1

The English Opening an The Modern - A complete Repertorie

A. The English Opening for White

A1. Fools rush in...
The fundamental hypermodern insight is that White can afford to delay occupation of
the centre, since if Black tries to take advantage of the delay by trying to sieze the centre
then White's counterattack will be swift and effective. This is most convincingly seen
perhaps in the Grunfeld Reversed: not an English variation I know, but shows what
White can allow with confidence. So, after 1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 c5 3. Bg2 Nc6:










Korchnoi - Mecking, Augusta (Match), 1974: 4. d4 e6 5. O-O cxd4 6. Nxd4 Bc5 7.
Nb3 Bb68. c4 Nf6 9. cxd5 Nxd5 (...) 63. Be5 1-0
Korchnoi - Pomar, Stockholm, 1962: 4. d4 Nf6 5. O-O Bf5 6. c4 e6 7. Nc3 Be7 8. cxd5
Nxd5(...) 41. Ke3 Ra3+ 1-0
The English is a more balanced strategy combining early restraint (of ...d5) with later
ambitions for expansion.

A2. An early break in the centre
The hypermodern movement has been most associated with the fianchetto, but Reti's
interpretation of the English was a little different. After 1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 he would
play not 3. g3 but 3. Nf3, and after 3...Nc6, 4. d4!

EG: Reti,R - Rabinovich,I [A28] Moscow-Wch, 1925
2
This may seem out of keeping with the hypermodern idea, but let's listen to Reti's own
account:
"Now I will propose a thesis, the proof of which the reader and I can seek together. It is
known that the significance of a single tempo, and thus the significance of development,
is greatest in open positions. In closed positions it plays almost no role. Consequently, it
would seem to be in White's interest to open the game (without loss of tempo, of course).
How can this be achieved? Most likely by exposing and attacking the opponent's strong
points. One would expect Black's strongest point in the center to be d5 since, unlike e5,
it has natural protection by the queen. Therefore, the ideal initial move is 1. c4,
immediately taking aim at d5. Should Black support d5 by l...Nf6, then White reinforces
the attack by 2. Nc3. Let's assume that Black answers 2...e5. This weakens d5 and
reveals his intention of building his position around e5 by such moves as ...Nc6 and
...d6. (Even with 2...e6 he could not control d5 in the long run.) Now White need not
continue attacking d5, which Black abandoned without a fight, by 3. g3 and 4. Bg2.
Rather, following the logic given above, White should strike the new bastion e5 by 3.
Nf3 and (in reply to 3...d6 or ...Nc6) 4. d4, and he thereby achieves an advantage."
[reprinted in Virginia Chess, Sept/Oct 1993][Jerry Lawson].
It's not much played any more (but may be worth a punt now and then); we are more
likely to see the same idea (of playing for a central break and development advantage)
in a different setting in the English:

EG: Kasparov,Gary - Beliavsky,A (9) Linares, 1991
EG: Kasparov,Gary - Korchnoi, Viktor, Skelleftea, 1989
You will remember Chris showing a dozen miniatures from the English Opening in a
coaching session last month, when we saw how racy attacks can be obtained even with
this apparently slow opening.

A3. Delayed occupation of the centre
This is more how we play the English these days.





My first experiments with the English opening had a distinguished English pedigree:
Howard Staunton often practiced the English with the system 1. c4 2. Nc3 3. g3 4. Bg2
and 5. e3, with a break using d2-d4 in mind. I enjoyed the following game where Black
seems to be playing 100% according to the guidelines for opening play:
3

Korchnoi-Szabo, 1963
1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 Bc5 4.Bg2 O-O 5.e3 Re8 6.Nge2 Nc6 7.O-O d6
Black has apparently posted his pieces and Pawns with classical purity, but gets
rapidly squashed.
8.d4 Bb6 9.h3 Bf5 {?} 10.d5 Nb8 11.g4 Bd7 12.Ng3 h6 13.Kh2 a5 14.f4 exf4 15.exf4
Nh7









Nothing is left of Black's early central occupation, and White seems to have at least nine
Pawns harrassing Black's pieces...
16.g5 Na6 17.gxh6 Qh4 18.hxg7 Nf6 19.f5 Be3 20.Nce4 {!} 20...Nxe4 21.Nxe4 Bxc1
22.Rxc1 Nc5 23.Qg4 Rxe4 24.Bxe4 Qxg4 25.hxg4 Nxe4 26.Rce1 Nc5 27.f6 Re8
28.Rxe8+ Bxe8 29.Re1 Ba4 30.Re3 (threat Rh3) 1-0
The light squares like d3 in the Staunton system are not so very weak because Black
cannot occupy or fix the Pawns. The most obvious way to try is to get a Pawn to e4, but
this cannot be sustained:
Shatskes gives:

Botvinnik M - Simagin Vladimir (RUS) [A25] Ch URS, Moscow (Russia), 1952
1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 f5 4. Bg2 Nf6 5. e3 Be7 6. d4 e4 7. f3 O-O! 8. Nge2
[8. fxe4 fxe4 9. Nxe4 Nxe4 10. Bxe4 Bb4+ 11. Bd2 Qe7]
8... Bb4 9. O-O Bxc3 10. Nxc3 exf3 11. Qxf3 d6 12. Bd2 Bd7 13. Rae1 Qe8
4









14. Qd1! Qg6 15. Nd5 Nxd5 16. cxd5 Ne7 17. Qb3 b6 18. Rc1 Rac8 19. Rc3!+/- (...)
43. Kd1 1/2-1/2
I was able to implement these ideas many years ago against Bob Richmond, when after
1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 d6 3. g3 f5 4. d4 e4 5. Nh3 Nf6 6. Bg2 Be7 7. O-O O-O 8. Bg5 c6 9. f3
White had good prospects: Black's centre is under pressure. See also the Keres system,
B5a below.
This Staunton approach can lead to some interesting and finely balanced positions. I
once got into a real mess against Richard Nash of Barnstable playing this approach...
1. c4 e5 2. g3 g6 3. Bg2 Bg7 4. Nc3 Ne7 5. e3 Nbc6 6. Nge2 d6 7. d4









I immediately looked it up to see what I had done wrong. I have an old book by
Shatskes which quotes an analysis from Botvinnik, and a new book by Ribli and Kallai.
Are two heads better than one? They both identified my mistake but then gave
completely opposite advice!
5
7... exd4 8. Nxd4?! An error. 8... O-O 9. O-O Re8
[9... Bd7 10. Nde2 Qc8 11.Nf4 Ne5 12. Qe2 Re8 13. Bd2 c6 14. Ne4 Qc7 15. Bc3 Rad8
16. h3 d5 += smyslov-radulovic 1964]
10. b3 ? 10... Nxd4 11. exd4 Nf5 =+ (...) 40. 1/2-1/2
[Better is
8. exd4! O-O 9. O-O









But what now?
9... Nf5 "?" botvinnik "!" ribli
(9 ... Bg4"!" = botvinnik "?" ribli - although there are probably still finesses to be
found:
Now if 10. h3 Bxe2 11. Nxe2 Nf5 12. d5 Ne5 13. Qc2 Re8 ( "!" shatskes ) 14. Bd2 a5 15.
Rad1 ( "!" ribli ) 15... Qb8 16. Bc1 Qa7 17. Be4 Ne7 18. Be3 Qa6 19. b3 a4 20. Nc3
axb3 21. axb3 b6 22. Nb5 Qc8 23. Kh2 Nd7 24. Rfe1 Nc5 25. Bf3 Nf5 26. Bg4 ! +=
uhlmann-taimanov 1984]
10. d5 Ne5 11. b3 a5 ?
(11 ... a6; 12 Bb2, b5; 13 cxb5, axb5; 14 Qc2, b4; 15 Ne4, Ba6 botvinnik ; 11 ...b5!?
seirawan)
12. Bb2 Nd7 13. a3 Nc5 14. b4 Nd7 15. Qb3 botvinnik-reshevsky 1938]
This is why the English is such a fine opening: there is great flexibility and scope for
creativity for each side, which is why old foxes like Viktor Kortchnoi can win from
either side.
6
One last example of a delayed occupation proving effective

EG: Speelman Jonathan - Xu Jun [A35] Luzern 48/50, 1989

A4. The Queen's-side attack




The White set-up with g3 can also be seen in Black's main system in the Closed
Sicilian, where a Queen's-side attack can be pursued, based on the fianchettoed Bishop.

EG: Miles-Belyavsky.

A5. Botvinnik system for White




This is an interesting system pioneered by Nimzovitch and Botvinnik, conceding an
apparently permanent weak point at d4 but gaining a firm grip on the centre and hoping
to keep Black's activity to a minimum while seeking a break with b2-b4 or f2-f4. I have
played this on many occasions and have often won by direct attack on the King's-side.
Perhaps the best advertisement for this system at club level is the fact I always find it
difficult to play against, even if I know what's coming!

EG: Botvinnik,Mikhail - Scherbakov,Vitaly [A16] , Moscow ch-SU Round: 3 Year:
1955
EG: Benko,Pal - Botvinnik,Mikhail [A10] , Monte Carlo Year: 1968
EG: Williams,SK (1990) - Regis,D. (1935) [A36] 1994

A6. The Maroczy bind
7
One common positional theme against the symmetrical English is the Maroczy Bind:
Black found this difficult to play against for years because of lack of prospects for
active play, although recently the 'hedgehog' formation has proved its resilience.

EG: Fischer,R - Spassky,B (8) [A39] Reykjavik-Wch, 1972
EG: Regis,D. - Richard Dixon (Corr_92/93) [B36] Devon Vs. Glos.(Ward-Higgs I),
1993
EG: Vukic Milan - Suba Mihai [A30]Vinkovci, 1977
There is an interesting formation where White immediately threatens the Maroczy even
when Black has not fianchettoed the Bf8:

EG: Korchnoi V - Spassky B [A33] Beograd m/3, 1977
[...]
Example Games

An early break in the centre (A2)

Reti,R - Rabinovich,I [A28] Moscow-Wch, 1925
1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. d4









4... exd4 5. Nxd4 Bb4 6. g3 O-O 7. Bg2 d5 8. Nxc6 bxc6 9. O-O Bxc3 10. bxc3 Ba6
11. Qa4 Bxc4 12. Qxc6 Qd7 13. Qxd7 Nxd7 14. Rd1 Nb6 15. Bf4

8








15... c6 16. Rd2 Rfe8 17. Kf1 Bb5 18. Rb1 Re7 19. Bf3 Rae8 20. Ke1 Re6 21. e3 Ba6
22. Bg4 Re4 23. Rd4 c5 24. Rd2 g5 25. f3 Rc4 26. Bxg5 Rxc3 27. Kf2 f6 28. Bh6 Bd3
29. Rb3 Rxb3 30. axb3 c4 31. bxc4 dxc4 32. e4 Re7 33. Ra2 Kf7 34. Bf5 Ke8 35. g4
Rb7 36. Be3 c3 37. Ra3 Nc4 38. Rxc3 Rb2+ 39. Kg3 Nxe3 40. Rxd3 Nf1+ 41. Kf4
Rxh2 42. Rd1 Nd2 43. Be6 Re2 44. Rh1 Ke7 45. Bd5 Kd6 46. Rxh7 Rf2 47. Ke3
Rg2 48. Rxa7 Nf1+ 49. Kf4 Ng3 1-0

Kasparov,Gary - Beliavsky,A (9) Linares, 1991
1. c4 e6 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. e4 c5 4. e5 Ng8 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. d4 cxd4 7. Nxd4 Nxe5 8. Ndb5









This gambit, pioneered by Tony Miles, has also been taken up by Kasparov.
8... a6 9. Nd6+ Bxd6 10. Qxd6 f6 11. Be3 Ne7 12. Bb6 Nf5 13. Qc5 d6 14. Qa5 Qd7
15. f4 Nc6 16. Qa3 e5 17. Bd3 O-O 18. O-O exf4 19. Rxf4 Nfe7 20. Rd1

9








Classic Kasparov: complex, dynamic, penetrating.
20... Ng6 21. Rff1 Nge5 22. Be4 Qf7 23. b3 Be6 24. Qxd6 Kh8 25. Qc7 Qxc7 26.
Bxc7 Rf7 27. Bb6 Re8 28. h3 Rd7 29. Nd5 Rc8 30. g4 Ng6 31. Kh2 Nce5 32. a4 Rd6
33. a5 Nd7 34. Nc7 1-0

Delayed occupation of the centre (A3)

Speelman Jonathan - Xu Jun [A35] Luzern 48/50, 1989
1. Nf3 c5 2. c4 Nc6 3. Nc3 g6?!









