Part 2 >>

We are talking about this variation:

1. e4       c6
2. d4       d5
3. ed       cd
4. N f3

Viorel Bologan recommends to respond 4. … N f6 in his book. I’m agree, this is the most natural reaction to this move in my opinion. Thus, Black plays:

4. …       N f6

The Viorel Bologan’s book considers the 5. N e5 and 5. B d3 variations. Here I’d like to focus our attention on a rare continuation for White that is

5.  B f4

OK, in this article, we concentrate to the variation in the picture bellow:

Now the development of the bishop to the g4 or f5 squares suggests itself. But how to choose one of them? Other question is to develop the bishop right now or a bit later after other development moves or after any prophylactic moves like a6. Little by little considering what will happen in this or that case, we will find answers to these questions in the several articles. Here I will show that 5. … B f5 leads to the hard playing for a draw. At least if White wants it may do it. The idea is that White puts its knight to the e5 square and attacks the Black’s bishop by moving g4 (see the green rows in the picture bellow):

To implement its plan, White can play like in the following variation. The Black’s moves are taken from the database in this variation:

5.   …          B f5
6.   c3         N c6
7.   N bd2  a6
8.   N e5     N x e5
9.   de         N d7
10. g4 => 

Thus, we come to the position:

Starting from this position, White may cause all the Black’s moves forced or Black gets a worst position. Thus, Black has to play:

10. … B g6

Let us understand why 10. … B g6 is the best option. Say, Black plays 10. … B e4. Then the game continues 11. N x e4 de 12. Q d5. Now It’s nothing good for Black if Black clings to the defense of the b pawn. For example, 12. … Rb8 13. e6 fxe6 14. Qxe6 Nc5 15. Qf5 Rc8 16. Rd1 Nd7 17. Bh3 Rc6 18. g5 e6 19. Qxe4 Qb6 20. b4 Be7 21. Be3 Qb5 22. Bxe6  =>  and the Black’s position is totally destroyed. So, Black has to sacrifice a pawn: 12. … R c8 13. Q x b7 N c5 14. Q a7 R c7 15. Q b6 Q c8 16. e6 R c6 17. Q b4 N x e6 18. B e3 g6 19. Q x e4 B g7 20. B g2 R d6 21. 0-0 0-0 22. R ad1 Qd8 23. Q a4 B f6 24. h3  =>  and Black received nothing for the sacrificed pawn, but gave White a strong pawn front in the queen side. White should win here:

If Black plays 17. … Q x e6 then the game continues 18. B e3 N d3+ 19. B x d3 ed 20. O-O-O f6 21. R x d3 Q x a2 22. R hd1 K f7 23. Bc5 => . Though Black wins the two pawns back its king side is not developed and the pieces of the king side are chained to the defense of the Black's weaknesses.

If 20. ... g6 then 21. R he1 Bg7 22. B f4 Q d7 23. R x d3 Qa7 24. R x e7+ Q x e7 25. Q b8+ R c8 26. Q x c8+ Q d8 27. Q x d8 #  => . If 21... Qd7 then 22. B f4 f6 23. Q e4 K f7 24. R x d3 Q e6 25. Q x e6+ R x e6 26. R x e6 K x e6 27. R d8 f5 28. gf+ K x f5 29. Be3 h5 30. a4 g5 31. b4 B g7 32. R x h8 B x h8 33. b5  =>  and White gets the winning endgame.

The “12. … e6” move does not help: 12. ... e6 13. Q x b7 B c5 14. Q x e4 O-O 15. O-O-O => . Slight advantage in development is an insufficient compensation for the two sacrificed pawns.

It is therefore, not 10. … B e4. There might be 10. … B e6. This move leads to the interesting positions but Black is experiencing luck of the good moves in this variation while White owns a wide range of abilities. In the case of 10. … B e6 the game continues: 11. Bg2 g6 12. Nf3 Bg7 13. O-O => 

Now Black has the choose: either it provokes a forced variation in the case of 13. … B x g4 or prefers the game with many options playing 13. … Q b6.

The forced variation is the following: 13. … Bx g4 14. Q x d5 Q c7 15. Q x f7 K x f7 16. e6+ B x e6 17. B x c7 B f6 18. N d4 B x d4 19. cd N f6 20. B e5 R a7 (Black has to decide on an ugly position with the rook in the a7 square to defend a pawn) 21. d5 B f5 22. d6 b5 23. a4 ed 24. B x f6 K x f6 25. ab R b8 26. R x a6 R e7 27. R x d6 R e6 28. R x e6+ B x e6 29. B c6 =>  and Black gets the difficult endgame where it should defend a draw:

Moreover, as i mentioned, Black has a deficit of the good moves while White has a lot of good options (till twenty good moves) every move.

