% BOOKTITLE = The Killer Sicilian: Fighting 1 e4 with the Kalashnikov
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "About this Publication"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "2"]
[SourceDate "2015.03.02"]

{Are you searching for a new weapon against 1 e4? Look no further - choose the
Killer Sicilian! --- In this book, opening expert Tony Rotella presents a
Sicilian repertoire for Black, the backbone of which consists of the
Kalashnikov Variation. The Kalashnikov is an ideal choice for those looking to
take up the Sicilian. Black follows an easy-to-learn system of development,
with clear strategic aims. What's more, in many lines Black can choose between
aggressive and positional options. It's no coincidence that the Kalashnikov
has attracted such attacking talents as World Championship candidate Teimour
Radjabov and multi-time US Champion Alexander Shabalov. --- Rotella critically
examines the main lines and lucidly explains the key positional and tactical
ideas for both sides. He also shows what Black should do against White's
various Anti-Sicilian options. Read this book and unleash the Killer Sicilian!
} 1. e4 c5 {. Tony Rotella is an experienced correspondence player, teacher,
analyst and openings theoretician, from Ohio, USA.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Foreword"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "Alex Shabalov"]
[PlyCount "2"]
[SourceDate "2015.03.02"]

{What defines the relationship between a chess player and his pet opening? Is
it the number of hours that Kramnik has spent on the Berlin, the defence that
brought him the world championship title in 2000? Is it the enormous
confidence Svidler puts in his Grünfeld Defence, an opening that's allowed him
to stay in the world elite for more than two decades? How was it possible that
Kasparov and Gelfand defended the Najdorf for so long when the whole world was
preparing against them? --- I'm sure every story like this is a love story. It
usually starts with a spark of some kind, and then you have to live through it
when, inevitably, every good thing comes to an end. This is why I love opening
books with a personal touch - I never bother to read an opening monograph if
the author has not played the line himself. --- This book is dedicated to one
of the most controversial openings in chess history. Sveshnikov's discovery
was a revolution back in the late seventies when he started playing ...e5 in
the Sicilian Defence. It took the chess world nearly 20 years to fully embrace
his 'weakness for dynamic compensation' concept, and as such both the
Sveshnikov and Kalashnikov peaked in popularity from 1995 to 2010. Thousands
of chess players jumped on the 'Sveshnikov Express' during these years and I
was one of them (by the way, the line was never known as the Kalashnikov back
in Russia, it was always known as the Accelerated Sveshnikov). Here is my
story. --- Back in 1981, the inventor himself, Evgeny Sveshnikov, married a
girl from Latvia and started to spend more and more time in Riga. Of course,
on more than one occasion, I had to hear motivational talks about the
"objectively best" system for Black against} 1. e4 {. Everyone who was ever
subjected to these 'lectures' will never forget them: Evgeny Ellinovich was
never shy in defence of his brainchild, always ready to share new plans and
ideas. But you know how it works inside a teenager's head - the more something
is forced upon you, the more rejection it generates. And I was not an
exception. The first time I played the Accelerated Sveshnikov system was
fifteen years later. Needless to say, I regret that to this day. --- Most
Kalashnikov players graduate to 4...e5 after years of playing the Sveshnikov 
(which seems to be a necessary prerequisite), though it was the other way
around in my career. I started to look for ways to organize my cocktail of the
French/Alekhine/Pirc and ten different Sicilians into something more
predictable in the mid-nineties. My only condition was the possibility of an
early ...f5. That's how I came across the game Lutz-Kramnik from the
Bundesliga in 1996 (see Chapter 4, Line B2 to check out the game). This game
was a quick draw, but the concept was absolutely delightful and I was
instantly hooked. --- I worked out a few of the critical lines, which marked
the beginning of my ongoing love/hate relationship with the opening. It took
me about 5-6 years to become fully comfortable playing with the 'eternally'
weak d5-square, at which point I switched to the full-fledged Sveshnikov in
the mid 2000's as my main opening. The Classical Sveshnikov and Accelerated
Sveshnikov are psychologically different lines, and so when the Classical
Sveshnikov abruptly fell out of fashion around 2011 (11 c4 being the main
reason), the Kalashnikov did not suffer collateral damage. Everyone who played
it before kept on playing it. --- I did not know what to expect when Tony
asked me to look at his new book. The subject was still too touchy for me, a
super-nostalgic reminder of the glory days. All my doubts disappeared when I
first opened the book. First of all, this is an old world, classical chess
opening book - the kind no one does any more. And by that I mean there are
indeed words, and a lot of words, not just cold, obscure lines and computer
assessments. --- It's a delightful read, the kind of book you should study in
the comfort of your home with some warm tea and other extras. There's no
rating range for those who want to study this book, from a grandmaster down to
a beginner who is finally ready to answer 1 e4 with something other than 1...e5. A nice invention is the key takeaways at the end of each chapter, a real
treat for people with chess Alzheimer's like me. If you've decided to switch
to the Kalashnikov from a non-Sicilian opening, here again Tony takes care of
you, as all possible lines after 1 e4 c5 are covered. This is a gigantic work
packed into a very attractive form, encyclopedic in nature and practical in
use. --- This book is not a quick fix manual, but if you are ready to invest
some time into the legendary Kalashnikov, it will help you gain a friend for
life.} c5 {. Alex Shabalov} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Introduction"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "2"]
[SourceDate "2015.03.02"]

{History:} 1. e4 c5 {The history of the Kalashnikov variation started off with
a bang. In the 64th game played between Frenchman Louis Charles Mahé de La
Bourdonnais and Irishman Alexander McDonnell during their famous 1834 match,
the following piece of art was created (see the following game).} *

[Event "London"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1834.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "McDonnell, A."]
[Black "De La Bourdonnais, L."]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "74"]
[EventDate "1834.??.??"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nxc6 bxc6 6. Bc4 Nf6 7. Bg5 Be7 8.
Qe2 d5 9. Bxf6 Bxf6 10. Bb3 O-O 11. O-O a5 12. exd5 cxd5 13. Rd1 d4 14. c4 Qb6
15. Bc2 Bb7 16. Nd2 Rae8 17. Ne4 Bd8 18. c5 Qc6 19. f3 Be7 20. Rac1 f5 21. Qc4+
Kh8 22. Ba4 Qh6 23. Bxe8 fxe4 24. c6 exf3 25. Rc2 Qe3+ 26. Kh1 Bc8 27. Bd7 f2
28. Rf1 d3 29. Rc3 Bxd7 30. cxd7 e4 31. Qc8 Bd8 32. Qc4 Qe1 33. Rc1 d2 34. Qc5
Rg8 35. Rd1 e3 36. Qc3 Qxd1 37. Rxd1 e2 {. One of the most fantastic positions
in all of chess history, produced (roughly, as White's 5th isn't exactly the
main focus of the work you just purchased) by the very subject of this book by
two of the best players in the world over a century and a half ago.} 0-1

[Event "Soviet Team Championship"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1988.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Ulibin, M."]
[Black "Sveshnikov, E."]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "44"]
[EventDate "1988.??.??"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

{Sadly, Black's opening choice barely sparked a flame, only being essayed by
Staunton in three games during the period 1840-1851, and only then
sporadically all the way up until the 1980's, when the Kalashnikov's
popularity boomed under the wings of Russian legend and independent-minded
openings theoretician Evgeny Sveshnikov. Shunning the massive amount of theory
building up behind his namesake defence, Sveshnikov moved on to familiar but
fertile grounds, pushing forth the theory of the Kalashnikov with crisply
played and active games like the one below, typical of his style.} 1. e4 c5 2.
Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Be7 7. N1c3 a6 8. Na3 Be6 9. Be2
Nd4 10. Nc2 Nxe2 11. Qxe2 Nf6 12. O-O Rc8 13. Ne3 O-O 14. Rd1 Qc7 15. b3 b5 $1
16. Ned5 Nxd5 17. Nxd5 Bxd5 18. cxd5 Qc2 19. Qg4 $4 f5 $1 20. exf5 h5 $1 21.
Qf3 e4 $1 22. Qxh5 Rxf5 $1 {. A well-played game by both sides up until
White's tragic 19th move. Others quickly followed the trails blazed by
Sveshnikov, most notably players like Nigel Short, Sergey Tiviakov, Dusko
Pavasovic, even Vladimir Kramnik and our last world champion Viswanathan Anand,
perhaps inspired by Tiviakov holding him to a draw three years earlier with
the Kalashnikov. --- Today, the line-up of Kalashnikov champions is no less
impressive - perennial Top-10 GM Teimour Radjabov, Radjabov's trainer and
attacking wizard Igor Nataf, the unpredictably brilliant Vassily Ivanchuk,
4-time U.S. Champion Alexander Shabalov, Alexei 'Fire on Board' Shirov, and
die-hards like Alexander Moiseenko and Vyacheslav Ikonnikov, whose games are
peppered throughout the entire book. Kalashnikov games of today are
complicated and hard-fought.} 0-1

[Event "Aeroflot Open, Moscow"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2010.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Sebag, M."]
[Black "Shabalov, A."]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "102"]
[EventDate "2010.??.??"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. N1c3 a6 7. Na3 Be7 8.
Nc4 Nf6 $6 9. Ne3 O-O 10. g3 Be6 11. Bg2 Rc8 12. O-O Na5 $5 13. Qd3 b5 14. b3
Nb7 15. a3 Qd7 16. Bb2 Bd8 $1 17. f4 Bh3 18. Nf5 $6 Bxf5 19. exf5 Bb6+ 20. Kh1
Bd4 21. Rab1 $2 Rxc3 $1 22. Bxc3 Nc5 23. Qf3 e4 24. Qe2 Bxc3 25. g4 d5 26. Rbd1
Qc6 27. g5 Ne8 28. Qg4 Kh8 {White's tricks ran out, and Shabalov easily cashed
out against the promising French GM after 23 more moves.} 29. Rg1 a5 30. h4 b4
31. a4 d4 32. Bf1 d3 33. cxd3 Nxd3 34. Rg2 Qd5 35. Kh2 Nd6 36. f6 Nf5 37. fxg7+
Bxg7 38. Qh3 Nd4 39. Bxd3 Nf3+ 40. Kg3 exd3 41. Rf2 Qxb3 42. Qf1 Nd4 43. Rxd3
Qxa4 44. Rfd2 b3 45. f5 Be5+ 46. Kh3 Qb4 47. Qf2 Nc6 48. Rd1 b2 49. Qf1 a4 50.
Qh1 Qc4 51. f6 b1=Q 0-1

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Why Play the Kalashnikov?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "10"]
[SourceDate "2015.03.02"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 {. It's becoming awfully
cliché to label Black defences 'flexible', but I'm going to jump on the
bandwagon and do it anyway, knowing that this time it's actually true. While
in variations of the Sicilian Defence like the Dragon, Najdorf, or Sveshnikov,
if White wants to have a go at a Shirov-like decimation of your position (e.g.
6 Bg5 against the Najdorf or the Yugoslav Attack against the Dragon), he can
do so. In the Kalashnikov, Black generally makes that choice. As an example,
in the four chapters focusing on 6 c4, I cover both the immediate and
aggressive ...f5 and the more usual, positional lines with ...Nf6, when the ...f5 break will come much later (if at all). --- The Sveshnikov and Kalashnikov
variations are also interesting in that it's common that play occurs in all
sectors of the board, a lot of times simultaneously. Black has a key pawn
break in each sector (...f5, ...d5, or ...b5) and plans surrounding all of
these, and White has similar (the a4 break, the d5-square and weak d6-pawn,
f4-f5 plans, and so on). All of the aforementioned factors give Kalashnikov
positions a very rich feel, something I'm sure will keep the reader interested
in the opening for a long time. I know that this richness has kept me
enthusiastic about a book that's taken me four years to finish. --- Nowadays,
White players are usually surprised to see 4...e5. It's rarity leads most
players to study this opening much less than the more popular variations of
the Sicilian Defence, if it all. Current coverage in white repertoire books is
also not particularly up to date or well researched - most were written before
our choice against 6 N1c3 even became popular. White's play in Chapter 1 is
probably the most theoretically critical in the whole book, and despite this,
95% of my games over the board don't fall into this chapter at all, or deviate
before I get to play my 10th or 11th move. Going even further, the critical
variation in this chapter (16 c3, though this is purely my opinion) has only
been tried in two games in my database. --- The Kalashnikov also gives players
new to the Sicilian Defence a safe and thematically oriented repertoire to get
their feet wet, one which allows them to transition quite easily into the
murky and complicated depths of the Sveshnikov should they desire to do so
later. The more balanced pawn structure and improved king safety tend to make
the Kalashnikov a little bit more positional than its more popular sibling 
(all bets are off if Black ventures an early ...f5 though), while still
maintaining similar elements. I myself have both in my repertoire, and find it
nice to be able to dodge preparation while maintaining a cohesive and thematic
repertoire; one that allows me to use the same choices against the
Anti-Sicilians as well. World-class GMs like Teimour Radjabov and Igor Nataf
use the same approach with their repertoires too, with great success.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Typical Pawn Structures"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "10"]
[SourceDate "2015.03.02"]

{Before we jump into greater detail, it's worth discussing the position after
White's most popular 5th move to properly ground ourselves on the basics of
the Sicilian Kalashnikov. --- After} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5
5. Nb5 d6 {, both players have already defined the struggle ahead. Unlike most
variations of the Sicilian where the second player is content to place his
pawns on his third rank, Black has carved out an equal share of the central
space. In addition, he's forced White's knight to the odd b5-square, from
where it will surely be booted again, usually to the even poorer a3-square.
--- What has White received in return? With 4...e5, Black also critically
weakens the d5-square, a fantastic future home for a white knight. Black has
also ensured that for the time being, his dark-squared bishop is a fairly poor
piece. And so for the foreseeable future, both players have their goals and
objectives - Black will play to minimize the weakness on d5 via trades or the ...d5 break while trying to activate his dark-squared bishop, and White will
try to manoeuvre his offside knight back into play and make use of the
weaknesses on d5 and d6. --- Unlike variations of the Sicilian like the
Scheveningen or Najdorf which have very fluid pawn structures, the Kalashnikov
by its very nature has a very well-defined and rigid pawn structure, making
the knowledge of pawn breaks, minor piece locations, and typical manoeuvres
and plans of the utmost importance. Despite the fact that Kalashnikov
positions without c4 tend to be a bit more specific and tactical in nature,
let's take a look at a typical pawn structure from the 6 N1c3 variation (see
the following game).} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Pawn Structure 1"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "4k3/5ppp/p2p4/1p2p3/4P3/8/PPP2PPP/4K3 w - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "1"]
[SourceDate "2015.03.02"]

{A quick glance will tell you that Black has some horrifically weak squares -
d5, c6, and b6 specifically - and a backward pawn on d6. Despite all of this,
it's not so easy to exploit any of these, and White has only a few normal
plans in this structure. The first is the most obvious - plant a knight on d5
and make favourable trades such that you keep it there. Positions where White
establishes a strong piece on d5 (rooks aren't bad either) permanently can be
miserable for Black. Long manoeuvring battles ensue, but White's better minor/major pieces and Black's light-square weaknesses can slowly lead to difficult
defence and lost positions. --- White can also use a pawn lever like a4 or c4
to provoke irreparable weaknesses in Black's queenside, eventually creating a
passed pawn or winning material. If Black is forced to relieve the tension
with ...b4 or a capture on a4 or c4, the a6-pawn will typically be very weak.
Finally, less common is a kingside assault with f4-f5-f6. This generally isn't
very successful for White, as the kingside is frequently Black's theatre of
action, and Black also usually has the option of meeting f4 with ...exf4,
securing e5 for a minor piece.} 1. -- {Black's advantages are perhaps best
illuminated by adding some pieces to the board (see the following game).} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Pawn Structure 2"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "r1b2rk1/5ppp/p1np4/3Np1q1/1p2P3/6P1/PPP2PBP/R2QK2R w KQ - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "1"]
[SourceDate "2015.03.02"]

{Take a look at a position from the 6 N1c3 main line below.} 1. -- {Black has
managed to trade off his bad bishop for White's good bishop, when White's
light-squared bishop makes a fairly poor impression compared to the second
player's. Possibilities for counterplay include the ...f5 break, or, more
commonly, a minority/queenside attack spearheaded by heavy piece pressure down
the c-file combined with a strong knight on d4, c4, or c5. White has to be
careful not to fall into bad bishop versus good knight endings after ...Be6xd5
as well. --- We can also see that Black's far-advanced queenside pawns can be
a strength. White relies on c3 as his only way to remove a black knight from
residing on the incredible d4-square for the rest of the game. However, ...bxc3; bxc3 results in an isolated pawn on an open file and gives Black squares
like c4 and c5 permanently - a positional lose-lose situation. --- Against
uninspired play by White, Black sometimes has the opportunity to arrest
control of the d5-square and break out with the nearly always equalizing (or
more) ...d5 break. White can very rarely allow ...d4, and so after he captures
this pawn on d5, he's left with zero central pawns and a serious central space
deficit due to the pawn on e5. See the following game.} *

[Event "correspondence"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2010.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Kruk, S."]
[Black "Rotella, T."]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "2rq1rk1/4bppp/p1npbn2/1p1Bp3/4P3/2N1BP2/PPP1N1PP/R2Q1RK1 b - - 0 13"]
[PlyCount "5"]
[EventDate "2010.??.??"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

{White's play thus far hasn't been particularly ambitious, and I took the
opportunity to break out with} 13... Nb4 $1 14. Bb3 Bxb3 15. cxb3 d5 $1 {,
winning a very nice game in 46 moves. See Chapter 7 for the finale of this one.
} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Pawn Structure 3"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "4k3/1p3ppp/p2p4/4p3/4P3/8/PPP2PPP/4K3 w - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "1"]
[SourceDate "2015.03.02"]

{Finally, note that our choice of 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 e5 5 Nb5
d6 6 N1c3 a6 7 Na3 Be7!?, instead of the usual 7...b5, affords us the
following structure when the chess gods smile upon us.} 1. -- {Nearly
identical to the first strategic diagram displayed, with the difference that
Black hasn't nudged his b-pawn forward yet. This is mostly upside (even if
occasionally the pawn on b5/b4 is useful), denying White easy plans having to
do with breaking up Black's queenside pawn mass.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Pawn Structure 4"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "4k3/1p3ppp/p2p4/4p3/2P1P3/8/PP3PPP/4K3 w - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "1"]
[SourceDate "2015.03.02"]

{The structure that distinguishes the Kalashnikov from the Sveshnikov is
similar to the line with 6 N1c3, with the difference that White's c-pawn is
now on c4, clamping down on the d5-square. After 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 cxd4 4
Nxd4 e5 5 Nb5 d6 6 c4 the following pawn structure is reached.} 1. -- {White's
plans are similar to the ones outlined above, with the addition of the b4-b5
plan (or maybe b4 and c5), expanding on the queenside and disrupting Black's
pieces there. If captured, White has the pleasant choice of exploiting the
open a-file and maintaining strict control of d5, or capturing with the c-pawn,
ensuring a dangerous endgame asset in the form of a passer on the queenside.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Pawn Structure 5"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "4k3/1p3ppp/p2p4/3Pp3/4P3/8/PP3PPP/4K3 w - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "1"]
[SourceDate "2015.03.02"]

{Because leaving a strong knight on d5 for too long is undesirable for the
second player, it's quite common to see piece exchanges occurring on the
d5-square, resulting in a pawn capture on d5. If White takes with the c-pawn,
we arrive at the following.} 1. -- {Those paying close attention will note
that this structure is more reminiscent of the Closed Ruy Lopez or the
Classical King's Indian Defence than the Sicilian Defence. Play in this
structure is generally slow and drawish, both due to the fact that piece
exchanges had to happen to reach it, and liquidation of heavy pieces along the
c-file occurs frequently. The pawn structure and asymmetric space advantages
dictate that White will play on the queenside and Black on the other wing.
However, in practice, it's more common to see Black totally neutralize White's
play on the queenside by contesting the c-file and exchanging annoying minor
pieces off, reaching stable endgames where he can centralize his king
somewhere on the seventh rank.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Pawn Structure 6"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "4k3/1p3ppp/p2p4/3Pp3/2P5/8/PP3PPP/4K3 w - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "1"]
[SourceDate "2015.03.02"]

{More interesting is the capture with e-pawn, resulting in the position below.
} 1. -- {White's obvious plan involves b4 followed by ramming the c-pawn all
the way to c8, while Black should generally pursue central play with ...e4 and
bringing a knight to e5, or a kingside attack by way of ...f5-f4 and heavy
piece lifts. Given that White's usually a smidge ahead in the race, Black's
build-up often occurs only after he's taken the time to slow White down with a
dark-square blockade, utilizing moves like ...a5, ...b6, and/or a rook on c8.}
*

[Event "Warsaw"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1991.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Suetin, A."]
[Black "Sherbakov, R."]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "88"]
[EventDate "1991.??.??"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

{Black's play in the c4 structures normally centres around preparing the ...b5
or ...f5 break, and playing to accentuate and capitalize on White's weak dark
squares induced by c4 itself. Achieving the ...b5 break is sometimes very
straightforward, as controlling the b5-square is possible though a variety of
means: for example, ...Nd4, ...Rb8, ...Qa5, ...Bd7, and so on. One example is
A.Suetin-R.Sherbakov, Warsaw 1991, where the following position was reached:} 
1. e4 c5 2. Ne2 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Be7 7. N1c3 a6 8. Na3
Be6 9. Be3 Rc8 10. Be2 Bg5 11. Nc2 Bxe3 12. Nxe3 Nf6 13. O-O O-O 14. Rc1 Nd4
15. Bd3 Qa5 16. Qd2 {. Black simply played} b5 $1 17. b3 Nd7 18. Rfd1 Nc5 {
with a completely satisfactory position out of the opening.} 19. Bf1 b4 20.
Ncd5 Nxe4 21. Qxb4 Qxa2 22. Qe1 Nxb3 23. Rc2 Qa4 24. Ne7+ Kh8 25. Nxc8 Rxc8 26.
Rb2 Nd4 27. Rdb1 Nc5 28. Rb8 Qe8 29. Rxc8 Qxc8 30. Qa5 g6 31. Qb6 Qd7 32. Nd5
Bxd5 33. cxd5 Kg7 34. Bxa6 Ne4 35. Qb2 Qg4 36. h3 Nf3+ 37. Kh1 Qg3 38. gxf3
Nxf2+ 39. Qxf2 Qxf2 40. Bf1 Qxf3+ 41. Bg2 Qd3 42. Rb6 e4 43. Rxd6 Qb1+ 44. Kh2
Qb8 0-1

[Event "Halkidiki"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2001.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Sitnikov, A."]
[Black "Nyback, T."]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "72"]
[EventDate "2001.??.??"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

{Realistically, sometimes getting ...b5 in is quite a bit more complicated,
and Black has to do it under the umbrella of some clever tactics. For instance,
Black find a nice way to achieve ...b5 after} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4.
Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Be7 7. N1c3 a6 8. Na3 Be6 9. Nc2 Rc8 10. b3 Nf6 11. Be2
O-O 12. O-O {: In this position, the reader can't be faulted for giving up on
...b5 completely, as it's quite difficult to prepare it - 12...Qa5 is met by
13 Bd2, ...Nd4 is impossible at the moment, and Black's already committed his
rook to c8. However, White's got some small tactical problems to do with the
hanging knight on c3 and the weak e4-pawn which allow Black to strike out
immediately with} b5 $1 {, the idea being that} 13. cxb5 Na7 $1 {. The game
instead continued} 14. Nd5 (14. Bd2 Nxb5 15. Nxb5 axb5 16. Bxb5 Nxe4 {is not
what White wants.}) 14... Nxb5 15. Nxf6+ Bxf6 16. Bxb5 axb5 17. Nb4 Qd7 18. Qd3
Bd8 $1 {, when Black was ready for ...f5 and a relocation of his dark-squared
bishop to b6 or a5.} 19. Be3 f5 20. Rfd1 f4 21. Qxd6 fxe3 22. Qxd7 Bxd7 23.
Rxd7 Rxf2 24. Nd5 Bg5 25. Rc7 Rcf8 26. Rcc1 e2 27. Rcb1 Bd2 28. a4 bxa4 29.
bxa4 e1=Q+ 30. Rxe1 Bxe1 31. Rxe1 Ra2 32. Nb6 Rff2 33. a5 Rxg2+ 34. Kh1 Rxh2+
35. Kg1 Rhc2 36. Nd5 Rxa5 0-1

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Pawn Structure 7"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "4k3/1p3ppp/p2p4/4p3/2P5/8/PP3PPP/4K3 w - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "1"]
[SourceDate "2015.03.02"]

{In the c4 structures, even though ...b5 is usually easier to organize and
less risky, Black sometimes looks towards the kingside for his play and
prepares ...f5 instead. These days, it seems way more common to play it
immediately and without ...g6 as preparation, as in many of our 6 c4 chapters:
for instance, 6 c4 Be7 7 b3 f5!? or 7 N1c3 a6 8 Na3 f5!?. White typically
captures in an attempt to capitalize on Black's weakened light squares,
resulting in the following structure.} 1. -- {In a vacuum, the pawn structure
above isn't pleasant for Black. White has two pawn islands to Black's three,
and Black's light squares are weaker than ever. White has high hopes of
trading light-squared bishops (typically pinning Black's bishop on e6 to his
king on g8 - for this reason you see ...Kh8 a lot in these types of positions),
and plunking knights on d5 and/or e4.} *

[Event "correspondence"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2005.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Douglas, S."]
[Black "Gatto, C."]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "66"]
[EventDate "2005.??.??"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

{What does Black get in return? Key factors include central space, free
development, and the open f-file for his heavy pieces. Deflecting White's
e-pawn away from d5 is not to be underestimated, as if Black succeeds in
getting ...b5 in as well, even if it's a sacrifice, his connected and
unopposed central pawns can be incredibly dangerous for White. One example is
S.Douglas-C.Gatto, correspondence 2005, which played out} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6
3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Be7 7. N1c3 a6 8. Na3 f5 $5 9. exf5 Bxf5
10. Be2 Nf6 11. Nc2 O-O 12. O-O Rc8 13. Ne3 Be6 14. Bf3 {: Black has the pawn
sacrifice} b5 $1 {, looking to steamroll White in the centre. The game
continued} 15. cxb5 axb5 16. Bd5 {, when things have clearly gone wrong for
White if he thinks giving up his light-squared bishop is his best course of
action. Black quickly wrestled control of d5 and got his pawns rolling after}
Nxd5 17. Nexd5 b4 18. Nb5 Bh4 19. Be3 Ne7 20. Nxb4 d5 {.} 21. a4 d4 22. Bd2 Bc4
23. Qg4 Ng6 24. b3 Bxb3 25. g3 Be7 26. Rfb1 Bc4 27. h4 Qb6 28. h5 Qf6 29. f3
Be6 30. Qe4 Qxf3 31. Qxf3 Rxf3 32. hxg6 Rxg3+ 33. Kh2 Rxg6 0-1

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Pawn Structure 8"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "4k3/1p4pp/p2p4/4p3/2P1Pp2/8/PP3PPP/4K3 w - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "1"]
[SourceDate "2015.03.02"]

{If White doesn't capture and instead allows Black to push ...f4, the
following unique pawn structure is reached.} 1. -- {This structure somewhat
resembles the Mar Del Plata variation of the King's Indian Defence, with the
difference that White will usually have a knight on d5 instead of a pawn, and
the c-file is closed. Black's spearhead on f4 and greater kingside space means
that he'll play in that sector, while White has the unenviable task of
attacking on the queenside and the centre instead by using his strong
d5-knight, d-file pressure, and the b5/c5 breaks.} *

[Event "correspondence"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2011.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Kele, K."]
[Black "Launhardt, W."]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "68"]
[EventDate "2011.??.??"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

{If White isn't careful, Black can push the f-pawn to f3 very quickly, even as
a pawn sacrifice. Consider K.Kele-W.Launhardt, correspondence 2011, which
reached the following position after} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5
5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Be7 7. N1c3 a6 8. Na3 f5 9. Bd3 f4 10. Nc2 Nf6 11. b3 O-O 12.
Bb2 {: Black played} f3 $1 13. gxf3 Nh5 $1 {(preparing ...Bg5 or ...Bh4)} 14.
Nd5 Bh4 15. Bc1 Ne7 16. Be2 Be6 {, with wonderful play for the pawn based on
strong dark-square control (especially f4) and White's shattered kingside.} 17.
Nce3 Kh8 18. Rg1 Ng6 19. Ng2 Rc8 20. Be3 b5 21. Qd2 Bxd5 22. Qxd5 bxc4 23. Bxc4
Nhf4 24. Qd2 Nh3 25. Rf1 Be7 26. O-O-O Ng5 27. Ne1 a5 28. Kb2 Nxf3 29. Nxf3
Rxf3 30. a4 Nf4 31. Rg1 Rh3 32. Ka2 Rxh2 33. Bxf4 exf4 34. Qxf4 Rh4 1/2-1/2

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Pawn Structure 9"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "4k3/1p2bppp/p2p4/4p3/2P1P3/8/PP3PPP/2B1K3 w - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "1"]
[SourceDate "2015.03.02"]

{As touched upon earlier, the main consequences of White's pawn occupying c4
are the extra queenside space and control of d5 at the expense of a critically
weak d4-square and dark squares in general. A quick look at the minor pieces
and their future prospects will (hopefully you've noticed it in the examples
already given) point to Black strongly yearning to exchange his bishop on e7
for White's dark-squared bishop, or at the very least relocate it to a better
square.} 1. -- {These days, theory extends far enough that the ...Bg5
manoeuvre often occurs while both players are still trotting out book moves:
for example, 5 Nb5 d6 6 N1c3 a6 7 Na3 Be7 8 Nc4 b5 9 Ne3 Nf6 10 g3 0-0 11 Be2
b4 12 Ncd5 Nxd5 13 Nxd5 Bg5! (see Chapter 1), or 6 c4 Be7 7 Bd3 a6 8 N5c3 Bg5 
(Chapter 6). If White has played b4 or b3 already, he'll frequently refuse the
trade of dark-squared bishops via Bb2, but a bishop on g5 is still a very
reasonable piece, stopping Rc1 and fighting for control of d5 by discouraging
Ne3.} *

[Event "Vlissingen "]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2008.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Zaragatski, I."]
[Black "Ikonnikov, V."]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "106"]
[EventDate "2008.??.??"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

{One final example that also illustrates a nice ...b5 break - after} 1. e4 c5
2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Be7 7. b3 Nf6 8. Bd3 O-O 9.
O-O Nd7 10. N1c3 a6 11. Na3 Nc5 12. Bb1 {, the following position was reached:
Black played excellently and instructively with} Bg5 $1 13. Bb2 $1 Rb8 $1 14.
Nc2 b5 $1 {, when White ended up worse after} 15. cxb5 axb5 16. b4 Na4 17. Nxa4
bxa4 18. a3 Na5 $1 19. Ne3 Nb3 20. Ra2 Bxe3 21. fxe3 Be6 {.} 22. Bc3 Qb6 23.
Qe1 Rbc8 24. Rc2 Bc4 25. Rff2 Bd3 26. Bb2 Bxc2 27. Bxc2 Rc7 28. Re2 Rfc8 29.
Qd1 Rxc2 30. Rxc2 Qxe3+ 31. Rf2 Qxe4 32. h3 Qc6 33. Qg4 Rf8 34. Qf5 Qb6 35. Kh2
Nd4 36. Qd7 Nb5 37. Rc2 g6 38. Bc1 Kg7 39. Bg5 h6 40. Be7 Rb8 41. Rd2 Qb7 42.
Bxd6 Nxd6 43. Rxd6 Qe4 44. Qxa4 Rc8 45. Qb3 Qf4+ 46. Kh1 Qf1+ 47. Kh2 Rc1 48.
Qf3 Qg1+ 49. Kg3 Rf1 50. Qe4 Qf2+ 51. Kh2 Re1 52. Qc6 Qf4+ 53. g3 Re2+ 0-1

[Event "FIDE World Championship, New Delhi"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2000.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Leitao, R."]
[Black "Nataf, I."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "119"]
[EventDate "2000.??.??"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

{The ...Bg5 jaunt isn't always possible, and frequently Black sees the need to
activate the bishop via d8.} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5
d6 6. c4 Be7 7. N1c3 a6 8. Na3 f5 $5 9. exf5 Bxf5 10. Bd3 Be6 11. O-O Nf6 12.
Nc2 O-O 13. b3 {. Nataf now played} Qd7 $1 14. Bb2 Bd8 $1 {, zigzagging the
bishop to the much better a7-g1 diagonal. The game continued} 15. Ne4 Nxe4 16.
Bxe4 Bb6 {, when Black was perfectly fine.} 17. Qd3 Bf5 18. Rad1 Rad8 19. Bc1
Bxe4 20. Qxe4 Qf5 21. Qxf5 Rxf5 22. Be3 Bxe3 23. Nxe3 Rf4 24. Rd5 Rd4 25. Rd1
Rxd1+ 26. Nxd1 b5 27. cxb5 Ne7 28. Rd3 axb5 29. Nc3 b4 30. Nd5 Kf7 31. Nxb4 d5
32. f3 Ke6 33. Kf2 Rb8 34. Nc2 e4 35. Rc3 Ke5 36. Rc7 Kd6 37. Ra7 Rc8 38. Nd4
Ke5 39. Rxe7+ Kxd4 40. fxe4 dxe4 41. Rd7+ Ke5 42. Rxg7 Rc2+ 43. Ke3 Rc3+ 44.
Kd2 Rd3+ 45. Ke2 h5 46. Rg3 Rd8 47. Rc3 Kd4 48. Rc2 Rg8 49. Rd2+ Ke5 50. Ke3
Rc8 51. b4 h4 52. h3 Rg8 53. Rb2 Rg3+ 54. Kf2 Kd4 55. b5 Kc3 56. Re2 Kd3 57. b6
e3+ 58. Ke1 Rg6 59. Rb2 Rc6 60. Rb3+ 1-0

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Pawn Structure 10"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "28"]
[SourceDate "2015.03.02"]

{The last typical idea that needs to be mentioned is the counterintuitive grab
of White's light-squared bishop for a knight, either through ...Nc6-d4xe2, or ...Nf6-d7-c5xd3. Consider the position below, occurring after} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3
Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Be7 7. Be2 Nf6 8. N1c3 a6 9. Na3 Nd4
$5 {: At first, it seems completely mad to take on e2 with that octopus of a
knight on d4. However, the logic slowly creeps on up on you: 1. A bishop is a
bishop, and grabbing the two bishops is (a lot of the time) just good chess.
--- 2. Black has slightly less space with which to manoeuvre his pieces, and
piece exchanges ease this task slightly. --- 3. White's light-squared bishop
makes ...b5 harder to achieve. Exchanging the bishop off now will make it
easier to play ...b5 at a later time. --- 4. Due to the central pawn structure,
Black's weaknesses in the Kalashnikov tend to be on light squares, especially
if he plays ...f5. Black's problems on the light squares are eased
significantly when he's the only one with a light-squared bishop. --- 5.
White's c4-pawn will lack a key and natural defender once his e2-bishop ceases
to exist. --- 6. Early in the game, it's not that easy to abuse the weak
d4-square - moves like Nc2 and Be3 quickly suggest themselves. Perhaps it's
worth immediately utilizing this weak square before the prospects for your
c6-knight diminish significantly. --- With all of that said, play generally
continues} 10. O-O Nxe2+ $1 11. Qxe2 Be6 12. Nc2 Rc8 13. Ne3 Qc7 $1 14. b3 b5
$1 {, when Black has adequate play.} *

[Event "Czestochowa"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1998.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Jedryczka, K."]
[Black "Stefanek, P."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "49"]
[EventDate "1998.??.??"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

{Another example occurred in the game K.Jedryczka-P.Stefanek, Czestochowa 1998,
after} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 a6 7. N5c3 Be6
8. Bd3 Be7 9. b3 Nf6 10. O-O O-O 11. Na3 {: Black played} Nd7 $1 12. Nc2 Nc5 {
and now instead of trying to save his bishop, White played} 13. Bb2 {and
allowed the sharp} f5 $6 14. exf5 Nxd3 15. Qxd3 Bxf5 {, when the game was
opening up for Black's two bishops. The position remained about equal though,
as White had good control of the d5-square.} 16. Qd5+ Kh8 17. Ne3 Bg6 18. Rad1
Nb4 19. Qd2 Nd3 20. Ncd5 b5 21. Bc3 Rc8 22. Qe2 bxc4 23. Nxc4 Nc5 24. Nxe7 Qxe7
25. Nxd6 1-0

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "First Moves"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "13"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

{In case it wasn't clear how the 14 chapters in this book are interwoven,
here's a quick outline:} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 ({White has a plethora of ways to
avoid the Rossolimo or Kalashnikov:} 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 {is the Closed Sicilian.
See Chapter 12.}) (2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4 {is the Grand-Prix Attack. This is covered
in Chapter 13, along with 2 f4 and 3 Bb5.}) (2. c3 {is the Alapin Sicilian,
covered in Chapter 11. --- White's other, less popular tries (the fianchetti,
Wing Gambit, etc) will be dealt with in the last chapter.}) 2... Nc6 3. d4 ({
The Rossolimo variation,} 3. Bb5 {, is immensely popular on all levels and
also quite dangerous. Coverage of the combative} Nf6 {is in Chapter 10.}) ({
White also has the interesting} 3. Nc3 {, posing a problem to Kalashnikov
players everywhere by threatening 4 d4, taking us out of our repertoire. We'll
defuse this option with} e5 {right after the Kalashnikov coverage in Chapter 9.
}) 3... cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 {Other knight moves are sub-optimal, giving
Black the opportunity to develop his dark-squared bishop before playing ...d6.}
({Discussion of moves like} 5. Nxc6) ({and} 5. Nf5 {will take place in Chapter
8.}) 5... d6 6. c4 ({This is White's attempt at punishing Black's move order
with 4...e5 (instead of entering the Sveshnikov with 4...Nf6 5 Nc3 e5), though
White has others:} 6. N1c3 {is likely just as good as 6 c4 or better. Our main
line with} a6 7. Na3 Be7 $5 8. Nc4 $1 {will be dealt with in Chapter 1, while
White's other 8th move options will follow in Chapter 2. --- White's
alternatives on move 6 are tackled in Chapter 7.}) 6... Be7 7. N1c3 {This move
is the most popular and likely best, covered in Chapter 3.} ({White has a few
other major alternatives though:} 7. Be2 {can transpose quite easily to 7 N1c3,
but retains independent significance in many lines. We'll examine this line in
detail in Chapter 4.}) (7. b3 {is no longer particularly popular, but
historically has seen plenty of play. See Chapter 5 for all of the details.}) (
{Finally,} 7. Bd3 {and all of White's other tries on the 7th move round out
the Kalashnikov coverage in Chapter 6.}) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "About This Book"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "4"]
[SourceDate "2015.03.02"]

{I've tried to give the ambitious black player looking for a strong repertoire
in the Sicilian Defence everything he could want. I aimed to walk the
tightrope between giving strong players enough analysis to chew on and players
new to the Sicilian enough verbal explanations and strategic guidance to
succeed - I hope that every reader finds enough in this book to make them
happy. --- A suggestion - players new to the Sicilian Defence should read the
commentary and stick to the bold lines at first to become familiar with the
ideas and most popular variations. Players at club level should pay very
special attention to Chapter 2 - my experience wielding the 6 N1c3 a6 7 Na3
Be7 variation is that very few play the critical 8 Nc4, and that playing à la
the Sveshnikov with 8 Nd5 is overwhelmingly popular, even among the FM and IM
players that I've battled on many occasions over the internet. Special care
should also be given to handling the Rossolimo. I see this in around half of
my games that start with} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 {. Perhaps this is because a lot
of players are happy to play 3 Bb5 against 2...Nc6, but less happy to play 2...d6 3 Bb5+, as 3...Bd7 tends to be a bit dry. --- Readers will invariably
notice that I'm 110% biased towards the black side of the Kalashnikov. While
I'm rooting for the player wielding the black pieces every time, I've tried to
be as objective as possible in the final evaluations of positions. If it's
equal, I've tried to say so, while emphasizing Black's favourable imbalances
such that he can play with purpose later, even if best play fizzles out to a
split point. --- Due to the complex nature of the Sicilian Defence, I've
chosen a tree structure instead of the more reader-friendly and entertaining
'complete games' structure. I've always found it easier to assimilate all of
the relevant information and 'download' it into my biological hard-drive when
the material is well organized and systematic. I've typically found it
difficult to see the big picture of opening systems when I have to piece
together 15 complete games I'd just studied into a mental tree, instead of
seeing the material presented that way in the first place. And with all of
that said, I've tried to include game fragments and famous games in their
entirety anyway if I found them to be useful or interesting. --- I hope that
the reader finds my weapons against the Anti-Sicilians to be adequate and
exciting. It's a difficult challenge to deal with these lines for many reasons.
Firstly, internal consistency of the repertoire can be constricting - the
Kalashnikov is especially tricky in this regard, as White has a few annoying
opportunities to try and move order us right out of our boots. Secondly, I
feel a certain amount of responsibility towards breaking new ground in opening
coverage. There are a lot of books on the Sicilian Defence, and therefore a
lot of recommendations in this book have been covered elsewhere. I'd like to
think that where this is true, there's still a great deal of new material and
a fresh perspective. Lastly, there's a fine balance between extracting every
last drop of value present in Black's position against White's less dangerous
tries and constructing a repertoire that's easy to assimilate and learn. I
have used these systems extensively and feel that there's a lot of play
without being oppressive to learn and maintain - hopefully most readers feel
the same. --- Every variation in this book has been checked with one or more
modern chess engines (Houdini, Stockfish, Critter, and Komodo is my normal
suite), and sometimes by more than one human as well. I can't guarantee that
assessments won't be overturned and new moves won't be found (history has
shown that even in the best books by the best authors/players, they're going
to get embarrassed a few times), but I can guarantee that I put forth a lot of
time making sure that someone's going to have work hard to one-up the book
you're holding in your hands, especially if they're not privy to all of the
information inside.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Acknowledgements"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "2"]
[SourceDate "2015.03.02"]