4. e3! d6 5. d4 cxd4 6. exd4 Bg4 7. Be2 Bg7 8. O-O Nh6 9. d5 Bxf3 10. Bxf3 Ne5 11.
Be4 f5 12. Bc2
10









12... O-O 13. Ne2 Nxc4 14. Nd4 Rf6 15. Bb3 Rc8 16. Re1 Ng4 17. h3 Nge5 18. Re2
Rc5 19. Bg5 Qa5 20. Bxf6 Bxf6 21. Rc1 Kh8 22. Bxc4 Rxc4 23. Ne6 Kg8 24. Rxe5 1-
0

The Queen's-side attack (A4)

Miles - Beliavsky [A26] Hastings_1974-5, 1974
1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. d3 d6 6. Nf3 Nf6 7. O-O O-O 8. Rb1 h6 9.
b4 Be6









10. b5 Ne7 11. a4 Qc8 12. Ba3 Nd7 13. Nd2 Rb8 14. Nd5 Re8

11








15. Ne4! f5 16. Nec3 Kh7 17. a5 Bf7 18. Nxe7 Rxe7









19. b6! axb6 20. axb6 Ra8 21. Nb5 Nxb6 22. Nxd6








12

22... Qe6? 23. Qc1 cxd6 24. Rxb6 e4 25. Rxd6 Qe5 26. Rb6 Qa5 27. Rb3 Qa4 28.
Bxe7 Qxb3 29. Qb1









29... Qa4? 30. Qxb7 Ra7 31. Qb4 Qd7 32. Bd6 Ra2 33. dxe4 Rb2 34. Qc5 fxe4 35.
Bxe4 Rxe2









36. Bd5! Rc2 37. Bf4 Bxd5 38. Qxd5 Qa7 39. Be3 Qa2 40. Rc1 Rxc1+ 41. Bxc1 Qb1
42. Qd2 Bf8 43. Qb2 Qe4 44. Qc3 Bg7 45. Qb4! Bd4 46. Ba3 Qd3 47. Qb7+ Kh8 48.
Qc8+ Kh7 49. Qd7+ Kh8 50. Qe8+ Kh7 51. Qf7+ Kh8 52. Be7 Bg7 53. Qd5 Qb3 54.
h4 Kh7 55. Bc5 h5 56. Be3 Qb1+ 57. Kg2 Qb3 58. Qc6 1-0

Botvinnik system for White (A5)

13
Botvinnik,Mikhail - Scherbakov,Vitaly [A16] EO 14.2, Moscow ch-SU Round: 3
Year: 1955
1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 g6 3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 O-O 5. e4 d6 6. Nge2 e5 7. O-O Nbd7 8. d3 Nc5
9. f4 c6 10. h3 Ne6









11. f5 Nd4 12. g4 Ne8 13. Be3 a6 14. Qd2 b5 15. Bg5 Bf6 16. Bxf6 Nxf6 17. Nxd4
exd4 18. Ne2 Qb6 19. cxb5 axb5 20. Qh6 Bd7 21. g5









21... Nh5 22. Nf4 Ng7 23. f6 1-0

Benko,Pal - Botvinnik,Mikhail [A10] EO 18.4, Monte Carlo Year: 1968
1. c4 g6 2. g3 Bg7 3. Bg2 e5 4. Nc3 Ne7 5. e4 d6 6. Nge2 Nbc6 7. d3 f5 8. Nd5 O-O 9.
Be3 Be6 10. Qd2 Qd7 11. O-O
14









11... Rf7 12. Rac1 Raf8 13. f4 fxe4 14. dxe4 Nc8 15. c5 Bh3 16. b4 Bxg2 17. Kxg2
exf4 18. gxf4 Re8 19. Ng3 h5 20. b5 N6e7 21. f5 h4 22. fxg6 Rxf1 23. Rxf1 hxg3 24.
Rf7 Be5 25. Bd4 Qg4 26. Rf4 Qh5 27. Bxe5 Qxh2+ 28. Kf3 Qxd2 29. Nf6+ Kg7 30.
Nxe8+ Kxg6 31. Rf6+ Kh7 32. Bxg3 Qd3+ 33. Kf2 Qxb5 34. cxd6 Qxe8 0-1

Williams,SK (1990) - Regis,D. (1935) [A36] 1994
1. c4 g6 2. Nc3 Bg7 3. g3 c5 4. Bg2 Nc6 5. e4 d6 6. Nge2 Nf6 7. O-O O-O 8. d3 Ne8
[8... Bd7]
9. Be3 Nd4 10. Rb1 a5 11. a3 Nc7 12. b4 axb4 13. axb4 Nxe2+ 14. Nxe2 Ne6 15. Qd2
Nd4 16. Nxd4 cxd4 17. Bh6 e5 18. Bxg7 Kxg7 19. f4 f5









Black's textbook occupation of d4 has only led to hobbled Pawns
15
...1-0 (38)

The Maroczy bind (A6)

Fischer,R - Spassky,B (8) [A39] Reykjavik-Wch, 1972
1. c4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. g3 g6 5. Bg2 Bg7 6. O-O O-O 7. d4 cxd4 8. Nxd4
Nxd4 9. Qxd4 d6 10. Bg5 Be6 11. Qf4 Qa5 12. Rac1 Rab8 13. b3 Rfc8 14. Qd2 a6
15. Be3









15... b5 16. Ba7 bxc4 17. Bxb8 Rxb8 18. bxc4 Bxc4 19. Rfd1 Nd7 20. Nd5 Qxd2 21.
Nxe7+ Kf8 22. Rxd2 Kxe7 23. Rxc4 Rb1+ 24. Bf1 Nc5 25. Kg2 a5 26. e4 Ba1 27. f4
f6 28. Re2 Ke6 29. Rec2 Bb2 30. Be2 h5 31. Rd2 Ba3 32. f5+ gxf5 33. exf5+ Ke5 34.
Rcd4 Kxf5 35. Rd5+ Ke6 36. Rxd6+ Ke7 37. Rc6 1-0

Regis,D. - Richard Dixon (Corr_92/93) [B36] Devon Vs. Glos. (Ward-Higgs I),
1993
1. c4 g6
( I knew a game of Portisch's which I had in mind throughout: it went...)
[1... c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. e4 Nc6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Nf6 6. Nc3 Nxd4 7. Qxd4 d6 8. Bg5 Bg7
9. Qd2 O-O 10. Bd3 a5 11. O-O a4 12. Rac1 Be6 13. Qc2 Nd7 14. f4 Rc8 15. b3 axb3
16. axb3 Nf6 17. Kh1 Qa5 18. f5 Bd7 19. Nd5+/- Portisch-Reshevsky]
2. g3 Bg7 3. Bg2 Nf6 4. Nc3 O-O 5. e4 d6 6. Nge2 c5
16
[6... c5 7. a3 a5 8. O-O Nc6 9. d3 Ne8 10. Be3 Nd4 11. Bxd4 cxd4 12. Nb5 Qb6 13. a4
Nc7 14. f4 Na6 15. h3 e5 16. f5 Bh6 ! 17. h4 Bd7 18. Kh2 Nc5 19. Bh3 was Seirawan-
Vukic 1979 given in Povah's book: best play for both sides?]
7. O-O Nc6 8. d3 Ne8 9. Be3
[9. Be3 Nd4]
9... Nc7 ( ?! in the books )
[9... Nd4 10. Rb1 b6 ?! ( 10...Nc7 is natural; 10...a5 invites 11. Bxd4, cxd4; 12 Nb5 )
11. e5 Nxe2+ 12. Qxe2 Rb8 13. d4 cxd4 14. Bxd4 dxe5 15. Bxe5 Bg4 16. Qe3 Bxe5 17.
Qxe5 Qd6 18. Qe3 Nf6 (Gurevich-Sturua 1981) 19. h3 Be6 20. Rbd1 Qc5 ( or ...Qc7,b3
with Nb5/Nd5 ) 21. Qxc5 bxc5 22. b3 with weak pawns to go at - Povah]
10. d4 "!" ( in the books ) 10... cxd4 11. Nxd4 Ne6 12. Nde2 Ne5









! TN - threatens c4 and e3 via g4
A long manoeuvring game is in prospect... (1-0, 45)

Vukic Milan - Suba Mihai [A30]Vinkovci, 1977
1. Nf3 Nf6 2. g3 b6 3. Bg2 Bb7 4. O-O e6 5. c4 c5 6. d4 cxd4 7. Qxd4 d6 8. Nc3 a6 9.
Rd1 Qc7 10. b3 Nbd7 11. Bb2 Be7 12. e4 O-O 13. Qe3 Rfe8 14. Nd4 Bf8 15. Rac1



17






"A frequent picture in the Hedgehog. White's position looks ideal. That's the naked truth
about it, but the 'ideal' has by definition one drawback - it cannot be improved." --
SUBA
Suba is quite mysterious about 'potential'. But as evidence, his book Dynamic Chess
Strategy contains many practical examples of this Hedgehog Sicilian-style opening
against the English (1. c4), where Black's flexible position threatens to erupt on ...b5 or
...d5. White finds it difficult to threaten anything on his own part without allowing
Black's game to unfold suddenly
15... Rad8 16. h3 g6 17. Kh2 Bg7 18. Qe2 Qb8 19. Qc2 Rc8 20. Qd2 Nc5 21. Re1
Qa8 22. f3 Qb8 23. Rcd1 Ba8 24. Nde2 Red8 25. Nd4 Ncd7 26. Qf2 Ne5 27. Qe2
Nc6 28. Nc2 Nh5 29. f4 b5 30. cxb5 axb5 31. Bf3 Ne7 32. Nd4 b4 33. Na4 Nf6 34. e5
dxe5 35. fxe5 Bxf3 36. Nxf3 Nfd5 37. Rc1 Bh6 38. Rc4 Ne3 39. Rcc1 N7d5 40. Rxc8
Rxc8 41. Qf2 Nf5 42. Re2 Be3 43. Qe1 Qb5 44. Nd2 Qd3 45. Nf1 Rc2 46. Rg2
Rxg2+ 47. Kxg2 Qe4+ 0-1


Korchnoi V - Spassky B [A33] Beograd m/3, 1977
1. c4 c5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 e6







18


This is a very rich and deeply studied position. The line seen here is out of fashion
because of 6...Bb4.
6. g3 Qb6!? 7. Nb3 Ne5!? 8. e4 Bb4









No respite! If White consolidates Black will have a tough time.
9. Qe2 O-O
[9... a5!? was recommended by Nunn a year or two before... did Spassky know this? 10.
f4 a4!?]
10. f4 Nc6 11. Be3 Qc7 12. Bg2 d5 13. e5 Ne4 14. O-O Bxc3 15. cxd5 exd5 16. bxc3
b6 17. Rac1 f5 18. exf6 Nxf6 19. Nd4 Re8 20. Qd3 Na5 21. Nb5 Qc6 22. Bd4 Ne4 23.
Be5 Ba6 24. a4 Nc4 25. Qd4 Nxe5 26. fxe5 Bxb5 27. axb5 Qxb5 28. c4 Qc5 29. Qxc5
Nxc5 30. Bxd5+ Ne6 31. Ra1 a5 32. Bxa8 Rxa8 33. Rab1 a4 34. Rxb6 Nd4 35. Rd6
1-0
Playing against the English opening.

An early break in the centre for Black (B1)

Karpov,Anatoly - Hjartarson,Johann [A22] EO 3.4, Seattle m Round: 2 Year: 1989
19
1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. g3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. Bg2 Nb6 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. O-O Be7 8. a3
Be6 9. b4









This is the modern approach with the White pieces; analogous to the Sicilian, White
seeks pressure on the c-file.
9... O-O 10. Rb1 f6 11. d3 Qd7 12. Ne4 Nd5 13. Qc2 b6 14. Bb2 Rac8 15. Rbc1 Nd4
16. Bxd4 exd4 17. Qc6 Qxc6 18. Rxc6 Bd7









19. Nxd4 Bxc6 20. Nxc6 Rce8 21. Rc1 f5 22. Nd2 Nf6 23. Nxa7 Bd6 24. e3 c5 25.
Nc4 Bb8 26. Nc6 b5 27. N4a5 cxb4 28. axb4 Nd7 29. d4 g5 30. Nxb8 Rxb8 31. Rc7
Nf6 32. Nc6 Rb6 33. Ne7+ Kh8 34. Nxf5 Ra6 35. Rc1 Ra2 36. h3 Rb2 37. e4 Rxb4
38. g4 h5 39. e5 hxg4 40. exf6 gxh3 41. Bxh3 Rxf6 42. Rc8+ Kh7 43. Rc7+ Kg6 44.
Rg7+ Kh5 45. f3 1-0

20
Botvinnik,Mikhail - Portisch,Lajos [A22] EO 3.5, Monte Carlo Round: 7 Year:
1968
1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. g3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. Bg2 Be6 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. O-O Nb6 8. d3
Be7 9. a3 a5 10. Be3 O-O









Black's position is not bad and club players may be attracted to the easy development,
but it is sometimes hard for Black to come up with a plan.
11. Na4 Nxa4 12. Qxa4 Bd5 13. Rfc1 Re8 14. Rc2 Bf8 15. Rac1 Nb8









Egging White on to take the c7 Pawn. Botvinnik conceives a brilliant refutation.
16. Rxc7 Bc6 17. R1xc6 bxc6 18. Rxf7 h6 19. Rb7 Qc8 20. Qc4+ Kh8 21. Nh4 Qxb7
22. Ng6+ Kh7 23. Be4 Bd6 24. Nxe5+ g6 25. Bxg6+ Kg7 26. Bxh6+ 1-0

21
Kasparov, Gary - Kortchnoi, V (1) [A34] Skelleftea, 1989
1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 c5 3. Nf3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nb4









White plays for fast development and open lines.
6. Bb5+ N8c6 7. d4 cxd4 8. a3 dxc3 9. Qxd8+ Kxd8 10. axb4 cxb2 11. Bxb2 f6 12. e5
Bg4 13. Bxc6 bxc6 14. Nd4 fxe5 15. Nxc6+ Kc7 16. Nxe5 Bh5 17. O-O Be8 18.
Rfc1+ Kb7 19. Nc4 e5 20. Bxe5 h5 21. Na5+ Kb6 22. Bc7+ Ka6 23. Nc6+ 1-0

An early occupation of the centre: the Maroczy Bind for Black(!) (B2)

Goldberg, G - Botvinnik, Mikhail M [A34] USSR, 1945
1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 c5 3. g3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. Bg2 Nc7 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. O-O e5 8. b3 Be7
9. Bb2 O-O 10. Rc1 f6 11. Ne1 Bf5 12. Na4 Na6