14. … B x f3 is not good because of 15. Q x f3 Q c8 16. e6  => and White destroys the Black’s position.

Now let us consider the variation when Black plays 13. … Q b6. In this case White is happy playing:  14. N g5 N x e5 15. N x e6 fe. After that Black may hold a draw, but human can do it unlikely as Black has a huge deficit of not losing moves. Thus, the game may continue: 16. Q e2 Q b5 17. Q e3 N d3 18. B g3 N c5 19. R fe1 R d8 20. R ad1 O-O 21. b4 N e4 22. B x e4 de 23. Q x e4 e5 24. a4 Q x a4 25. R x d8 R x d8 26. Q x b7 B f6 27. h4 Q b3 28. g5 Q x c3 29. R e3 Q a1+ 30. K h2 B g7 31. Q x e7 Q d4 32. Q c7 R e8 33. Q b7 R f8 34. Q x a6 Q x b4 35. Q a2+ R f7 36. R b3 Q e4 37. R b8+ B f8 38. R b6 K g7 39. Q e6 Q f5 40. Q x e5+ K g8 41. Q e1 h5 42. Q e6 K h7 43. K g2 B c5 44. Q x f5 R x f5 45. R b5 K g7 46. K f1 B f8 47. R b3 R d5 48. K e2 B e7 49. R b7 K f8 50. f3 R c5 51. K d3 R a5 52. B e1 R a4 53. R b6 K f7 54. R c6 R a3+ 55. K e2 R a4 56. Kf1 => .

15. … Q x e6 does not help: 16. B x d5 Q f6 17. Q a4+ b5 18. Qe4 R c8 19. g5 Qf5 20. R fe1 Q x e4 21. B x e4 0-0 22. R e2 (to defend the b pawn in the case of N c4) N c6 23. B g3 B e5 24. B x c6 B x g3 25. B b7 R b8 26. R x e7 B h4 27. R d7 R bd8 28. R ad1 R x d7 29. R x d7 B x g5  =>  and the active positions of the White’s rook and bishop brings a tangible advantage in the endgame for White:

I’d like to point out the following facts. 16. … Q x g4 is not good in this variation because of 17. Q x g4 N x g4 18. B x b7 R a7 19. B c6+ K f1 20. B b8 N e5 21. B x a7 N x c6 22. B e3  => and White wins a material. Other remark is that 19. B b7 does not win a pawn because of 19. … R c4 20. Q x e5 Q x e5 21. B x e5 B x e5 22. B x a6 R x g4+ 23. K h1 b4 24. f4 B x f4 25. cb B e5 26. b5 B x b2 27. R ab1 B e5  =>  and Black equalizes a position totally.

Again, in the case of 15. … Q x e6, Black is experiencing a lack of the good moves while White feels comfortable.

13. … 0 – 0 still worst for Black:

Both Black’s bishops are blocked and can’t play. It’s difficult for Black to come up with any active plan. While White improves its position every move, captures the space and, finally, makes a decisive attack to the Black’s king: 13... O-O 14. h3 R c8 15. Q d2 Q a5 16. R fd1 R fd8 17. Q e3 Q b6 18. Q e2 Q b5 19. Q c2 a5 20. N d4 Q a6 21. B f1 Q b6 22. Q e2 a4 23. a3 N b8 24. R e1 N c6 25. B e3 N a5 26. R ab1 B d7 27. f4 N c4 28. B f2 R f8 29. B g2 Q a5 30. h4 e6 31. h5 g5 32. h6 B h8 33. N f3 gf 34. g5 B b5 35. Q d1 Q a6 36. B d4 N a5 37. Q d2 N b3 38. Q x f4 B d3 39. B f1 B x f1 40. R x f1 Q e2 41. N h2 Q c2 42. R be1 R c4 43. R e3 Q g6 44. N f3 R cc8 45. N h4 Q h5 46. R ee1 N a5 47. Q g3 N c6 48. N g2 Q g6 49. N f4 Q f5 50. N h5 Q g6 51. N f4 Q f5 52. N x d5 Q g6 53. N f4 Q f5 54. N d5 Q g6 55. N f4 Q f5 56. N d3 Q g6 57. B c5 R fe8 58. N f4 Q f5 59. N d3 Q g6 60. R e2 N d8 61. N f4 R x c5 62. N x g6 hg 63. R d2 B x e5 64. Q e3 R a5 65. K h1 B h8 66. h7+ K x h7 67. R x d8 R x d8 68. R x f7+ B g7 69. Q h3+ K g8 70. Q x e6 R d1+ 71. R f1+ K h8 72. R x d1 R x g5  => and Black is destroyed.

So, we see, both in the case of 10. … B e4 and of 10. … B e6 Black is unhappy. That’s why

10. … B g6.