{Many people have contributed to this book in their own special way. Thanks to
my dad Mike, an incredible father who continually shows me what someone can
achieve through smarts and hard work. Conversely, I can always count on my
selfless mother Pam to prop me up during my ever-increasing bouts of vacuity
and lethargy. Thanks to my big sister Heidi, who's been my best friend and a
magnificent second mother to me for as long as I can remember. To my wonderful
girlfriend Vickie, beautiful inside and out, and exceedingly supportive during
the copious, unreasonably late writing sessions and missed deadlines. Lastly,
the Stantons... where would the Rotella family be without you guys? I can't
think of people I'd rather surround myself with - love all of you guys. ---
Chess has given me the opportunity to cultivate a great group of friends.
Firstly, immeasurable gratitude goes out to Mike Joelson, who taught me to
love the game. Many thanks to friends Ananth Pappu, Paul Swaney, Phil Seitzer,
Peter June, Joe Fogarty, John Gray, and Greg Juneja - top notch guys and
formidable sparring partners. Cheers to virtual friends and fellow
'ChessPubbers' Nikos Ntirlis, Mark Morss, Simon Bibby, and Michael Ayton. Your
support and comments on my material were invaluable, and drinks are on me if
you ever have the misfortune of running into me face to face. A special
'thanks' goes out to my peers at work - without your relentless ridicule, I
would have no doubt forgotten that I'd traversed well past my deadline! ---
Thanks to all of the wonderfully thoughtful and talented chess authors and
journalists who've inspired me to do this. And finally, my sincerest gratitude
goes out to John Emms and Byron Jacobs for giving me the chance to chase a
dream. It took me a hell of a long time to catch it - patience of Job would be
an insult at this point. --- Lastly, I hope you like it and enjoy your games
with} 1. e4 c5 $1 {Happy hunting to all you 'Killers' out there!} (1... -- {
Tony Rotella, Cleveland, Ohio, October 2014}) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "1: 6 N1c3 – The Critical 8 Nc4"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "19"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. N1c3 {The system
beginning with 6 N1c3 is in many ways the most natural way to tackle the
Kalashnikov. White develops quickly and in the most obvious way, controlling
the crucial d5-square while not incurring the lost time or dark-squared
weaknesses acquired by playing c4 (White can still control d4 via c3). On the
other hand, now ...a6 kicks White's b5-knight off to the poor a3-square, when
you can bet he'll have to move it at least two more times before it finds a
nice home somewhere, normally e3. This system has come to the foreground
within the last five years or so as the way to challenge the Kalashnikov both
in GM practice and in literature, being recommended by Pinski, Khalifman, and
De La Villa in their well received and popular repertoire books.} a6 {If
you're new to the ...e5 Sicilians, it's important to remember to play this
immediately, though allowing 7 Nd5 and 8 Nc7+ once will ensure you'll never
forget it again.} 7. Na3 Be7 $5 {This is my favourite way to meet White's
sixth. When I started writing this book, 7...Be7!? was a surprise weapon,
utilized by specialists 'in the know' and almost completely unknown to those
following popular theory and the above-mentioned repertoire books. Since then,
this move has surged to the forefront of Kalashnikov theory on the shoulders
of Kalashnikov experts like Alexander Moiseenko, Vyacheslav Ikonnikov, Teimour
Radjabov, and the versatile Vassily Ivanchuk. You'll find the next two
chapters littered with their games. --- The move itself is quite crafty -
Black delays the development of his g8-knight and also refrains from the
weakening ...b5 for the moment. Putting the bishop on e7 before the knight
hops to f6 prevents White from taking control of the critical d5-square even
further by Bg5 (which will bug quite a few white players who will want to
treat this exactly like a Sveshnikov), and also gives Black the possibility of
trading off his somewhat passive bishop on e7 for White's better bishop on c1.
This manoeuvre is so commonplace and central to the Kalashnikov paradigm that
by the end of the book, you'll likely be sick of even seeing it. --- The one
downside to 7...Be7!? is that it allows White's next, immediately fixing his
offside knight currently nestled into the awkward a3-square. This is in direct
contrast to the corresponding line in the Sveshnikov, which continues 4...Nf6
5 Nc3 e5 6 Ndb5 d6 7 Bg5 a6 8 Na3 b5, when White doesn't have this possibility.
} ({It's worth quickly touring the older main lines starting with} 7... b5 {to
justify my seventh move choice. Moving on, after 7...b5, the immediate threat
of ...b4 compels White to play} 8. Nd5 {. --- The positions tend to be less
rational and more concrete from here. Black has played all three of the
following knight moves extensively:} -- ({. If the reader has the Sveshnikov
in his repertoire,} 8... Nf6 {makes some sense, offering a transposition there
after 9 Bg5. Stronger is} 9. c4 {, forcing a concession from Black on the
queenside and securing d5. --- Play typically continues} b4 (9... Nd4 {has
scored poorly for Black after} 10. Bd3 ({or} 10. Bg5)) 10. Nxf6+ Qxf6 11. Nc2
Qg6 12. Ne3 (12. Qd5 Bd7 13. h4 $5 {has also been played frequently, but after
the} h5 14. g3 Rc8 15. Bg2 Be7 16. b3 O-O 17. O-O a5 {of O.Strengell-H.Ozmen,
correspondence 2008, Black had few problems}) 12... Be7 13. g3 (13. Bd3 $5 O-O
14. O-O Bg5 15. Nd5 a5 16. Be3 {of V.Grigoriev-L.Neagu, correspondence 2010,
looks slightly better for White to me, as Black's queen seems misplaced on g6})
13... Nd4 14. Bg2 Bb7 15. Nf5 {. This allows Black to uncork the fantastic}
Qxf5 $1 16. exf5 Bxg2 17. Rg1 Bf3 18. Qd3 Be2 ({Radjabov tried} 18... d5 $2 19.
cxd5 Rc8 {in V.Topalov-T.Radjabov, Sofia 2008, but after} 20. Be3 Nc2+ 21. Kf1
e4 22. Qxa6 O-O 23. Rb1 {I'm not sure his compensation was sufficient}) 19.
Qxd4 exd4 20. Kxe2 Rc8 21. b3 d5 $1 {of J.Schuller-N.Sukhov, correspondence
2010, after which Black was very active.}) (8... Nce7 {is a bit slower, but
has the benefit that after the exchange on d5, Black's other knight is well
positioned to attack the pawn there. --- White has two main tries for an
advantage:} 9. -- (9. Bg5 $5 {is incredibly sharp, White's point being that} h6
{can be met with} 10. Bxb5+ $5 axb5 11. Nxb5 {, threatening Nc7+. One fun
example was R.Fakhretdinov-E.Sveshnikov, USSR 1989, which continued} Ra7 12.
Ndc7+ Rxc7 13. Nxd6+ Qxd6 14. Qxd6 Rc6 15. Qxe5 hxg5 16. Qxg5 Nf6 17. O-O-O g6
18. Qa5 Bh6+ 19. Kb1 O-O {, with the ultra-rare and beyond unclear imbalance
of queen and five pawns vs. four pieces. --- Sveshnikov managed to mate White
in 32 moves - a game well worth tracking down!}) (9. c4 $1 {is White's usual
method, upping the queenside pressure. Now} Nxd5 10. exd5 $1 {is critical,
play typically continuing} bxc4 {this is practically forced,} ({as the} 10...
Nf6 11. cxb5 Be7 12. Bc4 O-O 13. O-O {of A.Shirov-O.Annageldyev, Istanbul
Olympiad 2000, is clearly better for White}) 11. Nxc4 Nf6 12. Be3 {(Black has
some problems with his queenside dark squares)} Rb8 13. Be2 {(White scores a
whopping 70% in my database after this move)} ({they also like the
lesser-played} 13. Rc1 $5 {, intending} Be7 14. Ba7 Rb7 15. Bb6 Qd7 16. Be2 O-O
17. O-O Qf5 18. a4 {, with an edge for White}) 13... Be7 14. O-O O-O 15. a4 Bb7
16. Nb6 Nd7 {when Cornette and Libiszewski think} 17. Nxd7 $1 Qxd7 18. b4 $1 f5
19. b5 {as in A.Brenke-V.Aleshnya, correspondence 2002, leads to an edge for
White.})) (8... Nge7 {is the main move, after which} 9. c4 $1 {is again the
only challenge. --- Play usually continues} Nd4 (9... Nxd5 10. exd5 Nd4 11.
cxb5 {generally transposes}) 10. cxb5 (10. Be3 Nxd5 11. cxd5 {is White's other
main try, after which Black must gambit a pawn with either} g6 $5 {; Cornette
and Libiszewski prefer the former, when play might continue} ({or} 11... Be7)
12. Bxd4 exd4 13. Qxd4 Qa5+ 14. Qd2 Qxd2+ 15. Kxd2 Bg7 16. Kc2 f5 $1 17. Bd3
fxe4 18. Bxe4 O-O 19. f3 Bf5 {, with reasonable compensation for Black in G.Nagy-T.Koop, Pardubice 2010}) 10... Nxd5 11. exd5 {when Black has tried two
bishop moves:} -- ({. Following} 11... Be7 {, I was unable to find enough
compensation for Black after} 12. Bd3 (12. bxa6 $6 Qa5+ {followed by ...Qxd5
is fine for Black}) 12... O-O 13. O-O f5 14. bxa6 $1 {: for example,} f4 ({
Cornette and Libiszewski's} 14... e4 $5 15. Bc4 Bf6 16. Be3 Nf3+ 17. gxf3 Bxb2
18. f4) ({Bojkov instead prefers going into a pawn-down ending following} 14...
Qb6 15. Be3 Bxa6 16. Bxa6 Qxa6 17. Bxd4 exd4 18. Qxd4 Bf6 19. Qd2 Bxb2 20. Qxb2
Qxa3 21. Qb7 h6 {, but to me this is also uninspiring}) 15. Nc2 Qb6 16. Nxd4
Qxd4 17. a4 {, as in P.Cijs-P.Hans, correspondence 2007.}) ({. Cornette and
Libiszewski prefer the lesser-played} 11... Bd7 $5 {, which generally leads to
very irrational positions: for instance} 12. Be3 (12. bxa6 Qa5+ 13. Bd2 Qxd5
14. Be3 Qe4 $1 15. Qd3 d5 16. Qxe4 dxe4 {was H.Remus-G.Simms, correspondence
1998, when} 17. O-O-O $5 {is another critical try}) 12... axb5 $1 13. Bxd4 exd4
14. Bd3 Qa5+ 15. Kf1 b4 $5 16. Nc4 Qc5 17. Rc1 {was A.Bezemer-E.Wiersma,
Amsterdam 2011. --- Cornette and Libiszewski think the novelty} Rxa2 $5 {
equalizes after the wet and wild} 18. Qe1+ Be7 19. Ne5 $1 Qxc1 $1 20. Qxc1 dxe5
{. That very well may be, but I'd expect the queen to score well in practice
after} 21. f4 ({or} 21. g4 {. Regardless of the final evaluation, this line
isn't particularly well-suited to be a repertoire choice anyway. --- If the
reader wants to explore the older 7...b5 further, I highly recommend The
Complete Kalashnikov. It's a bit hard to navigate, but Cornette and
Libiszewski's analysis is top notch, as well as absurdly deep and
comprehensive.})))) 8. Nc4 $1 {Chapter 2 will cover White's other 8th move
options, but as stated above, this is critical. White has a small window to
fix the knight, and should jump on the chance now.} b5 {Black has little
choice here due to the pressure on b6 and d6.} ({Radjabov and Shabalov have
tried} 8... Nf6 {on more than one occasion, but I haven't found anything
satisfactory after} 9. Bg5 {, transposing to a dubious version of the
Sveshnikov. Practice has shown that the ending after} O-O ({there really isn't
anything else: for instance,} 9... Nd4 10. Bxf6 Bxf6 11. Nd5 b5 12. Ncb6 Rb8
13. Nxc8 Rxc8 14. c3 Ne6 15. a4 $1 {with strong pressure}) 10. Bxf6 $1 Bxf6 11.
Qxd6 Be6 (11... Nd4 12. Qxd8 Rxd8 13. Bd3 {gives Black basically no
compensation}) ({and} 11... Qxd6 {seems like a worse version of the main line})
12. Nd5 $1 Bxd5 13. exd5 Nd4 14. Qxd8 Raxd8 15. O-O-O {followed by c3 is
unpleasant for Black.}) 9. Ne3 Nf6 {. It's time for White to decide where his
light-squared bishop belongs:} 10. -- ({A:} 10. Bd3) ({B:} 10. g3) ({It's
worth briefly discussing the rare} 10. Ned5 {. After} O-O {, it looks as
though White's tried nearly everything:} 11. -- (11. Be3 {looks strong and has
scored well, but after the principled} Nxd5 12. Nxd5 Bg5 $1 13. Bb6 Qd7 {,
White has failed to prove anything. M.Susnik-M.Srebrnic, Slovenia 2007,
continued} 14. Be2 Ne7 $1 {(Black focuses on the central light squares, and
slowly wrestles control of d5 away from White)} 15. Nxe7+ Bxe7 16. O-O Bb7 17.
f3 Rac8 18. c3 Qc6 19. Bf2 Rfd8 20. Qb3 {, when Black finally broke out with}
d5 {.}) (11. Bd3 {will look very similar to lines considered after 10 Bd3,
except that White's committed to Ned5 instead of Ncd5 or a4. Black can play in
similar fashion with} Rb8 $5 12. O-O {, with the idea that} Nxd5 13. Nxd5 Bg5
14. a4 {transposes.}) (11. a4 b4 12. Nxf6+ Bxf6 13. Nd5 Bg5 14. Bc4 Bxc1 15.
Qxc1 (15. Rxc1 a5 16. O-O Bb7 {followed by ...Ne7 also seems fine for Black})
15... Be6 16. O-O Nd4 {was roughly level in A.Haast-V.Ikonnikov, Utrecht 2009,}
({though Black could also consider} 16... a5 17. c3 bxc3 18. bxc3 Nb8 $5 {,
rerouting the knight to c5, which is compelling now that b3 is very weak.})) (
11. Be2 {seems harmless, the easiest equalizer being the} Nxd5 12. Nxd5 Bg5 {
of D.Rogic-A.Jankovic, Stari Mikanovci (rapid) 2009, which continued} 13. O-O
Bxc1 14. Rxc1 Be6 15. c3 Ne7 $1 16. Nxe7+ Qxe7 {, with easy equality.})) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "6 N1c3 – The Critical 8 Nc4"]
[Black "A: 10 Bd3"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "42"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. N1c3 a6 7. Na3 Be7 $5 8.
Nc4 $1 b5 9. Ne3 Nf6 10. Bd3 {I must confess that when I first started
analysing 7...Be7 I underestimated this move - it seemed like developing just
to get it over with. But over time and with more analysis, this system's
validity slowly crept up on me. Compared to 10 g3, there's definitely value in
developing quickly and keeping an eye on Black's queenside pawns, which adds
some much needed 'oomph' to the a4 break.} O-O 11. O-O Rb8 $1 {This mysterious
rook jaunt looks best. The move has many points, the most relevant being that
Black takes prophylactic measures against White's a4 strike. Now any number of
Black's typical reactions like ...bxa4, ...b4, or simply leaving the pawn on
b5 protected (experience has taught that if you can get away with this one,
it's usually best) are appropriate and ready for launch depending on White's
choices. This move also protects the weak b6-square from intrusion, and
ensures that if Black's queen gets dragged off to g5 after an exchange of
dark-squared bishops, Nc7 doesn't come with a threat on the rook, allowing him
time to react to the new threat of Qxd6.} ({In addition, it's worth noting
that sometimes it's in Black's interest to delay ...Be6, as he's done here,
since after a knight lands on d5, Black is no longer able to trade knight for
knight, instead having to give up his light-squared bishop. As proof, consider
the consequences of} 11... Be6 12. Ncd5 $1 {- taking with the knight is now
impossible and} Bxd5 ({while} 12... Rb8 13. a4 $1 {leaves Black under a lot of
pressure on account of the a6-pawn hanging after} b4 14. Nxf6+ Bxf6 15. Bxa6)
13. Nxd5 Nxd5 $6 14. exd5 Nd4 $4 {loses to} 15. c3 {.}) ({In my first pass I
recommended} 11... Nb4 $5 {, looking to pinch the bishop on d3 as soon as
possible. --- Then some analysis was posted on the always-astute
ChessPublishing.com forums that reinvigorated this line for White. Since then,
that very line has been tested in a few games that continued} 12. Be2 $1 Be6
13. a3 $1 ({originally I only examined A.Naiditsch-Z.Hracek, European
Championship 2010, which continued} 13. Bf3 Rc8 14. g3 {, leaving Black a
tempo up on 10 g3}) 13... Nc6 {(Black has essentially played ...Be6 and
donated a3 and the retreat of the bishop to e2 to White for free; as we saw
above, an early ...Be6 is not the solution to Black's problems)} 14. Ned5 Nd4
15. Bd3 $1 {(again White chooses to save this bishop, as the knight is
vulnerable to things like Be3 and f4, or Ncd5 and c3)} Rb8 16. Be3 Re8 $5 {
(this chapter is filled with mysterious rook moves - this one ensures that the
rook is active after a later Bxd4)} 17. Qd2 h6 $5 {I'm not convinced this move
is any good,} ({and Cornette and Libiszewski prefer} 17... Nxd5 18. Nxd5 Qd7
19. Nxe7+ Qxe7 20. Bxd4 ({the first player doesn't have to play 20 Bxd4 though,
and in fact, both} 20. f4) ({and} 20. b3 {, preparing a4, seem strong too})
20... exd4 {, though they admit this is a smidge better for White}) 18. f3 ({
gluing the b-pawn in place and preparing a4 with} 18. b4 $5 {is a good try for
White as well}) 18... Nxd5 19. Nxd5 Bxd5 20. exd5 Bf6 {. This was Y.Butov-G.Perini, correspondence 2012, which was eventually drawn, but White looks
slightly for preference here. My computer is obsessed with the adorable} 21.
Qd1 $5 {the idea being to trap the knight after g4 and c3. Play continues} Qd7
(21... Bg5 {is also possible, though after} 22. Bf2 $1 Qd7 23. f4 $1 Bd8 24. c3
Nf5 25. Bxf5 Qxf5 26. fxe5 {Black loses material}) 22. g4 $5 Nxf3+ 23. Rxf3
Qxg4+ 24. Rg3 Qxd1+ 25. Rxd1 e4 26. Bf1 Bxb2 27. Bf4 {, when I doubt Black has
enough for the piece.}) 12. Ncd5 ({Parking the steed on d5 immediately is by
far the most popular, though the alternatives are definitely worth mentioning
as well:} 12. Ned5 {would transpose after} Nxd5 13. Nxd5 Bg5 {.}) (12. a3 $5 {
has been played in a few games by strong players. Black loses the option to
grab the bishop with ...Nb4, but can try and capitalize on White's loss of
time by attacking the e-pawn with ...Nd4-e6-c5 and ...Bb7: for example,} Nd4
13. Ncd5 Ne6 $5 14. b4 $5 {(White stops this plan in its tracks, though Black
can return to what he knows best - exchanging off those dark-squared bishops)}
Nxd5 15. Nxd5 Bg5 $1 16. a4 (16. Bb2 Bb7 17. a4 Bxd5 18. exd5 Nf4 19. axb5 axb5
20. Ra5 Qd7 {is also rock-solid for the second player; in the Kalashnikov,
White frequently has the option to avoid the exchange of bishops with Bb2, but
in most cases I've noticed this fails to impress, as the bishop is never
well-placed with Black's solid central pawn structure staring it down}) 16...
Bxc1 17. Qxc1 {was M.Solleveld-J.Shaw, Cappelle la Grande 2002, and now
snapping off the knight with} Bb7 18. Rd1 Bxd5 19. exd5 Nf4 {reaches an equal
'Not Quite Ending'.}) ({The} 12. a4 {of D.Baramidze-J.Markos, Austrian League
2008, is as challenging for Black as the main line with 12 Ncd5. --- Black
should play the novelty} Nb4 $1 {now that White has lost the option to evict
the knight with a3, this move is enticing as Black defends the b-pawn with
tactical tricks against the e-pawn, a theme that will pop up many more times
as you skim this book;} ({the problem with the thematic choice is that after} 
12... b4 13. Ncd5 Nxd5 14. Nxd5 Bg5 15. Bxg5 Qxg5 {Black has lost the
opportunity to take on a4, and now 16 a5! gives White annoying play}) 13. axb5
axb5 {:} 14. -- ({. Black's point is that} 14. Nxb5 Nxd3 ({Houdini thinks that
heading into the ugly looking ending after} 14... d5 $5 15. exd5 Nfxd5 16. Bc4
Nxe3 17. Qxd8 Rxd8 18. fxe3 Be6 19. Bxe6 fxe6 {is also fully playable}) 15.
Qxd3 Nxe4 16. Qxe4 Rxb5 {gives good counterplay based on his open lines on the
queenside and the two bishops.}) (14. Bxb5 Nxe4 {is obviously nothing too.}) ({
. Cornette and Libiszewski (let's make it C&L hereafter) give} 14. Qe2 Nxd3 15.
Qxd3 Be6 (15... b4 16. Ncd5 Be6 {is similar, but ...b4 is not worth the tempo
spent on it, as White will be compelled to put a knight on d5 anyway}) 16. Ncd5
Bxd5 17. Nxd5 Nxd5 18. Qxd5 Qc7 19. c3 Rfc8 {, when a later ...Qc4 will ensure
decent play for Black.}) ({. In my original manuscript I had} 14. Re1 {as
superior to the text, but after} Be6 15. Bf1 Qb6 16. Nf5 ({also possible here
is} 16. Bd2 Qc5 17. Nf5 Bxf5 18. exf5 {and now both} Rfc8 ({and} 18... Nxc2 $5
19. Qxc2 b4 {followed by ...Bd8 promise Black good counterplay})) 16... Bxf5
17. exf5 Rfc8 {, Black has achieved a very reasonable position, with a solid
share of the centre and natural development.})) 12... Nxd5 13. Nxd5 (13. exd5 {
isn't totally silly, though Black has very few problems in practice: for
instance,} Na5 14. a4 b4 15. Nf5 ({Shirov avoided hopping into f5 with} 15. Bd2
{against Ivanchuk, the Ukrainian needing only that small window to burrow in
there himself with} f5 $1 {looking slightly for preference after} 16. c3 bxc3
17. Bxc3 e4 18. Bc2 Bf6 19. g3 Bd7 20. Rb1 Nb7 {, though here the players
agreed a draw in A.Shirov-V.Ivanchuk, Wijk aan Zee 2003}) 15... Bxf5 16. Bxf5
Nb7 $1 {(heading for the wonderful c5-square, of course)} 17. Be3 Bg5 $1 18.
Qh5 h6 {was S.Schubert-T.Tenev, correspondence 2006. Black has few problems
after the exchange of dark-squared bishops. Indeed, we'll see many times that
Black has few problems in these light-squared bishop vs. knight endings; he
has no weaknesses, and his knight has a variety of great squares to work with
on the queenside.}) 13... Bg5 14. a4 {Attacking Black's queenside is
definitely correct,} ({but White has gone about it in a few different ways:} 
14. Bxg5 {is frequently correct, as Black's queen is typically misplaced on
the g5-square. In this particular case, though, it's ill advised, as} Qxg5 15.
a4 {can be met by} bxa4 $1 16. Rxa4 Rxb2 17. Bxa6 {of P.Doggers-E.Wiersma,
Micha Leuw Memorial 2007, when} Be6 {seems completely fine for Black. The
liquidation of pawns on the queenside should ease his defensive task
considerably.}) (14. c3 Bxc1 15. Qxc1 (15. Rxc1 {was tried in the U.S. Women's
Championships this year - T.Abrahamyan-I.Krush continued} Be6 16. a4 Bxd5 17.
exd5 Ne7 18. axb5 axb5 19. f4 Qb6+ 20. Kh1 Nxd5 ({better is the thematic} 20...
exf4 $1 21. Rxf4 Ng6 {, with equality}) 21. Bxh7+ Kxh7 22. Qxd5 exf4 23. Rxf4 {
, when White was a little better based on Black's exposed king and pawn
weaknesses}) 15... Be6 16. Ne3 Qb6 17. b4 {was O.Boguslavsky-V.Ikonnikov,
French League 2005, and now my silicon partner-in-crime suggests that} a5 $5 {
is the cleanest way to equalize: for example,} 18. a3 Rfc8 19. Qd2 Ne7 20. Rfd1
Rc6 {, with a reasonable position for Black. As is typical, the weakness on c3
is offset by the one on d6, and it's difficult for either side to budge
profitably.}) 14... Bxc1 15. axb5 (15. Qxc1 Be6 {transposes to the main line.}
({Be careful though - Black should be keen to avoid something like} 15... b4
16. a5 {, with a nagging edge to White on account of the weak a6-pawn.})) 15...
axb5 16. Qxc1 (16. Rxc1 $6 {forfeits a perfectly functional open file for no
reason, and after the customary} Be6 {Black should have no problems.}) 16...
Be6 17. Qd2 {This straightforward regrouping is Houdini's preference,} ({
though other moves have been tried in practice:} 17. Ne3 Qb6 18. c3 Na5 (18...
Rfc8 {also looks sufficient}) 19. Nd5 $6 {(we already know these endings are
imminently playable for Black)} Bxd5 20. exd5 f5 21. Qe3 Qc7 22. b4 Nc4 23. Qe2
Rbc8 24. Ra6 Qb7 25. Rfa1 Ra8 {was agreed drawn in J.Havlik-P.Folk, Czech
League 2012,} ({though Black could have fought on with} 25... Qxd5 {instead.}))
(17. Qe3 g6 $5 {was J.Pierre-T.Tenev, correspondence 2007:} 18. c3 ({in the
stem game White admitted his inaccuracy with the lame} 18. Qd2 {, and Tenev
decided to roll the dice with} f5 {;} ({instead, I might prefer the main
line's formula with} 18... Bxd5 19. exd5 Ne7 20. Be4 Ra8 {, when Black has
wrapped up equality})) 18... Bxd5 19. exd5 Ne7 20. Be4 Ra8 21. Rxa8 (21. Ra7 f5
22. Bc2 f4 23. Rxa8 fxe3 {also liquidates into a level ending}) 21... Qxa8 22.
Qb6 Qb8 {with easy equality after the queens come off, Black following up with
...f5 and ...Kg7.}) 17... g6 $5 {Again, just as in the Tenev game above, Black
takes time out for this high-class waiting move, partially because it compels
White into Ra6 instead of Ra7.} 18. Ra6 Bxd5 19. exd5 Ne7 20. Rfa1 Qc7 (20...
Nxd5 $6 21. Bxg6 hxg6 22. Qxd5 Rb6 23. R1a5 {leaves Black under some pressure.}
) 21. Bf1 Rfc8 {. I see no problems for Black in this position - his rooks
will prevent intrusions from White's forces along the a-file and seventh rank,
while his other pieces will manoeuvre into more active and advantageous
positions. One strong plan is to gang up on the d-pawn, which has been
separated from the rest of the pack via the b5-pawn, with ...Kg7 and ...Ng8-f6,
followed by ...e4 and ...Qd7-f5. White may try and capitalize on the weak dark
squares surrounding our king with h4-h5-h6, but this can be stopped
immediately with ...h5.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "6 N1c3 – The Critical 8 Nc4"]
[Black "B: 10 g3"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "31"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. N1c3 a6 7. Na3 Be7 $5 8.
Nc4 $1 b5 9. Ne3 Nf6 10. g3 $5 {Alarming levels of Nimzowitschian
overprotection. White aims more firepower at the d5-square, but this too has
drawbacks, as White's idea wastes a tempo compared to 10 Bd3 and creates
additional kingside weaknesses. You'll also notice occasionally that White
needs to reposition this bishop somewhere else to actually get it involved in
the game, and must constantly be on the lookout for the practically difficult
endings that occur if Black simplifies down to just heavy pieces and a knight
on d4/c5 vs. the bishop on g2.} O-O ({The thievery commencing after} 10... b4
$6 {looks risky after the precise and forcing} 11. Ncd5 Nxe4 12. Bg2 f5 13. g4
$1 Bh4 14. O-O O-O 15. gxf5 Nxf2 16. Rxf2 Bxf2+ 17. Kxf2 Bxf5 18. Nxf5 Nd4 19.
Kg1 Nxf5 {when, instead of Khalifman's} 20. Qg4 {,} ({I think} 20. Ne3 $1 {
looks strong. Chopping wood and leaving Black with less to work with seems
prudent here, and I doubt that the rook and pawns are a match for White's
active bishop-pair: for example,} Nxe3 21. Bxe3 Rc8 22. a3 $1 {with a
well-deserved and obvious edge to the first player.})) ({It should be noted
that the risky} 10... h5 $5 {is possible, played by Radjabov himself, and was
analysed extensively by C&L. I'd encourage you to pick up their book if you're
interested in it, as their coverage was beyond exhaustive.}) 11. Bg2 b4 {
Forcing the exchange of dark-squared bishops has been virtually universal here,
} ({but it's worth considering the alternatives:} 11... Be6 12. O-O b4 13. Ncd5
Bxd5 14. exd5 Nd4 15. Bd2 {was slightly better for White after he installed a
knight on c4 in B.Lindberg-P.Cramling, Swedish Championship, Vasteras 2011.}) (
11... Rb8 $5 {is a move order worthy of more examination.} 12. -- ({. The
point is that after the obvious} 12. O-O b4 13. Ncd5 Nxd5 14. Nxd5 Bg5 15. Bxg5
({but sidesteps the important and theoretically relevant} 15. a4) 15... Qxg5 {
, Black transposes to the mainline.}) ({. White's other options on move 12
include:} 12. h4 $5 {was tried in J.Fenwick-J.Leroy, correspondence 2011. My
computer thinks that this is second best to 12 0-0, it's only point being that
it stops a future ...Bg5. The aforementioned game continued} Be6 13. Ncd5 Na5
$5 {Black declares the queenside his stomping grounds,} ({though} 13... Qd7 14.
O-O Rfc8 15. c3 Bd8 {also seems good, and more thematic}) 14. O-O Nxd5 15. Nxd5
Rc8 16. c3 Nc4 17. a4 Bxd5 18. Qxd5 Nb6 19. Qb7 Nxa4 {with good play for Black
after} 20. Qxa6 Qd7 {, intending to trap the queen with ...Ra8. That
withstanding, Black has a solid grip on the centre, and h4 has had no tangible
impact on Black's play.}) ({. Provoking queenside weaknesses with} 12. a4 {
suggests itself as a reasonable independent try. Black should stay the course
with} b4 13. Ncd5 Nxd5 14. Nxd5 Bg5 15. Bxg5 {(again, White generally does
well to distract Black's queen away from the action on the other flank)} Qxg5
16. O-O Be6 17. Qd3 {, securing reasonable counterplay with both} Nd4 $5 ({or
the more sombre} 17... a5 {, intending ...Rfc8 and ...Nd4.})) ({. Returning to
} 12. O-O b4 13. Ncd5 Nxd5 14. Nxd5 Bg5 15. f4 $5 {, intending either} Bh6 ({or
} 15... exf4 16. gxf4 Bh4 17. a3) 16. a3 $1 {. Both positions are very murky,
and more tests are needed.})) 12. Ncd5 (12. Ne2 {seems misguided. The easiest
recipe for Black is probably} Bb7 13. O-O Nb8 $1 {, stopping the desirable} 14.
a3 $5 b3 $1 15. c3 {, sniping at White's new weakness on c4.}) 12... Nxd5 {
Black plays this move with a specific idea in mind: to trade off his somewhat
passive e7-bishop for White's good c1-bishop. In a way, this shapes a
mini-struggle that continues for the rest of the game - Black will normally
seek to eliminate White's knight by ...Be6xd5 and try to sink his knight into
d4, reaching a good knight vs. mediocre bishop ending. If he can keep this
knight there, or in the case of c3 reroute it to c5 via e6, then the resulting
positions will generally be at least equal for him and certainly easier to
play, as White's bishop has diminished prospects with the d5-pawn blocking its
activity. This exchange is not without its downsides though - Black will find
his d6-pawn noticeably weaker after the exchange of these bishops.} 13. Nxd5
Bg5 14. Bxg5 {This is probably more accurate than simply castling right away,
as Black's queen is misplaced on g5. You'll find in many lines that follow
that the second player has to lose a tempo swinging her majesty back round to
the queenside via d8.} ({Alternatives are:} 14. O-O Bxc1 15. Rxc1 Be6 {and now:
} 16. -- (16. Ne3 Qb6 $1 {was I.Gaponenko-K.Rohonyan, Nalchik 2008. Black will
follow up with ...Rfd8 and ...Rac8 with equality.}) (16. Qd3 {is untested but
understandable. Black has reasonable counterplay after either} a5 17. Rfd1 ({or
} 17. c3 Rb8 18. Rfd1 bxc3 19. bxc3 Ne7 {, with the point that} 20. Nxe7+ Qxe7
21. Qxd6 {trades the d-pawn for the a-pawn}) 17... Bxd5 18. exd5 (18. Qxd5 Nd4
$1 {is annoying for White}) 18... Nb8 $1 {(heading straight for c5).}) (16. c3
bxc3 17. bxc3 Qa5 18. Qe2 Bxd5 19. exd5 Nb8 $1 {(heading for a strong outpost
on c5)} 20. Qc4 Rd8 21. Qb4 Qc7 22. Qa4 Nd7 23. Qc6 Ra7 24. Rb1 {was S.Soloviov-A.Federov, Minsk 2008, and now after} f5 $1 {I prefer Black by a hair.
He will soon have the better minor piece and White's pawns may turn out to be
the weaker.})) (14. Ne3 $5 Be6 15. O-O Rc8 16. -- (16. a3 $6 {was S.Ganguly-A.Federov, New Delhi 2006, and now} b3 $5 {is tempting, since no matter how
White reacts, Black's knight will cross midfield into a nice home. For
instance,} 17. c3 (17. cxb3 Nd4 18. b4 Nb3 19. Rb1 a5 $1 {also gives Black
interesting play}) 17... Bxe3 $1 18. Bxe3 Na5 $1 {poses White some problems.})
({. Instead, he can try} 16. f4 $5 exf4 ({Black can also try the more mundane} 
16... a5 {as well if the 17 cxb3 lines are not to his temperament}) 17. gxf4
Bf6 {with fine counterplay for Black, since} 18. f5 Bd7 {forfeits the
e5-square. After something like} 19. Qxd6 Be5 20. Qd1 Qh4 {Black has good
compensation for the pawn based on his lead in development, kingside pressure,
strong control of the e5-square, and open central files for his rooks.})) 14...
Qxg5 15. O-O ({'El Khalif' recommended the poisonous} 15. a3 $5 {in his
Opening for White According to Anand series. However, it hasn't been very
popular in the last 3-4 years, perhaps because black players reliably worked
out the consequences of} bxa3 $1 16. Rxa3 Rb8 {:} 17. -- (17. b3 Nd4 $1 {sees
Black install a knight on d4 in the near future,} 18. -- ({, since} 18. c3 $2
Bg4 $1 19. Qb1 (19. f3 $2 Nxf3+ $1 20. Bxf3 Bxf3 21. Qxf3 Qc1+ {is a complete
blowout}) 19... Nf3+ {saddles White with a suspect position.}) ({. Better is} 
18. O-O {, though practical results have been promising for the second player
after} Bb7 19. Ne3 ({White probably can't tolerate ...Bxd5 here, though} 19. f4
Qd8 20. Ne3 Rc8 21. Nc4 Qc7 {is an okay try; Black retains equal chances after
...Qc5 and ...Rfd8, possibly following up with ...d5}) 19... Rfc8 20. Nc4 Qe7 {
, as in T.Feldtmann-V.Ikonnikov, Frankfurt 2010. My computer suggests that
tripling on the c-file is the way to play: for example,} 21. c3 Nb5 22. Ra5 Rc5
$5 23. Qd2 Qc7 {, and so forth. Black has the idea of enforcing ...d5 by first
deflecting the e-pawn with ...f5.})) (17. h4 Qd8 {saw Kalashnikov expert
Vyacheslav Ikonnikov outplay another master-level player in fine and
instructive style. Pay attention to his insightful play in the following
encounter, which continued} 18. Qc1 ({if} 18. b3 Nd4 {again}) 18... a5 {(Black
prepares ...Be6)} 19. O-O Nd4 20. Re3 $6 {(White's rook is completely
misplaced here)} Be6 21. c3 {. --- Here Black uncorked the usual} Bxd5 {,
securing a pleasurable knight vs. passive bishop ending after} 22. exd5 (22.
cxd4 exd4 {and Black should be clearly better}) 22... Nb3 23. Qc2 f5 {.
Ikonnikov closed out the game easily after} 24. Kh2 Qb6 25. Re2 g6 26. Rb1 a4
27. Bh3 Rbc8 28. Qd3 Rc7 29. Qe3 $6 Qxe3 30. Rxe3 Rb8 31. Rd1 $2 Na5 $1 {0-1,
P.Piscopo-V.Ikonnikov, Conegliano 2008. The knight lands on c4 with a thud. In
general, playing h4 just donates a tempo to Black, as the queen is normally
more than happy to head back to d8 of her own accord.}) ({. After} 17. Ra2 a5
18. O-O Qd8 $1 {not for the first or last time we see Black's queen heading
back to more purposeful placements on the queenside. --- In E.Van Leeuwen-S.Simonenko, correspondence 2007, White tried} 19. Qd2 Nd4 ({but after the
natural} 19... Be6 {Black looked fine. White has to constantly be worried
about ...Bxd5, when the ending might be troublesome for him, just as in the
Ikonnikov game above}) 20. b3 Be6 {.} ({I also like} 20... Rb5 {, intending to
swing the rook over to c5.})) (17. Qd2 $5 {is tricky. After} Qxd2+ 18. Kxd2
Rxb2 {White reveals his idea with} 19. Rc3 {, threatening the cheapo with 20
Rxc6. Black should play} Bb7 20. Kc1 $1 ({not} 20. Rxc6 $2 Bxc6 21. Ne7+ Kh8
22. Nxc6 Rc8 23. Kc1 Rb7 24. Na5 Rb5 {, trapping the knight}) 20... Ra2 21.
Rxc6 Bxc6 22. Ne7+ Kh8 23. Nxc6 Rc8 24. Nb4 Ra1+ 25. Kd2 Rxh1 26. Bxh1 {when
the position after} a5 {has been reached in two high-level games, Black
scoring 1½/2. --- The endgame is complex, but some training games and
computer shoot-outs suggest it's balanced. In A.Mista-A.Moiseenko, Dresden
2007, Moiseenko was able to create a second outside passer, a trump that was
too much for White to handle. The game continued} 27. Na2 g6 28. Bg2 Kg7 29.
Nc3 f5 30. Bh3 Rf8 31. exf5 gxf5 32. f4 exf4 33. gxf4 Rf6 34. Nb5 Rh6 35. Bxf5
Rxh2+ 36. Kd3 Rh6 {, and Black won in a few more moves.})) 15... Rb8 $1 {A
mysterious rook move to be sure, but one that you're familiar with if you've
worked your way through the 10 Bd3 analysis already. Black pre-empts both Nc7
followed by Qxd6 and the positional threats of a3 and c3, while also enabling ...Nd4 by protecting the b-pawn. This is the main tabiya for 7...Be7, and White
has tried nearly everything:} 16. -- ({B1:} 16. f4) ({B2:} 16. Qd3) ({B3:} 16.
c3 $5) ({We should mention too:} 16. a3 {has been played once, but it's likely
sub-optimal on account of} bxa3 $1 17. b3 Bg4 $1 {(this compels White to try
and make sense out of the weakening f3, which basically means a later f4)} 18.
f3 (18. Qd3 Rfc8 19. Rxa3 Nd4 {gives Black good play}) 18... Be6 19. f4 Qd8 20.
Rxa3 Bxd5 (20... Rc8 {is more tame}) 21. exd5 Qb6+ 22. Kh1 Nd4 {with a
fascinating position. After fxe5, White will have connected passers in the
centre, but due to his dark-squared weaknesses and the heavy piece pressure
along those same open files, it will be difficult to mobilize them any time
soon.}) (16. Ne3 {isn't popular, though guaranteeing a pawn doesn't end up on
d5 and clearing the d-file pops up a lot in this variation. T.Gruskovnjak-M.Srebrnic, Slovenian League 2008, continued} Rd8 (16... Qd8 $5 17. a3 a5 {might
be even better}) 17. a3 bxa3 18. b3 $1 {when I might prefer the sneaky} Qe7 $5
{, rerouting the queen back to the queenside. Play could continue} 19. Nd5 (19.
Rxa3 $2 d5 $1 {is the con Black was selling}) 19... Qb7 $1 (19... Qa7 {might
appear more obvious to some, but Black must ensure that after ...Nd4, c3 isn't
possible}) 20. Rxa3 Nd4 21. Ra4 {(White prepares 22 c3 via tactics)} Bd7 22.
Rb4 Qa7 23. c3 Rxb4 24. Nxb4 Nb5 25. Qd3 Rc8 {and White is forced into c4,
after which Black can camp out on the queenside dark squares.}) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "6 N1c3 – The Critical 8 Nc4"]
[Black "B1: 16 f4"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "53"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. N1c3 a6 7. Na3 Be7 $5 8.
Nc4 $1 b5 9. Ne3 Nf6 10. g3 $5 O-O 11. Bg2 b4 12. Ncd5 Nxd5 13. Nxd5 Bg5 14.
Bxg5 Qxg5 15. O-O Rb8 16. f4 $5 {This is very double-edged - we'll soon see
that blockading this pawn with ...f6 is impossible, and so White's f-pawn will
definitely chop through to f6 if he so desires. On the other hand, the move
does nothing for White's development, weakens the important a7-g1 diagonal,
and also forces Black's queen back to her preferred launching pad on d8.} Qd8
17. f5 ({Maintaining the tension in the centre with} 17. Qd2 $5 {is also
sensible: for instance,} Ne7 18. Ne3 Qb6 19. Kh1 Qc5 20. Rad1 Rb6 {with a
solid position for Black in D.Lobzhanidze-V.Ikonnikov, Griesheim 2006. White's
17th move gives Black the time to meet} 21. f5 {with} f6 {, when he can then
focus on growing the queenside pressure with moves like ...Bb7 and ...Rc8.})
17... Ne7 $1 ({Black would love to close the kingside completely with} 17... f6
$2 {, but this loses a pawn to} 18. Nxf6+ $1 Rxf6 19. Qd5+ Kh8 20. Qxc6 {.}) ({
Moiseenko tried} 17... Kh8 {in B.Muhren-A.Moiseenko, Kemer 2007, intending 18...f6 if allowed, but after} 18. f6 $1 g6 19. Qd2 Be6 20. a3 $1 {White has too
many good things going in all sectors. Instead, Black should liquidate; both
to loosen White's control of the d5-square and ensure his own king's safety.})
18. f6 {This is one of the most nerve-wracking lines in this chapter, but
Black has perfectly adequate defensive resources.} ({Other tries generally
allow ...f6, followed by the development of Black's queenside with moves like ...Qb6 and ...Bb7:} 18. Nxe7+ Qxe7 19. Qd2 f6 20. Rad1 Rb6 21. c3 bxc3 22. Qxc3
Bb7 {was drawn here in N.Muzyka-A.González Freixas, correspondence 2008.}) (18.
Ne3 Qb6 19. Qd2 f6 20. Kh1 Rd8 {was L.Korzh-P.Keevil, correspondence 2011. ---
Black's position already looks satisfactory to me. In the game, Keevil was
able to break out with ...d5:} 21. g4 Bb7 22. Rad1 Rd7 23. g5 Kh8 24. Nc4 Qc5
25. b3 d5 $1 {, with some advantage to Black.}) 18... Nxd5 19. Qxd5 ({White
has too} 19. fxg7 Qb6+ 20. Kh1 Kxg7 21. Qxd5 (21. exd5 {allows either} h6 $5 ({
or} 21... f5 {, both of which are solid})) 21... Be6 22. Qd2 h6 $5 23. Rad1
Rbc8 $1 24. Rf2 {and now Black can choose how he'd like to equalize:} Rc4 $5 {,
} (24... a5) ({or} 24... Rc7 {.})) ({Also possible is} 19. exd5 {, when C&L
like} Qb6+ ({I haven't found a convincing way for White to refute} 19... gxf6
$5 {either: for instance,} 20. Qh5 f5 $1 {(Black needs to meet the threat of
21 Be4)} 21. Bh3 f6 22. Bxf5 Bxf5 23. Qxf5 Qc8 {, when Black can try and push
for more in a relatively equal position}) 20. Kh1 Qe3 {, hunkering down on the
central and kingside dark squares.}) 19... gxf6 20. Rf2 $1 {White reserves the
option to double on either open file.} Be6 21. Qd2 Qb6 ({I am really
interested in seeing a practical test of the ending resulting from} 21... Kg7
22. Raf1 a5 $5 23. Rxf6 Qxf6 24. Rxf6 Kxf6 {. Black's solid structure and the
strong potential of the rooks on the c-file lead me to believe that this
position is fairly level.}) 22. Kh1 Kg7 23. Raf1 Bc4 24. Rxf6 $1 Bxf1 25. Rxd6
Bxg2+ 26. Kxg2 Qc5 27. Qg5+ {. All White has is perpetual check. If Black
isn't satisfied with an easy half-point, the ending resulting from 21...Kg7 is
worth a look.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "6 N1c3 – The Critical 8 Nc4"]
[Black "B2: 16 Qd3"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "39"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. N1c3 a6 7. Na3 Be7 $5 8.
Nc4 $1 b5 9. Ne3 Nf6 10. g3 $5 O-O 11. Bg2 b4 12. Ncd5 Nxd5 13. Nxd5 Bg5 14.
Bxg5 Qxg5 15. O-O Rb8 16. Qd3 {This move has been played in exactly two-thirds
of all of the games that have reached this position, with 16 f4 being most of
the rest. White eyes the a-pawn, ups the pressure on the d-pawn, and connects
rooks, remaining flexible with regards to concrete ideas like a3, c3, and f4.}
a5 (16... Be6 $2 {leaves the a-pawn for dead after} 17. Qxa6 {.}) 17. a3 $5 {
Chipping away at Black's queenside pawn formation has been the most popular by
far,} ({though White has two other ideas:} 17. Ne3 Rd8 ({note that the typical
} 17... Qd8 $2 18. Rfd1 {would be very bad for Black in this case}) 18. Rfd1 (
18. c4 $5 {was tried in I.Cheparinov-R.Edouard, Helsingor 2013, but after} Nd4
19. f4 Qe7 20. b3 a4 $1 {Black had very good counterplay and was at least equal
}) 18... Be6 19. a3 Nd4 $1 {was already equal for Black in J.Bures-M.Porat,
Olomouc 2009, Black's point being that} 20. c3 {, allows the steed to sit on
the wonderful c5-square after} ({in the game White started to drift, playing} 
20. f4 $6 {and ending up worse} Qh5 21. f5 Bd7 22. axb4 axb4 23. Qf1 $2 Ne2+
24. Kf2 Bb5 25. Qh1 Nd4 {; White's pieces and king make a fairly poor
impression}) 20... bxc3 21. bxc3 Nb3 {.}) (17. c3 Be6 18. -- (18. Qa6 $5 {was
tried in Z.Almasi-V.Ivanchuk, Beijing (blindfold) 2011. The Ukrainian played
impeccably, optimally arranging his pieces on the queenside then ramping up
the pressure. The game continued} Rfc8 19. Rac1 $6 Qd8 $1 20. Qd3 {(an
admission of failure)} bxc3 21. bxc3 Rb2 22. a4 Bxd5 $5 ({Houdini thinks} 22...
Ne7 {is better}) 23. Qxd5 Qb6 24. Rcd1 Rd8 25. Rd2 Ne7 26. Qd3 Rb3 $1 {with a
very comfortable position for Black, who can't stand worse.}) ({. Similar
would be} 18. a3 bxc3 19. bxc3 Rfc8 (19... Rb3 $6 20. Qc4 {is annoying}) 20.
Rab1 Qd8 $1 {, with an equal position for Black.})) 17... Be6 {Black develops
his last minor piece, fighting for the weak d5-square. It's difficult for
White to find constructive ways to improve his position without allowing
massive simplification into an easily drawn heavy piece ending.} 18. axb4 (18.
Rfd1 Rfc8 ({though I might prefer} 18... Nd4 $5 {, which looks clearly drawn
after} 19. axb4 axb4 20. c3 bxc3 21. bxc3 Nb3 22. Rab1 Rfc8 23. Nb4 Rb6) 19.
axb4 {was very similar to the main line in M.Lang-E.Calhau, correspondence
2008.}) (18. Ne3 Nd4 19. axb4 axb4 20. Ra6 Qd8 $1 21. Rfa1 Qc7 {is very solid,
meeting} 22. Ra7 {with} Rb7 {.}) 18... Nxb4 ({The great Vassily Ivanchuk
preferred} 18... axb4 {, I.Nepomniachtchi-V.Ivanchuk, Moscow 2011, continuing}
19. Ra6 Rfc8 20. c3 Qd8 $1 21. Rd1 g6 $5 (21... bxc3 22. bxc3 Rb3 {calls out
to me, but maybe Ivanchuk didn't want to enter the complications resulting
after} 23. Qc4 Nd4 {, which is sensible}) 22. Ne3 Rb6 23. h4 h5 {(the h-pawns
frequently stare at each other like this in practical play)} 24. Kh2 $6 {
(exchanging off the light-squared bishops like this feels too slow, but the
position is still about equal whatever White chooses)} bxc3 25. bxc3 Ne7 26.
Rxb6 Qxb6 27. Bh3 Bxh3 28. Kxh3 Kg7 {, with complete equality. As usual, the
weakness of the c3-pawn keeps the d6-pawn 'safe'.}) 19. Nxb4 Rxb4 20. Rxa5 {
We've been following S.Karjakin-T.Radjabov, Astana (blitz) 2012.} ({The Azeri
wunderkind played} 20. Rxa5 Rxb2 {here, drawing without trouble after} ({
though Houdini thinks} 20... Qd8 $1 {is more clear (maybe Radja forgot his
preparation): for example,} 21. Rfa1 Rxb2 22. Ra6 Qc7 $1 {with easy equality})
21. Qxd6 Rxc2 22. Rxe5 Qd2 23. Qxd2 Rxd2 24. Rc5 Rb8 25. Rcc1 g6 {.}) ({
Instead, a recent correspondence game of mine continued with the stubborn} 20.
Qxd6 Rd8 21. Qc7 (21. Qc5 Rc8 {will amount the same}) 21... Rc8 22. Qxa5 Rxb2
23. c3 {, when I tried upping the pressure with} ({instead,} 23. Rfc1 h5 24. h4
Qf6 25. Qd2 Bb3 $1 {leaves nothing to play for after 26...Bxc2}) 23... h5 $5 {
, the game continuing} 24. h4 Qf6 {(now ...Bc4 will be dangerous)} 25. Rab1 Rd2
(25... Rc2 {is probably slightly better}) 26. Qb4 Bc4 27. Rbd1 {. This was B.Ten-A.Rotella, correspondence 2014, and now} Qd8 $1 28. Rxd2 Qxd2 29. Rb1 Be6
$1 {snags the c-pawn with equality.}) ({Lastly,} 20. b3 {is possible, but after
} Rd4 $1 {Black is very active: for instance,} 21. Qa6 Qd2 22. Rfc1 Rc8 {.}) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "6 N1c3 – The Critical 8 Nc4"]
[Black "B3: 16 c3!?"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "66"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. N1c3 a6 7. Na3 Be7 $5 8.
Nc4 $1 b5 9. Ne3 Nf6 10. g3 $5 O-O 11. Bg2 b4 12. Ncd5 Nxd5 13. Nxd5 Bg5 14.
Bxg5 Qxg5 15. O-O Rb8 16. c3 $5 {This is a promising but basically untested
continuation. In one fell swoop White shuts down business on d4 and b4, begins
to chip away at Black's queenside, and prepares Qa4 - a move that will add
more pressure to the queenside and force Black's light-squared bishop to an
odd location on d7. The downside is that eventually ...bxc3 will leave White's
queenside pawns on a2 and c3 weakened, and playing Qa4 commits White to
thinking about discoveries with ...Nd4 and ...Nb4 every move, which is
practically very wearisome.} a5 $1 {Securing the queenside and preparing the
deployment of the light-squared bishop looks best here,} ({though} 16... bxc3
$5 {is also playable, and was my choice in my first and only encounter with
White's 16th, but now in my opinion is too difficult to handle. N.Cipressi-A.Rotella, correspondence 2010, continued} 17. bxc3 Qd8 $1 {once again, we see
rerouting the queen back to her side of the board is best;} ({instead,} 17...
Be6 $2 {allows White to illustrate one of the finer points of 16 c3 with} 18.
Qa4 $1 {, winning a pawn}) 18. Qd3 (18. Qa4 {isn't as dangerous with the
a6-pawn protected, and just as in the main line, Black can sneak his rook on
to the wonderful c5-square via} Rb5 $1 19. Rab1 Rc5 $1 {, when 20...Ne7! will
exploit the fact that the queen on a4 doesn't defend White's sensitive c3-pawn}
) ({instead,} 18. Rb1 $5 {ensures that Black's b8-rook never hits c5 or c6,
but leaves a2 and c3 weak: for example,} Rxb1 19. Qxb1 Ne7 20. Nxe7+ Qxe7 21.
Qb6 Qe6 $1 {, when her majesty's activity compensates for the a6 and d6
weaknesses after} 22. a4 Qc4) 18... Ne7 {. After} 19. Ne3 $1 {(Black has less
space and little hope of achieving ...d5, and so the knight on e7 is
noticeably worse than White's on e3)} Rb6 $1 {(this rook is destined for the
juicy c5-square)} 20. Rab1 ({after} 20. Rfd1 {it's likely that White will find
himself in a tempo down version of the main line, as it's not easy to find a
plan better than doubling on the b-file: for example,} Qc7 21. Rab1 Rc6 22. c4
Rd8 23. Rb2 Rc5 24. Rdb1 Nc6 25. Nd5 Qa7 $1 26. Rb6 Nd4 {; note that the
natural} 27. f4 {can be met by} Nb5 $5 {, intending} 28. cxb5 Rxd5 $1 29. Qxd5
Qxb6+ 30. Kh1 exf4 31. gxf4 Bd7 32. a4 axb5 33. axb5 Rc8 {followed by ...Rc5
and ...Bc6!}) 20... Rc6 $1 ({exchanging gives White a risk free edge after} 
20... Rxb1 21. Rxb1 Qc7 22. Qc4 $1) 21. c4 Qc7 22. Rb3 Rc5 23. Rfb1 Nc6 24. Nd5
{I would prefer} Qa7 $1 {the second time around. --- Houdini thinks play is
approximately equal (I'm honestly still sceptical), and a bunch of engine vs.
engine games and a Monte Carlo simulation agree. It took me a long time to
figure this position out strategically, but I think I have the hang of it now.
There are a few key details to this position for Black. The first is that
while White has no acceptable way to dislodge the very strong steed from d4
without giving up material, we have the option of setting up ...Bb7xd5. The
second thing to note is that if one or both pairs of rooks come off, this
position is really pleasant for Black, not only because that's White's main
advantage right now, but also because we're well on our way to enforcing a
knight vs. bishop endgame with ...Bxd5. So while White will usually look to
play on the kingside with f4-f5 and g4-g5, we're going to try and set up rook
trades and ...Bxd5. In a lot of cases, Black will start with ...a5 and ...Ba6,
putting some pressure on the c-pawn while clearing the back rank a bit. ---
One logical line (with help from Houdini) is} 25. Rb6 (25. f4 $4 {immediately
loses to} Rxd5+ {, of course}) 25... h6 (25... Rd8 $5 {is more ambitious - the
main line stops White from manoeuvring his queen to the kingside with} 26. Qe3
$1 {, threatening Rxc6; now} Nd4 27. Qg5 $1 Ne6 28. Qh4 {threatens Ne7-c6,
with an edge for White}) 26. Bf1 Rd8 27. Qe3 {(threatening Rxc6 and keeping an
eye out for Nxf6+ sacrifices)} Nd4 28. f4 f6 29. f5 Rd7 $1 (29... Kh7 $6 {
stops Nxf6 and Qxh6 ideas, but} 30. g4 Rd7 31. h4 $1 Rb7 32. g5 {sees White's
attack begin before Black starts the queenside liquidation}) 30. g4 (30. Nxf6+
gxf6 31. Qxh6 Nb5 $5 {threatens to win even more material, forcing White to
bail out with} 32. Qg6+ Rg7 33. Qe8+ Kh7 34. Qh5+ {, etc}) ({also fine is} 30.
Rb8 Kh7 {, with ...Rb7 up next}) 30... Rb7 $1 {, when Black should be fine
after chopping some wood on b6.}) 17. Qa4 $1 ({Note that} 17. Qd3 {transposes
back to Line B. Not very many players are going to think 17 Qa4 is a good idea.
}) 17... Bd7 18. Rfd1 {This is really the only move that fits the c3/Qa4
strategy,} ({as} 18. Qc2 {(bailing from ...Nd4 discoveries) allows Black to
achieve harmonious development of his forces after} Rfc8 $1) ({and} 18. cxb4 {
forfeits the d4-square too soon:} axb4 19. Rfc1 Ra8 $1 20. Qd1 Nd4 {.}) 18...
Qd8 ({Black's other choices don't impress:} 18... Rfd8 {is the most obvious
choice, but after the deep} 19. h4 $1 {, Black's queen stays sequestered on
the kingside. Following} Qh5 {White can stop both ...Qe2 and ...Nd4 intrusions
with} 20. Qc2 $1 {, after which Black is worse after the usual plan of Rd2,
Ne3, Rad1, and so forth.}) (18... Rfc8 {is the move we really want to play,
arranging all of our heavy pieces harmoniously after ...Qd8, but I was unable
to solve the problems posed by White's light-squared bishop after} 19. Ne3 $1
Qe7 20. Nf5 $1 Bxf5 21. exf5 {.}) 19. Rd2 $1 {This is the best way to meet the
queen-trapping threat of ...Nd4.} g6 $1 {I think that this curious waiting
move is Black's strongest possibility. It immediately stops Ne3-f5 manoeuvres,
with the hidden point that it's difficult to find a constructive move for
White. Moving the queen takes the pressure off of c6 and allows ...Be6, moving
the knight allows active development with ...Qc7, putting a rook on d1 allows ...Nd4, and so on.} ({There are others, but it's not easy to solve Black's
problems: The best most engines come up with is} 19... bxc3 20. bxc3 Ne7 21.
Qa3 $1 {(White eyes both d6 and a5)} Be6 22. Ne3 $1 {(refusing to trade these
knights is almost always correct, as Black's knight sits passively on e7,
while White's knight still has f5 and c4 to improve to)} Nc8 {, but this is
awfully passive.}) (19... Rc8 20. Qd1 $1 (20. Ne3 $2 Nd4 $1 {hangs the c-pawn})
20... Be6 21. Ne3 $1 {(the knight heads for f5, forcing ...Bxf5 and thereby
critically weakening Black's light squares)} Qe7 (21... Qc7 {would be similar
after} 22. Nf5 $1) 22. Nf5 $1 (22. Rxd6 bxc3 23. bxc3 Nd4 $1 {is less clear})
22... Bxf5 23. exf5 {looks grim for Black with that bishop on g2 unleashed.}) (
19... f5 $5 {is very interesting, intending the wild} 20. Ne3 ({it's likely
that White has a slight edge after the more sombre} 20. exf5 Nd4 21. Qd1 Nxf5 {
as well. Black's light squares and kingside are weak, and White can work
towards a passed a-pawn after} 22. cxb4 {too}) 20... f4 21. Nc4 fxg3 22. hxg3
Qc7 23. Rxd6 (23. Nxd6 $6 Nd4 24. Qd1 bxc3 25. bxc3 Qxc3) 23... bxc3 24. bxc3
Rxf2 $6 {, but I thought White had reasonable pressure in the ending occurring
after} 25. Rxd7 $1 (25. Kxf2 $2 Qa7+ 26. Ke1 Qg1+ 27. Bf1 Rf8 {gives Black a
strong attack}) 25... Rxg2+ 26. Kxg2 Qxd7 27. Qd1 $1 Qxd1 28. Rxd1 {.}) 20. Rc1
{Threatening 21 cxb4 was White's choice in the only game to reach this
position,} ({but there are other interesting ideas:} 20. Qd1 bxc3 21. bxc3 Be6
22. Ne3 Qc7 $1 23. Rxd6 (23. Rb1 Rxb1 24. Qxb1 Nd8 $1 {is fine for Black after
...Nb7}) 23... Nd4 $1 24. Rxd4 exd4 25. cxd4 Rfc8 {is unclear but not worse
for Black, who has ...Rb2 or ...Qc3 coming up.}) (20. cxb4 {forfeits the
d4-square way too early, and after} axb4 21. Rc1 Rc8 {, it's not easy to find
a good move for White: for instance,} (21... Ra8 22. Qd1 Rxa2 {is also
possible, but it's not as clear as one might think after} 23. Rxc6 $1) 22. Qd1
Kg7 $1 23. Rdc2 {and now either} Qa5 ({or} 23... Nd4 {.})) 20... Kg7 {Another
waiting move, ensuring that ...Nd4 ideas cannot be met by Qxd7! and Nf6+.} 21.
Ne3 (21. cxb4 Nxb4 22. Qd1 Nxd5 23. Rxd5 {wins a pawn by force, but after} Be6
$1 24. Rxd6 Qe7 25. b3 Rfc8 $1 {Black gets great compensation for it after} 26.
Rxc8 Rxc8 {: for example,} 27. Qd2 (27. Rd2 $6 a4 $1 28. bxa4 Qa3 {gives Black
wonderful counterplay}) 27... Rc5 $5 28. Bf3 Qc7 29. Bd1 Bh3 $5 {, and so on.
In general, White has problems protecting both flanks (his king is weak and ...a4/...Rc1 may come soon), and retreating his heavy pieces to useful locations.}
) 21... Qc7 $1 ({We've been following the high-level correspondence game V.Leupold-H.Isigkeit, correspondence 2012. There Black played} 21... Qe7 {, and
was very solid after} 22. h4 Rfc8 23. Qd1 Be6 24. Bf1 bxc3 25. bxc3 h5 {,
eventually drawing after a protracted, positional struggle. Instead, I
recommend the more active placement of the queen - Black will generally have
to sacrifice the d-pawn, but obtains wonderful play for it.}) 22. cxb4 $5 {
We're getting close (many would argue we're well past!) to the point of
'analysing long, analysing wrong', but I simply can't resist showing some of
the amazing tactics and complications after this move.} ({There are less
exciting alternatives:} 22. Qd1 bxc3 23. bxc3 ({instead} 23. Rxc3 {forfeits d4
and gives Black strong counterplay for his pawn after} Qa7 $1 24. Rxd6 Nd4 25.
b3 a4 $1) 23... Be6 24. Rxd6 Rb2 $1 {wins the a-pawn, since} 25. a4 Rc8 $1 {
(threatening ...Nd4)} 26. Rd2 Rxd2 27. Qxd2 Nd4 $1 {followed by ...Nb3 gives
Black a lot of pressure for his pawn.}) (22. Nd5 {can be answered via} Qa7 $1
23. Ne3 bxc3 24. bxc3 Nd8 25. Qd1 Nb7 {, after which Black can unravel with ...Be6 and ...Rfd8, eventually looking to pile on the c-pawn or play ...Nc5.})
22... Rxb4 23. Qd1 Qa7 $1 {Her majesty keeps an eye on d7 while scoping out
key squares for later like d4 and f2.} 24. Rxd6 (24. Nd5 Rd4 $1 25. Rxd4 Qxd4 {
is nothing for White, as the obvious} 26. Qxd4 Nxd4 27. Rc7 Be6 28. Ra7 $2 Rc8
$1 {leaves White worse on account of his bank rank problems and weak queenside
pawns.}) 24... Nd4 25. Nc2 ({White has choices here:} 25. b3 Be6 $1 {leaves
White's rook shipwrecked behind enemy lines while looking to smash open
White's queenside with ...a4. Play might continue} 26. Nd5 Qb8 $1 27. Rxe6 Nxe6
28. Nxb4 axb4 {, with a dream position for Black after 29...Rd8. White's extra
pawn on a2 is absolutely meaningless, and the quality of Black's pieces is
through the roof.}) (25. Rb1 {is a bit timid and after} Qc7 $1 26. Ra6 Qb7 $1 {
we see the downside of White getting his rook trapped behind enemy lines.
Black is more active after both} 27. Rd6 ({and} 27. Rxa5 Rxb2 28. Rxb2 Qxb2)
27... Be6 28. b3 Rc8 29. Nd5 Bxd5 30. Rxd5 a4 $1 {.}) 25... Rxb2 26. Nxd4 exd4
27. Bf1 $1 {Now we see the downside of White getting his rook trapped behind
enemy lines.} ({Black is more active after both} 27. Rxd4 $4 Rd8 $3 28. Rd2 {
(White is dead lost no matter what he tries)} Bg4 $1 {when White loses in
wonderful fashion}) ({or} 27. Qxd4+ Qxd4 28. Rxd4 Rc8 $1 29. Rdd1 (29. Rxc8 $4
Rb1+ 30. Bf1 Bh3 {mates}) 29... Rxc1 30. Rxc1 Rxa2 {, when Black's pieces are
far more active, and the a-pawn is more dangerous than the e-pawn.}) 27... Be6
$1 {Black meets White's threat of Ra6 and Qxd4+ in the most aggressive way
possible.} ({The cheeky} 27... d3 {suggests itself, but after} 28. Qf3 Rxa2 29.
Qf6+ Kg8 30. Bxd3 {White is probably slightly for choice on account of the
threat of 31 Bc4 and plans involving his h-pawn.}) 28. Ra6 (28. Qxd4+ $2 Qxd4
29. Rxd4 Rxa2 {is similar to 27 Qxd4+, except that having both rooks left
favours Black even more.}) ({Instead White can try} 28. a4 {, but after} Rfb8 {
Black is very active. Again, neither capture on d4 is good for White:} 29.
Qxd4+ ({or} 29. Rxd4 $2 Rd8 $1 {, winning instantly}) 29... Qxd4 30. Rxd4 R8b4
31. Rxb4 Rxb4 32. Bb5 Rxe4 {with an equal ending.}) 28... Qd7 29. Rc7 $5 {This
position really is incredibly rich!} ({Simpler was} 29. Rxa5 Rfb8 (29... Rxa2 {
is also fine}) 30. a4 Bg4 $5 31. f3 Be6 32. Rb5 R8xb5 33. Bxb5 Qa7 34. Rc7 $1 {
, drawing after the cheeky} Qb6 35. Rc6 Qa7 36. Rc7 {.}) 29... Bg4 $5 {The
second player returns fire with another odd counterattack.} ({Also fine is} 
29... Qxc7 30. Qxd4+ Kg8 31. Qxb2 Rb8 32. Qf6 Bxa2 {.}) 30. Rxd7 ({Pushing for
more with} 30. Qd3 Qd8 31. Raa7 Be6 32. a4 {gives Black strong counterplay
against White's king with} Qf6 $1 33. f4 Rfb8 {.}) 30... Bxd1 31. Rxa5 Bf3 32.
Ra3 $1 {. This is the only move that doesn't lose to ...Rb1, securing an
equal ending after} Bxe4 33. Rxd4 Re8 {. Black will play ...Rb1, after which
White will be unable to make progress and defend against the bank rank threats
at the same time.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Key Takeaways 1"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "31"]
[SourceDate "2015.03.02"]

{1. The only way White can challenge Black's omission of ...b5 is to play 8
Nc4!, when his knight will find a nice home overlooking the d5-square on e3.
The bummer for Black is that he's pretty much forced into ...b5 anyway, though
analysis shows that this finesse doesn't hurt his overall outlook. --- 2. In
the vast majority of the lines in this chapter, Black executes the defining
positional manoeuvre of the entire Kalashnikov complex - moving or trading his
f6-knight followed by ...Bg5, exchanging off the somewhat passive e7-bishop
for White's dark-squared bishop. This accentuates White's dark-square
weaknesses and ensures strong outposts for Black's other pieces; though note
that it does further weaken Black's d-pawn. --- 3. With Black's queenside
pawns extending to b5 or b4 in all variations, he should be aware of all of
the ways White can chip away, be it a3, a4, c3, or fixing the a6-pawn with
a4-a5. With the exception of the rare 16 f4, the vast majority of the action
in this chapter takes play in the centre and on the queenside, and success
will be defined by the person who better understands the battle there. --- 4.
In both main lines we see Black play the 'mysterious' ...Rb8. As explained
previously, the move has many points - anticipating the a4 break and anchoring
the b5-pawn, guarding b6, ensuring that Nc7 doesn't gain a tempo on the rook,
and protecting the b4-pawn so that Black's knight on c6 can hop around. Not
obvious, but very useful, and a true testament to how deep and subtle a great
chess move can be. --- 5. After the dark-squared bishop exchange, Black's
queen frequently ends up on the g5-square. Per takeaway three above, Black
usually yanks her back to e7 or d8, where she can better participate in the
battle for the centre and queenside. --- 6. The key theoretical points to
remember in the 10 Bd3 0-0 11 0-0 Rb8! variation are that Black should meet 12
Ncd5 with 12...Nxd5 13 Nxd5 Bg5! and 12 a4 with 12...Nb4. In both variations
Black prefers to keep the b5-pawn where it is. --- 7. In the 10 g3 variation,
remember that trying to steal the e-pawn with 10...b4?! does not work, and
Black ends up worse. --- 8. Also remember that the sharp 16 f4 should be bet
with 16...Qd8 17 f5 Ne7, allowing 18 f6. White has little firepower on the
kingside, and further analysis shows that perpetual check is really the best
he can hope for. --- 9. White plays 16 Qd3 frequently enough that it's
probably worth memorizing the liquidating sequence that starts with Radjabov's
18...Nxb4. Black has no problems in this variation at the moment, and I expect
white players to start looking elsewhere. --- 10. If my analysis is correct,
the rare 16 c3!? may be that 'elsewhere' referenced above. White strikes out
against Black's queenside right away while simultaneously shutting down the d4/b4 squares and allowing the poisonous development of the queen to a4. From
there, her majesty forces Black's bishop to the awkward d7-square (which
weakens the d6-pawn), and threatens the a-pawn in many variations. Both 16...bxc3 and 16...a5 look playable, but I like the latter. Most white players
won't willingly walk into nasty ...Nd4 discoveries with 17 Qa4 Bd7, and will
instead prefer to transpose back to 16 Qd3 with 17 Qd3, but if they do, I
think 16...a5 provides the best chances to equalize in a complex position and
outplay an under-prepared opponent. The key line continues 18 Rfd1 Qd8! 19 Rd2
g6!? - I'd recommend a thorough study of the fascinating analysis that
followed, even if it's overkill.} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5.
Nb5 d6 6. N1c3 a6 7. Na3 Be7 $5 8. Nc4 $1 b5 9. Ne3 Nf6 10. g3 $5 {(B)} (10.
Bd3 {- A}) 10... O-O 11. Bg2 b4 12. Ncd5 Nxd5 13. Nxd5 Bg5 14. Bxg5 Qxg5 15.
O-O Rb8 $1 16. -- (16. f4 {- B1}) (16. Qd3 {- B2}) (16. c3 $5 {- B3}) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "2: 6 N1c3 – White 8th Moves"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "15"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. N1c3 a6 7. Na3 Be7 $5 {
We'll now examine the various sidelines White can try in lieu of the knight
hop into c4. Of course, White's ideas and both players' long-term plans may
vary depending on his 8th move, but there are a couple of overarching themes
and ideas to keep in mind while playing and studying the positions in this
chapter. --- The first is that because White hasn't taken the opportunity to
reroute his knight to the e3-square via c4 (though in a few lines he still has
some time), he'll generally have to accomplish this with c3 and Nc2 instead.
This removes the option of attacking the b6-square, and also takes an extra
move, even though c3 is beneficial for White on its own. This extra move can
occasionally allow Black to set up the ...d5 break via ...Be6 and/or ...Ne7
before White can stop it. --- Secondly, provoking a weakness or concession 
(usually f3 or an awkward queen move) with ...Bg4, instead of the usual ...Be6,
comes up more than once in this chapter, again a consequence of White's knight
taking a bit longer to reach the e3-square. --- Lastly, playing ...Nd4 and
allowing the doubled and isolated d-pawns is frequently worth considering.
Black usually wins White's dark-squared bishop this way, which means that if
he can enforce ...d3, even as a sacrifice, his own dark-squared bishop will be
very powerful. Sometimes the pawn on d4 means that it's easier to enforce ...d5 or protect d6 too, as White's queen on d1 or d2 can't guard these squares
anymore. --- So, without further ado, White's many choices, in approximate
descending order of popularity and importance, are:} 8. -- ({A:} 8. Bc4) ({B:} 
8. g3) ({C:} 8. Bd3) ({D:} 8. Be2) ({E:} 8. Be3) ({F:} 8. Nd5) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "6 N1c3 – White 8th Moves"]
[Black "A: 8 Bc4"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "46"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. N1c3 a6 7. Na3 Be7 $5 8.
Bc4 {White has sound positional intentions, but falters with the executive
details - he develops whilst controlling d5, but the geometric layout of
White's minor pieces on the queenside strongly encourages ...b5-b4, ensuring
some headaches down the road.} Nf6 9. O-O ({White has tried} 9. Nd5 $2 {a few
times, but} Nxe4 10. Be3 O-O 11. Bb6 Qd7 {wins a pawn for nebulous
compensation, since ...Bd8 followed by ...Ne7 untangles with relative ease.}) (
9. Be3 {doesn't impress me either:} b5 10. Bd5 Bd7 ({Houdini prefers keeping
this bishop flexible with} 10... Qc7 {, but there's little difference}) 11. Ne2
O-O 12. c3 Rc8 13. O-O Na5 $5 {(Black can take on d5 and only then put the
knight on a5 as well)} 14. Ng3 Nxd5 $1 15. exd5 f5 $1 {was much better for
Black in A.Antoshik-P.Nowak, Czech League 2000. White's opening inaccuracies
have surrendered the two bishops and severely discombobulated his minor pieces.
}) 9... b5 10. Bd5 {This is one of the major problems with 8 Bc4 - it's well
established that a knight belongs on this square. Putting a bishop here merely
concedes the bishop-pair and blocks more relevant pieces from using this
square for the time being.} Bb7 11. b4 {White had to meet the threat of 11...b4, and none of the options were particularly pleasant.} ({Perhaps best was} 
11. Nab1 {, a line reminiscent of the Sveshnikov variation 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3
d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 e5 6 Ndb5 d6 7 Bg5 a6 8 Na3 b5 9 Bxf6 gxf6 10 Nab1.
Black should continue} O-O 12. Be3 {, when} (12. a3 $5 {might be an
improvement, but after} Rc8 13. Be3 Qd7 $1 {with ...Bd8 and ...Ne7 coming soon,
I'd still take Black}) 12... b4 $1 13. Ne2 Nxd5 14. exd5 Nb8 {sees him
exchange off White's light-squared bishop for a knight and plug up the leak on
d5, two major positional triumphs. The second player should already be clearly
better, with ...f5 on deck.}) 11... O-O 12. Rb1 Qd7 13. Be3 Rfc8 {Black
intelligently keeps his a8-rook on its home square, since it will be quite
useful when playing the nasty ...a5 break.} 14. Qd2 $2 (14. Qd3 {is better,
but Black is still more than happy here.}) 14... a5 $1 {Shabalov will rarely
miss a chance for fireworks. In this case they happen to be favorable for him
as well!} 15. bxa5 b4 16. Na4 {We've been following R.Ziatdinov-A.Shabalov,
San Francisco 2000, and now 'Shabba' missed the devious} Bd8 $1 ({In the stem
game} 16... bxa3 17. Nb6 Qe8 18. Nxa8 Bxa8 19. a6 {was mighty unclear.}) 17.
Nc4 Nxd5 18. exd5 Nxa5 19. Ncb6 Nc4 $1 20. Nxd7 Nxd2 21. Bxd2 Rxa4 22. Bxb4 {
when Black has} Ba6 $1 {up his sleeve. The obvious} 23. Rfc1 {loses to} Bb5 $1
{, corralling the poor steed on d7.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "6 N1c3 – White 8th Moves"]
[Black "B: 8 g3"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "28"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. N1c3 a6 7. Na3 Be7 $5 8.
g3 {This straightforward idea may be too soon. Perhaps White forgot the move
order from Chapter 1.} Nf6 9. Bg2 {White elects to protect the e-pawn and
continue with normal development,} ({but} 9. Nc4 $5 {is also logical} -- ({,
trying to board a train back to the last chapter if Black lets him after} 9...
b5 10. Ne3 O-O {.}) ({. Ambitious defenders of the black pieces can also try
and punish this specific move order with} 9... Nxe4 $5 {. Interesting
complications arise after} 10. Nxe4 d5 {:} 11. -- ({. Bailing out by moving
either knight is asking for trouble:} 11. Ncd2 $2 dxe4 12. Nxe4 Qxd1+ 13. Kxd1
Bg4+ 14. Be2 O-O-O+ {when White is already on the brink of defeat}) ({, or} 11.
Ned2 dxc4 12. Bxc4 O-O (12... Bf5 {and 13...Qd7 is another good way to try and
punish White}) 13. O-O b5 14. Bd3 Bb7 {, when Black is clearly better based on
his extra central space and control (after ...f5), and White's lagging
development. White must also be very careful not to run into trouble on the
long diagonal.}) (11. Be3 $1 {appears to be best. Black can respond in turn
with} Be6 $1 {, not fearing the invasions into the weak b6-square. Now} 12. Nb6
(12. Nc5 $6 {gives Black an edge after} Bxc5 13. Bxc5 dxc4) ({but} 12. Bb6 {is
natural; play is approximately level after} Qb8 13. Ned2 dxc4 14. Bxc4 Qd6)
12... Rb8 13. Nxd5 (13. Nc5 d4 $1 {is Black's point, winning back the piece
with a messy position after} 14. Nxe6 fxe6 15. Bd2 Qxb6) 13... Bxd5 {is about
equal, as Black can't profitably avoid Nf6+ tricks. My computer suggests
misplacing White's dark-squared bishop after} 14. Bg2 Qa5+ $5 15. Bd2 Qc7 16.
Nf6+ Bxf6 17. Bxd5 O-O {, with equality.}))) 9... Bg4 $1 {White is suddenly
stuck between a rock and a hard place: blocking the dark-squared bishop with
Qd2 is hideous, pushing the pawn to f3 weakens his kingside and will likely
allow ...d5, and Qd3 allows a later ...Nb4 with tempo.} 10. f3 {This
illustrates Black's idea in the clearest way,} ({though White has the
previously discussed alternatives:} 10. Qd2 Nd4 {looks terrible. I'm not sure
looking further is worth the space.}) (10. Qd3 {seems to be White's best
chance. Attacking the queen right away with 10...Nb4 seems inaccurate after 11
Qc4, so perhaps Black should prepare the hop with} Rc8 11. Nd5 ({instead,} 11.
O-O Nb4 12. Qd2 Qc7 $5 {looks uncomfortable for White}) 11... Nxd5 12. exd5 Nb8
$1 {(the c5-square beckons)} 13. O-O Nd7 14. Be3 O-O {looks a tiny bit better
for Black, since ...f5 is coming soon. Note that} 15. Nc4 $6 {can be met by}
Qc7 $1 16. b3 $6 (16. Na3 {is better, but still embarrassing}) 16... b5 $1 17.
Na3 Qa5 $1 18. Bc1 f5 $1 {, when White is close to paralysed.}) 10... Be6 {
We've been following A.Gallucci-M.Voiska, Turin 2010, and after} 11. O-O (11.
Nd5 $2 {tosses a pawn to the noteworthy and thematic Kalashnikov cheapo} Nxd5
$1 12. exd5 Qa5+ 13. c3 Qxd5 {.}) 11... d5 $1 12. exd5 Nxd5 ({Inserting} 12...
Bc5+ {seems strong.}) 13. Nxd5 Bxd5 14. Be3 O-O {Black has a slight edge based
mostly on the poor placement of the f3-pawn and a3-knight.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "6 N1c3 – White 8th Moves"]
[Black "C: 8 Bd3"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "22"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. N1c3 a6 7. Na3 Be7 $5 8.
Bd3 ({This is likely to transpose back to} 8. Nc4 b5 9. Ne3 Nf6 10. Bd3 {if
both players so choose, though opportunities exist to pull White down fresh,
untrodden paths.}) 8... Nf6 9. O-O ({There are a couple of minor tries too:} 9.
Nc4 b5 10. Ne3 O-O {would, of course, transpose back to Chapter 1.}) ({The} 9.
Nd5 $2 {of P.Kazakov-Emeljanova, Moscow 2004, can also be reached via 8 Nd5
Nf6 9 Bd3, giving you twice the chance of winning via this blunder. For
educational purposes, this deserves a diagram. --- As usual,} Nxd5 10. exd5
Qa5+ 11. Bd2 Qxd5 12. O-O e4 $1 13. Bc4 Qf5 {gives Black a huge advantage. The
position after 9 Nd5 has occurred about ten times on my database, the
highest-rated white player weighing in at over 2400!}) (9. Bg5 $2 {is another
natural looking blunder here, running head first into} Nxe4 $1 10. Bxe4 (10.
Bxe7 Nxc3 11. Bxd8 Nxd1 12. Rxd1 Kxd8 13. Nc4 Kc7 {is even worse}) 10... Bxg5
11. Nc4 Nd4 {, when Black is clearly better.}) 9... O-O {This invites the
transposition back to 10 Bd3 of Chapter 1,} ({but Black can also give} 9... Bg4
{a shot:} 10. -- ({. Reaching an improved version of 9...Be6 after} 10. f3 Be6
{is Black's main idea, when} 11. Nc4 (11. Be3 Nb4 $5 12. Nc4 b5 $1 {seem at
least equal}) 11... d5 {.}) (10. Qd2 {looks lame, but it's not completely
clear if Black can prove anything more than equality. One such equal line is}
Be6 $5 {(simply claiming that the lady is worse on d2 than d1)} 11. Nc4 {and
now, just as in the notes to Line B, Black can try} Nxe4 $5 12. Nxe4 d5 13. Ne3
dxe4 14. Bxe4 O-O {with no problems.}) (10. Be2 Bxe2 11. Qxe2 Nd4 12. Qd3 d5 {
looks about equal.})) 10. Nc4 (10. Nd5 {is the main alternative, when Black
should again re-route the knight to c5 and start play on the kingside with}
Nxd5 11. exd5 Nb8 {, the position being fairly reminiscent of the Sveshnikov
line 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 e5 6 Ndb5 d6 7 Nd5!? Nxd5 8
exd5 Nb8. --- In such structures, Black should utilize his kingside majority
with ...f5 and, as usual, look to exchange dark-squared bishops. T.Dumortier-B.Michiels, La Fere 2003, continued thematically with} 12. c4 f5 13. f3 Nd7 14.
Be3 Bg5 $1 15. Bf2 $1 Qf6 {, intending to insist upon the trade of bishops
with ...Qh6 and ...Be3. Following} 16. Qc2 {Black went for the typical
dark-square bind with} e4 $6 ({instead of 16...e4?!, both} 16... b6) ({and} 
16... Nc5 {look thematic and more sound to me}) 17. fxe4 f4 {and was better
after} 18. Qc3 $6 (18. c5 $1 {should leave White somewhat better}) 18... Qh6
19. Bd4 $6 f3 $1 {, finishing the game off with a direct attack after} 20. Rxf3
Rxf3 21. gxf3 Bf4 22. Qc2 Ne5 23. Bxe5 Bxe5 24. Re1 Bh3 25. Bf1 Bd7 26. Qf2 Rf8
27. Be2 Qd2 28. Kg2 Rf6 {, and so on.}) 10... b5 11. Ne3 Rb8 $1 {. And we're
back to Chapter 1.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "6 N1c3 – White 8th Moves"]
[Black "D: 8 Be2"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B33"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "44"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 ({It's worth noting that we're
reaching positions typically played via a Sveshnikov move order after} 4... Nf6
5. Nc3 e5 6. Ndb5 d6 7. Bg5 a6 8. Na3 b5 9. Nd5 Be7 10. Bxf6 Bxf6 11. Be2 {.} (
{This is already a small victory for Black - it's generally accepted that
White's best try for an advantage in this line is} 11. c3 O-O 12. Nc2 Bg5 13.
a4 $1 bxa4 14. Rxa4 a5 {, after which White's light-squared bishop obtains a
more active assignment after} 15. Bc4 {.})) 5. Nb5 d6 6. N1c3 a6 7. Na3 Be7 $5
8. Be2 {Similar to line C, White is content with simple, non-threatening
development, a notion that will likely plant him firmly in an inferior version
of the 9 Nd5 Sveshnikov.} Nf6 9. Bg5 ({Other ideas:} 9. Be3 O-O 10. Nc4 b5 {
transposes to 8 Be3 after} 11. Nb6 Rb8 12. Nxc8 Qxc8 {.}) (9. O-O O-O {and now
10. Be3 transposes above. White does have} 10. Bg5 {will transpose to the main
line,} ({and here} 10. Be3 {yields an obvious transposition to Line E below.})
({Instead, White has} 10. Nc4 {, but this runs into the now-routine fork trick
with} Nxe4 11. Nxe4 d5 12. Ng3 dxc4 13. Bxc4 Qc7 {when once again, the central
liquidation leaves Black with more central space and easy development.})) 9...
b5 ({If you'd prefer to avoid a transposition to the Sveshnikov,} 9... Nxe4 $5
{is murky but likely playable. G.Deleyn-H.Van Halderen, Dutch League 1994,
continued} 10. Nxe4 Bxg5 11. Nxd6+ Ke7 12. Nxc8+ ({more critical is} 12. Nac4
$1 Be6 {, and now both} 13. Nxb7 ({and} 13. Bg4 $5 {promise unclear and
complicated play}) 13... Qb8) 12... Rxc8 13. O-O Qxd1 14. Rfxd1 Nd4 ({I'd
probably avoid giving White c3 for free, and try} 14... f5 $5) ({or} 14... Rhd8
) 15. Bd3 b5 16. c3 Ne6 17. Nc2 {with roughly equal chances. I'd stick to the
text, but the choice is up to you.}) 10. Bxf6 ({White has little choice, as the
} 10. Nd5 {of A.Syrchikov-V.Shinkev, Perm 2007, gives Black a pleasant choice
between} Nxd5 ({and} 10... Nxe4 11. Be3 Rb8 {, neither of which is good for
White}) 11. Qxd5 (11. exd5 Bxg5 12. dxc6 Be6 {is also dreadful}) 11... Bb7 12.
Bxe7 Qxe7 13. Qd1 O-O 14. O-O Nd4 {.}) 10... Bxf6 11. Nd5 {Again, mostly
forced.} ({White's other options include the aggressive} 11. O-O $5 b4 12. Qd5
Bd7 13. Nc4 {, which doesn't seem promising after} O-O $1 (13... bxc3 $6 14.
Nxd6+ Ke7 15. Rad1 $1 {is very dangerous}) 14. Nd1 (14. Na4 $2 Nd4 {wins a
piece}) 14... Nd4 15. Bd3 Be6 16. Qxd6 Nxc2 $1) ({or the tame} 11. Nab1 {,
when Black obtains good counterplay after the simple} O-O 12. Nd5 Bg5 13. O-O
Be6 14. Nbc3 b4 {.}) 11... O-O 12. O-O (12. c3 {will likely transpose to 12
0-0 after} Bg5 13. O-O {,} ({but White can also delay castling in an attempt
to gain better control over the d5-square with} 13. Nc2 Ne7 {, with two ways
to send the second knight toward the d5-square:} 14. -- (14. Nce3 {allows
Black to wrestle away control of the d5-square after} Bxe3 {. N.
Gaprindashivili-G.Timoshchenko, USSR 1977, continued} 15. Nxe3 Bb7 16. Bf3 {
and now Timoshchenko uncorked} d5 $1 {. --- Play continued} 17. exd5 Qd6 18. g4
$5 {(else Black can play ...f5 and only later recapture on d5)} Rad8 19. Qd3
Rd7 20. O-O-O Rfd8 21. Nf5 Qf6 {(Black can also just take on f5)} 22. Nxe7+
Qxe7 23. Rhe1 Bxd5 24. Bxd5 Rxd5 25. Qxd5 $5 Rxd5 26. Rxd5 Qg5+ 27. Re3 h5 {.
The position seems about equal with care from both sides, but Gaprindashvili
erred and got her kingside pawns wiped away by Black's queen.}) (14. Ncb4 {is
more popular. --- Two different approaches have been played frequently, and
it's worth looking at each to better understand the resulting positions:} -- (
14... a5 15. Nxe7+ Qxe7 16. Nd5 Qb7 $1 {(Black's queen is well placed here,
protecting the b5-pawn while supporting ...b4 and pressuring the central light
squares)} 17. Qd3 Rb8 (17... b4 {is also popular and good: for example,} 18.
cxb4 axb4 19. Qg3 h6 20. O-O Kh8 $5 21. Qb3 Rb8 22. Rad1 f5 23. Bf3 Qa7 $5 24.
Nxb4 fxe4 25. Bxe4 Bg4 $1 {was Z.Almasi-A.Shirov, French League 2005, when
White was already in some trouble based on ...Be2 and ...Bd2 ideas}) 18. O-O
Be6 19. Rfd1 Rfc8 ({I might prefer the more aggressive} 19... Kh8 $5) 20. Qg3
h6 (20... Bd8 $5 {right away also deserves attention}) 21. h4 Bd8 22. Bg4 $5 {
and now in M.Bauer-A.Lelenko, correspondence 2004,} b4 $1 {ensured Black good
counterplay.}) ({. The} 14... Be6 15. Qd3 Nxd5 ({the usual} 15... a5 16. Nxe7+
Qxe7 17. Nd5 {with the twist} Qa7 $5 {deserves attention, since taking on b5
hangs b2 in turn}) 16. Nxd5 Rb8 17. O-O f5 (17... g6 {first is also possible})
18. Bf3 g6 19. Rfd1 Qc8 $5 {of J.Anderson-P.Cafolla, Kilkenny 1999, was
probably slightly better for White after} 20. b4 {, intending 21 a4. To me, ...f5 seemed premature, and Black was better off improving his stance on the
queenside and in the centre first.})))) 12... Bg5 13. c3 Ne7 {As mentioned
earlier, this line is sub-optimal for White; from here the first player has
scored 28% out of almost 200 games.} 14. Nc2 {This move is the most popular,} (
{but two others have been tried in practice:} 14. Nxe7+ Qxe7 15. Nc2 Bb7 16.
Bf3 {seems awfully lame to me.} -- ({. Indeed, Black can already go for it with
} 16... d5 $5 17. exd5 {and now either} e4 ({or} 17... Rad8 {straight away
give Black strong counterplay in the centre}) 18. Re1 f5 {(B.Hagerty-J.Vehre,
correspondence 1981)} 19. a4 Rad8 {.}) ({. Also possible is} 16... a5 {. White
usually continues} 17. Qd3 {when all of} Bc6 (17... Ba6) ({and} 17... f5 $5 {
deserve a punt.}))) (14. c4 {seems silly after White's just played c3. Play
usually continues} Nxd5 15. Qxd5 (15. cxd5 {has scored awfully after} f5 {; as
an example, White is already losing after the} 16. f3 $2 {of M.Hidalgo
Florida-M.Simonet Pons, Andorra 2003, which continued} Be3+ 17. Kh1 f4 18. Nc2
Bb6 19. Qe1 Rf6 $1 20. a4 Rh6 $1 {and White had no good way to deal with ...Qg5-h5}) ({instead,} 15. exd5 b4 16. Nc2 a5 17. b3 Qb6 {leaves White with
little on the queenside, while Black has straightforward play in the centre
and on the kingside after ...f5}) 15... Be6 16. Qd3 b4 17. Nc2 Qb6 18. b3 a5 {
. This was D.Janosevic-A.Yusupov, Amsterdam Interzonal 1978. Black has an
incredibly large number of ways to improve his position (...Qc5 and ...Bd8-b6,
...g6 and ...f5, and ...a4), while it's not that easy to find a reasonable
plan for White. Janosevic went down in a 75-move struggle.}) 14... Nxd5 15.
Qxd5 Be6 16. Qd3 {It's worth comparing this position to the Sveshnikov one
discussed in the notes to Black's 10th move to understand why White might play
that way instead of as he has done here. In our main line, White's queenside
counterplay lags considerably, and his control over the d5-square is strongly
diminished with the bishop on e2 instead of the much more active c4-square.} d5
{This is the most obvious equalizing try,} ({though kick-starting play on the
queenside with the fancy novelty} 16... a5 $5 {also deserves serious attention.
--- This might even be my preference in a game I had to win: for example,} 17.
Ne3 (17. Qxb5 Rb8 18. Qd3 Rxb2 {is out of the question}) 17... Bxe3 18. Qxe3
Rb8 19. Rfd1 Qc7 {with ...b4 coming soon. If White tries} 20. b4 {, then} Bb3 {
seems reasonable, though Black seems equal after a variety of moves.}) 17. Rfd1
dxe4 18. Qxe4 Qc7 19. Nb4 f5 20. Qc6 Qxc6 21. Nxc6 Bf6 22. Rd6 Kf7 {. This was
Yu Yangyi-V.Kovalev, Moscow 2010. Black has roughly equal chances in this
ending, though again, I might prefer 16...a5 based solely on the guess that it
would increase my expectation slightly in practice.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "6 N1c3 – White 8th Moves"]
[Black "E: 8 Be3"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "40"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. N1c3 a6 7. Na3 Be7 $5 8.
Be3 $5 {This might be the most challenging line examined in this chapter, with
White making a concerted effort to exploit the glaring weakness on b6. We can
allow said incursion in this particular case, primarily because doing so
requires White to move his already weary a3-knight three more times.} Nf6 9.
Nc4 (9. Nd5 {will be covered in Line F below.}) 9... b5 $1 {This seems like
the best way to handle the intrusion into b6.} ({Also possible is} 9... Be6 {
, though the} 10. Nd5 $1 O-O 11. Nxe7+ $1 Nxe7 12. Qxd6 Bxc4 $1 13. Qxd8 Raxd8
14. Bxc4 Nxe4 15. f3 Rc8 16. Bb3 Nf5 17. Bb6 {of S.Andersson-T.Jackson,
correspondence 2012, has to be at least slightly better for White.}) 10. Nb6
Rb8 11. Nxc8 (11. Nbd5 {is possible but inconsistent.} -- ({. A.Sokolov-A.Moroz, Cappelle la Grande 2007, was drawn after} 11... O-O 12. Be2 Nxd5 ({the} 
12... b4 13. Nxf6+ Bxf6 14. Nd5 Bg5 {of K.Mueller-U.Boensch, German League
2006, was also equal after} 15. O-O Bxe3 16. Nxe3 {, when I prefer} a5 ({over
the game's} 16... Nd4)) 13. Nxd5 Bg5 14. O-O Bxe3 15. Nxe3 {.}) ({. C&L also
suggest} 11... Ng4 $5 {, though after} 12. Nxe7 Nxe7 13. Bg5 h6 {, instead of
their} 14. Bxe7 {,} (14. Bh4 $5 {may provide White a nagging edge.}))) 11...
Qxc8 $1 ({Instead,} 11... Rxc8 $2 12. a4 $1 (12. a3) 12... b4 13. Nd5 {poses
the second player too many problems with his queenside pawns (my computer
suggests Black try} Nb8 {here, so you know it's bad). On the other hand, Black
should be happy to play 11...Qxc8 on general principles alone - we've seen
many times already that the rook is useful on b8, and having the queen on c8
allows ...Bd8-b6 in a lot of positions.}) 12. Be2 {This is just one of a few
decent moves for White here.} ({The} 12. a4 {of V.Iordachescu-S.Roy Chowdury,
Dubai 2012, is an interesting try for an advantage:} -- ({. C&L suggest the
novelty} 12... Nb4 $5 {, but after} 13. Be2 $1 ({as an aside, Morozevich
recently tried} 13. Bd3 {against the firebrand Alexei Shirov and was much
better after} Nxd3+ $5 14. cxd3 $5 h6 $6 15. Ne2 d5 16. d4 Bd6 $6 17. Rc1 Qe6
18. Rc6 {in A.Morozevich-A.Shirov, Poikovsky 2014}) 13... Nxc2+ 14. Qxc2 b4 15.
O-O bxc3 {the new} 16. Qxc3 $1 {should give White some advantage after either}
Qb7 (16... Qxc3 17. bxc3 Nxe4 (17... Ra8 18. Bd3 {also seems to promise a
small pull in the ending}) 18. Bxa6) 17. Qd3 $1 {.}) ({. Black should play} 
12... O-O $1 {, with the following possibilities:} 13. -- (13. Bd3 {can be met
by} bxa4 $1 14. Nxa4 (14. Rxa4 Rxb2 15. Rxa6 $2 ({and} 15. Bxa6 Qc7 {is equal})
15... Nb4 {loses}) 14... Nb4 $1 {(Black protects a6 and prepares ...d5)} 15.
O-O {and now} Qc6 {seems very solid for Black,} ({who can also consider
breaking out right away with} 15... d5 {.})) (13. axb5 {looks more critical,
fixing the weakness on b5 before doing anything else. After} axb5 14. Be2 {,
Black can consider} (14. Bxb5 Nxe4 $1 {is Black's point}) ({alternatively,} 14.
Bd3 {can be met with} Nb4 15. Bg5 Nxd3+ 16. cxd3 Qb7 {, after which Black has
few problems}) 14... Nd4 $5 {, his point being that} 15. Bxd4 ({White can also
try} 15. Bd3 {, but after} b4 {, both} 16. Ne2 ({and} 16. Nd5 Nxd5 17. exd5 Qc5
{give Black equal chances}) 16... Ne6) 15... exd4 16. Qxd4 b4 17. Nd1 Qxc2 18.
Bd3 Qc5 {is about equal.}))) (12. Bd3 {doesn't allow any tricks with ...Nxe4,
but it does block the d-file, which may make ...d5 or ...Bd8-b6 easier to
achieve. In my first manuscript I wrote that I was eager to try to improve
after the} O-O 13. O-O {of J.Smeets-V.Ikonnikov, German League 2009, with} Nb4
{, and since then, I've had the opportunity to try it. --- M.Gutovskyi-A.Rotella, correspondence 2010, continued} 14. a3 (14. Bg5 Nfd5 $1 15. exd5 Bxg5
16. Be4 a5 $1 {intending ...Na6-c5, is equal.}) 14... Nxd3 15. Qxd3 h6 $5 {(I
saw no reason to give White the opportunity to try 16 Bg5)} 16. f3 Qb7 {(this
is frequently a good square for Black's empress in these structures, staying
off the c-file, protecting b5, and supporting ...d5)} 17. Rf2 $5 Rbc8 18. Re2
Rc7 19. g3 Rfc8 {(Black's position is perfectly harmonious) and after} 20. Bf2
{, it was clear that White didn't have a good way to improve. A draw was
agreed about ten moves later after some needless dancing of the heavy pieces.})
12... O-O 13. O-O (13. a3 {has been played in a few games. Black can try the
interesting manoeuvre} Nd8 $5 ({he can also consider} 13... Na5 14. O-O Nc4 15.
Bc1 (15. Bxc4 $6 bxc4 $1 {is great for Black}) 15... Nb6 {, when he's ready to
attempt ...d5 after ...Rfd8 and ...Qc6}) 14. O-O Ne6 {, when the centralized
knight prevents Bg5 and surveys a lot of central dark squares. After} 15. Qd2
Qb7 $5 {(again, the queen fianchetto is very reasonable in these structures)}
16. f3 Rbc8 {Black is very solid after moves like ...h6 or ...Rfd8.}) 13... b4
14. Nd5 Nxe4 15. a3 $5 ({Instead,} 15. Bf3 {can be met by} Nf6 16. Nxf6+ Bxf6
17. Qxd6 Nd4 18. Bxd4 Rd8 {, with few problems.}) 15... Bd8 {With the queen on
c8 instead of d8, Black needs to ensure that the bishop on e7 doesn't hang if
his knight has to take on b4, and must also be vigilant of the weakness on b6.}
({White starts chipping away at Black's weak queenside, his main point being
that after} 15... bxa3 16. Rxa3 $1 Rxb2 $6 ({Black can try} 16... Nf6 {instead,
but after the simple} 17. Bxa6 {White has too much for the pawn}) 17. Qa1 $1
Rb8 18. Bf3 $1 Nc5 (18... f5 $2 19. Bxe4 fxe4 20. Rc3 $1 {is too much for
Black to handle}) 19. Bxc5 dxc5 20. Rxa6 Kh8 $1 {(every other move loses
immediately)} 21. Rxc6 $1 Qxc6 22. Nxe7 {, he's clearly better.}) 16. Qd3 {
We've been following both S.Sulskis-T.Radjabov, Tallinn (rapid) 2003, and A.Morozevich-T.Radjabov, Moscow 2012. In the post-game press conference, both
Morozevich and Radjabov agreed that the ending after} Nc5 $1 17. Bxc5 dxc5 18.
Qxa6 Qxa6 ({Similar is the new} 18... Nd4 {, intending to enter the
opposite-coloured bishop ending after the tricky} 19. c3 (19. Qc4 Qe6 $1 {
threatens ...Nxe2+}) 19... bxc3 20. bxc3 Qe6 21. Bc4 (21. Ne3 Nxe2+ 22. Qxe2
Ba5 {is also about equal, as} 23. c4 {allows the bishop to settle on d4}) 21...
Ne2+ 22. Bxe2 (22. Kh1 Qxa6 23. Bxa6 Nf4 24. Nxf4 exf4 {also looks drawish})
22... Qxd5 {.}) 19. Bxa6 bxa3 20. bxa3 Ba5 {was about equal.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "6 N1c3 – White 8th Moves"]
[Black "F: 8 Nd5"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "27"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. N1c3 a6 7. Na3 Be7 $5 8.
Nd5 {If you're a club player with a limited amount of time to dedicate to this
book (I'll concede it grew larger than I had originally planned), I implore
you to study this variation thoroughly. You will see this line a
disproportionate number of times in your games compared to 8 Nc4 - white
players generally see Black's seventh, realize that they know nothing about it,
and decide to play it exactly like a Sveshnikov by tossing their knight out to
d5. However, here Black gains, since ...Be7 is far more useful than ...b5, and
less weakening to boot.} Nf6 9. Nxf6+ {This move, weakening d6 and protecting
e4, is by far the most popular,} ({but White has quite a few lesser
alternatives too: If you've been reading through the notes, you'll know that
the} 9. Bd3 $2 {of Z.Boskovic-R.Simic, Belgrade 2007, is a blunder: Black bags
a clean pawn after} Nxd5 10. exd5 Qa5+ 11. Bd2 Qxd5 {, and so on.}) (9. Nxe7 {
is popular in practice, but not dangerous. Play continues} Nxe7 ({in fact} 9...
Qxe7 $5 {is also satisfactory: for instance, the} 10. Bg5 Be6 11. Be2 O-O {of
D.Espineira-O.Masip Tressera, Spain 1998; note that} 12. Bxf6 $6 {can be met
via} Qxf6 $1 {, with the usual trick of} 13. Qxd6 $2 Rad8 14. Qc5 Nd4 {,
carrying with it a multitude of threats like ...Rc8, ...Qg5 and ...Nxe2}) 10.
Bd3 (10. Nc4 Nxe4 11. f3 b5 $1 12. fxe4 bxc4 13. Bxc4 O-O 14. O-O Qb6+ 15. Kh1
Be6 {was equal in R.Saptarshi-V.Ikonnikov, Dieren 2006; trading the f-pawn for
the b-pawn can't favour White}) 10... d5 $1 11. exd5 Nexd5 12. O-O O-O 13. Re1
Qc7 14. Bg5 Bg4 15. f3 Bh5 $5 {, C.Scholz-J.Markos, German League 2007. In the
game, White failed to grasp the point in keeping the light-squared bishop on
the d1-h5 diagonal and was duly routed after} 16. Nc4 $2 e4 $1 17. Bf1 Qc5+ 18.
Kh1 exf3 {, when his kingside was completely shattered.}) (9. Be3 {encourages
Black into a promising pawn sacrifice after} Nxd5 10. exd5 Nd4 {, since 9...0-0 10 Bb6 is annoying,} ({and retreating the steed with} 10... Nb8 11. Nc4 Nd7
12. a4 $1 {is probably a smidge better for White}) 11. -- {. After 10...Nd4,
White has tried two moves:} (11. Bd3 O-O ({Radjabov also played the immediate} 
11... Nf5 $5 {against Socko, but I like this move order better}) 12. O-O {,
was S.Barrientos Chavarriaga-D.Paunovic, Seville 2005, and now Black should
re-harmonize his pieces with the magnificent manoeuvre} (12. Nc4 $6 {is
premature, as} b5 $1 13. Nd2 Nf5 {was clearly better for Black in J.Polgar-T.Radjabov, Rishon Le Zion (blitz) 2006}) 12... Nf5 $1 13. Bd2 Nh4 $1 {. Black
can follow up with ...f5, pushing even further with ...e4/f4 while unlocking
the strong e5-square for the knight via g6 if allowed. I already prefer Black,
both objectively and on practical grounds as well. My computer clearly
demonstrates its confusion by suggesting the wild} 14. g3 ({instead, I'd
suggest} 14. Nc4 f5 15. f3 {, though I still prefer Black's chances}) 14... Ng6
15. h4 f5 16. h5 Nh8 {, but slowly comes to regret it.}) ({. White is loath to
play} 11. Bxd4 exd4 12. Qxd4 O-O {on account of Black's strong counterplay
after ...Bf6. --- Even so, there have been a few games worth discussing:} 13.
-- (13. c3 $2 {is way too slow. After} Bf6 14. Qd1 Re8+ 15. Be2 Bg4 $1 16. f3
Bh4+ $1 17. Kd2 {, White can already pack it in. For your enjoyment, I give
you the complete score of E.Sharapov-P.Eljanov, Ukraine League 1998, which
continued} (17. Kf1 Qb6 {is lights out}) 17... Bf5 18. Bd3 Qg5+ 19. Kc2 Re3 20.
Bxf5 Qxf5+ 21. Kb3 a5 22. Qd4 a4+ 23. Kb4 Re2 24. Nc4 Bf2 {, and White
resigned on account of} 25. Qd1 Bc5+ 26. Kb5 Qd7# {and mate.}) (13. O-O-O {is
basically the only move, and after} Bf6 14. Qd2 ({the} 14. Qb4 b5 15. Bd3 {of
A.De Dovitiis-P.Barrionuevo, Villa Martelli 2010, is similar to the main line,
except that the queen is vulnerable to ...a5; I'd suggest either} g6 $5 ({or} 
15... Rb8 {, with good compensation for the pawn})) 14... b5 $1 {, Black has
fine chances: for instance,} 15. Kb1 {as tried in P.Dobrowolski-V.Rojicek,
Czech League 2010;} ({instead, the} 15. Nb1 $6 {of L.Rojas Keim-E.Colon Garcia,
Barcelona 2010, runs into} b4 $1) (15. c3 Bg4 16. Re1 Rc8 17. Nc2 Qa5 18. Kb1
Bf5 19. Bd3 Bxc3 20. bxc3 Rxc3 21. Bxf5 Rb3+ 22. axb3 Qxd2 23. Be4) 15... Bd7 {
(Black is preparing ...a5 and ...b4)} 16. Bd3 Rb8 17. c3 a5 18. Nc2 b4 $1 19.
cxb4 g6 $5 {and Black has good compensation, with the idea of ...Bg7 and ...Qf6. Of course, White can't capture on a5, and also has to be mindful of
allowing ...axb4 and ...b3.}))) 9... Bxf6 10. Nc4 ({Other moves are possible
too:} 10. c4 $6 {(this unnecessarily weakens White's dark squares after the
bishops come off)} O-O 11. Bd3 Bg5 $1 12. O-O Be6 13. Nc2 Bxc1 14. Rxc1 Qa5 15.
a3 b5 $1 16. Ne3 Nd4 {left Black a bit better in M.Adamowicz-M.Kanarek,
Koszalin 2009.}) (10. c3 Ne7 $5 {attempts to capitalize on White's
lackadaisical approach to the opening by enforcing ...d5 before White can
attack d6 with Nc4.} ({Note that Black also has the option of transposing back
to the main line with} 10... O-O 11. Nc4 Be7 {and so on}) 11. Bd3 ({if} 11. Nc4
d5 $1) 11... O-O {. Play may continue} 12. O-O Be6 13. Nc2 d5 {with a fine
position for the second player.}) (10. Be3 O-O 11. Nc4 Nd4 {should also
transpose to the main line.}) 10... O-O $5 {This pawn sacrifice is a low risk
way to give White a chance to go wrong.} 11. Be3 {This is the most obvious way
to decline the gambit, guarding White's weak d4-square and hoping that Black
will be forced to hunker down and defend the weaknesses on d6 and b6.} ({
White's other choices are below, in ascending order of respectability:} 11.
Nxd6 $6 {is awfully risky given White's lagging development and centralized
king. --- Black should start with} Be6 $1 {, which basically forces} 12. c3 ({
, on account of} 12. Nxb7 $4 Qe7) (12. Nc4 $6 Qxd1+ 13. Kxd1 Rfd8+ {followed
by ...Rd4}) ({, or} 12. Be3 $6 Nd4 $1 13. Bxd4 exd4 14. Nc4 b5 $1 15. Nd2 d3 $1
{all being very bad for White.}) ({. After} 12. c3 {, play could continue} Qc7
13. Nc4 (13. Nf5 $6 {is even worse:} Rfd8 14. Qf3 ({or} 14. Qg4 Qa5 $1 15. Be2
Nd4 $1 16. Bd1 Nxf5 17. exf5 Rd4 {, with strong counterplay}) 14... Qa5 $1 15.
Be2 Bxf5 16. exf5 e4 $1 17. Qh5 $4 Bxc3+ $1 {, as in F.Corrales-J.Alvarez
Marquez, Havana 2008}) 13... Rfd8 14. Qc2 b5 15. Ne3 Rac8 16. Be2 Qa5 $1 {
(threatening to put White out of his misery with ...Nd4-b3)} 17. Bd2 (17. O-O
Nd4 18. Qd1 Nf3+ {is not what White wants}) 17... Bg5 $1 {, when Black has
great compensation for the pawn based on his very active pieces and
counterplay with ...b4 next move.})) (11. Qxd6 Qxd6 12. Nxd6 Nb4 $1 13. Bd3 Rd8
14. Nc4 (14. Nxc8 $6 Raxc8 15. O-O Nxc2 16. Bxc2 Rxc2 {sees White a bit worse
on account of Black's annoying porker on the seventh}) 14... Nxd3+ 15. cxd3
Rxd3 16. Nb6 Rb8 17. Be3 Bg4 $5 {leads to an equal ending with scant winning
chances for either side.}) (11. c3 $5 {is also popular and perhaps underrated,
as clamping down on the d4-square and forcing Black to defend d6 could reduce
the second player to passivity. --- After} Be7 12. Be3 $1 {capitalizing on the
weak b6-square posthaste;} ({C&L also give} 12. Be2 Be6 13. O-O Rc8 14. Be3 Nd4
$5 {as equal after} 15. cxd4 Bxc4 16. Bxc4 Rxc4 17. Qd3 Qc7 18. Rac1 Rc8) 12...
Be6 13. Nb6 -- ({, Black can try an aggressive exchange sacrifice with} 13...
Bg5 $5 14. Nxa8 (14. Bxg5 Qxb6 15. Qd2 Qc7 {is nothing for White}) 14... Bxe3
15. fxe3 Qh4+ 16. Kd2 Rxa8 {, but after} 17. Bd3 {I think White probably has
an edge. Black can try a lot of moves like} d5 {,} (17... Rd8) (17... b5) ({
and even} 17... Nb8 $5 {, but I wasn't able to convince myself that with good
play from White it was completely equal.})) ({. Instead, I'd recommend the} 
13... Rb8 14. Qd2 {(other moves are also met by ...Bg5)} Bg5 $1 {(Black
insists)} 15. Bxg5 Qxb6 16. Be2 {of V.Rasulov-R.Edouard, Herceg Novi 2006, and
now} Qc7 $1 ({the game continuation was} 16... h6 {, but this allows} 17. Be3
Qa5 18. O-O Rfd8 19. c4 {, which I'd rather avoid}) 17. O-O ({the point of
Black's move order is that the bishop isn't on e3 yet, and so clamping down
with} 17. c4 {is met favourably by} Nd4) 17... h6 18. Be3 b5 $1 {(and now
Black stops c4 for good)} 19. Rfd1 Rbd8 $1 {out of necessity,} ({as} 19... Rfd8
$2 20. Bxh6 $1 gxh6 21. Qxh6 {menaces Rd3; note that Black can repel the
attack with} f6 {if he protects d6 with his b-rook}) 20. -- {, when a few
lines finish up:} (20. a4 {critically weakens the queenside light squares,
therefore crying out for} Na5 {. Black has good counterplay after} 21. axb5
axb5 22. Ra3 Nc4 {,} ({or even} 22... d5 {.})) (20. b4 {refines the line above
by stopping ...Na5 and fixing Black's pawn on b5. The problem is that it allows
} d5 {, and after} 21. exd5 Rxd5 22. Qe1 Rxd1 23. Rxd1 Rd8 {Black has few
problems.}) (20. Qc2 {prepares Rd2, or b3 and c4, but Black's position is
typical of this variation and very solid. One sample line is} Rd7 21. Rd2 Na5
$1 {(Black threatens ...Nc4, of course, but forcing b3 will tie White to his
weak c-pawn)} 22. b3 Rc8 23. Rc1 Nb7 {, when Black is very solid - he can
double rooks on the c-file via ...Qc6 and ...Rdc7, or play ...Nc5 and ...a5-a4
when the time is right.}))) 11... Nd4 $1 {Black refuses to compromise with
passive defence. As mentioned in the introduction to the chapter, this is a
very common idea - Black needn't fear the doubled/isolated pawns on the d-file
because it's easy for him to enforce the ...d5 break or push ...d3.} 12. c3 (
12. Bd3 b5 13. Nd2 Ne6 {followed by ...Nc5 isn't a problem for Black}) ({who
also obtains magnificent play after} 12. Bxd4 exd4 13. Bd3 {(else White may
have to contend with a very active dark-squared bishop after ...d3)} d5 $1 14.
Nd2 ({not} 14. exd5 $2 Re8+ 15. Be2 {and now both} b5 ({and} 15... Bg4 16. f3
Bh4+ 17. Kf1 {look absolutely atrocious for White}) 16. Nd2 Bg4 17. f3 d3 $1
18. cxd3 Bf5) 14... dxe4 15. Nxe4 Be7 16. O-O Be6 {. His isolated d-pawn is
more than compensated for by the space it provides, the two bishops, and open
lines. Black can improve his position with ...Bd5, followed by the rooks to
open files, and maybe even ...f5-f4-f3.}) 12... b5 $1 {This is Black's main
point when playing 11...Nd4,} ({though it occurred to me only a week before
turning in the final manuscript that a fascinating piece sacrifice with} 12...
Re8 $5 {might be possible as well.} 13. -- ({. White gets absolutely shredded
if he tries to grab the piece and hold on with} 13. cxd4 exd4 14. Bxd4 Rxe4+
15. Be3 d5 $1 16. Bd3 Re8 17. Nd2 $2 ({but} 17. O-O dxc4 18. Bxc4 Bf5 {holds
no problems for Black either}) 17... d4) ({. Going back even further, White
can try} 13. f3 {, but} d5 $1 14. cxd4 (14. Nd2 {is very sharp, my computer
suggesting the wild} Nc6 15. exd5 Ne7 $5 16. c4 Nf5 17. Bf2 e4 $5 18. fxe4 Bxb2
19. Rb1 Bc3 20. Be2 ({or} 20. Bd3 $6 Qg5 $1 {with great counter-chances for
Black}) 20... Rxe4) 14... exd4 15. Bxd4 dxc4 16. Bxf6 Qxf6 17. Bxc4 Qxb2 18.
O-O Qb6+ 19. Kh1 Be6 {gives Black solid equality. This is a variation well
worth testing out in practice, and one which might cause players of the white
pieces some problems over the board.})) 13. cxd4 (13. Nd2 {is nothing to worry
about either: for example,} Ne6 14. Be2 ({or} 14. a4 Bb7 {Black's point being
that} 15. axb5 axb5 16. Rxa8 Bxa8 17. Bxb5 d5 $1 {secures great counterplay})
14... Bg5 $1 {.}) 13... bxc4 14. -- (14. dxe5 {This was J.Van Der Wiel-V.Ikonnikov, Vlissingen 2000. The easiest route to equality might be} Qa5+ 15.
Qd2 Qxe5 16. Bxc4 Rb8 $5 (16... Bb7) ({and} 16... Be6 {secure adequate
counterplay too}) 17. O-O Qxe4 {(taking on b2 is also good)} 18. Bb3 Be6 {.}) (
{Instead,} 14. Bxc4 exd4 15. Bxd4 Qa5+ 16. Kf1 Be6 {gives Black great
compensation on account of White's poor king safety and stranded rook on h1.})
*