22


Black has adopted the Maroczy Bind as Black(!).
In 1945 Botvinnik commented that the exchange Bxc6 was evidently not good for
White in this type of position, but Suetin suspects later he changed his mind.
13. Nc2 Qd7 14. Ne3 Be6 15. d3 Nd4 16. Qd2 Rad8 17. Nc3 Nb4 18. Ba1 f5









Black moves from his strong base to a more aggressive posture.
19. Nc4 Bf6 20. Rfd1 b5 21. Nb2 e4 22. e3 Nf3+ 23. Bxf3 exf3 24. Qe1 Rc8 25. d4
cxd4 26. exd4 Bg5 27. d5 Bf7 28. a3 Rfe8 29. Qf1 Bxc1 30. Rxc1 Nxd5 31. Nd3 Nxc3
32. Bxc3 Bxb3 33. Nf4 Bc4 0-1

Langeweg - Korchnoi, Amsterdam, 1972
1. c4 c5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. g3 Nc6 6. Bg2 Nc7 7. a3 g6 8. d3 Bg7





23




Black does not insist on the Bind but develops his King's-side.
9. O-O O-O 10. Qa4 Nd4 11. Nxd4 cxd4 12. Ne4 Bd7 13. Qb3 b6 14. Ng5 Rc8 15.
Bd2 h6 16. Nf3 Ne6 17. a4 Nc5 18. Qd1 Qe8 19. b3 Be6 20. Ra3 Na6 21. b4 Qd7 22.
Re1 Nc7 23. Qa1









23... Nd5 24. Nxd4 Nxb4 25. Bxb4 Bxd4 26. Bc3 Bxc3 27. Rxc3 Rxc3 28. Qxc3 Qxa4
29. Ra1 Qd7 30. Ra6 Rc8 31. Qa3 Rc2 0-1

An early occupation of the centre: solid (B3)

Kasparov,G (2740) - Karpov,An (2700) (24) [A14] Wch34-KK4 Sevilla, 1987
1. c4 e6 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. g3 d5 4. b3 Be7 5. Bg2 O-O 6. O-O




24





The English and the Reti share a garden wall here.
6... b6 7. Bb2 Bb7 8. e3 Nbd7 9. Nc3 Ne4 10. Ne2!? N
10.cd5; 10.Qe2; 10.Qc2
10... a5
[10... Bf6 11. d4!? c5 12. Nf4]
11. d3 Bf6 12. Qc2 Bxb2 13. Qxb2 Nd6 14. cxd5









14... Bxd5
[14... exd5!? 15. d4 c5 16. dxc5 bxc5and ]
15. d4! ... 1-0

Fischer,Robert - Filip,Miroslav [A14] Palma de Mallorca iz Rd: 4, 1970
25
1. b3 d5 2. Bb2 Nf6 3. Nf3 e6 4. g3 Be7 5. Bg2 O-O 6. O-O c5 7. c4 Nc6 8. cxd5
Nxd5 9. Nc3 Bf6 10. Qc1 b6 11. Nxd5 exd5 12. d4 Ba6 13. Re1 Nxd4 14. Bxd4 cxd4
15. Qa3









15... Bb7 16. Rad1 Be7 17. Qa4 Qe8 18. Qxd4 Rc8 19. Qf4 Bf6 20. Nd4 Be5 21. Qe3
g6 22. Nb5 Qxb5 23. Qxe5 Rfe8 24. Qb2 Rc5 25. h4 Rec8 26. Rd2 Rc3 27. Red1 Qc5
28. b4 Qe7 29. e3 h5 30. a3 Kh7









31. Bxd5 Bxd5 32. Rxd5 Qe4 33. Rd8 Qf3 34. Kh2 R8c4 35. R1d7 g5 36. Rf8 Kg6
37. Rg8+ Kh7 38. Rxg5 Rc8 39. Rdd5 Kh6 40. Rdf5 1-0

Symmetrical play by Black (B4)
The classically-minded Fischer often played the Staunton system as Black, preferring
1...g6 to reserve the options of the Ng8.

26
Smyslov,V - Fischer,R [A36] Palma de Mallorca izt, 1970
1. c4 g6 2. Nc3 Bg7 3. g3 c5 4. Bg2 Nc6 5. b3 e6 6. Bb2 Nge7









7. Na4 Bxb2 8. Nxb2 O-O 9. e3 d5 10. cxd5 Nxd5 11. Ne2 b6 12. d4









12... Ba6!
"A brilliant Pawn sacrifice in the style of the young ... Smyslov!" -- LEVY
13. dxc5 Qf6 14. Nc4 Nc3 15. Nxc3 Qxc3+ 16. Kf1 Rfd8 17. Qc1 Bxc4+ 18. bxc4
Qd3+ 19. Kg1 Rac8 20. cxb6 axb6 21. Qb2 Na5 22. h4 Nxc4 23. Qf6 Qf5 24. Qxf5
gxf5 25. h5 Rd2 26. Rc1 Rc5 27. Rh4 Ne5 28. Rxc5 bxc5 29. Ra4 c4 30. h6 Kf8 31.
Ra8+ Ke7 32. Rc8 Rxa2 33. Bf1 Rc2 34. Kg2 Ng4 35. Kg1 Rxf2 36. Bxc4 Rf3 37.
Kg2 Rxe3 38. Rh8 Nxh6 39. Rxh7 Ng4 40. Bb5 Rb3 41. Bc6 Rb2+ 42. Kg1 Ne5 43.
Ba8 Rb8 44. Bh1 0-1
27

Petrosian,T - Fischer,R (2) [A37] Belgrade URS-WORLD, 1970
1. c4 g6 2. Nc3 c5 3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 Nc6 5. Nf3 e6 6. O-O Nge7 7. d3 O-O 8. Bd2









8... d5 9. a3 b6 10. Rb1 Bb7 11. b4 cxb4 12. axb4 dxc4 13. dxc4 Rc8









Black's pieces have good scope and the c-Pawn is as much of a liability as an asset.
White lunges forward with it...
14. c5 bxc5 15. bxc5 Na5 16. Na4 Bc6 17. Qc2 Nb7 18. Rfc1 Qd7 19. Ne1 Nd5 20.
Nb2 Bb5 21. Ned3 Bd4 22. Qb3

28








22... Nxc5 23. Nxc5 Rxc5 24. Rxc5 Bxc5 25. Nd3 Bxd3 26. Qxd3









Black is a Pawn up and can hope to convert in the teeth of the two Bishops.
26... Rd8 27. Bf3 Qc7 28. Bg5 Be7 29. Bxe7 Qxe7
One Bishop only, now. White is in trouble.
30. Qd4 e5 31. Qc4 Nb6 32. Qc2 Rc8 33. Qd3 Rc4 34. Bg2 Qc7 35. Qa3 Rc3 36. Qa5
Rc5 37. Qa3 a5 38. h4 Nc4 39. Qd3 Nd6 40. Kh2 Kg7 41. Rd1 Ne8 42. Qd7 Qxd7
43. Rxd7 Nf6 44. Ra7 Ng4+ 45. Kg1 Rc1+ 46. Bf1 Ra1 47. e4 a4 48. Kg2 Ra2 49.
Rxf7+ Kxf7 50. Bc4+ Ke7 51. Bxa2 a3 52. Kf3 Nf6 53. Ke3 Kd6 54. f4 Nd7 55. Bb1
Nc5 56. f5 Na6 57. g4 Nb4 58. fxg6 hxg6 59. h5 gxh5 60. gxh5 Ke6 61. Kd2 Kf6 62.
Kc3 a2 63. Bxa2 Nxa2+ 64. Kb2 Nb4 65. Kc3 Nc6 66. Kc4 Nd4 0-1

Unbalanced play by Black: the King's English with ...Nf6 (B5)
29

Seeking early central control with ...c6 and ...d5 (B5a)

Hartston W R - Basman M J [A23] It, Hastings, 1967
1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. g3 c6 4. Nf3 e4 5. Nd4 d5 6. cxd5









Black is going for it!
6... Qb6 7. Nb3 Ng4 8. d4 cxd5 9. Bg2 Bb4 10. O-O Bxc3 11. bxc3 O-O 12. h3 Nf6
13. Rb1 Qc6 14. Qc2 b6 15. Be3 Ba6 16. Rfc1 Nbd7 17. Bf1 h6









I prefer White here, but what do I know?
30
18. Nd2 Rac8 19. Rb4 Bc4 20. Nxc4 dxc4 21. Bg2 Rfe8 22. Rb2 Qe6 23. Bd2 Nd5 24.
e3 f5 25. Re1 N7f6 26. a4 a5 27. Kh2 Rc7 28. Qb1 Kh8 29. Qa2 g5 30. Rb5 h5 31.
Qb1 Qd6 32. Kh1 Rg8 33. Rg1 h4 34. gxh4 gxh4 35. f4 Rcg7 36. Qe1 Rg3 37. Qe2
Qc7 38. Rbb1 Qf7 39. Qf2 Nh5 40. Rb5 Kh7 41. Kh2 Kh6 42. Qe2 Qg6 43. Rbb1









But I prefer Black here!
43... Nhxf4 44. exf4 e3 45. Bxd5 Rxg1 46. Qxe3 Qg2+ 0-1


Seeking rapid flexible development (B5b)

Unbalanced play by Black: the King's English with ...Nc6 (B6)

The main line Closed King's English (B6a)

Psakhis - Kasparov [A10] La Manga, 1990
1. c4 g6 2. Nc3 Bg7 3. g3 Nc6 4. Bg2 d6 5. Nf3 e5 6. d3 f5 7. O-O Nf6


31







8. Rb1 h6 9. b4 O-O 10. b5 Ne7 11. a4 Be6 12. Ba3 Rc8









13. Nd2 b6 14. e3 g5 15. d4 exd4 16. exd4 f4









32
17. Re1 Bg4 18. Nf3 Qd7 19. c5 Rce8 20. Rc1 Nf5 21. Qd3 Kh8 22. cxd6 cxd6 23.
Rxe8 Qxe8 24. Rf1 Qh5









25. Ne4 Nxe4 26. Qxe4 Bh3 27. Ne5 Bxg2 28. Kxg2 g4 29. Bxd6 Rf6 30. Bb8 Qh3+









0-1 psakhis-kasparov/la manga 1990 0-1

Olafsson,Fridrik - Smyslov,Vasily V (2) [A21] Yugoslavia ct, 1959
1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 d6 3. g3 Be6 4. Bg2 c6


33







This system is one of Smyslov's many contributions to the development of the theory in
the English Opening.
5. d3 Nf6 6. Nf3 h6 7. O-O Be7 8. b3 O-O 9. e4 c5 10. Nh4 Nc6 11. f4 exf4 12. gxf4
Nh7 13. Nf3 f5 14. Nd5 Bf6 15. Rb1 fxe4 16. dxe4 Bg4 17. Qd3 Qd7 18. Bd2 Rae8
19. Rbe1 Bd8 20. Bc3 Rf7 21. Kh1 Nf6 22. a3 Nh5 23. Qd2 Ne7 24. f5 Nxd5 25.
Qxd5 Qc6 26. Qd2 Qb6 27. b4 cxb4 28. axb4 Qc7 29. c5 dxc5 30. bxc5 Rd7 31.
Qa2+ Kh7 32. Qa4 Rde7 33. e5 Bxf5 34. Ng5+ hxg5 35. Rxf5 Re6 36. Qe4 Kh8 37.
Qxb7 Ng3+ 38. hxg3 Rh6+ 39. Kg1 Qxc5+ 40. Kf1 Qxc3 41. Qf3 Qc4+ 42. Re2 Be7
43. Qd5 Qc1+ 44. Re1 Qc8 45. Qe4 a5 46. Rf3 Bb4 47. Rd1 Qa6+ 48. Rdd3 Rc8 49.
Rfe3 Bc5 50. Rf3 a4 51. Qe2 a3 52. Rd2 Qe6 53. g4 Rb8 54. Qd1 Qa6+ 55. Ke1 Bb4
56. Kf2 Bxd2 57. Qxd2 a2 0-1

Petrosian T - Smyslov V (03) [A21] JUG ct, 1959
1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 d6 3. Nf3 Bg4









This is the other idea: now g2-g3 is inhibited.
34
4. e3 Nf6 5. Be2 c6 6. h3 Bh5 7. O-O Be7 8. d3 O-O 9. b3 Nbd7 10. Nh4 Bxe2 11.
Qxe2 d5 12. Nf5 Bb4 13. Bb2 Re8 14. cxd5 cxd5 15. d4 e4 16. Rfc1 Nb6 17. Nb5
Qd7 18. Ng3 Rec8 19. Rxc8+ Nxc8 20. Rc1 a6 21. Ba3 Bxa3 22. Nxa3 Ne7 23. Nb1
Rc8 24. Rxc8+ Qxc8 25. Qd2 g6 26. Qc3 Qxc3 27. Nxc3 Nd7 28. Nge2 b5 29. Nf4
Nb6 30. a4 bxa4 31. bxa4 a5 32. f3 f5 33. Kf2 Kf7 34. h4 h6 35. Nfe2 Nc6 36. Nc1
Nb4 37. Nb3 Nc4 38. f4 Nc2 39. Nd1 Ke7 40. Ke2 Kd6 41. Kf2 Kc6 42. Ke2 Kd6 43.
Kf2 Nb4 44. Ke2 Nc6 45. Nc3 Na7 46. Nc5 Nc8 47. Nb7+ Kc7 48. Nc5 N8b6 49. Kf2
Kd6 50. Ke2 Ke7 51. Kf2 Kf6 52. Ke2 g5 53. hxg5+ hxg5 54. g3 Kg6 55. Kf2 Kh5
56. Ne6 Nb2 57. fxg5 Kg6 58. Kf1 Kf7 59. Nc5 Kg6 60. Ne6 Kf7 Q


English Four Knights' Game (B6b)

Knee - Povah N [A28] Hereford, 1978
1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. d4 e4 5. Nd2 Nxd4 6. Ndxe4 Nxe4 7. Qxd4 Nxc3 8.
Qxc3 d5!