Then the forced moves follow:

11. h4       h5
12. e6       fe
13. gh       B x h5
14. B e2   B x e2  => 

Now the best option for Black is 14. … B x e2. Let us look up other options. For example, Black plays 14. … B f7. Then 15. N f3 is very strong.  Why is it dangerous? Let us assume Black pretends that everything is ok in the king side and Black deals the attack in the queen side: 15. … b5 16. N e5 Q c7 17. h5 Q b7 18. N x f7 K x f7 19. Q c2 and White prepared the dangerous queen invasion to the g6 square after which Black has no way to defend its position: 19. … K e8 20. Q g6+ K d8 21. Q x e6 N c5 22. Q g6 N d7 23. O-O-O Q b6 24. Q g5 Q f6 25. R x d5 e6 26. Q g3 ed (if 26. … Q f7 then 27. R x d7 K x d7 28. Q f3 R c8 29. Q b7+ K e8 30. Q x c8+ and White wins) 27. B g5 K c8 28. B x f6 N x f6  =>  and the game is over. If 24. … Q e6 then 25. B g4 Q c6 26. R x d5 R a7 27. R hd1 R h6 28. R x d7 R x d7 29. B x d7 Q b6 30. B c6+ and White wins again. Thus, Black understands it should not ignore the White’s activity in the king side totally. Since, the White’s queen attack happens along the h5 – e8 diagonal there might be to save the bishop in the diagonal helps Black. Let us look: 16. … N x e5 (Black exterminates the knight that took its bishop) 17. B x e5 Q b6 18. a4 K d7 19. ab a5 20. B4 a4 21. c4 K c8 22. R a4 R b8 23. B x b8 K x b8 24. Q a1 Q b7 25. R h3 B h5 26. R ha3 B x e5 R a8+ 27. K c7 R 3a7  =>  and Black can’t stand the White’s onslaught from the queen side. If 22. … R x a4 then 23. Q x a4 B h5 24. Q a8+ K d7 25. c5 K d8 26. Q c6  =>  - the White’s attack is irresistible. 18. … ba does not save Black. For example, 19. h5 Q b3 20. R x a4 Q x d1+ 21. B x d1 B g6 22. b4 d4 23. c4 B e4 24. R h4 B b7 25. B c2 O-O-O 26. B g6 R d7 27. R f4 d3 28. K 7d2 R d8 29. b5 ab 30. R a7 b4 31. c5 R d5 32. c6 B x c6 33. R c7+ K d8 34. R c4 B d7 35. R a7 R x e5 36. R a8+ B c8 37. R axc8+ K d7 38. B e8+ K d6 39. Rd8#  => .

As we see if Black ignores its problems in the king side and plays in the queen side instead it results a loss. The one of the Black’s problems is an undeveloped king side. Black may solve this problem playing 15. … g6. Then 16. h5 Q b6 17. Ne5 B g7. The targeting of the White's pieces at the Black's king side allows White to thin out the presence of the Black pieces in this side and leave a weak king there: 14... B f7 15. N f3 g6 16. h5 Q b6 17. N e5 B g7 18. N x f7 Kxf7 19. Q c2 e5 20. B e3 d4 21. B d2 B h6 22. B x h6 R x h6 23. O-O-O K g7 24. cd ed 25. K b1 Q c5 26. Q d2 R ah8 27. R he1 N e5 28. hg Q d6 29. f4 N c6 30. B f3 R h2 31. Q d3 R 8h4  =>  and Black is in a very difficult situation.

The variation with 14. … B f7 shows that White threats to put the pawn to the h5 square to control the important g6 square and to transfer the queen to the c2 square where it is ready to move to the g6 square attacking the Black’s king. To prevent these threats Black may play 14. … B g6. Thus, Black puts the bishop to the h7 – b1 diagonal and does not allow White to put the queen to the c2 square. If White pushes the h pawn immediately playing 15. h5 then Black counterattacks 15. … e5 and the game may continue: 16. B g5 Q b6 17. R g1 B f5 18. N b3 Q e6 19. B f3 d4 20. Q e2 dc 21. bc e4 22. N d4 ef 23. N x e6 fe 24. N c7+ K d8 25. N x a8 B e4 26. B e3 B f3 27. N b6 R x h5  =>  with a slight advantage for Black. If White tries to transfer the knight to the e5 square playing 15. N f3 then Black responds 15. … Q b6. Now 16. N e5 does not bring anything for White contrast to the “14. … B f7” variation as the h8 rook is defended by the g7 pawn form the bishop attack after 16. … N x e5 17. B x e5. In this case, the game may continue: 17. ... Q x b2 18. h5 R h6 19. Q c1 Q x c1+ 20. R x c1 R c8 21. K d2 B f5 22. f4 K f7 23. R cg1 B e4 24. R h3 R c5 25. a4 K g8 26. R g5 g6 27. B d3 B x d3 28. K x d3 R a5 29. R x g6+ K f7 30. R g5 K e8 31. B d4 R x a4 32. f5 ef 33. R x f5 e6 34. R g5 R c4 35. B g7 B x g7 36. R x g7 b5  =>  with an equal game.