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Key Takeaways 2"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "15"]
[SourceDate "2015.03.04"]

{1. Good intentioned is 8 Bc4, but unfortunately for White, it's not easy for
him to get everything he wants out of the opening. Black threatens a quick ...b5-b4 fork with tempo, and as we saw in Ziatdinov-Shabalov, it's very
difficult for the first player to hold it all together. White is encouraged to
put his bishop on the d5-square, but this is awkward. White must also choose
between reacting to ...b4 with odd knight retreats on the queenside, or by
playing it himself, which makes a later ...a5 break awfully potent, as the
above game illustrated. --- 2. Developing the bishop on the long diagonal with
8 g3 turns out to be cumbersome after 8...Nf6 9 Bg2 Bg4! - all of White's
possible reactions have irritating downsides. White should likely plump for 9
Nc4 instead, when Black can either transpose to Chapter 1 with 9...b5 10 Ne3,
or try out the complications after 9...Nxe4!? 10 Nxe4 d5, which seem fine for
him. --- 3. Line C's 8 Bd3 is very likely to transpose to the 10 Bd3 of
Chapter 1 if White elects to play an early Nc4. If White avoids it on move 9
then Black can try 9...Bg4, which looks satisfactory too. It's also worth
noting the typical plans and play in the 10 Nd5 variation, covered in the
notes to White's 10th move. We discussed a very similar structure with exd5 in
the book's introduction, with the difference that there, White's pawn had
already made it to c4. In these structures, Black's majority points to him
playing on the kingside and in the centre starting with ...f5, while White
will look to prepare c4-c5. It's also worth remembering Black's manoeuvre/retreat with ...Nc6-b8-d7. In these exd5 structures, hovering on d7 or c5 is
usually best for this knight. From here Black can stop the c5 break or occupy
the square directly, or head over to the kingside via e5 or f6. --- 4. With 8
Be2, White will likely transpose to a non-threatening sideline of the
Sveshnikov variation after 8...Nf6 9 Bg5 b5 10 Bxf6 Bxf6 11 Nd5. Compare the
positions occurring after 11...0-0 12 0-0 Bg5 13 c3 Ne7 14 Nc2 with those of
the main line, which goes 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 e5 6
Ndb5 d6 7 Bg5 a6 8 Na3 b5 9 Nd5 Be7 10 Bxf6 Bxf6 11 c3 0-0 12 Nc2 Bg5 13 a4!
bxa4 14 Rxa4 a5 15 Bc4. In our line, White hasn't started his queenside play
with a4 yet, and has prematurely committed his bishop to the passive e2-square,
where it is both less active in general and less effective at stopping ...d5.
As a consequence, we see in the analysis that Black usually achieves this
thematic break if he so chooses. As such, White scores poorly. --- 5. 8 Be3 is
sharp and tricky for Black to handle properly. The most important point to
remember is that Black must capture on c8 with the queen following 8...Nf6 9
Nc4 b5! 10 Nb6 Rb8 11 Nxc8. After 11...Qxc8! it's well worth analysing both
Radjabov games mentioned and my analysis/improvements to become familiar with
the tactics and ideas for both sides, as this line comes up a fair amount in
practice - the weakness on b6 is awfully obvious after all. --- 6. Lastly, the
most important line in the whole book for club players is 8 Nd5. It seems as
though the new 7...Be7!? hasn't penetrated popular opening theory at the lower
levels, and so a ton of players, even those master strength or above, simply
react to 7...Be7 as they would 7...b5, with 8 Nd5. Black benefits from his
bishop move significantly, and analysis proves that Black gets equality with a
heap of interesting chances to mix things up: the pawn sacrifice with 8...Nf6
9 Nxf6+ Bxf6 10 Nc4 0-0, the doubled d-pawn positions after 11 Be3 Nd4! 12
Bxd4 exd4, and the piece sacrifice after 12 c3 Re8!?.} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3.
d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. N1c3 a6 7. Na3 Be7 $5 8. -- (8. Bc4 {- A}) (8.
g3 {- B}) (8. Bd3 {- C}) (8. Be2 {- D}) (8. Be3 {- E}) (8. Nd5 {- F}) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "3: 6 c4 – The Main Line 7 N1c"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "16"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Be7 7. N1c3 {This
chapter kicks off our coverage of 6 c4, the line that most strongly
distinguishes the Kalashnikov from the more popular Sveshnikov variation. This
path has been popular with players at all levels for as long as the
Kalashnikov has been around, and is perhaps the most critical (though we saw
in Chapter One that developing quickly with 6 N1c3 is a very good try for an
advantage too), and principled way to tackle 4...e5. White attempts to
'punish' Black's omission of 4...Nf6 and 5 Nc3 by clamping down on the already
weak d5-square with c4. Then, instead of declaring his intentions with moves
like 7 b3 or 7 Bd3, White makes the best move in accordance with well-known
and respected opening principles, waiting to see how Black develops before
continuing with more committal ideas.} a6 8. Na3 {Consistent with other lines
occurring after 6 c4, Black can either initiate a slow, manoeuvring game or
enter murkier waters by immediately striking out with his f-pawn, the latter
option being particularly popular these days. In a sense, this is a small
victory for White, as he's had to make no commitments about particular piece
placements yet. Black already faces a critical decision that has long-term
strategic and positional consequences.} -- ({A:} 8... Be6) ({B:} 8... f5 $5) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "6 c4 – The Main Line 7 N1c3"]
[Black "A: 8...Be6"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "17"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Be7 7. N1c3 a6 8. Na3
Be6 {Tony Rotella: 'This has been Black's main choice for a long time,
immediately generating some pressure on the c4-pawn (Black plans ...Rc8 and ...Na5), while keeping the option of ...Bg5 open for one more move.'} ({Before we
move on, it's worth discussing the move order with} 8... Nf6 {, as it hides
some small subtleties worth understanding. --- Just as with 8...Be6, White has
a wide choice, though most options simply transpose back to normal 8...Be6
lines:} 9. -- (9. Bd3 {transposes back to 7 Bd3 immediately after} Be6 {. See
Chapter 6.}) (9. Be2 {will generally head back into 8...Be6 channels: for
example,} Nd4 10. O-O Nxe2+ 11. Qxe2 O-O 12. Be3 Be6 {, and so on.}) (9. Nc2
Be6 10. Be2 (10. Bd3 {would again be covered under 7 Bd3 - see Chapter 6, Line
C}) 10... Rc8 {, and now both} 11. b3 ({and} 11. O-O O-O 12. Be3 {are covered
after 8...Be6. In this case though, since the queenside pressure resulting
from ...Rc8 and ...Be6 comes a move later in exchange for ...Nf6, White might
be less inclined to play b3. This is pure speculation, but this practical fact
is worth keeping in mind, as I find the systems with b3 to be easier for Black
theoretically, and more fun as well (spoiler alert: we emphatically slam ...b5)
.})) (9. Be3 {is the most important difference, as Black can no longer
'punish' White's early deployment of his dark-squared bishop with 9...Bg5.
Fortunately for the second player, his opponent's punishment is more severe
with this move order after} Ng4 $1 {, when White is practically forced to part
with the bishop-pair:} 10. -- (10. Bd2 $2 Qb6 $1 {hits f2 and b2 at the same
time, and White's already much worse.}) (10. Bc1 $6 {has the benefit of
protecting b2, though} Qb6 $1 {is still very strong. J.Cai-R.Ajeet Singh,
Kuala Lumpur 2011, continued} 11. Qd2 $6 (11. Qe2 {is probably better, but
Black is still firmly in the driver's seat after} f5 $1) 11... Bh4 $1 12. g3 $2
{White is losing;} (12. Nd1 {was better, but after} f5 {again, Black is for
choice}) 12... Bg5 13. f4 exf4 14. Nd5 {, when} Qc5 $1 {would have been
completely lost for White, one example being} 15. h4 Nce5 $1 16. b4 Qa7 17. Be2
f3 $1 18. hxg5 Qf2+ 19. Kd1 fxe2+ 20. Qxe2 Qd4+ {, bagging a rook.}) (10. Nc2 {
looks close to forced, but this is not what White wanted out of the opening. M.Kern-B.Wyder, correspondence 2011, continued} O-O 11. Be2 Nxe3 12. Nxe3 Bg5 13.
O-O Be6 14. Ncd5 Nd4 {, with easy equality. --- So overall the move order with
8...Nf6 is equivalent to 8...Be6 in the most important lines, hiding some
practical sting after 9 Be3 and probably losing some after 9 Nc2. Neither of
these points are hugely relevant. Trotting out 8...Nf6 might gain you a few
seconds on the clock, so give it an occasional outing or make it your main
repertoire choice if you enjoy 8...Be6 but would rather not play against 9 Be3.
}))) 9. -- {After 8...Be6 White has:} ({A1:} 9. Be2) ({A2:} 9. Nc2) ({White
has a few minor alternatives we should get out of the way first: Once again,} 
9. Bd3 {will immediately transpose back to our coverage of 7.Bd3 after} Nf6 10.
O-O {.}) (9. Nd5 {has been played sporadically by some top-level players like
Polgar and Ivanchuk, but has never seen widespread popularity. --- The move
prevents ...Bg5 temporarily, also immediately planning to exploit Black's weak
b6-square after Be3. This plan is somewhat committal, however, and comically
sees White move one of his knights on the queenside one more time. The easiest
solution is to renew the idea of ...Bg5 immediately with} Rc8 {, play
continuing} 10. Be3 {this is overwhelmingly popular, aiming for quick
harassment on the weak b6-square,} ({though} 10. Nc2 {has seen play as well;
here} Nf6 11. Bd3 Nd7 12. O-O Bg5 13. b4 O-O 14. Bd2 h6 15. Rc1 Bxd2 16. Qxd2
Qg5 {was drawn easily in V.Turov-U.Blass, correspondence 2008, where after the
exchange of queens, Black prepared ...f5-f4 with ...g6}) 10... Bg5 11. Bb6 (11.
Qd2 Bxe3 12. Qxe3 Nd4 13. Bd3 Bxd5 14. exd5 Nf6 15. O-O O-O {followed up by ...Qa5 and ...b5 is one of what appears to be many ways to grab the initiative})
11... Qd7 {and there's a further divide:} 12. -- (12. c5 $5 {is sharp and
tricky. --- I'd recommend diving into the complications with} dxc5 $1 13. Nc4
$1 {new,} ({but only because} 13. Bxc5 Nce7 $1 14. Be3 Bxe3 15. Nxe3 Qc6 16. f3
Nf6 {is not inspiring for White}) 13... Bxd5 14. Qxd5 {, and now sacrificing
the exchange with} Nf6 15. Nd6+ Kf8 16. Qd1 Nd4 17. Nxc8 Qxc8 {seems best.
Against} 18. b4 {I like} Nxe4 $1 ({C&L give} 18... Kg8) 19. Bd3 $1 ({not} 19.
bxc5 $4 Qf5 $1 {and my computer announces mate in 28!}) 19... Qc6 20. O-O Qxb6
21. Bxe4 cxb4 {with an unclear position, though one in which I think Black is
objectively better.}) (12. Bd3 Bd8 13. Be3 Nge7 14. O-O O-O 15. Qd2 f5 {with a
fine position for Black, A.Cela-V.Kotronias, Zouberi 1993.}) (12. Nc2 Bd8 13.
Be3 {looks a lot like all of the other positions occurring after 9 Nd5, though
here I really like the plan Black employed in P.Blehm-G.Protaziuk, Polish
League 1995, which continued} Nce7 $5 14. Bd3 f5 $1 {(Black wants to challenge
the knight only after getting ...f5 in)} 15. f3 Nf6 16. Qd2 O-O 17. O-O Nexd5
18. exd5 ({not} 18. cxd5 $6 Bf7 {, when White has to surrender the d5-pawn with
} 19. exf5 {or allow Black to make a target out of the e4-pawn after ...fxe4
and ...Bg6}) 18... Bf7 19. a4 f4 20. Bf2 Bg6 21. Rfe1 {, and here Black could
have tried the pawn sacrifice} e4 {: for instance,} 22. fxe4 Ng4 23. Bd4 Qe8
24. Rf1 Ne5 {with great compensation.}) (12. Be2 Bd8 13. O-O (13. Be3 {right
away allows} Ba5+ 14. Bd2 Bxd2+ 15. Qxd2 Bxd5 16. exd5 Nd4 {with easy equality}
) 13... Nf6 ({the} 13... Nge7 14. Be3 O-O 15. Qd3 f5 {of A.Toth-G.Grigore,
Paks Interzonal 2003, also looks playable; in the game, White landed himself
in hot water after} 16. Bf3 f4 $1 17. Nb6 Bxb6 18. Bxb6 Rb8 19. Rfd1 Nc8 20.
Qb3 {, and now, with all of White's pieces loitering on the queenside, Black
could have turned his attention to the other sector with} Rf6 $1 {, securing a
large advantage}) 14. Nxf6+ {forced,} ({as protecting the e-pawn with} 14. Qd3
$2 {loses material after} Nxd5 15. Bxd8 $2 Nf4) 14... Bxf6 15. Qd3 Bd8 16. Be3
{, I like} f5 {, right away, with an equal position that looks like something
out of Line B, below, after} ({instead of} 16... Be7 17. Rad1 {, S.Tiviakov-R.Sherbakov, USSR 1988, which allows White to meet} O-O {with} 18. Qd2 f5 19.
exf5 Bxf5 20. Nb1) 17. exf5 (17. Rad1 $6 f4 $1 18. Bc1 Nd4 {is clearly better
for Black}) 17... Bxf5 18. Qd5 Be6 19. Qd3 O-O {.})) (9. Be3 {has never been
particularly popular, probably because it dives headfirst into Black's main
plan with ...Bg5. --- Black has two choices here, one noticeably better than
the other:} -- ({. White's 9th just begs for} 9... Bg5 $1 {(any capture on g5
now loses a tempo), and we should be happy to oblige. --- White has a choice:}
10. -- (10. Qd2 Bxe3 11. Qxe3 Nd4 12. Ne2 Nc6 {leaves White's pieces awkwardly
placed - I'd already prefer Black, though I'm probably somewhat biased.}) (10.
Bxg5 Qxg5 11. Nd5 (11. Nc2 Nf6 12. Qd3 O-O 13. Rd1 Rfd8 14. b3 {is the other
line White seems to favour after 10 Bxg5, though even here both} b5 ({and} 
14... Rac8 {seem very comfortable for the second player})) 11... Rc8 12. Qb3 {
has scored 100% for White in the few games that have been played. Black never
found} Nf6 $1 {however, the point being that} 13. Qxb7 Nxe4 14. Rd1 O-O {is
completely hopeless for White.}) (10. Nc2 Bxe3 11. Nxe3 Nf6 (11... Nge7 $5 {
also looks great: for example,} 12. Be2 O-O 13. O-O Nd4 14. Bg4 b5 $1 {, G.Nsubuga-E.Sveshnikov, Calvia Olympiad 2004}) 12. Bd3 (12. Be2 {seems less
precise, as Black more or less wins a tempo after the} O-O 13. O-O Nd4 14. Bd3
{of R.Rago-G.Grigore, Porto San Giorgio 2000; now it seems prudent to follow
the course of 12 Bd3 with} b5 15. b3 Qa5 {, with an equal position for Black,
the irony being that White's lost tempo allows} 16. Ne2) 12... O-O 13. O-O Nd4
14. Rc1 b5 15. b3 {was B.Leroy-G.Grigore, Creon 1999, and here I like} Qa5 $5 {
, discouraging Ne2 on account of ...Qxa2, and preparing the thematic ...Nd7-c5.
})) ({. Instead,} 9... Nf6 10. Be2 O-O 11. O-O Rc8 12. Rc1 $1 {reaches one of
the main tabiyas of 6 c4 that I'd prefer to avoid as Black. --- Whereas in
other lines we've been allowed to employ tricks to alleviate our space
disadvantage or gain activity (between this and the next three chapters,
you'll see trickery like ...Nd4xe2, ...Nd7-c5xd3, or sneaking in ...b5 via
tactics), here there's none of that. White has avoided the weakening b3 and
all exchanges for the time being, and Black is forced to behave and play it
slow. Honestly, I go so far as to interpret the main line being} h6 {as an
omen to never play this line, but that might be extreme. A few samples:} (12...
Ne8 13. Qd2 $1 (13. Nd5 Bg5 {is less accurate}) 13... h6 {(what else is Black
doing? he's already committed himself to this plan after ...Ne8)} 14. Nc2 Bg5
15. Rfd1 Bxe3 16. Qxe3 (16. Nxe3 $6 Nd4 {spoils everything for White}) 16...
Qg5 17. Qxg5 hxg5 {, as in A.Zapata-N.Gaprindashvili, Biel Interzonal 1988, is
not an ending I'd be excited to play as Black at all, though he's quite solid,
and White's advantage isn't very large.}) (12... Nd7 13. Nc2 $5 f5 (13... Nc5
14. b4 $1 Nd7 15. Qd2 {sees Black tighten the noose himself}) 14. exf5 $1 Bxf5
15. Bg4 $1 Bxg4 16. Qxg4 {sees White grab hold of basically all the light
squares, securing some edge.}) (12... h6 13. Nc2 $1 {(this is similar to our
main line with 9 Nc2 Rc8 10 Be2 Nf6 11 Be3 0-0 12 0-0 except White makes the
argument that Rc1 is more useful than ...h6, and having not played b3 is to
his advantage)} Na5 $6 (13... Qd7 $5 {is untried and likely better, but both}
14. Qd2 ({and the weird looking} 14. Qd3 $5 {, avoiding pins with ...Ba5, look
somewhat better for the first player}) 14... Bd8 15. Rfd1 Ba5 16. f3 Nb4 17.
Nxb4 Bxb4 18. a3 Bc5 19. Bxc5 dxc5 20. Qxd7 Nxd7 21. Nd5) 14. b3 b5 $6 15. Nd5
$1 Bxd5 16. exd5 bxc4 17. b4 $1 Nb7 18. Na3 a5 {was M.Womacka-P.Pisk,
correspondence 2003. --- Now} 19. b5 $1 c3 20. Nc4 {is better for White, and
shows the benefit of White inserting Rc1 and ...h6 (this position occurs
without those moves inserted in the notes to line A2).}))) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "6 c4 – The Main Line 7 N1c3"]
[Black "A1: 9 Be2"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "42"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Be7 7. N1c3 a6 8. Na3
Be6 9. Be2 {I think this move is ever-so-slightly inaccurate, allowing Black
to snag the two bishops and chop a pair of minor pieces off, a manoeuvre
someone with less space is keen to complete.} Nd4 $1 (9... Bg5 {is
historically more popular, but I find the positions a little too dry and
one-sided, even if Black's position is completely tenable. A few lines to show
typical play:} 10. -- (10. Nc2 Bxc1 11. Rxc1 Nf6 12. O-O {transposes to
variation 'c2', below.}) (10. Bxg5 Qxg5 11. O-O (11. Qxd6 $4 {loses to a
horrible check on d2 after} Rd8) 11... Rd8 12. Nd5 Nf6 $5 13. Nc7+ Kd7 14. Nxe6
fxe6 15. Bf3 Nd4 16. Nc2 Nxf3+ 17. Qxf3 Qf4 {was equal and later drawn in L.Yudasin-E.Sveshnikov, Moscow 1991.}) (10. O-O Bxc1 11. Rxc1 Nf6 {, when White
has two options that lead to similar positions:} 12. -- (12. Qd2 O-O 13. Rfd1
Qb6 14. Nc2 (14. Qxd6 $4 Rfd8 {is Black's obvious idea}) 14... Rfd8 15. b3 Rac8
16. h3 $5 {and White is a smidge better on account of his extra space and
Black's lack of counterplay, but making progress is non-trivial. One example
is H.Heydt-R.Heinke, correspondence 2008, which was drawn shortly after} Qc5
17. Bf3 Qa5 18. a3 Qb6 19. Rb1 Qc5 20. Nd5 Bxd5 21. exd5 (21. cxd5 $5 Ne7 22.
Rdc1 {looks more logical}) 21... Ne7 22. a4 b5 23. axb5 axb5 24. Ne3 bxc4 25.
bxc4 Rb8 {, as there was not much left to play for.}) (12. Nc2 O-O 13. Qd3 (13.
Qd2 {will transpose to line 'c1' above}) 13... Rc8 14. Rfd1 Qb6 15. b3 Rfd8 {
occurred in I.Gurevich-G.Grigore, Santiago 1990, which continued} 16. h3 $5 {
(just like in line 'c1', both players bide their time and slowly start to
improve their positions)} Ne7 17. Bf1 h6 18. g3 Qa5 19. b4 Qb6 20. Nd5 Bxd5 21.
exd5 Nd7 22. a3 a5 23. h4 $1 Qa7 24. Bh3 $1 {and White was somewhat better.})))
10. Be3 (10. O-O {is the most popular move here, played by the likes of Timman
(against Short), and Leko. As in our main line, Black should immediately snap
off the bishop with} Nxe2+ $1 {before White can move it) and then target c4,
which is a bit soft once the bishop has gone.} ({Instead,} 10... Nf6 11. Bd3 $1
{looked a bit better for White after} O-O 12. Be3 Rc8 13. Nd5 Nxd5 {in T.Fogarasi-I.Nataf, Paris 1995, when} 14. cxd5 $1 Bd7 15. f4 $1 {would have left
White with pressure and a slight initiative}) 11. Qxe2 Nf6 12. Nc2 (12. Be3 O-O
{transposes to our main line}) 12... Rc8 13. Ne3 (13. b3 {has only seen play
once in J.Saborido-X.Guillen Lorenzana, Burgas 1999, where Black quickly
tipped the scales in his favour with} b5 14. Nd5 bxc4 15. bxc4 Nxd5 16. exd5 $6
({White should have tried} 16. cxd5 {instead, as he's not well placed to
pursue the c5 break}) 16... Bd7 17. Ba3 Qc7 18. c5 $6 Bb5 $1) 13... Qc7 $1 ({
as stated in the 7 Be2 chapter,} 13... O-O {is probably dubious on account of
the surprisingly strong prophylactic move} 14. a4) 14. b3 b5 $1 {sees Black
delay castling in favour of immediate skirmishes targeting the c-pawn. This
move order has stopped White from playing the strong a4 idea seen in the notes,
below, and so allowed the desirable ...b5 break. White has a few options:} 15.
-- (15. Ned5 Nxd5 16. Nxd5 (16. exd5 $2 Bf5 {leaves unbearable pressure along
the c-file}) 16... Bxd5 17. cxd5 {transposes to 15 Ncd5.}) (15. Ncd5 Nxd5 16.
Nxd5 Bxd5 17. cxd5 O-O ({Black can also try} 17... Qc2 {, but I suspect that
White is slightly better after} 18. Qg4 g6 19. Be3 f5 20. exf5 Qxf5 21. Qb4 $1
O-O 22. Qa5 $1) 18. -- {, gives White a further choice:} (18. Ba3 $6 Bg5 {
affords Black complete domination of the only open file on the board.}) (18.
Be3 Qc2 {leads to equal endings after either} 19. Qf3 ({or} 19. Qxc2 Rxc2 20.
a4 Rb2 21. Rab1 Rxb1 22. Rxb1 Rc8) 19... f5 20. exf5 g6 $1 {Black would rather
have a pawn on f5 and his rooks connected,} ({though even} 20... Qxf5 21. Qxf5
Rxf5 {looks drawish}) 21. Rac1 Qxf5 22. Qxf5 gxf5 {. In both cases, Black has
no worries down the c-file, no appreciable weakness, and a king that can guard
intrusions and d6 from the d7-square.}) (18. Qg4 g6 ({though Black can also
consider the} 18... f5 19. exf5 Qd7 {of L.Foltyn-L.Kudzma, Czech League 2010.
Play might continue} 20. Bh6 Rf7 21. Rac1 Rxc1 22. Rxc1 e4 23. Be3 Qxf5 24. h3
h5 $1 {, when Black seems okay; it's not easy for White to hold on to the weak
d5-pawn}) 19. Bh6 Rfd8 20. Rac1 Qb7 21. Bd2 Kg7 22. Qh3 h5 23. Kh1 b4 {was
solid for Black and eventually drawn without problems in E.Reina Guerra-J.Rogos, correspondence 2010.})) (15. Bb2 $5 {is new and worth a look, but I
doubt it's any better than putting a knight on d5 right away, as White can't
be sure that b2 is the best square for this piece yet. After} bxc4 16. Ncd5 $1
Qb7 (16... Nxd5 17. exd5 Bd7 {also looks decent}) 17. -- {, the play divides
once more:} (17. Nxe7 Qxe7 (17... Kxe7 18. f4 $1 {is dicey}) 18. Nxc4 Bxc4 19.
bxc4 O-O 20. Rfd1 Rc6 {is straightforward and satisfactory for Black. Lifting
a rook to c6 in such positions is a resource worth remembering.}) (17. Nxf6+
Bxf6 18. Nxc4 Bxc4 19. bxc4 O-O 20. Ba3 Rc6 21. Rfd1 Rfc8 {is very similar to
the positions occurring after 17 Nxe7. I find these positions aesthetically
pleasing - both sides have played well, leading to a stand-off resulting from
corresponding weaknesses, and neither side can pull the trigger.}))) ({Finally,
} 10. Nc2 {will probably transpose to other lines discussed, but White can
also delay castling in favour of playing} Nxe2 11. Qxe2 Nf6 12. Ne3 {. V.Polivalov-S.Ivanchik, correspondence 1990, continued} Rc8 13. Ned5 Nxd5 14.
Nxd5 Bg5 (14... b5 $5 {is also possible, intending} 15. cxb5 Bxd5 16. exd5 Qa5+
{with a fine position for Black after ...Qxb5}) 15. O-O O-O 16. Qh5 Bxc1 17.
Rfxc1 {, with a draw agreed.}) 10... Nxe2 11. Qxe2 Nf6 12. O-O (12. f3 {
contains very little independent value, but is perhaps a more precise way of
reaching the main line if White is concerned with stopping ...Ng4.}) 12... O-O
13. f3 (13. Rac1 Rc8 14. f3 {will transposes to the main line,} ({while} 14.
Rfd1 {would transpose to 13 Rfd1, covered next.})) ({After} 13. Rfd1 {is of
course very natural, when Black should keep the game in traditional channels
with} Rc8 {White has two options:} 14. -- (14. f3 {yields positions similar to
the main line. Perhaps Black does best by forcing White to trade a piece or
two and fix the structure in the centre with} Qc7 $5 ({Khalifman and Lputian
have both won the ending resulting from} 14... h6 $5 15. Rac1 Qa5 16. Qd2 Kh7
17. Nd5 Qxd2 18. Bxd2 Bd8 19. Bb4 Ne8 {, though I'd think I'd find it harder
to defend than the ending I propose with 14...Qc7}) 15. Nd5 (15. b3 b5 16. Rac1
bxc4 17. Nd5 Bxd5 18. exd5 Qb7 19. bxc4 Nd7 {looks okay for Black. who can
follow up with ...f5 and ...Nc5}) 15... Nxd5 16. cxd5 Bd7 17. Rdc1 Qb8 ({now,
no disrespect to Grigore, who's played countless games in the 9...Nd4 system,
but perhaps} 17... Qd8 {makes more sense. Then} 18. Nc4 f5 19. Nb6 {leaves
Black up a tempo on the game}) 18. Nc4 f5 19. Nb6 Rxc1+ 20. Rxc1 Qd8 21. Nxd7
Qxd7 22. Bb6 (22. Qc4 fxe4 23. Qc7 Qd8 24. Qxd8 Bxd8 25. fxe4 Kf7 26. Kf2 Ke7+
27. Ke2 Kd7 {also looks like a pretty easy draw; Black plans ...Be7 and ...Rc8,
and if White refuses the trade with Rf1, then ...Rf8}) 22... fxe4 23. fxe4 {,
as in T.Zumtobel-G.Grigore, Goetzis 1996, when} Rc8 {would leave an
approximately level position where Black is solid.}) (14. Rac1 {can be met by
the obvious try (somehow a novelty)} Ng4 $5 {with some options:} 15. -- (15.
Nd5 Bxd5 16. cxd5 Nxe3 17. Qxe3 Rxc1 18. Qxc1 {, when Black has a pleasant
choice between} ({not} 18. Rxc1 $2 Bg5) 18... f5 (18... Qd7) ({and} 18... Bg5 {
.})) (15. Bd2 f5 16. exf5 Bxf5 17. Nd5 {, when Black can play the
straightforward} Bh4 ({also possible is} 17... e4 $5 {, grabbing central space
and looking to generate kingside chances. Critical is} 18. Nxe7+ $1 (18. f3 $5
{looks risky after} Ne5) ({and} 18. Nc2 Bh4 $1 19. g3 Ne5 $1 20. Nd4 Bg4 21.
Qxe4 Bxd1 22. Rxd1 Qe8 $1 23. Kg2 Qh5 $1 {is mighty unclear}) 18... Qxe7 19.
Bf4 Ne5 20. Qe3 {, when White might have a small edge}) 18. g3 Bg5 19. Bxg5
Qxg5 20. f3 Nh6 {, planning to regroup with ...Be6, ...Nf5-d4, and doubling
rooks on the f-file.}))) 13... Rc8 14. Rac1 ({White has a wide array of
alternatives:} 14. Rfd1 {transposes to 13 Rfd1 and 14 f3.}) (14. b3 {has never
been tried, perhaps because} b5 {looks pretty scary. Now} 15. Nd5 Nxd5 16. cxd5
Bd7 17. Qd2 {(stopping ...Qa5 and ...Bg5)} f5 $1 {is slightly more comfortable
for Black.}) (14. Nd5 {is also possible. An instructive moment has arrived -
due to the weakness on b6, and the possibility of White grabbing the important
e7-bishop, Black needs to take on d5 and eliminate the knight, but which way
does he take?} -- (14... Bxd5 $6 {would be misguided, as} 15. cxd5 Nd7 16. Rfc1
$1 (16. Rac1 Qa5 {pins the knight to the a-pawn}) 16... Rxc1+ 17. Rxc1 Bg5 18.
Nc4 {gives White a little something.}) (14... Nxd5 $1 {is correct, even if it
loses a tempo after} 15. cxd5 {. The point is that Black can fight against the
activated a3-knight after} Bd7 16. Nc4 Bb5 {, following up with ...Bg5 and/or
...f5.})) 14... Nh5 $1 {Typical and good, teeing up both ...Bg5 and ...f5
while looking for ...Nf4.} 15. Qd2 {White takes firm control of f4 and stops
the important ...Bg5,} ({though} 15. Rfd1 {has been played a few times as well.
In D.Ruiz Carballido-H.Farinas Seijas, correspondence 1995, Black took the
opportunity to trade off the dark-squared bishops with} Bg5 (15... Nf4 {also
looks good}) 16. Nd5 Bxe3+ 17. Qxe3 f5 $1 18. exf5 Bxd5 (18... Rxf5 $5 {is
also very playable}) 19. Rxd5 (19. cxd5 Nf4 20. Kh1 Rxf5 21. Rxc8 Qxc8 22. g3
Ng6 23. Rc1 Qf8 $5 {is okay for Black; White's weakened kingside gives the
second player good counterplay, and will balance White's soon to be strong
knight on c4}) 19... Nf4 20. Rdd1 $6 (20. Rd2 {is better, and leads to unclear
positions after} Qg5 21. Kh1 Rxf5 22. Rcd1 Rf6) 20... Qg5 {(threatening to win
the queen with ...Nh3+)} 21. Qd2 Rxf5 22. g3 {and now Black should have played
the fantastic line-opening} e4 $1 {with a dangerous attack, as} 23. fxe4 $2
Nh3+ 24. Kh1 Rf1+ $1 {ends all hope immediately.}) ({Instead} 15. Nd5 {
practically forces Black to continue with his plan, and after} Bg5 16. Qd2
Bxe3+ 17. Qxe3 f5 {we transpose to Ruiz Carballido-Farinas Seijas above, but
with White missing Rfd1. After} 18. exf5 Rxf5 19. Nb1 $5 (19. g4 $6 Nf4 $1 20.
gxf5 Qg5+ $1 21. Kf2 Bxd5 {and White, in trouble, cracks with} 22. cxd5 $4 Qg2+
23. Ke1 Rxc1+ {and mates}) 19... b5 $1 {, Black had good counterplay in D.Fernandez-C.Csiszar, Balatonlelle 2008.}) 15... f5 16. Rfd1 {Critical, albeit
risky, is taking on f5 and going for the fork, which doesn't win heavy
material, but does force Black to justify his aggressive 14th move.} ({After} 
16. exf5 Rxf5 17. g4 Rg5 $1 {we see Black's point, as taking on g5 not only
leaves material equality, but allows a knight to settle on the soft f4-square.
--- 'Metynek'-'Deathloks', Internet 2006, continued} 18. Kh1 Nf4 19. Rce1 ({
chopping wood with} 19. Bxf4 {is quite natural, but Black can start nasty
counterplay on the kingside and in the centre with} exf4 20. Qxf4 h5 $1 21. h3
hxg4 22. fxg4 d5 $1 {when, regardless of the objective evaluation, it's really
hard to envy White's practical chances}) 19... Qd7 20. Ne2 {, and now} b5 $5 {
sees Black whip up strong counterplay. A few variations for finality:} 21. -- (
21. Nxf4 exf4 22. Bxf4 Rg6 23. cxb5 (23. b3 d5 $1 24. cxd5 Bxd5 25. Rxe7 Bxf3+
26. Rxf3 Qxe7 {is fine for Black due to all the open lines for his rooks and
White's poor minor piece coordination}) 23... axb5 24. b4 Qb7 $1 {and Black
regains his material with a satisfactory position.}) (21. Bxf4 {is less
critical than 21 Nxf4 - giving up the dark-squared bishop here will never
leave Black's compensation in doubt. White's kingside dark squares are weak,
and possible pins on the c1-h6 diagonal are too annoying. One continuation is}
exf4 22. Nxf4 Bf7 23. cxb5 axb5 24. Nc2 Rgc5 $5 25. Nb4 Bg5 {, leaving White
completely tied up.}) (21. b3 {practically forces} bxc4 22. Nxc4 Bxc4 23. bxc4
Rxc4 24. Nxf4 exf4 25. Bxf4 Rgc5 {, leaving an approximately equal position.
Black has reasonable compensation for the isolani in White's silly kingside
structure.})) 16... fxe4 ({V.Ivanchuk-N.Short, Tilburg 1990, saw White turn
the screws after} 16... Nf6 17. exf5 Bxf5 18. Nd5 Rc6 19. b3 Nxd5 20. Qxd5+ Kh8
21. Nc2 Qc8 $6 (21... Qe8 $1 {is more thematic, and keeps Black's rooks
connected after} 22. Nb4 Rc8 {, the tactical point being that} 23. Qxb7 $4 Rb8
{hangs the knight}) 22. Nb4 $1 {- not a position I'd recommend wandering into.}
) 17. Nxe4 Nf4 18. Qf2 $6 {Perhaps this move is simply too deep for me, as it
appears that placing White's queen on the f-file causes more problems than
it's worth.} ({My computer suggests} 18. Nc3 Qe8 $1 19. Bxf4 Rxf4 20. Nd5 Rd4 {
as about equal, though I'd personally never choose White if given the chance.})
18... Rc6 $5 ({There's also} 18... d5 {: for example,} 19. cxd5 Rxc1 20. Bxc1
Nxd5 21. Nc4 Qc7 {, with well-centralized pieces and the two bishops.}) 19. Rc3
{We've followed S.Barbre-P.Michelman, correspondence 1997. Now} Qc7 $5 {is a
slight improvement, threatening ...d5 and the c4-pawn simultaneously. Houdini
thinks that} 20. Bxf4 Rxf4 21. Kh1 (21. Rcd3 $2 Bf5 $1 22. Qe3 Bxe4 23. fxe4 d5
{loses the exchange.}) 21... Rf8 {is best and slightly better for Black, who
has the two bishops, active pieces, and White's a3-knight at which to point
and chuckle.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "6 c4 – The Main Line 7 N1c3"]
[Black "A2: 9 Nc2"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "19"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Be7 7. N1c3 a6 8. Na3
Be6 9. Nc2 {I think this move order is stronger than 9 Be2. White has more
space and should have no interest in allowing ...Nd4xe2. Paradoxically, as
discussed before, White's bishop is actually a fairly important piece,
restraining Black's counterplay on the light squares and dissuading him from
opening up the game further. It's obvious that White's knight can't stay on a3
forever anyway; the first player might as well get on with fixing it before
committing to other development schemes.} Rc8 10. -- ({A21:} 10. b3) ({A22:} 
10. Be2) ({As usual, there are a few minor tries to deal with:} 10. Nd5 Nf6 11.
Bd3 O-O 12. O-O Nd7 13. b4 Bg5 {transposes to Ziatdinov-Sveshnikov, the main
line of our 7 Bd3 coverage in Chapter 6, line C.}) (10. Ne3 {can be met with}
Bg5 {right away, when White has struggled to prove anything in practice:} 11.
-- (11. Bd3 Nge7 (11... h6 $5 {also looks fine}) 12. O-O O-O 13. Ncd5 Nd4 14.
b3 Nxd5 15. cxd5 Bd7 {looks fine for Black. It's interesting that White has
played} 16. Nc4 {, in the majority of the games from this position (at least
in my database), but my computer insists that White's a bit worse after} ({as
a side note,} 16. Bb2 {should be met similarly with} Bf4 17. g3 Bg5) 16... b5
$1 17. Ne3 Bf4 $1 18. g3 {(else Black simply builds up with ...Qf6-g6/h6, etc)}
Bg5 {, when White has to deal with the threat of ...Bh3.}) (11. Ned5 {seems a
bit too compliant. J.Boey-T.Van Houtte, Belgian Championship 1990, was drawn
after} Bxc1 12. Rxc1 Nge7 13. Bd3 Bxd5 14. exd5 $1 (14. Nxd5 $6 Nxd5 15. cxd5
Nd4 {leaves White with no way to remove the knight from d4}) 14... Nd4 15. O-O
Ng6 16. Ne2 Nxe2+ 17. Bxe2 f5 18. Bh5 O-O 19. Bxg6 hxg6 {, though I'd prefer
to switch Black's moves around a bit to avoid Bh5: for example, castling on
Black's 15th or 17th move.})) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "6 c4 – The Main Line 7 N1c3"]
[Black "A21: 10 b3"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "52"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Be7 7. N1c3 a6 8. Na3
Be6 9. Nc2 Rc8 10. b3 {White caves, allowing Black easy play based on the
unprotected knight on c3 and his slight lead in development.} Nf6 11. Be2 (11.
Bd3 O-O 12. O-O Nd7 {transposes to variations covered in Chapter 6, line C,} ({
but it's worth mentioning the idea of} 12... b5 $5 {, since it's similar to
the main line. After} 13. cxb5 Na7 14. Bb2 Nxb5 15. Nxb5 axb5 16. Qe2 Qb6 {we
transpose to our main line, except that we've given White Qe2 for free. The
tactical point of Black's play is that he wins on the spot in the event of} 17.
Bxb5 Rxc2 {. With all that said, it seems White might be able to squeeze
something out of 14 Nd5, and so I'd likely stick to 12...Nd7 if this position
popped up in one of my games, unless I was really sure my opponent felt
uncomfortable in the resulting open positions.})) 11... O-O 12. O-O ({Over the
next few moves White has a lot of options, none of which prevent ...b5:} 12. a4
{doesn't really do anything. --- Black can still smash through with} b5 $1 ({
if you're not interested in excessive simplification, you might try} 12... Nd7
$5 13. O-O Nc5 14. Rb1 {, and now either} a5 ({or} 14... f5 {look playable,
but perhaps White can find some way to eke out a small edge somewhere})) 13.
axb5 axb5 14. Nxb5 (14. cxb5 $6 Na5 {seems foolish}) 14... Nxe4 15. O-O d5 $1 {
, and V.Kramnik-T.Radjabov, Baku (rapid) 2009, was drawn after} 16. cxd5 Qxd5
17. Bc4 Qxd1 18. Rxd1 {. Play might continue} Nc5 19. Bxe6 Nxe6 20. Be3 Rfd8
21. Rxd8+ Bxd8 22. Nd6 Rb8 {, when Black is doing fine.}) (12. Bb2 b5 $1 13.
cxb5 axb5 {, and here:} 14. -- ({. It's possible that in playing the committal
12 Bb2, white players missed that} 14. Bxb5 Qa5 $1 {gives Black great play:}
15. Bd3 (15. Bxc6 $2 {is already lights out for White: for instance,} Rxc6 16.
Qd3 Rfc8 17. b4 Qc7 {, when White can't hold it together}) 15... Nd4 $1 16. b4
(16. Qd2 $2 {is the only other way to prevent ...Rxc3, but this is likely
losing after} Nxc2+ 17. Qxc2 d5 $1) 16... Nxc2+ 17. Qxc2 Qxb4 {, and Black is
clearly better based on the threat of ...d5.}) (14. Bf3 Qb6 15. O-O b4 ({
waiting on ...b4 and simply starting the d7 to c5 stroll with} 15... Nb8 $5 {
might be more accurate}) 16. Nd5 Bxd5 17. exd5 Nb8 18. Ne3 {was R.Edouard-S.Gregoire, French League 2005, and now I'd prefer} Nbd7 {with a solid position
and approximate equality for the second player.})) ({C&L point out that} 12.
Bd2 {can also be met by} b5 $1 ({it's also worth noting that the} 12... Nd4 {
of D.Jakovenko-E.Bacrot, French League 2009, is playable, that game continuing}
13. O-O Nxe2+ 14. Qxe2 b5 $1 {with a complex position in which Black doesn't
seem worse}) 13. cxb5 axb5 {, but on} 14. Bxb5 {I'd prefer the simple and to
the point} Nd4 $5 15. Nxd4 exd4 16. Nd5 Nxe4 17. Nxe7+ Qxe7 18. O-O Nc3 {,
with equal chances for Black in a very complex position.}) 12... b5 $1 13. cxb5
{From a practical perspective, the good news is that White is basically forced
to take on b5 (while writing this book I've found few instances where I was
happy if White could maintain the tension between c4 and b5 for long periods
of time),} ({since moves like} 13. Bd3) ({or} 13. Bf3 {are met forcefully by}
Na5 {.}) 13... Na7 $5 ({Taking the pawn with} 13... axb5 {right away is also
possible, but in my opinion slightly less accurate. J.Timman-N.Short, Belgrade
1989, continued} 14. Bf3 Nb4 (14... Nb8 $5 {is also worth a look, but is
probably a bit academic given that I prefer 13...Na7}) 15. Nxb4 Rxc3 16. Bd2
Rc8 17. Qe2 Qb6 18. Rfd1 h6 19. h3 Rc7 20. Rac1 Rfc8 21. Rxc7 Rxc7 22. Qd3 Qb7
23. Rc1 Bd8 {and after about 10 more moves the titans called the battle a draw.
Still, compare the position in this game after 17...Qb6 to the position in the
main line after 17...Qb7. There are numerous very small differences that
appear to be in White's favour. In this game, White's queen is already
developed, and Black has yet to complete the ...Qb7 and ...Bd8-b6 manoeuvre.
White's knight is better placed as well, stopping Black from imprisoning
White's a2-pawn weakness with ...b4. It's also possible that since the bishop
tends to be somewhat ineffectual on b2 in this line ('biting on granite' as
they say), having it sit on the more flexible d2-square for a while is best.})
14. Bb2 ({White has tried a few other moves here, but the positions are always
similar:} 14. Qd3 Nxb5 15. Nxb5 axb5 16. Ne3 b4 17. Bb2 Qb6 18. Rfd1 Rfd8 19.
Bf3 {all occurred in F.Svajdler-V.Struzka, correspondence 2005. Here I'd go} g6
{with the idea of ...Nd7-c5 and eventually repositioning the rooks on all of
the open files via ...Ra8 and ...Rdc8.}) (14. Nd5 {is natural, and after} Nxb5
{White has two ways to deal with the dual threats of ...Nxe4 or ...Bxd5
followed by hopping into c3:} 15. -- (15. Nxe7+ Qxe7 16. Bxb5 axb5 17. Bg5 Qb7
$1 (17... h6 18. Bxf6 Qxf6 19. Nb4 Qg5 20. Qd3 Rfd8 {looks slightly better for
White to me, who has the better minor piece and long-term prospects with the
a-pawn}) 18. Bxf6 Qxe4 $1 19. Be7 Rfe8 20. Bxd6 Rxc2 (20... Qxc2 {also seems
like a clean way to a drawn ending}) 21. Re1 Qc6 22. Bxe5 Bd5 {gives Black
strong compensation for the pawn, as positions with opposite-coloured bishops
tend to favour the side with the safer king and attacking chances. Here my
computer seems to think the best way forward for White is to bail into an
ending after} 23. Bd4 Rxe1+ 24. Qxe1 h6 25. f3 Qg6 26. Qg3 Rxa2 27. Qxg6 Rxa1+
28. Bxa1 fxg6 29. b4 {, but this is a text book draw.}) (15. Nxf6+ Bxf6 16.
Bxb5 ({the} 16. Bb2 {of A.Vegjeleki-L.Moisa, correspondence 2012, might be
better than taking on b5, that game continuing} h6 17. Ne3 Bg5 18. Nd5 Bxd5 19.
exd5 Qa5 20. Bc4 Na3 21. Bd3 Nb5 {with equality; Black can also consider the
natural 16...Bg5, making sure White doesn't get to put a knight on d5 or c4})
16... axb5 17. Nb4 Qd7 18. Qd3 Bd8 19. Be3 f5 {gave Black great counterplay in
A.Sitnikov-T.Nyback, Halkidiki 2001.})) 14... Nxb5 15. Nxb5 axb5 16. Bd3 Qb6
17. Ne3 (17. Nb4 Qb7 18. Qe2 Bd8 $1 {also looks great for Black.}) 17... Qb7
18. Qf3 g6 ({It seems unnecessary to allow} 18... Bd8 19. Nf5 Bxf5 20. Qxf5 {.}
) 19. Rfd1 Ra8 $5 {We're following S.Pastrana Alvarez-A.Jankowiak,
correspondence 2008. Already Black's position is very pleasant, and over the
next few moves, he slowly improves the position of his pieces and builds a
steady advantage. The problem White faces is that his pieces aren't developed
harmoniously - the bishop on b2 and queen on f3 look particularly awkward.} 20.
h3 Rfc8 21. Rd2 Nd7 (21... b4 $5 {also looks good, fixing the a-pawn as a
permanent weakness and looking forward to ...Nd7-c5.}) 22. Qe2 Nc5 23. Nd5 (23.
Bxb5 Nxe4 24. Rc2 Rxc2 25. Qxc2 Qxb5 26. Qxe4 Ra7 {also looks miserable for
White, who will have to defend against a large pawn centre and the two bishops.
}) 23... Bg5 24. Rdd1 Bxd5 25. exd5 Nxd3 26. Qxd3 Rc7 {. This position is
ideal for Black, who has full control over the c-file, and can slowly squeeze
White with moves like ...b4 and ...f5.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "6 c4 – The Main Line 7 N1c3"]
[Black "A22: 10 Be2"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "44"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Be7 7. N1c3 a6 8. Na3
Be6 9. Nc2 Rc8 10. Be2 $1 {According to my analysis, this is a stronger move
than 10 b3, leaving the knight on c3 protected and getting on with normal
development. This assessment hinges on whether or not Black's attempts at
harassing the c-pawn are really dangerous - continue on for the exciting
conclusion!} Nf6 ({It doesn't seem as though it's possible to reach our
coverage of 12...Na5 (if my analysis is right, you wouldn't want to anyway)
with} 10... Na5 {, since after} 11. b3 b5 12. Nb4 $1 {(never before played)}
bxc4 13. Nbd5 $1 Nf6 14. Be3 {, White can capture on c4 with advantage after
both} Rb8 ({and} 14... Nxd5 15. Nxd5 Bxd5 (15... Rb8 16. bxc4 {is more of the
same}) 16. Qxd5 O-O 17. O-O Rb8) 15. bxc4 {.}) 11. O-O O-O 12. Be3 (12. Ne3 Nd4
{seems comfortable for Black, who will get ...b5 in: for example,} 13. Bd3 b5
14. cxb5 axb5 15. Ned5 Nxd5 {.}) 12... Nb8 $1 ({I think this funny looking
retreat is Black's best equalizing try after a thorough analysis of the more
popular} 12... Na5 {. --- It's not simple for White to deal with the concrete
threats facing his queenside, and over the board I'm not sure I'd cope well.
As a result, it's easy to see why players of 9 Nc2 might choose to play with
an early b3. Away from the board, with a computer whispering in my ear, it's
easier to prove that White's position is quite pleasant (after all, his play
has been logical and strong thus far), and that Black's early display of
aggression is too optimistic. White has two options after} 13. b3 b5 {:} 14. --
(14. Nb4 $5 {sees White toss a pawn for pressure in the centre and on the
queenside. Play continues} bxc4 15. Nbd5 Nxd5 16. Nxd5 Rb8 17. Qd2 $1 {this
move is the only move that's even moderately challenging;} (17. bxc4 Bg5 {is
fine for Black, for example} 18. Rb1 Bxe3 19. Nxe3 Rxb1 20. Qxb1 Nc6 21. Qb7
Nd4 22. Bd3 Qa5) ({and} 17. Bxc4 Nxc4 18. bxc4 Qd7 19. Rb1 Rxb1 20. Qxb1 Bh4 $1
{is also balanced; Black's idea is to remove the bishop from the gaze of the
knight on d5, with the tactical point that} 21. g3 $2 Bh3 $1 22. Re1 Qg4 $1 23.
Qd1 Qxe4 24. f3 Qg6 {is better for the second player}) 17... Bxd5 18. Qxd5 cxb3
$1 ({C&L prefer} 18... Rb5 19. Qd2 d5 20. exd5 Rxd5 21. Qc2 cxb3 22. axb3 {,
though I find this position to be less palatable for Black - compared to our
main line, White retains some advantage because of the pressure on the a-pawn
and having pawns on both sides of the board; in these positions, White's
bishops make a stronger impression}) 19. axb3 Nxb3 20. Rxa6 Nc5 21. Ra7 Ne6 {
, leading to an easily defensible pawn-up ending. --- White will have a very
difficult time winning back his pawn without giving up his other positional
trumps, those being his active pieces and the two bishops.}) (14. Nd5 $1 {is
critical, and strong. --- After} Bxd5 (14... Nxd5 $2 15. cxd5 $1 Bd7 16. Nb4 $1
{is positional suicide; as we'll see in a bit, White is sometimes willing to
take such positions a pawn down}) 15. -- {. White can recapture both ways:} (
15. cxd5 $5 {isn't as stupid as it looks, since} Nxe4 16. Bg4 $1 {gives White
reasonable compensation for his pawn. Play might continue} Ra8 ({White's main
point is that} 16... f5 $2 17. Bxf5 $1 Rxf5 18. Qg4 Qd7 19. Qxe4 Nb7 20. Nb4 $1
{gives him a strong bind on the light squares, and a clear advantage}) 17. Bf5
Nf6 18. Nb4 {(the necessity of ...Ra8 instead of ...Rb8 is revealed - Black
needs to protect the a6-pawn for the time being)} g6 19. Bd3 Qd7 $1 (19... Rc8
$2 20. a4 $1 {is good for White, since} Nb7 21. axb5 axb5 22. Nc6 Qc7 23. Bxb5
{is positionally crushing for White}) 20. Rc1 Rfc8 $1 21. Qf3 {and after} Bd8 (
{or} 21... Kg7 {Black seems to be holding the balance.})) (15. exd5 $1 bxc4 (
15... Ne4 $6 {has been tried twice, but it looks like White can get an
improved version of the main line after the optically odd} 16. Na3 $1 bxc4 17.
b4 Nb7 18. Nxc4 {, since Black's ...Ne4 is less useful than striking out with ...a5 immediately}) 16. b4 $1 Nb7 17. Na3 a5 ({the complications and kingside
chances arising after} 17... Nd7 $5 18. Nxc4 a5 19. a3 f5 {are interesting,
though I'd wager that White maintains a solid edge here too:} 20. Bd2 $1 {and
Black has to forfeit the a5-pawn or deal with the threat of Ra7 after} axb4 21.
axb4) 18. Nxc4 $1 (18. Rb1 {is just another way to reach the main line}) ({but
} 18. b5 c3 19. Nc4 {was tried in E.Sapunov-E.Kovalevskaya, Moscow 2004; Black
should be comfortable after} Nd7 $1 20. Rc1 Bg5 $1 21. Bxg5 Qxg5 22. Rxc3 Rc5 {
, when it looks as though Black's strong control of the dark squares and
White's somewhat weak d5-pawn compensate for the weird knight on b7 and
White's passed b-pawn}) 18... axb4 19. Rb1 Nc5 ({or} 19... Qc7 20. Rxb4 {and I
see nothing better than} Nc5) 20. Rxb4 Qc7 21. a4 Rb8 22. Rxb8 Rxb8 23. a5 {,
and White looks a lot better to me. --- Engines will claim a small edge for
the first player, but I believe it to be more than that, perhaps close to
losing for Black. White has a cornucopia of nice static advantages, those
being more space, the outside passer on a5, a beautiful knight eyeing d6, and
the two bishops. Black has very little to boast about, and no feasible,
constructive plans for improving his position. Stay away!}))) 13. Na3 (13. b3 {
is an important alternative, after which White is more or less forced to
gambit his c-pawn for some long-term pressure in the centre and on the
queenside after} b5 {:} 14. -- ({. One of Black's main points is that now} 14.
Nd5 $2 Nxe4 {makes no sense, since there's no loose knight on a5.}) ({. White
can try} 14. Rb1 {, but after} Nbd7 {he has little better than} 15. Nb4 {
anyway, making his 14th look less useful than Black's. The second player can
even try Houdini's suggestion of keeping the b-file closed with} a5 16. Nbd5 b4
17. Nxe7+ Qxe7 18. Nb5 Nxe4 19. f3 Nc3 20. Nxc3 bxc3 21. Qd3 Nf6 $1 22. Qxc3
Nd5 $1 23. Qd2 Nxe3 24. Qxe3 f5 {, yielding a position in which Black's
central pawn mass compensates nicely for White's queenside majority.}) (14. Nb4
bxc4 15. bxc4 Bxc4 16. Bxc4 Rxc4 17. Qb3 Rc8 18. Nbd5 {, when Black has a few
attempts at relieving the pressure. The most promising appears to be} Nxd5 $1 (
{Black can also try} 18... Nfd7 {if he wants to keep more pieces on the board,
but White retains full compensation after a few moves, most notably} 19. Qa3 $5
) 19. Nxd5 Bg5 {and now:} 20. -- (20. Bxg5 Qxg5 21. Qb6 Rfd8 22. g3 Kh8 $1 {
isn't particularly dangerous; Black's queen will find her way back to e6.}) (
20. Qb7 Kh8 $1 {(ridding White of Ne7 threats), when the best Houdini could
come up with is} 21. Bxg5 Qxg5 22. Rfd1 g6 23. Ne3 Qd8 24. Qd5 Nc6 25. Qxd6
Qxd6 26. Rxd6 {, yielding full equality after} Rfd8 27. Rad1 Rxd6 28. Rxd6 Nb4
{.} (28... --)))) 13... Nbd7 ({Hopping back with} 13... Nc6 {would allow} 14.
Rc1 {, a position I recommended staying away from in the notes to 9 Be3 Nf6.})
14. Qd2 ({White should avoid} 14. b3 $6 b5 $1) ({but} 14. f3 Nb6 $1 15. Nd5 (
15. b3 d5 $1 16. exd5 Nbxd5 $1 17. cxd5 Rxc3 18. dxe6 Qxd1 19. exf7+ Kxf7 20.
Bxd1 Bxa3 {is about equal - Black has good activity in exchange for his
slightly worse pawn structure; even this is mended easily after a later ...e4})
15... Bxd5 16. cxd5 Nfd7 17. Qd2 h6 {is a fine way to reach the main line.})
14... h6 $5 {I am generally not a big fan of ...h6 nudges like this in the
Kalashnikov (I usually write them off as too imprecise/lethargic), but here it
may be best. Black not only stops Bg5 from White, but prepares it himself
after the knight moves away from f6. Perhaps ...h6 pans out because White
voluntarily put his knight back on a3, wasting extra time, or maybe it's
because it allows Black to start more committal schemes of development only
after White has declared his intentions with his next move.} (14... Ng4 {is
possible straight away, but the logic of 14...h6 creeps up on you once you
realize that after} 15. Bxg4 Bxg4 16. Nd5 {Black loses time anyway, since
he'll probably have to bring the bishop back to e6 at some point.}) 15. b3 (15.
f3 Nb6 $1 {is an odd and uncommon manoeuvre first seen in the notes to White's
14th. --- Normally anti-positional (the knight has poor prospects on this
square and blocks the b-pawn), Black forces White to loosen up the knight on
a3 or trade off a bunch of pieces into a comfortable ending. Play might
continue} 16. Nd5 (16. b3 d5 $1 17. exd5 Bxd5 $1 18. Nab1 Be6 19. Qxd8 Bxd8 20.
Rd1 Nbd7 21. Nd2 Be7 {is nothing for White, and Black's main point}) 16... Bxd5
17. cxd5 Nfd7 $1 18. Rac1 Bg5 19. Rxc8 Bxe3+ 20. Qxe3 Qxc8 21. Rc1 Qb8 $1 {,
ensuring that Black gets to contest the c-file with ...Rc8.}) ({White can also
try} 15. Rfd1 {, after which Black can hop in with} Ng4 {, since} 16. Bxg4 Bxg4
{forces White to weaken his position with} 17. f3 {. After} Be6 {White has a
couple of tries worth mentioning:} 18. -- (18. b3 Nf6 ({again, the subtle} 
18... Re8 $5 {is worth looking into}) 19. Nd5 (19. Nc2 $6 b5 $1 20. cxb5 Qc7 $1
{is not White wants}) 19... Nxd5 20. cxd5 Bd7 21. Nc4 f5 {with a solid ending
for Black, reminiscent of the Zumtoble-Grigore ending examined in our coverage
of 9 Be2 Nd4 10 Be3 Nxe2+ with 13 Rfd1.}) (18. Nd5 {is also possible, when one
fun idea is} Bg5 19. b3 Bxd5 20. Bxg5 hxg5 21. Qxd5 g4 $1 22. Qxd6 gxf3 23. Nc2
(23. Qxd7 Qb6+ 24. Kf1 fxg2+ 25. Kxg2 Qg6+ 26. Kh1 ({and here} 26. Kf1 $2 f5 $1
27. exf5 Rxf5+ 28. Ke1 Rff8 $1 {, threatening ...Qe4+, might be losing for
White}) 26... Qxe4+ 27. Kg1 Qg6+ {is a perpetual, since} 28. Kf2 $2 Rc6 $1 {
gives Black good attacking chances}) 23... Qg5 24. Qd2 Qg6 25. Qf2 Nc5 26. Qxf3
Nxe4 {is about equal.})) 15... Re8 $5 {I know things are getting deep folks,
but bear with me! With Black's last 'mysterious' rook move, he prepares ...Qa5
and protects the bishop on e6 in the event that he uncorks ...d5 shenanigans
again.} ({Black's choices in this position are somewhat limited anyway - it's
easy to see that both} 15... d5 16. exd5 Bxa3 17. dxe6) ({and} 15... Qa5 16.
Nd5 $1 {aren't inspiring in any way.}) 16. Rac1 (16. f3 {can be met similarly:}
d5 (16... Qa5 $5 {, intending} 17. Rfd1 b5 {also looks interesting}) 17. exd5
Bxa3 18. dxe6 Rxe6 19. Rad1 Rd6 20. Qc2 Qc7 {with ...Bc5 up soon.}) ({Likewise,
Black has pretty amazing resources after} 16. Rfd1 Qa5 $5 {, when my computer
suggests the line} 17. f3 b5 $1 ({the point of protecting e4 is that now} 17...
Qxa3 $4 18. Nb1 {traps the queen, since ...Nxe4 is no longer possible}) 18. Bf2
d5 $1 19. exd5 Bb4 $1 20. Nab1 Nxd5 $1 21. cxd5 Bf5 22. Qe3 Bxc3 23. Nxc3 Rxc3
24. Qa7 Rc2 25. Bf1 Qc3 {, with an unclear mess. One last tactical point is
that} 26. Qxa6 {allows} Rxf2 $1 27. Kxf2 Qc5+ 28. Kg3 Qe3 {, ensuring at least
a perpetual.}) 16... d5 $1 {. Hopefully expected by now! The game might
continue} 17. exd5 Bxa3 18. dxe6 Rxe6 19. Rcd1 Qe7 20. Ne4 $5 Bb4 21. Qd3 Nxe4
22. Qxd7 Rf8 {, when Black has few problems and looks to follow up with ...f5
and/or ...Nc3.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "6 c4 – The Main Line 7 N1c3"]
[Black "B: 8...f5!?"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "17"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Be7 7. N1c3 a6 8. Na3
f5 {. This sharp line surged to the forefront of Kalashnikov theory during the
early 2000's under the guidance of notable experts Nataf, Shabalov, and
Tregubov, and it's popularity hasn't waned since. From an early stage, Black
shapes the struggle ahead, accepting an extra pawn island and crippled light
squares in exchange for easy, active development and open lines. Two important
lines follow:} 9. -- ({B1:} 9. Bd3) ({B2:} 9. exf5) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "6 c4 – The Main Line 7 N1c3"]
[Black "B1: 9 Bd3"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "20"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Be7 7. N1c3 a6 8. Na3
f5 9. Bd3 $5 f4 10. g3 ({Alternatively,} 10. Nc2 {is playable for White,
though I feel that these types of positions are easier to play for Black, who
has easy plans on the kingside involving ...Qe8-g6, ...Bd8, and ...f3. On the
other hand, it's not clear how White is supposed to proceed in the centre and
queenside. Four-time US champ and Kalashnikov expert Alexander Shabalov has
found himself on the black side of these positions a few times after} Nf6 {.
Here are two examples for examination:} 11. -- (11. Nd5 {has scored terribly
for White, though it doesn't appear better or worse than any of the other
options to me. --- A.Stearns-A.Shabalov, San Francisco 2000, continued} O-O 12.
b4 Kh8 $5 {(Shabalov displays a strong preference for this prophylactic move
in a lot of his Kalashnikov games)} 13. a4 Qe8 $1 14. f3 (14. Nc7 $2 Qg6 15.
Nxa8 Qxg2 {is losing for White}) 14... Bd8 15. Ba3 Ne7 (15... Nxd5 16. exd5 Ne7
17. a5 Nf5 {, threatening ...Bh4+, looks objectively stronger to me}) 16. O-O
Nexd5 (16... Nfxd5 $1 17. exd5 Rf6 18. c5 Rh6 {yields an unstoppable assault
on White's monarch: for instance,} 19. Qe2 Qh5 20. h3 Qg5 $1 {and White can't
sidestep the straightforward smash on h3 next move}) 17. exd5 b5 $5 {(Shabba
never misses a chance to add complexity)} 18. c5 Nxd5 19. Be4 $2 Nc3 20. Qxd6
Nxe4 21. fxe4 Bb7 22. axb5 {. This is followed with the simple} Bxe4 23. Qd2
axb5 24. Bb2 Rxa1 25. Bxa1 Bc7 26. Ne1 Bb7 {, which should be winning; White
has no good way to deal with Black's huge central mass and set of raking
bishops.}) (11. b3 O-O 12. Bb2 {was N.De Firmian-A.Shabalov, U.S. Championship
1998. Here the typical pawn-sacrifice} f3 $5 {gives Black good play. --- K.Kele-W.Launhardt, correspondence 2011, continued} 13. gxf3 (13. g3 $6 Bh3 {
threatens ...Bg2 and ...Ng4, at the very least snapping up the h-pawn; in R.Kaiser-P.Kloninger, German League 2011, White chose to dodge this fate with}
14. Bf1 Be6 15. h4 {, but after} Rc8 16. Qd2 Qa5 17. Bd3 Bd8 {, I like Black's
chances after he puts his bishop on c5}) 13... Nh5 14. Nd5 Bh4 15. Bc1 Ne7 16.
Be2 Be6 17. Nce3 Kh8 (17... Rc8 {also looks completely playable}) 18. Rg1 Ng6 (
18... Nc6 {is also worth consideration, but after} 19. Nc2 {Black's knight
might have to head back to e7 anyway}) 19. Ng2 Rc8 20. Be3 {and here I like
the simple} Bg5 (20... b5 $5 {was played in the stem game}) 21. Qd3 Bxe3 22.
fxe3 b5 $1 {, with good counterplay for Black. White's king has nowhere to
hide, and his extra pawn is meaningless until he can ward off the pressure.}))
10... -- {. Returning to 10 g3, a variation made famous by a sparkling win by
Igor Nataf over John Nunn. Because taking on g3 is positionally unpalatable,
Black is basically forced to sacrifice the f4-pawn, but fear not - further
analysis shows he has multiple interesting ways to secure adequate
compensation. Black can place his knight on either of two squares:} ({B11:} 
10... Nf6) ({B12:} 10... Nh6 $5) ({Meanwhile,} 10... Bg5 $5 {looks like a good
surprise weapon, and seems the best way forward if you're not interested in
investing a pawn. --- A.Kazoks-F.Azevedo Pessoa, correspondence 2008, continued
} 11. h4 Bh6 12. g4 (12. gxf4 $6 {frees up e5 for Black's knight, and is not
to be recommended}) 12... g5 13. hxg5 Bxg5 14. b3 ({the} 14. Nc2 {of C.Almarza Mato-J.Frijling, correspondence 2012, might be a better way forward
for the first player; play continued} Nf6 15. Be2 Be6 16. Qd3 Bxg4 17. Bxg4
Nxg4 18. Qe2 Nf6 19. Bd2 Ne7 {, when White has decent compensation based on
his lead in development and Black's weaknesses on the light squares}) 14... Nf6
15. Nd5 Qa5+ 16. Qd2 Qxd2+ 17. Bxd2 Bxg4 18. Nc7+ Kf7 19. Nxa8 Rxa8 {. At this
point Black had fantastic play for the one pip investment, eventually bringing
home the full point via an h-pawn pawn sprint.}) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "6 c4 – The Main Line 7 N1c3"]
[Black "B11: 10...Nf6"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "68"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Be7 7. N1c3 a6 8. Na3
f5 9. Bd3 $5 f4 10. g3 Nf6 11. gxf4 exf4 12. Bxf4 O-O 13. Bg3 {This has been
the main line of this variation for quite a while.} Bh3 {This is C&L's
recommendation, and definitely the best move here.} ({The well-known encounter
J.Nunn-I.Nataf, French League 1999 (Nunn even swallowed his pride and used it
as an example in his fantastic book Understanding Chess Move by Move),
continued} 13... Ng4 $6 14. -- (14. Be2 $2 {(does anyone really need to
provoke Nataf to sacrifice on f2?)} Nxf2 $3 15. Qd5+ Kh8 16. Bxf2 Nb4 $1 17.
Qh5 Rxf2 $1 18. Kxf2 Bh4+ 19. Kg2 g6 $1 {(Black secures the g5-square for his
queen)} 20. Qf3 Qg5+ 21. Kf1 Bh3+ $3 {. --- The blows keep coming, and Nataf's
brutal attack never loses steam. The game concluded} 22. Qxh3 Rf8+ 23. Bf3 Qe3
24. Qxh4 Nd3 $3 {(a quiet killer - Nataf is an incredible attacking artist,
bringing the last piece into play to close out the game)} 25. Nd5 Qxf3+ $6 (
25... Rxf3+ {mates after} 26. Kg2 Qe2+ 27. Kg1 g5 $1 28. Re1 Nxe1 29. Ne3 Rf1+
$1 30. Nxf1 Qg2# {, though I'm not going to blame Nataf for missing 27...g5})
26. Kg1 Nf2 27. Kf1 Qxh1+ 28. Ke2 Qxa1 {. A wonderful example of attacking
play and the possibilities open to Black in this line.}) ({. Nataf's idea
should probably not be repeated, however. White players have since discovered
the ugly} 14. f4 $1 {, stopping any hope of ...Nxf2 and clamping down in the
centre, specifically over the e5- and g5-squares. --- Some analysis as proof:}
-- (14... Bh4 15. Qd2 Nce5 $5 ({Black tries to muck things up, as} 15... Nb4
16. Bc2 $1 {followed up by 0-0-0 is just much better for White}) 16. O-O-O $1 (
16. fxe5 $6 Bg5 17. Qe2 Nxe5 18. Bxe5 dxe5 {threatens ...Bh4, and} 19. Rf1
Rxf1+ 20. Kxf1 Bh3+ 21. Kg1 Bc1 22. Nd5 Qg5+ 23. Kh1 Rf8 24. Qc2 Qh4 25. Rxc1
Rf2 {gives Black good play in the resulting unbalanced positions}) 16... Bxg3
17. hxg3 Nxd3+ 18. Qxd3 Nf2 19. Qd5+ Kh8 20. Rh6 $1 {(this move is just
incredible!)} Nxd1 21. Rxd6 Qe7 22. Kxd1 Bg4+ 23. Kc2 {, when White has too
much for the exchange.}) (14... h5 {is another idea, but this is ugly and
seems awfully desperate. My computer and C&L seem to agree that} 15. Nc2 Be6
16. Nd5 h4 17. Be2 $1 Nf6 18. Nxe7+ Nxe7 19. Bxh4 Nxe4 20. O-O {guarantees
White some edge.}))) 14. Bf1 {These positions are extraordinarily difficult
and deep; accordingly, White has a lot of options.} (14. Qd2 Nd4 $1 15. O-O-O
Nf3 16. Qe2 Nd7 $1 {and Black has the initiative according to C&L.}) (14. Be2
Qa5 (14... Qb6 $5 {is also interesting, giving Black a dangerous attack after}
15. Qd2 Nxe4 16. Nxe4 Bg2 17. Qd5+ Kh8 18. Rg1 Qb4+ 19. Kd1 Bxe4 20. Qxe4 d5 $1
21. Qg4 Bf6 {, but this is one that with best play will likely result in a
split point}) 15. f3 Kh8 16. Nc2 Nh5 $1 {(I like this move, preparing ...Bf6
or possibly ...Nf4)} 17. Qd5 {(White bails out - probably a good practical
decision)} Bg2 18. Rg1 Bxf3 19. Bxf3 Rxf3 20. Qxa5 Nxa5 21. Nd5 Nxg3 {, with
an equal ending after} 22. hxg3 Bg5 23. Ke2 Rff8 {.}) (14. Nc2 Qa5 (14... Rc8 {
is also completely playable, though I've chosen to endorse the straightforward
threat of ...Bg2xe4}) 15. Qd2 Bg2 16. Rg1 Bf3 {and Black has good play: for
example,} 17. Nd5 Qd8 18. Nce3 Kh8 19. Nxe7 (19. Nf5 Nxd5 20. cxd5 Bg5 {is
wonderful for Black, who is probably throwing more fuel on the fire next move
with 21...Rxf5}) 19... Qxe7 20. Nf5 Qd7 21. Nh4 (21. Nxd6 Rad8 $1 22. c5 Rde8
$1 23. Nxe8 Rxe8 24. Bf4 Nxe4 25. Bxe4 Qf5 26. Be3 Qxe4 27. Qd7 Qb4+ {reveals
the point of Black's 21st, and gives him enduring compensation after} 28. Qd2
Qh4) 21... Nxe4 {. Here Black's better - he's restored material equality, and
White's king is still a complete wreck.}) 14... Qd7 15. Qd2 Bxf1 16. Rxf1 d5 $3
{Black uncorks a magnificent line-opener, at which point White has several
interesting and perplexing options.} 17. e5 (17. exd5 $2 {gives Black a huge
attack after} Bxa3 $1 18. dxc6 Rae8+ 19. Kd1 Qxc6 20. Kc2 {, and now} Rd8 $1
21. Qe2 Rd4 $1 {seems clearly better for the second player.}) (17. O-O-O {is
also possible, though Black equalizes pretty easily after} d4 18. Nc2 Rad8 19.
Qe1 Rfe8 20. Bh4 Qg4 21. Bxf6 Bxf6 22. Nd5 Qxe4 23. Qxe4 Rxe4 {.}) (17. cxd5
Nxe4 $1 18. Nxe4 Bb4 19. Nc3 Rae8+ 20. Kd1 Qg4+ 21. f3 (21. Kc1 {is also
possible and extremely sharp, when} Nd4 $1 22. Re1 ({here} 22. Nc2 Ne2+ 23. Kb1
Bxc3 24. bxc3 Qc4 25. Re1 Nxc3+ 26. Kb2 Na4+ {is also likely to end in a
perpetual}) 22... Nf3 23. Rxe8 Rxe8 24. Qd3 Re1+ 25. Nd1 Bd2+ 26. Kc2 Re2 27.
Qxe2 Nd4+ 28. Kxd2 Qxe2+ 29. Kc3 Nf3 {leads to a perpetual after 30...Qd2 and
31...Qd3+, etc}) 21... Rxf3 22. Rxf3 Qxf3+ 23. Kc1 Bxc3 24. bxc3 (24. Qxc3 $2 {
loses quickly to} Qh1+ 25. Kd2 Qxd5+ 26. Qd3 Qg5+ {, and now either} 27. Kd1 ({
or} 27. Kc3 Re3) 27... Rd8) 24... Re2 25. Qxe2 Qxe2 26. dxc6 bxc6 27. Rb1 Qxa2
28. Rb8+ Kf7 {is given as equal by C&L: material is technically level, and
White will have a really hard time accomplishing much of anything with his
breezy king position and uncoordinated pieces.}) 17... d4 ({C&L also note the
unclear} 17... Bxa3 18. O-O-O d4 19. exf6 Bb4 {.}) 18. exf6 Qe6+ 19. Qe2 Qxf6
20. Nd5 Bb4+ 21. Kd1 (21. Nxb4 Rae8 {is obviously the point.}) 21... Qf5 22.
Nxb4 Nxb4 23. Re1 Rae8 24. Qxe8 Qd3+ {. Black secures a perpetual after} 25.
Kc1 Rxe8 26. Rxe8+ Kf7 27. Re1 Qf3 28. Rd1 Nd3+ 29. Kc2 Qe2+ 30. Rd2 Nb4+ 31.
Kc1 Qe1+ 32. Rd1 Nd3+ 33. Kc2 Qe2+ 34. Rd2 Nb4+ {, and so on.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "6 c4 – The Main Line 7 N1c3"]
[Black "B12: 10...Nh6!?"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "40"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Be7 7. N1c3 a6 8. Na3
f5 9. Bd3 $5 f4 10. g3 Nh6 $5 {This idea is pretty much entirely neglected by
theory, but fully playable according to my analysis, and probably easier to
remember than the long and complex lines after 10...Nf6. Putting the knight on
h6 has its obvious geometrical benefits, allowing ...Bg5 or queen sorties into
White's kingside, and keeps the f-file open, the most important square being
f3, of course.} 11. gxf4 exf4 12. Bxf4 O-O 13. Bg3 (13. Bxh6 {forfeits White's
very important dark-squared bishop. This should allow Black good play on the
dark squares after} gxh6 14. Qh5 Bh4 15. O-O-O Qg5+ 16. Qxg5+ hxg5 {, when
White can't keep the pawn any longer.}) (13. Qd2 Ng4 $1 {, and now} 14. Bg3 $2
{is the most popular move. White gets massacred after the Nataf-like} ({
Slightly better is} 14. Nd5 {, though White is still somewhat worse after the}
Nce5 15. Be2 Bh4 {of Qi Yisheng-Zhou Weiqi, Chinese Team Championship 2001})
14... Nxf2 $3 15. Bxf2 Rxf2 16. Kxf2 Bg5 $1 {:} 17. -- ({, for instance,} 17.
Qd1 Bh4+ 18. Ke2 Nd4+ 19. Kf1 (19. Kd2 Qg5#) 19... Qf6+ {, and mate comes
quickly.}) ({. There's also} 17. Qe2 Bh4+ 18. Kf1 Qf6+ 19. Kg1 Qg5+ 20. Qg2
Qe3+ 21. Kf1 Bh3 {, when White can stop ...Qf2# or ...Qe1#, but unfortunately
for him, not both.})) 13... Nd4 $5 {White is forced to part with his
light-squared bishop, after which he'll permanently suffer on that same colour
complex.} ({Also playable is} 13... Bg4 {. White needs to tread lightly:} 14.
-- (14. Qb3 $6 Nf7 $5 {allows the knight to head to e5 with great compensation.
If White gets too greedy with} 15. Qxb7 {then} Nfe5 {is lights out after} 16.
Bxe5 {(else ...Rb8)} Nxe5 17. Be2 (17. O-O $2 Nf3+ 18. Kh1 Bf6 $1 19. Be2 Be5
20. Rg1 Qh4 21. Rg2 Bh3 {is the end of the road for White's king}) 17... Rb8
18. Qd5+ Kh8 19. Bxg4 Nxg4 20. Nd1 Bf6 $1 {, and White just can't hold it
together anymore. His king is in the centre, and his minor pieces are horribly
placed.}) (14. Be2 {is better, when} Bxe2 (14... Qb6 {is also possible, but
might not be good enough with great defence from White: for instance,} 15. Qd2
Bxe2 16. Nd5 $1 Qd8 17. Kxe2 $1 Qe8 18. f3 Kh8 19. Raf1 $1 {- White shifts all
his forces over to where they're needed, and ensures a piece landing on the
bank rank in the future doesn't strand a rook on the queenside -} Qh5 20. Nc2
Bg5 21. Qd1 {when White is solid and up a pawn; Black still has reasonable
compensation and good practical chances with White's king sitting on e2, but
I'd be nervous if I was Black in a correspondence game}) 15. Nxe2 (15. Qxe2 $6
Nd4 16. Qd3 Nf3+ {is obviously worse}) 15... Qa5+ 16. Nc3 (16. Qd2 Qxd2+ 17.
Kxd2 Rae8 {followed by ...Bf6 will bag the pawn on e4 eventually, with an
equal position}) 16... Bf6 17. Qd5+ Nf7 {(Black has no interest in taking on
d5, of course)} 18. Qxa5 Nxa5 {sees White unable to hold his queenside
together. With reasonable play from both players the likely result is a lot of
wood chopping and a drawn ending: for example,} 19. O-O-O Rac8 20. Nd5 Nxc4 21.
Nxc4 Rxc4+ 22. Kb1 Rxe4 23. Nxf6+ gxf6 24. Rhg1 Kh8 25. Bxd6 Nxd6 26. Rxd6 Re2
{, and so on.})) 14. Be2 ({White's alternatives aren't good at all -} 14. f4 $6
{allows Black a fearsome initiative after} Bg4 15. Qc1 Nf3+ 16. Kd1 b5 {.}) ({
Instead, after} 14. O-O {, the second player has a lot of reasonable ways to
secure good play, one being} Nf3+ 15. Kh1 Bh3 {, grabbing the exchange.
White's best might be} 16. Be2 Bxf1 17. Qd5+ Kh8 18. Rxf1 {, though Black
seems equal or better after} Bf6 {, intending ...Be5 or ...Bxc3.}) 14... Nxe2
15. Qxe2 Bg4 16. Qd3 (16. Qd2 $2 {doesn't keep an eye on f3, allowing} Bf3 17.
O-O $2 (17. Rg1 {is forced here}) 17... Nf7 $1 {, intending ...Ng5-h3.}) 16...
Bf3 17. O-O Ng4 (17... Qd7 $2 18. Nc2 Qh3 {is actually pretty bad for Black
after} 19. Ne1 ({the only way, as if} 19. Ne3 $2 Ng4 {and White's dead}) 19...
Bg4 20. Nd5 Bh4 21. Nf4 {.}) 18. Nc2 Ne5 19. Qd5+ (19. Bxe5 dxe5 20. Qxd8 Raxd8
{is similar to the note following White's next, except that Black's king is on
g8, which is likely advantageous for him.}) 19... Kh8 20. Ne1 ({Trading queens
with} 20. Bxe5 dxe5 21. Qxd8 Raxd8 {only adds fuel to the fire. White's
remaining pieces can't fight the two bishops and active rooks, and he's
already losing material: for example,} 22. Ne1 {(lifting a rook up to g6 was
the immediate threat)} Bg4 23. Rc1 (23. Kg2 Rd2 24. Rc1 Rxb2 25. Rc2 Bf3+ $1
26. Kg3 Rxc2 27. Nxc2 h5 {is winning for Black - the attack continues into the
ending}) 23... Bh3 {, when Black bags an exchange.}) 20... Bf6 {. Black has
good pressure on both sides of the board and well-placed, active pieces.
White's king, and weaknesses on c4, f3, h3, and so forth guarantee Black
reasonable compensation for the pawn.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "6 c4 – The Main Line 7 N1c3"]
[Black "B2: 9 exf5"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "19"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Be7 7. N1c3 a6 8. Na3
f5 9. exf5 {This move is more principled and incisive than 9 Bd3, forcing
Black to accept the aforementioned structural problems, and exposing
weaknesses on the light squares.} Bxf5 {Now White has two main moves, and a
few potential sidelines:} 10. -- ({B21:} 10. Bd3) ({B22:} 10. Nc2) (10. Be2 {
transposes to Chapter 4}) ({but} 10. g3 {has been tested at the top level. ---
A.Morozevich-T.Radjabov, Nice (rapid) 2009, continued} Nf6 11. Bg2 Rc8 ({Black
can also punt the strong} 11... Bg4 {, a thematic interruption of White's
smooth development that we've seen many times before against g3 plans. White
seems worse after both} 12. Qb3 ({and} 12. f3 Be6 13. O-O O-O 14. Be3 d5) 12...
Nd4 $1 13. Qxb7 Rb8 14. Qxa6 Nf3+) 12. O-O O-O 13. Be3 Kh8 ({the natural} 13...
Qd7 {also deserves attention}) 14. Rc1 Ng4 $5 (14... Qe8 15. Nd5 Bd8 {is a
good alternative - Radjabov might have been worried about} 16. c5 $5 {, though
Black seems to be holding his own after} Nxd5 17. Qxd5 dxc5 18. Bxc5 Be7 19.
Bxe7 Qxe7 {followed by a quick ...Nd4}) 15. Nd5 Bg5 16. Bb6 Qd7 17. Rc3 e4 18.
Nc2 Nge5 19. Nce3 Nf3+ 20. Bxf3 exf3 21. h4 Bh6 22. Nxf5 Qxf5 23. Kh2 Rce8 {
with an approximately equal position.}) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "6 c4 – The Main Line 7 N1c3"]
[Black "B21: 10 Nc2"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "41"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Be7 7. N1c3 a6 8. Na3
f5 9. exf5 Bxf5 10. Nc2 {This will usually transpose to line B22 if White
plays Bd3. Here we'll focus on the line with g3 and Bg2.} Nf6 11. Ne3 Be6 ({
Libiszewski tried} 11... Bg6 $5 {once, but ended up worse after} 12. Bd3 e4 {
(Black can't afford to exchange these bishops)} 13. Be2 Ne5 14. O-O Rc8 15. b3
O-O 16. Ned5 Kh8 17. Ba3 Rc6 18. Qd4 {(White's queen is well placed here,
exploiting Black's 12th move)} Nxd5 19. Nxd5 Bh4 20. Rad1 {.}) 12. g3 {This is
Bologan's preference. White angles for maximum control of Black's weak light
squares.} Nd4 $5 {Black's 12th is prelude to an interesting exchange sacrifice,
though one White is not advised to accept.} ({Practice has seen quite a few
other moves: Sveshnikov is quite fond of} 12... Rc8 13. Bg2 Na5 14. b3 b5 {,
though White seems to be much better after the precise} 15. Ned5 $1 bxc4 16.
Be3 {. --- One example line is} Rb8 17. O-O Nxd5 (17... cxb3 $2 {leaves White
with too much pressure: for example,} 18. axb3 Nb7 19. Bb6 Qc8 20. Nc7+ Kf7 21.
Nxe6 Qxe6 22. Ne4 Nxe4 23. Bxe4 Ke8 24. Ba7 {and wins}) 18. Bxd5 Qc8 19. Rc1
O-O 20. bxc4 {.}) (12... O-O 13. Bg2 Rc8 14. O-O b5 {is a well-trodden path,
though I wasn't able to equalize after} 15. cxb5 axb5 16. b3 $5 Qd7 17. Ned5 {
: for example,} Rb8 18. Be3 b4 19. Nxf6+ Bxf6 20. Ne4 Be7 21. Rc1 {
(threatening Rxc6)} d5 22. Nc5 Bxc5 23. Rxc5 Ne7 {. White will be able to
exert strong pressure on Black's centre and weak b4-pawn, utilizing the open
d-file and eventually replacing the rook on c5 with a bishop. With all that
said, this line is worth a second look and some time, as improvements may push
it back to the forefront eventually.}) 13. Bg2 b5 $5 {Thinking philosophically
for a second, this move makes great sense - White has spent a lot of time on
g3 and Bg2, and certainly can't afford the weak light squares incurred if he
accepts the exchange sacrifice, so why not strike out with this desirable jab
as soon as possible?} 14. cxb5 ({After} 14. O-O {, Black can choose either to
transpose back to the main lines with} O-O {,} ({or try} 14... bxc4 $5 15. Qa4+
Bd7 16. Qxc4 a5 17. Bd2 Rc8 18. Qd3 O-O {. This also appears to offer him good
chances after moves like ...Kh8 and ...Qe8.})) ({As mentioned above,} 14. Bxa8
$2 {is positional Hara-kiri: for instance,} Qxa8 15. Ncd5 Nxd5 16. cxd5 Bxd5
17. Nxd5 Qxd5 18. O-O Nf3+ 19. Kh1 Qe4 {, when White has no outs to ...0-0
followed by a deadly discovery.}) 14... axb5 ({I'm not sure} 14... O-O {is
good enough after the greedy} 15. bxa6 {. Black's centre is not easy to
mobilize after} d5 16. O-O Bc5 17. Rb1 Qd6 18. a3 $1 Rxa6 19. b4 Bb6 20. a4 {
. The problem is the d4-knight needs to move, but it's frozen in place because
of pressure on the d5-pawn. Thus, Black's centre is static, while While's
already set his extra queenside pawns in motion, creating a lot of problems
for Black. The position looks clearly better for White as a result.}) 15. O-O (
{Moves like} 15. Ned5) ({or} 15. Ncd5 {are likely to transpose to the main
line after later castling}) ({and again} 15. Bxa8 $2 {loses after} Qxa8 16. O-O
Nf3+ 17. Kh1 O-O {: for example,} 18. b4 Nd4+ 19. f3 Ng4 $1 20. Kg2 Bg5 21.
Ncd5 Bxe3 22. Nxe3 Nxf3 23. Rxf3 Nxe3+ 24. Bxe3 Rxf3 25. Qxf3 Bd5 {.}) 15...
O-O 16. Ncd5 (16. Ned5 {has never been played, but looks like a reasonable try
for White. Black can try} b4 $5 17. Nxb4 {, and now I like} Bb3 $5 ({though} 
17... d5 18. Nd3 Nc6 19. a4 Rb8) ({or even} 17... Bg4 {deserve closer
examination as well}) 18. Qe1 (18. Qd3 d5 {is messy but seems fine for Black})
18... Bc4 19. Be3 Rb8 {.}) 16... Kh8 {Again we see Black taking time out for
this prophylactic move, ensuring White has no checks (or ways to trade
light-squared bishops), and that he's got a nice retreat square for the
light-squared bishop if need be.} 17. b3 Rc8 18. Bb2 {Five recorded games have
reached this position, all drawn.} Nf5 {This was the course taken in P.Smirnov-T.Radjabov, Tripoli 2004.} ({C&L also investigate} 18... Nc2 {, their
main line being the deep} 19. Nxe7 (19. Nxc2 Bxd5 20. Bxd5 Nxd5 21. Rc1 Nf6 22.
Qd3 Qd7 {was equal and eventually drawn in K.De Smet-U.Blass, correspondence
2011}) 19... Nxe3 20. fxe3 Qxe7 21. Qd2 b4 $1 {, with the point that} 22. Qxb4
(22. Rad1 Rfd8 23. Qxb4 Qa7 24. Rd3 Rc2 $1 25. Bxe5 Qxa2 26. Bf3 Bh3 27. Bxf6
Rg2+ {secures a perpetual}) 22... Rc2 $5 23. Ba3 Qa7 24. Qxd6 Qxe3+ 25. Kh1
Rxg2 $3 26. Qxf8+ (26. Kxg2 Rc8 27. Rac1 Qe4+ 28. Kg1 Qe3+ {is also a draw})
26... Ng8 27. Rad1 ({not} 27. Qf3 $2 Rg1+) 27... Rg1+ 28. Rxg1 Bd5+ 29. Rxd5
Qe4+ 30. Rg2 Qe1+ {is a draw by perpetual check. In a correspondence game I'd
likely try this out as an easier way to secure the draw, but over the board
I'd be nervous about remembering this one.}) 19. Nxe7 Qxe7 20. Nxf5 Bxf5 21. --
({A better try for White might be} 21. Rc1 Qd7 22. Qe2 {, though} Bg4 23. Rxc8
Rxc8 24. Qd2 Bh3 {seems about equal too. It's difficult for White to make
progress in this position, as wandering too far away from his king will have
negative consequences.}) ({In the stem game, Radjabov played} 21. Ba3 Rcd8 {
which I believe to be the wrong rook (this is rhetorical - it's always the
wrong rook).} ({Instead, I'd recommend} 21... Rfd8 22. Qe2 Qa7 23. Bb4 Rc2 24.
Qe3 Qxe3 25. fxe3 Be4 {, with equality.})) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "6 c4 – The Main Line 7 N1c3"]
[Black "B22: 10 Bd3!"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "46"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Be7 7. N1c3 a6 8. Na3
f5 9. exf5 Bxf5 10. Bd3 $1 {This is White's most popular and critical try. The
trade of light-squared bishops is definitely in his favour and forces a
concession from Black, be it time or control of the light squares.} Be6 $1 {It
would be a huge positional error to exchange bishops, so Black almost always
retreats to e6 if challenged.} 11. O-O {This is basically the only move 
(albeit 11 Nc2 will transpose to our main line too),} ({but Kasimdzhanov tried
} 11. Qh5+ {recently. R.Kasimdzhanov-A.Naiditsch, Trzcianka (blitz) 2014,
continued} Bf7 12. Qh3 Nf6 13. O-O Nd4 14. Be3 {when Black reclaimed the
f5-square with} Be6 $1 15. Qh4 Nf5 $1 {and was a bit more comfortable after}
16. Bxf5 Bxf5 {. I can't imagine that forfeiting the light-squared bishop for
a knight is a great way to challenge Black in this system.}) 11... Nf6 12. Nc2
{It's probably best for White to remain flexible with the development of his
other pieces. This knight has no real prospects besides c2, and so it makes
since for the first player to wait and see how Black decides to spend his next
moves.} (12. Bg5 {will likely transpose back to 12 Nc2, but White can try the
independent} O-O 13. Bxf6 {. I like} gxf6 $5 {, opening up the g-file and
capturing towards the centre at the cost of king safety. In this way, Black
reclaims some light squares in the centre, since ...f5 is now available. ---
White hasn't been able to prove much in practice. As an example, D.Gurevich-L.Alburt, U.S. Championship 1996, continued} 14. Be4 Kh8 $1 15. Bd5 Bd7 $1 {
(again we see Black refusing to exchange light-squared bishops)} 16. Nc2 f5 17.
Qe2 Bf6 {with an eventual draw. Black has development schemes in mind like ...Qb6, ...Rae8, and ...e4.}) ({Aagaard and Pinski give} 12. Nd5 {as the main
line in their 2001 effort, but I think Black has no problems after either the}
O-O ({or the more forcing (and never played as of yet)} 12... Nxd5 $5 13. cxd5
Bxd5 14. Bg6+ hxg6 15. Qxd5 {, when my computer prefers Black by a hair after}
Nb4 $5 ({the second player can also play} 15... Qd7 {and 16...0-0-0 with
reasonable counter-chances as well}) 16. Qe4 d5 17. Qxg6+ Kf8 18. Bd2 Nc6) 13.
Be3 Kh8 $1 {(threatening to take twice on d5 without allowing discoveries)} 14.
Bb6 Qd7 15. Nxf6 gxf6 $1 {of N.Bioret-H.Tirard, Sautron 2005.}) 12... O-O 13.
Ne3 {This is the most popular,} ({but White has a lot of options here: After} 
13. Nd5 {C&L recommend} Nxd5 $5 14. cxd5 Bxd5 15. Bxh7+ Kxh7 16. Qxd5 Qe8 17.
Ne3 Qg6 {, with an equal position ahead, which looks to be true. Black's
pieces will all take up active posts after moves like ...Nd4, ...Bg5, and ...Rf7.}) (13. Bg5 {allows the well-known manoeuvre} Ng4 $1 {, refusing to trade
a key protector of the weak d5-square. --- White has little choice but to
acquiesce to} 14. Bxe7 Qxe7 {, and now practice has seen the first player cope
with the threat of ...Qh4 in two ways:} 15. -- (15. h3 Nf6 16. Nd5 Qf7 17. Nce3
Kh8 $5 18. Nxf6 Qxf6 19. Be4 Nd4 $1 {gave Black a good position in M.Apicella-P.Tregubov, Clichy 2001. Again, Black will refuse to trade bishops in
the event of} 20. Bd5 {.}) (15. f3 {was H. Hoeksema-V.Ikonnikov, Dieren 2006,
which continued} Nf6 16. Qd2 Rad8 17. Ne3 {, when Black should angle for one
of the fundamental Kalashnikov pawn breaks and play either} Nd4 $5 ({or} 17...
Kh8 $5 18. Rad1 d5 $1 {instead of Ikonnikov's riskier 17...Nh5}) 18. Rad1 Qd7
$1 19. Ne2 b5 $1 {.})) (13. b3 Qd7 {and now White has tried two different
deployments of his dark-squared bishop in practice:} 14. -- ({. F.Nijboer-P.Tregubov, Wijk aan Zee 2002, saw} 14. Bb2 Bd8 15. Ne4 ({B.Voekler-V.Ikonnikov,
Deizisau 2003, deviated with} 15. Ne3 Bb6 16. Qd2 Kh8 17. Rad1 Rad8 18. Bb1 Ba7
$5 19. Qd3 Qf7 $5 20. Ne4 Nxe4 21. Qxe4 Qh5 22. g4 {, and now} Qh3 23. Qg2 Qh4
24. Nf5 Bxf5 25. Bxf5 Nd4 26. Bxd4 Bxd4 {left a position in which Ikonnikov
managed to outplay his lower-rated opponent}) 15... Bb6 16. Ne3 Kh8 $1 17. Ng5
Bg8 18. Qd2 Rad8 19. Rad1 Ng4 $1 {(trading off these pieces leaves Black a bit
less cramped and ready to play ...d5)} 20. Nxg4 Qxg4 21. Be2 Qc8 22. h3 {. Now
Black should have played} d5 {, with active play for his isolani.}) (14. Bg5 {
saw a top-level test in G.Kamsky-T.Radjabov, Nice (rapid) 2009. --- That game
progressed} Rae8 15. Qd2 Nh5 {this seems speculative;} ({I think I'd err on
the side of normalcy and recommend putting the bishop on a5 or b6 after} 15...
Bd8 $1) 16. Be4 (16. Bxe7 Nxe7 17. Ne3 Nf4 18. Be4 {would have given White a
nagging edge}) 16... Bxg5 17. Qxg5 Nf4 {(Black is totally fine here, with
well-placed, active pieces and kingside chances compensating for his
weaknesses; Radjabov makes an instructive mistake, so let's walk on)} 18. Rad1
Rf6 $5 (18... b5 $1 {looks like an improvement, with the idea that} 19. cxb5
axb5 20. Nxb5 d5 21. Bd3 $2 {would be terrible on account of the tough to find}
h6 $1 22. Qh4 Nxg2 $3 23. Kxg2 Rf4 $1 {and Black wins}) 19. Rd2 Ne7 20. Ne3 Nf5
$6 {(Black not only hacks off two minor pieces, but the light-squared bishops
at that)} 21. Nxf5 Bxf5 22. Bxf5 Rxf5 23. Qg4 Ref8 24. Ne4 Qc6 25. Re1 d5 26.
Ng3 R5f6 27. cxd5 Nxd5 {and now Black's slow drift into passivity cost him a
pawn after} 28. Rxe5 {.})) 13... Qd7 ({This is the first real opportunity for
Black to deviate, and deviate he has:} 13... Rc8 {is an obvious try. --- The
main line (if you could call it one, as this line is less explored) running}
14. Ned5 Nd4 15. Be3 Nxd5 16. Nxd5 Nf5 17. Bb6 Qd7 {, and there is:} 18. -- (
18. f4 Bxd5 19. cxd5 {was J.Waard-L.Machycek, correspondence 2008. Instead of}
g6 {, which also looks totally playable,} ({I would prefer} 19... Bf6 20. Rc1
g6 {with a solid position that's close to equal.})) (18. Nxe7+ {was seen in V.Diez Machin-J.Pavia Miralles, Valencia 2004, and now} Nxe7 $1 19. Rc1 (19. Qe2
$6 {loses a pawn after} Qc6 {and 20...Bxd3}) 19... Rc6 $5 20. Be3 b5 $1 21.
cxb5 Rxc1 22. Qxc1 axb5 {leads to an unbalanced position in which Black's
centre should compensate for the two bishops. As long as Black stays active
and pieces stay on the board, White's queenside majority shouldn't be
dangerous.}) (18. b3 $5 {is new, but might be best. Following} Bd8 19. Bxd8
Qxd8 20. a4 $5 {(White attempts to stop ...b5 ideas)} Nd4 21. Be4 Kh8 22. Qd3 {
, Black still gets in} b5 $1 {with a good position, the tactical point being}
23. Bxh7 $2 (23. axb5 axb5 24. cxb5 Rc5 25. Nb4 d5 26. Bxh7 Rc3 $1 {is another
nice variation}) 23... Bxd5 $1 24. cxd5 Rc3 $1 25. Qg6 (25. Qe4 Rf4 26. Qg6 Qh4
{with ...Rg4 wins for Black}) 25... Rf6 {, and Black picks up the piece.})) ({
C&L also mention the possibility of} 13... Nd4 $5 {. --- Their main line
follows S.Dvoirys-J.Degraeve, Koszalin 1999, which continued} 14. b3 b5 {this
move really must be timed correctly;} ({I prefer} 14... Qd7 {: for example,}
15. Bb2 Rae8 16. Ne4 Bd8 {, with an approximately level but complex position})
15. Ncd5 (15. Ned5 {should probably be met by} Rb8 {,} ({but the complications
after} 15... bxc4 16. Bxc4 Kh8 $5 {are also intriguing, the point being that}
17. Nxf6 Bxc4 18. Nxh7 Rf3 $1 19. gxf3 Bxf1 20. Qxf1 Qg8 $1 {is very messy}))
15... bxc4 (15... g6 {is worth consideration too}) 16. Bxc4 (16. bxc4 Rb8 17.
Rb1 Rxb1 18. Bxb1 g6 {is ruled unclear - from here play might continue} 19. Bb2
Nxd5 20. Nxd5 Bxd5 21. cxd5 Qb6 $5 22. Bxd4 Qxd4 23. Qxd4 exd4 24. Bd3 a5 25.
Rb1 Bg5 $1 {, when Black plans ...Bd2 with approximate equality in this
opposite-coloured bishop ending}) 16... Nxd5 17. Bxd5 ({Michael Ayton points
out that} 17. Nxd5 {is a likely improvement; White is probably slightly better}
) 17... Bxd5 18. Nxd5 Bg5 {and here:} 19. -- ({. The game continued} 19. b4
Bxc1 20. Rxc1 Ra7 21. Qd3 {, and here my computer likes either} Qe8 ({or} 21...
Qd7 {, with the idea of shoring up the queenside with 22...Qb5.})) (19. Bb2 {
is logical and deserves attention. A possible continuation is} Qa5 20. Ne3 (20.
Bxd4 Qxd5 21. Be3 Qxd1 22. Raxd1 Be7 23. f4 Rac8 {looks about equal}) 20...
Bxe3 (20... Rf4 {is also worth a look}) 21. fxe3 Nf5 22. Rf3 (22. Qg4 g6 {is
also about level}) 22... Rae8 {with an unclear ending ahead. Black has ideas
like ...e4 followed by ...Qb5-d3.})) 14. Ned5 ({Instead, White can hop into d5
with the other knight, and after} 14. Ncd5 Bd8 {he has the perennial choice of
pushing his b-pawn one or two squares:} 15. -- (15. b3 Bxd5 16. Nxd5 (16. cxd5
$6 {and it's likely that White's d-pawn falls eventually after} Ne7 17. Bb2 Bb6
) 16... Nxd5 17. cxd5 Nd4 {transposes to W.Hendriks-A.Moiseenko, Dieren 2001,
drawn after} 18. Be3 Bb6 19. Rc1 Bc5 20. Be4 b6 21. Qd3 g6 22. Kh1 Nf5 23. Bd2
a5 {.}) (15. b4 {is awfully ambitious, and allows Black the combative} b5 $5
16. Bb2 ({the idea is that} 16. cxb5 axb5 17. Bxb5 Nxd5 18. Nxd5 Qb7 19. a4 Nd4
20. Nc3 Rc8 21. Bd2 d5 {gives Black good compensation for the pawn due to his
central mass and pressure on White's queenside}) 16... Rb8 17. a3 Nd4 {, when
Black has good counterplay.})) 14... Rae8 ({The} 14... Bd8 {of J.Polgar-A.Escobar Forero, Dresden Olympiad 2008 is also possible, with the idea that} 15.
Be3 Nd4 $5 16. Nxf6+ Bxf6 17. Bxd4 exd4 18. Nd5 Bxd5 19. Qh5 (19. cxd5 Rae8 {
followed by moves like ...g6 and ...Re5 leaves White with little}) 19... g6 20.
Qxd5+ Kg7 21. Rae1 Rae8 {leaves an opposite-coloured bishops position where
White will struggle to prove much of anything.}) 15. Be3 {Developing.} ({
Otherwise:} 15. f4 {isn't particularly impressive. A.Genzling-V.Ikonnikov,
Illkirch-Graffenstaden Open 2004, continued} Nd4 ({the standard} 15... Bd8 {is
also playable}) 16. b3 $6 Nxd5 $1 {(Black has a wonderful tactical idea, but
this move would also be quite fine on positional grounds as well)} 17. Nxd5 (
17. cxd5 Bg4 18. Qe1 Bf5 $1 {doesn't inspire confidence either: for instance,}
19. Bxf5 $6 Qxf5 20. fxe5 $4 Bh4 $3 {when White is getting manhandled}) 17...
Bxd5 18. cxd5 e4 $1 19. Be2 (19. Bxe4 Bf6 20. Bd3 Nb5 21. Rb1 Nc3 22. Qc2 $1
Kh8 $1 {was a better try, although White should still be a little bit worse, as
} 23. Bxh7 $2 Re2 {is the end}) 19... Bf6 20. Bb2 Nf5 21. Bxf6 Rxf6 {, and
Black was much better on account of the fantastic e4-pawn and f5-knight.}) (15.
b3 {is again possible, with play continuing} Nd4 16. Be3 (16. Nxf6+ Bxf6 17.
Be4 b5 18. Qd3 {was M.Womacka-D.Reizniece, German League 2007, and now my
computer suggests the cheeky} Rc8 $5 {, with the idea that} 19. Bxh7+ Kh8 20.
Nd5 bxc4 21. bxc4 Qc6 22. Be3 Qxc4 23. Qxc4 Rxc4 24. Nxf6 gxf6 25. Bd3 Ra4 {is
equal}) 16... Nxd5 17. Nxd5 Bxd5 18. cxd5 {, V.Turicnik-N.Zambor,
correspondence 2005. Now} Bf6 (18... Bd8 $5 {is also possible}) 19. Be4 $1 {
(stopping ...e4)} g6 20. Rc1 Nf5 21. Bd2 Bd8 {, when one possible plan for
Black is} 22. Kh1 Bb6 23. Qe2 Bc5 {plugging up the c-file)} 24. f3 (24. b4 Bb6
{makes the idea of meeting ...Qb5 with Rc4 less attractive}) 24... Rf7 25. Qd3
Qd8 {, with a tough manoeuvring struggle ahead, though Black's position seems
solid.}) 15... Bd8 16. Qc2 $6 {I can't help but feel that this isn't the best
move. Black's next move is useful in these structures regardless, and
Bluvstein feels the queen is more usefully placed elsewhere quite soon.} ({
Alternatively,} 16. f3 {, stopping ...Ng4 ideas and taking firm control of e4,
allows} Nd4 {, when} 17. Bxd4 exd4 18. Nxf6+ Bxf6 19. Ne4 {is feeble after} Be7
{followed by ...d5.}) ({After} 16. Qd2 {Black again replies} Nd4 {.} ({Also
possible is the obvious} 16... Ba5 {, when} 17. Nxf6+ Rxf6 18. Qc2 Bxc3 19.
Bxh7+ Kh8 20. bxc3 Bxc4 {leaves Black with a playable, active position.}))
16... Kh8 $1 {This is clearly the best way to meet White's threat.} 17. Nxf6 $6
{This exchange seems favourable to Black. I see little reason to add value to
Black's last move.} ({My silicon buddy suggests} 17. Qa4 {instead, ruling the
position roughly equal after} Qf7 18. Rad1 Nd4 19. Nxf6 Bxf6 {. Now both} 20.
Bxd4 ({and} 20. Qb4 a5 $5 {, deflecting White's queen away from c4, seem to
hold the balance}) 20... exd4 21. Ne4 Be7 {with ...d5 on deck.}) 17... gxf6 $1
{Again we see how useful ...Kh8 is. The g-file is a nice asset, and Black
begins his counterplay in short order.} 18. Qd2 {An admission of error.} ({
Instead,} 18. Rfd1 f5 19. Bf1 Rg8 20. f4 Qg7 21. Kh1 Nd4 $1 22. Bxd4 exd4 23.
Nd5 Bxd5 24. cxd5 Re3 $1 {intending the humorous ...Rf3, is also okay for
Black.}) 18... Rg8 19. Rfd1 $2 {This was M.Bluvstein-I.Nataf, Montreal 2005.
Here, the normally razor-sharp Nataf missed the wonderful} Bg4 $1 20. Rdc1 (20.
Bf1 {is probably better, but just hangs the exchange.}) 20... f5 $1 21. f4 Bf3
22. Bf1 Rxg2+ 23. Bxg2 Rg8 {, leaving Black with a large advantage.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Key Takeaways 3"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "20"]
[SourceDate "2015.03.04"]