9. cxd5? Qxd5 10. Bf4 Be6 11. Rd1 Qxa2 12. Bxc7 Rc8 13. e3 a6 14. Qd4 Be7 15.
Qxg7




35





In these open positions, activity and development are the most important features.
15... Bb4+ 16. Ke2 Rf8 17. Be5 Bd5 18. Qxh7 Qb3!









19. Bc3 Bxc3 20. bxc3 Rxc3 21. Ke1 Qb4! 22. Be2 Bxg2 0-1

Kasparov,G (2740) - Karpov,An (2700) (04) [A29 ] Wch34-KK4 Sevilla, 1987
1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e5 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. g3 Bb4 5. Bg2 O-O 6. O-O e4







36


The aggressive line.
7. Ng5
[7. Ne1 was often played.]
7... Bxc3 8. bxc3 Re8 9. f3 exf3
[9... e3!? 10. d3! d5 11. Qb3!+/= ]
10. Nxf3









10... Qe7?!
[10... d5 11. cxd5 Qxd5 12. Nd4 Qh5 13. Nxc6 bxc6 14. e3 unclear ]
11. e3 Ne5 N; 11...d6+/= - 16/47 12. Nd4!
[12. Nxe5 Qxe5 13. Rb1
...1-0

Kasparov,G (2740) - Karpov,An (2700) (16) [A29] Wch34-KK4 Sevilla, 1987
1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. g3 Bb4 5. Bg2 O-O 6. O-O Re8

37








The solid move.
7. d3 Bxc3 8. bxc3 e4 9. Nd4 h6 10. dxe4! N
10.Qc2 - 36/39
[10. c5]
[10. Nxc6]
10... Nxe4 11. Qc2 d5!









Podgaets,M
12. cxd5
[12. Nb5 Bf5 13. cxd5 Nxg3 14. e4 Nxf1 15. exf5
[15.dxc6 Bxe4 16. Bxe4 Qh4]
38
15... Re1 16. Bxf1 Qxd5 ^ /\ 17. Nxc7 Qc4-+ ]
12... Qxd5 13. e3
[13. Rd1 Bf5 14. Nxf5
[14. f3 Nf2]
14... Qxf5 15. f3 Nxg3 unclear ]
13... Na5!?=









[13... Nxd4!? 14. cxd4 c6 15. Bb2 Bf5 16. f3?! Nxg3 17. e4 Nxe4 18. fxe4 Bxe4]
... 0-1

Kasparov,G (2740) - Karpov,An (2700) (02) [A29] Wch34-KK4 Sevilla, 1987
1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. g3 Bb4 5. Bg2 O-O 6. O-O e4 7. Ng5 Bxc3 8. bxc3
Re8 9. f3 e3!?
N; Zaitsev,I; 9...ef3 - 35/44
10. d3!
...0-1


Baker,C - Birnboim,N [A20] London, 1987
39
1. c4 e5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 c6 4. Nc3 d5 5. cxd5 xd5 6. Qb3 Nc6 7. Nxd5 Nd4 8. Nxf6+
Qxf6
8...gxf6 was a game Regis-Menadue, where I first met this line (0-1, 20-odd).
9. Qd1









I believe Tal was behind this evil gambit.
9... Bf5 10. d3 Rc8 11. Kf1 Be7 12. Bxb7 Rc7 13. Bd5 O-O 14. Kg2 Rd8 15. e4 Rxd5
16. exd5 Qd6 17. f3 Rc2+ 18. Kf1 Qa6 19. Bd2 Qxd3+ 20. Ke1 Bb4 21. Bxb4 Qe3+
22. Ne2 Nxf3+ 0-1


Polugaevsky,L - Estevez,G [A22] Sochi, 1976
see other handout

Uhlmann W - Dobosz H (0.17) [A22] DDR-Polska, 1974
1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 e4 4. Ng5 b5




40





Bellon's gambit is designed to intimidate the (presumed) dull player of the English
Opening.
5. b3? b4 6. Nb1 h6 7. Nh3 Bc5=/+
It sometimes works that way!
8. d4 exd3 9. Qxd3 O-O 10. Bb2 Bb7 11. Nd2 d6 12. e3 Nbd7 13. Nf4 Ne5 14. Qc2
Nfg4 15. Be2 Bxe3 16. fxe3 Nxe3 17. Qc1 Qg5 18. Nf1 Nxg2+ 19. Nxg2 Qxg2 20.
Bxe5 Rfe8 21. Ng3 Rxe5 22. Kd2 Qf2 23. Qg1 Qf4+ 24. Kc2 Rae8 25. Re1 Re3 26.
Qf1 Qe5 27. Rg1 Qc3+ 28. Kb1 Rxg3 0-1

Plaskett J - Hempson P W [A22] It, ENG, 1988
1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 e4 4. Ng5 b5 5. d3 exd3 6. cxb5 h6 7. Nf3 dxe2 8. Bxe2
Bb7 9. O-O Bc5 10. Nd4 Bxd4 11. Qxd4 O-O 12. b4 d6 13. Bb2 Nbd7 14. f4 Re8 15.
Bf3 Bxf3 16. Rxf3 Qb8 17. Nd5 Qb7 18. Nxf6+ Nxf6 19. Rg3 Re6 20. f5









Plaskett characteristically goes for the throat...
20... Re5 21. Qh4 Ne4 22. Re3 Qb6
41









...but finds he has put his foot in a pin.
23. Rae1 Nc3 24. Qg3 Rxe3 25. Qxe3 Re8 0-1

Reshevsky,S - Bellon Lopez,J [A22] Palma, 1971
1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 e4 4. Ng5 b5









The original game in this line, I think.
5. Nxb5 h6 6. Nh3 c6 7. Nc3 d5 8. cxd5 cxd5 9. e3 Bd6 10. Bb5+ Kf8 11. d3 Bg4 12.
Qd2 Qa5 13. a3 Na6 14. O-O Rd8 15. d4 Bb8 16. Be2 Qc7 17. Nf4 g5 18. Bxa6 gxf4
19. exf4 Rg8 20. g3 Qd7 21. Be2 Bf3 22. Bxf3 exf3 23. Qd3 Qg4 24. Re1 Nh5 25.
Re5 Bxe5 26. fxe5 Ng7 27. Nb5 Rh8 28. Nd6 h5 29. h3 Qxh3 30. Qxf3 Rxd6 31.
42
exd6 Nf5 32. d7 Kg7 33. Bg5 f6 34. Re1 Rd8 35. Re5 Kg6 36. Qxd5 Nxd4 37. Qxd4
fxe5 38. Qd6+ Kxg5 39. Qe7+ Kg4 40. Qxd8 Kf3 41. Qf6+ 1-0

Karpov,Anatoly - Anand,Viswanathan (2) Linares, 1991
1. Nf3 c5 2. c4 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nd4









Outrageous! - but watch...
4. e3 Nxf3+ 5. Qxf3 g6 6. b3 Bg7 7. Bb2 d6 8. g3 Rb8 9. Bg2 Nf6 10. h3 O-O 11. O-
O a6 12. Qe2 b5 13. d3 b4 14. Nd1 a5 15. a4 e5 16. e4 h5 17. h4 Ne8 18. Ne3 Nc7 19.
Kh2 Ne6 20. Bh3 Bh6 21. Ng2 Bg7 22. Rae1 Rb7 23. Bxe6 Bxe6 24. f4 Bg4 25. Qd2
Re7 26. Ne3 f5 27. exf5 gxf5 28. Nd5 Re6 29. Qf2 Rfe8 30. Bc1 e4 31. dxe4 Rxe4 32.
Rxe4 Rxe4 33. Re1 Rxe1 34. Qxe1 Kf7 35. Qd2 Bf3 36. Ne3 Be4 37. Bb2 Bxb2 38.
Qxb2 Qf6 39. Qxf6+ Kxf6 40. Kg1 Bb1 41. Nf1 Bc2 42. Nd2 Ke6 43. Kf2 d5 44.
cxd5+ Kxd5 45. Ke3 Bd1 46. Kd3 Bxb3 0-1
Indian-style defences (B7):

Grunfeld style (B7a)

Andersson Ulf - Tempone Marcelo [A16] 04, Buenos Aires, 1979
1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 g6 3. Nf3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. dxc3 Qxd1+ 7. Kxd1

43








White has a whisper of a plus: a tempo, a little more space...
7... c5 8. Be3 b6 9. a4 Nc6 10. Bb5 Bd7 11. Kc2 Bg7 12. Rhd1 a6 13. Bc4 Bg4 14. h3
Bxf3 15. gxf3 O-O 16. f4 Ra7 17. e5 a5 18. Rd2 e6 19. Rad1 Rc8 20. Kb3 Bf8 21.
Bb5 Rcc7 22. Bxc6 Rxc6 23. Kc4 Be7 24. Rd7 Rcc7 25. Rxc7 Rxc7 26. Kb5









But now, the contrast in King activity could not be more pronounced.
26... Rc8 27. Rd7 Kf8 28. Kxb6 Ke8 29. Rb7 Bd8+ 30. Kb5 c4 31. Bc5 1-0

King's Indian style (B7b)

Petrosian,T - Vasiukov,E Moscow ch, 1956
44
1. Nf3 Nf6 2. g3 g6 3. Bg2 Bg7 4. O-O O-O 5. c4 d6 6. Nc3 Nc6 7. d3 Nh5 8. Rb1 f5
9. Qc2 a5 10. a3 f4









"...I was impressed by this game as Petrosian must have been, as he got crushed." --
FISCHER.
11. b4 axb4 12. axb4 Bg4 13. e3 e5 14. b5 Ne7 15. Ne4 Qd7 16. Bd2 h6 17. Bc3 g5
18. exf4 gxf4 19. Qe2 Ng6 20. Ra1 Rxa1 21. Bxa1 b6 22. Bc3 Qf5 23. Bd2 Kh8 24.
Bc1 Bf6 25. Kh1 Ng7 26. Bb2 Ne6 27. Qc2 Qh5 28. Ned2 Ng5 29. Nxg5 Bxg5 30.
Be4 Be2 31. Kg1 f3 32. Re1 Bxd2 33. Rxe2 Bg5 34. Re1 Qh3 35. Bxf3 Rxf3 36. d4
Nf4 37. gxf4 Bxf4 0-1


Nimzo-Indian style (B7c)

Langeweg - Korchnoi, Amsterdam, 1976
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 0-0 5.a3 Bxc3 6.Qxc3 b6 7.g3 Bb7 8.Bg2 d5 9.d4
dxc4 10.Qxc4 Bd5 11.Qc3 Nbd7
"The game had several critical points.
At move 11 I was threatening to equalise by ...c5 so my opponent played the ambitious
b2-b4. It caused White difficulties because of his under-development and gave the Black
pieces space for active play."
12.b4 a5 13.b5?! c6 14.bxc6 Rc8 15.0-0 Rxc6 16.Qe3 Qa8 17.Bd2 b5?!
"Imprecise: now the b-Pawn is a weakness.
45
I had to exchange one of White's Bishops in order to obtain chances of advancing the
Queen's-side Pawns and give myself the better chances in the ending. For the moment
the position had become unclear."
18.Rfb1 Rb8 19.Ne1?! Bxg2 20.Nxg2 Ne4!
"Siezing the initiative: White is taken aback."
21.Qd3 Rd6 22.Be3?! Ne5 23.Qc2? Rc8 24.Qb3 Nc4 25.Rc1 Rdc6 26.Qxb5 Nxa3
27.Qa4 Nc2 28.Rab1 Rc4 0-1
[Notes by Korchnoi.]