However, in the case of 14. … B g6, White has a strong respond that is 15. R g1.

After that White gets an initiative with permanent threats: 15. R g1 R x h4 16. R x g6 R x f4 17. B h5 Q c7 18. R x e6+ K d8 19. N f3 N f6 20. N d4 K d7 21. B f7 R h4 22. Q f3 Q f4 23. R d1 g5 24. K e2 Q x f3+ 25. N x f3 R h7 26. N e5+ K c7 27. B g6 R h6 28. B f5 N h5 29. N d3 R d8 30. R x h6 B x h6 31. R h1 N g7 32. B g4 R d6 33. a4 N e8 34. B h5 N g7 35. B g4 a5 36. R e1 R f6 37. K f1 e6 38. b4 b6  =>  with an equal position.

So, we see that, in the case of 14. … B f7, Black holds a draw unlikely while, in the case of 14. … B g6, White owns an initiative. Therefore, it’s better for Black 14. … B x e2. Thus, the game continues:

15. Q x e2 e5  => 

In the case of 15. … Q b6 White gets a tempo for a castling. After that an accurate game is required from Black: 16. O-O-O e5 17. B x e5 N x e5 18. Q x e5 O-O-O 19. Nf3 e6 20. Ng5 Bd6 21. Qe3 Qxe3+ 22. fe R he8 23. R df1 Rd7 24. h5 Bc7 25. Nh7 Bb6 26. Rh3 Bd8 27. Nf8 Rd6 28. Ng6 Rd7 29. Rg3 Bc7 30. Rgf3 Bd6 31. Kc2 Rc7 32. Kd3 b5 33. a3 a5 34. b4 Kb7 35. Rf7 R ec8 36. Rxc7+ Rxc7 37. Nf8 Bxf8 38. Rxf8 Kc6 39. Ra8 axb4 40. axb4 Kd6 41. Rd8+ Ke5 42. Rb8 Rc4 43. Rxb5 Rh4 44. Rb7 Kf6 45. b5 Rxh5 46. b6 Rh2 47. Kd4 Rb2 48. Kc5 g5 49. Rb8 Rb3 50. c4 dxc4 51. Kxc4 Rb1 52. Kc5 Kf5 53. Kc6 Rc1+ 54. Kd6 Rd1+ 55. Kc6 Rc1+ 56. Kd6 Rd1+ 57. Kc7 e5.  =>  Finally, Black comes to a quiet endgame. In the case of 16. … 0-0-0 Black loses the fight for the key e4 square after N f3 and fights back with the only moves: 17. N f3 g6 18. K b1 B h6 19. B g3 R hf8 20. R d4 a5 21. N e5 N x e5 22. B x e5 R f7 23. f4 B g7 24. B x g7 R x g7 25. Q g4 R gg8 26. a3 K b8 27. K a2 R df8 28. Re1  => .

The main line continues:

16.  B x e5        N x e5
17.  Q x e5  => 

Now the best option for Black is 17. … Q d6. Let us understand why. Let us look what happens if Black develops the king side now: 17. … R h7 18. 0-0-0 g6 19. N e4 B g7 20. Q e6. In this case Black gets absolutely losing position: 20. ... Q d7 21. N f6+ B x f6 22. Q g8#.  =>  To prevent a mate along eighth line Black may play 20. … R h8. Then 21. Q x g6 + K d7 (if 21. … K f8 then 22. Ng5 Q e8 23. N e6+ K g8 24. Q x g7#) 22. R x d5 + K c7 23. R x d8  =>  and White wins the queen. If Black is not in hurry to develop and prevents moving the White’s queen to the e6 square playing 18. … Q d7 then 19. N e4 e6 20. R he1 B e7 21. N c5 B x c5 22. R x d5  =>  and White wins a material. In the case of 20. … 0-0-0 the forced exchanges may follow: 21. N g5+ R h6 22. N x e6 R e8 23. N x f8 R x e5 24. N x d7 R x e1 25. R x e1 K x d7  => and the game comes to an equal endgame. Though Black achieves a draw this a risk variation for it.

 Therefore it’s better for Black to postpone a development and to prevent the White’s queen invasion to the e6 square immediately:

17.  …           Q d6
18. Q x d6   ed  => 

Thus, the game comes to an absolutely drawish endgame in the eighteen moves only. This way White is able to hard play for a draw in the case of 5. … B f5. 

Part 2 >>