{This chapter covers the most critical challenge to the Kalashnikov variation,
along with 6 N1c3. --- 1. In the traditional 8...Be6 lines, White's main goal
is to maintain his bind on the light squares, squeezing Black to death with
slow expansion everywhere (preferably with many pieces on the board), coupled
with pressure on obvious weak points like d5, d6, and b6. Black, in turn, must
strive for the reciprocal - the usual pawn breaks with ...f5, ...d5 or ...b5,
piece trades that ease his spatial handicap, and active counterplay wherever
he can find it. --- 1a. The move order with 8...Nf6 seems like a completely
reasonable transpositional tool and weapon against those with 9 Be3 in their
repertoire. --- 1b. Black has very precise answers to each of White's 9th
moves that properly exploit their downsides. Against 9 Be3, Black has 9...Bg5,
trading off dark-squared bishops only after White's invested time moving his.
After 9 Be2 Nd4! Black immediately utilizes the weak d4-square (a direct
consequence of 6 c4), trades a set of minor pieces, and grabs the two bishops.
Against 9 Nc2 Rc8 10 b3, he exploits the loose steed on c3 to achieve ...b5
after 10...Nf6 11 Be2 0-0 12 0-0 b5! 13 cxb5 Na7. Finally, after 9 Nc2 Rc8 10
Be2, White's strongest option, Black has various small manoeuvres that allow
him to stir up counterplay: harassing White's bishop with ...Ng4, inducing b3
with ...Nb6 so the a3-knight hangs after ...d5, and so forth. Sometimes Black
simply needs to grab the c4-pawn and hang on for dear life. --- 2. With 8...f5,
Black shapes the nature of the struggle early, pitting his dynamism, easy
development and open lines versus White's structural superiority and control
over the light squares. This drives the play - Black must always seek activity,
counterplay, and avoid excessive simplification. --- 2a. In the gambit line
with 9 Bd3 f4 10 g3, it appears that the only thing Black shouldn't do is
follow in Nataf's footsteps with the speculative (albeit brilliant and
beautiful at the time) 10...Nf6 11 gxf4 exf4 12 Bxf4 0-0 13 Bg3 Ng4?! since 14
f4! appears to be very strong. Instead, Black can try 13...Bh3 or a few
different options after the unexplored 10...Nh6, which seem easier to remember
and don't necessarily lead to perpetuals with best play. --- 2b. In the
fianchetto variation with 10 Nc2 Nf6 11 Ne3 Be6 12 g3, I advocate delaying
castling for a few moves in favour of ensuring ...b5 after 12...Nd4!? 13 Bg2
b5. White can't accept Black's exchange sacrifice, and instead is forced to
take on b5. This grants Black a central majority, albeit one that's not easy
to get rolling. --- 2c. A key resource for Black in the 8...f5 lines is to
take time out to secure his king on h8. Not only is this good policy when
you've moved your f-pawn, it's a strong prophylactic measure against the trade
of light-squared bishops. Just as 10 Bd3 is met with 10...Be6, a bishop
landing on d5 should seldom secure an exchange. --- 2d. Another small nuance
in the 8...f5 variation is that exchanges on f6 can frequently be met by ...gxf6. This allows Black to gain strong, Sveshnikov-like control of the centre
after the second push of ...f5, and shore up some of the light-squared
weaknesses he incurred after 9 exf5. If the second player has already played ...Kh8, then the g-file is certainly useful too, as seen in the Bluvstein-Nataf
game above.} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Be7 7.
N1c3 a6 8. Na3 f5 $5 {(B)} (8... Be6 {(A)} 9. Be2 {- A1} (9. Nc2 {(A2)} Rc8 10.
b3 {- A21} (10. Be2 {- A22}))) 9. Bd3 {(B1)} (9. exf5 {(B2)} Bxf5 10. Nc2 {-
B21} (10. Bd3 $1 {- B22})) 9... f4 10. g3 -- (10... Nf6 {- B11}) (10... Nh6 $5
{- B12}) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "4: 6 c4 – The Natural 7 Be2"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "14"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Be7 7. Be2 {In
comparison to 7 N1c3, this move contains a few interesting subtleties worth
noting. White preserves the option to arrange his knights on c3 and d2 (though
throughout the book, you'll notice that this is never particularly dangerous),
and can try and exchange off his poor light-squared bishop with Bg4 or Bf3-d5
if Black ever tries ...f5. Lastly, as noted before, Black has the double-edged
opportunity to play ...Nd4xe2. In doing so, Black trades off White's bad
bishop, but weakens the c4-pawn and relaxes the noose around the b5-square.
Furthermore, Black should find it easier to manoeuvre with a set of minor
pieces missing. --- As usual, we've got the choice of opening up the centre
right away with ...f5 and accepting the long-term weaknesses that follow, or
fighting in the trenches a little while longer with 7...Nf6.} -- ({A:} 7... Nf6
) ({B:} 7... f5 $5) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "6 c4 – The Natural 7 Be2"]
[Black "A: 7...Nf6"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "28"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Be7 7. Be2 Nf6 {This
is our 'classic' Kalashnikov path, with Black opting to play a bit slower than
in the 7...f5 lines. Coverage will be short as very few lines have independent
significance - most transpose to material I've chosen to put in Chapter 3
instead.} (7... a6 {right away is unexplored, but may be good enough for rough
equality. The resulting positions aren't exactly exciting, but perhaps this
line is a worthy surprise weapon if you're not looking to press for a win or
run into a familiar opponent's preparation. Refusing to trade dark-squared
bishops looks best here, so play might continue} 8. N5c3 Bg5 9. Nd2 $1 (9. Bxg5
{looks like it should be good, but White lacks a good way to deal with a black
knight on d4 in the resulting positions: for instance,} Qxg5 10. Nd5 Qd8 11.
Nbc3 Nge7 12. O-O {when perhaps the most straightforward way to depress a
white player is} Nxd5 13. Nxd5 O-O 14. Ne3 Be6 {followed soon by ...Nd4}) 9...
Nd4 $5 {might seem a bit premature, but this sortie makes some sense. ---
White will soon play Nf3 or Nb3, when the d4-square is well guarded and longer
available to Black's knight. With his 9th, the second player ensures that the
c6-knight is exchanged off instead of sitting idly on c6. This is also in line
with the general rule that the player with less space should exchange pieces
to ease the friction between his cramped pieces. --- After} 10. Nf3 (10. Bd3 {
is too skittish and slow to be effective; Black was equal after} Ne7 11. O-O
O-O 12. Nb3 Bxc1 13. Rxc1 Ne6 {in M.Sorokin-A.Minasian, Moscow 1992}) 10...
Bxc1 11. Rxc1 Nxf3+ 12. Bxf3 Ne7 13. O-O ({White can also try and speed up the
attack on the d-pawn by a move with something like} 13. Qd3 {, but after} Be6
14. Rd1 Rc8 15. b3 Qa5 16. O-O b5 $1 {Black has strong counterplay}) 13... O-O
14. Qd3 {it appears as though something has gone wrong for Black, as he's
fallen behind in development, and his d-pawn looks doomed. However, Black's
pieces spring out nicely, using the weakness of the c4-pawn to catch up after}
Be6 15. Rfd1 Nc6 16. Qxd6 (16. b3 Qa5 {is the point, when White can't play} 17.
Qxd6 $2 {on account of} Rad8 {; White's last chance is} 18. b4 Qa3 19. Nb1 {,
but this runs into} Qxc1 $1 20. Qxd8 Qxc4 {, when White's down a pawn}) 16...
Qxd6 17. Rxd6 Bxc4 18. Rd7 b5 {with rough equality. Black, if allowed, should
kick out the rook with ...Be6, followed up with moves like ...Rfd8, ...Rac8,
and ...g6. This is a line well worth more practical tests and analysis.}) 8.
N1c3 {Overwhelmingly preferred over other moves.} ({The only other independent
possibility is} 8. N5c3 {, however, Black has equal chances after} Nd4 9. O-O
O-O 10. Be3 Nxe2+ 11. Qxe2 Be6 12. f3 (12. Nd2 Ng4 13. Rfd1 a6 14. Nf1 Rc8 15.
b3 b5 $1 {ensures Black sufficient counterplay too}) 12... Rc8 13. Nd2 Nh5 {
followed by ...a6 and ...Bg5. The problem with White's 8th is that a knight
has to work to prove itself useful on d2 - White's development is simply a
little less harmonious.}) 8... a6 9. Na3 Nd4 $5 {Black opts to pre-empt Be3
and hop into d4 immediately, looking to snap off the bishop on e2 and start
quick counterplay against the weak c4-pawn. This transposes to the 7 N1c3 line
and was covered in detail in Chapter 3.} ({We'll continue on for a few moves
just to reinforce the material, but Black's alternative in} 9... Be6 {should
also be mentioned here for completeness. We already discussed why I don't like
the positions occurring after} 10. Be3 $1 ({this is more precise than} 10. O-O
{, as it stops ...Nd4}) 10... O-O 11. O-O Rc8 12. Rc1 $1 {in Chapter 3.}) 10.
O-O (10. Be3) ({and} 10. Nc2 {were both be discussed in Line A1 of the
previous chapter.}) 10... Nxe2+ $1 ({This move order seeks to avoid} 10... O-O
$6 11. Nc2 Nxe2+ (11... Nxc2 12. Qxc2 Be6 13. a4 $1 {is similar}) 12. Qxe2 Be6
{, when} 13. a4 $1 {clamps down on the ...b5 break and stops the manoeuvre ...Qd7 and ...Bd8-b6 on account of a5. White looks better here, as now Black
lacks a clear plan, and simply has less space to work with. It will be hard
for White to make progress here because Black's position is so solid, but this
is not the type of position I'd want to play.}) 11. Qxe2 Be6 12. Nc2 (12. Be3
O-O {would again take play into Line A1 in Chapter 3.}) 12... Rc8 $1 {Again,
Black delays castling in favour of immediate threats on c4. White can't be
given the opportunity to play 13 or 14 a4.} 13. Ne3 Qc7 $1 14. b3 b5 $1 {.
This was E.Reina Guerra-J.Rogos, correspondence 2010. Black cements his
queenside counterplay with this move, and should have equal chances. Once
again, see Chapter 3 for the nitty-gritty on this line.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "6 c4 – The Natural 7 Be2"]
[Black "B: 7...f5!?"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "15"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Be7 7. Be2 f5 $5 {I
am really fond of meeting 7 Be2 with this thrust. As we've seen after 7 N1c3
a6 8 Na3 f5 9 exf5 Bxf5, the best way for White to treat positions like these
is to immediately challenge the bishop and threaten a strategically dangerous
trade (for us) with 10 Bd3. However, since White's already committed his
bishop and would have to forfeit a tempo to play Bd3, the ...f5 break becomes
especially appealing.} 8. -- ({B1:} 8. exf5) ({B2:} 8. N1c3) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "6 c4 – The Natural 7 Be2"]
[Black "B1: 8 exf5"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "44"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Be7 7. Be2 f5 $5 8.
exf5 Bxf5 9. Bg5 $5 {Relying on the cheapo with 9...Bxg5 10 Nxd6+ and 11 Nxf5.}
({White has tried other, more honourable paths:} 9. O-O Nf6 10. Be3 (10. N1c3
a6 11. Na3 O-O {transposes back to 8 N1c3}) 10... O-O 11. f4 {this is the only
independent try,} ({as} 11. N1c3 a6 12. Na3 Qe8 $1 {transposes to material
covered under 8 N1c3}) 11... Be6 $5 12. N1c3 a6 13. Na3 exf4 14. Rxf4 (14. Bxf4
Qb6+ {is problematic for White}) 14... d5 {was perfectly adequate for Black in
R.Van Dijk-D.Rutten, Leiden 2003.}) (9. Be3 {will likely transpose to 8 N1c3
positions akin to Lutz-Kramnik in Line B2 after either} Nf6 10. O-O ({or} 10.
N1c3 a6 11. Na3 O-O 12. O-O) 10... O-O 11. N1c3 a6 {.}) (9. Bg4 $6 {has the
right spirit, but just simply falls short. If it was this easy to trade the
light-squared bishops favourably, then everyone would be doing it. Black
should push the pace with} Bxg4 10. Qxg4 Nf6 $1 11. Qd1 (11. Qxg7 $2 Rg8 12.
Qh6 Rxg2 {is probably better for Black, who is looking forward to ...a6 and ...Nd4}) 11... O-O {when White has two options:} 12. -- (12. O-O d5 $1 13. cxd5
Nxd5 {was T.Kabisch-V.Ikonnikov, Ditzingen 2006. The position is equal, but
Black succeeded in beating his lower-rated opponent in 42 moves. Sveshnikov
and Sherbakov have also reached this position as Black, and have scored 1½/2, collectively.}) (12. N5c3 {is also sensible. E.Anka-I.Nataf, French League
1995, saw the Kalashnikov expert and attacking wizard whip up a nasty assault
in short order after} Rc8 13. O-O Nd4 14. Be3 Rxc4 15. b3 Rc6 16. Bxd4 exd4 17.
Qxd4 $2 (17. Nb5 {is a better try}) 17... d5 18. Nd2 Bc5 19. Qd3 Ng4 $1 20. Nf3
Qb8 $5 ({it might have been better to cash in right away with} 20... Nxf2 $5
21. Rxf2 Qf6 $1 22. Rc1 Rfc8 $1 23. Qxd5+ Kh8 24. Qd2 Bxf2+ 25. Qxf2 Rxc3 {,
though it's likely that Nataf missed Black's 22nd}) 21. g3 Bxf2+ 22. Rxf2 Nxf2
23. Kxf2 Rcf6 24. Qxd5+ Kh8 25. Re1 Rxf3+ 26. Qxf3 h6 {. Despite being much
better, Nataf found it difficult to convert, since White has no real
weaknesses.})) 9... a6 ({The level-headed} 9... Nf6 $5 {is a great alternative.
--- A short survey of modern practice:} 10. -- (10. Bh5+ {has been essayed
twice in my database. Black responded} Bg6 {in one} ({, and} 10... Kf8 {in the
other, both of which look awfully compliant, or just awful to me.}) ({. Better
seems to be} 10... Nxh5 $1 11. Bxe7 Nxe7 12. Qxh5+ Bg6 13. Qd1 {and now Black
is mostly forced to gambit the d-pawn with} O-O {, when his lead in
development is reaching alarming levels. Now} 14. Qxd6 (14. Nxd6 $2 Qb6 {
threatens f2 and ...Rd8 at the same time, practically forcing} 15. c5 Qxc5 16.
O-O Rad8 17. Qb3+ Qd5 18. Qxd5+ Nxd5 19. Nxb7 Rb8 20. Nc5 Rxb2 {when Black is
much better, threatening ...Rc8-c2}) 14... Nc6 $1 15. O-O (15. Qxd8 Raxd8 16.
O-O a6 17. N5c3 Nd4 {is similar to the main line, with ...b5 and ...Bd3 coming}
) 15... a6 16. Qxd8 Raxd8 17. N5c3 Nd4 $1 18. Na3 b5 $1 19. cxb5 axb5 20. Naxb5
Nxb5 21. Nxb5 Bd3 {is obviously better for Black.})) (10. Nd2 O-O 11. O-O Qd7
12. Nc3 Kh8 (12... Nd4 {right away feels more accurate to me}) 13. Bxf6 gxf6 ({
my computer suggests that} 13... Rxf6 14. Nde4 Rh6 {is better, with ...Nd4 and
...Rf8 to follow, but the text seems fine as well}) 14. Nde4 Nd4 15. Bh5 Be6
16. Qd3 Rac8 17. b3 {was F.Hippe-A.Skripchenko, German League 2003. Here Black
has the snazzy} b5 $1 {based on} 18. Nxb5 ({or} 18. cxb5 Bf5) 18... d5 $1 {,
with a multitude of dangerous threats. Black is already much better in either
case.}) (10. Bxf6 {is critical. K.Knezevic-O.Jovanic, Pula 2001, saw Black
outplay his lower-rated opponent in superb fashion following} gxf6 11. Bg4 Bg6
$1 {(we know by now that exchanging light-squared bishops in these types of
positions is madness)} 12. h4 $6 {this is pretty ambitious,} ({but} 12. O-O f5
13. Be2 a6 14. N5c3 Qd7 $1 15. Nd5 Bd8 $1 16. Nbc3 Nd4 {is pleasantly messy
and okay for Black too}) 12... a6 13. N5c3 Nd4 14. h5 Bc2 $1 (14... Nc2+ $4 15.
Kf1 {actually wins for White}) 15. Qc1 f5 16. Bd1 Bg5 $1 17. Nd2 {and here the
obvious} Bd3 {framed things nicely. White's plans have gone awry, leaving him
wholly hog-tied.})) 10. Bxe7 Kxe7 {This king walk is sadly forced due to the
weakness on d6.} 11. N5c3 Nf6 12. O-O (12. Nd2 {has also been tried. Black
should be okay after} Nd4 13. O-O Bc2 14. Qe1 {, as in A.Ounmaa-J.DeMeye,
correspondence 2006, and now} Bg6 15. Rc1 Re8 $1 {(Black X-rays the queen and
castles by hand)} 16. Nf3 Kf8 17. Qd1 Nxe2+ 18. Qxe2 Kg8 {seems equal.}) 12...
Qb6 13. b3 (13. Qd2 Nd4 14. b3 Kf7 15. Bd3 g6 {is unclear according to C&L.}) (
{C&L also examine the lunge} 13. g4 $5 {, continuing} Be6 (13... Qxb2 {is
asking too much after} 14. gxf5 Nd4 15. Qd2 $1 Qxa1 16. Kg2 Rhc8 17. f4 $1 {,
with a dangerous initiative}) 14. g5 Nd7 15. Nd2 Qd4 16. Nde4 Qxd1 17. Raxd1
Nd4 {. It appears that White has to hang the c-pawn, since} 18. b3 b5 $1 19.
cxb5 d5 {is awful for him. Still, the position after 17...Nd4 is double-edged,
as Black's king is pretty exposed on e7.}) 13... Rhd8 14. Bd3 Be6 $1 15. Be4
Qd4 $5 ({Black indicates he's willing to take the plunge - for those that
aren't,} 15... Nxe4 16. Nxe4 d5 $1 {is another reasonable approach.}) 16. Qe2
Nxe4 ({Black has another possibility in} 16... Bg4 17. Bf3 Bxf3 18. Qxf3 Qf4
19. Qxf4 exf4 20. Rd1 $1 (20. Nd2 d5 21. Rfe1+ Kf7 {makes life too easy for
Black}) 20... Rac8 21. Na3 {, and now either} Ne5 ({or} 21... Nb4 {also looks
reasonable for Black, but maybe not as good as Kramnik's move.})) 17. Nxe4 Qxa1
18. Nbc3 Nd4 19. Qd2 Qxf1+ 20. Kxf1 h6 $1 21. Ne2 Nxe2 22. Kxe2 {. The players
decided that it wasn't worth playing on in P.Leko-V.Kramnik, Dortmund 1995.
Black is very solid, and can play} b5 $1 {to allow his rooks some much needed
room to roam.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "6 c4 – The Natural 7 Be2"]
[Black "B2: 8 N1c3"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "38"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Be7 7. Be2 f5 $5 8.
N1c3 a6 9. Na3 Nf6 (9... f4 $6 10. g3 $1 {is very similar to 7 N1c3 a6 8 Na3
f5 9 Bd3 f4 10 g3, except that White's bishop is better placed on e2.}) 10.
exf5 ({White has been less successful with the alternatives:} 10. Bf3 {looks
stodgy, and can be met by the pawn sacrifice} Nd4 $5 11. exf5 {(any other move
allows ...Nxf3+, which is a huge positional gain for Black)} Bxf5 12. Bxb7 {
(again, most other normal moves allow ...Nxf3+ with a good position for Black)}
Rb8 {. White can retreat, or chomp on a second pawn:} 13. -- (13. Bxa6 O-O 14.
O-O {can be met by} d5 (14... Qa5 15. Bb5 d5 $1 16. Bf4 $5 {! is also pretty
incredible and well worth analysing}) 15. Nxd5 Bxa3 16. bxa3 Bc2 17. Qd2 Nxd5
18. cxd5 Be4 {(threatening ...Rb6)} 19. Bd3 Bxg2 $1 20. Kxg2 Qxd5+ 21. f3 Rxf3
22. Rxf3 Qxf3+ 23. Kg1 Rb6 {when Black wins back the material by virtue of his
monstrous attack.}) (13. Bd5 $1 {(this is less risky than 13 Bxa6 and probably
objectively better as well)} Nxd5 14. Nxd5 (14. cxd5 O-O 15. O-O Qe8 {also
gives Black dangerous compensation since the move White would like to play,}
16. Be3 {, is terrible on account of} Qg6 17. Bxd4 Bh3 $1 18. g3 exd4) 14...
O-O 15. O-O {and after} Be4 {it's a good time to take stock of what Black's
got for his pawn. --- First, there's the obvious advantage in development and
the two bishops. White's knight on a3 is awful, unable to return to play via
c2 because of the double attack on that square. The rook on b8 temporarily
stops White from developing his dark-squared bishop as well. Lastly, Black has
the threat of manoeuvring his queen to g5 via ...Bg5xc1, since White's queen
can't capture there for the moment on account of ...Ne2+. After} 16. b3 ({
perhaps best is} 16. f3 {, giving the pawn back but liquidating some pieces
after} Bxd5 17. cxd5 {, when both} Qc8 ({and} 17... Qa5 {look adequate})) 16...
Bg5 17. f4 {, Black secures good chances with either} (17. Bb2 $2 Nf3+ $1 {is
completely crushing}) 17... Bh6 $5 ({or} 17... Bxd5 {.}))) (10. Bd3 $6 {is
comparable to 9...f4 in its dubiousness - White willingly enters the line 7
N1c3 a6 8 Na3 f5 9 Bd3 f4 down a tempo. After} f4 11. Nd5 O-O 12. Bd2 {Black
can punish the lost tempo with the spicy} Qe8 $5 {, since} 13. Nc7 $2 (13. O-O
Bd8 {is probably still a bit more comfortable for Black based on his kingside
chances}) 13... Qg6 14. Kf1 (14. O-O Bh3 15. Qf3 Bg4 {is embarrassing}) 14...
f3 $1 {is devastating.}) 10... Bxf5 11. O-O (11. Nc2 {will almost assuredly
transpose to lines considered below after} O-O 12. O-O {.}) 11... O-O 12. Nc2 (
12. Be3 {is also logical, when we see Black thematically swing her majesty
over to the kingside with} Qe8 {. --- The second player has static weaknesses
in the centre and the queenside, and as such must emphasize his more active
pieces to compensate. White's main moves from here are:} 13. -- (13. Qd2 Nb4 {
(notice that the combination of the bishop on f5 and knight on b4 cut off
White's a3-knight from returning to play via c2)} 14. Rad1 Qg6 15. f4 $6 {
(Black's position was already more comfortable, and White cracks)} Ng4 16. Bf3
{was C.Guaimare-G.Pogrzeba, correspondence 2005. Perhaps now Black should try}
Rae8 $5 17. Bxb7 Nxe3 18. Qxe3 exf4 19. Qd2 (19. Qxf4 $2 Bd3) 19... Nd3 {with
a very active position. Note that} 20. Bxa6 $2 {loses gruesomely after} f3 $1
21. Rxf3 Bg5 22. Qc2 Re1+ 23. Rf1 Be3+ 24. Kh1 Nf2+ {.}) (13. Nd5 Qg6 ({the} 
13... Nxd5 14. cxd5 Nb4 15. Qb3 a5 16. Bd2 Qg6 $1 17. Bxb4 axb4 18. Nc4 Be4 {
of M.Muneret-S.Simonenko, correspondence 2007, is also a trustworthy path down
which to stroll}) 14. Nxf6+ (14. Nxe7+ Nxe7 15. Qxd6 {is nothing to fret over,
since} Bh3 16. Bf3 e4 17. Qg3 exf3 18. Qxg6 Nxg6 19. gxh3 Ne4 {followed by ...Nf4 is more comfortable for Black, despite the pawn deficit}) 14... Qxf6 15.
Nb1 Nd4 16. Nc3 (16. Bxd4 exd4 17. Bf3 Kh8 $5 {is nothing for White after a
later ...d3 and ...Qd4}) 16... Nxe2+ 17. Qxe2 Qg6 18. Rad1 Rae8 19. f3 Kh8 {
saw the players shake hands in C.Lutz-V.Kramnik, German League 1996,} ({though
Kramnik could have tried} 19... e4 $5 {if he was interested in pushing for
more.})) (13. Nc2 {(White improves his knight from a3 before Black can freeze
it there with ...Nb4 or ...Qg6)} Qg6 14. Rc1 Rac8 15. Kh1 Kh8 $5 {(a typical
prophylactic move, though here Black's idea contains additional venom in that
16 Nd5 Nxd5 17 Qxd5 is not check, and can now be met with 17...Be4)} 16. f3 {
, and now} b5 $1 {kicks off the beautiful end to one of the nicest unknown
Kalashnikov games I've come across while writing this book - grab your
favourite beverage and enjoy! --- Play continued rather forcefully with} 17.
cxb5 axb5 18. Nxb5 (18. Bxb5 d5 {is worse}) 18... d5 19. f4 Be4 (19... d4 {
right away is likely better: for instance,} 20. fxe5 d3 21. Rxf5 dxe2 22. Qxe2
Qxf5 23. exf6 Qxf6 24. Nc3 Qe6 {with a large advantage to Black}) 20. Bf3 (20.
Ne1 {would have made the game a lot closer, but way less enjoyable}) 20... Bd3
21. Be2 Bxe2 22. Qxe2 d4 $1 23. fxe5 d3 $1 {(the only move, but a strong one)}
24. Qe1 Ng4 25. Rxf8+ Rxf8 26. Na1 {, which left White's position ruined. ---
His knights have been pushed back into uselessness, and the storm clouds are
churning over his monarch's castle. It's no surprise given his haphazardly
placed pieces that he's quickly executed:} Bh4 $3 {(a bolt from the blue!)} 27.
Qd2 (27. Qxh4 Nxe3 28. Rg1 d2 29. Nc3 Rf1 30. Qg3 Rxg1+ 31. Kxg1 Qb1+ $1 32.
Nxb1 d1=Q+ 33. Kf2 Ng4+ {is the astonishingly picturesque point}) 27... Qe4 28.
Bc5 Qxe5 $1 {(the flashiest finish, fitting at this point)} 29. Bd6 Bg5 30.
Bxe5 Bxd2 31. Bd6 Rf5 32. Rb1 Nf2+ 33. Kg1 Be3 34. h3 Rxb5 {and White finally
capitulated in P.Kurumanov-G.Casteneda, Moscow 2009.})) 12... Rc8 13. Ne3 ({
Again, there are alternatives:} 13. Bd3 {is possible, when (for the hundredth
time, I know) it's paramount that Black refuses the swapping of these minors
with} Be6 {. Natural now would be} 14. Be3 {, however this allows} Na5 $1 15.
b3 b5 {, when White's in trouble: for example,} 16. Nd5 bxc4 17. Bb6 Qd7 18.
Nxe7+ Qxe7 19. Bxa5 cxd3 20. Qxd3 Qd7 $1 {, preparing both ...Bf5 and ...d5.} (
{Note too the cheapo} 20... d5 $2 21. Bb4 {.})) (13. Be3 {is an obvious try,
reaching positions similar to those of Lutz-Kramnik above. Again, Black should
play} Qe8 {when the} 14. Rc1 Qg6 15. Kh1 Kh8 16. f3 b5 $5 {of M.Oleksienko-A.Federov, Romanian Team Championship 2008, gives Black great counterplay.
Taking on b5 isn't particularly great here for White, since} 17. cxb5 axb5 18.
-- (18. Bxb5 d5 {is problematic for White on account of} 19. Nxd5 $2 Nxd5 {,
hanging the knight on c2.}) (18. Nxb5 d5 19. f4 $6 {is bad for White on
account of the long tactical sequence} d4 20. fxe5 d3 $1 21. exf6 dxe2 22. Qxe2
Bd3 23. fxe7 Rxf1+ 24. Rxf1 Nxe7 25. Qf3 Bxf1 {.}) ({. Possibly best is C&L's} 
18. Bf2 {, when I like} Be6 {and now either} 19. Bxb5 ({or} 19. Ne3 Nd4 20. Bd3
Qf7 21. Nxb5 Rxc1 22. Qxc1 Nxb5 23. Bxb5 Bxa2 {followed soon by moves like ...Rb8 and ...Be6/...d5}) 19... d5 {.})) 13... Be6 14. Bf3 (14. Ned5 {is solid.
Black gained easy equality after} Nd4 15. Be3 Nxe2+ 16. Qxe2 Nxd5 17. Nxd5 Bxd5
18. cxd5 Bg5 19. Qg4 Bxe3 20. fxe3 Qb6 {in A.Vitolins-E.Sveshnikov, Riga 
(rapid) 1986. Perhaps my database is wrong, because this game is listed with
Black winning here. I don't see why the legendary Latvian playing White would
ever resign here, since both} 21. Qe6+ ({and} 21. Rf3 {maintain the balance.}))
(14. b3 {can be met by} Nd4 15. Bb2 {, after which Black has a couple of
options:} -- ({. C&L like the} 15... b5 {of E.Dervishi-S.Belkhodja, Bled 2002,
which continued} 16. Bd3 bxc4 (16... Qe8 $5 {is also interesting}) 17. bxc4 Qa5
18. Ne4 Nxe4 19. Bxe4 Nf5 20. Nxf5 {, and was agreed drawn after} Bxf5 {.
However, I think White has a slight edge after} 21. Qd5+ Qxd5 22. Bxd5+ Kh8 23.
Rac1 {, as his pieces are more active and Black has more weaknesses to look
after. In an OTB game, I wouldn't want to defend this position - basically
only two results are possible.}) ({. Instead, I'd have a go at} 15... Nxe2+ $5
{(I have an affinity for taking this bishop, I know)} 16. Qxe2 b5 $1 17. cxb5 (
{declining the pawn with} 17. Ncd5 Nxd5 18. cxd5 Bd7 {seems comfortable for
Black, who can manoeuvre his dark-squared bishop to b6, or start to work on
the weak d5-pawn with ...Bg5 and ...Qe7-f7}) 17... d5 18. Rad1 d4 19. Nc4 Bxc4
20. bxc4 Qc7 {with an absolute mess in which I don't think Black is worse: for
example,} 21. Nb1 Rfe8 $5 22. Rc1 Bc5 {, planning ...e4.})) 14... b5 $1 {Black
goes to the mattresses!} 15. Bd5 (15. cxb5 $6 {allows Black to take the white
bishop that arrives on d5 with a knight (normally not possible due to the fork
after cxd5), which is positionally very desirable. Combined with the ...b4
resource, Black has good chances to overtake the d5-square, signalling that
the opening has been a failure for the first player. Now} axb5 16. Bd5 (16.
Nxb5 d5 {is exactly what Black was aiming for with 14...b5}) 16... Nxd5 17.
Nexd5 b4 18. Nb5 Bh4 $1 {(Black prepares ...Ne7 while putting a little
pressure on f2)} 19. Be3 Ne7 20. Nxb4 d5 21. a4 d4 22. Bd2 Bc4 23. Qg4 Ng6 {
left White much worse in S.Douglas-C.Gatto, correspondence 2005.}) 15... Bxd5 {
All three of White's captures have scored poorly here, though objectively the
position seems level.} ({Do note that} 15... Qd7 $5 {is a natural-looking
novelty, keeping the tension in the centre and preparing the usual ...Bd8-b6
manoeuvre. Play might continue} 16. cxb5 (16. b3 Nd4 17. Bb2 bxc4 18. bxc4 Bd8
{seems awfully unclear as well}) 16... axb5 17. Bxe6+ Qxe6 18. Nxb5 d5 19. b3
d4 20. Nc4 Nd5 {, with decent compensation for Black due to his open lines,
well centralized pieces, and extra central space.}) 16. Nexd5 ({Otherwise:} 16.
Ncxd5 bxc4 17. Nxf6+ Bxf6 18. Qd5+ Kh8 19. Qxc4 {was E.Forgo-N.Lukas,
Hungarian League 2000, and here I like} Nd4 $1 20. Qxa6 d5 {, with a huge
centre and a nice initiative for the pawn investment.}) (16. cxd5 $6 Nd4 17.
Ne2 Nxe2+ 18. Qxe2 Qd7 19. Bd2 Bd8 20. a4 Bb6 {was already slightly better for
Black in S.Mannion-J.Shaw, Clarkston 2001. Black's weaknesses seem less
relevant than the weak d-pawn, and he plans ...Qb7, ...Rc5, and possibly
taking on e3.}) 16... bxc4 17. Be3 (17. Nxf6+ Bxf6 18. Qd5+ Kh8 19. Qxc4 Qb6
20. Rb1 Ne7 $1 {is fine for Black on account of his queenside pressure and
unopposed centre pawns, although perhaps this is White's best.}) 17... a5 $1 {
A nice novelty, intending to fight for d5 and protect the c4-pawn via ...Nb4.}
({Also possible is the} 17... Kh8 $5 18. Rc1 {of E.Onder-N.Sukhov,
correspondence 2003. Just as in the main line,} a5 $1 {seems best here.}) 18.
Qe2 (18. Nxf6+ Bxf6 19. Qd5+ Kh8 20. Qxc4 Ne7 {followed by 21...d5 is
comfortable for Black}) ({as is} 18. a3 {, reaching an even endgame after a
line like} Nd4 19. Bxd4 Nxd5 $1 20. Nxd5 exd4 21. Qxd4 Bf6 22. Nxf6+ Qxf6 23.
Rad1 Qxd4 24. Rxd4 Rb8 {.}) 18... Nxd5 19. Nxd5 Nb4 $1 {. Displaying the point
of Black's 17th, with great counterplay.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Key Takeaways 4"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "15"]
[SourceDate "2015.03.04"]