Queen's Indian style (B7d)

Kortschnoj,V - Karpov,An (03) [A17] Moscow cf (Wch), 1974
1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e6 3. Nf3 b6









4. e4 Bb7 5. Qe2 Bb4 6. e5 Ng8 7. d4 Ne7 N



46






8. Bd2 O-O 9. O-O-O d5 10. h4 Bxc3 11. Bxc3 dxc4 12. Qxc4 Ba6 13. Qa4 Bxf1 14.
Rhxf1 Qd5 15. Kb1 a5 16. Qc2 h6 17. Rfe1 Na6 18. Qe4 Rfd8 19. Qxd5 Rxd5 20.
Rd2 Rad8









21. Red1 h5 22. Kc2 Nf5 23. g3 f6 24. exf6 gxf6 25. Ng1 Ne7 26. Ne2 Ng6 27. Rd3
Nb4+ 28. Bxb4 axb4 29. a3 bxa3 30. Rxa3 R8d7 31. Re1 Kf7 32. Rd3 Rf5 33. f3 c5
34. f4 Ne7 35. dxc5 Rxc5+ 36. Nc3 Rdc7 37. Kd2 Nf5 38. Ra1 Rc4 39. Ra6 b5 40. b3
Rb4 41. Ne2 Ke7 42. Ra8 Rd7 43. Rxd7+ Kxd7 44. Rh8 Rxb3 45. Rxh5 Nxg3 46.
Nxg3 Rxg3 47. Rxb5 f5 48. Ke2 Rg4 49. Kf3 Rxh4 50. Rb6 Rh1 51. Ra6 Rc1 52.
Kg3 Rc4 53. Kf3 Rc3+ 54. Kf2 Rc6 55. Ra1 Rc4 56. Kf3 Kd6 57. Re1 Rc3+ Q


Dutch style (B7e)

Miles,T - Chaves,J [A27] Sao Paulo, 1977
1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Nf3 f5 4. d4 e4 5. Nd2 Nf6 6. e3 g6 7. Be2 Bg7 8. Rb1 a5 9. a3
O-O 10. b4 axb4 11. axb4 Ne7 12. Qb3 d6 13. b5 Kh8 14. Ba3
47









14... f4 15. Ncxe4 fxe3 16. fxe3 Nxe4 17. Nxe4 Bf5 18. Bd3 Nd5 19. O-O Nxe3 20.
Rf3 Qh4 21. g3 Qg4 22. Rxe3 Rxa3 23. Qxa3 Bxd4 24. Kg2 Qh3+ 25. Kh1 Bxe4+









0-1

Saidy,Anthony - Fischer,Robert [A25] New York, 1969
1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 f5 4. Bg2 Nf6 5. d3 Bc5 6. e3 f4



48






Audacious, even arrogant. Gik had published some analysis on this line ... for White
against the Sicilian, but mostly people weren't convinced even in that situation.
Nowadays of course the theme has become well-known.
7. exf4 O-O 8. Nge2 Qe8 9. O-O d6 10. Na4 Bd4 11. Nxd4 exd4 12. h3 h5 13. a3 a5
14. b3 Qg6 15. Nb2 Bf5 16. Qc2 Nd7 17. Re1 Nc5









Black has a grip on both sides of the board.
18. Bf1 Ra6 19. Bd2 Rb6 20. Bxa5 Rxb3 21. Bd2 Ra8 22. a4 Ra6 23. a5 Kh7 24.
Red1 b6 25. Be1 bxa5 26. Na4 Rxd3 27. Bxd3 Bxd3 28. Qa2 Nb4 29. Qa3 Nc2 30.
Qb2 Nxa1 31. Rxa1 Nxa4 32. Rxa4 Qe4 33. Bxa5 Rxa5 34. Rxa5 Qe1+ 35. Kh2
Qxa5 0-1

Kool - Hodgson [A21] London, 1989
1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Bb4

49








Hodgson's fondness for the Grand Prix Attack makes this line an obvious choice. 3. g3
Bxc3 4. bxc3 Ne7 5. Bg2 O-O 6. d3 Nbc6 7. Nh3 d6 8. O-O f5 9. f4 Qe8 10. Rb1 Rb8
11. d4 e4 12. e3 Na5 13. Qe2 c5 14. Nf2 b6 15. Nd1 Ba6









Of course, Black is not forced to win on the King's-side; he has a very good version of
the Nimzo-Indian!
16. Nb2 Qf7 17. Rd1 Nxc4 0-1

Smart - Hodgson [A21] England, 1984
1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Bb4 3. Nd5
White need not submit to the doubling of the c-Pawns in this line.
50
3... Ba5 4. b4 c6 5. bxa5 cxd5 6. e3 Nf6 7. Qa4 dxc4 8. Bxc4 Nc6 9. Nf3 e4 10. Ng5
d5 11. Bb5 Bd7 12. O-O h6 13. a6! hxg5 14. axb7 Rb8 15. Bxc6 Qc7 16. Bxd7+
Nxd7 17. f4! exf3 18. g3 Rxb7 19. Ba3 Qc4? 20. Rac1 1-0
The Closed Sicilian
Basically, White aims to concentrate enough firepower in the K-side
to force a quick checkmate. In doing so, Black has a natural
counterattack in ...Rb8, ...b7-b5-b4 and possibly also ...c5-c4.
There are many ways for White to play the position - for example, the
dark-squared Bc1 could go to g5, e3 or even d2. The Ng1 could go to
e2, f3 or h3. It is also possible to put the light-squared bishop
somewhere on the other diagonal - c4 or b5 - as well as on g2. I will
concentrate on one important line where the central bloackade is most
obvious (Black plays ...e5), but I also include an example of games
with the bishop on each of these two alternative squares c4
(Hodgson-Ady) and b5 (Hebden-Large), in variations of the Grand Prix
Attack.
Black also has a wide variety of choices. Fianchettoing the Bf8 is
not necessarily the best way to play - even if it is played, Black
could play e6 or e5, with the Ng8 going to e7 or f6.

The Closed Sicilian with 6...e5 7. Nh3
--------------------------------------
1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. d3 d6 6. f4

[6. Be3 is the most commonly-seen alternative, although Nge2 has often
been played too]


6... e5

[6... e6 is the main line 7. Nf3 Nge7 8. O-O O-O 9. Be3 Nd4 else d4
may follow; this complex position has been the Grandmasters' starting
point for many years]


7. Nh3

This is relatively recent and has the advantage of bolstering f4, and
leaving the f-file open for the rook(s). It also avoids the pin
...Bg4, and allows a retreat of the Nc3 to e2 if White wants to attack
d4 or play c2-c3. A rather drastic example of how White wants to play
is as follows:

Holland-Whiteley, 1995

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. d3 d6 6. f4 e5 7. Nh3
7... Nge7 8. O-O O-O (?)

51
[latest theory suggest that this is premature: 8... Nd4 9. f5!? [9.
Rf2 is safer for both sides!] 9... gxf5 10. Qh5 h6 [10... Nxc2 11. Rb1
with compensation (Lane) NOT (Plaskett)] 11. Rf2 += Spassky-Hort 1978
...1-0 in the ending(!)]

9. f5 gxf5 10. Qh5 f6

looks ugly, but it seems to be fairly standard in this line - how else
to prevent Ng5?

11. exf5 Nd4


Thematic, and seemingly powerful, threatening ...Nxc2 and ...Nxf5

12. Nd5 Nxc2 13. Ng5 Bxf5

[13... fxg5 e.g. 14. f6 Nxd5 15. Bxd5+ Kh8 16. fxg7+ Kxg7 17. Rxf8
Qxf8 18. Bxg5 Kh8 19. Rf1]

14. Rxf5 fxg5 15. Rxf8+ Qxf8 16. Bxg5 Ng6 17. Rf1

somehow the rook, which looked doomed on a1, escapes

17... Qc8 18. Be4 Qd7 19. Ne7+ 1-0

Black never had a chance to take the rook on a1, let alone create
Q-side counterplay by advancing the a- and b-pawns. What went wrong?
The whole position after f5 and Qh5 looks very good for White, and
whether or not it is a forced win, we would all prefer to be White.

Crickmore-Bellers 1983

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. d3 d6 6. f4 e5 7. Nh3
7... Nge7 8. O-O O-O 9. f5 (all as before) 9... f6

Black allows f5 but not Qh5

10. g4 Nd4 11. Be3

White's idea - common in the Closed Sicilian - is to follow with Qd2
and doubling rooks on the f-file

11... Rb8 (the standard counter-attack ) 12. Qd2 b5 13. Nd1

An interesting choice: 13. Ne2 keeps the rooks connected but allows
exchanges; the text covers b2 and allows c3 with tempo. Note that a4
or a3 do not stem the tide of Black's counterplay

13... b4 14. c3 bxc3 15. bxc3 Ndc6 16. Rf2 Qc7 17. Nb2 Nd8 18. Raf1
52


Mission accomplished - now Black's position looks critical

18... Nf7 19. g5 gxf5 20. exf5 d5

The classic central response to a wing attack - possible because of
the position of the Knight on b2 not c3

21. gxf6 Bxf6 22. Qe2 d4 23. cxd4 cxd4 24. Qg4+ Kh8 25. Bg5 Nxg5 26.
Nxg5 Nxf5 27. Rxf5 Bxf5

[27... Rxb2 appears to win the exchange without allowing a perpetual
check 28. Qh5 Bxf5]

28. Qxf5 Bxg5 29. Qxg5 Rxf1+ 30. Kxf1 Rxb2 drawn


Variation with 6...e5 7. Nh3 exf4
---------------------------------
Actually, Black can also prevent f5, and apparently equalise
immediately, with


7...exf4!

Now

[8. gxf4 Bxh3 9. Bxh3 Qh4+]

So

8. Nxf4

[8. Bxf4 Nge7 9. Qd2 h6 !? Lane]

8... Nge7 9. O-O O-O

Two examples:

10. Be3 b5 ! 11. a3 Ne5 ! 12. h3 Rb8 13. Qd2 a5 14. Rf2 b4 15. axb4
axb4 16. Ncd5 Bb7 ! 17. g4 Nxd5 18. Nxd5 Bxd5 19. exd5 c4 ! 20. Ra6 b3
! 21. d4 Qc8 22. Ra1 c3 23. Qxc3 Qxc3 24. bxc3 b2 (an amazing march)
25. Rb1 Nc4 26. Bf4 Na3 27. Rff1 Nxb1 28. Rxb1 Rb6 29. Bxd6 Ra8 30.
Rxb2 Rxb2 Savage-Gheorghiu 1979]

10. Nfd5 Nxd5 11. Nxd5 b5 ! 12. c3 b4 13. Bf4 [13. Be3 bxc3 14. bxc3
Ne5] 13... bxc3 14. bxc3 Be6 15. Qd2 Bxd5 ! 16. exd5 Ne5 17. Rad1 Qa5
18. c4 Qa3 ! 19. Bxe5 Bxe5 20. Rb1 Rab8 21. Kh1 a5 22. Bh3 f5 23. g4
f4 24. g5 Rb4 25. Be6+ Kg7 26. Rxb4 axb4 27. Rf3 Qc3 ! 28. Qf2 Qa1+
53
29. Kg2 Ra8 30. Qh4 Qxa2+ 31. Rf2 b3 again, the triumph of the b-pawn:
Erlebacher - Gheorghiu 1979]

Note the power of ...Ne5, as opposed to ...Nd4

Variation with 6...e5 7. Nf3
----------------------------

7. Nf3 Nge7 8. O-O O-O 9. Be3 Nd4 10. Qd2 Nec6
still seems to equalise for Black, e.g.

11. Nh4 exf4 12. Bxf4 Be6 13. Nd5 Bxd5 14. exd5 Ne5 (that move again)
15. c3 Nb5 16. Rae1 Qd7 17. Nf3 Rae8 18. h4 Nc7 = Ignatiev-Vasiukov
1962

or

11. Nd1 Bg4 12. Ne1 exf4 13. Bxf4 Ne2+ 14. Kh1 Nxf4 15. gxf4 f5 16.
Ne3 Bh5 17. exf5 gxf5 18. c3 Qd7 19. Nf3 Kh8 20. Rae1 Rae8 21. Nd5
draw, Minev-Vasiukov 1962


Further examples for study:
==========================
White cannot castle Queen's-side into Black's counterplay
---------------------------------------------------------
Jackson - Regis, Plymouth-Exeter, 1993

1. e4 g6 ( this was the actual move order) 2. Nc3 Bg7 3. g3 c5 4. Bg2
Nc6 5. d3 d6 6. f4 e5 7. Nf3 Nge7 8. Be3

[8. O-O O-O 9. Rb1 Rb8 10. a3 b5 11. h3 += bco]

8... exf4

[8... Nd4 9. Ne2 Bg4 10. Bxd4 cxd4]

9. gxf4

[9. Bxf4]

9... Nd4 10. Qd2

[10. O-O O-O 11. Qd2 Nec6 12. Rab1 Bg4 13. Nd5 Nxf3+ 14. Bxf3 Bxf3 15.
Rxf3 f5 = Bastian-Ribli 1981]

10... Bg4 11. Rf1?

[11. O-O]

54
11... Rb8 12. O-O-O (?) b5 13. Ne2 Nxe2+ 14. Qxe2 Qa5 15. Kb1 Be6 16.
b3 Rb6


17. Bd2 ?? ( black to play and win )

[17. d4 Ra6 18. c4 ( looks better than 18 c3!? Qxc3 19 Qb2 but fails
to ...) 18... bxc4 19. bxc4 Rb6+ 20. Kc1 Qa3+ 21. Kd2 Rb2+ 22. Ke1
Rxe2+ 23. Kxe2 Bxc4+]

17... b4 ??

[17... Qxa2+ 18. Kxa2 Ra6+ 19. Ba5 Rxa5+ 20. Kb1 Ra1#]

18. a4 Bd7 19. e5 Bxa4 20. Bc1 O-O

[20... Nd5 21. Bb2 Nc3+ 22. Bxc3 bxc3 23. exd6+ Kf8 24. Qe7+ Kg8 25.
Ng5 Bxb3 ( I hadn't noticed that this stopped the mate on f7 when
playing move 20 ) 26. Qe8+ Bf8 27. Qxf8+ Kxf8 28. Nxh7+ Rxh7 29. cxb3
Rxb3+ 30. Kc1 Qa3+ 31. Kc2 Qb2#]

21. Nd2 Bb5 22. Bb2 Nf5 23. Nc4 Bxc4 24. dxc4 Draw agreed

White's f4 may block squares for the Knight and dark-squared bishop
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Smyslov - Botvinnik, Moscow, 1954

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. d3 d6 6. Nge2 e5

denying squares to the Ne2

7. Nd5 Nge7 8. c3 Nxd5 9. exd5 Ne7 10. O-O O-O 11. f4

does nothing for the Bc1 or Ne2

11... Bd7 12. h3 Qc7 13. Be3 Rae8 14. Qd2 Nf5 15. Bf2 h5 16. Rae1 Qd8
17. Kh2 Bh6 18. h4 Qf6 19. Be4

19... exf4 20. Nxf4 Nxh4 21. Be3 Nf5 22. Bxf5 Qxf5 23. Qg2 Qg4 24. Qe2
Qxe2+ 25. Rxe2 Re5 26. Ree1 Rfe8 27. Bf2 h4 28. Rxe5 Rxe5 29. d4 hxg3+
30. Kxg3 Rg5+ 31. Kh2 Rf5 32. Be3 cxd4 33. cxd4 Kh7 34. Rf2 g5 35. Ne2
Rxf2+ 36. Bxf2 f5 0-1

The Closed Sicilian as a system against the English Opening
-----------------------------------------------------------
Psakhis - Kasparov, 1990

One of the best example games I have on file for the Closed Sicilian
is this one

55
1. c4 g6 2. Nc3 Bg7 3. g3 Nc6 4. Bg2 d6 5. Nf3 e5 6. d3 f5 7. O-O Nf6

8. Rb1 h6 9. b4 O-O 10. b5 Ne7 11. a4 Be6 12. Ba3 Rc8

Black does not rush but secures the Q-side.

