe6 fxe6 34.Qxe6+ Kh8 35.Rxd2.[/font]
• If [font color="blue"]32...Rf8[/font] then White wins after [font color="blue"]33.Rxd2 Bh6 34.Ra2 Qxc3 35.Ra7 Bxg5 36.Qxg5.[/font]

33.Nxf7 e6

• More stubborn is [font color="red"]33...Qc4 34.Nh6+[/font] when:
• If [font color="red"]34...Kh8 35.Qxc4 Rxc4 36.Ra8+ Bf8 37.Rxf8+ Kg7 38.Rf7+[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]38...Kxh6 39.Kxf1 Rxc3 40.Rxe7[/font] leaves White with two extra pawns.
• [font color="magenta"]38...Kh8 39.Kxf1[/font]gives White a piece for two pawns.
• [font color="darkred"]34...Kf8[/font] loses almost immediately to [font color="darkred"]35.Qxc4!! Bxh6 36.Qxc8+.[/font]

34.Qxe6 Rf8 35.Ne5+ Kh8 36.Kxf1 1-0

• White is a piece to the good.
• Il sengore Caruana resigns.