{1. The immediate 7...f5 entices me on principles alone. If you agree that
confronting the bishop on f5 with Bd3 is correct (as in Chapter 3), then this
line has to be better for Black than 7 N1c3 a6 8 Na3 f5, as White no longer
has this option without losing a tempo. Perhaps it's not that simple (White
does gain the option of Be2-f3), but analysis seems to show that Black has
equal chances in the complications that follow. --- 2. If White decides to
enter the jungle arising after 8 exf5 Bxf5 9 Bg5, both 9...a6 10 Bxe7 Kxe7 and
the underplayed 9...Nf6 appear completely adequate for Black. I'd advise the
latter on account of the surprise factor, as anyone playing 9 Bg5 will
definitely be familiar with the Leko-Kramnik game. --- 3. In the positions
arising after 8 N1c3 a6 9 Na3 Nf6 10 exf5 Bxf5 11 0-0 0-0 12 Be3, Black can
exploit the fact that White has not forced his bishop off of the b1-h7
diagonal and manoeuvre his queen to the kingside with 12...Qe8. As stated
earlier, Black has prominent static weaknesses, and utilization of his active
pieces is necessary to ensure equal chances. In this case, if White's not
careful, his a3-knight can find itself sequestered from the action for a long
time, as ...Nb4 is possible later too. --- 4. For those not interested in 7...f5, 7...Nf6 (Line A) is fully viable. The most important thing to remember is
that White's 7 Be2 move order permits an early ...Nd4, an opportunity Black
should most certainly jump on (reread both this chapter and the 7 N1c3
material if you can't remember why). Play continues 8 N1c3 a6 9 Na3 Nd4 10 0-0
Nxe2+, when Black should attack c4 with 11 Qxe2 Be6! 12 Nc2 Rc8! 13 Ne3 Qc7 14
b3 b5! before castling, denying White the opportunity to clamp down on the
queenside with a4. Future analysis might show that allowing a4 is fine, but
I'd prefer to avoid it if at all possible.} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4.
Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Be7 7. Be2 f5 $5 {(B)} (7... Nf6 {- A}) 8. -- (8. exf5
{- B1}) (8. N1c3 {- B2}) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "5: 6 c4 – The Clever 7 b3"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "14"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Be7 7. b3 {This
b-pawn nudge was once a very popular attempt at an advantage, peaking in
popularity right after the turn of the century. In fact, there are more games
played from 2000-2001 in my database than in all others years combined. ---
With 7 b3, White threatens the d-pawn with Ba3 while ensuring that the
dark-squared bishops don't get traded after ...Bg5. He also bolsters the
c-pawn, and leaves the position of his knights flexible for another move or
two. There are downsides though - the weakening of the queenside dark squares
and the long diagonal are highly relevant, and if the game opens up quickly 
(for instance, after 7...f5!?), White may find that b3 is less useful than a
more full-bodied developing move. --- This line's popularity waned severely
after Anand-Radjabov (see Line B2 for the scoop), and I don't see it returning
as more than a surprise weapon - concrete analysis shows that Black faces few
if any problems, and that it's White who needs to be careful in the sharpest
variations. We have our usual choice:} -- ({A:} 7... Nf6) ({B:} 7... f5 $5) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "6 c4 – The Clever 7 b3"]
[Black "A: 7...Nf6"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "22"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Be7 7. b3 Nf6 {As I
state in the introduction to Line B below, against 7 b3 specifically, I think
it's practically and objectively better to go the bellicose route with 7...f5.
But if the reader really gets into the positional manoeuvring found in the
slower lines, then by all means play so. This section is similar to that of 7
Be2 Nf6 in that play will usually transpose to other chapters. In this chapter,
we'll frequently head back to Chapter 3 or, more commonly, reach Chapter 6.} 8.
Bd3 ({Variations with Bd3 tossed in will usually transpose to Chapter 6 if
White plays N1c3 at some point, but there are a whole slew of other ideas,
none of them particularly dangerous:} 8. Nd2 -- (8... O-O 9. Bb2 Be6 10. Be2
Rc8 11. O-O a6 12. Nc3 Nd4 13. Nf3 Nxe2+ 14. Qxe2 {was E.Livensky-E.Matorin,
Kiev 2003, and now} Qa5 {, planning 15...b5, secures Black an even game.}) ({
. With that said, the novelty} 8... Qa5 $5 {looks strong, threatening ...Nxe4.
--- It practically forces the very odd and sad looking} 9. a3 {. After 9 a3,
Black can continue vigorously with} ({on account of the variations} 9. Bd3 $2
a6 10. Na3 Qc3 $1) ({and} 9. Qc2 $6 a6 10. Nc3 Nd4 11. Qd3 O-O 12. Bb2 b5 $1)
9... Bg4 $5 10. Qc2 (10. Be2 Bxe2 11. Qxe2 a6 12. b4 Nxb4 $1 13. Nb3 Nc2+ $1
14. Kf1 Qb6 15. Nxd6+ Qxd6 16. Qxc2 Nxe4 $1 {is horrendous for White}) ({as is
} 10. f3 Be6 11. Bb2 O-O 12. b4 Qd8 13. Be2 Nh5 $1) 10... a6 11. Nc3 Nd4 {,
with a very promising game for the second player.})) (8. N1c3 a6 9. Na3 O-O {
when the play splits:} 10. -- (10. Be2 {was met strongly by} Qa5 $1 {in M.Jakubowski-K.Jasik, Czestochowa 1998, forcing} 11. Qd2 {. The easiest way
forward appears to be the cheeky} d5 $5 {: for instance,} 12. Nxd5 ({both pawn
captures are uninspiring:} 12. exd5 Bb4 $1 13. Nab1 Nd4 {, when White can't
meet both ...Ne4 and ...Nxb3}) ({and} 12. cxd5 Nxe4 $1 {, since} 13. Nxe4 $2 {
loses immediately to} Bb4 $1) 12... Qxd2+ 13. Kxd2 Nxe4+ 14. Ke3 (14. Ke1 Bc5 {
isn't as great an idea}) 14... Bf5 {with a very pleasant position for Black.})
(10. Bd3 Be6 11. O-O Nd7 {transposes to 11 b3 Nd7 in Chapter 6, Line C1.}) (10.
Nc2 Be6 11. Bb2 (11. Bd3 {again transposes to Chapter 6, Line C1}) ({and} 11.
Be2 b5 $1 12. O-O Rc8 $1 13. cxb5 Na7 $1 {transposes to Pastrana
Alvarez-Jankoviak, discussed in Line A21 of Chapter 3}) 11... Qa5 12. Qd2 {was
W.Kobak-K.Siwek, Poland 2002, when Black could have capitalized on White's
clunky play with} b5 $1 {, as} 13. cxb5 axb5 14. Bxb5 Nxe4 $1 15. Nxe4 Qxb5 16.
Nxd6 $2 Bxd6 17. Qxd6 Rfd8 {traps the queen. Better was 12 Bd3, but even now
12...b5! looks quite good.})) ({White occasionally tries} 8. N5c3 {, hoping to
place knights on d5 and c3 instead of a3/c2 and c3. --- After} O-O {White has
many options:} 9. -- (9. Bd3 Be6 10. O-O Nd7 {transposes to note 'b' to
White's 10th move, below.}) (9. Bb2 {causes Black few problems after} Be6 10.
Be2 {this is probably the only independent try worth looking at,} ({as} 10. Bd3
{encourages a transposition to Solomon-Feldman, below, after} Nd7 11. O-O Rc8
12. Nd5 Bg5 13. Nbc3 a6) 10... Nd4 11. O-O Nxe2+ 12. Qxe2 a6 {, when Black
will prepare the ...b5 break, reacting to Nd5 with a knight capture followed
by ...Bd7 and ...f5.}) (9. Be2 Nd4 $1 {(just as in Chapter 4, taking the
bishop on e2 is a very sane plan)} 10. O-O a6 11. Be3 Nxe2+ 12. Qxe2 b5 $5 13.
Nd2 {an interesting wrinkle on the usual ...b5 break;} ({taking with the queen
loses an exchange, i.e.} 13. cxb5 axb5 14. Qxb5 $2 Ba6) 13... Rb8 14. f3 Qa5
15. Rfc1 Be6 {and Black had easily equalized in K.Aseev-R.Sherbakov, Russia
1993.})) 8... O-O 9. O-O (9. N1c3 a6 10. Na3 Be6 11. O-O Nd7 {would again
transpose to 11 b3 Nd7 in Chapter 6, Line C1.}) 9... Be6 10. N1c3 ({White has
two other 10th moves if he refuses to plonk his knight on c3:} 10. Bb2 {could
transpose to Solomon-Feldman below after} a6 ({but I might prefer to simply
snap off that bishop on d3 right away with the} 10... Nb4 $5 11. N1c3 a6 12.
Na3 Nxd3 13. Qxd3 {of A.Moffat-M.Maisuradze, Victoria 2012, when Black could
try Maisuradze's} Nh5 $5 ({or the more plodding} 13... Rc8) ({or} 13... Rb8))
11. N5c3 Nd7 12. Nd5 Bg5 $1 {(I'd rather not give White the option of taking
the bishop)} 13. Nbc3 Rc8 {.}) (10. N5c3 Nd7 11. Nd5 Bg5 12. Bb2 $1 {was S.Solomon-V.Feldman, Australian Championship 1995, when I'd suggest} Rc8 13. Nbc3
a6 {, stopping the pesky Nb5 while slowly preparing the typical ...b5 break.
Black can build up with moves like ...Qa5, ...Nc5, and ...Nd4, carefully
watching for b4 and f4 from White.}) 10... a6 11. Na3 Nd7 {And for the last
time, we've found our way back to 11 b3 Nd7 in Chapter 6, Line C1.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "6 c4 – The Clever 7 b3"]
[Black "B: 7...f5!?"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "15"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Be7 7. b3 f5 $5 {The
immediate ...f5 break is likely at its strongest against 7 b3 - White will
find that compared to 7 N1c3 or 7 Be2, 7 b3 is inauspicious when the position
opens up so quickly. It turns out that Black can ignore the threat of Ba3 (a
sure sign White's opening strategy has failed), and in the famous
Anand-Radjabov encounter (I've annotated the full game as part of your
Kalashnikov 'culture'), we'll see that Black even takes advantage of the
weaknesses this move creates along the a1-h8 diagonal. This is one of the
sharpest lines in the entire book, so fasten your seat belts.} 8. -- ({B1:} 8.
Ba3) ({B2:} 8. exf5) ({Before we launch into the discussion of White's best
and sharpest tries, there are two other ideas white players sometimes punt
that encourage a closed, King's Indian type structure: After} 8. N5c3 {play
usually continues} Nf6 {forcing White's light-squared bishop to d3 before
closing the centre makes some sense, as it's likely better on e2,} ({but Black
can also close the centre right away with} 8... f4 $5 {if he prefers the ...Nh6 development schemes detailed a bit below}) 9. Bd3 {, encouraging Black to
close things up with} f4 {. We'll look at two well-played (by Black), and
instructional game snippets:} 10. -- (10. Nd5 O-O 11. Nbc3 Be6 (11... Nxd5 12.
Nxd5 f3 13. gxf3 Bg5 {is similar to Jakubowski-Pinski below, giving Black
strong compensation for the pawn}) 12. Bb2 Nd4 ({again, Black had} 12... f3 $1)
13. Ne2 {when Black found a great simplifying sequence that strands White's
king in the centre in} Bxd5 $5 14. exd5 Nxe2 15. Qxe2 Qa5+ 16. Qd2 Qxd2+ 17.
Kxd2 Nd7 {. --- The dust has cleared, and Black is okay. It's not easy for
White to achieve b4 and/or c5, and Black starts to manoeuvre his pieces to
their most active squares right away. Play continued} 18. Ke2 (18. Be4 Nc5 19.
f3 Nxe4+ 20. fxe4 f3 $5 {looks totally equal}) ({while} 18. b4 a5 $1 19. a3 Nb6
20. f3 Bf6 {gives Black adequate counterplay and plans ...Na4}) 18... Bd8 $1
19. b4 (19. f3 Bb6 {looks dead equal}) 19... Bb6 20. Be4 a5 21. a3 g6 22. Bc2
$6 Rac8 23. Bb3 (23. Bd3 e4 24. Bxe4 axb4 25. axb4 Rxc4 {is already clearly
better for Black}) 23... f3+ $1 24. gxf3 e4 $1 {with strong counterplay for
Black against White's poor king in M.Agopov-A.Moiseenko, Ukraine 1999.}) (10.
Bb2 O-O 11. Nd5 $6 (11. Nd2) ({or} 11. Be2 {might be necessary}) ({as the
natural} 11. O-O $2 {is also met with} f3 $1 12. g3 Bh3 13. Re1 Ng4 {,
threatening the spectacular} 14. -- d5 $3 15. exd5 Nxf2 $1 16. Kxf2 Bc5+) 11...
f3 $1 12. g3 (12. gxf3 Nh5 {followed by ...Bg5 gives Black excessive
compensation for the pawn on account of White's horrible dark squares and king
position}) 12... Bh3 13. Nbc3 Ng4 {was better for Black in M.Jakubowski-J.Pinski,
Trzebinia 1999, who can improve his position further with ...Bg5 and ...Nd4, or win a pawn with ...Bg2 and ...Nxh2.})) (8. Bd3 {is more popular. After
} f4 {, White has his usual options:} 9. -- (9. N1c3 {is the most obvious try,
with positions reminiscent of those covered in Chapter 3. Now the usual} a6 10.
Na3 Nf6 11. Bb2 (11. Nc2 {transposes to De Firmian-Shabalov, discussed in
Chapter 3}) 11... O-O 12. Qd2 $2 (12. O-O $6 f3 $1 {is also very dangerous for
White; one fantastic example is} 13. Qxf3 Ng4 $1 14. Qd1 Nxf2 $3 15. Rxf2 Rxf2
16. Kxf2 Qb6+ 17. Kf1 $2 Be6 18. Be2 $6 Bh4 $1 19. g3 Rf8+ 20. Bf3 Bh3+ 21. Ke2
Nd4+) 12... f3 $1 {was already better for Black in E.Arce Larreta-E.Patchell,
U.S. Open 2009. Black played perfectly after} 13. gxf3 Nd4 14. Be2 Nh5 $1 15.
Nd5 Bg5 16. Ne3 $6 Nf4 17. Bd1 Ng2+ 18. Kf1 Bh3 {with an absolute massacre.}) (
9. O-O Nh6 $5 ({Black can of course play} 9... Nf6 {, but it's worth noting
that this odd knight move is also very playable, keeping the f-file open,
making diagonal bishop and queen moves available, and making ...Nf7-g5
manoeuvres possible}) 10. N1c3 a6 11. Na3 O-O 12. f3 {(White stops ...f3 once
and for all)} Qe8 $5 13. Nd5 {was A.Lukin-I.Yagupov, St Petersburg 2002, when
instead of the usual} Bd8 {(which is fine by the way),} ({it's worth analysing
the King's Indian-like attacks available after} 13... Bh4 $3 {for educational
purposes. --- If White continues with} 14. Nc7 $2 {White must keep the knight
on d5 for the time being on account of rook lifts; he loses after} ({
eventually computers come around to Black's attacking resources and suggest
the square/line-clearing} 14. c5 $5 {, and after} dxc5 15. Nc4 (15. Nc7 $2 {is
again not good on account of} Qh5 $1) 15... Qh5 {the position is very murky,
with good attacking chances for the player of the black pieces}) 14... Qh5 15.
Nxa8 ({once the knight is on c7 and can't stop ...Rf6, there are tons of
similar variations, even if White covers his second rank: for example,} 15. Qe2
Bg3 $1 16. h3 Rf6 $1 {, winning}) 15... Bg3 $1 16. h3 (16. hxg3 $4 fxg3 {mates
in four}) 16... Bxh3 $1 17. gxh3 Rf6 $1 (17... Qxh3 18. Qe2 Rf6 19. Qg2 Qh5 {
complicates things, but also probably wins somehow}) 18. Qe2 Rg6 {, and White
suffers massive material losses.}))) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "6 c4 – The Clever 7 b3"]
[Black "B1: 8 Ba3"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "32"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Be7 7. b3 f5 $5 8.
Ba3 Nf6 $1 {If White isn't particularly familiar with this line, it's around
now that he realizes something has gone awry.} 9. N1c3 {It's interesting to
note that before 2000, this move was unplayed and not covered in literature.
Humorously, right after Aagaard and Pinski's book was printed, a whole slew of
amazing players tried it - Anand, Gelfand, and Sax to name a few.} ({Now it's
well established that 9 N1c3 is White's best try, probably determined via
process of elimination:} 9. Nxd6+ $2 {(if either capture on d6 was good, would
Black trot out 8...Nf6?)} Bxd6 10. Qxd6 (10. Bxd6 $2 Nxe4 11. c5 Be6 {leaves
Black winning: for instance,} 12. Be2 Qa5+ $1 13. Nd2 Rd8) 10... Nd4 $1 ({
Shirov and Shabalov have instead played} 10... Qxd6 {, but the text is known
to be much better}) 11. Qxd8+ (11. Qxe5+ $2 {leaves White unable to stop ...Re8 and ...Nc2+}) ({and} 11. Kd1 Nxe4 12. Qxe5+ Kf7 13. Kc1 Re8 {was crushing
for Black in S.Mannion-J.Shaw, Scottish Championship, Aberdeen 2001}) 11...
Kxd8 12. Kd1 Nxe4 13. Kc1 Nxf2 14. Rg1 Kc7 15. Nc3 Be6 {saw Black rightfully
working his way towards a reputation as a Kalashnikov wizard in K.Jedryczka-A.Moiseenko, Polanica-Zdroj 1999.}) (9. Bxd6 $2 Nxe4 $1 {is also atrocious for
White, Black's point being that} 10. Nc7+ Kf7 11. Nxa8 $2 ({a better try is the
} 11. c5 Bxd6 12. cxd6 Rb8 13. Bc4+ Kg6 $1 14. g4 Qxd6 {of A.Cerina-C.Nobel,
correspondence 2007, but the forcing} 15. gxf5+ Bxf5 16. Rg1+ Kh6 $1 17. Qc1+
g5 18. Nc3 Nd4 $1 {leaves Black winning easily, as White has no good way to
deal with ...Nf3+}) 11... Bxd6 12. a3 Bc5 $1 13. Qxd8 Bxf2+ 14. Kd1 Rxd8+ {is
just too much. Black can win in many ways, the most straightforward being} 15.
Kc2 Bd4 16. Ra2 Nf2 17. Rg1 f4 {, with ...Bf5+ on deck.}) (9. exf5 $5 Bxf5 {is
similar to the main lines. A final branch:} 10. -- (10. Nxd6+ $2 {is suicidal
now that there's a bishop on f5:} Bxd6 11. Bxd6 Nd4 {, and it's curtains.}) (
10. Bxd6 Nd4 $1 11. Nxd4 exd4 12. c5 Bxd6 13. cxd6 Qa5+ $1 14. Qd2 Qd5 $1 {
stops 15 Bb5+ and makes it difficult for White to develop and castle. Black
can pick up the d6-pawn at any time, but right now there are more pressing
matters - bringing the pain!}) (10. Be2 Qa5+ 11. Qd2 (11. Nd2 Rd8 {followed by
...a6 is also probably a bit more comfortable for the second player}) 11...
Qxd2+ 12. Nxd2 Rd8 13. Nf1 $5 d5 $1 14. Nc7+ Kf7 15. Bxe7 Nxe7 16. cxd5 Nfxd5
17. Nxd5 Nxd5 18. Ng3 Bg6 19. O-O Nf4 {was approximately equal in D.Eilmes-F.Balabaev, correspondence 2001. --- Black's well placed and active pieces 
(including his majesty) compensate for his isolated e-pawn.}) (10. Bd3 e4 (
10... Bg4 $5 {is also reasonable}) 11. Be2 Qa5+ {(V.Varavkin-V.Belov, Russia
2002)} 12. Qd2 Qxd2+ 13. Nxd2 Rd8 14. Nf1 d5 {is very similar to c1, with the
slight perk to White that Black's pawn is on e4 instead of e5.})) 9... O-O $1 {
Black stubbornly insists on quick development, offering up the d-pawn once
again in an attempt to exploit White's dawdling kingside development.} 10. Bxd6
{Finally White is correct in grabbing on d6,} ({though in a position this
complex there are other options:} 10. Nxd6 {, as usual, loses to} Qa5 $1 11.
Bb2 ({or} 11. Qc1 Nd4 $1 {with 12...Nxe4 coming up}) 11... Rd8 {, Black's idea
being that} 12. b4 {can be met by} Qa3 {.}) (10. Nd5 $6 Nxd5 11. Qxd5+ {(both
pawn captures are met by 12...Nd4 with a great position for Black)} Kh8 12. Rd1
$6 (12. exf5 Bxf5 13. Nxd6 $2 ({and} 13. Bxd6 Nb4 {is more of the same}) 13...
Be6 $3 14. Qd2 Rf4 $1 {and 15...Rd4 is crushing}) 12... a6 $1 13. Nc3 (13. Nxd6
{is once again met by the stunner} Be6 $3) 13... Nd4 $1 {is much better for
Black.}) 10... Nxe4 $5 (10... a6 11. Bxe7 Qxe7 12. Nd6 {is more popular, but I
think this move is a tiny bit better.}) 11. Nxe4 fxe4 12. c5 Kh8 13. Qd2 ({The
} 13. Bc4 Qa5+ $1 14. Qd2 Qxd2+ 15. Kxd2 Rxf2+ 16. Ke3 Rxg2 17. Bxe7 Nxe7 18.
Nd6 {of S.Moncher-P.Valent, correspondence 2003, has to be a smidge better for
Black after} g6 $1 19. Rhf1 Bf5 {.}) 13... b6 $1 14. Bc4 bxc5 15. Bxe7 {. This
was F.Balabaev-J.Anderson, correspondence 2005, and now I think that} Qxd2+ 16.
Kxd2 Nxe7 {is a better way to go than the game's 15...Qxe7 16 Qd6. Black is at
least equal here based on his extra pawn and pressure along the f-file. He can
entertain ideas of ...Ba6xb5 followed by installing a knight on ...d4, or if
the white king moves, he can look to undouble his pawns via ...Nf5 and ...e3.}
*

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "6 c4 – The Clever 7 b3"]
[Black "B2: 8 exf5"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "78"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Be7 7. b3 f5 $5 8.
exf5 {This move has probably become the most popular by virtue of process of
elimination. If 8 Ba3 is more precarious for White, and the closed structures
of 8 N5c3 and 8 Bd3 cause Black few problems, we're basically left with taking
on f5, which paired with White's next is quite thematic.} Bxf5 9. Bd3 {This is
consistent with White's strategy in the main lines of Chapter 3, though in my
opinion, it's clear that if White's strategy is based around central
light-square domination, then 7 b3 looks less useful than 7 N1c3 and the
immediate re-routing of the b5-knight to e3.} ({Alternatives show why White
needs to provoke ...e4 (closing the b1-h7 diagonal), or gain a tempo driving
Black's bishop off the b1-h7 diagonal:} 9. Be2 Nf6 10. O-O O-O 11. -- (11. Be3
{was L.Gofshtein-A.Shabalov, Winnipeg 1997, and now I prefer the novelty} Nb4
$1 {. --- Either ...Nc2 or ...d5 will leave Black quite active: for instance,}
12. Nd2 ({or} 12. N1c3 a6 13. Na3 d5 $1 14. cxd5 b5 $1 {with a very active
position for Black, as the a3-knight is in real trouble}) 12... d5 $1 13. cxd5
Nbxd5 {, threatening ...a6. Getting greedy with} 14. Bxa7 {runs into trouble
after} Qa5 $1 15. Be3 Rfd8 $1 {when Black has strong threats.}) (11. Ba3 {is
probably an improvement, but now the computer finds the clever} Bg6 $5 {when
any capture on d6 is met by ...Nd4, since now Black's light-squared bishop
isn't hanging. Play might continue} 12. Bf3 (12. Nxd6 Nd4 $1 {gives Black
enough play}) ({and if} 12. Bxd6 a6 13. Bxe7 Qxe7 14. N5c3 Nd4 $1 15. Bd3 Bxd3
16. Qxd3 Rad8 {with murderous intent}) 12... a6 $5 ({the sombre} 12... Ne8 {
followed by ...a6 is also possible, but objectively a worse choice}) 13. Nxd6
Qc7 14. c5 {will lead to unclear positions after ...Nc2 wins an exchange.})) (
9. N1c3 $2 {is a tactical error on account of} a6 10. Na3 Qa5 $1 {when the
threat of ...d5 causes huge problems:} 11. Qd2 (11. Bb2 d5 $1 {is lights out})
11... Nf6 12. Nd5 (12. Bd3 Bxd3 13. Qxd3 d5 $1 {and the end is near}) 12...
Qxd2+ 13. Bxd2 Nxd5 14. cxd5 Nd4 {, when Black's minor pieces stand proud, and
White's don't.}) 9... e4 10. Be2 (10. Bc2 $5 a6 11. N5c3 {was J.Pregun-R.Heinke, correspondence 2006, and now instead of ...Bf6 and ...Nge7 ideas,
Black should respect White's pressure on the e4-pawn and play the
straightforward} Nf6 {. The position is about equal after 12 0-0 Nb4!, but
should White try to pile on the e4-pawn and forget about his king, he will run
into trouble after} 12. Nd2 $2 Qa5 $1 13. Bb2 e3 $1 14. fxe3 Bxc2 15. Qxc2 Nb4
16. Qb1 Qg5 $1 {. Call the doctor!}) 10... a6 11. N5c3 Bf6 {It's interesting
to note that in his annotations to this game, Radjabov comments that that this
position (already) looks "good for Black".} 12. O-O ({Instead,} 12. Bb2 Nge7
13. O-O {was played in E.Yeo Min Yang-H.Chua, Singapore 2004. Now I like the
idea} O-O 14. Nd2 ({C&L give the odd} 14. Qd2 Nd4 15. Na3 Qe8 {as better for
Black, intending ...Qg6}) 14... Qa5 15. Rc1 Bd4 $1 {, intending ...Qe5, when
Black has a strong position.}) ({Also requiring mention is the line} 12. a3 $2
e3 $1 {, with problems for White since} 13. Bxe3 Bxb1 {wins material.}) 12...
Nge7 (12... Be5 $5 {is an idea that's been mentioned previously, and here it
might be even better than Radja's choice.}) 13. a3 $5 {An interesting idea -
it looks as though it just keeps pieces out of b4, but this move has more
devious intentions.} ({My smarter counterparts seem to like the} 13. Bg4 {of A.Dyakov-M.Monasterio, correspondence 2003, but it's not clear that White has
solved any of his problems after either} Qd7 ({or the logical} 13... Bg6 $5 {
, refusing to trade light-squared bishops}) 14. Bxf5 Qxf5 15. Bb2 O-O 16. Nd2
d5 $1 {.}) 13... O-O ({Radjabov notes that} 13... d5 $5 {was also possible.})
14. Ra2 $5 {The point of White's 13th - on d2 or e2, this rook will exert
annoying pressure against Black's centre pawns. At this point in our coverage
of 7 b3 f5!?, we've reached a position only occurring in my database two times.
Of course, one of them is one of the most famous Kalashnikov games out there,
so we're going to continue, with notes based on Radjabov's analysis of this
game for ChessBase. Get some popcorn and enjoy the fireworks!} Qa5 $5 {An
interesting but risky manoeuvre that's useful to note for the 7 b3 lines.
Black intends to centralize his queen on the e5-square, which has its plusses
and minuses, as you'll soon see.} 15. b4 Qe5 16. Re1 $1 {A strong move,
putting pressure on the e4 pawn and X-raying Black's now vulnerable queen on
e5.} b5 $5 {Unsurprisingly, Radjabov chooses the most complicated and
combative try - a thematic ...b5 sacrifice. Now Black's d and e-pawns are free
to roll forward.} ({C&L prefer the slower} 16... Rac8 {, intending ...Nd4.})
17. cxb5 (17. Bf3 {seems obvious given White's last.}) 17... axb5 18. Bxb5 Nd4
$6 (18... Qe6 {was an improvement, stopping White's next.}) 19. Bf1 $6 ({A
better line was} 19. Bc4+ $1 d5 20. Nxd5 $1 Nxd5 21. Bb2 $1 Kh8 22. Bxd4 Qxd4
23. Qxd4 Bxd4 24. Bxd5 Rae8 25. Rd2 Bb6 26. Rde2 Re5 $1 {. I'm pretty sure I'd
find a way to lose this as Black every time to the a- and b-pawns, but
Radjabov assures me that "both sides have chances".}) 19... d5 20. Rd2 Be6 $1 {
Radja finds a nice multi-purpose, consolidating move - Black opens the f-file,
protects the d5-pawn, and allows ...Nf5.} 21. f4 {I have a hard time believing
that Anand didn't see Radjabov's reply, but it's wholly possible that he just
assessed it as better as White. Maybe that's true, but of course over the
board the evaluation of a position like this means next to nothing.} Qxf4 $1
22. Rf2 Qxf2+ $3 {Simply stunning in conjunction with Black's next!} 23. Kxf2
Nb5 $3 {This has to go down as one of the weirdest and most wonderful tactical
constructions in the history of the game.} 24. Kg1 ({Black's idea is rather
simple -} 24. Nxb5 $4 Bd4+ 25. Kg3 Bf2# {is mate, and so c3 hangs.}) 24... Nxc3
25. Nxc3 Bxc3 26. Bb5 (26. Re3 Be5 $5 {is unclear according to Radjabov}) ({and
} 26. Bd2 Bd4+ 27. Be3 Bxe3+ 28. Rxe3 Nf5 29. Rh3 (29. Re1 $1 {secures some
advantage}) 29... d4 $1 {is also incredibly unclear.}) 26... Bxe1 27. Qxe1 Nf5
28. Bb2 Rac8 {Looking to invade on c2, of course.} 29. Ba4 $1 Rf7 30. h3 $6 {
Not strictly a mistake, but the kingside weaknesses this move creates cost
White dearly down the road.} h5 $1 31. b5 h4 32. Be5 d4 $1 {Labelled a blunder
by the wunderkind, but this is not so. Nimzowitsch would be quite proud -
passed pawns must be pushed!} 33. b6 (33. Qxe4 Ne3 $1 (33... Rc1+ $2 34. Kh2
Ne3 35. Qxh4 Rff1 36. Qd8+ Rf8 {is the draw Radjabov based his evaluation on})
34. Qb1 d3 $1 35. b6 d2 36. Bc7 d1=Q+ 37. Bxd1 Rf1+ 38. Kh2 Rxd1 {leaves Black
winning easily.}) 33... e3 $1 34. Kh2 d3 35. Qb4 e2 36. Bc3 Rxc3 $1 {The most
obvious choice in an over-the-board game. White's busted.} 37. Qxc3 Ng3 38. b7
Rxb7 39. Qa5 Rb8 $1 {. White resigned in V.Anand-T.Radjabov, Dortmund 2003 - Stockfish whispers mate in 16. Truly a modern classic, and one every
Kalashnikov player must see and analyse.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Key Takeaways 5"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "15"]
[SourceDate "2015.03.04"]

{1. In the 7...Nf6 line, the vast majority of white tries involving N1c3 or
Bd3 will transpose to Chapters 3 or 6. The usual plan in these cases is to
finish development with ...Be6, and play ...Nd7-c5 and ...Bg5. --- 2. The 7...f5 coverage kicked off with a few minor lines that usually force the closure
of the centre with ...f4. The resulting structure is exceedingly unique, but
most closely resembles the Mar Del Plata variation of the King's Indian
Defence (except the c-file is closed and the d5-square is occupied by a knight
instead of a pawn). Just as in those positions, Black will generally utilize
his extra space on the kingside to generate an attack there, exploiting queen
lifts via e8 to g6/h5 and rook lifts via f6 to g6/h6. Conversely, White will
play on the queenside and in the centre, trying to exploit his strong
d5-knight and d-file pressure, in conjunction with b4-b5 or c5 breaks. Just as
in the Mar Del Plata, Black gets the practical advantage (and the fun!) of
attacking the king instead of the queenside, and in my experience white
players are less practised in prosecuting attacks here than in the KID, where
the open and strongly dominated c-file gives White an easier plan and more
obvious targets. --- 3. After 7...f5 8 Ba3, we saw Black gambit the d-pawn for
a few moves with 8...Nf6! 9 N1c3 0-0! to great effect - remember to not make
an effort to protect it and to play as actively as possible! --- 4. In the 7...f5 8 exf5 Bxf5 9 Bd3 line, Black must not acquiesce to the trade of
light-squared bishops. Possible is 9...Be6, but our preferred move is the 9...e4 of Anand-Radjabov fame. Black attempts to punish White for playing b3 by
occupying the long diagonal first after 10 Be2 a6 11 N5c3 Bf6 12 0-0, when
both Radjabov's 12...Nge7 and the new 12...Be5!? are very playable. --- 5. Pay
close attention to all of the tactical motifs Black utilized in this chapter
to exploit White's weak queenside dark squares. Queen hops to a5 were very
popular (hitting a3 and c3), but ...d5 breaks (perhaps discovering an attack
from e7 to a3, or a ...Bb4 pin), ...e3 pushes (unleashing the f5-bishop), and ...Nd4/...Nb4 attacks all popped up. This chapter is very sharp, and in
practice it will be important to consider Black's tactical resources to
succeed.} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Be7 7. b3
f5 $5 {(B)} (7... Nf6 {- A}) 8. -- (8. Ba3 {- B1}) (8. exf5 {- B2}) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "6: 6 c4 – 7 Bd3 and Friends"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "13"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Be7 {At last, we
round out the coverage of 6 c4 (and the vast majority of the Kalashnikov
complex, despite there being two chapters to go), by covering White's rarest
choices on the seventh move. Of these, Line C is the only one that sees
regular play at the top tables, though note that in my database all four of
the moves below appear in less than ten percent of all games to reach this
position.} 7. -- ({A:} 7. g3) ({B:} 7. Be3) ({C:} 7. Bd3) (7. N5c3 {hastily
regroups White's knights to d5 and c3, though I doubt such a ponderous
manoeuvre is critical to the Kalashnikov's survival. Black can play in
straightforward fashion following} Nf6 8. Bd3 O-O (8... Nd7 $5 {is a novelty
that merits investigation}) 9. O-O Be6 $5 {(I like clearing the bishop before
playing ...Nd7)} 10. Nd5 Nd7 {(Black prepares the common ideas of ...Nc5xd3
and ...Bg5)} 11. Nbc3 Bg5 12. Re1 {was S.Dolmatov-A.Moiseenko, Tripoli 2004.
Now I'd prefer} Bxc1 $1 ({precise, as} 12... Nd4 {allows} 13. Be3 $1) 13. Rxc1
Nd4 {with approximate equality. Black can follow up with obvious moves like ...Rc8 and ...Nf6, eventually capturing on the d5-square.}) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "6 c4 – 7 Bd3 and Friends"]
[Black "A: 7 g3"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "30"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Be7 7. g3 {This has
only been played 12 times in my database, but deserves coverage nonetheless.
The idea of overprotecting d5 is logical, and the concepts contained within
the analysis below are thematic to all Kalashnikov systems with g3.} Nf6 8. Bg2
({White has punted} 8. N1c3 {a few times, and following the usual} a6 9. Na3 {
Black has scored brilliantly, with my favourite line being} O-O 10. Bg2 b5 $5
11. cxb5 Nd4 12. Be3 {, of I.Duzhakov-D.Yevseev, St Petersburg 2012. From here,
Black should continue} (12. bxa6 Bxa6 {seems risky at best}) 12... axb5 $1 13.
Naxb5 (13. Bxd4 b4 14. Nc4 exd4 15. Ne2 Ba6 16. Qxd4 Ng4 $1 {also gives Black
a strong initiative}) 13... Nxb5 14. Nxb5 Ng4 $1 {, as moving the bishop
allows ...Qb6, and} 15. Qd2 Nxe3 16. Qxe3 Ba6 {is very good for Black.}) 8...
Bg4 {Black rushes to play this move, as none of White's options are convenient.
} 9. Qd3 {The best you can really say about this move is that it makes fewer
concessions than its counterpart. The queen is a poor defender of the c4-pawn,
and is vulnerable to ...Nb4 or ...Nd7-c5 manoeuvres.} ({More loose is} 9. f3 {
, but it's not easy to prove anything concrete for Black here either. Play
continues} Be6 {when White has several ways to protect c4:} 10. -- (10. Nd2 $6
Qb6 {leaves White's pieces discombobulated. Black can even consider ...h5-h4.})
(10. N5a3 {was seen in the stem game G.Pirisi-J.Nilssen, Budapest 2003. Black
can try the fantastic} b5 $5 {if he wishes, since} 11. cxb5 (11. Nxb5 $6 Bxc4 {
is obviously very good for Black}) 11... Nb4 12. Nc3 O-O (12... d5 {straight
away is also promising}) 13. O-O d5 14. exd5 Nbxd5 15. Nxd5 Nxd5 {gives him
very good compensation for the pawn. Black can gain back the pawn with ...Bxa3
and ...Qb6+ if White does nothing, but after} 16. Qe2 {, Houdini suggests that
Black keep developing at maximum velocity with} Qb6+ 17. Kh1 Rac8 18. Qxe5 Bf6
19. Qe2 Rfe8 {gives Black too large of a lead in development.}) (10. N1a3 Rc8
11. Nc3 {this looks strange,} ({but both} 11. b3 a6 12. Nc3 b5) ({and} 11. O-O
Na5 12. b3 a6 13. Nc3 b5 {run into trouble, as ...b4 and the pressure on c4
are hard to parry}) 11... O-O 12. O-O Nd4 13. Be3 {, and now} d5 $5 {is
exciting: for example,} 14. cxd5 Bxa3 15. bxa3 Rxc3 16. Bxd4 exd4 17. dxe6 d3
18. exf7+ Rxf7 {, when Black can't be worse after a later ...Qd4+. He's well
centralized, and the d3-pawn is very strong.}) (10. b3 O-O {with a final
divide:} 11. -- (11. N1c3 a6 12. Na3 Qa5 13. Qd2 ({you can almost hear the
bones crunch after} 13. Bb2 $2 d5 $1 {followed by ...Bxa3}) 13... b5 {gives
Black decent counterplay, since} 14. cxb5 axb5 15. Naxb5 (15. Ncxb5 Nb4 16. O-O
Rfd8 {is similar}) 15... Rfd8 {with ...d5 on deck is terrible for White.}) (11.
O-O a6 12. N5c3 b5 13. Nd5 (13. cxb5 $6 Qb6+ {is not what White wants to see})
13... Rc8 {sees Black achieve a classic Kalashnikov set-up. Turn the board
around, and White's lagging in development, and his bishop on g2 looks
awkwardly placed and passive. My computer, informs me that Black has some
interesting resources based on the long diagonal: for instance} 14. Be3 bxc4
15. bxc4 Nd4 $5 {, after which} 16. Nd2 (16. Bxd4 exd4 17. Qd3 Bxd5 18. cxd5
Nd7 {is also good for Black}) 16... Nxd5 17. exd5 (17. cxd5 Bd7 {threatens ...Nc2 and ...Bb5}) 17... Bf5 {is very comfortable for Black.}))) 9... a6 ({The
speculative} 9... h5 $5 {might be too much, but I'd probably trot this out in
a rapid game, since} 10. O-O h4 $1 {gets frightening for White rather quickly:}
11. Be3 (11. h3 $6 hxg3 12. hxg4 gxf2+ 13. Rxf2 Nxg4 {gives Black a strong
attack after ...a6, ...Bh4, and ...Qb6}) 11... hxg3 12. hxg3 Qd7 13. N1c3 a6
14. Na3 Bh3 {sees the white king forced into the open air.}) 10. N5c3 b5 $5 {
The fact that White's bishop no longer controls the light squares on the
queenside adds some punch to this plan.} ({Instead, C&L prefer} 10... Rc8 11.
b3 ({Black's idea is that} 11. O-O $2 Nb4 {bags the c-pawn}) ({but I can't
help but feel like} 11. Be3 {is more accurate, with the point that} Nb4 12. Qd2
Rxc4 13. a3 Nc6 14. Qd3 {wins an exchange}) 11... O-O 12. O-O b5 {"with the
initiative".}) 11. cxb5 axb5 12. Qxb5 {Grabbing the pawn this way is the most
obvious and critical path, but perhaps not objectively best.} ({White has a
wide array of options here:} 12. Nxb5 {hangs the a-pawn after} Nb4 13. Qd2 (13.
Qb3 Qa5 14. N1c3 Rb8 {sees White completely tangled up}) 13... Rxa2 14. Rxa2
Nxa2 {, when Black should have no problems: for example,} 15. O-O O-O 16. N1c3
Nxc1 17. Rxc1 Qb6 {with easy equality. Black's position is compact and solid,
while the b-pawn will require effort to maintain. Black can regroup with ...Be6 and ...Nd7-c5.}) (12. O-O b4 13. Nb5 (13. Nd5 $2 Nxd5 14. Qxd5 Nd4 {is
surprisingly terminal, as White can't dodge the threats of ...Nc2, ...Qc8, and
...Be6 simultaneously}) 13... O-O {gives Black a pleasant position. White has
to deal with ...Nd7-c5 and his lagging development.}) (12. Be3 {might be best,
though it's an unusual choice when the b-pawn is hanging in two different ways
with no clear refutation. --- Play might continue} O-O 13. O-O (13. Nxb5 Nb4
14. Qd2 Qa5 15. N1c3 Rfb8 16. Na3 Qa6 $1 {gives Black obviously strong
compensation for the one pip investment}) 13... Nb4 14. Qd2 Qd7 15. Na3 {, when
} Rab8 ({or even} 15... Rfb8 {is about equal. Black has achieved ...b5, and
can slowly organize ...d5 as well. An eventual ...Nd7-c5 is also a reasonable
short-term plan to improve Black's position.})) 12... Qc8 $5 {Occupying the
c-file and ensuring there's no queen trade after a later knight move is
logical,} ({but} 12... Qd7 13. O-O Rb8 14. Qa4 O-O {is also a sound way to
realize compensation for the pawn. White will struggle to complete his
development with the pressure on his b2-pawn holding him back, and an eventual
...Nd4 is going to cause him some headaches to boot.}) 13. O-O O-O 14. Qd3 {
This is going to be necessary in the future anyway, but in this case Black had
a concrete threat in ...Nd4-b3.} Nb4 15. Qd2 {Obviously awkward, but the
threat of ...Nc2 prohibits any other choice.} Rd8 {. White's lethargic
queenside gives Black good compensation. After a likely 16...Be6, Black
threatens both the a-pawn and the ...d5 break.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "6 c4 – 7 Bd3 and Friends"]
[Black "B: 7 Be3"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "34"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Be7 7. Be3 {I can't
help but feel that at its core, this move is overly committal and
ever-so-slightly inaccurate. We already know that one of Black's most
promising plans in these structures is to trade dark-squared bishops, and
after his seventh move, White might lose a tempo if Black is successful.} Be6
8. Be2 {This is the main move,} ({but White has other reasonable options:} 8.
N1c3 a6 9. Na3 {will likely transpose back to 7 Be2 Nf6 after} Nf6 10. Be2 O-O
11. O-O {, though Black can attempt to exploit this specific move order with 9...Bg5 as well.}) (8. Qd2 {seeks to stop ...Bg5 resources from Black right away.
Play typically continues} Nf6 9. f3 (9. N1c3 a6 10. Na3 Ng4 {sees Black
exploit White's lazy play}) 9... O-O 10. Be2 {(if White ends up needing Be2
anyway, I wonder if Qd2 and f3 are really best)} a6 11. N5c3 {when Black has a
few reasonable tries:} -- (11... Nd4 $5 12. Bxd4 exd4 13. Qxd4 Rc8 14. Nd2 (14.
O-O $2 d5 $1 {is the point}) ({also note that} 14. Nd5 $2 Nxd5 15. exd5 Bh4+
16. g3 Bf6 17. Qd2 Qb6 $1 {is also much better for Black}) 14... Nd7 15. Qf2 ({
again, if} 15. O-O d5 $1) 15... Re8 16. Rd1 Bf6 17. O-O Nb6 {and Black wins
the c4-pawn with approximate equality.}) (11... Rc8 {is less risky, and Black
seems fine after} 12. Nd5 Bxd5 13. cxd5 (13. exd5 {is similar, when both} Nd4
14. Bxd4 exd4 15. Qxd4 ({and} 15. O-O Nd7 {ensure Black great play on the dark
squares in return for the pawn or structural weaknesses}) 15... Nd7) 13... Nd4
14. Na3 (14. Nc3 {allows Black to play either} Qa5 {followed by 15...Bd8-b6,} (
{or the standard} 14... Nd7 {with an equal position})) 14... Nxe2 15. Kxe2 Nh5
16. g4 Nf4+ 17. Bxf4 exf4 {, since} 18. Qxf4 $2 {loses to} Bg5 19. Qg3 Qf6 20.
Rab1 b5 {.})) 8... a6 9. N5c3 Bg5 {This manoeuvre is standard by now, though
as stated earlier, it packs a bigger wallop in this position since White's
already moved his bishop.} 10. Nd5 ({Others:} 10. O-O $5 {was essayed by one
of the greats, so it can't be totally barmy, but it sure looks that way to me.
N.Short-J.Van Der Wiel, Tilburg 1988, continued} Bxe3 11. fxe3 Nf6 12. Na3 O-O
13. Qd2 Rc8 14. Rad1 Qb6 {. Black will follow up with 15...Rfd8 here, with a
rock solid position. The weakness on e3 has been highlighted well.}) (10. Bxg5
Qxg5 11. O-O Nge7 12. Nd5 $6 (12. Qxd6 {loses to} Bh3) ({instead,} 12. Qd2 {
improves, though} Qxd2 13. Nxd2 Nd4 14. Rfd1 Nec6 {looks solid for Black})
12... Nxd5 $1 13. exd5 Bh3 14. Bf3 Nd4 {occurred in M.Massoni-A.Zozulia,
Balagne 2005. I don't see how Black can't be better here with that kraken on
d4.}) 10... Bxe3 11. Nxe3 Nge7 $5 (11... Nf6 {also looks absolutely playable,
but this move looks sensible here: the knight has better prospects on d4 or g6.
}) 12. Nc3 O-O 13. O-O Nd4 $1 {Black has completely equalized.} 14. Bg4 $6 (14.
Qd2 {is probably better, though} Rc8 15. b3 b5 $1 {also sees Black get active.}
) 14... b5 $1 15. cxb5 axb5 16. Bxe6 fxe6 17. Ne2 Qb6 {. Black exits the
opening with a superior position due to his open lines and strong
centralization in G.Nsubuga-E.Sveshnikov, Calvia Olympiad 2004. Sveshnikov's
understanding of the ...e5 Sicilians continues to make a strong impression on
me (no surprise there I suppose, as he invented them), and I hope the reader
feels the same.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "6 c4 – 7 Bd3 and Friends"]
[Black "C: 7 Bd3"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "14"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Be7 7. Bd3 {7 Bd3 is
White's 4th most popular move and also the most drawish, perhaps because it
immediately eliminates any of the more lively, quick ...f5 options available
after more popular options like 7 N1c3 or 7 Be2. Black will work to carry out
the usual regroupings and manoeuvres involving ...Nf6-d7-c5 and ...Bg5. We'll
examine this 'classical' option first, as well as the more modern answer that
rushes to play ...Bg5 by protecting the weak d6-pawn with 7...a6.} -- ({C1:} 
7... Nf6) ({C2:} 7... a6) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "6 c4 – 7 Bd3 and Friends"]
[Black "C1: 7...Nf6"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "32"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Be7 7. Bd3 Nf6 8. O-O
(8. N1c3 {will likely transpose back to the main line after} O-O 9. O-O {.})
8... O-O 9. N1c3 {The most popular move by a mile,} ({though White can try to
avoid putting a knight on c3 for a while with two other moves:} 9. b3 Nd7 10.
Nd2 (10. N1c3 a6 11. Na3 Nc5 12. Nc2 Be6 13. Bb2 Rc8 {transposes to 12 b3 below
}) 10... Nc5 11. Bb1 a6 12. Nc3 b5 $1 13. Bb2 (13. cxb5 axb5 14. Nxb5 $2 Ba6 {
is the point}) 13... Rb8 14. Re1 Bg5 15. cxb5 axb5 16. Nf1 Be6 {was fine for
Black in M.Ulibin-J.Shaw, Cappelle la Grande 1998.}) (9. h3 {stops pieces from
arriving on g4, but wastes precious time. Black can continue in normal fashion
with} Be6 {when} 10. Be3 Nd7 11. Be2 Nc5 12. N1c3 a6 13. Na3 {was O.Kalinina-O.Vasina, Ukraine 2009. Now} Bg5 {would be fine for Black - this position
closely resembles the main line, except that h3 is of little relevance.}) 9...
a6 10. Na3 Be6 $5 {Black gets to pick his poison here - either 10...Bg4 11 f3
Be6 or 10...Be6 straight away. I like the text, mostly because deep down I
believe that f3 is more useful than harmful for White in this particular
position. He can play Be3 without worrying about ...Ng4 and have an escape
square on f2 after ...Bg5. Black also loses ...b5 resources that abuse the
weak e4-pawn.} ({As evidence, Z.Severiukhina-A.Savina, Russia 2010, continued} 
10... Bg4 11. f3 Be6 12. Be3 Nh5 13. Qd2 Nf4 14. Nd5 Nxd3 15. Qxd3 Bg5 16. Bb6
$1 Qd7 17. Rad1 {, when White was a smidge better.}) 11. Nc2 ({Otherwise:} 11.
Nd5 Nd7 12. Nc2 (12. Be3 Bg5 {sees White lose the option to save his
dark-squared bishop}) 12... Rc8 {would transpose to the main line.}) (11. b3
Nd7 12. Bb2 (12. Nc2 Rc8 {transposes to note 'b' to White's 12th, below}) 12...
Nc5 13. Nc2 f5 $5 (13... Bg5 14. Nd5 Ne7 15. Nce3 Nxd5 $5 ({in this case I
might prefer to capture on d5 with the bishop: for example,} 15... Bxd5 16.
exd5 Nxd3 17. Qxd3 Rc8 {, followed by ...f5, with play typical of this
structure}) 16. exd5 Bd7 17. Bc2 a5 $1 {cements the knight on c5 and also
looks okay for Black, who will follow up with ...g6 and ...f5}) 14. exf5 Nxd3
15. Qxd3 Bxf5 16. Qd5+ Kh8 17. Ne3 Bg6 18. Rad1 Nb4 19. Qd2 (19. Qxb7 $2 Rb8
20. Qa7 Bg5 $1 {threatens ...Rf7 and wins}) 19... Nd3 20. Ncd5 {was K.Jedryczka-P.Stefanek, Czestochowa 1998, and now} Bg5 {would have left the
position mighty unclear.}) 11... Rc8 12. Nd5 ({Again, we have alternatives to
consider:} 12. Qe2 Nd7 13. Be3 Bg5 14. Rad1 Bxe3 15. Nxe3 Nd4 {was obviously
okay for Black in A.Rajkovic-D.Jokovic, Prvaliga 2006.}) (12. b3 {is similar
to every other variation with b3 in it} -- ({, allowing the standard} 12... Nd7
{when:} 13. -- (13. Ne3 Nc5 14. Bb1 Bg5 15. Bb2 Rb8 (15... Bxe3 $5 16. fxe3 Rb8
{followed by ...b5 or ...Qg5 also looks reasonable to me}) 16. Ncd5 b5 17. cxb5
axb5 18. Nf5 Bxf5 $6 19. exf5 Ne7 20. f6 $1 {was somewhat annoying for Black 
(I'm speculating here) in D.Bryson-J.Shaw, Edinburgh 1999, though Black can
solve his problems with 18...Ne7! instead.}) (13. Bb2 Nc5 {with a final split:}
14. -- (14. Be2 Bg5 ({the} 14... f5 $6 15. exf5 $1 Bxf5 16. Ne3 Be6 17. Bg4 $1
{of A.Gutenev-N.Petrov, Anapa 2009 worries me; White should be somewhat better
due to his iron grip on the light squares after the exchange of bishops}) 15.
b4 {because White's e4-pawn is weaker here than normal, most of his options
centre around how he wants to defend his e-pawn to achieve Nd5;} ({as such,} 
15. f3 {is possible, though this is more detrimental to White's position than
the text, and Black can play either} f5 ({or swing his queen over to the
kingside first with} 15... Qf6)) 15... Nd7 16. Nd5 (16. Qd3 $6 {runs into
problems along the c-file after} Nb6 $1 17. Nd5 Nxc4 $1 18. Qxc4 Nd4) ({and} 
16. Qxd6 Be7 17. Qd1 Nxb4 18. Nd5 Nxc2 19. Qxc2 Bd6 {is very comfortable for
Black, who has strong control over the central dark squares and c5 as an
outpost for his minor pieces}) 16... Nf6 17. Qd3 {and once again we see Black
fighting for d5 with} Ne7 {. In H.Schoepe-R.Angelov, correspondence 2010,
Black decided to head into structures with competing majorities after} 18. Nce3
Nfxd5 19. exd5 Bd7 {. That game devolved into chaos after} 20. Rfe1 (20. a4 Ng6
21. Rfe1 Nf4 22. Qc3 Nxe2+ 23. Rxe2 b6 24. a5 f5 25. axb6 Qxb6 {was also quite
the mess in 'Apsyrtes'-'Lagri', Internet 2010, though in this case Black
probably has better chances, as White's play on the queenside came slightly
slower}) 20... Ng6 21. Qb3 b6 22. Bf1 f5 23. c5 $5 {(Black's play on the
kingside will pick up quickly if White does nothing)} bxc5 24. bxc5 dxc5 25.
Nc4 Rb8 26. Qa3 Bb5 27. d6 Kh8 28. Red1 e4 {with a completely unclear position
that was drawn about 10 moves later.}) (14. Ne3 Bg5 15. Ncd5 {was most notably
reached in V.Ivanchuk-V.Kramnik, Paris (rapid) 1995, among other games. Black
has scored 3/3 after} b5 $5 ({Kramnik tried} 15... Nd4 {, but if ...b5 is good,
I'd rather not dilly-dally}) 16. cxb5 ({Houdini suggests keeping the tension
with} 16. Rc1 {, but after} Ne7 $5 {immediately releases it with} 17. cxb5 ({
if White isn't interested in unbalancing the game like this,} 17. Bb1 {is
natural, though Black seems more than okay accepting the Ruy Lopezesque
structures after} Nxd5 18. cxd5 Bd7 {, as after} 19. b4 {he has} Na4 {with
good counterplay}) 17... axb5 18. Bxb5 Nxe4 19. Rxc8 Qxc8 20. Nxe7+ Bxe7 21. a4
{, which looks mighty unclear and exciting after either} Qb8 $5 ({or} 21... Rd8
)) 16... axb5 17. Kh1 $6 {I have no idea what this move really does;} (17. Bxb5
Nxe4 18. a4 {is more critical, but White seems ill-equipped to battle for the
crucial d5-square after} Ne7) 17... Ne7 18. Nxe7+ Qxe7 {was already better for
Black in T.Karlsson-N.Solin, Swedish League 2003. My computer suggests that
White enter the complications after} 19. Nf5 Qd7 20. Bb1 Nxe4 $1 21. Nxg7 Nxf2+
22. Rxf2 Kxg7 23. a4 bxa4 24. Rxa4 f5 {, but to my eye this looks completely
unpalatable for him.}))) ({. It's worth mentioning that the immediate} 12... b5
$5 {is also an option, and after} 13. cxb5 Na7 14. Bb2 Nxb5 15. Nxb5 axb5 16.
Qe2 Qb6 {we've transposed back to lines discussed under 7 N1c3 a6 8 Na3 Be6 9
Nc2 Rc8 10 b3 0-0 11 0-0 b5! 12 cxb5 Na7 13 Bb2 Nxb5 14 Nxb5 axb5 15 Bd3,
except that White has already played Bd3, and therefore gets Qe2 for free. All
that said, this position still seems to promise Black equal chances (which
says something about 7 N1c3 and 10 b3 doesn't it?), though I'm less sure after
14 Nd5, which is why I can't confidently recommend this line.})) 12... Nd7 {
For the time being, Black has no interest in exchanging on d5. Instead, he
begins the classic ...Bg5 and ...Nd7-c5 manoeuvres, perhaps waiting in the
weeds for an opportune time to break with ...b5 or ...f5.} 13. b4 $1 (13. Nce3
{is obvious, but is of little independent significance since} Bg5 14. b3 (14.
Nf5 Bxc1 15. Rxc1 Bxf5 16. exf5 Nf6 {was fine for Black in S.Petrenko-C.Csiszar, Panormo 2001}) 14... Nc5 15. Bb2 (15. Bc2 Nd4 $5) ({and} 15. Bb1 b5 $5
{both ensure good play for the second player}) 15... b5 $1 16. cxb5 axb5 17.
Kh1 Ne7 18. Nxe7+ Qxe7 {transposes to Karlsson-Solin, discussed under 12 b3
above.}) 13... Bg5 14. Bb2 $1 {The strength of White's 13th move becomes more
apparent - he needn't exchange these bishops if he doesn't have to, and
Black's bishop isn't very useful on g5 (though it does somewhat discourage
Nce3).} ({There are others, though Black has no problems: The} 14. Qh5 Bxc1 15.
Raxc1 Nf6 16. Qf3 Bxd5 17. cxd5 (17. exd5 $2 e4 $1 18. Bxe4 Ne5 19. Qe2 Rxc4 {
is awful for White}) 17... Ne7 18. Qe3 {of O.Lehner-E.Schittdiel, Oberwart
1992, is okay for Black. Perhaps now} Rc3 {leaves White dealing with some
pressure after ...Qc7 and ...Rc8.}) (14. a3 Bxc1 15. Rxc1 Qg5 16. Qf3 Rfe8 17.
Rfe1 Nd4 18. Qe3 (18. Nxd4 exd4 {gives Black's knight the e5-square, which
would more than compensate for his d-pawns}) 18... Qxe3 19. Ncxe3 g6 20. a4 {
was E.Castaños Flores-F.Ardila Barrera, correspondence 2008, where Black could
have obtained easy play with} a5 $5 21. bxa5 Rc5 22. Rb1 Rxa5 23. Rxb7 Nc5 24.
Nf6+ Kf8 25. Nxe8 Nxb7 {.}) (14. a4 $6 {allows a thematic dark-square blockade
with} Bxc1 15. Rxc1 a5 $1 {, ensuring equality: for example,} 16. b5 Ne7 (16...
Bxd5 17. exd5 Ne7 {might give Black an advantage after 18...f5}) 17. Nce3 Nc5
18. Bc2 Bxd5 19. exd5 $6 (19. cxd5 {was better, when the position is probably
about equal}) 19... f5 20. f4 e4 {was M.Wessels-V.Milov, German League 1996.
Black is clearly better based on the knight cemented into c5 and the cramping
e4-pawn. Milov won on move 37 by slowly manoeuvring his pieces to the kingside
and breaking with ...g5.}) 14... Nb6 15. Rb1 Ne7 16. Qe2 {. We've followed R.Ziatdinov-E.Sveshnikov, Primorsko 1988. Black can obtain good counterplay with
any of} f5 (16... Ng6) ({or the game continuation of} 16... Nexd5 17. exd5 Bd7
18. Rfd1 Re8 {, planning ...e4.}) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "6 c4 – 7 Bd3 and Friends"]
[Black "C2: 7...a6"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "30"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Be7 7. Bd3 a6 {Black
is keen to exchange dark-squared bishops, and bounces the knight right away.
This seems to be the choice of today's Kalashnikov experts, though it's not
any better or worse than 7...Nf6.} 8. N5c3 (8. N5a3 {isn't very popular.} -- ({
. This will most likely transpose back to variations covered after 7...Nf6 via
} 8... Nf6 9. O-O Bg4 $1 10. f3 Be6) ({, though Black can also play
thematically with} 8... Bg5 {: for instance,} 9. Nc3 Bxc1 10. Rxc1 Qg5 {(this
is the most active and ambitious)} 11. O-O Nge7 12. Nc2 O-O {. Here are two
high level examples:} 13. -- (13. Ne3 $5 Be6 14. Kh1 {(probably not necessary)}
Rad8 15. Ncd5 h5 $5 {left an interesting battle ahead for both players in M.Rytshagov-T.Radjabov, Tallinn (rapid) 2004.} ({Yes,} 15... Nd4 {is good too.}))
(13. Re1 Be6 14. Bf1 Rad8 15. b4 $1 {(White quickly stirs up an initiative on
the queenside)} f5 16. b5 Nb8 $1 (16... axb5 $6 {is positionally dubious,
handing White the c4-square for his pieces}) 17. exf5 {I'm not positive this
is White's best, as Black's pieces really spring to life now;} ({my computer
suggests that} 17. Nb4 {might be a better try}) 17... Nxf5 18. Nd5 axb5 19.
cxb5 Nd7 20. f4 Qg6 21. Nce3 Kh8 $1 22. Nxf5 Qxf5 23. g3 $6 {(White has lost
the thread here, and Black already looks slightly for preference)} Nc5 24. Qd2
Bxd5 25. Qxd5 exf4 26. Qxf5 Rxf5 {, and White was simply losing a pawn in A.Goloschapov-A.Fedorov, Abu Dhabi 2006. Black went on to win 17 moves later.})))
8... Bg5 9. Nd2 $1 {White has chosen to keep the dark-squared bishops on the
board in the majority of games that have made it this far,} ({but there are
other moves worth investigating:} 9. Na3 {transposes to 8 N5a3 Bg5 above.}) (9.
Bxg5 Qxg5 10. O-O ({after the} 10. Nd5 $2 Qxg2 11. Rf1 {of T.Pym-S.Domany,
British League 2004, the simple} Rb8 {leaves White with little to show for his
shattered kingside and material deficit}) 10... Be6 {is pretty level: for
instance,} 11. Nd5 Rc8 12. Qd2 h6 $1 {with no problems for Black after 13...Nf6, 14...0-0, etc.}) ({It seems completely unnecessary for White to try
things like} 9. Be3 {, though if he plays sensibly, play is mostly level. ---
Black should continue} Bxe3 10. fxe3 Qh4+ 11. g3 Qg5 12. Nd5 Nf6 $1 {when
White has to decide whether to fall on to his own sword or not:} 13. -- (13.
Nc7+ $2 {is over the top: for example,} Kd8 14. Nxa8 Qxe3+ 15. Be2 (15. Qe2 $2
Qc1+ 16. Qd1 Qxb2 17. Nd2 Nb4 {is problematic for the first player}) 15... Nd4
16. Qd3 ({or} 16. Nc3 Nf3+ 17. Kf1 Bh3#) 16... Qc1+ 17. Bd1 $1 (17. Qd1 $4 Nc2+
18. Kf2 Nxe4+ 19. Kg2 Ne3+ {sends the players to the bar in seven short moves})
17... Qxb2 18. Qc3 Qg2 19. Rf1 Qxe4+ 20. Kd2 Qg2+ 21. Ke1 Bg4 $1 22. Nd2 {when
Black wins in style with} Be2 $3 {.}) (13. Qd2 Nxd5 14. exd5 Ne7 (14... e4 $5 {
looks like a blast, and probably promises Black better winning chances; after}
15. Bxe4 $6 Ne5 {Black already threatens a win with 16...f5, and has very
strong compensation for his pawn}) 15. Nc3 (15. O-O Bh3 16. Rf2 h5 $5 {doesn't
look like something I'd want to play as White, though objectively he might be
fine}) 15... Bg4 $5 {is unclear, though Black can't really be worse here.} ({
Also to be considered are} 15... f5) ({or} 15... Bh3 {.}))) 9... Nf6 10. O-O
O-O 11. h3 $5 ({I'm guessing that White wants to play b3 and Bb2 to avoid the
trade of dark-squared bishops, and knows what happens after 11 b3 right away:} 
11. b3 $6 {is the most common move here, but that ought to change in the
future. Black can play} Bg4 $1 12. Be2 {, of D.Stellwagen-J.Van Der Wiel,
Amsterdam 2000, when the novelty} ({instead of entering any of these
shenanigans, White might try} 12. Nf3 {, though} Bxc1 13. Rxc1 Nd4 14. Be2 Bxf3
15. Bxf3 b5 {sees Black generate pressure as well}) 12... Qa5 $1 {causes White
some problems. His choices are many, though none are good:} 13. -- (13. Qc2 $2
Nd4 14. Qb2 Qxc3 $1 {and White's cooked.}) ({. I ran into} 13. Bb2 {in an
internet blitz game, and won a pawn after} Bxd2 $1 14. Qxd2 Nxe4 $1 15. Nxe4
Qxd2 16. Nxd2 Bxe2 17. Rfe1 Bd3 {, though the central pressure made it
difficult to convert.}) (13. Ncb1 Bxe2 14. Qxe2 Nd4 15. Qd3 (15. Qd1 Nxe4 16.
Nxe4 Bxc1 {is worse than the main line}) 15... Nd7 16. Ba3 Nc5 17. Bxc5 dxc5 {
, when Black must be at least somewhat better.}) (13. Nd5 Nxd5 14. Bxg4 Nc3 $1
15. Qc2 Nd4 16. Qd3 Nxa2 $1 {looks dicey, but Black threatens 17...Nxc1, so
White's choices are limited. One sample line is} 17. f4 (17. Qb1 Nc3 18. Rxa5
Nxb1 19. Nxb1 Bxc1 20. Rd5 Nxb3 21. Rxd6 Bg5 {also leaves White a pawn down
for nebulous compensation}) 17... Bd8 $1 18. fxe5 Nxc1 19. Qxd4 dxe5 20. Rxa5
exd4 21. Rd5 Nd3 22. Nf3 ({not} 22. Rxd4 $2 Bb6) 22... Re8 {when Black is
definitely better. White will find it difficult to win back his pawn on d4
without losing his e-pawn or running into awkward pins after ...Bb6.})) (11.
Nb3 {seems aimless and inconsistent. White stops the trade of dark-squared
bishops, then allows it, all the while placing his knight on the less than
optimal b3-square. Black can equalize after the straightforward} Bxc1 12. Rxc1
Be6 13. Be2 (13. Qd2 {is also reasonable; Black can ensure a good game with
relative ease after} Nd7 14. Rfd1 Nc5 15. Nxc5 dxc5 16. Nd5 Nd4) 13... Rc8 14.
Re1 Na5 $5 15. Nd5 ({the idea is that} 15. Nxa5 Qxa5 16. Qxd6 Bxc4 17. Bxc4
Rxc4 {is totally level}) 15... Bxd5 16. exd5 Nxb3 17. Qxb3 Qc7 {was fine for
Black in M.Apicella-J.Degraeve, French Championship, Aix-les-Bains 2003, with ...Nd7 and ...f5 to follow.}) (11. Re1 $5 {looks like a slightly improved
version of 11 Nb3. Moving the rook to e1 protects the e-pawn and prepares to
improve the knight via Nf1-e3, taking stern control of the d5-square. Play
continues} Nd7 12. Nf1 Bxc1 13. Rxc1 Nc5 14. Ne3 Ne6 {(quite a rare sight -
all four knights, nimble and ready to hop into the opponent's central
weaknesses; White's has a small lead in development in a relatively closed
position, and Black has a slightly better bishop, but neither are particularly
relevant)} 15. Qd2 (15. Ncd5 Ned4 16. Bb1 Be6 {also looks about equal}) 15...
Ned4 16. Ne2 {and now} Qg5 {saw Black unravel favourably in V.Laznicka-L.Voloshin, Czech Championship, Karlovy Vary 2004.}) (11. Nd5 {has been played
by no less than the Finnish master of attack, Heikki Westerinen, and looks
interesting. --- However,} Be6 12. b3 $1 {(White has no interest in trading
bishops)} Nd7 13. Bb2 (13. Ba3 $5 {looks like a worthy try as well}) 13... Nc5
14. Bc2 Rc8 ({both} 14... Bxd5 $5 15. exd5 Nb4 16. Bb1 f5) ({and} 14... b5 $5 {
are also sound}) 15. Nf3 Bg4 16. h3 Bh5 17. g4 $6 {(no respect for king safety
whatsoever!)} Bg6 18. Re1 Ne6 {was clearly okay for Black in J.Rigo-C.Csiszar,
Hungarian League 1998.}) 11... Be6 12. Nf3 Bxc1 13. Rxc1 Nd7 14. b3 Nc5 15. Bb1
{. We've been following B.Csonka-D.Toth, Nyiregyhaza 2008, when Black can
either abandon ...b5 forever and lock down the queenside dark squares with} a5
({or actively pursue it with} 15... Rb8 {. Both seem completely playable.}) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Key Takeaways 6"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "14"]
[SourceDate "2015.03.04"]