13. Nd2 b6 14. e3 g5 15. d4 exd4 16. exd4 f4

17. Re1 Bg4 18. Nf3 Qd7 19. c5 Rce8 20. Rc1 Nf5 21. Qd3 Kh8 22. cxd6
cxd6 23. Rxe8 Qxe8 24. Rf1 Qh5

The Black pieces hover like vultures

25. Ne4 Nxe4 26. Qxe4 Bh3 27. Ne5 Bxg2 28. Kxg2 g4 29. Bxd6 Rf6 30.
Bb8 Qh3+


0-1


The Grand Prix attack with Bc4
------------------------------
Hodgson - Ady, Streatham Vs Ymca, London, 1981[B23]

1. e4 c5 2. f4 g6 3. Nf3 Bg7 4. Nc3 Nc6 5. Bc4 e6 6. f5 exf5 7. d3
Nge7 8. O-O O-O?


This natural-looking move is probably a decisive mistake. Black has
no effective counter to White's simple mating attack.

9. Qe1 Nd4 10. Qh4 Nxf3+ 11. Rxf3 fxe4 12. Rh3 h6 13. Bg5 Re8 14. Rf1
d5 15. Nxd5 hxg5 16. Nf6+ Black resigns

[16. Nf6+ Kf8

[or 16... Bxf6 17. Qh7+ Kf8 18. Qxf7#]

17. Nh7+ Kg8 18. Bxf7+ Kh8 19. Nxg5+ Bh6 20. Qxh6#]

1-0

The Grand Prix attack with Bb5
------------------------------
Hebden - Large, British Ch'p, 1982[B21]

1. e4 c5 2. f4 Nc6 3. Nf3 g6 4. Bb5 Bg7 5. Bxc6 dxc6 6. d3 Nf6 7. Nc3
O-O 8. O-O b6

White has an obvious plan. And the player with a plan will always
56
beat the player without one.

9. Qe1 Ne8 10. Qh4 Nd6 11. f5 gxf5 12. e5 Ne8 13. Bh6 f6 14. Kh1 Bxh6
15. Qxh6 Ng7 16. Rae1 Be6 17. Ne2 c4 18. Nf4 cxd3 19. cxd3 Bxa2

Black might as well snatch a pawn, he has achieved nothing to counter
White's simple attack.

20. e6 Qc8 21. Re3 Nxe6 22. Nxe6 Bxe6 23. Rxe6 Rf7

[23... Qxe6 24. Ng5 Qf7 25. Nxf7 Rxf7]

24. Rfe1 1-0

The Ideas Behind the Modern Defence





References:
The basic idea behind the Modern Defence:
First Black allows White to set up a Pawn centre.






(This is the simplest kind of Pawn centre that White can set up.)
Then Black hits back at it.



57




Black's pieces are all on good squares and Black even has a share of the centre. White
can try and grab more of the centre than this, but the more White tries to grab, the
bigger target you have got!
This is quite a fun idea and often leads to more unbalanced battles than boring old 1.
e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5...
[I must add that there are lots of ways to unbalance the old Italian game (4. c3, 4. b4)
and you can always try something else at move 3 (3. Bb5, 3. d4)]
Good points for Black about the Modern Defence:
It is unusual and White may not have a clue how to behave
It is difficult and unbalanced and so is a good system to play for a win with.
Good points for White in the Modern Defence:
White is given a free hand to set up the centre just as they like.
White holds the centre so it is much easier for White to get pieces from one side
to the other.
White can use the big centre to attack down the middle of the board with e4-e5
or f4-f5
Black has weakened the King's-side and White has a little start towards a King's-
side attack down the h-file.
Bad points about the Modern Defence:
The Modern Defence is one of the most difficult and awkward defences played by
Grandmasters, and you can often lose games without ever understanding why you lost.
Juniors and amateurs may have much more fun, and learn much more about the basics
of chess, when playing the familiar open games beginning 1. e4 e5. One more caution:
Non-governmental health warning
One of the first times I ever saw the Modern Defence played was in 1980 at the
Cambridge Open. Local expert Erik Teichmann had the Black pieces against an
opponent, who, while a strong County player, was graded far below Erik.
Game 1: Charity,A - Teichmann,E [B09] (Cambridge Open), 05.1980
1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.f4 Nf6 5.Nf3 0-0


58








White plays a direct attacking line against Black's hypermodern opening.
6.Bd3 Nc6
White breaks in the centre.
7.e5 dxe5 8.dxe5 Nd5 9.Bd2 Nb6 10.0-0 f6
Black shouldn't open lines on the King's-side, that's just what White wants!
11.exf6 Bxf6 12.Ng5 e6










White plays a temporary sacrifice: White's centralised pieces can attack Black's King
while the Black Queen's-side pieces cannot get back to defend.
13.Nxh7! Kxh7 14.Qh5+ (at this point Erik ceremoniously tore up his score sheet)
14...Kg8 15.Qxg6+ Bg7 16.Qh7+ Kf7 17.Bg6+ Ke7 18.Qxg7+ Kd6 19.Ne4+ Kd5
20.Qc3 Qe7 21.Qb3+ Nc4 22.Qb5+ Kd4 23.Bc3+ (Resigns)
[23.Bc3+ Ke3 24.Rae1#]
1-0
59
Rather an abrupt game. Now, most of your opponents can't play as well as Alec
Charity, but if Erik can be blown away using this defence so can you. What went wrong
here? Well, if you think about it, White's most basic plan in the opening is:
1. Develop quickly and grab as much of the centre as you can
2. Use your development and space advantage to attack the opponent's King
3. Attack by opening up lines for your better pieces.
Now, in the Modern Defence Black seems to help White do all these things! All right,
it isn't quite that simple, but if White is determined to attack Black it is very difficult to
stop it happening, and there are several sharp White systems which come very close to
delivering mate almost by force. All you need is one little mistake and Black is finished.
In playing the Modern Defence you are playing a very risky, dangerous system with
rules all of its own. To rub this point in, I give below a few master games where strong
Black players just get smashed right out of the opening (Hue-Donner, Hessmer-
Haefner, Fischer-Udovcic). You must be aware that this can happen to you, and what
the do's and don'ts are of these positions.
Here's Steve Haataja:

Good lines, in some sense, are ones that your usual opponents cannot refute. If you are
having trouble dealing with early queen sorties, then your opponents are playing "good
lines" by bringing out the queen early. If handling this situation gives you trouble, I
suggest playing more offhand games against players who do this, and trying it out some
yourself. You will learn how to deal with such situations by a combination of observing
others handle it and good old trial and error.
Here is a personal example. When I began playing the Modern Defence, things went
pretty well at first. But then I ran into a fellow at the club who would quickly castle
Queen's-side, play h2-h4, then h5. The h-file would open up and he'd checkmate me in
maybe fifteen more moves. These were five-minute games, BTW. He did this to me
several times that first night.
It became terribly frustrating. Nobody else attacked as savagely as he did, and I did fine
against less violent variations. He went so far as to play 1.e4 g6 2.h4 (a slap in the face)
a couple times, with great success. But after about four weeks of beatings, I finally
timed the counter-punch in the centre correctly (the general principle: counter a flank
attack with play in the centre). His attack lost steam and I won. He soon stopped single-
mindedly playing for checkmate down the h-file as I was winning every such game. That
was one of the best chess lessons I ever learned. Quickly hitting back in the centre
became an instinctive reaction to the dreaded h2-h4. You can read the principle 100
times in books, but until you actually experience it firsthand, it's just somebody else's
theory. -- Steve Haataja
White Pawn centres
60
Classical centre





This is the most modest centre that White can build up. Black can easily get a share of
the centre with ...e7-e5 but that doesn't do the Bg7 any good, so Black must also be
careful to keep White's pieces under control and look for any active play that is going.
It's actually quite an annoying system to play against! (See the games Cramling-Yrjola,
and Kauranen-Richardson)
Geller system





This is another quiet system - White does not bite off more than can be chewed, and
supports the d-Pawn against any pressure from the Bg7. Black can play ...c7-c5 and/or
...e7-e5 which may open up the long dark diagonal again. (See Filip-Bronstein).
Three-Pawn centre





This centre takes a little while to set up but is quite solid and can be dangerous once
White gets some pieces behind it. Black must hit back with moves like ...c7- c5 and
...e7-e5. (See the games Stein-Suttles and Byrne-Donner below.)
Pseudo-Austrian centre


61



This is one of the most dangerous systems for White (as we saw in Charity-Teichmann),
and many Black players try to move into a solid Hedgehog or Gurgenidze system in
response (Games: Hedgehog: Barczay-Ivkov, Keres-Navarovsky, Engedal-Davies,
Gurgenidze: Herrera-Garcia)
Pseudo-Samisch centre





White can play quietly behind this centre but can also use it to launch a King's-side
Pawn storm with moves like g2-g4 and h2-h4. Black must try to keep this storm under
control while hitting back in the centre or on the Queen's-side.
Averbakh centre





White can transfer the weight of the attack to the Queens'-side by playing c1- c4 before
developing the Queen's Knight. This can be very like - even become - lines of the King's
Indian Defence (Games: Korchnoi-Fischer).
Ideas for Black
Dark square strategy





62


This is the most common sort of central counter-attack. Black must be careful to get the
King out of the way before opening up lines in the centre. (Games: Kauranen-
Richardson, Cramling-Yrjola)
Light square blockade (Gurgenidze)






This is a very solid system which Black players often play against dangerous White
systems like the Pseudo-Austrian. Black should aim to hold things tight on the King's-
side and gradually move into White's Queen's-side.
This is almost a separate opening, and can actually arise commonly from the Caro-
Kann Defence. Below I give several whole games to give you a feel for this way of
playing, and if you want to take up this strategy, I recommend you play over all of them
(as notes to Herrera-Garcia).
Queen's-side attack







Black hopes to make trouble on the Queen's-side - either opening a file or nudging the
Knight away from the defence of e4. Black must be careful though, because White can
also try to make use of open lines there if White has not castled Queen's-side. But if the
White King is to be found there, the Black Bg7 is already pointing straight at him!
(Games: Crawley-Hodgson, Nunn-Shirov, Polajzer-Davies)
Hedgehog strategy
63






Black can set this arrangement up against more or less any White system. It is not a
strategy in itself, just a way of waiting. It is very flexible and Black can try to make a
break at any point on the board, but Black can get stuck without any active play because
Black cannot get enough pieces to any one spot on the board. White can then pick a
time and place to break through. So Black cannot just curl up, but should aim to break
up White's centre with moves like ...c7-c5 (Games: Barczay-Ivkov, Keres-Navarovsky,
Engedal-Davies).

Variations of the Modern and Pirc Defences
Byrne variation: 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6 4. Bg5
White can play with pieces or follow up with f2-f4.
System with Be3: 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6 4. Be3
Usually White plays Qd2, maybe with a Samisch-style centre, maybe not.
System with h3: 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. h3 O-O 6. Be37
One idea is to play a sort of classical variation with Bc4.
Classical variation: 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Be2
A modest system aiming for quick development and a small edge.
Austrian Attack: 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6 4. f4
An aggressive line grabbing space in the centre and King's-side.
Gurgenidze system: 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c6 4. f4 d5
A blockading line, useful against the Austrian Attack.
Monkey's Bum: 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c6 4. Bc4 d6 5. Qf3
An anti-Gurgenidze idea: "If that works, then I'm a Monkey's Bum!" (Nunn-Shirov)
System with Bc4: 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 (or 3. Nf3) 3...d6 4. Bc4 Nf6 5. Qe2
64
White often follows with e4-e5; with early Nf3 White may play quietly with c3
Geller's system: 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. c3 d6 4. Nf3
Another modest system hoping to blot out the Bg7
King Fianchetto variation: 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6 4. Nge2 Nf6 5. g3
A quiet line with slow play: Black can play standard moves.
Three Pawns attack: 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. c3 d6 4. f4
Another space-grabbing line, but not very good on piece development.
Variations with an early Be2: 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6 4. Be2
White intends to follow up with h2-h4 or g2-g4, hoping for an attack.
Averbakh Variation: 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. c4 d6
A move towards Queen's-side openings like the King's Indian or Benoni
P.S. The Modern Defence and related openings.
The Modern Defence is just the fianchetto of the King's Bishop while delaying the
development of the King's Knight. If the King's Knight is played to f6 early on, we may
have transposed into one of two other openings: the Pirc Defence or the King's Indian
Defence.
The Pirc Defence is usually played with the move order 1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3,
which stops White moving into a Queen's-side opening with c2-c4. With a Modern
Defence move order White can play something like 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. c4 when a
later ...Nf6 will transpose into the King's Indian Defence. This is a good fighting
defence to the Queen's-side openings, which many Grandmasters like to play, and
usually begins 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 (see Korchnoi-Fischer).
If you don't like playing the King's Indian Defence (it is very complicated - whole
books have been written about single variations of the Defence!) but still want to play
the Modern Defence, you don't have to play ...Nf6 and instead you can find some other
move after 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. c4 d6 4. Nc3, like 4...Nc6, 4...Nd7 or even 4...f5. On
the other hand, Black's side in these various lines of the Averbakh Variation can be
tricky to handle.
One clever move order is 1. e4 g6 2. d4 d6 3. c4 when 3...e5 is the idea. If White now
pushes on here with 4. d5 you can play 4...f5, and if White plays 4. dxe5 dxe5 5.
Qxd1+ Kxd1 then your King's Bishop can come out to c5 instead of being stuck on g7.
If you don't want to White to be able to move over to a Queen's-side opening at all, you
can always play the Pirc Defence with an early ...Nf6 and Nb1-c3.