{1. Against 7 g3, Black's easiest path to counterplay is 7...Nf6 8 Bg2 Bg4 
(similar to the analogous line in Chapter 2), when 9 Qd3 misplaces the queen
and 9 f3 blocks White's light-squared bishop and weakens his kingside. No
matter what, choosing to put the bishop on g2 is slow, and leaves the c4-pawn
weaker than usual. Play can be sharp and Black has a lot of tactical motifs
available. Be mindful of thematic pawn sacrifices with ...b5 and discoveries
involving the c-file. --- 2. 7 Be3 can't be bad, but it does prematurely
declare the dark-squared bishop's intentions, which meshes somewhat
unfavourably with Black's time-honoured plan of ...Nd7 and ...Bg5. As is usual
after this exchange, the d4-square is very welcoming. For this reason, we saw
Sveshnikov choose the e7-square for his king's knight in the main line, an
option worth remembering. --- 3. 7 Bd3 is the only move out of White's four
most popular 6 c4 continuations that doesn't allow an early ...f5 from Black.
As such, Black has no choice but to engage in the typical manoeuvring common
to other 6 c4 variations with an early ...Nf6. Putting the bishop on d3 has
its downsides, as it blocks the d-file, does not cover the g4-square, and may
require the investment of one more tempo, as White is usually reluctant to
allow Black to hack it off for a knight on c5. Once this bishop is off the
a6-f1 diagonal, the pawn break with ...b5 becomes slightly more appealing and
easier to achieve too. --- 4. After 7...Nf6, Black's plan is usually to
improve his minor pieces on the kingside with ...Nd7-c5 and ...Bg5. White
frequently tries to avoid the exchange of either of his bishops by playing b3/b4 and Bb2, and either Bb1 or Bc2. There are other wide-reaching positional
decisions Black needs to make in this line: to break with ...b5 or establish
the c5-square as an outpost with ...a5, and whether to exchange on d5 and
accept either the pseudo-Ruy Lopez or competing pawn majority structures. ---
5. Following 7...a6 8 N5c3 Bg5, White does best to avoid the exchange with 9
Nd2, after which Black develops logically with ...Nf6 and ...0-0. Remember
that the obvious 11 b3 is actually pretty risky for White on account of 11...Bg4 (note that this is possible because of the bishop on d3), and that after
other moves Black does fine with thematic development of his queenside pieces
and an eye for the d4-square.} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5
d6 6. c4 Be7 7. Bd3 {(C)} (7. g3 {- A}) (7. Be3 {- B}) 7... -- (7... Nf6 {- C1}
) (7... a6 {- C2}) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "7: White's Lesser Sixth Moves"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "11"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 {This chapter will cover
all of White's less popular options on the sixth move. None of these are
theoretically challenging, though moves like 6 Bg5!? or even 6 N5c3 can catch
players unprepared because they're so rarely seen and aesthetically unusual.
From here, six options present themselves if White is set on deviating from
the main lines with 6 c4 or 6 N1c3:} 6. -- ({A:} 6. a4) ({B:} 6. Be3) ({C:} 6.
Bc4) ({D:} 6. N5c3) ({E:} 6. Bg5) ({F:} 6. g3) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "White's Lesser Sixth Moves"]
[Black "A: 6 a4"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B33"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "36"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. a4 {This is an
interesting little nudge, clamping down on Black's queenside. I can't help but
feel as though the move is a little shallow though - astute readers will note
from the Introduction and Chapters 1 and 2 that most of the time Black is
neutral to playing ...b5 at all, and so this move might just be a waste of
time and a weakening of the queenside. With all of that said, strong players
like Bologan and Polgar have used this move here and there against players
with whom they'd prefer to avoid theoretical disputes.} Nf6 {Transposing to
the Sveshnikov is a good way to go here.} ({The alternative is} 6... Be6 {,
but I was unsure that lines like} 7. N1c3 a6 8. Na3 Rc8 9. Bc4 Nd4 ({or} 9...
Nf6 10. Bg5 Be7 11. Bxf6 Bxf6 12. Nd5 Bg5 13. O-O O-O 14. c3 g6 15. Qe2 {of K.Kolehmainen-D.Fischer, correspondence 2008, promised Black full equality}) 10.
Bd5 $5 {of M.Scacco-H.Groffen, correspondence 2002.}) 7. N1c3 (7. Bg5 $5 a6 8.
Bxf6 gxf6 9. N5c3 f5 10. Bc4 Qg5 {is almost identical to lines analysed in
Line B (6 Be3), but with a4 thrown in for White. I doubt it matters - Black
should strongly consider the unusual idea of castling long with 11...Be6 and
12...0-0-0.}) 7... a6 8. Na3 Bg4 {Once again provoking f3, but both 8...Be6
and 8...Be7 are fine and quite popular too.} 9. f3 (9. Be2 {looks a little
weak here: for instance,} Bxe2 10. Qxe2 d5 11. Bg5 d4 ({Trajko and Nedev go
with} 11... Nd4 12. Qd3 Bb4 {, which also looks fine for Black}) 12. Nd5 Nb4 $1
13. Nc4 {, K.Haznedaroglu-A.Bokros, Litohoto 1999, and now} ({instead, White
can try the} 13. Bxf6 gxf6 14. Qf3 {of Z.Efimenko-P.Smirnov, Rethymnon 2003,
but Black had good chances in a very messy position after} Nxd5 15. exd5 Qa5+
16. Kf1 O-O-O {anyway, as} 17. Qxf6 $6 {is met by} Bxa3 18. Rxa3 Qxd5 {, when
White is much worse due to Black's central dominance and superior coordination}
) 13... Nbxd5 14. exd5 Qxd5 15. Qxe5+ (15. Nxe5 $6 Bb4+ 16. c3 dxc3 17. O-O Qe6
{should be a little better for Black on account of the extra material; I doubt
White has enough here}) 15... Qxe5+ 16. Nxe5 Ne4 17. Bf4 f6 18. Nd3 Rc8 19.
O-O-O Kf7 20. Rhe1 Nc5 21. Nxc5 Bxc5 {reaches an equal ending. Black's poor
pawn structure is compensated by his centralized king and the space gained by
the intrusive d4-pawn.}) 9... Be6 10. Bc4 ({The most obvious choice from many:
} 10. Nc4 Rc8 (10... Nb4 $5 {strives for ...d5 next move, and is also good
according to Trajko and Nedev}) 11. Ne3 (11. Be3 Nb4 12. Nb6 d5 $1 13. exd5
Nfxd5 14. Nbxd5 Bxd5 15. Qd2 Be6 16. Qxd8+ Rxd8 17. Rc1 Rc8 $5 {was slightly
better for Black in J.Rowson-E.Sutovsky, Bratislava 1993, played before either
of these guys were the strong GMs they are today}) 11... Nb4 12. Ncd5 $5 (12.
Be2 d5 $1 13. exd5 Nbxd5 14. Ncxd5 Nxd5 15. Nxd5 Bxd5 16. O-O Bc5+ 17. Kh1 O-O
{was S.Farago-P.Perez Aleman, Budapest 2008, which was agreed drawn four moves
later}) ({very similar is the} 12. Bd3 d5 {of S.Farago-Z.Korpics, Hungarian
League 2004}) 12... Bxd5 13. exd5 Qa5 $5 (13... Nfxd5 14. c3 Nxe3 15. Bxe3 Nc6
16. Qd5 {gives White some play for the pawn, but also looks like a decent way
to play}) 14. Bd2 Qc5 15. c4 a5 {clamps down on the queenside and gives Black
a great position after ...g6 and ...Bg7/h6.}) (10. Be3 Nb4 $1 {(Black
threatens ...d5, and White already seems somewhat behind)} 11. Nc4 (11. Bc4 d5
12. exd5 Nbxd5 13. Nxd5 Nxd5 14. Bxd5 Bxd5 15. O-O Be6 $1 {was also better for
Black in A.Jeremejev-W.Stummer, correspondence 2003, due to his two bishops
and White's misplaced a3-knight}) 11... d5 $1 12. Bb6 (12. Nxe5 d4 {is
obviously lost}) ({and} 12. exd5 Nfxd5 13. Nxd5 Nxd5 14. Bf2 Qc7 {, with ideas
of ...Rd8 or ...Nf4, is also terrible for White}) 12... Qe7 13. exd5 Nbxd5 14.
Nxd5 Nxd5 15. Bf2 Rd8 16. Qc1 Qc7 {and Black had a clear advantage in K.Müller-V.Babula, German League 1998.}) (10. Bg5 Be7 11. Bxf6 {giving up the
dark-squared bishop when White has already weakened his dark squares with f3
could be a problem for him later,} ({although the alternatives aren't
inspiring either: for example,} 11. Nc4 O-O 12. Bxf6 Bxf6 13. Nd5 Bh4+ 14. g3
Bg5 {will be fine for Black after a later ...Ne7}) 11... Bxf6 12. Bc4 (12. Nc4
Nd4 {is nothing for White}) 12... O-O 13. Nd5 Bh4+ $5 {(it's frequently better
to force a weakness in White's kingside if you're going to play ...Bg5 anyway,
though Black can abstain as well)} 14. g3 Bg5 15. O-O Kh8 $5 16. Kg2 f5 {gave
Black good counterplay in G.Vescovi-A.Shabalov, Paget Parish 2001.}) 10... Rc8
11. O-O Nb4 {Once again we see Black grinding out control of d5 by exploiting
White's weakness on the b4-square.} 12. Nd5 (12. Bxe6 {isn't particularly
great (as usual), and indeed White's results haven't been encouraging. An
example continuation is} fxe6 13. Qe2 Be7 14. Rd1 O-O 15. Be3 Qc7 16. Bf2 d5 {
, when Black is quite a bit better on account of his large centre and pressure
down the c-file.}) 12... Nbxd5 (12... Bxd5 {is also interesting: for instance,}
13. Bxd5 Nbxd5 14. exd5 Be7 15. c4 O-O 16. Kh1 (16. Be3 Nd7 17. Qd2 {tries to
stop ...Bg5, but} f5 {looks okay for Black}) 16... Nd7 17. Be3 {A.Plicner-K.Sromba, Poland 2003, and now} Bg5 18. Bf2 f5 {was fine for Black based on his
central presence, dark-square control, and White's poor a3-knight. Kramnik
prefers to keep his light-squared bishop - a sound positional decision in most
cases.}) 13. exd5 Bd7 14. c3 Be7 15. Kh1 ({Trajko and Nedev note that White
should lure Black's queen away from the kingside with} 15. Qb3 Qc7 {, when the
position is about equal, but less dangerous for White.}) 15... O-O 16. Be3 Nh5
17. Bd3 Bg5 18. Bf2 Nf4 {. Black had equalized in Xie Jun-V.Kramnik, Monaco 
(rapid) 1996.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "White's Lesser Sixth Moves"]
[Black "B: 6 Be3"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B44"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "40"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. Be3 Nf6 7. Bg5 {This
line is more typically reached through the move order 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 e6 3 d4
cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nc6 5 Nb5 d6 6 Bf4 e5 7 Be3 Nf6 8 Bg5, but we'll cover it here for
completeness. I don't see why White would want to enter a Sveshnikov a tempo
down, but even as recent as 2009 Leko has played this move against Morozevich.}
({White has defended the e-pawn a few other ways as well:} 7. f3 {looks a
little loose to me, but I suppose White should be okay here with good play. S.Narayanan-V.Ikonnikov, Hastings 2006/07, continued} Be7 8. Be2 O-O 9. c4 $1 ({
White can't allow Black an easy ...d5 break: for example,} 9. Nd2 $2 d5 {was
terrible for White in D.Martinov-I.Anissimov, Moscow 1997}) ({and} 9. O-O d5 {
is much of the same}) 9... Nh5 $5 {(Black immediately turns toward the
kingside)} 10. O-O a6 11. N5c3 Bg5 $1 12. Bf2 $1 {(White wisely avoids the
trade of dark-squared bishops)} Nf4 13. Nd5 Nxd5 14. cxd5 Ne7 15. a4 {White
intends a5, clamping down on the queenside dark squares.} Ng6 16. a5 Nf4 17.
Kh1 Qf6 {(Black's pieces are taking up great outposts in White's kingside;
like many King's Indian positions, Black's light-squared bishop is well placed
and active on its starting square)} 18. Nc3 Qg6 19. Rg1 f5 $5 {when Black is
starting the attack that later brought home the full point.}) (7. N1c3 {is the
most natural, and} a6 8. Na3 {and now} Be7 9. Nc4 (9. Nd5 Nxd5 10. exd5 Nd4 {
takes us back to Chapter 2}) 9... b5 10. Nb6 Rb8 11. Nxc8 Qxc8 {transposes to
Chapter 2.}) (7. N5c3 {will likely transpose back to 6 N5c3 (Line D),
specifically A.Vitolinsh-Z.Lanka, Riga 1988, did after} Be6 8. Be2 Be7 9. O-O
O-O {.}) 7... Be6 8. Bxf6 {Inflicting structural damage,} ({but White doesn't
have to trade:} 8. N1c3 {acquiesces to a Sveshnikov in which Black has ...Be6
for free, a tempo that's rather relevant after} a6 9. Bxf6 gxf6 10. Na3 d5 $1 {
. --- Now} 11. exd5 ({or} 11. Nxd5 Bxa3 12. bxa3 {and now instead of Pinski
and Aagaard's} Qa5+ {,} ({I propose the} 12... f5 $1 {of M.Kiran-O.Korneev,
Balaguer 2007, with dangerous compensation})) 11... Bxa3 12. bxa3 Qa5 $1 13.
Qd2 O-O-O 14. Bc4 Rhg8 15. Rd1 (15. O-O Bh3 16. g3 Nd4 {would be painful for
White}) ({and} 15. g3 Nd4 {would be even worse, since White's king has nowhere
to go but queenside, when the game will end shortly}) 15... Rxg2 16. Ne4 {was
J.Stabenow-H.Stoeckmann, correspondence 2003, when} Qb6 $1 17. Qe3 Qxe3+ 18.
fxe3 Bg4 19. Rd2 Bf3 20. Rxg2 Bxg2 21. Rg1 Bxe4 22. dxc6 bxc6 {sees both
players neck and neck in the race for the worst pawn structure ever witnessed.
Black seems better, but I'm not totally sure by how much.}) (8. Nd2 {has been
played a surprising number of times, when White's idea of} Be7 9. Bxf6 Bxf6 10.
Nc4 {practically forces Black into a strong pawn sacrifice.} O-O $1 11. Qxd6 (
11. Nbxd6 $2 {is losing for White after} Qe7 12. Nf5 Bxf5 13. exf5 Rad8 14. Qc1
Bg5 15. Ne3 Nd4 {, threatening 16...Bxe3 17 fxe3 Qh4+}) ({and} 11. Ncxd6 $2 {
traps White's knight in enemy territory after} Qb6 12. Qc1 Be7 {, with only
way to save it being} 13. Nf5 Bxf5 14. exf5 Bc5 {, but White is in huge
trouble here anyway, as} 15. Qd2 Rad8 16. Qe2 Nd4 $1 17. Nxd4 Qxb2 $1 {is
terminal}) 11... Qc8 12. c3 Rd8 13. Qc7 Be7 14. Qxc8 Raxc8 15. Nba3 Nd4 {of J.Borisek-D.Navara, Balatonlelle 2003. Navara eventually ground Borisek down
after} 16. cxd4 ({but even after the better} 16. Rd1 {, Black can force a
drawn ending after} Bxc4 17. Nxc4 Nc2+ 18. Ke2 Rxc4 19. Rxd8+ Bxd8 20. Kd3 Na3
$1 21. bxa3 Ra4) 16... Bb4+ 17. Ke2 Bxc4+ 18. Nxc4 Rxc4 19. Kf3 Rcxd4 {.}) 8...
gxf6 9. Nd2 (9. N1c3 a6 10. Na3 d5 {transposes to 8 N1c3 above.}) 9... a6 10.
Nc3 f5 $1 {Obvious and thematic for those familiar with the Sveshnikov,
allowing Black's next while breaking down White's centre.} 11. Bc4 Qg5 $1 {
Black probes White's queenside. Now 12 0-0 0-0-0!? looks somewhat risky for
White.} 12. g3 O-O-O $5 {Now you've seen everything in the Kalashnikov!} 13.
Bd5 $5 {White frees up the c4-square for a knight, and threatens to shatter
Black's kingside. Three games have seen this position, and in each one Black
essayed a different move successfully. In E.Mantu-G.Pogrzeba, correspondence
2008, which is our main line, Black decided to avoid Bxc6, but perhaps that's
not even necessary, and the extra centre pawn and the two bishops are more
important.} Nb4 ({As said above, Black essayed two other moves in some
high-level games:} 13... h5 $5 14. Bxc6 bxc6 15. Qe2 Kb7 16. Nc4 Kc7 (16... Ka7
$5 {is also worth considering}) 17. exf5 Bxc4 18. Qxc4 d5 19. Qxa6 Bc5 20. Qe2
Qxf5 {gave Black good compensation for his pawn in J.Borisek-V.Laznicka,
Obrenovac 2004.}) (13... Qg6 14. Bxc6 bxc6 15. Qe2 Kb7 16. Nb3 Ra8 17. O-O-O
fxe4 18. Nxe4 Kc7 19. f3 a5 $1 {was agreed drawn here in O.Korneev-L.Aroshidze,
Sora 2007, though to me Black's position feels clearly superior. That massive
centre and the two bishops give White very poor long-term prospects if he
can't get at Black's king.}) 14. O-O (14. a3 Nxd5 15. exd5 Bd7 16. Nc4 Kb8 {is
perhaps White's best, but even here Black's bishops and active prospects on
the kingside with ...f4 and ...h5-h4 give him good chances to push for more
than equality.}) 14... fxe4 15. Ndxe4 Qg6 16. Qd2 Bh6 17. Bxe6+ fxe6 18. Qe2
Nc6 19. Rad1 d5 20. Nc5 Nd4 {. The game was eventually drawn, but I'd
definitely take Black here - the knight on d4 and strong centre give him good
chances for the win.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "White's Lesser Sixth Moves"]
[Black "C: 6 Bc4"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "60"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. Bc4 Be6 $1 {I see no
reason why Black shouldn't immediately challenge White with this move. All of
White's options are uncomfortable in some way. 7 Bxe6 is a clear positional
concession, forfeiting the d5-square and giving Black a dangerous
preponderance of pawns in the centre. On the other hand, 7 Bb3 and 7 Bd5 both
maintain the tension, but lose time and may cause White headaches down the
line - any capture on e6 later loses even more time, and the bishop is
vulnerable on both b3 and d5 to being captured by a knight, forfeiting the two
bishops and some control over the d5-square.} 7. Bd5 $5 {This is perhaps the
oddest choice, as the bishop may simply be terribly placed here. The cleric is
vulnerable to ...Nf6xd5 or ...Nb4, but does occupy the weak d5-square, perhaps
threatening a positional bind with c4.} ({The alternatives also lead to
interesting play: Capturing on e6 with} 7. Bxe6 {is, as said above,
strategically risky. --- If White can't capitalize on the weaknesses created
after} fxe6 {then he might end up worse:} 8. -- (8. O-O a6 9. N5c3 Nf6 10. Bg5
Be7 11. Nd2 O-O {when both the} 12. Nf3 {of W.Goichburg-E.Formanek, U.S. Open
1966,} ({and the} 12. Nc4 {of J.Nunn-M.Quinn, Bunratty 1996, can be met by the
simple} Rc8 13. Ne3 b5 {with a good prospects for Black. We can see the effect
that Bxe6 has on the position - White's knights have no active prospects, and
Black has fantastic control of the centre.})) (8. Qh5+ $5 {(this is the only
consistent way to follow up 7 Bxe6 for the reasons mentioned above)} g6 9. Qh3
(9. Qg4 {is odd, donating a tempo to Black after} Qd7 10. Bg5 a6 11. N5a3 {,
as in F.Vallejo Pons-A.Shirov, Spanish Championship, Ayamonte 2002, and now} h6
$1 12. Be3 Qf7 {, when ...Nf6 is to follow; it's only a matter of time before
Black finishes his development and forces ...d5 through, with the better
position}) 9... Qd7 10. O-O Nf6 11. N1c3 a6 12. Bg5 Bg7 13. Na4 $5 (13. Na3 b5
({or} 13... Nd4 {is already troublesome for White, so he seeks complications}))
13... Nxe4 14. Bh4 axb5 15. Nb6 Qf7 16. Nxa8 O-O {, and after} 17. Nb6 {it
looks as though White is still in the game, as he's up some material, and his
knight's getting out. --- Black's second wave comes out of nowhere after} g5 $1
18. Rae1 $1 (18. Bg3 Nd4 19. c3 Ne2+ 20. Kh1 h5 $1 {is already winning}) 18...
Nd2 19. Bxg5 Nxf1 20. Rxf1 Qg6 21. Be3 e4 $1 {, which was A.Kaltschmidt-V.Minchev, correspondence 2007. Black won in 24 more moves.})) (7. Bb3 Be7 8. O-O
Nf6 9. N5c3 (9. N1c3 a6 10. Na3 O-O 11. Be3 Na5 $1 {is also satisfactory for
Black, who bags the two bishops}) 9... O-O {and now:} 10. -- ({. The} 10. Bg5
$6 {of Y.Ratanen-F.Hoelzyl, Buenos Aires Olympiad 1978, runs into} Nxe4 {, when
} 11. Nxe4 Bxg5 12. Nxg5 $6 (12. Bxe6 fxe6 13. Nxd6 {is much better, but Black
has the fantastic} Nd4 14. Ne4 Rc8 15. c3 (15. Nbc3 Be7 {leaves Black fine too
despite his ugly pawns after moves like ...Qb6, ...Rf4, and ...Rcd8/f8}) 15...
Bc1 $1 {, when he'll have equal chances in an interesting position after
taking on b2}) 12... Qxg5 13. Bxe6 fxe6 14. Qxd6 Nd4 $1 15. Nc3 Rad8 16. Qc7
Nf3+ $1 17. Kh1 Qf4 $1 {is losing for White on account of} 18. gxf3 Qxf3+ 19.
Kg1 Rd4 {.}) ({. Better is the novelty} 10. Be3 {. --- Black retains equal
chances in many ways, though, such as} Rc8 11. Nd2 Na5 $5 {(contemplating both
...Nc4 and ...Nxb3)} 12. Qe2 a6 13. Rfd1 Qc7 14. Bg5 h6 15. Bxf6 Bxf6 {when
the plan seems to be ...Bg5, and ...b5 followed eventually by ...Nc4.})) 7...
Be7 ({There's no reason to play} 7... Nf6 {and allow} 8. Bg5 Be7 9. Bxf6) ({
though} 7... a6 $5 {right away might be the most accurate if Black wants to
avoid c4 from White. I'm going to toot my own horn and show one of my
relatively recent (by correspondence chess standards anyway) games, S.Kruk-A.Rotella, correspondence 2010, as I enjoyed it quite a bit, and the play is
lively and interesting.}) 8. O-O a6 ({This isn't strictly necessary, but as I
stated before, I was unsure about Black's prospects in positions like} 8... Nf6
9. c4 $5 O-O 10. N1c3 a6 11. Na3 Rc8 12. Be3 Qd7 13. f3 Bd8 {. Black never
wants to take on d5 (note that White is very happy to rid himself of his
bishop, which would typically be very bad in the structures with a pawn on d5),
as his c6-knight will have no good squares, and realistically he can't put his
bishop on a5, at least not permanently, as the d6-pawn will be too weak. Right
now Black seems fine, but what's his plan? I wasn't sure.}) 9. N5c3 Nf6 10. Ne2
$5 {This was definitely unexpected.} ({White seeks a more harmonious
development of his pieces than if he decided on} 10. Nd2 {. This plan is slow
though, and it's not clear what White's ideas is once he gets his pieces to
their intended squares.}) ({More normal is} 10. Be3 {, as in V.Costa Trillo-J.Folk Gilsanz, correspondence 2010, which continued} O-O 11. a3 {(White
addresses the typical ...Nb4 manoeuvre)} Rc8 12. Qd3 Ng4 13. Nd1 {(I doubt
this is correct)} Bxd5 14. exd5 Nxe3 15. Nxe3 Nb8 {(this knight heads to c5/e5)
} 16. a4 Nd7 17. a5 g6 18. Nc4 Qc7 19. Nba3 f5 20. Qd2 e4 {. Play appears to
be relatively balanced, though as usual, I prefer Black's chances. Jordi
eventually pulled it out, slowly but surely improving his position until White
cracked just before the 40th move time control.}) ({Note too that} 10. Bg5 $2 {
loses a pawn to} Nxd5 {.}) 10... O-O 11. Be3 Rc8 12. Nbc3 b5 13. f3 Nb4 $1 14.
Bb3 Bxb3 15. cxb3 d5 {Black finally gets ...d5 in under the guise of some
tactics.} 16. a3 d4 $1 {This is the point of the entire line beginning with 13.
..Nb4 - Black gambits a pawn for piece activity and an annoying pawn on e3.}
17. axb4 dxe3 18. Rxa6 Bxb4 19. Qxd8 Rfxd8 20. Rb6 Bc5 21. Rxb5 Rd2 22. Rb1 Bd4
{After some relatively forced play from both sides the dust has settled, and
White's position is already rather grim. The only thing left was to find the
straw that broke the camel's back, and in this case, opening a front on the
kingside was too much for White to cope with.} 23. Kf1 g5 $1 24. b4 h5 $1 25.
Ra5 g4 $1 26. Ra6 Kg7 27. Nb5 h4 28. Nd6 Rcc2 29. Nf5+ Kg8 30. Re1 h3 $1 {
White was lost, and resigned soon after the time control was reached.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "White's Lesser Sixth Moves"]
[Black "D: 6 N5c3"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "30"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. N5c3 {This move
certainly looks odd, but is positionally logical. White plans to focus all of
his forces upon the d5-square, and so he starts the b5-knight on a manoeuvre
back toward it immediately, the knight on b1 trailing quickly behind.} Nf6 7.
Bg5 {This is the only consistent move, continuing with the plan to stick a
knight on d5.} ({Others are:} 7. Bc4 {should be met exactly the same as 6 Bc4
with} Be6 {, when} 8. Bxe6 (8. Bb3 {would most likely transpose to something
like the main game after} Be7 9. Bg5 O-O 10. Bxf6 Bxf6 11. Nd5 Bg5 12. Nbc3 Qa5
$5) 8... fxe6 9. O-O Be7 10. Bg5 O-O {was E.Winsow-M.Casella, New York 1993,
and now} 11. Nd2 d5 {should yield equal chances for both sides.}) (7. Be2 {has
been played a few times, but might be too timid: for example,} Be7 (7... Nd4 $5
8. Be3 Nxe2 9. Qxe2 Be7 10. O-O O-O 11. Qd3 Be6 12. Nd5 {looks about equal as
well}) 8. O-O O-O 9. Be3 Be6 10. Nd2 (10. Bf3 {is probably called for instead})
10... d5 $1 11. exd5 Nxd5 12. Nxd5 Bxd5 13. Bf3 f5 $1 {looked somewhat better
for Black in A.Vitolinsh-Z.Lanka, Riga 1988, on account of Black's beefy
centre and the threat of ...f4.}) 7... Be7 8. Bxf6 Bxf6 9. Nd5 {The natural
continuation started by White's 6th - he has full control of d5. In return,
White's taking quite a long time finishing development, and forfeited the two
bishops.} Bg5 {This is a typical move, guarding crucial squares like c1 and e3,
while relinquishing the queen from her duty watching out for Nxf6+ ideas.
Silman mentioned this move in his book nearly 20 years ago - apparently still
quite relevant!} 10. Nbc3 (10. Bc4 {will likely transpose to the main game}) ({
but} 10. g3 $5 O-O 11. Bg2 b5 $5 {(dissuading 12 Nc3 in lieu of 12...b4)} 12.
O-O Be6 13. c3 Ne7 14. Nxe7+ Qxe7 15. Na3 {was V.Anand-S.Tiviakov, Oakham 1990,
and now} Rab8 $5 {is interesting, with the idea of working up some queenside
counterplay with the immediate ...b4. White should stop this and begin the
knight's journey back into activity with} 16. Nc2 {, when} a5 {(stopping
Nb4-d5)} 17. a3 g6 $5 {reaches an interesting and unclear position. Black
retains the possibility of playing in all sectors of the board with either ...b4, ...f5, or later, ...d5. White's bishop on g2 doesn't make much of an
impression on g2.}) 10... O-O 11. Bc4 Be6 12. O-O (12. h4 {is an idea borrowed
from Sveshnikov lines with a similar feel. Here, however, it doesn't impress:}
Bh6 13. g4 Bf4 (13... f6 {also looks good}) 14. g5 (14. Nxf4 Bxc4 15. Nfd5 Nd4
{is more comfortable for Black, since White's king is stuck in the centre for
a while}) 14... Ne7 15. Qd3 Rc8 16. Bb3 Nxd5 17. Nxd5 Bxd5 18. Bxd5 Qb6 {,
with equality. Opposite-coloured bishop positions tend to favour the side with
the safer king (it's Black), but neither side looks to be in any danger here
realistically.}) 12... Rc8 13. Bb3 Qa5 $5 {I like this computer-suggested move
a lot. Black activates his queen and swings her over to the c5-square where
she not only protects the d6-pawn and influences the d5-square, but also may
pressure c2 after ...Nd4xb3.} ({If this idea eventually turns sour, there's
also the} 13... Nd4 14. Qd3 a6 15. Rad1 {of K.Zuse-H.Dekan, Baden-Baden 2010,
when} b5 {seems level.}) 14. Qd3 Qc5 15. Rad1 Nd4 {. Again we see Black
fighting for d5 by cutting off heavy piece communication, or looking to remove
the bishop on b3. Black's position looks fine, as White's strong control of
the d5-square has come at a cost. Black has a strong knight on d4 in return,
and the only way to get rid of it is for White to switch out knights on d5,
allowing ...Nxb3 and ...Bxe3, arresting control of d5 and liquidating minor
pieces.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "White's Lesser Sixth Moves"]
[Black "E: 6 Bg5"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "58"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. Bg5 $5 {In many ways,
this line is completely critical, and challenges the Kalashnikov's right to
exist as a respectable way to open the game. Since all of Black's independent
options besides ...Qxg5 are fairly ugly (do you want to play ...f6 here?),
Black has to allow White to grab the exchange and dislodge his king. Fear not,
as White's knight will never see the light of day and Black's pieces,
especially the light-squared bishop, become quite active.} Qxg5 7. Nc7+ Kd7 $1
{Unmentioned by Silman and Pinski/Aagaard, and labelled a mistake by McDonald,
Black plans to immediately grab the piece back with ...b6 and ...Bb7. Updated
analysis (previous Kalashnikov books are over a decade old - analyses of
positions this sharp are propped up strongly by modern computing power) points
to these positions being favourable for Black, with the two minors being
better than the rook, and White's king in more danger than Black's. Perhaps
it's time to lay 6 Bg5 to rest?} ({Silman was the first to recommend the
alternative} 7... Kd8 8. Nxa8 Be6 $5 {in print (he credits Sveshnikov though),
looking to take the rook with the king at some point. Typical play is} 9. Nc3
Nf6 10. h4 $1 ({White wants to play} 10. Nd5 {, but} Qh4 $1 {is a big problem,
so he removes the option}) 10... Qg6 11. h5 $1 Qg5 12. Nd5 {, but this
position looks somewhat favourable for White. One possible improvement is 10...Qh6, though I think 7...Kd7! is strong enough that it's not even worth
investigating this line.}) 8. Nxa8 b6 {White has scored 22% out of the 9 games
that have reached this position in my database.} 9. Nc3 ({Computers suggest
the odd} 9. h4 $5 {, with the idea that now the rook can participate via h3,
and Black's queen can't take up residence on h4. --- This also gives Black the
opportunity to put his/her queen on a potentially better square as well after}
Qg6 10. -- (10. Nd2 {(White probably does better with the knight on this
square)} Bb7 11. Nxb6+ axb6 12. h5 Qg5 13. c3 Nf6 (13... f5 $6 14. Qb3 Kc7 15.
Nc4 {illustrates the point behind White's 10th; Black's in some trouble here})
14. Qb3 Kc7 15. Qxf7+ ({now} 15. Nc4 {is less effective on account of} Nxe4 16.
Qxb6+ Kb8 {, when the threat of ...d5 and ...Bc5 leaves White with problems})
15... Be7 16. Nf3 (16. Qc4 $6 Rf8 17. b4 Kb8 18. a4 $6 d5 $1 19. exd5 Nxd5 20.
Qxd5 Nxb4 $1 21. Qb3 Rxf2 $1 22. O-O-O e4 $1 23. cxb4 e3 {, with a crushing
attack, gives you an idea of what can happen to White if he's not careful})
16... Qh6 {, B.Rimkus-E.Troia, correspondence 2007. Now the curious manoeuvre}
17. Bb5 Rf8 18. Qc4 Qf4 $1 19. Rh4 Ng4 20. Rh3 Qf7 $1 {might leave Black
somewhat better.}) ({. White can also try} 10. Nc3 {, but} Bb7 11. Nxb6+ axb6
12. h5 Qg5 13. g3 f5 $1 {sees Black open up more lines for his pieces.})) ({
Instead, the} 9. Qd5 $6 {of M.Ibanez Iglesias-G.Saravia, Montevideo 2003, is
just bad after} Qc1+ 10. Qd1 Qxd1+ 11. Kxd1 Bb7 12. Nxb6+ axb6 13. Bc4 {and now
} f5 $1 {rips open the centre and long diagonal for Black's better placed
pieces.}) 9... Bb7 10. Nxb6+ axb6 11. Nd5 (11. h4 Qg6 12. h5 Qg5 13. Nd5 Nf6
14. Nxf6+ Qxf6 15. c3 Be7 {was M.Denzin-J.Leroy, correspondence 2007, which
abruptly ended here with a win for Black. Not quite yet if you ask me, but
Black's definitely on top here, as I can't believe that the minors aren't
better, especially with all of White's pieces still sitting on the back rank
at the moment.}) 11... Nf6 $1 {G.Hitter-N.Medvegy, Hungarian League 2008, was
somehow agreed drawn here. White has to waste a lot of time taking on b6, only
to have his queen enter the fray a bit too early. This huge loss of time
allows Black to work up an initiative which White will probably find hard to
extinguish, especially over the board with the clock ticking. Play might
continue:} 12. Nxb6+ ({My computer recommends} 12. g3 {, and after} Nxe4 13.
Bg2 f5 14. O-O h5 $5 15. Nxb6+ Kc7 16. h4 Qd2 17. Nd5+ Kb8 18. c3 Qxd1 19.
Rfxd1 Ne7 {the position looks mighty unclear, though I think most players
would prefer to handle the bishop and knight over the rook.}) 12... Kc7 13.
Nd5+ Nxd5 14. Qxd5 ({If} 14. exd5 Nb4 15. c4 Qg6 16. Kd2 Be7 {and White's king
starts to feel a little breeze on d2.}) 14... f5 $1 {Black levers open the
long diagonal to his advantage.} 15. c3 (15. exf5 {might be White's way out.
Now} Nd4 16. Qa5+ Kc8 17. Ba6 {White successfully trades off Black's star
performer on b7, but has to make concessions to do so;} ({also possible is} 17.
Qd2 Qxf5 18. O-O-O g6 $5 19. Kb1 Bh6 20. Qc3+ Kd7 21. Bd3 {and now I like the
cheeky} Qf8 $1 {, with the idea of scooting over to a8 and playing ...Rc8,
with relatively level play} 22. Bc4 Qa8) 17... Qxg2 18. O-O-O Qc6 19. Bxb7+
Kxb7 20. c3 g6 $1 {, threatening mate with ...Bh6+, leaves Black with the
initiative.}) 15... fxe4 16. Qxe4 Nd4 17. Qd3 Ne6 {Black seems much better
here, as ...Nf4 is going to be painful, and White has no way to get his king
to safety. One dream I had was} 18. Qc4+ Nc5 19. b4 $6 d5 $1 20. h4 Qf6 21. Qe2
Ne4 22. Rc1 d4 $3 23. cxd4+ Kb8 24. a3 exd4 25. Rh3 Bxb4+ $3 26. axb4 Re8 27.
Rf3 Qxh4 28. Kd1 d3 $1 29. Qxd3 Rd8 {, when White is cooked.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "White's Lesser Sixth Moves"]
[Black "F: 6 g3"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B32"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "28"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. g3 Nf6 ({Nakamura's} 
6... h5 $5 {is sort of silly, but worth consideration.}) 7. Bg2 {This is
obviously the most consistent continuation, attempting to clamp down on the
d5-square.} ({White has deviated from this a surprising number of times
however, and has protected the e4-pawn in basically every way possible: With} 
7. Bg5 {White delays either knight coming to c3 to stop ...Nd4 and ...d5
resources more effectively, and instead controls d5 using other means first.
Play might continue} Be6 8. Bg2 Qb6 $5 {(Black looks to exploit White's
seventh move by targeting the b2-pawn)} 9. N1c3 a6 10. Be3 Qd8 11. Na3 Nb4 $5 {
(Black prepares the ...d5 break, and it's not clear what White can do about it
at this point)} 12. O-O d5 $5 ({completing development with} 12... Be7 {is
also reasonable}) 13. exd5 Nbxd5 14. Nxd5 Bxd5 15. Bxd5 Qxd5 16. Qxd5 Nxd5 17.
Nc4 Nxe3 18. Nxe3 Bc5 {with an equal ending after something like ...f6 and ...Kf7, or ...0-0-0.}) (7. N5c3 {was played in M.Golubev-V.Zvonitsky, Riga 1988,
and now} Nd4 $5 {(not only eyeing the juicy f3-square, but making it a bit
easier for Black carry out the ...d5 break as well)} 8. Bg2 Bg4 (8... d5 {
right away is also possible, since} 9. exd5 $2 Bf5 {is near losing for White})
9. f3 (9. Qd3 {allows Black to stir up trouble with} d5 $1 10. exd5 Qc7 $1 11.
Nd2 Bb4 {, threatening ...Bxc3 followed by ...Be2; perhaps White's best is} 12.
d6 {, but after} Bxd6 13. O-O O-O-O $5 {I'd still take the black pieces if I
had to choose}) 9... Be6 (9... Bd7 $5 {is also worth consideration, since} 10.
Nd5 $2 Nxd5 11. exd5 Qa5+ 12. c3 Ba4 $1 {is bad for White}) 10. Nd5 $1 ({White
does best to plug up the d5-square for good and free up c3, as} 10. Be3 $2 Qb6
$1 {is clearly better for Black, since both ...Qxb2 and ...Nxc2+ are threatened
}) ({instead,} 10. O-O Qb6 11. Kh1 h5 $1 {gives Black a strong initiative})
10... Nxd5 11. exd5 Bd7 12. c3 Nf5 13. f4 Be7 14. Na3 $5 (14. O-O h5 $1 {might
be a bit risky for White}) 14... O-O 15. O-O b5 $5 16. Nc2 Qb6+ 17. Kh1 a5 {
leaves an unclear position that looks relatively balanced.}) ({The} 7. N1c3 {
of C.Stromboli-I.De Vita, Campobasso 2003, allows Black to force play with} a6
8. Na3 Nd4 9. Bg2 d5 $1 {. --- Now} 10. O-O Bxa3 11. bxa3 Bg4 12. f3 Be6 13.
exd5 Nxd5 14. Nxd5 Bxd5 {left him with a good position on account of his
better structure, minor pieces, and king safety. Note that} 15. Re1 {can be
met by} O-O $1 {, since} 16. Rxe5 Bxf3 $1 17. Bxf3 Nxf3+ 18. Qxf3 Qd4+ {is
terminal.}) 7... Bg4 {This is the way Black should exploit White's idea,
eyeing the f3-square and rapidly developing his forces.} 8. Qd3 (8. f3 $6 Be6
9. N5c3 {was R.Butze-V.Yotov, correspondence 1990, and now} Qa5 $5 {(stopping
Nd5, and allowing Black ...d5 in the future)} 10. O-O Be7 ({breaking out with} 
10... Rd8 11. Be3 d5 {right away is also quite good}) 11. Be3 O-O 12. Nd2 Rfd8
{with ...d5 on the cards seems quite nice for Black - the moves f3, g3, and
Bg2 are eye sores.}) 8... Rc8 {This position has been reached seven times in
my database, with Black scoring 100% thus far.} 9. a3 {White has to deal with
the threat of 9...Nb4,} ({and} 9. c3 $6 {is much worse, since} a6 10. N5a3 d5
$1 11. exd5 e4 $1 12. Qd2 (12. Bxe4 $2 Ne5 13. Qc2 Bxa3 14. Nxa3 Nxe4 15. Qxe4
O-O 16. O-O Re8 {is just dead lost for White}) 12... Ne5 13. O-O Bc5 14. Nc2
O-O 15. Ne3 Bh3 $1 {is really uncomfortable for White. The d5-pawn will hang
after ...Bxe3, when White's kingside light squares and a knight on d3 will be
very troublesome.}) (9. N5c3 {was tried in G.Gurevich-V.Milov, Israeli
Championship, Ramat Gan 1992, which continued} d5 $1 10. O-O (10. exd5 {might
be a slight improvement, but Black still looks to be on top after} Nd4 $1 11.
O-O Bf5 12. Ne4 Bxe4 13. Bxe4 Nxc2) 10... Nb4 11. Qd2 {, when the relatively
simple} Nxe4 12. Nxe4 Nxc2 {would have left White losing.}) 9... a6 {We're
following J.Thorn Leeson-B.Boschma, correspondence 2001.} 10. N5c3 Nd4 {Black
is actually threatening ...Be2.} 11. O-O d5 $1 12. exd5 Bf5 13. Ne4 Nxc2 14.
Ra2 Nd4 {. Black has a slight edge here. The d5-pawn is very weak and will
probably fall, and the rook on a2 is terribly placed.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Key Takeaways 7"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "11"]
[SourceDate "2015.03.04"]

{1. In this chapter, we see why White's less popular 6th moves aren't as good
as 6 c4 or 6 N1c3. All of them allow Black an easy game, sometimes more.
Several key motifs popped up again and again - provoking f3 with ...Bg4 before
settling on e6, controlling the d5-square and posing threats to the c2-pawn
with ...Nb4, and enforcing ...d5 through a variety of methods. --- 2. 6 a4
doesn't have a strong impact on the position. As discussed, we frequently
prefer to forgo ...b5 altogether anyway. Straightforward play with 6...Nf6 and
7...Bg4 is good enough, with Black frequently continuing ...Rc8 and ...Nb4,
ensuring strong control over the d5-square while X-raying the c2-pawn. --- 2.
6 Be3 is historically reached via the Taimanov variation, i.e. 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3
Nc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 e6 5 Nb5 d6 7 Bf4 e5 8 Be3, but still occurs frequently
via the Kalashnikov move order as well. White's best is probably to transpose
back to Chapters 1 and 2 with 7 N1c3, as the tempo-up (for Black) Sveshnikov
positions arising after 7 Bg5 are quite dangerous. --- 3. 6 Bc4 Be6! poses an
interesting problem for White, as all of his possible options have drawbacks.
Capturing on e6 leaves Black with a big centre and a tough-to-exploit weakness
on e6, while both Bd5 and Bb3 lose time and leave the bishop vulnerable to
knight captures later. Again, simple development is generally going to be good
enough to equalize, but I suppose the cheapo 7 Bb3 Be7 8 0-0 Nf6 9 N5c3 0-0 10
Bg5 Nxe4! is worth remembering. --- 4. With 6 N5c3, White makes his intentions
to dominate the d5-square known right away - he intends Bg5xf6, followed by
Nd5 and N1c3. This is not without drawbacks, as Black inherits the two bishops,
and White normally has a hard time keeping a knight out of d4. Those who build
up experience in the resulting structures can also attest to the fact that
Black can frequently just play around the d5 weakness - White's advantage is
very static, and a knight on d5 by itself doesn't guarantee White anything.
--- 5. After 6 Bg5, Black is basically forced into a temporary material
sacrifice with 6...Qxg5, as alternatives like 6...f6 or 6...Qa5+ are far too
accommodating. Luckily, this line isn't particularly good for the first player,
and the Kalashnikov isn't extinct. Hopefully the analysis after 7 Nc7+ Kd7! 8
Nxa8 b6 9 Nc3 Bb7 10 Nxb6+ axb6 11 Nd5 Nf6! holds up, as it looks practically
and theoretically difficult for White to navigate through. --- 6. Finally, the
idea behind 6 g3 is well-intentioned, but in this specific position, not very
good. It's slow and it creates light-squared weaknesses, with the bishop
frequently biting on granite after a later f3. Black usually arranges ...d5
easily after ...Bg4-e6 and ...Nd4.} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5
5. Nb5 d6 6. -- (6. a4 {- A}) (6. Be3 {- B}) (6. Bc4 {- C}) (6. N5c3 {- D}) (6.
Bg5 {- E}) (6. g3 {- F}) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "8: Other Knight Hops"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B33"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "9"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 {In this chapter, we'll cover all of
White's alternatives to the challenging 5 Nb5. The most significant difference
between all of the variations covered here versus the Kalashnikov main lines
is a positive one for Black - White's choices in this chapter don't force
Black into an early ...d6, allowing his dark-squared bishop a more active
deployment on b4 or c5. This added activity frequently allows Black to play ...d5 in one go, generally ensuring equality, or even superiority. --- It's also
worth noting right away that for both practical and theoretical reasons, most
lines in this chapter transpose back to the Sveshnikov, meaning that Black
will generally force the insertion of an early ...Nf6 and Nc3. I haven't found
any significant advantage to delaying ...Nf6 in any of the lines in this
chapter anyway. --- In no particular order, White's options are:} 5. -- ({A:} 
5. Nf5) ({B:} 5. Nf3) ({C:} 5. Nb3) ({D:} 5. Ne2) ({E:} 5. Nxc6) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Other Knight Hops"]
[Black "A: 5 Nf5"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B33"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "52"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nf5 {In some ways, this move is a
critical test of the entire Kalashnikov complex. Just like 5 Nb5, White
threatens to grab the two bishops and capitalize on Black's dark-square
weaknesses with 6 Nd6+, but now he has a better retreat square in e3 instead
of a3.} Nf6 $5 {Transposing back into Sveshnikov territory is best here on
practical grounds, as the pure Kalashnikov route is pretty sterile.} ({If
Black plays the lackadaisical} 5... d6 {, White has scored very well after} 6.
Ne3 Nf6 7. Nc3 Be7 8. Bc4 O-O 9. O-O Be6 10. Ned5 Rc8 11. Bb3 {. The one
downside to this move must be exploited right away - the fact that the knight
is more unstable on this square.}) ({As mentioned above, transposing back into
Sveshnikov territory is best here on practical grounds (that is, if you seek
the full point), as the pure Kalashnikov route is pretty sterile:} 5... d5 6.
Qxd5 Qxd5 7. exd5 Bxf5 8. dxc6 bxc6 9. Bd3 Bxd3 {(chosen by both Adams and
Vallejo Pons, but as I said, fairly boring)} 10. cxd3 {, and now Palliser
prefers to get the knight to d5 immediately with} Nf6 {, with a fine position
for the second player.}) 6. Nc3 ({Refusing to acquiesce to the Sveshnikov
gives White less than nothing:} 6. Bd3 $6 d5 $1 {(it's exceptionally common in
this chapter that protecting the e-pawn with Bd3 instead of Nc3 allows easy
equality or better after ...d5)} 7. exd5 Nxd5 8. c3 (8. Ne3 Nf4 {is also a bit
of a nuisance for White}) 8... g6 9. Ng3 Bg7 10. O-O O-O {with a slight nibble
for Black.}) 6... d5 $1 {A sharp rejoinder, but always a move Black wants to
play if he can get away with it.} 7. exd5 Bxf5 8. dxc6 bxc6 {Black needn't
relieve the tension, as a future Qxd8+ would only help his cause.} ({Instead,} 
8... Qxd1+ 9. Nxd1 bxc6 10. Ne3 {isn't noteworthy.}) 9. Qf3 {This is the
ambitious try, probably played by process of elimination, as everything else
is just too timid.} (9. Bd3 {is the main alternative, but Black seems
comfortable after something like} e4 10. Bc4 Bd6 $1 11. h3 (11. O-O Qe7 12. Qe2
O-O 13. Bg5 Qe5 $1 {is better for Black, so White should wait until the ...Qe5
idea is less dangerous, or not possible}) 11... O-O 12. Be3 Qe7 13. Qe2 Be5 14.
O-O Rfe8 {.}) 9... Qd7 10. Bg5 {Sensible, clearing a path to d1 for the
queen's rook and looking to inflict further structural damage. In this
specific position though, Black is able to make good use of the open g-file
and the two bishops to maintain the balance.} ({Others:} 10. Bc4 {allows a
cheap grab on c2 if Black wishes:} Bxc2 $5 11. O-O Be7 12. Qe2 Bg6 13. Qxe5 O-O
14. Rd1 Qb7 {was about equal in R.Bellin-V.Ikonnikov, Huy 1993.}) (10. Bd3 e4
$1 11. Qe2 (11. Nxe4 $2 Bxe4 12. Bxe4 Qe6 {loses for White}) 11... Bb4 12. O-O
Bxc3 13. bxc3 O-O 14. Bc4 Nd5 {seems balanced.}) 10... e4 {Black grabs some
space and strikes out before White has the time for a favourable 11 Rd1.} 11.
Qe2 ({Instead,} 11. Qe3 $2 Ng4 12. Qd2 Qxd2+ 13. Bxd2 Bc5 14. Nd1 Nxf2 $1 {was
clearly better for Black in H.Teske-M.Krasenkov, German League 2003.}) ({
Computers and Volokitin (not an unusual grouping) prefer} 11. Qd1 {, but Black
appears to have multiple ways to equalize: for instance,} Qxd1+ ({or} 11... Bd6
$5 12. Qd4 Qe7 13. Bxf6 Qxf6 14. Qxf6 gxf6 15. O-O-O Bf4+ 16. Kb1 Be5 17. Bc4
Rb8 18. Bb3 Rg8 19. g3 Bg4 {of A.Muzychuk-A.Ushenina, Rijeka 2010}) 12. Nxd1
Be6 13. Ba6 Rb8 14. O-O Nd5 15. Bc4 Bc5 16. Re1 f5 {was V.Trofimov-R.Sakic,
correspondence 2003.}) 11... Bb4 $5 {This is an interesting choice, which I
analysed solely to divert from Kolev and Nedev. It certainly imbalances the
game quite a bit more than their line, but it's also a bit riskier, as Black's
pawn structure will be terrible after Bxf6, leaving the kingside less
hospitable as a result.} ({Instead,} 11... Be7 {was the move recommended by
Kolev and Nedev in The Easiest Sicilian, and after} 12. Rd1 ({Kolev and Nedev
also give} 12. Bxf6 $2 Bxf6 13. Nxe4 O-O 14. Nxf6+ gxf6 15. Qd2 Rfe8+ 16. Be2
Qe7 17. Kf1 Rad8 18. Bd3 Qe5 19. Rb1 Qb5 $1 {with counterplay for Black}) 12...
Qb7 $5 13. Qa6 $1 Rb8 14. Qxb7 Rxb7 15. Bc1 O-O 16. Ba6 Rb6 17. Bc4 e3 $5 {
Black should be fine.}) 12. Bxf6 (12. Rd1 $2 Nd5 13. Bd2 Bxc3 14. Bxc3 Nxc3 15.
bxc3 Qe6 {would leave White much worse on account of his poor development and
queenside weaknesses.}) 12... gxf6 13. Rd1 ({Black also has few problems after
the more popular} 13. Qc4 {on account of the active} Rd8 $1 14. Be2 Qd2+ 15.
Kf1 {(P.McKenzie-P.Abrahamson, Dunedin 1992)} Bxc3 16. Qxc6+ Kf8 17. Qxc3 Qxc3
18. bxc3 Rc8 19. c4 Be6 {.}) 13... Qe6 14. Qa6 $1 {Black was threatening to
gobble up White's queenside with ...Qxa2, and this odd move is the best way of
meeting the threat and progressing White's position.} ({Instead, the} 14. Qc4
$6 Rb8 $1 15. a3 {of D.Murray-U.Sevdimaliev, Nakhchivan 2003, gives Black
strong counterplay after} Be7 $1 16. b4 a5 {.}) 14... O-O 15. Bc4 Qe5 16. O-O
Bxc3 (16... e3 $5 {is also worth a serious look.}) 17. bxc3 Qxc3 {Black
guzzles a pawn, but has quite a few weaknesses to deal with.} 18. Rd6 {This
was S.Orlov-J.Luksas, correspondence 2000.} ({Instead,} 18. Bb3 Qc5 {stops} 19.
Rd6 {, leaving the onus on White to prove that he can survive a pawn down (he
probably can).}) 18... Kh8 $5 {This is a devious attempt at playing on and
inducing a mistake from the first player. Black has some unusual tactical
themes involving the g-file and ...Bh3/...e3, which for me are somewhat
reminiscent of the instructive game D.Botto-L.Christiansen, Buenos Aires 1975.}
19. Rxc6 (19. Be2 Rfc8 {is an option for White, but I don't know that it's
anyone's cup of tea to hunker down here less a pawn, even with Black's
structural damage.}) 19... Bd7 $1 {Giving White a chance to hang himself.} 20.
Rc7 $1 (20. Rd6 $2 Bh3 $3 21. Rfd1 Bxg2 $1 22. Kxg2 Qf3+ 23. Kf1 e3 {is all
she wrote!}) 20... Rg8 $1 {With the subtle plan of mating White after 21...Rxg2.} 21. g3 Be6 $1 22. Rc6 (22. Bxe6 Qxc7 23. Bd5 Rae8 24. Qxf6+ Rg7 25. c4
Qe5 {gives Black some chances in a complicated ending.}) 22... Rac8 23. Rxc8
Bxc8 24. Qc6 (24. Qb5 Bh3 25. Rb1 e3 {is much better for Black.}) 24... Be6 25.
Bd5 Qxc6 26. Bxc6 f5 {. White's reward for sauntering through the minefield is
a drawn ending.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Other Knight Hops"]
[Black "B: 5 Nf3"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B33"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "26"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nf3 {The positions resulting from
5 Nf3 and 5 Nb3 are similar. Neither dramatically changes the structure, and
in both cases, Black realizes the archetypal ...Nf6, ...Bb4, and ...d5
sequence effortlessly.} Nf6 6. Nc3 ({Typical for this chapter, the tree swells
wide but not deep: Answering} 6. Bd3 {will soon become routine:} d5 $1 {(of
course)} 7. exd5 Nxd5 8. O-O Ndb4 $5 {(new, and an immediate equalizer)} 9. Re1
f6 (9... Bd6 10. Be4 $1 {is better for White, so Black should take care here})
10. Nc3 Nxd3 11. cxd3 Be7 12. Qb3 $5 {(against other moves, Black would simply
castle, so it's understandable that White tries to cause Black some problems)}
Bg4 $1 13. Qxb7 Bxf3 14. gxf3 Nd4 {with great compensation for Black.}) (6. Bg5
{is imprecise, in view of} Qa5+ $1 {(a move endorsed by Kalashnikov expert
Alex Shabalov, and looks very promising; this type of manoeuvre is always
worth considering when White plays an early Bg5)} 7. Bd2 (7. Qd2 $2 Bb4 $1 8.
c3 Nxe4 $1 9. Qe3 (9. cxb4 Nxb4 10. Qe2 Nd3+ {is a massacre}) 9... d5 $3 10.
cxb4 Nxb4 11. Kd1 Bf5 {leaves White at the mercy of Black's raging attack, and
a quick ...d4 will leave White's queen with no good squares}) 7... Qb6 {and
now White has tried a few ideas:} 8. -- (8. Bd3 Qxb2 9. Nc3 (9. Bc3 $2 Bb4 $1 {
wins}) 9... Qb6 10. Nd5 (10. O-O Be7 11. Kh1 $6 O-O 12. Ng5 $6 {was creative,
but probably just a little too imaginative in M.Fernandez Alonso-F.Iglesias
Segret, Onati 1994, as} h6 13. Nh3 d6 14. f4 Bxh3 {just looks silly to me})
10... Qd8 11. O-O (11. Bg5 $6 Be7 {sees Black threaten 12...Nxd5; instead,} 12.
Be3 $2 {was tried in I.Andrade-L.Maurino, Bratislava 1993, but of course this
hangs a second pawn to a well-known Kalashnikov tactic in} Nxd5 13. exd5 Qa5+ {
when the d-pawn hangs}) 11... Be7 {, and I find it hard to believe that White
has enough for the pawn.}) (8. Nc3 Bc5 9. Qe2 {was J.Felber-A.Shabalov, U.S.
Open 2000, and now Black should respect the threat of 10 Na4, and play} Nd4 10.
Nxd4 Bxd4 11. O-O-O O-O {with a good position. Black can look for 12...d5,
since b2 is weak.})) ({With} 6. Bc4 $6 {White makes a clear threat to the
f7-square, but unfortunately for the first player bagging the last centre pawn
is well worth the slight breeze Black's king endures. --- After} Nxe4 $1 7.
Bxf7+ (7. Qd5 Qa5+ 8. Qxa5 Nxa5 9. Nxe5 Nxc4 10. Nxc4 d5 {feels somewhere
between equal and better for Black based on the two bishops}) 7... Kxf7 8. Qd5+
Ke8 9. Qxe4 d5 $1 {(White has scored horribly from this position)} 10. Qe2 {
both} e4 $1 ({and} 10... Bg4 11. h3 Bh5 {(M.Koch-G.Struthoff, correspondence
2005)} 12. O-O e4 {offer Black a strong position with good counterplay.})) 6...
Bb4 7. Bd3 {Protecting the e-pawn straightforwardly has been the most popular,
and is probably the best.} ({Other moves mostly look dubious:} 7. Bd2 $6 {
starts some fireworks, but it's only White that gets burnt after} Bxc3 8. Bxc3
Nxe4 {and now:} 9. -- (9. Bxe5 $2 Nxe5 10. Qe2 (10. Nxe5 Qa5+ 11. c3 Qxe5 12.
Qe2 d6 {sees White down a clean piece}) 10... d5 11. Nxe5 O-O {is actually
lost for White because of the problems down the e-file, combined with the fact
that} 12. O-O-O {loses to} Qg5+ {.}) (9. Qd3 {is the second most popular move,
but White's position looks completely unplayable to me after} Nxc3 10. Qxc3 O-O
11. O-O-O d5 {of D.Georghiu-V.Kotronias, Corinth 1998.}) (9. Nxe5 Nxc3 10. Nxc6
Nxd1 11. Nxd8 Nxb2 12. Nxb7 Bxb7 13. Rb1 Bxg2 14. Bxg2 Rb8 {and Black's a
clean pawn up after he connects rooks with ...0-0.})) ({With} 7. Bc4 {White
sacrifices a pawn, reasoning that his fast development and Black's weak dark
squares will give him enough compensation. --- Now} O-O 8. O-O (8. Bg5 h6 9.
Bxf6 Bxc3+ 10. bxc3 Qxf6 11. O-O d6 {transposes to 7 Bg5 h6, below}) 8... Bxc3
9. bxc3 Nxe4 10. Ba3 (10. Re1 Nxc3 11. Qd6 Qf6 12. Ba3 Re8 13. Re3 b5 $2 14.
Bb3 a5 $1 15. Rxc3 b4 16. Rxc6 dxc6 17. Qxf6 gxf6 18. Bc1 a4 19. Bc4 {was L.Gasloli-F.Balabaev, correspondence 2007, when} Be6 20. Bxe6 fxe6 {reaches an
unbalanced endgame in which Black seems to be fine; I would probably take the
rook and pawns here, as Black central pawn mass restricts the mobility of
White's minor pieces}) 10... d6 11. Qe1 (11. Re1 Ng5 $5 12. Nxg5 Qxg5 13. Bxd6
{was A.Minasian-A.Minasian Copenhagen 1990; the battle of the brothers
probably should have concluded peacefully with} Rd8 14. Qf3 Qf6 15. Qxf6 gxf6
16. Rad1 Bf5 17. Bb3 Rd7 {when Black looks equal}) 11... Bf5 12. Bd3 $1 (12.
Rb1 Qa5 13. Nh4 {is a line given by Sveshnikov, and now} Be6 $1 14. Bxe6 fxe6
15. Qxe4 Qxa3 16. Rxb7 Qa6 17. Rc7 Rac8 18. Rxc8 Rxc8 {is unclear, although
I'd probably take Black}) 12... Ng5 $1 13. Nxg5 Qxg5 14. f4 exf4 15. Bxd6 Rfe8
16. Bxf4 Rxe1 17. Bxg5 Rxa1 18. Rxa1 Bxd3 19. cxd3 f6 {reaches an
approximately equal ending.}) (7. Bg5 h6 8. Bxf6 (8. Bh4 $2 g5 9. Bg3 Nxe4 {is
obviously losing for White}) 8... Bxc3+ $1 {a subtlety worth remembering,} (
8... Qxf6 {might be less accurate on account of} 9. Qd2) 9. bxc3 Qxf6 10. Bc4 (
{other bishop moves make less sense: for example, the} 10. Be2 O-O 11. O-O d6
12. Rb1 b6 13. Qd2 Rd8 14. Rfd1 Be6 {of H.Goossens-R.Leenaerts, correspondence
2007, which was clearly better for Black}) 10... O-O 11. O-O d6 {and Black has
all the chances due to White's doubled c-pawns. White has scored dreadfully
from this position (in my database, he's won a single game out of 31) and it's
easy to see why - Black gets to play ...b6, deploy his bishop to b7 or e6,
bring his rooks to c8/d8, and play ...Na5, exposing the weak c-pawn and
c4-square.}) 7... d5 8. exd5 (8. Bd2 $4 {has been played nearly 100 times in
my database, but loses immediately to the blatant} Bxc3 9. Bxc3 dxe4) ({while} 
8. O-O Bxc3 9. exd5 Qxd5 10. bxc3 {transposes to the main line.}) 8... Qxd5 $5
(8... Nxd5 {is also completely fine, but if the surprise weapon is just as
good, I say we blaze a trail. There are some tangible benefits to having the
knight support ...e4 for a few more moves as well, such as in the next note.})
9. O-O ({White has little choice here, as something like} 9. Bd2 $2 Bxc3 10.
Bxc3 e4 11. Bxf6 exd3 12. Bc3 (12. Bxg7 Qe4+ 13. Kf1 Rg8 14. Bc3 {isn't any
better after} dxc2 15. Qe1 Bf5) 12... Qe4+ 13. Kd2 O-O {is awful for him.})
9... Bxc3 10. bxc3 O-O 11. Ng5 $5 ({Other possibilities include:} 11. Be2 $2
Qa5 {with the plan of ...Rd8 and ...e4 is very uncomfortable for White.}) ({The
} 11. c4 Qa5 $5 12. Bd2 (12. Re1 Bg4 {isn't particularly joyful for White
either}) 12... Qc7 {of A.Haucke-S.Bromberger, Germany 1994, should be very
comfortable for Black on account of his better structure and extra central
space. The second player should have no problems finishing his development.})
11... Rd8 {. This was I.Lopez-P.Vengoechea, Barranquilla 1972, and now} 12. Qe2
Bg4 $5 13. f3 Bh5 {with the idea of ...Bg6 is fine for Black.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Other Knight Hops"]
[Black "C: 5 Nb3"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B33"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "42"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb3 Nf6 ({The disruptive} 5...
Bb4+ $5 {is the choice of C&L, with the idea of forcing a concession after} 6.
c3 (6. Bd2) ({or transposing back to our lines after} 6. Nc3 {. I'd rather
deal with 5...Nf6 6 Bg5/6 Bd3 than those other moves though, and so we'll
stick with the more conventional plan, if only to be consistent with our
choices against White's other 5th move options.})) 6. Nc3 ({Avoiding the
transposition with} 6. Bg5 {is possible once more, though the standard and
obvious} h6 {is all Black needs to ensure good chances:} 7. Bxf6 Qxf6 8. Bc4 ({
the wacky} 8. a3 $5 {has been tried a few times, when I'd recommend the} Qg6 9.
Nc3 Be7 10. g3 d6 11. Bg2 O-O 12. Qd3 Be6 13. Nd5 {of C.Panadero Esperalta-J.Gonzalves Perales, Cullera 2005, and now the standard} Bd8 {seems about equal
for Black: for example,} 14. O-O h5 $5 15. Nd2 h4 {, with ...Ne7 and a later ...Bb6 to follow}) 8... Qg6 9. Qf3 Bb4+ $5 {(Black makes sure that White has to
work to put a knight on d5)} 10. c3 (10. N1d2 O-O {likely transposes to the
main game after} 11. c3 {, since White can't avoid this move for long}) 10...
Be7 11. N1d2 {with equality, as White has very little in the positions
resulting after something like} O-O 12. Nf1 {(M.Campini-F.Agnelli, Bratto 2005)
} d6 13. Ne3 Be6 {. Black has ...Bg5 soon, and White's pieces on b3 and f3 are
somewhat misplaced.}) (6. Bd3 $6 {is another way to avoid putting a knight on
c3, but the} d5 7. exd5 Nxd5 8. O-O Ndb4 {of J.Gutierrez Dopino-R.Heinke,
correspondence 2005, seems preferable for the second player. White's only way
to avoid giving the two bishops and better pawn structure to Black is
sacrificing a pawn with} 9. Be4 Qxd1 10. Rxd1 f5 11. a3 (11. Bxc6+ Nxc6 {is
way too compliant}) 11... fxe4 12. axb4 Nxb4 13. Be3 a6 {, which seems
slightly better for Black as well.}) 6... Bb4 7. Bd3 ({White has tried nearly
every way to protect the e-pawn (or beneficially hang it):} 7. Bg5 h6 8. Bxf6 (
8. Bh4 $2 g5 9. Bg3 Nxe4 {is, as usual, just awful for White}) 8... Bxc3+ {
(not necessary at this juncture, but I like to sneak in the structural damage
before White has time for Qd2/d3)} 9. bxc3 Qxf6 {(this position is identical
to 5 Nf3 Nf6 6 Nc3 Bb4 7 Bg5 except that White's knight is on b3 instead of f3;
again, Black has good chances for an advantage based on White's doubled
c-pawns along the open file)} 10. Bc4 {this is the most pointed and logical
deployment of the bishop,} ({but other squares are possible, even if they're
not as good: for instance,} 10. Be2 O-O 11. O-O d6 12. Qd2 Qg6 13. Qe3 {and
now I like cracking open the centre with} f5 $5 {,} ({though playing it cool
with} 13... Be6 14. Rad1 Rfd8 15. f4 exf4 16. Rxf4 Rac8 {, with the idea of
ganging up on c3 via ...Qg5-e5, seems great for Black too})) 10... O-O 11. O-O
Ne7 {was M.Savalle-E.Richard, French League 2007, and now something like} 12.
Qd2 d6 13. Rad1 Rd8 14. f4 Be6 {looks about equal. Black is ready to mobilize
against c3 soon, and the e5-square is a fine outpost for a knight.}) (7. Bc4 {
sees White gambit away the e-pawn with} O-O 8. O-O Bxc3 9. bxc3 Nxe4 10. Ba3 d6
{. Following} 11. Qd3 ({or} 11. Qe1 Nf6 12. Rd1 Ne8 13. f4 Qb6+ 14. Kh1 Bf5 15.
Bxd6 Nxd6 16. Rxd6 {and now instead of C&L's} Qc7 ({I'd prefer the greedy} 
16... exf4 17. Rxf4 Qc7 18. Qd2 Rad8 $1 {with a much better position for Black
on account of White's weak queenside pawns})) 11... Nf6 12. Rad1 {, I like} Bg4
$1 13. Rd2 (13. f3 $6 Qb6+ 14. Kh1 e4 $1 15. Qxd6 exf3 {is the point, when
White adds his kingside to the list of weaknesses}) 13... Qb6 {, intending ...Rfd8 and ...d5. White should probably dive in with} 14. Bxd6 {, though after} (
{not} 14. Qxd6 $4 Ne4) 14... Rfd8 {, it's possible that White's best way to
dodge the threatened ...Ne7-c8 still leaves him somewhat worse after} 15. h3
Bh5 16. Qf5 Bg6 17. Qf3 Rd7 18. Bc5 Qc7 {.}) 7... d5 8. exd5 Nxd5 9. Bd2 ({The
gambit with} 9. O-O {is an interesting practical choice, though likely unsound
after} Nxc3 10. bxc3 Bxc3 11. Ba3 (11. Rb1 {seems less spirited and perhaps
too compliant, allowing} O-O {, when both} 12. Nc5 ({and} 12. Qh5 g6 13. Qf3
Bb4) 12... Nb4 $1 13. Qf3 Nxd3 14. cxd3 Qa5 {seem slightly better for Black,
though still tough and unclear}) 11... Bxa1 12. Qxa1 {: for example,} Qc7 13.
Re1 (13. Rb1 b6 14. Qc3 Bb7 15. Bf5 g6 16. Bh3 {was M.Crepan-E.Sveshnikov,
Slovenian League 2003, and now} f5 {followed by 17...0-0-0 or 17...Kf7 would
have left White dead lost}) 13... f6 14. Qc3 (14. f4 Bd7 15. fxe5 Nxe5 16. Qd4
{is nothing, since} O-O-O $1 17. Qxa7 Rhe8 18. Rc1 Ng4 19. g3 Qe5 {is awful
for White}) 14... Bd7 15. Be4 O-O-O {, and Black was much better in M.Crepan-B.Podleznik, Grize 2001.}) 9... Nxc3 10. bxc3 ({Hacking off more wood with} 10.
Bxc3 Bxc3+ 11. bxc3 {helps Black, as White's structural weakness become more
pronounced as White's dynamism decreases. After} O-O 12. O-O Qe7 13. Qe2 Be6 {
followed by ...Rac8 and ...Rfd8 I'd rather be Black.}) 10... Be7 (10... Bd6 $5
{is preferred by Kolev and Nedev, and is also quite good.}) 11. O-O O-O 12. f4
({White has a wide array of choices here, and has tried most of them in
practice:} 12. Qh5 {sees White provoke a 'weakness' in Black's kingside,
though the move almost seems helpful, and White's forces are poorly placed to
capitalize on the resulting dark-square weaknesses anyway. --- After} g6 (12...
f5 13. Bc4+ Kh8 14. Rad1 Qe8 {has also proven to be very favourable for Black
in practice,} ({though I'd much prefer to keep the fight alive with} 14... Bd7)
({or} 14... Qc7 {, which may be stronger objectively anyway})) 13. Qe2 Be6 {,
White's practical results have been poor. A few examples:} 14. -- (14. f4 exf4
15. Bxf4 Rc8 16. Rad1 Bg5 $1 {is quite a bit better for Black.}) (14. Rad1 Qc7
15. Bh6 Rfe8 16. Bb5 a6 (16... Red8 {also looks better for Black}) 17. Bxc6
bxc6 18. h3 a5 $1 19. Qe3 $6 (19. a4 f6 20. Be3 c5 21. c4 Qc6 {is probably
better, but still worse for White on account of his horrible queenside pawns})
19... Rad8 20. f4 a4 21. Nc1 exf4 22. Bxf4 Qa5 {was I.Michopoulou-S.Kapnisis,
Panepistimiada 2004. The two bishops and White's queenside pawn weaknesses
give Black a serious edge after his dark-squared bishop finds a home on the
long diagonal. White might already be lost!})) (12. Re1 Qc7 13. Re3 $6 {this
is speculative,} ({but} 13. Qh5 {is the main alternative and after} g6 14. Qe2
Be6 {, the positions will be near identical to those after 12 Qh5}) 13... Be6
14. Qe2 Rad8 15. Rg3 f5 $1 {(White can't even think of a kingside attack when
Black's central control is overwhelming)} 16. Bh6 Bf6 17. Bc4 $2 {was K.Videboek-H.Vestergaard, Copenhagen 2007, when} Nd4 $1 18. Bxe6+ Nxe6 19. Bd2 {
(...f4 threatened to entomb the bishop forever)} e4 20. Rd1 Rf7 {is simply
awful for White. Black can double up on the d-file and play ...Be5, both
manoeuvres illustrating the silliness of White's rook on g3. Black's
positional advantage is already insufferable for the first player.}) (12. Qe2
f5 13. f3 (13. Bc4+ Kh8 14. Rad1 Qc7 15. Rfe1 Bd7 16. Bd5 Rad8 17. c4 Be8 {
might be close to White's best, with equality}) 13... Qc7 14. Rfe1 {was A.Semsiji-H.Cajzler, Eretria 2005, and now} Be6 15. Rad1 Rad8 16. Kh1 Bf7 {seems
slightly better for Black on account of his central space advantage.}) 12... f5
13. fxe5 Nxe5 14. Qe2 (14. Bf4 {is also possible, though just as in the main
line, White suffers on account of Black's light-square bind: for example,} Nxd3
15. cxd3 Bf6 16. d4 Be6 17. Rc1 Bc4 18. Re1 Re8 19. Qf3 Qd5 {, F.Bayramov-D.Agaragimov, Baku 2001.}) 14... Nxd3 15. cxd3 b6 $5 16. Bf4 Bf6 17. d4 Re8 (
17... Bb7 18. Be5 Bxe5 19. Qxe5 Qg5 {followed by ...Rae8 is also clearly
better for Black.}) 18. Qf3 Ba6 19. Rfe1 g6 20. Re3 Rxe3 21. Qxe3 Qd5 {. We've
followed M.Queirolo-R.Araya, Santiago 1994. Black is much better. The two
bishops will be strong, especially the one that's soon to land on b7. White's
knight requires relocation, and it's likely that Black's rook will find a
great home on c8, exposing White's weak c-pawn. Expanding on the kingside with
...g5 and ...f4 is even possible if White's not careful.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Other Knight Hops"]
[Black "D: 5 Ne2"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B33"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "28"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Ne2 $5 {This is an interesting
attempt from White, aiming to put the knight on g3, forever sniping at that
juicy f5 outpost.} Nf6 6. Nbc3 ({Other moves are a bit loose:} 6. Ng3 d5 $1 7.
exd5 Nxd5 (7... Qxd5 {is also quite good}) 8. Bc4 Be6 9. O-O Be7 10. Qe2 Qc7 {
is probably slightly better for Black due to his small lead in development and
extra space/centre pawn.}) (6. Bg5 $2 {is a blunder on account of the thematic}
Qa5+ 7. Bd2 Qb6 {when ...Qxb2, ...Nxe4, and ...Bc5 are all grave threats.})
6... Bc5 {Now that the knight on c3 has back up, it makes little sense to play
...Bb4. After White's clunky fifth move, it's logical to send Black's bishop
to a more aggressive post anyway.} 7. Ng3 {The most consistent and natural,} ({
though a few others tries have been trotted out:} 7. Be3 $5 {has been tried by
Ian Rogers, but doesn't seem dangerous after straightforward play by Black:}
Bxe3 8. fxe3 O-O 9. Qd2 d6 10. O-O-O (10. Ng3 Be6 {is likely better, but Black
has ideas of ...Qb6 or ...d5 even here, and seems equal}) 10... Be6 $1 {, and
now if White grabs the d6-pawn, he ends up in a bit of trouble, as shown by}
11. Qxd6 $2 Qb6 12. Qd2 (12. Kb1 Nxe4 $1 13. Nxe4 Rad8 {is bone crunching})
12... Rad8 13. Qe1 Qxe3+ 14. Kb1 Nxe4 {, and White's getting crushed.}) (7. f3
{has been played about 15 times in my database, but you'd have to be nuts to
want to play the position after} Qb6 8. Qd2 Bf2+ 9. Kd1 O-O {.}) 7... d6 8. Be2
{This is by far the most frequent,} ({but White has a lot of approaches here:} 
8. Bc4 $6 {looks more principled and consistent with White's light-square
strategy, but runs into some trouble after} Ng4 $1 {. --- Kolev and Nedev give
some pretty lines:} 9. Rf1 O-O 10. h3 Be6 $1 11. Nd5 ({or} 11. Bxe6 $2 Bxf2+ $1
12. Rxf2 Nxf2 13. Kxf2 Qb6+ 14. Ke2 fxe6 15. Qe1 {, and now I like} Rac8 ({a
bit more than Kolev and Nedev's} 15... d5 {; I think ...Na5-c4 is probably
more than White's position can take})) 11... Nf6 12. Bg5 $2 ({if} 12. c3 h6 {
with an unclear position in which Black should have slightly the better
chances; White needs to find a place to put his king, and the queenside
probably won't be particularly safe either}) 12... Nxd5 $3 {(I admit this
isn't theoretically relevant, but I couldn't resist a diagram for such a gem)}
13. Bxd8 Bb4+ 14. Ke2 (14. c3 $2 Nxc3 $1 15. bxc3 Bxc3+ 16. Ke2 Bxc4+ 17. Kf3
Bxa1 {is probably losing for White; Black gets too much material for his queen}
) 14... Nd4+ 15. Qxd4 Nf4+ 16. Kf3 exd4 17. Bb3 Ng6 18. Bg5 h6 {with a clear
advantage to Black after ...Nh4xg2.}) (8. Bg5 {doesn't work out particularly
well on account of} Qb6 $1 9. Qd2 Ng4 10. O-O-O Bd4 {. Black has some nagging
pressure against b2 and f2, and should be somewhat better.}) (8. Na4 $5 {has
been played infrequently, but might be one of White's best attempts. Black has
options though:} -- (8... Bb4+ 9. c3 Ba5 10. Be2 O-O (10... Nd4 $5 11. b4 Nxe2
12. Qxe2 Bc7 {is also worth investigation}) 11. O-O a6 (11... h6 $5 {looks
reasonable as well}) 12. b4 Bc7 13. a3 {was K.Chernyshov-P.Piscopo, Pardubice
2009, when} Be6 (13... Bd7) ({and the game's} 13... b5 $5 {all yield complex
positions for both sides. Black is looking for ...d5, perhaps stopping c4
first with ...b5. Care must be taken however, as a pawn on b5 is a hook for a4
jabs from White.})) (8... Bg4 $5 9. f3 Be6 10. c3 (10. Nxc5 Qa5+) 10... O-O 11.
Nxc5 dxc5 12. Qxd8 Rfxd8 13. Be3 b6 14. Be2 Ne8 {is very similar to 8...Be6
below.}) (8... Be6 9. c3 O-O 10. Nxc5 dxc5 11. Qxd8 Rfxd8 12. Be3 b6 {looks
approximately equal to me. White will likely play f3, Kf2, and Be2 followed by
challenging Black on the d-file: for example,} 13. Be2 Rd7 14. f3 Ne8 15. Kf2
f6 16. Rhd1 Rad8 17. Rxd7 Rxd7 18. b3 Kf7 19. Rd1 Rxd1 20. Bxd1 Nd6 {with
approximate equality. Black should keep in mind ...g6, as well as the option
to undermine White's control over the d4-square with ...b5-b4.})) 8... h6 $5 {
Not very popular, but the idea is sound and scores quite well. Black leaves
White's dark-squared bishop without a good home.} ({Instead,} 8... Nd4 $5 9.
Bg5 Ne6 {is Kolev and Nedev's preference, but Black has to be willing to play
the positions after} 10. Bb5+ {, which are theoretically fine, but may not be
to everyone's taste.}) ({Note that} 8... O-O 9. O-O h6 {transposes, but if
you're going to play ...h6 anyway, it's probably more precise to do it right
away.}) 9. O-O O-O ({Some players have preferred to save the bishop with} 9...
a6 $5 {, which also seems very reasonable. The drawback is that now White will
usually arrive a tempo ahead on our main line with} 10. Nd5 {, the point being
that ...a6 isn't particularly useful in those positions. Black frequently
prefers the pawn on a5 in these structures to slow down the b4 and c5 plan
anyway. Play might continue} Nxd5 11. exd5 Ne7 {and now:} 12. -- (12. Be3 {was
tried in F.Blondel-A.Gonzalez Melo, correspondence 2009. A position and
structure typical of this variation was reached after} Bxe3 13. fxe3 Qb6 14.
Qd3 O-O 15. b3 Bd7 16. c4 f5 {, but Blondel was slowly outmanoeuvred after} 17.
Kh1 a5 $1 {(this mostly puts an end to White's ambitions on the queenside
involving b4 and c5)} 18. Rab1 g6 19. Qd2 h5 $1 {(threatening to trap the
knight with ...h4 - Black's space in the centre and on the kingside is the
most relevant feature here; White has little in the way of active play)} 20.
Bd3 Qb4 21. Qf2 Kg7 22. Rbd1 a4 $1 {when Black had the initiative on both
sides of the board.}) (12. c4 O-O 13. Be3 b6 $1 {I like this approach better
now,} ({as} 13... Bxe3 14. fxe3 Qb6 15. Qd2 f5 16. b4 {compares poorly; White
hasn't wasted a tempo on b3, and thus Black has no time for ...a5}) 14. Qd2 {
, and Black can try and seal up the queenside with} a5 $1 {,} ({as} 14... f5
15. Bxc5 bxc5 16. b4 {might give White an edge due to his initiative on the
queenside.}) ({After} 14... a5 {, 15...f5 will generally follow, but if} 15.
Ne4 {then} Bb4 {followed by ...f5 will yield a solid position for Black.})))
10. Na4 {This is critical now that Black hasn't spent a tempo on 9...a6.} ({
Correspondingly, now that Black hasn't wasted this tempo,} 10. Nd5 {isn't as
challenging as in the previous note: for example,} Nxd5 11. exd5 (11. Qxd5 Nd4
$1 {is very dangerous for White}) 11... Ne7 12. c4 f5 ({the gambit} 12... b5 $5
{is also worth considering, with the idea of} 13. cxb5 Bb7 14. Bc4 a6 15. bxa6
Bxa6 16. Bxa6 Rxa6 {, with ...Qa8 coming next}) 13. Be3 b6 {with a better
version of 9...a6 and 12 c4 above, since Black has a pawn on f5 instead of a6.}
) ({The only game to reach this position, B.Dubansky-Z.Skala, Czech League
1995, continued} 10. Kh1 $5 {(obviously planning f4 soon)} Nd4 {logical,} ({but
} 10... Be6 {also deserves attention}) 11. Na4 Bd7 ({I might prefer} 11... Qc7
12. c3 Nxe2 13. Qxe2 Be6 {, after which Black's pieces look slightly more
harmonious}) 12. Nxc5 dxc5 13. c3 Nxe2 14. Qxe2 {. After} Qc7 {, the position
was roughly equal, though let's be honest, not particularly exciting.}) 10...
Nd4 {This seems prudent, as c3 is on the cards. It won't be easy for Black to
find a home for the knight on c6 in the future with b4 and d4 not available.} (
{Instead,} 10... Be6 11. Nxc5 dxc5 12. Qxd8 Rfxd8 13. c3 {is also possible and
solid for the second player, but again, where does that knight on c6 belong?})
11. Nxc5 dxc5 12. c3 Nxe2+ 13. Qxe2 Be6 14. Be3 Qc7 {. Black has reached a
solid and approximately equal position, albeit one with scant winning
prospects for either player. Chances are good that all of the heavy pieces
trade off along the d-file, with a long but dreary endgame struggle ahead if
either player isn't satisfied with a half point.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Other Knight Hops"]
[Black "E: 5 Nxc6"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B33"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "32"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nxc6 {The capture on c6 is an
interesting but somewhat conflicted way to approach the position after 4...e5.
White makes a move that in a way totally solves Black's opening problems. He
completely ignores the salient positional features present (the d5 and d6
weakness), and eschews the lengthy manoeuvre of the king's knight (d4-b5-a3-c2/c4), instead preferring rapid, active development. As such, in most lines the
first player strives to restrain Black's ...d5 ambitions with piece control,
frequently offering the e-pawn in the process. --- For those of you who
remember (or even read - go do it!) the Introduction, this variation was also
the setting of one of the most beautiful games in chess history, A.McDonnell-L.de La Bourdonnais, London 1834.} bxc6 6. Bc4 {This is the main move, taking up
an active position whilst stopping ...d5, all the while avoiding the thematic 
(and annoying) ...Bb4 pin.} ({There are of course other tries as well:} 6. Nc3
Nf6 {should transpose to 6 Bc4 after} 7. Bc4 {,} ({since the other natural try,
} 7. Bg5 {, is dubious after} Rb8 $1 8. Rb1 h6 $1 {(do note that Black has
scored 13/13 from this position in my database) with the following options:} 9.
-- ({. In the stem game, White tried} 9. Bd2 d5 $1 10. Bd3 Be6 11. b3 $6 Bb4
12. Qe2 $2 Qa5 13. exd5 cxd5 14. Qxe5 $2 {, but after} (14. Nd1 {was the only
try, but loses a pawn after the simple} Bxd2+ 15. Qxd2 Qxa2 16. Nc3 Qa5) 14...
Rc8 $1 {Goliath crushed David in J.Stephane-M.Pein, Uzes 1989.}) (9. Bh4 $2 Qa5
$1 {and White's totally lost already, since after} 10. Bxf6 (10. Qd2 Bb4 {
quietly wins the house as well}) 10... Rxb2 $1 {White's position disintegrates
on the dark squares.}) (9. Bxf6 Qxf6 10. Bc4 Bc5 11. O-O O-O 12. Qd3 Rd8 {
might be the best way out for White, but Black looks a smidge better here as
well.}))) (6. c4 {, trying to stop ...d5 permanently, is probably a bit
dubious. --- It's slow, further fortifies Black's grip on the dark squares,
and imprisons the otherwise active light-squared bishop on the d3-square. After
} Nf6 {, White will usually avoid ...Bb4 for a move with} (6... Qh4 $5 {piques
my interest as a 'Dangerous Weapon' as well}) 7. Bd3 {, but we're comfortable
putting our bishop on c5, so we shouldn't care any way. Play normally continues
} Bc5 8. O-O O-O (8... h6 $5 {is logical and has scored well in practice too})
9. Nc3 {when} Rb8 {forces White to decide what to do about the b-pawn before
his dark-squared bishop can leave home. He has a few reasonable options:} 10.
-- (10. b3 Bd4 11. Bd2 d5 {leaves Black with a fine position. Interesting
fireworks may break out if the second player so wishes: for instance,} 12. cxd5
cxd5 13. Rc1 Ng4 $5 14. h3 Nxf2 15. Rxf2 f5 $5 16. exd5 e4 17. Bc4 e3 {, with
a complete mess.}) (10. Bg5 h6 $1 (10... Rxb2 $2 11. Na4 Bxf2+ 12. Kh1 Bd4 13.
Nxb2 {leaves Black hog-tied and worse}) 11. Bh4 d6 12. Rb1 {(White actually
has to protect b2 now, since Na4 is no longer a real threat)} g5 13. Bg3 Be6
14. h3 Bd4 $1 15. Qc2 Nh5 $1 {sees Black carry out the typical clamp on the
dark-squares (a logical plan given White's 6th), with a very comfortable plus.}
) (10. Rb1 d6 {and now perhaps White needs to find a different plan besides}
11. Bg5 {, since} h6 12. Bh4 g5 13. Bg3 Be6 {looks promising:} 14. h3 Bd4 $1
15. Qc2 ({or} 15. Qe2 Qa5 {when Black can up the pressure with ...Qb4 or ...Qc5
}) 15... Nh5 $1 {(again the plan of ...Nh5-f4 with ...Qf6)} 16. Ne2 Bc5 17. b3
Nf4 18. Rbd1 Qf6 {with good kingside chances for Black.})) (6. Bd3 Nf6 7. O-O
Bc5 {will be like most other lines analysed, except that White's light-squared
bishop is poorly placed, allowing an easy ...d5 break when Black finishes his
development.}) 6... Nf6 7. Nc3 (7. Bg5 {is again poorly timed. White has no
choice but to give up his dark-squared bishop, and will struggle against
Black's extra centre pawn, the open b-file, and the two bishops. Play continues
} h6 8. Bxf6 (8. Bh4 $6 g5 9. Bg3 Nxe4 10. Bxe5 Qe7 11. Qd4 f6 12. Qxe4 Qxe5
13. Qxe5+ fxe5 {is almost entirely forced, and Black should still be better
here on account of all the positional factors mentioned in the notes to move 7}
) 8... Qxf6 9. O-O {when an easy and effective plan for Black is to develop
and angle for the aggressive ...f5/...d5 breaks. After} Bc5 10. Nd2 O-O 11. Qf3
Qg6 12. Nb3 Bb6 {Black is well on his way to achieving ...f5 after a later ...Kh8.}) ({Instead,} 7. O-O {will lead to very similar positions to the ones
already discussed: for instance,} Bc5 ({here Kasparov also briefly mentions} 
7... Be7 $1 {(his screamer not mine - I'm somehow choosing a variation that's
even more active than Kasparov's preference; a small victory!)} 8. Nc3 O-O 9.
Qd3 d6 {as being satisfactory for both sides}) 8. Nc3 O-O 9. Bg5 h6 10. Bh4 Bd4
$5 {transposes to Nordquist-Kochetkov below.}) 7... Bc5 $5 {The third most
popular choice, but I like this move quite a bit on general principles alone,
and analysis seems to show it's very promising. White's dark-squared bishop
really has no choice but to head to g5, and whether it trades on f6 or sits
sequestered on g3 after ...h6 and ...g5, Black's bishop has free reign on the
vast majority of White's weak dark squares. This move also keeps the b-file
clear, and introduces the subtle plan of recapturing control of the d5-square
via ...Bd4, blocking the White queen's protection of this square while
X-raying White's weak queenside.} ({The main line is} 7... Bb4 8. O-O O-O ({
both Sveshnikov and Kolev/Nedev prefer} 8... h6) 9. Bg5 h6 10. Bh4 {, when
Black has a choice between breaking the pin with} Be7 ({or tolerating it for a
bit with} 10... d6 {.})) 8. O-O (8. Bg5 h6 9. Bh4 Bd4 $5 {is very likely to
transpose to something considered under the main line after} 10. O-O {.}) 8...
O-O 9. Bg5 (9. Qd3 Bd4 {would probably transpose back to the main game after}
10. Bg5 ({but White can try other moves, forgetting that ...Bd4 also makes it
easy to play ...d5: for example,} 10. Ne2 Bb6 11. Bg5 h6 12. Bh4 g5 13. Bg3 d5
14. exd5 cxd5 15. Bb3 e4 {, and I'd definitely take Black}) (10. Be3 $6 d5 $1
11. exd5 cxd5 12. Bb3 Bxc3 $1 13. bxc3 a5 $1 14. Rfd1 Ba6 15. Qd2 Qc7 $1 {is
uncomfortable for White based on} 16. Bxd5 Rad8 {.})) 9... h6 10. Bh4 Bd4 $5 {
Those who've read the notes are familiar with this manoeuvre already. Those
who haven't - for shame.} 11. Na4 $5 {This is a silicon suggestion, planning
to deal with the invader on d4 with c3. Great idea in theory, however, it's
quite easy for Black to deal with the threat, and after that one might ask
whether or not a4 is the best place for White to have parked his steed.} ({
Others include: In the stem game, J.Nordquist-G.Kochetkov, Stockholm 1995,
White blundered immediately with} 11. Ne2 $2 {and found himself much worse
after the not so tough} Bxb2 12. Rb1 Ba3 13. f4 Be7 $1 {, since} 14. fxe5 Ng4 {
regains the e5-pawn with an uphill (read mountain) climb for White.}) ({Normal
is} 11. Qf3 {. Following} g5 12. Bg3 Rb8 13. Bb3 d6 14. h3 Qe7 {we see what
Black is after; White's pieces are mostly ineffectual, staring back at the
large black centre. Black needs only a few daft moves from White to start a
nasty kingside initiative with ...h5-h4 and/or ...g4. White has no good way to
get rid of that annoying dark-squared bishop and as such, might have a hard
time coming up with a constructive plan. Perhaps} 15. Nd1 {, with c3 and Ne3
is best, but what after that?}) (11. Qd3 Rb8 12. Bb3 g5 13. Bg3 Qe7 $1 {(Black
doesn't concede a weakness on d6 yet when White has the option to quickly
double on the d-file - he can play ...Rd8 first)} 14. Rad1 a5 15. Na4 Rd8 16.
c3 Ba7 {is similar to all of the other positions we've seen so far -
imminently playable for Black.}) 11... a5 {An obvious rebuttal to White's plan
of 12 c3 Bb6 13 Nxb6.} 12. c3 Ba7 13. Qe2 (13. Qd3 $6 {looks natural, but
allows Black's centre to unleash all its potential energy after} g5 14. Bg3 d5
$1 15. exd5 (15. Bxe5 $2 Ng4 {wins for Black}) 15... e4 $1 16. Qc2 cxd5 17. Bb5
Nh5 {, when Black has 'sprung' into a better position.}) 13... g5 14. Bg3 d5
15. exd5 cxd5 16. Bb5 e4 {. Similar to 13 Qd3, Black should be fine. Though
this position is obviously a bit sharper and more double-edged than most after
7...Bc5, so be alert.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Key Takeaways 8"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "9"]
[SourceDate "2015.03.04"]

{1. As stated in the opening paragraph of this chapter, all of the variations
covered within have one thing in common - none of them force ...d6 and as such,
all of them allow ...Bb4 or ...Bc5. This is a huge deal - a detail big enough
to allow Black ...d5 in one go a significant portion of the time. --- 2.
Against 5 Nf3 and 5 Nb3, Black has the straightforward plan of 5...Nf6 6 Nc3
Bb4 7 Bd3 d5, ensuring very good play. Long term, the resulting doubled
c-pawns structure favours Black, who's scored wonderfully in practice. --- 3.
5 Nf5 practically forces either 5...d5 or our choice of 5...Nf6 6 Nc3 d5,
since 5...d6 6 Ne3 followed by moves like Nc3 and Bc4 is too accommodating to
White. Play is sharp, but careful study of the variation with 11...Bb4 should
yield good practical results. --- 4. 5 Ne2!? looks unusual and is a little
awkward, but it's just as good as any other line in this chapter and deserves
respect. Since 5...Nf6 6 Nbc3 (other moves are dubious) 6...Bb4 makes less
sense with a knight on e2, Black generally prefers the active 6...Bc5. After 7
Ng3 d6 8 Be2 my recommendation is the prophylactic 8...h6!?, though both 8...Nd4 and 8...0-0 are also fully playable. It's worth remembering that
frequently Black's best is to play ...Nd4xe2 if allowed. If White tries Na4
and c3, the knight on c6 frequently lacks an active outpost. Play in this
variation is somewhat sterile with precise play from both sides, but
occasionally this is simply unavoidable without risk when playing second. ---
5. Lastly, after 5 Nxc6 active, sharp play ensues. It's hard to make
generalizations, but it's worth remembering that the recommendation is (as
with 5 Ne2) 7...Bc5, instead of 7...Bb4. This allows a later ...Bd4, and in
some cases (after Bg5), active play on the dark squares after ...h6/...g5
paired with ...Nh5 and ...Qf6.} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. --
(5. Nf5 {- A}) (5. Nf3 {- B}) (5. Nb3 {- C}) (5. Ne2 {- D}) (5. Nxc6 {- E}) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "9: Anti-Kalashnikov – 3 Nc3"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B30"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "11"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 $5 {Ah yes, the bane of all Kalashnikov players.
White sometimes delays 3 d4 in favour of this flexible move to confuse Black
or to negate certain options, the Kalashnikov being the only one we care about
here. The problem is that normal moves like 3...d6, 3...e6, 3...g6, and 3...Nf6 (the choice if you also have the Sveshnikov in your repertoire) are met by
4 d4, when we're out of our repertoire. Thus Black is reduced to the ugly
looking 3...e5 or 3...Nd4. --- Giving in with 3...d6 is an idea suggested to
me by the ever-wise John Emms, the idea being that 4 d4 cxd4 5 Nxd4 e5 is
Kalashnikov-like in nature, with a direct transposition being possible after 6
Ndb5 a6. However, I believe Black has made too big of a concession in playing ...d6 this early, as all other white knight moves leave Black unable to play
our preferred and logical ...Bb4 or ...Bc5. --- While we're here, an
administrative aside - the similar position occurring after 2 Ne2!? e5 3 Nbc3
or 2 Nc3 Nc6 3 Nge2 is covered in the final chapter under 2 Ne2.} e5 ({This
move looks superior to} 3... Nd4 {, as at the very least it grabs a hold of
the centre and gets on with Black's development. On the other hand, 3...Nd4
just looks like a way to avoid move order issues, and not much else.}) 4. Bc4 {
White has two typical plans here - the first being a slow positional squeeze,
clinching down on the critically weak d5-square using the Nf1-e3 manoeuvre.
The second is an all-out assault via 0-0, Ng5, and f4. Black generally seeks
to develop, castle, and play on the dark squares with ...Bg4, ...Nd4, and
similar dark-squared bishop exchange options that you've already seen thus far:
...exf4, ...Nh5, and ...Bg5 type manoeuvres.} ({The text is ridiculously
intuitive and obvious, but White has tried a few others here as well: It's not
clear to me why White would ever want to play} 4. Bb5 $5 {, totally neglecting
the fact the d5 hole is big enough to fall in to. --- Taking on c6 makes very
little sense, implying that White will probably lose time putting his bishop
back on the a2-g8 diagonal at some point. Morozevich was brave enough to try
it out once against Kramnik, lost, and hasn't repeated it since. Their duel in
2000 continued} d6 5. O-O Nf6 6. d3 Be7 7. h3 O-O 8. Bc4 {(White admits fault)}
h6 9. a3 Re8 $5 {(Black frees f8 for the bishops in the event of 10 Nd5)} 10.
Nh2 $5 {(a common idea in positions with a hole on d5; after Bg5xf6 or Nd5xf6,
White can quickly follow up with Ng4-e3, replacing the knight on d5)} Be6 11.
Nd5 Bf8 12. Nxf6+ Qxf6 13. Ng4 Qg6 14. Bxe6 fxe6 15. c3 Rad8 {, with a
harmonious position for Black that Kramnik typically converted.}) (4. g3 $5 Nf6
5. Bg2 Be7 6. O-O d6 7. d3 {transposes to a King's Indian Attack where White
has placed his knight on c3 instead of d2. Yes, White has better control of d5,
but he loses the option of c3 and d4, as well as the common Re1 and Nf1-h2-g4
plans that he normally mechanically plays in these positions. --- Play might
continue} O-O 8. h3 Rb8 9. a4 {, as in E.Prevot-C.Strugnell, French League
2005, and now the natural} Be6 {should be fine for Black. He can play d5 quite
soon if he'd like, but can also prepare it with moves like ...h6, ...Re8, ...Bf8, and so on. Note that} 10. Bg5 {can be met with} Ne8 $1 {, offering the
trade of dark-squared bishops (White's good for Black's bad), and maybe even
manoeuvring the knight to c7, where it eyes d5 and prepares to gain space on
the queenside with ...b5.}) 4... Be7 ({Note that} 4... Nf6 $6 5. Ng5 {would be
embarrassing, but at this point in a book about the Kalashnikov, readers
should at ease with the theme of delaying the development of the king's knight
for extra flexibility.}) 5. d3 (5. O-O {will very likely transpose to lines
covered via} d6 6. d3 {.}) 5... d6 $1 (5... Nf6 {is possible as well, with} 6.
Nd2 ({and} 6. Ng5 {again being the main moves, but 5...d6 is probably more
precise.})) 6. -- {Readers can thank successful author and analyst Nikos
Ntirlis for this subtlety, as it's one I hadn't noticed in the first revision
of this chapter. --- White has:} ({A:} 6. Nd2) ({B:} 6. O-O) ({This move order
will usually transpose to the standard 6 Ng5 lines after} 6. O-O Nf6 7. Ng5 O-O
{, and so forth, Black gets to exchange off his bad dark-squared bishop, an
option not afforded to him by 5...Nf6.}) (6. h3 Nf6 {will be covered via 6 0-0
Nf6 7 h3}) ({but} 6. Nd5 $5 {is an interesting alternative. --- White has a
few different options after} Nf6 {:} 7. -- (7. O-O {is very likely to
transpose to one of White's other 7th move tries below.}) (7. Nxe7 Qxe7 8. c3
O-O 9. Bg5 h6 10. Bh4 a6 11. O-O Be6 12. Bxe6 Qxe6 {was level in M.Bartel-M.Carlsen, German League 2008, though Carlsen somehow managed to pull off a win.}
) (7. Ne3 $5 {avoids exchanges and has scored relatively well, but I'm not
sure it's got any facets to it that make it better than White's other
possibilities. V.Topalov-T.Radjabov, Nice (rapid) 2009, continued} O-O 8. c3
Rb8 9. a4 Ng4 $5 {this seems like an obvious draw offer from the Azeri
super-GM,} ({as} 9... Be6 {followed by 10...d5 is very natural and good; I
don't see any reason to play anything else here}) 10. O-O (10. Nd5 Nf6 {is
what Radjabov was hoping for}) 10... Nxe3 11. Bxe3 Kh8 $5 12. d4 (12. b4 $5 {
should probably give White a small advantage}) 12... exd4 13. cxd4 Bg4 (13...
f5 $5 {seems good here, as} 14. exf5 Bxf5 15. dxc5 dxc5 16. Bf4 Qxd1 17. Raxd1
Rbd8 {won't lead to much of anything for White}) 14. dxc5 dxc5 15. Qxd8 Rbxd8
16. Bd5 Nb4 17. Bxb7 Bxf3 18. gxf3 Rd7 {, with an approximately level position
that was eventually drawn.}) (7. c3 O-O 8. O-O Nxd5 (8... Be6 {is also fine,
but likely commits Black to giving up his bishop at some point with ...Bxd5,
which is probably not necessary here}) 9. Bxd5 Be6 (9... Bf6 {intending ...Ne7
is also good enough for Black}) 10. -- (10. Be3 {, and now I like the
regrouping} Bxd5 11. exd5 Nb8 {of H.Hector-J.Unen, correspondence 2005, which
continued} 12. Nd2 Nd7 13. f4 f5 14. a4 Qc7 15. Nc4 Rae8 16. fxe5 Nxe5 17. Bf4
Nxc4 18. dxc4 Bh4 {with an equal position that was eventually drawn.}) ({.
White can also try} 10. Bxe6 fxe6 11. a3 {, but} Qe8 $5 (11... d5 $5 {might
also be possible}) 12. b4 Qg6 13. Qe2 b6 14. Bd2 Rf7 15. Rab1 Raf8 16. Kh1 Qh5
17. Be3 g5 $5 {gave Black good counterplay in J.Pinho-C.Vasile, correspondence
2009.}))) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "The Anti-Kalashnikov – 3 Nc3"]
[Black "A: 6 Nd2"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B30"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "32"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 $5 e5 4. Bc4 Be7 5. d3 d6 $1 6. Nd2 Bg5 7. h4 ({
White normally forces the issue with 7 h4, preferring to give up a knight for
the bishop, but that's not the only move here -} 7. Nf1 {is slightly less
combative, but consistent nonetheless, when} Bxc1 8. Rxc1 Nge7 9. Ne3 (9. Ng3 {
has never been tried, and compromises White's control of d5; Black can
equalize in standard fashion with something like} O-O 10. O-O Be6 11. Nd5 Rb8
12. a4 a6 13. c3 b5 14. axb5 axb5 15. Ba2 {, even considering} c4 $5) 9... O-O
10. O-O Be6 {isn't particularly interesting, but Black looks fine. --- A few
continuations follow:} 11. -- (11. Ncd5 Bxd5 {when White has two reasonable
captures:} 12. -- (12. Bxd5 Nxd5 13. Nxd5 Ne7 14. Ne3 Qd7 15. c3 Rad8 {saw
Black prepare ...d5 and secure easy equality in a few Rybka vs. Rybka blitz
games.}) (12. Nxd5 Rb8 (12... Nxd5 13. Bxd5 Ne7 14. Bb3 b5 {also seems fine
for Black, and is perhaps the safer route to go, if that's your thing}) 13. f4
(13. Nxe7+ Nxe7 14. a4 a6 {followed by ...b5, and perhaps even ...c4 at some
point, seems roughly equal}) 13... b5 14. Bb3 Nxd5 (14... c4 $5 15. dxc4 bxc4
16. Bxc4 Rxb2 {is also worth exploring, since it's difficult to trap the rook
with Bb3 because of ...a5 resources}) 15. Bxd5 Ne7 16. fxe5 Nxd5 17. exd5 dxe5
18. Qf3 Qd6 {seems fine for Black: for example,} 19. Rce1 f6 20. Rf2 {(White
needs to protect b2 such that he can play c4)} c4 $1 {(Black, in turn, cuts
off the resource and leaves the d5-pawn stranded)} 21. dxc4 bxc4 22. c3 Rb5 23.
Rd2 Rd8 24. Red1 Qb6+ {, when Black seems fine. He can exchange queens,
centralize his king, and look to put pressure on the d5-, b2-, and a2-pawns.}))
(11. f4 exf4 12. Rxf4 Ng6 13. Rf2 Qg5 14. Qd2 Nge5 15. b3 Nd4 {was very
comfortable for Black in a duel between the best of the best, A.Grischuk-V.Kramnik, Cap d'Agde (rapid) 2003. --- Now Grischuk uncharacteristically
blundered with} 16. Rcf1 $2 {, allowing the cheapo} Nxc2 $1 17. Rf4 Nxe3 18.
Qxe3 Ng6 {, after which he was much worse. Kramnik eventually ground out the
win around move 50.}) (11. Qd2 Nd4 $5 {is unplayed, but natural and good.
White might try} 12. f4 {, though} exf4 13. Rxf4 Ng6 14. Rf2 Qg5 {is
completely fine for Black, and eerily similar to Grischuk/Kramnik game
discussed under 11 f4.})) ({Instead, Peter Svidler has tried} 7. Qh5 $5 {,
though it failed to impress in A.Kovalev-Y.Yakovich, Helsinki 1992, after} g6
8. Qd1 Nf6 9. h4 $5 (9. Nf1 Bxc1 10. Qxc1 O-O 11. Ne3 Be6 12. Ncd5 Bxd5 {
followed by mass exchanges, after ...Ne7xd5 as well, will lead to equality})
9... Bf4 10. Nd5 Nxd5 11. Bxd5 Be6 12. Bxe6 fxe6 13. Nc4 {, when Yakovich
tried the wacky} Kd7 $5 ({note that} 13... Bxc1 14. Rxc1 Qe7 {followed by 15...0-0-0 also seems fully satisfactory for Black}) {, and was about equal after}
14. c3 Qf6 15. Ne3 Raf8 {.}) 7... Bxd2+ (7... Bh6 8. Qh5 $5 g6 9. Qd1 Nf6 10.
Nf1 Bxc1 11. Qxc1 {occurred first in M.Adams-I.Smirin Ischia 1996, then in a
Kasparov vs. Israel simultaneous exhibition with Emil Sutovsky defending the
black side in 1998, both wins for White. White probably has some slight
chances in this position based on Black's weak dark squares and d5-square, and
I see no reason to swim in these waters if I don't have to.}) 8. Bxd2 Nf6 9.
Bg5 {This is not the only move.} ({The routine} 9. O-O {also suggests itself,
when} Be6 10. Nd5 (10. f4 Bxc4 11. dxc4 h5 12. fxe5 dxe5 13. Bg5 Qxd1 14. Raxd1
Ng4 15. Nb5 O-O 16. c3 f6 {was equal and later drawn in P.Svidler-P.Leko,
Dortmund 2004}) 10... O-O 11. Bg5 Bxd5 12. Bxd5 h6 13. Bxf6 Qxf6 {was P.Svidler-A.Shirov, Monaco (blindfold) 2005.}) ({It's a continuing theme that
White's h4 precludes him from Bh4, making Bg5 ideas less effective, even with
Black's dark-squared bishop missing. White has also punted} 9. Nd5 Nxd5 10.
Bxd5 {, though after} O-O 11. c3 Be6 $1 {challenging the d5-square immediately
seems best;} ({in B.Macieja-K.Miton, Polish Championship, Warsaw 2004, the
experienced Miton tried} 11... Qe8 $5 {, but was eventually ground out after}
12. f4 exf4 13. Bxf4 Be6 14. Bxd6 Bxd5 15. Bxf8 Kxf8 16. Qh5 Be6 17. Qxc5+ Kg8
{, as White's central dominance proved too much}) 12. Bxe6 fxe6 13. Qg4 Qd7 {
followed by moves like ...b5, ...a5, ...Rab8, and ...b4, Black seems fine.
Another plan is} 14. O-O Kh8 $5 15. h5 h6 {, when the g6-square is relatively
easy to deal with, and Black can continue with ...d5 or ...b4 plans, possibly
doubling or tripling up on the f-file.}) 9... h6 10. Bxf6 Qxf6 11. Nd5 Qd8 12.
c3 (12. Ne3 Be6 13. c3 (13. Bxe6 {dislodges Black's king at the cost of the
d5-square, but the king is relatively safe, as the large central pawn mass and
the lack of firepower left on the board means that White can't stir up too
much trouble; G.Kasparov-P.Leko, Moscow (rapid) 2002, continued} fxe6 14. Qh5+
Kd7 15. c3 Rf8 16. a3 Qf6 17. Qe2 Rf7 18. b4 b6 19. Ra2 Ke8 {with an
approximately equal position, though 16...a5, 17...a5 and 19...Kc7 are all
worth considering too}) 13... Qd7 14. Qf3 Ne7 15. Qg3 O-O 16. O-O f5 {was
level in S.Kudrin-A.Shabalov, Denver 1998.}) 12... Be6 13. Ne3 ({Instead,} 13.
Qe2 Rb8 14. a4 O-O 15. g3 Ne7 16. Nxe7+ Qxe7 17. O-O {was drawn in A.Khalifman-J.Lautier, Dubai 2002.}) 13... Qd7 ({If you're not particularly
excited about your king strolling over to c7, then} 13... O-O {is also fully
playable here.}) 14. Bxe6 fxe6 15. Qh5+ Kd8 16. a3 {. This was A.Shabalov-S.Kriventsov, U.S. Championship 1998, and now it's prudent to stop a b4 break
from White with} a5 $5 {, when chances are about level after Black
consolidates with ...Kc7 and ...Rhf8.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "The Anti-Kalashnikov – 3 Nc3"]
[Black "B: 6 0-0"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B30"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "48"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 $5 e5 4. Bc4 Be7 5. d3 d6 $1 ({It's worth noting
around here that our 5...d6 move order precludes another option for Black,
that being the ability to play ...d5 in one go:} 5... Nf6 6. Ng5 O-O 7. f4 d5
$5 {, the main line being the wacky} 8. exd5 Nd4 9. fxe5 Bg4 10. Qd2 Nd7 11.
O-O Nxe5 12. Bb3 Qb6 13. Kh1 {with an unclear position. Black has decent
compensation for his pawn based on White's misplaced queenside pieces and
congested development, along with his well-centralized steeds and the
opportunity to use his f-pawn as a battering ram. If this line is something
you're interested in, I'd encourage further research, with the knowledge that
another line is needed to fight the Nd2-f1 plans.}) 6. O-O Nf6 7. Ng5 {This is
critical, and played in about 60% of the games that reach this position,} ({
but White has some minor alternatives, wrangled up below:} 7. h3 {is White's
second most popular choice, slowing down the pace a tad. Play generally
marches on with} O-O 8. Bd2 ({White probably avoids} 8. Be3 {such that he can
meet ...Nd4 with Nxd4, but it has been played a few times, when} Be6 9. Nd5
Bxd5 10. Bxd5 Nxd5 11. exd5 Nd4 12. Nd2 Nf5 {hasn't proved particularly
dangerous for Black in the past}) 8... Be6 9. Nd5 Bxd5 10. exd5 Na5 11. b3 {.
--- One possible continuation from here is the incisive} a6 12. a4 Nxc4 13.
bxc4 e4 $1 {of R.Scherer-J.Zidu, correspondence 2011. Quite a few engine vs.
engine games exist in the line continuing} 14. Nh2 exd3 15. cxd3 b5 $1 16. axb5
axb5 17. cxb5 Rxa1 18. Qxa1 Nxd5 {, which looks interesting, and about equal.})
(7. Bg5 {seeks to gain more (as though it's needed) control over d5, but comes
at the cost of the bishop-pair and some time. Now the} O-O 8. Bxf6 Bxf6 9. Nd5
Rb8 10. a4 Be6 11. c3 Bg5 $5 {(Black plans ...Bh6 and ...Ne7)} 12. Nxg5 Qxg5
13. Ne3 {of S.Lucki-V.Lupynin, correspondence 2011, looks equal to me after}
Ne7 {.}) (7. Nd5 O-O {with} 8. c3 ({or} 8. Nxe7+ {was covered above under 6
Nd5 Nf6 7 c3 or 7 Nxe7, followed by 0-0.})) 7... O-O 8. f4 {This is the only
way to justify White's aggressive knight hop.} Bg4 9. Qe1 ({Two other moves
present themselves, but neither is inspiring for White: After} 9. Nf3 {the
position resembles some kind of weird Classical King's Gambit where Black has
his pawn on c5,instead of c7, and his bishop on e7 instead of c5. --- These
both may seem like downsides, but it's not that simple. Consider the position
arising from 1 e4 e5 2 f4 Bc5 3 Nf3 d6 4 Bc4 Nf6 5 Nc3 Nc6 6 d3 0-0 7 Na4! Bb6
8 Nxb6 axb6 9 0-0 Bg4. --- In this position, White had the opportunity to grab
the two bishops, and it's his turn to move. In our positions, Black still has
his dark-squared bishop (which comes to life in a lot of variations below via ...exf4 and ...Nh5), and he's on the play - both of these factors seem to
ensure easy equality. --- Returning from the digression, Peter Leko shows us
the way in an instructive snippet that continued with} exf4 10. Bxf4 Nd4 11.
Kh1 {White wants g1 for his rook in the event of 11...Nxf3 12 gxf3 Bh3;} ({
also possible is} 11. Qd2 Nxf3+ 12. gxf3 Bh3 13. Rfe1 Nh5 $1 {, but this
shouldn't be anything special for White}) 11... Qd7 {(once again Black
prepares ...b5, endangering the powerful bishop posted on c4)} 12. Qd2 Bxf3 13.
gxf3 b5 14. Bb3 a5 15. Nd5 (15. a4 Nxb3 16. cxb3 b4 17. Nb5 Nh5 {is also okay
for Black, as White either has to give up the bishop or try} 18. Bg5 f6 19. Be3
f5 $1 {, when I'd definitely take Black}) 15... a4 16. Nxf6+ Bxf6 17. Bd5 a3 $1
{(is this the same Peter Leko!?)} 18. Bxa8 axb2 19. Rab1 Rxa8 20. c3 Ne6 21.
Bg3 Rxa2 22. Rxb2 Rxb2 23. Qxb2 b4 {. This generated strong counterplay for
Black in B.Gelfand-P.Leko, Budapest 2003.}) (9. Qd2 {looks unnatural, but has
been played by such top-tier players as Smirin, Dominguez, and Ni Hua. ---
Black once again opens the game and seeks play on the dark-squares with} exf4
10. Qxf4 Ne5 11. h3 (11. Bb3 h6 12. Nf3 Nh5 13. Qe3 Nxf3+ 14. gxf3 Bh3 15. Rd1
Bf6 16. Ne2 Be5 {was about equal in L.Bruzon-P.Smirnov, Tripoli 2004}) ({and
the} 11. Nd5 h6 12. Nf3 Nxd5 13. Bxd5 Nxf3+ 14. gxf3 {of M.Kravtsiv-Y.Kuzubov,
Ukraine Championship, Poltava 2006, should be fine for Black after} Bh3 15. Rd1
Bf6) 11... Nxc4 12. dxc4 Bh5 13. g4 Bg6 14. Nf3 Nd7 {, which was H.Thornet-R.Bator, Swedish League 2005. Black should be more than happy with his position.
He can improve his pieces easily with ...Re8, ...Bf6 or ...Bf8, and ...Nb6 or ...Nf6. The pressure on the e-pawn and the a1-h8 diagonal will be irksome for
White in the future.}) 9... h6 10. h3 $1 (10. Nf3 {should be met by the obvious
} Bxf3 11. gxf3 (11. Rxf3 Nd4 12. Rh3 {was F.Nijboer-V.Ikonnikov, Dieren 2005,
and now Black should take the plunge with} Nxc2 $1 13. Qg3 Nxa1 14. fxe5 Kh7 ({
note that} 14... dxe5 $2 15. Bxh6 Ne8 16. Nd5 $1 {is totally terminal, as
Black gets shredded after} Nc2 17. Nxe7+ Qxe7 18. Bxg7 $1 Nxg7 19. Qg6 $1) 15.
exf6 Bxf6 16. Qf2 $1 {- White needs to bag the knight on a1 to have a chance -}
Bd4 17. Be3 Qf6 18. Qd2 Qe5 $5 19. Qc1 f5 $1 {with fine play for Black}) 11...
Nh5 $1 12. fxe5 dxe5 13. Nd5 Nd4 14. Qf2 b5 $1 15. Bb3 Bg5 $1 {. Black once
again trades the dark-squared bishops, when he should be at least equal. Note
that the knight on d5 isn't going to stay there particularly long, but one of
the black knights will find a good home on either d4 or f4. My computer seems
to think Black is slightly better, and in V.Filipchenko-S.Osipov,
correspondence 2006, it was Black who spurned a repetition and continued to
press for more.}) ({Finally, White can punt} 10. Qg3 $5 -- ({, with the idea
that} 10... hxg5 11. fxg5 {wins the piece back and opens up lines around
Black's monarch.}) ({. However, there's an easy solution in} 10... exf4 {,
forcing White to take the plunge with} 11. Nxf7 fxg3 12. Nxd8+ Kh7 13. Nxc6
gxh2+ 14. Kxh2 bxc6 15. Bd2 {. After a forced sequence of exchanges, we find
ourselves situated in a fairly unclear position. Black certainly has some
problems on the light squares, and more pawn islands, but is compensated with
a clump of pawn in the centre restricting White's minor pieces, some nice open
files, and a (soon to be) strong dark-squared bishop on f6. He should be fine
after} Nh5 {.} (15... --))) 10... Bh5 11. Nf3 (11. g4 {has been played by the
likes of Kurnosov, but Black is okay after} hxg5 12. fxg5 Nh7 ({after} 12...
Nxg4 $2 13. Qh4 {Black goes black!}) 13. gxh5 Bxg5 14. Qg3 Bxc1 15. Raxc1 Qg5
16. Qxg5 Nxg5 17. Kh2 Nd4 {.}) 11... Bxf3 12. Rxf3 Nd4 13. Rf2 exf4 14. Bxf4
Nh5 $1 {If you have been paying attention to the analysis and comments in the
notes, this move shouldn't be a revelation to you. Black needs to activate the
sorry-looking bishop on e7, and here ...Nh5 has the advantages that it hunts
the dark-squared bishop down and eyes the weak g3-square. White's best seems
to lead to an equal ending.} 15. Qd1 {Black's ...Nh5 is well timed, as White
needs to address the threat of ...Bh4.} Nxf4 16. Rxf4 Bf6 17. Qh5 Nxc2 (17...
Ne6 $5 18. Rff1 g6 {was suggested to me by Nikos Ntirlis as an interesting way
to spurn the drawn ending and play on in an approximately equal position, since
} 19. Qxh6 Bg5 {.}) 18. Raf1 Bd4+ 19. Kh1 Ne3 20. Rxf7 Rxf7 21. Bxf7+ Kh8 22.
Rf3 Qe7 23. Nd5 Nxd5 24. Bxd5 Rf8 {. We've been following N.Nilsson-F.González
Pereira, correspondence 2008. There's not much more to play for, and indeed
the game ended peacefully 9 moves later.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Key Takeaways 9"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "11"]
[SourceDate "2015.03.04"]