65
Example games:

White's King's-side attack
Game 2: Liu Wen Hue - Donner H [B07] Buenos Aires ol. FS, 1978
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Be2 Bg7 5.g4 h6?
Weakening the King's-side even more; 5...c6 6. g5 Nfd7 is better, or 5...Na6 planning
...c5.
Oddly, in reply to 5. h4, Black can reply 5...h5, because it is difficult for White to open
a file without creating weaknesses in White's own position. 5...c5, hitting back in the
centre, is also a good reply.
6.h3 c5 7.d5 0-0?
Having weakened the King's-side so much, that's the last place Black should put his
King! Perhaps Jan thought that White had given up the idea of a King's-side attack after
6.h3, but...
8.h4! e6










9.g5 hxg5 10.hxg5 Ne8 11.Qd3 exd5 12.Nxd5 Nc6 13.Qg3 Be6 14.Qh4





66





14...f5 15.Qh7+ Kf7 16.Qxg6+! Kxg6 17.Bh5+ Kh7 18.Bf7+ Bh6 19.g6+ Kg7
20.Bxh6+
[20.Bxh6+ Kh8 21.Bxf8+ Qh4 22.Rxh4#]
1-0
Game 3: (75) Hessmer - Haefner Th. [B09] Corr., 1986
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.f4 Bg7 5.Nf3 0-0 6.e5 Nfd7 7.h4 c5 8.h5 cxd4 9.hxg6











9...dxc3 10.gxf7+ Rxf7 11.e6 cxb2 This may win by force but Black is taking an awful
risk playing this way. This game was played by correspondence, so he may have
thought he could find his way out of any trouble, or he may just have trusted his books...
[11...Rf6 12.exd7 Bxd7 13.Bd3 h6 14.bxc3 Nc6[[threesuperior]]]
12.exf7+ Kf8 13.Bxb2 Bxb2 14.Bc4 Qa5+ 15.Kf1 Nf6 16.Rb1 Qc3 17.Bb3!?
[17.Ne5 Bf5; 17.Bd3 Bg4]
17...Bg4 "with great advantage to Black" - Botterill & Keene. 18.Ng5! Bxd1
[18...Qxb3 "better, but still winning for White" - Nunn]
19.Rxh7 Nbd7 20.Ne6# 1-0
67
Game 4: (77) Fischer,R - Udovcic,M [B06] Rovinj/Zagreb Rd: 12, 1970
1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.f4 Nc6 5.Be3 Nf6 6.h3 0-0 7.g4











An enormously bold - even arrogant - way of playing. White intends to swamp the
Black King's-side.
The first rule of these positions is:
Hit back in the centre!
7...e5! 8.dxe5 dxe5 9.f5 gxf5 10.gxf5 Nd4
Exchanging Queens first was safer! 11.Nf3 c5 12.Bg5 Qb6 13.Bxf6 Qxf6 14.Nd5
Nxf3+ 15.Qxf3 Qh4+ 16.Ke2 Be6 17.Ne3 Rad8 18.Rg1










Black has some ideas for counterplay, but is in too much trouble on the open g-file.
18...Kh8 19.fxe6 fxe6 20.Qg3 Qf6 21.Qxg7+ Qxg7 22.Rxg7 Kxg7 23.Ng4 Rf4 24.Ke3
68
Rdf8 25.Be2 h5 26.Nxe5 Rh4 27.Rg1+ Kh7 28.Rh1 Rhf4 29.Nd3 R4f7 30.Nxc5 Rc8
31.Nxe6 1-0

Black's dark-square strategy
Game 5: Kovacevic,V - Seirawan,Y [B07] Wijk, 1980
1.d4 g6 2.e4 d6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.Be2 Nf6 5.g4 c6 6.g5 Nfd7 7.h4 b5 8.h5 Rg8 9.hxg6
hxg6 10.Nf3 b4 11.Nb1 a5 12.a4 c5 13.d5 Nb6 14.c4 Kd7 15.Nbd2 Rh8 16.Rg1 Kc7
17.Rb1 Rh3 18.b3 Qh8










Black's control of the dark squares is complete. 19.Nf1 N8d7 20.Bf4 Ne5 21.Nxe5 Bxe5
22.Bxe5 Qxe5










The disappearance of Black's monster Bishop has not saved White, the dark squares still
belong to Black. 23.f3 Bd7 24.Qc2 Qd4 25.Rg2 Rh1 26.Rf2 Qh8 27.f4 Qh4 28.Rd1 f6
29.gxf6 exf6 30.e5 fxe5 31.fxe5 Rf8 32.exd6+ Kb7 33.Bd3 Re8+ 34.Be2 Rxf1+
35.Kxf1 Qh1# 0-1
69
Game 6: Cramling,D - Yrjola,J [B08] It shv., 1984
1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.Be2
[5.h3 0-0 6.Be3 a6 7.a4 b6 (7...Nc6; 7...d5!?) ]
5...0-0 6.0-0 Bg4
[6...c6]
7.Be3 Nc6 8.Qd2 e5










This standard position has been largely abandoned by White, while bored Blacks have
been experimenting with an early ...c6. 9.dxe5
[9.d5 Ne7 10.Rad1 Bd7 11.Ne1 b5! 12.a3 (12.Bxb5 Nxe4) 12...a5 13.Nd3 c6 14.dxc6
Bxc6 15.Bh6 b4 16.Bxg7 Kxg7 17.axb4 axb4 18.Nb1 Qb6 19.Kh1 Rab8 Barlov-Jansa,
Bor 1985: Black is at least equal, according to John Nunn]
9...dxe5 10.Rad1 Qc8 11.Qc1 Rd8 12.Rxd8+ Qxd8
[12...Nxd8!?]
13.Rd1 Qf8 14.h3 Bxf3 15.Bxf3






70




15...h5!? with the idea of exchanging the B on h6. 16.Nb5 Rc8 17.c3
[17.Nxa7 Nxa7 18.Bxa7 b6 and the Bishop is buried ]
17...Kh7 18.Na3 Bh6 19.Bxh6 Qxh6 20.Qxh6+ Kxh6 21.h4 Kg7 22.Nc4 a5 23.Kf1
Kf8










This is quite OK for Black. 24.Ke2 Ke7 25.Ke3 b5 26.Na3 Na7 27.Be2 c6 28.Nb1 Ne8
29.Nd2 Nd6 30.g3 Rd8 31.f4 exf4+ 32.gxf4 Nac8 33.Nf3? Nc4+ 34.Kf2 Rxd1
35.Bxd1 Nxb2 36.Be2 Na4 37.c4 b4 38.Nd4 Kd7 0-1
Knocking out White's big centre
Game 7: Stein ,L - Suttles,D [B06] Sousse Tunisia, 1967
1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.c3 d6 4.f4 c5







71



A bold but hopefully temporary Pawn sacrifice. 5.dxc5 Nf6!? 6.cxd6 exd6 7.e5
[7.Nf3 0-0 8.Bd3 Black can exploit the act that he has already castled: 8...Nxe4!
9.Bxe4 Re8]
7...dxe5 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 9.fxe5 Re8 10.Nf3










Duncan Suttles may have chosen wrongly here: 10...Nc6?
[10...Ng4!? (Botterill/Keene) 11.Bg5+ f6 12.Bh4 (12.Bf4 fxe5 13.Bg5+ Kc7) 12...Nxe5
e.g. 13.Nxe5 Rxe5+ 14.Kf2 Rf5+! with easy equality, since White has no good square
for his King.]
11.Bb5 Bd7 12.Bxc6 Bxc6 13.0-0 Ng4 14.Bg5+ Kc8 15.Nbd2 h6 16.Bf4 g5 17.Bg3
Ne3 18.Rf2 Nf5 19.Nc4 Bd5 20.Nfd2 Nxg3 21.Nd6+ Kd7 22.Nxe8 Rxe8 23.hxg3
Bxe5 24.Rd1 Kc6 25.Nb3 b6 26.Nd4+ Kc5 27.g4 Bf4 28.Nf5 Re5 29.g3 Rxf5 30.gxf5
Bxg3 31.Rfd2 Bf3 32.Rf1 Bf4 33.Rxf3 Bxd2 34.Rd3 Bf4 35.Rh3 Kd5 36.Rxh6 Ke5
37.Rh7 f6 38.Rxa7 Kxf5 39.Kf2 Bd6 40.Rb7 Bc5+ 41.Kg2 1-0
Game 8: Byrne ,R - Donner ,J [B07] San Juan Puerto Rico, 1969
1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.c3 d6 4.f4 Nf6 5.Bd3 e5 6.Nf3 exf4 7.Bxf4 0-0 8.0-0 c5 9.Nbd2
cxd4 10.cxd4 Nc6




72






White still has his centre but none of the advantages that can go with it. Black has good
development and an equal game. 11.Qb3 d5 12.e5 Ne4 13.Nxe4 dxe4 14.Bxe4 Nxd4
15.Qe3 Ne6 16.Bg3 Qb6 17.Qxb6 axb6 18.b4 b5 19.Rf2 Re8 20.Rc2 1/2../strong>
Game 9: Filip,M - Bronstein,D [B07] Moskva, 1967
1.Nf3 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.e4 d6 4.c3 Nf6 5.Nbd2 0-0 6.Be2 b6










Preparing ...c5 7.0-0 e6 8.Re1 Bb7 9.Bd3 c5 10.dxc5 bxc5 11.e5 dxe5 12.Nxe5 Nc6
13.Ndc4 Nxe5 14.Nxe5 Qc7 15.Qe2 Rab8








73


Black's split Pawns are not weak because White is not organised to attack them - in fact,
the half-open b-file gives Black a little initiative. 16.Bd2 Ba8 17.Nc4 Nh5 18.Be4 Bd5
19.b3 Rfd8 20.Rad1 Nf6 21.Bc2 Qb7 22.Na5 Qb6 23.Nc4 Qa6 24.Ne3 Qxe2 25.Rxe2
Bc6 26.f3 a5 27.Be1 Rxd1 28.Nxd1 a4 29.bxa4 Ra8 30.Bf2 c4 31.Bd4 Nd5 32.Bxg7
Kxg7 33.Be4 Rxa4 34.Bxd5 Bxd5 35.Ne3 Bc6 36.Rc2 Kf6 37.Kf2 Ke7 38.Ke1 Kd6
39.Kd2 Kc5 40.Kc1 Ra8 41.Rd2 f5 42.Rd4 Ra4 43.Kb2 e5 44.Rd8 Ra8 45.Rxa8
Bxa8 46.Nd1 Bc6 47.Kc1 g5 48.Kd2 Bd7 49.Ke2 f4 50.Nb2 h5 51.Kf2 g4 52.g3 Bc6
53.fxg4 hxg4 54.gxf4 exf4 55.Kg1 Bf3 56.Kf2 Be4 57.Kg1 Bc2 58.Kf2 Bb1 59.a3 Bc2
60.Ke1 Kd5 61.Kf1 Bd3+ 62.Kf2 Bg6 63.Nd1 Be8 64.Nb2 Bb5 65.Ke2 Ke4 66.Kf2
Kf5 67.Kg1 Kg5 68.Nd1 Kh4 69.Kg2 Ba4 70.Nf2 g3 71.hxg3+ fxg3 72.Kg1 Bc2
73.Kf1 gxf2 74.Kxf2 Kg5 75.Ke3 Kf6 76.Kd4 Bb3 77.Kc5 Ke7 78.a4 Kd7 79.a5 Kc7
80.Kb5 Kb7 81.Kc5 Ka6 82.Kb4 Ba2 83.Ka4 Bb1 84.Kb4 Bd3 85.Ka4 Bc2+ 0-1

Black's Queen's-side play
Game 10: Nunn John D M,J - Shirov Alexei,A [B06] Bundesliga, 1996
1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 c6 4.Bc4 d6 5.Qf3 e6 6.Nge2 b5 7.Bb3 a5 8.a3 Ba6 9.0-0 Nd7
10.Bf4 Qe7 11.Rad1 e5 12.Bg5 Ngf6










Black insists on a share of the centre as well as a counter-attack on the Queen's-side.
13.d5 c5 14.a4 b4 15.Nb5 Nb6 16.Qd3 c4 17.Bxc4 Nxa4 18.Ra1 Nxb2 19.Qb3 Nxc4
20.Qxc4 Rc8 21.Qd3 Qd8 22.c4 0-0 23.Ra2




74






A tense position where all the play is on the Queen's-side, and Black must be pleased
with the two connected passed Pawns. Black sacrifices the exchange to remove White's
last Queen's-side Pawn... 23...Rxc4 24.Bxf6 Bxf6 25.Qxc4 Qb6 26.Qc7 Qxb5 27.Qxd6
Kg7 28.Rc1 Rd8 29.Qc6 b3 30.Rb2 Qd3 31.Rcb1 Rc8 32.Qa4 Rc2 33.Rxb3 Qxe2
34.Rf3 Bd3 35.Qd7 Bxe4 36.Rxf6 Kxf6 37.Qd6+ Kf5 38.Rf1 Bd3 39.Qd7+ Kf6











Black has nibbled in a circle all the way around the board to finish off the White King!
0-1
Game 11: Crawley ,G - Hodgson,J [B07] 1989
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 c6 4.g3 g6 5.Bg2 Bg7 6.a4 0-0 7.h3 b6 8.Nge2 Bb7 9.0-0
Nbd7 10.Bg5 a6 11.Re1






75




An unusual opening by White: Black starts his Queen's-side play as usual.
11...b5 12.Qd2 b4 13.Nd1 a5 14.Bh6 e5 15.Bxg7 Kxg7 16.Ne3 c5 17.d5 Ba6 18.c4
bxc3 19.Nxc3 c4 20.Nb5 Nc5 21.Qc2 Rb8 22.Nxc4 Bxb5 23.axb5 Rxb5 24.Bf1 Nb3
25.Ra3 Nd4 26.Qc3 Qb8










Black has a comfortable initiative on the Queen's-side.
27.Kg2 Rc8 28.Rxa5 Rb3 29.Qc1 Qb4 30.Ra6 Rxb2 31.Qxb2 Qxe1 32.f3 Nxf3
33.Ra1 Qxe4 34.Nxd6 Rc2+ 0-1

Black's light-square blockade
Game 12: Herrera C - Garcia G [B15] Ch Cuba, 1989
1.e4 c6
[1...g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 c6 4.f4 (4.Bc4!? when 4...d6 may be best) 4...d5 5.e5 h5 is the
Modern Defence move order.]
2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 g6 4.e5 Bg7 5.f4 h5 6.Nf3 Nh6 (6...Bg4!?)
7.Be3 Qb6
[7...Bg4 is more usual: 8.Be2 (8.h3!?)
76
A) 8...e6 9.Qd2
(9.Bf2 Nf5 10.g3 Bf8 11.Qd3 Nd7 12.h3 Bxf3 13.Bxf3 c5 14.Ne2 Qb6 15.b3 Nxd4
16.Nxd4 cxd4 17.c3 Rc8 18.Bxd4 Bc5 19.0-0 Nb8 20.Rf2 Bxd4 21.cxd4 Nc6 22.Rd1 Kd7
23.Kg2 Ne7 24.g4 hxg4 25.hxg4 Rc6 26.Qe3 Qb4 27.Qd2 Qb6 28.Qe1 a6 29.Rfd2 Qb4
30.Qf2 Rc3 31.Rc2 Rxc2 32.Qxc2 Rc8 33.Qd2 Qxd2+ 34.Rxd2 Rc3 35.Kf2 Kc6 36.Be2
Kb6 37.Rd3 Rc2 38.a3 Ra2 39.b4 Kc7 40.Ke3 Kd7 41.Rc3 Nc6 42.b5 Nxd4 0-1 Aseev
Konstantin N-Titov German/Kostroma Russia 1985)
9...Nd7 10.g3 Nf5 11.Bf2 Bf8 12.h3 Bxf3 13.Bxf3 Bb4!
(13...h4!? 14.g4 Ng3!? with counterplay for the Pawn that will be lost on g3. 15.Rg1
Qb6 16.0-0-0 Qa6 17.Qd3 Qxd3 18.Rxd3 c5 19.Nb5 c4 20.Rdd1 Rc8 21.Bxg3 hxg3
22.Rxg3 a6 23.Nc3 b5 24.Rh1 Rh4 25.Ne2 Nb6 26.g5 c3 27.b3 a5 28.Bg4 Bb4 29.Ng1
a4 30.Rh2 Ke7 31.Kd1 Ra8 32.Nf3 Rhh8 33.Ne1 Nd7 34.Nd3 axb3 35.cxb3 Ba5 36.Nc1
Nb8 37.a3 Bb6 38.Ra2 Rc8 39.Rd3 Nc6 40.Rxc3 Bxd4 41.Rd3 Bb6 42.b4 Nxb4 43.axb4
Rxc1+ 44.Kxc1 Rxa2 0-1 Arnason Jon L-Christiansen Larry M/It open 1986)
14.a3 Qa5! 15.g4 hxg4 16.hxg4 Rxh1+ 17.Bxh1 Ne7 18.Bh4 Nb6 at least equal if not
better for Black: Pasman-Ciocaltea, 1982;
B) 8...Nd7;
C) 8...Nf5 9.Qd2 e6 10.Nd1 Nd7 11.0-0 Bh6 12.Nf2? Bxf3 13.Bxf3 Nxe5 14.dxe5 d4
15.Bxd4 Qxd4 16.Qxd4 Nxd4 17.Nd3 Nxc2 18.Rac1 Nd4 19.Kf2 0-0-0 20.Rfd1 Nxf3
21.Kxf3 Rd4 22.g3 Rhd8 23.Nf2 Bf8 24.Rxd4 Rxd4 25.Rc2 Kc7 26.Ke3 Rd5 27.Ne4
Be7 28.Rc1 a5 29.b3 b5 30.h3 a4 31.g4 h4 32.bxa4 b4 33.Rb1 Ra5 34.Nd6 Rxa4
35.Nxf7 Rxa2 36.Nh8 Bc5+ 37.Kd3 Ra3+ 38.Ke2 Re3+ 39.Kd2 Rxh3 40.Nxg6 Rg3 0-1
Morris-Norwood, 1990]
8.Rb1!? Bg4 9.Be2 e6 10.b4 Nf5 11.Bf2 Bf8










"Black has done everything right." - Norwood. 12.0-0 Nd7 13.Na4 Qc7 14.c3 Be7
15.Nb2 a5 16.a3 Kf8 17.Ng5 Bxe2 18.Qxe2 Kg7 19.g3 Qd8 20.Qd2 axb4 21.axb4
Ra2 22.Kg2 Nb6!
77










This is good for Black, White has no real idea what he can do next. 23.Qc1 Bxg5
24.fxg5 Nc4 25.h4 Qd7 26.Kh3 Re8 27.g4 hxg4+ 28.Kxg4 Rh8 29.Rh1 Qd8 30.Rh3
Qg8 31.Nxc4 dxc4 32.Rb2 Rxb2 33.Qxb2 Qh7 34.Kf4 Qh5 35.Qd2 Ra8 36.Rh1 Ra3
37.Be1 Ne7 38.Kg3 Ra1 39.Rh2 Rd1 40.Qf2 Nf5+ 41.Kf4 Rd3 42.Qe2 Ne7 43.Qxh5
gxh5 44.Ke4 Nd5 45.Bd2 Kg6 0-1

The Hedgehog
Game 13: Barczay Laszlo - Ivkov Borislav [B06] Sousse Tunisia, 1967
1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nf3 d6 4.Bc4 a6 5.0-0 e6 6.Bg5?! Ne7 (Black was going to do this
anyway) 7.Qd2 h6 8.Be3 Nd7 9.Nc3 b6 10.Rfe1 Bb7 11.a4










Black may be crouching but his position is solid. White, having achieved more or less
complete development, just decides to try and hack through straight away, but it all goes
wrong ... 11...Nf6 12.e5 Nfd5 13.Bf4 Nxc3 14.Qxc3
[14.bxc3]
14...0-0 15.exd6 cxd6 16.Qa3
78










White's attack has produced a threat to the d-Pawn, but Black is ready to counterattack.
16...Nf5 17.c3?
[17.Rad1]
17...Bxf3 18.gxf3 e5! 19.Bg3
[19.dxe5 dxe5 20.Bxe5 Bxe5 21.Rxe5 Qg5+ 22.Kh1 Qf4]
19...h5 20.dxe5 dxe5 21.Kh1 Qg5
[21...Qg5 22.Rg1 (22.Bxe5 Bxe5 23.Rxe5 Qf4) 22...h4 23.Bxe5 Qh5]
0-1
Game 14: Keres,P - Navarovsky [B06] Luhacovice (13), 1969
1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.Nf3 a6 5.Bc4 e6 6.Bg5 Ne7 7.0-0 h6 8.Be3 Nd7 9.a4 b6
10.Re1 Bb7 11.Ra3










79
Paul Keres was one of the greatest attacking players of the game, but grinds to a halt
against the hedgehog... 11...Nf6 12.Bd3 0-0 13.h3 c5 14.dxc5 bxc5 15.e5 dxe5 16.Nxe5
Nfd5 17.Bxc5 Nxc3 18.Rxc3










A confused position where both sides have loose pieces. 18...Qd5 19.Bf1 Qxd1
20.Rxd1 Bd5 21.Bxe7 Rfe8 22.Rc5 Bb7 23.Rc7 Bd5 1/2../strong>
Game 15: (80) Barczay Laszlo - Suttles Duncan [B06] Izt., 1967
1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nf3 d6 4.Bc4 c6 5.Nc3 b5 6.Bb3 b4 7.Ne2 a5 8.c3 Nf6 9.e5 dxe5
10.Nxe5 0-0 11.0-0 Nfd7 12.Ng4?! a4! 13.Bc2 c5 14.Bh6 a3!










Black is determined to open up the long dark diagonal! Nimzovitch always used to say
that a Pawn chain should be attacked at its base, which in this case is b2. 15.Bxg7 axb2
16.Rb1
[16.Bxf8 bxa1Q 17.Qxa1 Nxf8 18.Nh6+ Kg7 19.cxb4 Kxh6 20.dxc5 Wade says this is
better for Black.]
80
16...Kxg7 17.cxb4 Nb6 18.Ne5 cxd4 19.Bb3? f6 20.Nd3 e5 21.Rxb2 Nc6 22.a4 Qd6
23.Qc2 Bf5 24.Ng3 Bxd3 25.Qxd3 Nxb4 26.Qb5 Rfb8 27.Ne4 Qe7 28.a5 Nd7 29.Qc4
f5 30.Ng5 Qxg5 31.Qf7+ Kh6 32.Qxd7 Nd3 33.Rbb1 Nc5 34.Qd5 Rxa5 35.Bc4 Rxb1
36.Rxb1 Qe7 37.Bf1 Ra7 38.Re1 Rd7 39.Qg8 e4 40.Bc4 0-1

Black's active pieces
Game 17: Povah Nigel - Nunn John [B08] 1977
1.e4 d6 2.d4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.Bc4 Nc6!?
[4...Nf6 is a normal Pirc]
5.Nf3 Nf6 6.h3 0-0 7.Qe2 e5 8.dxe5 dxe5 9.0-0 Nd4 10.Qd3 Nd7 11.a4?! Nc5 12.Qd1
c6 13.b3 Nce6 14.Nb1 Qf6 15.Nh2 Nf4 16.c3 Nde6 17.Ng4 Qh4 18.Nd2 Ng5 19.f3










19...Ngxh3+
[19...Ngxh3+ 20.gxh3 Qg3+ 21.Kh1 Qg2#]
0-1

Black's King's-side attack
Game 18: Kauranen,R - Richardson,K [B08] CC WM 10,F FS 1978
This game was played in the world correspondence championship.
1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nf3 d6 4.Be2 Nf6 5.Nc3 0-0 6.0-0 Bg4 7.Be3 Nc6 8.Qd3 e5 9.d5
Ne7 10.Rad1 Bd7
81










Black wants to keep the 'good' light-squared Bishop on the board. It's not quite a King's
Indian but in this game Black eventually fires off a classic KI-style King's-side attack.
(Compare Korchnoi-Fischer 1970) 11.Nd2 Nh5 12.g3 a6 13.Bf3 b5 14.a3 Qe8 15.Qe2
Nf6 16.b4 h5 17.Nb3 Ng4 18.Nb1 f5 19.exf5 gxf5










Recapturing with a Pawn leaves Black in control of lots of central squares, and gives
him the g-file to attack down. 20.Bg5 Bf6 21.Bxf6 Nxf6 22.Bg2 Qf7 23.Qd2 Kh7
24.Na5 Rg8 25.c4 bxc4 26.Nc3 h4 27.Kh1 Qh5 28.Qe2






82




28...Ng4 29.Bf3 Qh6 30.Bxg4 Rxg4 31.f3 Rg7 32.gxh4 Rag8 33.Nxc4 Qxh4 34.Ne3
f4 35.Ng4 Nf5 0-1
Game 19: Kortchnoi,V - Fischer,R [E97] 1970
This exciting game was played in a blitz tournament.
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Be2 0-0 6.Nf3 e5 7.0-0 Nc6 8.d5 Ne7 9.Nd2 c5










Black blocks the Queen's-side so it is harder for White to attack there. 10.a3 Ne8 The
Knight gets out of the way of the f-Pawn. 11.b4 b6 12.Rb1 f5 13.f3 f4 14.a4 g5










83
In this typical King's Indian position with a blocked centre, it's as if each side has their
own private arena for action. 15.a5 Rf6 16.bxc5 bxc5 17.Nb3 Rg6 18.Bd2 Nf6 19.Kh1
g4 20.fxg4 Nxg4 21.Rf3 Rh6 22.h3 Ng6 23.Kg1 Nf6










24.Be1 Nh8 The real Grandmaster touch. 25.Rd3 Nf7 26.Bf3 Ng5 27.Qe2 Rg6 28.Kf1
Nxh3 29.gxh3 Bxh3+ 30.Kf2 Ng4+ 31.Bxg4 Bxg4 It's easy to see the appeal of the
KID after such a game. 0-1