{1. In order to maintain a cohesive repertoire after 3 Nc3, we're forced into
trying 3...e5 or 3...Nd4. To me, 3...e5 looks better and is the lesser evil.
The consequences of this move are obvious - the d5-square becomes a small
issue that Black must deal with, and White's light-squared bishop comes alive
on the c4-square. Play generally revolves around the imbalances created on the
third move, with White choosing either to exploit the d5-square via
Nd2-f1-e3-d5 manoeuvres, or pressure Black's kingside with his strong bishop
after Ng5 and f4. --- 2. Don't fall for 4...Nf6? 5 Ng5, but play 4...Be7. ---
3. Note the 5...d6 move order. This line keeps ...Bg5 resources available for
the longest possible time, allowing Black to get rid of his bad e7-bishop via
6 Nd2 Bg5, as well as cutting out some theory in the Ng5 lines as well. For
instance, lines like 5...Nf6 6 Ng5 0-0 7 f4 d6 8 f5 and 8 Nf3 aren't possible
after 5...d6 6 0-0 Nf6 7 Ng5 0-0 8 f4, as White has been forced to castle
first. --- 4. In the positional 6 Nd2 lines, play is fairly straightforward
for Black - exchange the dark-squared bishop for the knight on d2 or c1-bishop,
and then develop with the d5-square in mind. Moves like ...Nf6, ...Be6, and
even ...Nc6-e7 are in order, seeking to slowly exchange off minor pieces and
neutralize White's control of Black's main weakness. Black typically welcomes
the f4 break, as ...exf4 leaves him with great control of the central dark
squares. --- 5. The more volatile and interesting Ng5 lines will probably
require some memorization, as everything is very concrete, but it's worth
noting that the solution in most lines basically boils down to the sequence ...exf4 and ...Nh5. This does a multitude of things, including threatening to
grab the two bishops (White's dark-squared bishop is especially important),
ensuring that White doesn't get f5 in, activating Black's dark-squared bishop
via f6/g5/h4, and looking to take over control of the central/kingside dark
squares.} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 e5 4. Bc4 Be7 5. d3 d6 6. -- (6. Nd2 {- A}
) (6. O-O {- B}) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "10: The Rossolimo – 3 Bb5"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B30"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "7"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 {The Rossolimo, named after the famed attacking
Russian Grandmaster Nicolas Rossolimo. This is an exceptionally popular choice
at every level, and you should be well versed in the lines contained in this
chapter. Lower-rated players like it because it's a bit safer and lower
maintenance than 3 d4, and higher-rated players like it because there's a lot
of play to the positions, and good chances for a slight edge out of the
opening with little risk. Most elite GMs of today have this line in their
repertoire, but standouts for me include Svidler, Rublevsky, and Bologan,
who's written a book and starred in a DVD about this very opening.} Nf6 $5 {I
like this line a lot - 3...Nf6 is a fighting choice, with almost all of the
variations being rich in strategic and tactical ideas and deplete of early
simplification. Its complexity will favour someone well versed in this line's
intricacies and annoy most Rossolimo practitioners. Black immediately attacks
the e-pawn, and will continue to provoke it forward, leading to dramatic
imbalances not typically seen after the more usual 3...g6 and 3...d6. It's
also worth noting that if you're picking this book up to supplement a
Sveshnikov repertoire, you can now happily bypass the Anti-Kalashnikov (3 Nc3)
with 3...Nf6, since 4 d4 will transpose back to the Sveshnikov, and 4 Bb5 will
transpose to Line E of this chapter. --- Moving forward, there's a wide array
of choices at White's disposal on his fourth move:} 4. -- ({A:} 4. d3) ({B:} 4.
Bxc6) ({C:} 4. e5) ({D:} 4. Qe2) ({E:} 4. Nc3) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "The Rossolimo – 3 Bb5"]
[Black "A: 4 d3"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B30"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "31"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 $5 4. d3 {This is a solid, albeit lame move
with a small hint of poison. Our repertoire hinges upon encouraging White to
play e5 using ...g6 systems, though in this case he intends to completely
suffocate us to death if we were to try 4...g6 5 Bxc6! dxc6 6 h3!, as our
light-squared bishop has absolutely no prospects for the near future. So in
pre-protecting the e-pawn, he's forced us to deviate from our preferred path.
Kolev and Nedev explored an interesting line in their wonderful book The
Easiest Sicilian that I like a lot.} Qa5+ 5. Nc3 Nd4 $5 {This is their idea,
threatening ...Nxb5 and eventually winning the two bishops.} 6. Bc4 (6. Ba4 b5
7. Bb3 Nxb3 8. cxb3 Bb7 {transposes to the main line.}) ({I've won a humorous
number of blitz games after} 6. a4 $4 Nxb5 7. axb5 Qxa1 {- a trap well worth
knowing.}) 6... b5 (6... d5 $5 7. Bxd5 Nxd5 8. exd5 Bg4 {is an extra option
presented to Black if White chooses 6 Bc4, albeit one that doesn't seem
particularly dangerous for the first player.}) 7. Bb3 (7. Bd5 $6 {is a poor
choice on account of the forcing} Nxd5 8. exd5 b4 9. Ne4 b3+ 10. Bd2 bxc2 11.
Bxa5 cxd1=Q+ 12. Rxd1 Nxf3+ 13. gxf3 d6 {when White must be somewhat worse on
account of Black's two bishops and much, much better structure.}) 7... Nxb3 8.
cxb3 {We see another point of Black's 4th move - besides grabbing the two
bishops, Black forces White to make an anti-positional capture on b3.} Bb7 9.
O-O ({I was surprised and fortunate (readers might only feel the former) to
stumble upon a forgotten blitz game I played not so long ago on the Internet
Chess Club in this very variation, continuing} 9. Bd2 e6 ({as a side note, if
Black chooses to go down this road, it seems as though} 9... b4 10. Ne2 e6 {is
more precise, avoiding 10 e5}) 10. O-O ({once again,} 10. e5 $5 {would have
been a great try for White here}) 10... b4 11. Ne2 (11. e5 bxc3 12. Bxc3 Qd8
13. exf6 gxf6 {leaves Black with a central pawn mass, the two bishops, and
some kingside play to compensate for his king position and slightly worse pawn
structure}) 11... Qb5 $5 (11... Be7 {also looks good}) 12. Ne5 Be7 13. f4 O-O
14. Qc2 $2 {an obvious clunker,} ({though} 14. Ng3 d6 15. Nc4 d5 $1 16. exd5
exd5 17. Ne5 Rfe8 {, intending to meet} 18. Nf5 {with} Bf8 {, also seems
better for Black on account of his large centre, two bishops, and better
structure; White's central knights look impressive, but ...g6 and ...Bd6 will
eventually drive them both back, as they're too unstable to make any real
impact}) 14... Nxe4 $1 {, M.Goshen-A.Rotella, Internet (blitz) 2009.}) 9... e6
(9... g6 $5 {is an interesting try as well, although not one I'm going to
examine further.}) 10. Bg5 d6 {This is left for further exploration by Kolev &
Nedev and labelled unclear, so I suppose it's up to me to dive in and do the
chess spelunking myself.} 11. Bxf6 (11. Re1 {, intending to open up the game
and exploit Black's slow development with 12 d4, should be met by} b4 12. Nb1 (
12. Bxf6 gxf6 13. Nb1 Bg7 14. Nbd2 O-O 15. Nc4 Qd8 {is completely satisfactory
for Black, who will open up the game for his two bishops shortly with ...d5})
12... Be7 13. Nbd2 O-O 14. Nc4 Qd8 15. Qd2 d5 {. This is similar to the notes
on White's 12th move but about equal this time, since White hasn't been as
generous with minor piece exchanges.}) 11... gxf6 {Black seems comfortable,
with a strong central presence and the two bishops. The pawn structure is very
similar to the Najdorf or Classical Sicilian, except that White hasn't played
d4 and allowed ...cxd4. Black needs to take care of his king, but that
shouldn't be too difficult. Continuing on, if White decides to try to arrest
the c4-square for his knight, he runs into some trouble.} 12. a4 $5 b4 13. Ne2
h5 $1 {. A strong suggestion by my computer - White already has some small
problems: for instance,} 14. Nd2 h4 $1 15. h3 Qd8 $1 {(swinging the queen over
the kingside and allowing Black to play ...d5 and respond to a capture with ...Qxd5)} 16. -- (16. Nc4 d5 $1 17. exd5 Qxd5 {is nice for Black, as discussed
above.}) (16. f4 {, and now Black seems moderately better after} d5 (16... Rg8)
({or even the wild} 16... f5 {.})) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "The Rossolimo – 3 Bb5"]
[Black "B: 4 Bxc6"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B30"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "36"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 $5 4. Bxc6 {With this plan, generally
attributed to the famous trainer Viacheslav Chebanenko, White immediately
unbalances the game in an absolutely classic way - the two bishops versus
better pawn structure. White reasons that capturing towards the centre allows
him to split Black's pawns further with an eventual e5 push, while capturing
away with ...dxc6 leaves White with a preponderance of pawns in the centre and
Black with an immobile weakness on c5. The first player generally puts all of
his pawns on light squares to accentuate his remaining bishop, and would love
to play h3 to suffocate Black's light-squared bishop for a very long time.}
dxc6 $1 {Black must capture with the d-pawn.} ({The alternative} 4... bxc6 $6 {
is over-optimistic, making it difficult for Black to develop comfortably. G.Vescovi-G.Milos, Sao Paulo 2002, continued forcefully with} 5. e5 Nd5 6. O-O g6
7. c4 $1 {(Black's knight now sits really poorly, and White's control of the
centre is too great - as usual, this translates to a dangerous attack)} Nc7 8.
d4 cxd4 9. Qxd4 Bg7 10. Qh4 Ba6 11. Nc3 Ne6 12. Re1 Qc7 13. Bd2 f6 {, and now
White could have iced Black easily with} 14. Nd5 $3 cxd5 15. cxd5 Nc5 $2 16. d6
$1 {and it's curtains. Giving back the piece was better, but that's still not
a path you'd like to wander down as Black.}) 5. d3 Bg4 $1 {In my opinion,
Black must take the opportunity to develop this piece to a meaningful square
before it's too late.} 6. h3 Bh5 $5 {White has quite a few approaches and move
orders from here, with Black's plan being mostly the same regardless. Normally
the second player wants to prepare ...e5 via ...Nd7 and ...Qc7, with ...f6 if
it's required. Then the light-squared bishop finds new life via f7, which
might come in handy if White decides to castle long. If White plays g4, Black
might also find counterplay with ...h5, sometimes returning the bishop to the
weakened diagonal via ...h4 and ...Bh5. --- Despite White's c2-e4 pawn chain
looking solid, ...c4 is frequently playable, ridding Black of his doubled
c-pawn and leaving White with a backwards d-pawn. Black's king position is
somewhat flexible, but I will say that I quite like castling long in these
positions when ...f6 has been played, as it's fun (and logical) to try to make
use of White having pushed h3 with ...g5/h5 plans. Positional and tactical
themes are numerous, and this is perfect for black players who want a fight -
KID players have been abusing tough positions like these for years.} ({The
alternative} 6... Bxf3 7. Qxf3 {is just too compliant, leaving Black with
little to show for his structural defects on the queenside.}) 7. Nbd2 {The
most popular,} ({though White has a lot of arrows in his quiver this time:} 7.
g4 {has been tried a fair amount, and after the forced} Bg6 {we have another
split:} 8. -- ({. The natural} 8. Nc3 {allows Black to achieve ...e5 easily,
with equality:} Qc7 9. Be3 e5 10. Qe2 {, and now either} Nd7 ({or} 10... c4 $5
{seems good to me.})) (8. e5 {is spunky, but likely too much after} Nd5 9. e6
f6 (9... h5 $5 {might also be possible, though it's obviously a lot riskier})
10. O-O Qc7 11. Nc3 O-O-O 12. Re1 (12. Nxd5 cxd5 13. Re1 {is also possible,
but Black secures good counterplay with the odd} Be8 $5 {, intending ...g5 and
...h5}) 12... Nxc3 13. bxc3 c4 $5 14. d4 Qa5 15. Bd2 h5 {is a nice
exploitation of White's 7th move, securing good counterplay on the kingside.})
(8. Bf4 $5 {seems strong, cutting off the most natural square for the black
queen and making it difficult to play the standard ...e5 push. --- Black can
continue in thematic fashion (still) with} c4 $1 9. Nc3 cxd3 10. cxd3 Nd7 11.
Qd2 (11. d4 {stops any progress Black was making towards ...e5, but allows a
strong manoeuvre from Black, which only becomes better if the d4-pawn's a
possible target, that being} h5 $1 12. g5 h4 $1 13. Qd3 Bh5 $1 {and Black has
good play after ...g6, ...Bg7, and ...0-0}) 11... h5 $5 {when} 12. O-O {,
allows (unsurprisingly) an awesome pawn sacrifice with} ({hopping the opposite
way with} 12. O-O-O {instead allows} Qa5 $1 13. Kb1 e5 14. Be3 f6 15. g5 Bf7 {
followed by ...0-0-0 with good play for Black}) 12... hxg4 13. hxg4 e5 $1 14.
Nxe5 Nxe5 15. Bxe5 Qh4 16. f3 Bc5+ 17. d4 O-O-O 18. Ne2 Bd6 19. Qe1 Qh6 20.
Bxd6 Rxd6 21. Qg3 Bxe4 $1 {with a decent position for Black.})) (7. Bf4 {is
interesting, causing Black some problems by, as we've seen above,
overprotecting e5 and stopping ...Qc7. Black should grab the opportunity to
mend his somewhat worse structure again with} c4 $5 8. Nc3 cxd3 9. cxd3 Nd7 {
. Now A.Grischuk-A.Kolev, Mainz (rapid) 2005, continued rationally with} 10. d4
(10. O-O e5 $5 11. Be3 Qf6 12. g4 Bg6 {is very comfortable for Black, who's
grabbed his fair share of the centre}) 10... e6 11. Qe2 ({or} 11. Qd3 Be7 12.
O-O O-O 13. Rad1 Qb6 {followed by ...Rad8, ...Bf6, ...Rfe8, and so on; White
has a bit more space, but Black has no weaknesses and doesn't look worse})
11... Be7 12. O-O O-O 13. Rad1 Re8 14. Qe3 Qa5 15. Rfe1 {and now Kolev
suggests an interesting manoeuvre with} Qa6 $5 16. a3 ({stopping any ...Qc4/...Nc4 shenanigans with} 16. b3 {allows} Bb4 17. Rc1 Rad8 {when Black is
perfectly fine after moves like ...Qa5 and ...e5}) 16... Nb6 17. g4 Bg6 18. Ne5
Nc4 {with equality.}) (7. O-O {has been played surprisingly infrequently, and
Black can just follow the normal plan of ...Nd7 and ...e5 followed by
counterplay on the kingside: for example,} Nd7 8. Be3 e5 9. Nbd2 Qc7 10. a4 f6
11. Qe1 (11. c3 O-O-O 12. a5 Bf7 13. Nc4 g5 $1 {is similar}) 11... Bf7 12. a5
O-O-O 13. Nc4 g5 $5 {with an interesting position in which Black has equal
chances.}) ({Finally,} 7. Nc3 -- (7... Nd7 8. g4 (8. Be3 e5 9. g4 Bg6 10. Qd2
Bd6 {was agreed drawn in E.Janev-A.Kolev, La Roda 2005, and Black should
probably castle long here with ...Qc7 followed by ...Nf6-e6, though maybe
White is still very slightly better based on Black's poor g6-bishop and lack
of obvious counterplay;} ({likely better is} 10... Be7 {, stopping Nh4-f5
ideas, continuing with the same plan mentioned above})) 8... Bg6 9. Bf4 {is a
poisonous plan recommended by Gawain Jones in How to Beat the Sicilian Defence.
--- The problem here is that Black has been move-ordered out of the ...Nd7 and
...e5 plan since White's gotten his dark-squared bishop to f4 early, and
Black's counterstrikes with ...c4 are ruled out because e4 is no longer double
attacked (due to ...Nd7). One harrowing encounter was S.Rublevsky-Ni Hua,
Russian Team Championship 2010, which continued} e6 (9... f6 $6 10. e5 $1 {is
not what Black wants}) 10. Qe2 Be7 11. O-O-O Qa5 12. Kb1 b5 13. Qe3 $1 b4 14.
Ne2 Qb5 15. Ng3 a5 16. Nf5 $5 {more bad news,} ({Jones thinks} 16. h4 $1 h6 17.
Nf5 $1 {is even stronger}) 16... Bf8 (16... exf5 {is somehow the only try}) 17.
Bd6 $1 f6 {, and now} 18. e5 $1 {would have likely stopped any wiggling and
ended it.}) ({. A better approach for Black is to stop Bf4 a move earlier with
} 7... Qc7 $1 {. --- Jones gives} 8. g4 ({White tried} 8. Be3 {in the recent D.Popovic-I.Yagupov, Cappelle la Grande 2014, which continued} e5 9. g4 Bg6 10.
Nh4 {, when my computer screams for} c4 $5 {: for instance,} 11. Nxg6 hxg6 12.
dxc4 Bb4 13. f3 {with great compensation for Black, who can work on White's
weak h3-pawn, triple White's c-pawns, or try to exploit White's king via ...Nd7 and ...Be7-h4+}) 8... Bg6 9. Nh4 {, and now I like the novelty} Nd7 {,
leaving the e-pawn's location unknown for a few more moves.} ({Instead, Gawain
analyses} 9... e5 10. Qf3 O-O-O 11. Bg5 Be7 12. Nf5 Bxf5 13. Qxf5+ Kb8 14.
O-O-O g6 15. Qf3 {as better for White, and I'm inclined to agree, though 14...g6
feels a little loose. Likely better is easing the pressure a bit with 14...Ne8, intending to swing the knight back around to e6 at some point with ...g6
and ...Ng7}) 10. -- {. Back to 9...Nd7, White can play f4 right away, or delay
it a while in favour of developing his queenside. A few lines for proof of
concept:} (10. f4 f6 11. Qf3 ({both} 11. Be3 e5) ({and} 11. Nxg6 hxg6 12. Qf3
O-O-O 13. Be3 e5 {would be similar}) 11... Bf7 12. Be3 O-O-O 13. O-O-O e5 14.
Kb1 Qa5 {(now threatening ...exf4 and ...g5)} 15. fxe5 Nxe5 16. Qf5+ Rd7 {
seems fine for Black. White needs to be careful, as a normal move like} 17.
Rhf1 $2 {would run into trouble after} g6 $1 18. Qxf6 $2 (18. Qf2 b5 {is
better, but still not palatable for the first player}) 18... Bg7 $1 19. Qf2 b5
{.}) (10. Be3 {affords Black two interesting options:} -- (10... e6 {keeps f5
under wraps while preparing to force the issue with the h4-knight via ...Be7.
Play might continue} 11. Qd2 Be7 12. Nxg6 hxg6 {(I think this structure is
quite pleasant for Black, as White has to baby-sit the h3-pawn for quite some
time)} 13. O-O-O e5 14. Kb1 O-O-O 15. Ne2 Rh7 $1 16. f4 Rdh8 $1 17. Ng1 {(this
is a sign that things have gone wrong)} exf4 18. Bxf4 Bd6 19. Bxd6 Qxd6 20. Qg2
g5 $1 {, when Black seems very comfortable.}) (10... f6 $5 11. Nxg6 ({White
grabs the bishop, but something like} 11. Qd2 Bf7 12. O-O-O Qa5 13. Kb1 e5 {is
possible, with chances for both sides}) 11... hxg6 12. Qd2 e5 $1 (12... g5 {is
also an option, but might force Black to enter the ending resulting from} 13.
f4 gxf4 14. Bxf4 e5 15. Be3 O-O-O 16. O-O-O c4 $5 17. dxc4 Qa5 18. Qe1 Bb4 19.
a3 Bxc3 20. Qxc3 Qxc3 21. bxc3) 13. O-O-O (13. h4 $5) 13... g5 $1 14. f3 O-O-O
15. Qf2 Rh4 $1 {stops White from playing h4 himself, when Black seems very
comfortable.})))) 7... Nd7 8. Nc4 (8. g4 Bg6 9. Nc4 f6 10. O-O e5 11. Ne3 {is
similar to the main lines, though Black's counterplay gains some gas from
White's choice to weaken his kingside. Play could continue} Qc7 12. a3 a5 13.
a4 Bf7 14. Qe2 g5 $5 (14... O-O-O $5 {also looks good}) 15. Nf5 h5 {with good
counterplay in E.Alekseev-P.Eljanov, Biel 2004.}) 8... f6 9. O-O ({Bologan
mentions the game Lu Shanglei-Ni Hua, Xinghua 2010, which continued} 9. a4 e5
10. g4 Bf7 11. h4 $5 {(White dives deep)} Qc7 12. a5 Be7 13. Ng1 {with
apparently an impending white advantage. Instead of following the game, I see
less than nothing for White after} O-O 14. Ne2 b5 $1 15. axb6 axb6 16. Rxa8
Rxa8 17. Ng3 b5 {. Black never really made any egregious errors or positional
mistakes - why does White think he can get away with keeping his king in the
centre, h3, g4, and h4, and a bunch of odd knight manoeuvres? Black seems fine,
if not better already.}) 9... e5 {Everything according to the cookie-cutter
plan outlined above thus far,} ({Black can also try} 9... b5 $5 10. Ne3 e6 {
intending ...Bd6 and castling here as well.}) 10. Ne3 {In the games played in
these types of positions, White has generally opted to steer the knight
towards f5, though it hasn't made a particularly large impact. The problem is
that ...g6 is a positionally acceptable move for Black to be making anyway 
(after ...Bf7 of course), after which White's knight is without prospect on e3
or g3.} ({There's also the sensible} 10. c3 {, though Black can continue
normally with} Qc7 11. Ne3 O-O-O 12. Qe2 Kb8 {, intending to get saucy with ...Bf7, ...h5, and ...g5-g4.}) 10... Qc7 11. a3 $5 {White locks and loads b4,} ({
but other plans are worth testing:} 11. Nf5 Bf7 12. b3 g6 13. Ne3 Bg7 14. Ba3
a5 $5 {looks to give Black good counterplay,} ({though} 14... O-O {also looks
decent.})) (11. a4 a5 12. Nf5 Bf7 13. b3 g6 {is very similar to 11 Nf5 above,
though do note the immensely entertaining and almost entirely forced line
found by Houdini after} 14. Nh6 Bxh6 $1 15. Bxh6 g5 $1 {(threatening ...Rg8-g6)
} 16. h4 Bh5 $1 17. hxg5 Qd6 $1 18. Qe2 fxg5 19. Bxg5 Qg6 20. Bh4 O-O 21. Kh2
Bxf3 22. gxf3 Qh5 23. Rg1+ Kh8 24. Rg4 Nf6 25. Kg3 Nxg4 26. fxg4 Qg6 {, with
an unclear position in which I don't think Black can really be worse.}) 11...
Bd6 12. c3 (12. Nf5 Nf8 $5 13. Ng3 Bf7 14. Be3 g6 {intending ...Ne6 and ...0-0
seems fine for Black.}) 12... Nf8 13. Nf5 O-O-O $5 14. b4 ({This doesn't work
out well, though clearing the d-file first with something like} 14. Qe2 Ne6 15.
b4 Kb8 {doesn't make a strong impression either.}) 14... c4 $1 15. dxc4 $2 {
This seems totally crazy.} ({Better was} 15. d4 exd4 16. N5xd4 Be5 {with an
equal position.}) 15... Bxb4 16. axb4 Rxd1 17. Rxd1 Bxf3 18. gxf3 b6 {. A mess,
but I feel the queen was better in R.Panjwani-J.Sarkar, World Open 2008.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "The Rossolimo – 3 Bb5"]
[Black "C: 4 e5"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B30"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "26"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 $5 4. e5 {White gets down to it right away,
although I think that he/she is leaving something on the table (compared to
Line E for instance), by allowing Black to so easily fix his knight via d5.}
Nd5 5. O-O (5. Nc3 Nc7 6. Bxc6 dxc6 $1 {(again correct)} 7. h3 (7. d3 g6 8. Be3
{can be met with} Bg7 $5 9. Bxc5 Bg4 {when White can't keep it together}) 7...
g6 8. O-O Bg7 9. d3 (9. Ne4 b6 10. Re1 O-O 11. d3 {transposes to a 3...g6 line
that's acceptable for Black; J.Boudre-V.Ikonnikov, Saint Affrique 1994,
continued} h6 $5 12. Bf4 Ne6 13. Qd2 Nxf4 14. Qxf4 Qc7 15. Rad1 Be6 16. Qg3
Rad8 17. b3 {and now} Bd5 (17... Rd7) ({or Ikonnikov's fighting idea of} 17...
Bc8 $5 {and 18...f5 all look roughly equal})) 9... O-O 10. Be3 Ne6 11. Ne4 Nd4
{transposes back to the main line.}) 5... Nc7 6. Bxc6 (6. a4 {isn't any better.
R.Dubinsky-T.Ivanov, Moscow 1994, continued thematically with} g6 7. c3 Bg7 8.
d4 cxd4 9. cxd4 O-O 10. Nc3 d6 11. exd6 Qxd6 12. d5 Nb4 13. Bc4 Bf5 {when
Black seems more than fine. Dubinsky probably strayed a bit with 12 d5, only
making things worse after} 14. Nh4 $6 {when instead of the game's} Bc8 $2 ({
Black should dig in with} 14... Bc2 15. Qe2 e6 {, opening up the game to his
advantage.})) 6... dxc6 7. h3 ({White can try to omit h3 with} 7. d3 {, though
it's likely that he's just going to have to play it later anyway: for instance,
} g6 8. Nbd2 Bg7 9. Ne4 b6 10. h3 O-O 11. Bf4 Ne6 12. Bh2 a5 $5 {was T.Nedev-R.Ramesh, Bled Olympiad 2002. Black has few problems, and plans ...Ra7, ...Nd4
and ...Bf5.}) 7... g6 ({Kolev and Nedev's} 7... Bf5 {is also worth
investigation.}) 8. d3 Bg7 9. Nc3 ({White can also try to build up in the
centre with the} 9. Be3 Ne6 10. c3 O-O 11. d4 cxd4 12. cxd4 {of S.Sulskis-R.
Gedgaudas, Lithuanian Championship 1995, and now I like} b6 13. Nc3 Bb7 14. Qb3
Qd7 15. Rfd1 Nc7 16. Rac1 Rfd8 {with an approximately equal position.}) 9...
O-O 10. Be3 Ne6 11. Ne4 Nd4 12. Nxc5 Nxf3+ 13. Qxf3 Bxe5 {. This was R.McKay-P.Cramling, London 1982. Black's bishops compensate for White's active knight on
c5 and slight lead in development. With no real weaknesses to speak of and ...Qd5 followed by ...b6 coming soon, Black isn't worse.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "The Rossolimo – 3 Bb5"]
[Black "D: 4 Qe2"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B31"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "38"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 $5 4. Qe2 {This move affords White two new
options: to castle and play c3, Rd1, and d4 in Ruy Lopez style, or to try and
snipe a pawn with Qe2-c4xc5. The c3 plan in particular is very popular with
club players, so it's worth understanding the typical ideas well.} g6 {Once
again, and not for the last time, we see Black provoking e5 from White.} 5. O-O
({Instead,} 5. e5 Nd5 6. O-O Nc7 7. Bxc6 dxc6 8. h3 Bg7 9. d3 O-O 10. Nbd2 Ne6
11. Nb3 a5 12. a4 b6 13. Qe4 {was A.Minasian-M.Gagunashvili, Dubai 2003. Now
either} Qd5 ({or Gagunashvili's} 13... Ra7 $5 {are good enough for comfortable
equality - White's knight is oddly placed on b3. Also note that 5 c3 will
almost assuredly transpose to 5 0-0 and 6 c3.})) 5... Bg7 6. c3 (6. e5 Nd5 7.
Qc4 {practically forces Black to sacrifice a pawn. --- The second player
obtains adequate compensation after} Nc7 8. Bxc6 (8. Qxc5 $6 b6 9. Qc4 Nxe5 {
is obviously nothing for White}) 8... dxc6 9. Qxc5 Bg4 10. Nd4 Qd7 11. h3 (11.
d3 $6 Na6 {jettisons the e-pawn}) 11... Rd8 12. Nb3 (12. c3 $2 Bxh3 $1 13. gxh3
Qxh3 {with ...Rd5 on the cards is likely just bad for White}) 12... b6 13. Qc4
(13. Qe3 Nd5 14. Qe1 Bf5 {also gives Black good play after moves like ...c5, ...0-0, and ...f6}) 13... Be6 14. Qe2 c5 15. d3 Nd5 16. Nc3 (16. N1d2 Nb4 17. Nf3
O-O {followed by ...a5 gives Black a really strong initiative}) 16... c4 $1 17.
dxc4 Nxc3 18. bxc3 Qc7 {, regaining the pawn with a satisfactory position.})
6... O-O 7. d4 ({With} 7. Rd1 {White cunningly sidesteps ...d5 and ...Ne4
resources in response to d4 by delaying it a move, leaving Black no choice but
to send his steed towards the bank rank. Here} d5 $5 8. e5 (8. d3 {was tried
in K.Landa-I.Nataf, German League 2005, which played out} Qb6 9. Na3 Bg4 10. h3
Bxf3 11. Qxf3 Rad8 12. Bg5 h6 13. Bxf6 {, and now} exf6 $1 14. exd5 Ne5 {would
have ensured Black a good position after} 15. Qe2 Rxd5) 8... Ne8 9. d4 cxd4 10.
cxd4 Nc7 11. Bxc6 (11. Nc3 Bg4 12. Bxc6 bxc6 13. h3 Bxf3 14. Qxf3 f6 $1 {seems
fine for Black}) 11... bxc6 {, and now White can choose whether or not to stop
...Bg4:} 12. -- (12. h3 a5 $5 13. Nc3 a4 14. Re1 Ne6 {was agreed drawn in O.De
La Riva Aquado-I.Nataf, French League 1999. The alert Nataf's plan to stop
Na4-c5 arrived just in time, with some extra queenside space to boot. Black
will look to play moves like ...Qa5 and ...a3, and to break out with ...f6 as
soon as it looks good - for instance, after} 15. Be3) (12. Nc3 Bg4 13. h3 Bxf3
14. Qxf3 f6 $1 15. exf6 Rxf6 16. Qg4 Rb8 17. b3 Rf5 $1 {was well played by
Black in O.De La Riva Aquado-A.Antunes, Ibercaja 1996. Now} 18. Bf4 Bxd4 $5 ({
though Antunes'} 18... Rb4 {was fine as well}) 19. Rxd4 e5 {would have been
strong.})) 7... cxd4 8. cxd4 d5 $1 {This counterstrike in the centre is
Black's key idea, and assures him a good game. We'll follow R.Mamedov-B.Savchenko, Internet (blitz) 2006, a good example of Black's typical play in
these positions.} 9. e5 Ne4 10. Nc3 (10. Be3 f6 11. exf6 exf6 12. Nc3 Nxc3 13.
bxc3 {was P.Svidler-L.Van Wely, Monaco (rapid) 2004, and now I recommend} Na5
14. Nd2 Bf5 {with an unclear position in which Black holds his own with moves
like ...a6 (trading light-squared bishops), and ...Rac8.}) 10... Bf5 $5 (10...
Nxc3 {right away is more common.}) 11. Be3 ({Instead,} 11. Bxc6 bxc6 12. Na4 f6
$1 {was D.Bronstein-V.Tseshkovsky, Kishinev 1975. White's centre is cracking,
and the knight on a4 certainly isn't helping matters.}) 11... Nxc3 12. bxc3 Rc8
13. Rac1 Na5 $1 {The c4-square is obviously White's Achilles heel here.} 14.
Nd2 a6 $1 15. Bd3 {The trade of light-squared bishops favours Black, and
emphasizes White's weaknesses on the queenside.} Bxd3 16. Qxd3 Qd7 {. Planning
...Qa4, ...Rc6, and so on. Black already has a very promising position, and
White immediately cracked with} 17. c4 $2 {when} Nxc4 (17... dxc4 18. Qa3 {
muddied the waters a bit in the stem game.}) 18. Nxc4 dxc4 19. Rxc4 Bxe5 $1 {
would have left White near losing.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "The Rossolimo – 3 Bb5"]
[Black "E: 4 Nc3"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B30"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "19"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 $5 4. Nc3 {This 4th move has the most
auspicious repute, and for good reason. We've seen Black hoping to provoke
White into the e5 push in this chapter many times already, but this time White
is mainly happy to oblige under better circumstances.} g6 5. e5 {Critical, as
Black's knight is forced to hop around, eventually finding a home on h6.} ({
Other moves are less dangerous:} 5. O-O Bg7 6. e5 (6. Re1 O-O 7. e5 {is likely
to transpose back to 6 e5,} ({as} 7. d3 Nd4 8. Bc4 d6 9. h3 Bd7 10. a4 Bc6 {is
fairly dry})) 6... Ng4 7. Bxc6 dxc6 8. -- (8. Re1 {shows White's fifth has
independent flavour from 5 e5. This doesn't seem as strong though, as the
inclusion of h3 and g4 makes it more difficult for Black to fix his offside
knight. --- Now} O-O 9. d3 {(White rarely wastes time on h3 if he's smart,
since Black wants to play ...Nh6-f5 regardless)} Nh6 10. h3 (10. Ne4 b6 11. Bf4
Nf5 {isn't anything either}) 10... Nf5 11. Ne4 b6 12. Bf4 Nd4 13. c3 (13. a4 a5
14. b3 Bf5 {is about equal}) ({and} 13. Nxd4 {should be met by} Qxd4 $1 {,
keeping active play along the d-file and reserving the right to play ...c4
later}) 13... Nxf3+ 14. Qxf3 Qd5 {results a very comfortable position for
Black.}) ({. Note that} 8. Qe2 {isn't particularly good, as it just gives
Black's future ...Nd4 lunge more power: for example,} O-O 9. d3 Nh6 10. Ne4 b6
11. Bf4 Nf5 12. h3 Nd4 $1 {was M.Carlsen-D.Wallin, Lysaker 2002. --- Black
already appears more than comfortable, and if young Magnus' opponent knew to
capture on d4 with the queen after} 13. Nxd4 {, reserving more counterplay
down the d-file and with ...c4, the Norwegian superstar likely would have
ended up worse. Of course, Magnus was only 2127 at the time...})) (5. h3 {
keeps Black's knight out of g4 in response to e5, though it really doesn't
matter, as it heads to h6 regardless of which terrible square it lands on. ---
E.Van den Doel-M.Caposciutti, Saint Vincent 1998, continued} Bg7 6. e5 Ng8 7.
Bxc6 dxc6 8. d3 (8. Qe2 Nh6 9. Ne4 {transposes to the notes under White's 6th
move in the main line of 5 e5}) 8... Nh6 9. Be3 (9. g4 O-O 10. Be3 f5 {
transposes to the main line with 10 Be3, discussed below}) 9... b6 (9... Qa5 $5
10. g4 f5 {is recommended by Kolev and Nedev, and also seems playable, though
I think they underrate} 11. exf6 {a bit}) 10. g4 f5 11. exf6 (11. g5 Nf7 12.
Bf4 b5 13. Qe2 Qa5 14. O-O Nd8 {is comfortable for Black, as White has wasted
a tempo on Be3-f4, and will soon drop another one after ...Ne6}) 11... exf6 12.
Qd2 ({in response to} 12. Qe2 O-O 13. O-O-O {Nedev recommends the pawn
sacrifice} f5 $1 14. g5 Nf7 15. d4 Re8 16. dxc5 {when} Qe7 {threatens ...f4;
now} 17. Qd3 Be6 {looks like it gives Black adequate compensation for the pawn}
) 12... Nf7 13. O-O-O O-O 14. Kb1 {, and now even} f5 $5 {looks fine for Black.
}) (5. Bxc6 {is interesting. White immediately shatters Black's pawns and
begins the process of trying to choke Black's light-squared bishop out of the
game by placing all of his pawns on light squares. Play typically follows two
routes, mostly depending on where White's king goes - if he castles short play
is slow, and Black generally goes for a plan involving rerouting his knight to
e6 to capitalize on the d4-square. If White castles long, Black haphazardly
tosses all of his pawns down the board in good style.} -- ({. I wanted to make
} 5... bxc6 $5 {work quite badly, though I think that after} 6. O-O Bg7 7. e5
$1 Nd5 8. Ne4 d6 9. c4 $1 f5 $1 10. Nxc5 $1 {White is likely still better.}) ({
. Better is the standard} 5... dxc6 {. Now White has a few options after} 6. h3
Bg7 7. d3 O-O {:} 8. -- (8. Bf4 {should be met by} Nh5 {with similar play to
the lines that will be discussed below: for example,} 9. Be3 Qd6 10. Qd2 e5 11.
O-O-O b5 12. g4 Nf6 13. Ne2 a5 14. Bh6 a4 15. Ng3 b4 16. Bxg7 Kxg7 17. Rhg1 {
was E.Perelshteyn-B.Savage, Las Vegas 2006, and now I like the simple} Ne8 18.
Qe3 f6 19. Nd2 Qd4 {with an equal position.}) (8. Be3 b6 9. Qd2 {and now, just
as in the Closed Sicilian chapter, when White makes a declaration that he's
going to trade dark-squared bishops, we set about making the other as strong
as possible with} e5 {. Play generally continues} 10. Bh6 (10. O-O-O {is
likely to transpose to one discussed soon after} Qd6 11. Bh6) ({and} 10. O-O
Qd6 11. Bh6 Nh5 {will be covered under 11 0-0 below}) 10... Qd6 {and now a few
examples from practice:} 11. -- (11. g4 Be6 12. Bxg7 Kxg7 13. O-O-O {was A.Shirov-P.Leko, Nice (rapid) 2002, when I'd prefer more combative options like}
a5 $5 ({or} 13... b5) ({but Leko decided upon} 13... Rad8 {and reached a
roughly equal position after} 14. Rhf1 b5 15. Ng5 h6 16. Nxe6+ Qxe6 17. Kb1 c4
18. Qe3 cxd3 19. Rxd3 Rxd3 20. Qxd3 Nd7 {.})) (11. O-O-O b5 {(opposite-side
castling shows up a lot in this line, and generally Black just shoves all of
his pawns as far as White lets him)} 12. Bxg7 Kxg7 13. Ne2 a5 14. g4 a4 15. Ng3
b4 16. Qg5 Re8 17. Nd2 a3 18. bxa3 $6 ({likely better is} 18. b3 Qd4 19. Nc4 {
, since Black obviously can't take on a2 because of} Qa1+ 20. Kd2 Qxa2 21. Ra1)
18... h6 $1 {(this rules out any Nh5+ shenanigans)} 19. Qe3 Be6 $1 20. Nb3 Rxa3
21. Qxc5 Qb8 22. Kb2 Nd7 23. Qe3 Nb6 24. Ra1 {and now} c5 $3 {tipped the
scales dramatically in Leko's favour in A.Shirov-P.Leko, 3rd matchgame,
Dortmund 2002. Shirov didn't survive much longer, the game concluding} 25. Kc1
c4 26. dxc4 Nxc4 27. Qe1 Qa7 28. Qxb4 Qxf2 29. Nf5+ gxf5 30. gxf5 Rc8 $1 31.
fxe6 Ne3 {0-1.}) (11. O-O Nh5 $1 12. Ne2 f6 13. Nh2 Nf4 $5 {an interesting
sacrifice,} ({but} 13... a5 {is also worth a look-see}) 14. Bxg7 (14. Bxf4 exf4
15. Nxf4 $6 f5 $1 {gives Black way too much play}) 14... Nxe2+ 15. Qxe2 Kxg7
16. a4 a5 17. Qe3 Be6 18. f4 exf4 19. Rxf4 Qd4 {is about equal.})) (8. O-O {
reaches a divide via} Nd7 9. Be3 e5 10. Qd2 Re8 {. White has two major tries
here, both similar in attack:} 11. -- (11. Nh2 b6 12. f4 exf4 13. Bxf4 Ne5 14.
Kh1 a5 $5 15. a4 Ra7 $5 16. Nf3 Nxf3 17. Rxf3 c4 $1 {and Black was equal in M.Shukurova-M.Lomineishvili, Calvia Olympiad 2004.}) (11. Bh6 {when I'd suggest
you try out the lesser-played} Bh8 $5 {, saving the dark-squared bishop and
keeping firm control of the dark squares around Black's king.} ({The problem I
kept running into in standard lines like} 11... Nf8 12. Ne2 Qd6 13. Nh2 $5 Ne6
14. Bxg7 Kxg7 15. f4 Nxf4 16. Nxf4 exf4 17. Rxf4 {was that White seemed
slightly for preference because of the weaknesses incurred by ...g6 and the
subsequent trading of dark-squared bishops. He will have easy pressure down
the f-file, a tad more space, and slightly better pawn structure}) 12. Qe3 $5 {
is an interesting suggestion of Houdini's, keeping Black's pieces tied up a
bit, dissuading ...c4 shots by removing the queen from the d-file, and
preparing possible Nd2-c4 with f4 ideas. Black should respond with} ({after} 
12. Nh2 {(this is White's standard idea, preparing f4)} Nf8 13. f4 exf4 14.
Bxf4 c4 $1 {(not only does Black rid himself of the double pawns and stick
White with a weak d3-pawn, but he's also threatening the cheapo ...Qb6+
followed by ...Qxb2)} 15. Be3 cxd3 16. cxd3 {Black has} f5 $5 17. Rad1 Be6 {
with an unclear position}) 12... Qe7 13. a4 $5 a5 14. Nb1 $5 {(looking to
re-route the knight to c4, capitalizing on the fresh weaknesses on b6 and a5)}
Nf8 15. Bxf8 $5 Rxf8 16. Nbd2 b6 17. Nc4 Qc7 {, with an interesting position
in which I wouldn't mind being Black, though in my opinion it's going to be
fairly difficult for either player to make progress.})))) 5... Ng4 6. Bxc6 ({
White has a sharp alternative in} 6. Qe2 Bg7 7. Bxc6 dxc6 8. h3 Nh6 9. Ne4 $5 (
9. g4 O-O {takes us back to the normal 6 Bxc6 lines}) 9... b6 10. d3 Nf5 11.
Bg5 O-O 12. c3 Ba6 (12... f6 13. Bf4 fxe5 14. Bxe5 Nh4) ({and} 12... Qd5 {are
alternatives, though I think 12...Ba6 forces White to commit his king, giving
Black some extra information and making subtle differences in the position})
13. -- {. Now:} (13. Rd1 Qd5 14. g4 (14. c4 Qe6 15. Bf4 h6 16. O-O Rad8 {gives
Black his fair share of chances based on the backward d3-pawn and the
corresponding weak square on d4}) 14... f6 $1 15. c4 ({or} 15. Bc1 Nh6 16. c4
Qe6 {when the pressure placed on the white centre after ...Nf7 will be annoying
}) 15... Nd4 $5 16. cxd5 Nxe2 17. dxc6 fxg5 18. Kxe2 Rac8 {with a messy
position in which Black shouldn't be worse.}) (13. O-O-O f6 14. Bf4 Qd7 {seems
dynamically balanced and complex. Black need not fear the trick} 15. g4 (15.
exf6 exf6 {leaves White needing to find a way to deal with looming pressure on
d3-pawn; Black looks to be about equal}) 15... Nh6 16. Qe3 Nf7 17. Nxc5 bxc5
18. e6 {, as} Qb7 19. exf7+ Rxf7 {with ...e5 and ...Rd8 coming is fine for the
second player.})) 6... dxc6 7. h3 Nh6 8. g4 ({Shutting out the knight is the
only move that makes sense now, as} 8. d3 Bg7 {is likely to transpose to lines
we discuss very soon}) ({and} 8. Ne4 b6 9. Qe2 Nf5 {allows Black to fix the
knight with a fine position: for example,} 10. c3 a5 $5 11. d3 ({it's too late
for} 11. g4 {, as} Ba6 $1 12. c4 Nd4 {is obviously not what White wants}) 11...
Ba6 12. c4 {was V.Lilov-V.Spasov, Bulgarian Championship, Plovdiv 2008, and
now Kolev and Nedev think} Bg7 13. Nf6+ exf6 14. exf6+ Kf8 15. fxg7+ Kxg7 16.
O-O Re8 {gives Black a good game, and I agree. Black will most likely have to
redeploy the light-squared bishop to a real square, but the open lines in the
centre and the weak d3/d4 squares give Black good counter-chances. Look for ...Ra7 lifts to the e-file.}) 8... Bg7 ({I tried pretty hard to resurrect} 8... f5
$6 {, but every line starting with} 9. exf6 exf6 {was really just unpalatable
to form a repertoire around, even the endings arising from} 10. Qe2+ Qe7 11.
Ne4 {.}) 9. d3 O-O {This is a critical position for the entire 3...Nf6
variation. Black's knight may look gross on h6 (it is, let's be honest), but
White has paid a price to strand it there - the two bishops and White's
kingside pawn weaknesses are not insignificant. The fact that White has played
h3 and g4 means that he's probably never going to be safe on the kingside, but
as we'll see shortly, castling long is not without danger. Moving on, White
has three continuations of merit:} 10. -- ({E1:} 10. Be3) ({E2:} 10. Bf4) ({E3:
} 10. Qe2) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "The Rossolimo – 3 Bb5"]
[Black "E1: 10 Be3"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B30"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "46"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 $5 4. Nc3 g6 5. e5 Ng4 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. h3 Nh6 8.
g4 Bg7 9. d3 O-O 10. Be3 f5 $1 {With White's pawn on g4, any move by White's
dark-squared bishop makes Qd2 a threat. This move allows Black to reintroduce
his poorly placed knight on h6 back into the game, and occasionally clears the
way for a very active posting of the light-squared bishop as well (after White
plays g5, an ...f4 sacrifice opens lines).} 11. exf6 (11. g5 {is a major
alternative, and after} Nf7 12. Bf4 {, it's clear that White has lost a move
compared to 10 Bf4. Now} Qb6 (12... Qa5 $5 {is preferred by Kolev and Nedev,
and also looks good; Black wants to annoy White with ...Qb4, and continue with
the standard ...Nd8-e6 plan, as in Line E2}) 13. b3 Nd8 $1 14. Ne2 Be6 15. c4
Bf7 16. Qd2 Ne6 17. O-O Rfd8 18. Bg3 a5 $1 19. Nf4 a4 {looked comfortable for
Black in R.Kasimdzhanov-C.San Segundo Carrillo, Donostia 2009. Black can begin
counterplay against the b3-pawn and along the a-file with ...Ra5, ...Qa7, and
so forth, while the backwards d-pawn and the d4-square will be sore spots
later on.}) 11... exf6 12. Qd2 (12. Bxc5 $2 {is really asking for it after the
obvious} Re8+ 13. Be3 f5 $1 {, as Black has tremendously active pieces and the
threats are mounting.}) 12... Nf7 13. Bxc5 Re8+ 14. Be3 b5 $5 15. O-O-O {We'll
diverge from M.Feygin-T.Nedev, Izmir 2004, here.} f5 ({Kolev and Nedev like} 
15... b4 $5 {, which if anything shows that Black has multiple routes to a
complicated, fighting game. I like the more straightforward path myself.}) 16.
Ng5 (16. gxf5 $6 {is much too compliant, allowing Black to unleash both
bishops and get things rolling on the queenside before White obtains anything
on the other front. Play might continue} Bxf5 17. Kb1 b4 18. Ne2 c5 $1 19. Nf4
(19. Bxc5 $2 Qd5 {is the point}) 19... Qf6 20. Qc1 a5 $1 {, intending ...a4
and ...a3. Black has a raging initiative.}) 16... b4 17. Na4 (17. Ne2 $2 Qf6
18. d4 f4 {wraps things up nicely}) ({and} 17. Nb1 $2 {doesn't defend b2 or a2
particularly well (and looks kind of silly to boot): for example,} Qf6 18. d4
a5 {, when White can't stop the queen from hitting f7 then a2.}) 17... Nxg5 18.
Bxg5 Qa5 19. Rde1 (19. b3 {might be slightly better, and is certainly no less
complex. Play could continue} fxg4 20. Rde1 Be6 21. hxg4 Bc3 22. Qf4 Bxe1 23.
Rxe1 Rf8 24. Bf6 g5 {with an absolute mess in which Black doesn't seem worse.})
19... Be6 20. gxf5 Qxa4 21. fxe6 Qxa2 22. Qxb4 Rab8 23. Qf4 -- ({Now either} 
23... Rf8 24. Qc4 Bxb2+ 25. Kd1 Qxc4 26. dxc4 Bc3 27. e7 Rfe8 {followed by ...Bb4xe7}) ({or} 23... Bxb2+ 24. Kd2 Rf8 25. Qc4 Rxf2+ 26. Ke3 Qxc4 27. dxc4 Rf5
{lead to approximately equal endgames, though I think I'd rather be Black in
both cases.}) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "The Rossolimo – 3 Bb5"]
[Black "E2: 10 Bf4"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B30"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "43"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 $5 4. Nc3 g6 5. e5 Ng4 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. h3 Nh6 8.
g4 Bg7 9. d3 O-O 10. Bf4 {This is a sensible attempt by White to improve on 10
Be3 by overprotecting the e-pawn immediately, such that Be3-f4 doesn't lose a
tempo later.} f6 (10... f5 $5 {might be my choice in a game I had to win, with
a possible transposition to Line E3 after} 11. g5 Nf7 12. Qe2 {. Theory has
neglected this variation somewhat - perhaps most players assume a tempo up
version of Line E1 is good for White, or that 10...f6 simply makes more sense
now, exploiting White's pile-up of pieces along the f-file.} ({Besides the
entry to 10 Qe2 below, it's logical for White to try exploit this move order
and super-charge his attack by pushing his h-pawn right away with} 12. h4 $5 {.
} -- ({. White's main idea is that the standard manoeuvre} 12... Qa5 13. h5 Nd8
{isn't fast enough now; White wins easily after the thematic} 14. hxg6 hxg6 15.
Nh4 $1 Kf7 16. Nxg6 {. In this way, White actually gains multiple tempi, as
his queen is more ideally placed on the d1-h5 diagonal. In most other lines in
this chapter it gets dragged to e3, d2, or f4, making this standard
combination harder to finish.}) ({. With the above in mind, it becomes obvious
that Black needs to act a bit faster, and for this reason only} 12... Qb6 $1 {
makes sense. My analysis continued} 13. b3 (13. Rb1 {avoids the dark-square
weaknesses created by b3, but leaves White's king without a good home and ties
the rook to that pawn for quite some time; Black can probably afford to
develop more slowly with} Be6 14. h5 Bd5 {followed by ...Nd8-e6, as White's
kingside attack is unsupported, and play might continue} 15. Qe2 Nd8 16. Nxd5
cxd5 17. Nh4 Qe6 {, planning to attack the e-pawn with ...Nc6}) 13... Qa5 14.
Qd2 (14. Bd2 $2 {hangs the e-pawn, but greedier and perhaps better is} f4 {
first}) 14... c4 $1 {Black opens lines while attacking White's e5-pawn - White
must be very careful about allowing the bishop on g7 to come alive;} ({the
obvious} 14... Nd8 {may also be fine, but after} 15. h5 Ne6 16. Ne2 {I had
little interest in trading queens or playing} Qa3) 15. bxc4 {, when} (15. dxc4
{seems too compliant, and after} Nxe5 16. Nxe5 Bxe5 17. Bxe5 Qxe5+ 18. Kf1 f4
$1 19. Re1 Qg7 {I saw no problems for Black, who will follow up with ...Bf5
and ...Rad8}) 15... b5 $1 {was only move that I'd be comfortable playing
myself,} ({as} 15... Nxe5 16. Nxe5 Bxe5 17. Bxe5 Qxe5+ 18. Kf1 {followed by 19
Re1 looks like an improved version of 15 dxc4 above for the first player}) 16.
-- {. After 15...b5, White has a few ways to parry the punch:} (16. cxb5 $6
cxb5 {is not good for White, as ...b4 and ...Bb7 are up next.}) (16. d4 Be6 $1
(16... b4 {is similar in idea, but I was less sure about} 17. Ne2 Be6 18. Qd3
b3+ 19. Nd2) 17. h5 (17. cxb5 cxb5 18. Ne2 Qb6 19. h5 Bd5 20. Rh3 Rfd8 {
threatens to win the e5-pawn via ...Bxf3, and gives Black good compensation
for the pawn in general based on his exceptional light-square control,
pressure down the c-file, and White's poor king position}) 17... b4 18. Ne2
Bxc4 {is fine for Black after ...Qd5 and ...Rfd8.}) (16. h5 {is the most
consistent, but after} bxc4 17. d4 {, Black can shunt White's attack with the
wonderful} (17. dxc4 $2 Rd8 18. Qe3 Rb8 {is terrible for White}) 17... gxh5 $1
18. Rxh5 Nh8 $1 {. After} 19. Ne2 (19. Rh3 Ng6 20. Nh4 {is another clever
defence to the threat of ...Nxf4, but} Nxf4 21. e6 Ne2 22. Kf1 Rd8 {seems very
reasonable for the second player, who can continue with ...Rab8 and ...Qb2})
19... Qd5 $1 {(Black's queen couldn't be placed any better, radiating power in
all directions and preparing ...c5)} 20. Rh3 Ng6 21. Nh4 Rb8 {the chances are
objectively about level, but I'd rather play Black. White's king is stuck in
the centre, and with all of the central pawns situated on dark squares,
Black's light-squared bishop will soon be a very strong piece.}) ({. All the
computers I've tested against in this position want to dive into the endgame
after} 16. Ne2 Qxd2+ 17. Kxd2 bxc4 18. h5 (18. d4 {allows Black fantastic
counterplay with} c5 $1 {, since ...Bb7 is up next and} 19. d5 $2 {is met by}
Bb7 20. Nc3 Rfd8) 18... cxd3 19. cxd3 {, but again, just as in 16 h5 above,
Black can solve all of his problems with the amazing} gxh5 $1 20. Ng3 Nh8 $1
21. Nxh5 Ng6 {- Black will have a very harmonious position (besides his
repugnant pawn structure), following ...Be6-d5 and ...Rab8/...Rfd8.})))) 11.
Qe2 {This allows Black to devolve the game state into a chaotic theoretical
dispute,} ({but is probably better than} 11. Qd2 {, which has historically
been more popular. About five games have continued} Nf7 12. O-O-O fxe5 13. Bg3
{when I like the} Be6 {of S.Millet-M.Hamdouchi, French Team Championship 2012.}
14. -- ({. White tried} 14. Rhe1 {, when Black could have capitalized with} Bd5
$1 15. Nxe5 Bxe5 $5 16. Bxe5 Bf3 {, winning an exchange with a challenging
position in which I'd think Black is slightly better.}) ({. Better is the
computer-suggested} 14. Qe3 {, though even here Black has fine options after}
e4 $5 15. Qxe4 (15. Nxe4 Qb6 {seems promising for Black}) 15... Bd5 16. Nxd5
cxd5 17. Qe2 {, and either} e5 ({or} 17... a5 $5 {, intending to push the pawn
as far as possible and a rook lift to b6 via a6.}))) 11... Nxg4 $5 {This is
the point, exploiting the hanging bishop on f4 and White's weaknesses along
the d1-h5 diagonal.} ({There is an interesting and safe alternative in} 11...
Nf7 {, which has been contested in two high-level battles, both draws. --- Jun
Zhao-D.Alsina Leal, Moscow 2011, continued similarly to 11 Qd2 and was drawn
after} 12. O-O-O fxe5 13. Bg3 (13. Bxe5 Bxg4 14. Bxg7 Bxf3 15. Qe3 Bxh1 16.
Bxf8 Qxf8 17. Qxc5 Bf3) 13... Be6 14. Nxe5 Bd5 15. Nxd5 (15. Nxf7 {was essayed
in A.Karpov-M.Chiburdanidze, Bilbao 1987, but was quickly drawn after} Rxf7 16.
Nxd5 cxd5 17. Be5 Bxe5 18. Qxe5 {, as Black would presumably equalize after}
Qd6) 15... Qxd5 16. c4 Qe6 17. Rhe1 Nxe5 18. Bxe5 Qxe5 19. Qxe5 Bxe5 20. Rxe5
Rxf2 21. Rxe7 {, since after} Rf7 22. Rde1 Kf8 {any rook retreat is met by ...Rf3 with enough counterplay for Black to compensate for his worse structure.})
12. hxg4 fxe5 13. Rxh7 $1 {This is White's only sensible plan after 10 Bf4,} ({
as otherwise Black has} 13. Bxe5 Bxg4 14. Bxg7 Bxf3 15. Qe3 Bxh1 16. Bxf8 Qxf8
17. Qxc5 Bf3 {, when I'd never want to charity White's cause.}) 13... Kxh7 14.
Ng5+ Kg8 15. Be3 {The dust has settled to a certain extent, and it's time to
take stock. Black is up an exchange and a pawn with the two bishops, and yet
White has perfectly reasonable compensation here based on the second player's
breezy kingside, horrific pawn structure, light-square weaknesses, and lagging
development. Black's only job is to consolidate, and he's got many a way to
try and get his position sealed up.} e4 $5 {This is the most natural attempt,
jettisoning a pawn in order to try and clean up the black position and
activate the strong g7-bishop.} ({It may also be the only move; there are two
other ideas worth investigating as well, though they both look like White
might end up on top:} 15... Bf6 {might even lose: for instance,} 16. Nce4 b6 ({
or} 16... Kg7 17. O-O-O {when Black can't really avoid ...b6 for too long}) 17.
O-O-O Kg7 18. f4 $1 Rh8 19. Bd2 $3 {with non-obvious trouble for Black here,
as shown by} Qd5 20. c4 $1 Qd7 21. Rg1 Bb7 22. fxe5 {with a winning attack.}) (
15... Bh6 {seems completely impractical for Black after something like} 16.
Nce4 Kg7 17. O-O-O Rh8 18. f4 $1 Qd7 19. f5 $1 gxf5 {(this is already not a
position I'd ever want as Black)} 20. gxf5 Qxf5 21. Rg1 Kg8 22. Qg2 {, with an
obviously better position for White.}) 16. O-O-O (16. Ngxe4 {is also possible,
when} b5 ({taking the plunge with} 16... c4 $5 17. dxc4 b5 $5 18. cxb5 cxb5 {
is an interesting way to try and gain counterplay, as both} 19. Nxb5 Qd5 20.
Nbc3 Bxc3+ 21. Nxc3 Qh1+ 22. Qf1 Qxf1+ 23. Kxf1 Bxg4 {look great for Black})
17. Bxc5 Qa5 (17... Qc7 {right away is also obviously fine}) 18. a3 Qc7 19. f3
Qf4 {seems about equal.}) 16... exd3 17. Rxd3 Qc7 18. Kb1 Bf6 19. Rd1 {One of
the reasons Black can get away with the idea of ...e4xd3 is that White's rook
is actually somewhat misplaced on d3.} Qh2 $1 {A strong but short-lived
finesse - Black threatens ...Qg2 and stops White from playing Rh1 for the time
being.} 20. Nce4 {Probably best. White protect the g5-knight, threatening Bxc5
and forcing Black's queen to come back.} Qe5 21. c3 Bxg5 22. Nxg5 {. The
position is complicated and the better calculator will win, but objectively
Black seems okay. White doesn't have any immediate kingside threats and so
Black may have some time to try and develop, but because of his weaknesses and
naked king, it's going to be very hard for Black to push too much, as White
will always have counter-chances.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "The Rossolimo – 3 Bb5"]
[Black "E3: 10 Qe2"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B30"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "58"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. Nc3 g6 5. e5 Ng4 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. h3 Nh6 8. g4
Bg7 9. d3 O-O 10. Qe2 {White avoids declaring a location for his dark-squared
bishop, instead overprotecting the e-pawn and getting ready for long castling.
Historically, this is White's most popular choice.} f5 $1 {Just as in Line E1 
(10 Be3), Black must reintroduce his knight on h6 back into the fray.} ({Black
can also give Kolev and Nedev's} 10... Qb6 $5 {a shot, clearing the way for ...Nd8-e6 with tempo, since White needs to find a way to activate his
dark-squared bishop. The downside of this move is that Black's queen isn't
particularly well placed after White protects b2 - it's substantially better
on a5. --- Play has typically continued} 11. b3 ({White has tried} 11. a4 {in
a few games, trying to nudge Black's queen away from the b2-square; M.Gil-A.Gavazov, correspondence 2010, was drawn after} f5 12. a5 Qc7 13. g5 Nf7 14. Bf4
Nd8 15. Qe3 Ne6 16. Ne2 {, but in any case the pawn on a5 mostly looks out of
place, and prevents White from connecting his rooks with 0-0-0}) 11... f5 12.
g5 (12. Na4 {occurred in Y.Wen-J.Zhao, Yerevan 2006, which continued} Qc7 ({
also promising is} 12... Qa5+ $5 {, ensuring that White's bishop never makes
it to the b2-square}) 13. Bxh6 {, when Black needed to find the strong
zwischenzug with} fxg4) 12... Nf7 {with a few interesting games to look at
briefly:} 13. -- (13. h4 $6 {was played in Y.Shabanov-B.Rozanov, Moscow 2009,
but allows the thematic} f4 $1 {. Play might continue} 14. Rg1 (14. Bxf4 $2 {
actually loses after} Bg4 {- White is hard pressed to deal with ...Nd8 or ...Nxe5}) 14... Nxe5 {this is the easiest and most clear,} 15. Nxe5 Qc7 16. Bb2
Qxe5 17. Qxe5 Bxe5 {. Black has a perfectly playable position; he won't hold
on to his extra pawn for very long, but his two bishops are very good here.
The backward e7-pawn can be shored up via ...Bf5 and ...e6.}) (13. Bb2 {looks
best, featured in two games by Bulgarian WGM Iva Videnova:} -- ({. Edouard-I.Videnova, Gibraltar 2010, continued} 13... Nd8 14. O-O-O Ne6 15. h4 Qc7 $6 {
this seems counterproductive,} ({I'd suggest either} 15... Qb4 $5 {, looking
to stir up counterplay via ...Qf4+ and ...Nd4}) ({or} 15... Nd4 {: for example,
} 16. Nxd4 cxd4 17. Na4 Qd8 18. h5 Qd5) 16. Rde1 (16. Qe3 $1 {stops ...Nf4/...Nd4, prepares h5, and looks clearly better for White}) 16... b6 $6 {(very
passive at a time when Black desperately needs to counterbalance White's
kingside play)} 17. Qe3 $1 a5 18. h5 Bd7 19. Nh4 gxh5 20. g6 $1 Be8 21. Rhg1 h6
22. f4 $1 {when Black was suffering in a likely lost position.}) ({. The later
} 13... Qc7 {of S.Melia-I.Videnova, European Women's Championship, Rijeka 2010,
seems more to the point, immediately attacking the e5-pawn. --- The game
continued} 14. O-O-O Nxe5 15. Nb5 $6 (15. h4 $1 Nxf3 16. Qxf3 e5 17. h5 Be6 {
was a better try; White has compensation for the pawn, but no more}) 15...
Nxd3+ $1 16. Rxd3 Bxb2+ 17. Kxb2 cxb5 {, when Black was at least equal.}))) 11.
g5 Nf7 12. Bf4 {Protecting the e-pawn right away is the most obvious. It's
worth noting that this line can also be reached via Line E2, with 10 Bf4 f5 11
g5 Nf7 12 Qe2.} ({Black also has to find a good way to meet} 12. h4 $5 -- ({,
White's point being that the standard manoeuvre with} 12... Qa5 13. h5 Nd8 {
isn't fast enough (White hasn't spent two tempi putting his queen on e3 when
there's a tactical benefit to the lady sitting on the d1-h5 diagonal), and
loses after} 14. hxg6 hxg6 15. Nh4 $1 Kf7 16. Nxg6 {.}) ({. White has other
reasonable options that may become more popular if improvements are hard to
come by in our main line: Omitting Bf4 with 12 h4 allows} 12... f4 $1 {, and
after} 13. e6 Nd6 14. h5 Nf5 {Kolev and Nedev think Black has good counterplay.
One possible illustration of this evaluation is} 15. hxg6 hxg6 16. Qe4 (16.
Bxf4 $6 Nd4 17. Qe4 Nxc2+ $1 18. Kf1 Rxf4 $1 19. Qxf4 Qxd3+ 20. Kg2 Bxe6 {
probably gives Black too much for his exchange}) 16... Qd6 17. Bd2 ({again,} 
17. Bxf4 {is not a big problem: for instance,} Qxe6 18. Qxe6+ Bxe6 19. Be5 Nd4
20. Nxd4 cxd4 21. Bxg7 Kxg7 22. Ne4 Bd5 {with an equal ending}) 17... Qxe6 18.
O-O-O Qxe4 19. Nxe4 Nd4 {, when I don't see any huge problems for Black, who
has the two bishops and an extra pawn (which probably won't last long).})) (12.
e6 Nd6 13. Bf4 {sees White omit h4 altogether, but I don't buy most plans that
don't include this. Black seems okay after} Nb5 (13... c4 $5 {also looks good,
Black's main point being that} 14. d4 $6 Ne4 $1 {gives him good counterplay
since} 15. Nxe4 $2 fxe4 16. Qxe4 Qd5 $1 {actually loses instantly for White})
14. Nxb5 cxb5 15. O-O-O Qd5 16. Be5 a5 $5 {(my silicon buddy found this plan
and I couldn't resist showing it, but let it be known the more obvious capture
on e5 is also equal)} 17. Bxg7 Kxg7 18. Rhe1 Ra6 $5 {with good counterplay
against the weak e6-pawn and a2.}) 12... Qa5 $1 {Given a bang by Kolev and
Nedev (I agree), Black simultaneously eyes White's king's soon-to-be home on
the queenside, prepares ...Nd8-e6, and possibly threatens ...Qb4 in some
variations, hitting both the bishop on f4 and b2 at the same time.} 13. Qe3 {
This move may look ludicrous, but if White wants to castle long and attack
with h4-h5, he needs to be able to protect his weak a2-pawn after ...b5 with
Kb1, and have a square available for his knight after the b4 push that follows.
White's queen sortie also takes the sting out of a possible ...Qb4 double
attack too.} ({As stated above,} 13. O-O-O $6 b5 $1 {gives Black strong
counterplay against White's king on account of the cute} 14. Kb1 $4 b4 {,
trapping the knight.}) ({White has a few more reasonable moves however:} 13.
Bd2 Qc7 14. Bf4 Nd8 15. Qe3 Qa5 {transposes to our main line with two extra
moves in the books.}) (13. a3 $6 Be6 ({the plan with ...Nd8-e6 is probably
even better:} 13... Nd8 14. O-O-O Ne6 15. Qe3 b5 {, when White's a3 has only
made things worse for his king}) 14. h4 Bd5 15. h5 Nd8 16. O-O-O Ne6 17. Bd2
Qc7 18. Nxd5 cxd5 19. Rh4 Kf7 {is unclear according to Kolev and Nedev.}) 13...
Nd8 $1 {Black continues the improvement of his offside knight with the usual
hop into the wonderful e6-square. It's also worth noting that this clears the
f7-square for Black's king - highly relevant, as h4-h5xg6 with Nh4 quickly
after is White's usual attacking plan.} ({Kolev and Nedev prefer to highlight
K.Landa-M.Markovic, Belgrade 1991, where Black decided to put his bishop on d5
before playing ...Nd8-e6 after} 13... Be6 14. h4 Bd5 {. White has two main
continuations:} 15. -- ({. Removing White's knight from the pin with} 15. Rh3 {
when Kolev and Nedev preferred} Nd8 $1 {, instead of the game continuation,
further analysing:} 16. -- (16. O-O-O Bxa2 17. h5 Ne6 18. Rdh1 b5 {with
insufficient compensation for White. I'd disagree - I think White has enough
after the standard} 19. hxg6 hxg6 20. Nh4 $1 Kf7 21. Nxg6 $3 Kxg6 22. Qf3 $1 {
(this is White's idea, menacing Qh5+)} Nxf4 {(perhaps Kolev and Nedev thought
this refuted White's idea, but he has time to simply step back)} 23. Qxf4 Bd5
24. Nxd5 cxd5 25. Qf3 {.}) ({. Kolev and Nedev also look at} 16. a3 Ne6 17. h5
Bxf3 18. Qxf3 Nd4 19. Qd1 c4 {, with good counterplay for Black, his point
being that} 20. dxc4 Rad8 {threatens ...Nb3 and the e-pawn.}) ({. I also
wonder about the critical} 16. h5 {, though it appears Black has enough
counter-chances following} Ne6 {, which threatens ...Qb4. Play might continue}
17. a3 Bxf3 18. Qxf3 c4 $1 {, when e5 is hanging.})) ({. Instead of 15 Rh3,
the never-played and critical} 15. h5 $1 {looks promising for White:} -- ({.
Kolev and Nedev give} 15... Bxf3 16. Qxf3 Nxe5 17. Qh3 Kf7 {, but} 18. Bxe5
Bxe5 19. hxg6+ hxg6 20. Qh7+ Ke8 21. Qxg6+ {looks unpalatable to me.}) (15...
Nd8 16. O-O-O Ne6 (16... Bxa2 $2 17. hxg6 hxg6 18. Nh4 $1 Kf7 19. Qf3 $1 Rh8
20. Nxg6 $1 Kxg6 21. Rxh8 Bxh8 22. Rh1 Ne6 23. Qh5+ Kg7 24. g6 {is a nice
variation on this thematic attacking sequence for White}) 17. Kb1 {also seems
better for White theoretically, and practically even more difficult for the
second player. --- It's not easy to find a constructive plan for generating
counterplay. One of the main problems with putting the bishop on d5 is that ...b5 plans are far less effective when White can simply play Nxd5 at any point -
not only is a2 less weak without the bishop, but White's knight has an out,
and Qxc5 is frequently just winning after the knight takes the bishop. My
computer suggests} Rad8 {for Black here, but the first line I tried for White
is practically forced and very pleasant for him, that being} 18. Nxd5 cxd5 (
18... Rxd5 19. c4 $1 Rd7 20. Nh4 Kf7 21. Bg3 $1 {is very bad for Black, with
White setting up the usual Nxg6 and Qf3 sacrifices without allowing ...Nxf4
ideas}) 19. Nh4 Qa4 {(there are other moves here, but I found nothing that
improved Black's prospects)} 20. hxg6 $3 Qxf4 21. gxh7+ Kf7 22. g6+ Ke8 23.
Qxf4 Nxf4 24. Rdg1 {when no one in their right mind would want to try and play
Black's position. White is probably a bit better, as it's not easy to find a
way to stop him from profitably arranging the win of the piece back: for
instance, Nf3, Rh4, and eventually Rh8.}) ({. Instead, Houdini suggests} 15...
c4 $5 {, giving the odd gambit of a pawn with} 16. O-O-O $5 (16. d4 Nd8 17.
O-O-O Ne6 {is easier for Black, who can start play with ...Rd8 and ...Bxf3})
16... cxd3 17. Nxd5 Qxd5 18. Rxd3 Qxa2 19. Ra3 Qe6 {as slightly preferable to
White. It might be even worse than that, and I'd never want to play this
position in one of my own games; all of Black's pieces are inactive, and White
has some time to reorganize his pieces for play on the kingside, or look for a
long and tortuous positional squeeze with} 20. h6 Bh8 21. Rd1 {.}))) 14. O-O-O
{Castling long and working towards h4-h5 is the most obvious plan for White.} (
14. h4 {immediately is again possible, though Black has adequate counterplay
on the queenside after} Ne6 ({I also looked into dissuading White from
castling long with} 14... b5 $5 {, which also looks pointed now that White has
also weakened his kingside with h4}) 15. O-O-O b5 16. Kb1 Nxf4 17. Qxf4 Be6 18.
Nd2 c4 $1 (18... b4 $2 19. Nc4 {is White's point, after which Black stands
worse on account of his bungled queenside stance}) 19. h5 (19. d4 b4 20. Ne2
Bd5 21. f3 c5 $1 {looks awfully powerful for Black}) 19... cxd3 20. cxd3 Rfd8 {
. Without any pieces supporting the h5 thrust, Black can react to pressure
down the h-file with ...Kf7 and be safe for the time being. Black looks to
trade for White's e5-pawn with ...b4, ensuring that his two bishops become
active as a pair.}) 14... b5 $1 {Counterplay against White's king must start
immediately.} 15. Kb1 b4 16. Ne2 Be6 {Unfortunately for White, Black's
initiative is picking up steam - a sign that perhaps White needed to deviate
earlier or not castle long directly into ...b5-b4 and threats to the a2-pawn.}
17. Nc1 (17. b3 $6 {is worse, encouraging Black to push the a-pawn at some
point: for example,} Bd5 18. h4 Ne6 {(Black manoeuvres all of his pieces to
their best squares first)} 19. h5 Qc7 $1 {, when Black looks to be way ahead
in the race for the opponent's king.}) 17... Bd5 18. h4 Qb6 $1 {Black slides
his queen out of the way of the a-pawn and Nb3 attacks, but also may threaten ...c4 soon, removing White's defender of the pinned f3-knight.} 19. Rh3 Ne6 {.
We've been following the high-level correspondence battle M.Voss-D.Lafarga
Santorroman, correspondence 2009 (both players are around 2600). In my opinion
White is probably in a bit of trouble, as Black has used the last 5-7 moves
very efficiently, while White has put his knight on the very passive c1-square
and wasted a valuable tempo with Rh3. Black cleaned up nicely after} 20. h5 a5
21. Nh4 Kf7 22. Qg3 a4 23. Nxf5 b3 $1 24. c4 bxa2+ 25. Kxa2 Rfb8 $1 26. Rd2 Ra5
$1 27. Ka1 (27. cxd5 $2 Rb5 {.}) 27... gxf5 {when} 28. cxd5 {was impossible,
since after} Rb5 29. dxe6+ Kg8 {White can't stop Black from crashing through
with ...Rxb2 next move.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Key Takeaways 10"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "19"]
[SourceDate "2015.03.04"]

{1. Against 4 d3, Kolev and Nedev's simple and forcing 4...Qa5+ 5 Nc3 Nd4!? 5
Bc4 b5 6 Bb3 Nxb3 seems like a great practical choice. Black's plan is to
follow up with ...e6, ...d6, and ...Bb7, with an unbalanced but balanced
position, if you know what I mean. --- 2. Against 4 Bxc6, Black should play 4...dxc6!, when play normally continues 5 d3 Bg4 6 h3 Bh5. Black's plan is
typically ...Nd7 and ...e5, possibly with ...Qc7 and ...f6 thrown in. The ...c4 break is an important resource, mending Black's structure and weakening
White's. Castling long isn't out of the question in these types of positions,
for either player. --- 3. The second player doesn't have a lot of problems
after 4 e5 Nd5 5 0-0 (or 5 Nc3) 5...Nc7 6 Bxc6 dxc6! (capturing this way is
almost always correct) 7 h3 g6, when Black's plan is to finish his development
and manoeuvre his knight to the weak d4-square via e6. Black's defensive task
was eased noticeably by White, who pushed e5 without controlling the d5-square.
--- 4. The move 4 Qe2 typically prepares a slow, Ruy Lopez-like build up with
c3, Rd1, and d4. Black should be prepared to meet d4 with the traditional and
well-known counterstrike ...d5, allowing his f6-knight to settle in on e4. If
White tries to trade it off via Nc3, you should take on c3 and look to
capitalize on the weak c4-square with ...Na5 and ...Rc8. Given White's shaky
light squares, any trade of those bishops is a huge bonus in these positions.
--- 5. Critical is 4 Nc3, intending 4...g6 5 e5 without allowing Black's
knight the comfortable d5-square. The fight typically revolves around Black
fixing his misplaced knight after 5...Ng4 6 Bxc6 dxc6! 7 h3 Nh6 8 g4! with ...f5 or ...f6 followed by ...Nf7. In the 10 Be3 line, Black seems to obtain
great counterplay with ...f5 - it's possible that White's 10th is simply
dubious, as later Bf4 is frequently needed. Quite a bit more dangerous is 10
Bf4, when Black can try out the under-explored but consistent 10...f5, or
lunge into even greater complications with 10...f6 11 Qe2 Nxg4. I'd recommend
the simple and safe 11...Nf7 if you're not a player that loves the chaos or
prepares these lines deeply. Finally, 10 Qe2 can be met satisfactorily by both
10...f5 or 10...Qb6!? with ...f5 to follow. The positions examined within Line
E are extremely intricate, but with some study, I have no doubts that you'll
come to enjoy them and rely upon them as much as I do when you want to stick
it to those stodgy 3 Bb5 players. --- 6. I cannot stress enough that the
Rossolimo should be respected and studied just as much as the Kalashnikov -
perhaps it's just because people know I'm a Sveshnikov and Kalashnikov
specialist, but I see 3 Bb5 just as much or more than 3 d4, and it's just as
dangerous. Plenty of world-class players have made it their weapon of choice
to fight 2...Nc6.} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 $5 4. Nc3 {(E)} (4. d3 {- A})
(4. Bxc6 {- B}) (4. e5 {- C}) (4. Qe2 {- D}) 4... g6 5. e5 Ng4 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7.
h3 Nh6 8. g4 Bg7 9. d3 O-O 10. -- (10. Be3 {- E1}) (10. Bf4 {- E2}) (10. Qe2 {
- E3}) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "11: The Alapin – 2 c3"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B22"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "7"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. c3 {A move made famous by Russian GM and nowadays successful
author Evgeny Sveshnikov. White plays simple chess, attempting to grab the
centre in full with 3 d4 whilst accepting somewhat retarded development in
return. White frequently ends up with a pawn on e5, or an isolani on d4/d5,
which ensures some extra space for development and active chances on the
kingside and in the centre. It's not all woes for Black though, as in both
situations that pawn might be weak and require aid. --- The immediate issue
with playing 2 c3 is that White's knight on b1 has no good home, implying that
the e4-pawn is unstable. For this reason, Black generally prefers to
immediately force White to make a decision about this pawn with either 2...d5
or 2...Nf6. I've chosen to focus upon the latter, as it's a bit more solid,
and can easily be learned by players new to the Sicilian after a quick breeze
through the important lines.} Nf6 3. e5 {White's best choice by far.} ({There
are a few rare alternatives that don't warrant a lot of coverage on account of
both rarity and objective merit:} 3. d3 {is fairly lame and doesn't deserve
mention (I've played the Sicilian my entire chess career and have never seen
this move), but I enjoyed the following game, so we'll cover it briefly anyway.
White's idea is} Nc6 4. f4 {, when Black should continue in normal fashion with
} d6 5. Nf3 g6 6. Be2 Bg7 7. O-O O-O 8. Na3 (8. h3 {allows} c4 $5 {if Black so
chooses}) 8... Rb8 9. Nc2 b5 10. Qe1 b4 11. Bd2 bxc3 12. Bxc3 d5 $1 {and now
we see that White's action on the flank is a bit late, as Black has already
begun his play in the centre and queenside. The game concluded} 13. e5 Nh5 14.
Qc1 ({White has to play this move, as b2 is also hanging: for instance,} 14. g3
d4 15. Bd2 Rxb2) 14... f6 15. d4 $2 Nxf4 $1 16. Qxf4 fxe5 17. Qh4 exd4 18. Bd2
e5 $5 {making the claim that taking the queens off won't help White is bold,
and probably true,} ({but} 18... Rxb2 {was perfectly okay as well}) 19. Bg5 Qc7
20. Nd2 Bf5 21. Ne1 e4 $1 {. By now White was completely busted in W.Arencibia
Rodriquez-V.Akopian, Biel Interzonal 1993. Well worth a diagram, despite
having no theoretical relevance.}) (3. Bd3 {looks ugly. Black can play mostly
any set of normal moves and be okay here, but I like the active} Nc6 4. Nf3 d5
$1 {, lashing out in the centre and once again exploiting the sensitive
e4-pawn. Black gains great counterplay (White has scored less than 30% from
here) after the sharp} 5. e5 c4 $1 6. Bc2 (6. exf6 $2 cxd3 7. fxg7 Bxg7 8. O-O
e5 {is just awful for White}) 6... Ng4 7. Ba4 (7. Qe2 Qc7 8. Ba4 {transposes})
7... Qc7 8. Qe2 a6 $1 {, of V.Ivanov-A.Kutlyarov, Iszhevsk 2010, grabbing the
two bishops on account of the weak e5-pawn. A probable continuation is} 9.
Bxc6+ Qxc6 10. h3 Nh6 11. O-O Qg6 $1 {, swinging the queen over to the
kingside before ...Bf5, ...Bd3, and ...e6. Black is clearly a bit better.}) (3.
Qc2 {is another odd choice. As is usual in offbeat Sicilian lines, Black looks
towards ...d5 at some point: for example,} Nc6 4. Nf3 g6 ({other moves like} 
4... e6) ({and} 4... e5 {have scored well too, this is just one of many
possible ways to arrange your pieces}) 5. d4 d5 $1 {sees Black stake out some
space on e4 for his knight, with a decent position after} 6. e5 Ne4 7. Nbd2 ({
the} 7. Be3 {of D.Povarnizyn-A.Simakov, Gornozavodsk 2007, will lead to
similar play: for example,} cxd4 8. cxd4 Bf5 9. Qb3 Qd7 10. Nc3 Nxc3 11. bxc3
Bg7 12. Be2 O-O 13. O-O f6 {, with an okay position for Black}) 7... Bf5 8. Qb3
(8. Bd3 Nxd2 9. Bxd2 Bg4 {is solid for Black as well}) 8... Qd7 9. Be2 Bg7 10.
Nxe4 Bxe4 11. e6 $5 fxe6 12. dxc5 O-O {, with an unclear position in which I'd
probably prefer Black, stylistically.}) 3... Nd5 {White now has a few options,
the last two being the most relevant. There are many move orders available to
reach the 6-7 key tabiyas, so the material in Lines B and C is somewhat
arbitrarily divided among the two to keep everything neat and organized for
the reader.} 4. -- ({A:} 4. g3) ({B:} 4. Nf3) ({C:} 4. d4) ({Note right away
that} 4. Bc4 {is likely to transpose back to 4 d4 lines after the
straightforward} Nb6 5. Bb3 Nc6 6. d4 cxd4 7. cxd4 d6 {, and so on.}) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "The Alapin – 2 c3"]
[Black "A: 4 g3"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B22"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "44"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. c3 Nf6 3. e5 Nd5 4. g3 {This is an interesting development scheme
popularized by the Lithuanian GM Eduardas Rozentalis, but one that mostly
lacks teeth. White's fine, Black's fine, and play is straightforward.} d6 5.
exd6 e6 $1 {This is the easiest way to equalize, and a thematic resource to
keep in mind for later.} 6. Bg2 Bxd6 7. Nf3 ({In E.Rozentalis-I.Rogers, Biel
1990, the Alapin master tried putting the knight on e2 instead. That game
continued} 7. Ne2 O-O 8. d4 Nc6 9. O-O {, when instead of Rogers'} Nde7 $5 {,
which seems fine by the way,} ({I'd suggest accepting the plausible
transposition back to the main line with} 9... cxd4 10. Nxd4 Nxd4 11. Qxd4 {
for simplicity.})) 7... O-O 8. O-O Nc6 9. d4 (9. Na3 {is also possible. Given
White's slower intentions and probable omission of d4, Black has time to
develop easily with ...b6, ...Bb7, ...Qd7, and so on: for example,} b6 10. Nc4
Bc7 11. d3 Bb7 12. a4 Qd7 13. Qe2 Rad8 14. Rd1 Rfe8 {, as in C.Bauer-M.Pavlovic, Biel 2010.}) 9... cxd4 10. Nxd4 Nxd4 11. Qxd4 Qc7 12. c4 ({Other
options include:} 12. Bxd5 $6 {is asking for it. Black has an interesting idea
in} exd5 13. Qxd5 b6 $5 (13... Be6 {is seems good enough for full compensation
as well - Black just needs to finish development and organize ...f5-f4}) 14.
Qxa8 ({taking the plunge looks risky, but both} 14. Nd2 Ba6 $1 15. Rd1 Rad8 16.
Qf5 Bb7) ({and} 14. Be3 Bb7 15. Qd3 Qd7 $1 {aren't palatable at all for White})
14... Bb7 15. Qxa7 (15. Qxf8+ Kxf8 16. Be3 f5 $1 {gives Black a
nigh-unstoppable assault}) 15... Ra8 16. Qxa8+ (16. Qxb7 Qxb7 {might be the
lesser of two evils for White, but this is all bad anyway}) 16... Bxa8 17. Be3
f5 $1 {with a strong initiative for Black.}) (12. Nd2 Bd7 13. Ne4 Be5 14. Qd3
Rad8 {was fine for Black in E.Rozentalis-V.Akopian, World Open 1994, the
players packing it in 12 moves later.}) 12... Nb6 13. Nc3 {. This was A.Deviatkin-B.Grachev, Serphukhov 2007. Now I like} Rd8 14. Nb5 $5 {this
sacrifice was all I could find for White,} ({as} 14. Qh4 Bd7 15. b3 Bc6 16. Rd1
Bxg2 17. Kxg2 Be5 {was no problem for Black in T.Russi Roman-F.Bleker,
correspondence 2012.}) 14... Qxc4 15. Qxc4 Nxc4 16. Nxd6 Rxd6 {when after} 17.
Re1 {Black needs to find some way to untangle his queenside. One easy way is}
Rd8 $5 18. b3 Nb6 19. Bb2 Nd5 20. Rad1 Bd7 21. Bxd5 exd5 22. Rxd5 Bc6 {with
clear equality.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "The Alapin – 2 c3"]
[Black "B: 4 Nf3"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B22"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "17"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. c3 Nf6 3. e5 Nd5 4. Nf3 {As stated before, there are numerous
transpositional opportunities here. In Line B we're going to cover White's
approaches where the d4 break is delayed for a while in favour of development
or other moves.} Nc6 5. Bc4 (5. d4 cxd4 {would transpose to 4 d4 and 5 Nf3.})
5... Nb6 6. Bb3 d5 (6... c4 $5 7. Bc2 Qc7 8. Qe2 g5 $5 {is an exciting line I
find fascinating, but it isn't a great fit for a repertoire book. I'd
encourage anyone with that 'Killer' instinct and a lot of spare time to dive
in and explore.}) 7. exd6 {Any other move allows Black to effortlessly develop
his light-squared bishop before playing ...e6. White seeks play against
Black's king in the centre right away by opening up the game.} Qxd6 8. O-O (8.
d4 cxd4 {transposes to 4 d4 and 5 Nf3}) ({but} 8. Na3 {contains some venom, as
pointed out to me by John Emms.} -- ({. If Black invites a transposition back
to the main lines with} 8... Be6 {, then White has} 9. d4 $1 {, retaining a
slight plus: for example,} Bxb3 10. axb3 $5 cxd4 11. Nb5 Qd7 12. Nbxd4 Nxd4 13.
Nxd4 g6 14. O-O Bg7 15. Nf3 $5 ({Adams played} 15. Be3 {before retreating with
Nf3 against Leko, again with small pull}) 15... O-O 16. Qe2 {, S.Simonenko-J.Zidu, correspondence 2008.}) ({. Instead, Black can permanently stop any
Na3-b5-d4 ideas White may have had with} 8... a6 {. Play typically continues}
9. O-O (9. d4 cxd4 10. O-O {transposes back to the main after} Bf5 11. Nxd4)
9... Bf5 {(Black should get this in before blockading d5 with ...e6 if at all
possible)} 10. d4 cxd4 11. Nxd4 Nxd4 12. cxd4 e6 13. Qf3 Qd7 {. White has a
few options here:} 14. -- (14. d5 {is the most obvious try, but this fizzles
out to equality after the forcing} Nxd5 15. Rd1 (15. Nc4 Be7 16. Rd1 Qb5 {saw
Black finish his development with a solid position in C.Delizia-A.Chamaev,
correspondence 2011}) 15... Bxa3 {(Black can't afford to lose any time)} 16.
bxa3 O-O 17. h4 $5 {White gets active on the kingside and threatens Bxd5;} ({
Black's point is that} 17. Bxd5 {right away is just equal after} exd5 18. Rxd5
Qe7) ({while in J.Emms-J.Gallagher, British League 2009, the man himself tried
} 17. Bb2 {, and after} Rad8 18. h4 h6 19. Rd2 {, my computer suggests that
the prophylactic} Bh7 $5 {is completely equal, as Black is now free to move
his queen and need not fear a capture on d5}) 17... Rac8 $1 {(again Black
finds an elegant solution to White's problems instead of caving)} 18. Bxd5 exd5
19. Rxd5 Qe6 20. Rxf5 Qe1+ 21. Kh2 Rxc1 22. Rxc1 Qxc1 23. Qxb7 Qxa3 24. Qd5 Qe7
{, G.Jimenez Molina-V.Kurgansky, correspondence 2010.}) (14. Nc2 {is typically
met with} Bd6 {, but in my opinion the} ({instead, the straightforward} 14...
Bxc2 15. Bxc2 Nd5 {seems about equal. C.O'Hare-G.Figlio, correspondence 2007,
continued} 16. Bg5 Bd6 17. Rac1 h6 ({also worth considering here is} 17... O-O)
18. Bd2 O-O 19. a3 Rac8 20. g3 Rfd8 {, when Black had few problems}) 15. Ne3
Bg6 16. Bd2 O-O 17. Bc3 {of B.Tsonev-P.Andreeva, correspondence 2011 favours
White a bit. Black's pieces aren't particularly well coordinated, and White
has good chances to favourably enforce d5 after bringing his rooks to the open
files, perhaps after gaining more space with h4-h5.}))) 8... Be6 {Challenging
White's strong light-squared bishop immediately has the best repute. White has
tried a few moves:} 9. -- ({B1:} 9. Bxe6) ({B2:} 9. Na3) ({Note that} 9. d4
cxd4 10. Na3 dxc3 {transposes to the main lines covered below under 5 Nf3 and
6 Bc4.}) ({White has also tried} 9. Qe2 Bxb3 10. axb3 Rd8 $1 11. Qb5 $5 {,
trying to force through d4 once again, but Black has} Rd7 $1 {, an odd-looking
move that once again stops d4 and the white queen's X-ray attack on b7. After}
12. Na3 e6 13. Nc4 Nxc4 14. bxc4 a6 15. Qa4 Qd3 16. Ne1 Qe2 {the players
headed to the pub in E.Rozentalis-V.Baklan, Essent 2007, although I might have
played on here as Black. Not against Rozentalis of course, but you get what I
mean.}) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "The Alapin – 2 c3"]
[Black "B1: 9 Bxe6"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B22"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "30"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. c3 Nf6 3. e5 Nd5 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. Bc4 Nb6 6. Bb3 d5 7. exd6 Qxd6 8.
O-O Be6 9. Bxe6 Qxe6 10. a4 ({Alternatively: The} 10. Re1 Qd7 11. d4 cxd4 12.
cxd4 e6 13. Nc3 Be7 {of E.Iriarte Gomez-S.Loinjak, correspondence 2006, is
very solid for Black, as} 14. d5 $6 {fails to blossom into something real after
} Nxd5 15. Nxd5 Qxd5 16. Qxd5 exd5 17. b4 $5 a6 {and 18...0-0.}) ({White can
also give the dangerous attacking try} 10. d4 {a try, looking to open up the
centre while Black's king is stuck there. The main line generally runs} cxd4
11. Nxd4 (11. cxd4 Rd8 12. Nc3 Qc4 13. Be3 e6 14. Rc1 Be7 15. b3 Qa6 {is fine
for Black; if he needs to fix his queen, ...Nd5 and ...Qb6 is probably the way
to do this}) 11... Nxd4 12. Qxd4 Rd8 {. White now has three main options:} 13.
-- (13. Qe3 {is awfully compliant. I don't see anything wrong with Black's
position after the} Qxe3 14. Bxe3 Nc4 15. Bxa7 Nxb2 16. Na3 e6 {of S.
Erenburg-L.Dominguez Perez, Oropesa del Mar 1999.}) (13. Qf4 g6 14. Be3 Bg7 15.
Bxb6 $5 {allows White to dislodge his opponent's king slightly, but his lack
of reinforcements allows a quick recovery after} Qxb6 16. Qa4+ Kf8 17. Qb3 Qc7
18. Na3 Bf6 {followed by ...Kg7. Black had no problems in O.Nepomucky-P.Skacelik, Czech League 2004.}) (13. Qh4 Qe2 ({if Black would rather avoid the
complications arising from 13...Qe2, Kolev and Nedev also recommend the} 13...
g6 14. Be3 ({White should likely prefer} 14. Na3 Bg7 15. Bg5 {, as in B.Simon-M.Hryniw, correspondence 2009, but after} f6 16. Be3 O-O 17. Rfe1 Rd7 18.
Qb4 Nd5 {, Black looked solid anyway, and drew fairly easily}) 14... Bg7 15.
Na3 O-O 16. Rfe1 {of E.Sveshnikov-M.Kobalia, Russian Team Championship 2008,
and now they pronounce} Bf6 {equal}) 14. Be3 $5 {is dangerous for sure, but
Black can look to the future with confidence and minimal preparation.} ({The
alternative,} 14. Bd2 {, is fine for Black after the} e6 $1 15. Re1 Qb5 16. b3
Be7 17. Qg3 O-O 18. c4 Qf5 19. Bc3 f6 $5 20. Nd2 Rd3 21. Re3 Rfd8 {of M.Jonsson-V.Gritsaenko, correspondence 2002. Black eventually ground his Swedish
opponent down, although I'm not quite sure I'd have the same 'luck' in my own
games}) 14... Qxb2 15. Nd2 (15. Qe4 {can be met by} Nd5 {, when White has
little better than} 16. Qa4+ Rd7 17. Na3 Nxc3 18. Qxa7 e6 19. Nc4 Qb5 20. Nb6
Bc5 21. Bxc5 Qxc5 22. Qb8+ Rd8 23. Qxb7 O-O {, with an approximately equal
position; Black has wonderfully active pieces, but White has a nice a-pawn and
no weaknesses}) 15... Rxd2 16. Rab1 {(at this point, why should White care how
much wood he chucks on the fire - he needs Black to burn)} Qxa2 (16... Qxc3 {
is riskier, as the open c-file is more useful}) 17. Bxd2 Qxd2 18. Rfd1 Qe2 19.
Qg3 f6 $1 {(basically the only move, but a good one)} 20. Qb8+ Kf7 21. Qxa7 Nc4
22. Re1 Qd3 23. Qxb7 Nd6 {exposes the problem for White - Black has no
weaknesses and the c-pawn is blockaded nicely. It's only a matter of time
before Black plays ...h5-h4-h3, activates his rook via h5, and gives White
serious problems to think about. The knight on d6 can also hop into f5 to
shore up the weak e7-pawn. --- In J.Dainauskas-M.Proof, correspondence 2006,
White had little to do and quickly found himself in trouble on the kingside
after} 24. Qd7 h5 $1 25. Rb8 Kg6 26. Qc6 Qd2 27. Kf1 Nf5 28. Qa8 Kf7 29. Qf3 g6
30. Rd1 Qc2 31. Rc8 h4 32. c4 h3 33. g3 Kg7 34. c5 Nh6 $1 {(Black starts to
re-route the knight to the killer g4-square)} 35. Qe2 Qa4 36. c6 Ng4 37. Kg1
Rh5 38. Rc1 Re5 39. Qf1 Nxf2 $3 40. Qxf2 Rf5 $1 41. Qd2 ({something like} 41.
Qe3 Qa2 $1 {mates}) 41... Qa7+ 42. Kh1 Qa6 $1 {, and White packed it up in a
few moves.})) 10... Qd7 11. a5 (11. d4 cxd4 {will likely transpose back to the
main line.}) 11... Nd5 12. d4 cxd4 13. Nxd4 ({White has never tried} 13. cxd4 {
, perhaps because it looks too weakening with the a-pawn on a5 as well.
Following} e6 14. Nc3 {, Black can equalize with} Bb4 $5 {(this square becomes
enticing with the pawn on a5) after both} 15. Ne5 ({and} 15. a6 b6 (15... bxa6
{also seems fine}) 16. Bd2 O-O) 15... Nxe5 16. Nxd5 Nc6 $5 17. Nxb4 Nxb4 {
followed by 18...0-0.}) 13... e6 14. a6 b6 15. Nb5 {. We've followed A.Feuerstack-D.Baramidze, German Championship, Bad Liebenzell 2010, when perhaps
the most natural and active move is} Bc5 ({though Black should be fine after} 
15... Be7) ({or} 15... Rd8 {as well.}) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "The Alapin – 2 c3"]
[Black "B2: 9 Na3"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B22"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "50"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. c3 Nf6 3. e5 Nd5 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. Bc4 Nb6 6. Bb3 d5 7. exd6 Qxd6 8.
O-O Be6 9. Na3 Bxb3 10. axb3 ({After} 10. Qxb3 Qd3 {White has tried three
moves of relatively equal merit:} 11. -- (11. Ne1 Qd7 12. Nf3 e6 {is just
dandy for the second player.}) (11. Qb5 O-O-O 12. Qxc5 e5 13. Qe3 Bxa3 14. bxa3
Nc4 {leaves Black with good compensation after either} 15. Qxd3 ({or} 15. Qg5
f6 16. Qh5 e4 17. Ne1 Qd5) 15... Rxd3 16. Re1 (16. Ne1 Rxd2 $1) 16... f5 17.
Re2 e4 18. Ne1 Rd7 {.}) (11. Re1 e6 12. Re3 (12. Nb5 c4 13. Qd1 O-O-O 14. b3
cxb3 15. Qxb3 {was M.Ragger-I.Papadopoulos, Heraklion 2004, and now the relaxed
} Kb8 {looks fine for Black}) 12... Qd7 13. Nc4 Nxc4 14. Qxc4 Be7 {was equal
in R.Furdzik-D.Rogozenko, Dubai (rapid) 2001.})) 10... Qd3 $1 {Again we see
the queen settle here, disturbing White's position a tiny bit.} 11. Re1 (11.
Ne1 Qd7 12. Nc4 {was preferred in S.Kristiansson-S.Narayanan, Gibraltar 2007,
and now the simple} Nxc4 13. bxc4 e5 {isn't super impressive for White.}) 11...
e6 12. Re3 Qd7 13. Nc4 (13. Nc2 Be7 14. d4 O-O 15. Re1 cxd4 16. Ncxd4 Nxd4 17.
Nxd4 Bf6 18. Nf3 {was M.Tritt-Y.Yaroshenko, correspondence 2005, and now} Qc7 {
is perhaps best, with clear equality.}) 13... Nxc4 14. bxc4 Rd8 15. b3 Be7 16.
Bb2 O-O 17. d4 (17. Qc2 {was tried in Shirov-Topalov, Corsica (rapid) 2003.
Perhaps the best way to go is} Bf6 18. Rd1 Qc7 19. d4 Qb6 20. Re4 cxd4 21. cxd4
Rd7 {when White's centre is frozen and creaky after the impending ...Rfd8 -
Bc3 and Qb2 are necessary, when it's not clear how White makes progress.})
17... Bf6 18. Qc2 {. This is similar to 17 Qc2 above, but different in that ...Qc7 hangs a pawn. Black should simply grab the pawn here and give it back
after the mostly forced} cxd4 19. cxd4 Nxd4 20. Bxd4 Bxd4 21. Rd1 e5 22. Qd2
Rfe8 23. Nxd4 exd4 24. Qxd4 Qxd4 25. Rxd4 Kf8 {, when he is equal.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "The Alapin – 2 c3"]
[Black "C: 4 d4"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B22"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "11"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. c3 Nf6 3. e5 Nd5 4. d4 {This is the main line, and the most
obvious move. White grabs the centre and leaves the development of his pieces
alone until Black declares his intentions.} cxd4 5. Nf3 ({Besides the obvious
5 Nf3 and} 5. cxd4 {, which transposes back to 5 Nf3 after} d6 $1 (5... Nc6 6.
Nc3 {might give White more than he deserves}) 6. Nf3) ({White has tried two
other moves:} 5. Qxd4 {looks a bit dubious to me. Why expose the queen to
threats and leave the knight on b1 without its most natural square on c3? After
} e6 6. Nf3 ({the} 6. Bc4 Nc6 7. Qe4 d6 8. Nf3 Nb6 9. Bb3 Qc7 10. exd6 Bxd6 11.
O-O Bd7 12. Na3 Na5 {of A.Fischer-G.Jones, Porto San Giorgio 2003, looks
pretty equal to me, as Black will snap off the bishop on b3, play ...Bc6, and
eventually castle, when all is well; note that} 13. Qg4 Bc6 $1 {is risky for
White on account of} 14. Qxg7 O-O-O {, when everything Black's forces are
trained on White's kingside}) 6... Nc6 7. Qe4 f5 $5 {Black grabs some space in
the centre and claims e4 for his own,} ({although if you don't feel like
fighting on any given day, Kasparov recommends} 7... d6 8. Nbd2 dxe5 9. Nxe5
Nxe5 10. Qxe5 Qd6 11. Bb5+ Bd7 12. Bxd7+ Qxd7 13. O-O Qc7 {as an easy equalizer
}) 8. -- {. Now White has two main ideas:} (8. Qe2 Qc7 9. g3 d6 ({breaking up
White's centre and making room for Black's pieces is a bit more
straightforward than the oft recommended} 9... b5 $5 10. Bg2 a5 11. O-O Ba6 12.
Nh4 $5) 10. exd6 (10. c4 $2 {is a blunder on account of the nifty} dxe5 $1 11.
cxd5 Nd4 $1 12. Nxd4 Qxc1+ 13. Qd1 Bb4+ 14. Ke2 Qxd1+ 15. Kxd1 exd4 {, with a
winning position for Black}) ({instead,} 10. Bf4 $6 {leads to a position not
particularly great for White after} Nxf4 11. gxf4 dxe5 12. fxe5 Be7 13. h4 O-O
14. Nbd2 b5 $1 15. Bg2 {, as in Y.Privalov-A.Federov, Jahorina 2003, and now I
like the straightforward} b4 {, after which Black should be a bit better})
10... Bxd6 11. Bg2 O-O 12. O-O Nf6 $1 {. --- Black wisely removes his knight
from both the a8-h1 and a2-g8 diagonals, making sure there are no tricks
before committing to the desirable ...e5 push. Now} 13. Nbd2 e5 14. Nc4 e4 15.
Ng5 (15. Nxd6 Qxd6 16. Ng5 h6 {transposes}) 15... h6 16. Nxd6 Qxd6 17. Qc4+ Qd5
18. Qxd5+ Nxd5 19. Nh3 Ne5 20. Nf4 Nxf4 21. Bxf4 Nd3 {was totally fine for
Black in P.Kranzl-D.Rogozenko, German League 1997.}) (8. exf6 {is a
double-edged continuation that forfeits the centre for some cheap tricks that
dislodge Black's king. I see no reason to avoid this, as without a strong
central foundation and a majority of pieces in the centre and kingside,
White's attack stands no chance and will soon be beaten back: for instance,}
Nxf6 9. Qh4 d5 $1 10. Bd3 Bd6 $1 11. Bg6+ Ke7 12. Bc2 h6 {. --- White has
little better than to play the sad} 13. Bg6 {, stopping the threat of ...e5-e4
with ...g5, and the regrouping plan of ...Rf8 and ...Kf7-g8. Black can now try
the relatively rare} e5 $5 {, a direct continuation that has scored quite well
in practice. White has generally tried} 14. O-O {here, but should Black find
the novelty} ({probably better is} 14. c4 {, though Black can hold his own in
a very complicated position after} e4 15. cxd5 exf3 16. dxc6 fxg2 17. Rg1 {(T.Makowski-M.Petrolo, correspondence 2007)} Qa5+ 18. Nc3 bxc6 19. Rxg2 Rb8 {with
a mess in which I'd rather be Black by hair. The pressure on b2 is annoying,
and ...Rb4 is up next}) 14... Kf8 $1 {that might change. The problem is that ...Ne7 looms, and when White moves the bishop back, ...e4 cuts off the queen's
escape along the fourth rank and also allows ...Ng6, trapping White's queen.
Best now is} 15. Qa4 e4 16. Nh4 (16. Ne1 $2 Ne5 {loses the bishop}) 16... Ng4
17. g3 Be7 {, though White is still in too deep.})) (5. Bc4 {can be met with
the cute} Qc7 $1 {. Play has generally continued} 6. Qe2 Nb6 {and now} 7. Bb3 (
7. Bd3 Nc6 8. Nf3 d5 9. exd6 Qxd6 10. Nxd4 Nxd4 11. cxd4 g6 12. Nc3 Bg7 13. Nb5
Qd8 14. Bf4 Nd5 15. Be5 {was T.Lovholt-L.Alves, correspondence 2004, and now
why not} Qa5+ 16. Kf1 O-O {, with a fine position for Black?}) 7... Nc6 8. Nf3
d5 9. exd6 Qxd6 10. O-O d3 $1 11. Qe3 Na5 $5 {typically aggressive,} ({though} 
11... Bf5 {looks simpler}) 12. Na3 a6 13. Ne5 $6 (13. Rd1 Bf5 14. Nh4 Bg6 15.
Nxg6 hxg6 16. h3 Nxb3 17. axb3 Rd8 {is level}) 13... Nxb3 14. axb3 Bf5 15. Nac4
Nxc4 16. Nxc4 Qe6 17. Qg3 Qg6 18. Bf4 Qxg3 {was better for Black in L.Yurtaev-G.Kasparov, Tbilisi 1976.}) 5... Nc6 {Black develops in normal fashion.
White has two main choices here:} 6. -- ({C1:} 6. Bc4) ({C2:} 6. cxd4) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "The Alapin – 2 c3"]
[Black "C1: 6 Bc4"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B22"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "52"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. c3 Nf6 3. e5 Nd5 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. Bc4 {This move signals
that White is after quick development and dangerous attacks. With good play
Black seems to be fine, but tread lightly!} Nb6 7. Bb3 d5 8. exd6 {Else ...Bg4
might be a problem.} Qxd6 9. O-O (9. Na3 dxc3 $1 10. Qe2 $6 (10. Qxd6 $1 exd6
11. Nb5 Rb8 {is unclear according to Vigorito, and I can't disagree}) 10...
cxb2 11. Bxb2 Qb4+ 12. Kf1 {is much better for Black.}) 9... Be6 10. Na3 (10.
Bxe6 Qxe6 11. Nxd4 Nxd4 12. Qxd4 Rd8 13. Qh4 Qe2 {transposes to lines examined
earlier under 4 Nf3 and 5 Bc4}) ({while} 10. cxd4 Bxb3 11. axb3 e6 {is
slightly better for Black according to Vigorito.}) 10... dxc3 11. Qe2 (11. Nb5
{looks dangerous because of the structural damage inflicted on the second
player, but the activity of his pieces saves the day after} Qxd1 12. Rxd1 Rc8
13. Bxe6 fxe6 14. Nxc3 g6 15. Ng5 e5 16. Ne6 Nd4 $1 17. Nxd4 exd4 18. Rxd4 Bg7
19. Re4 Rc4 {. In fact, L.Doudera-J.Vaindl, correspondence 2003, was drawn
only three moves later. Black's strong queenside pressure spearheaded by the
g7-bishop compensates for the silly looking e-pawn and the king on e8.}) 11...
Bxb3 12. Nb5 Qb8 13. axb3 g6 $5 {A nice, combative way for Black to finish his
development and get his king to safety. The position is sharp, but in practice
White hasn't found anything promising here (the first player is scoring around
35% in my database). We'll now follow O.Lemmers-L.McShane, Plovdiv 2010, where
White decided to walk down a forcing line then immediately blundered:} 14. Be3
{Threatening Bxb6 and X-raying a7, so Black has little choice.} Nc8 15. Ra4 $5
{White finds an amusing way to threaten Bf4,} ({though two other ideas exist:} 
15. bxc3 {was tried in F.Manca-V.Kotronias, Cork 2005, where White found
himself drifting a bit after} Bg7 16. Nbd4 O-O 17. Nxc6 $5 {(this is a
double-edged decision, but an understandable one; it looks as though the a-
and c-pawns should be a problem for Black, but isn't the b3-pawn a bigger one?)
} bxc6 18. Qc2 a5 $5 (18... Nd6 {is also okay for Black}) 19. Bd4 Nd6 20. Bxg7
Kxg7 21. Ra4 c5 {, when Black simply plans to double on the b-file with ...Qb7
and ...Rfb8. Now} 22. Rfa1 Qc7 23. Nd2 $6 {(I don't know how this is possible,
and after Black's obvious next few moves, White simply loses time with the
knight and has to regroup anyway)} Rfd8 $1 24. h3 Rd7 $1 25. Qa2 Rad8 26. Nf1 {
(else ...Nb5 would win), and now perhaps best is the sombre} Nb7 $5 {, after
which White's battery on the a-file looks quite silly compared to Black's on
the d-file. Any white knight move allows ...Rd2, and the knight on b7 holds
everything together quite nicely.}) (15. Qc4 $6 {threatens to annihilate
Black's pawn shelter with 16 Ng5 e6 17 Nxe6, but the conservative} Bg7 $1 {is
likely to cause White some problems.} ({Note that} 15... cxb2 {is probably too
greedy, as} 16. Rad1 {gives White enough compensation for the pawn, and great
practical chances. Black's done a great job Fischer-randomizing the placement
of his pieces, but not much else.}) 16. -- ({. Returning to 15...Bg7 and then} 
16. Bf4 {. --- This is the only move that's been seen in practice, but isn't
likely to please the first player after the zwischenzug} Nb6 $1 17. Bxb8 ({
continuing to guard the bishop with} 17. Qe4 {doesn't work after} f5 $1 18. Qe3
Nd5 $1) 17... Nxc4 18. bxc3 (18. Nc7+ $2 Kd7 19. Nxa8 Rxb8 20. bxc4 {was B.Rechel-J.Arnold, Ost 1999, and now} cxb2 {is obviously lost for White}) 18...
Rxb8 19. bxc4 a6 20. Nbd4 Rc8 {when Black is just much better.}) ({. Better is
the never-played} 16. bxc3 {, though Houdini thinks that} a6 17. Nbd4 Nd6 18.
Qc5 Qc7 19. Nxc6 Qxc6 20. Qxc6+ bxc6 21. Bd4 Bxd4 22. Nxd4 Kd7 23. Rfd1 Rhb8 {
isn't promising either - b3 is a problem here after ...c5.})) 15... Bg7 16. Bf4
e5 17. Nxe5 Nxe5 18. Bxe5 Bxe5 19. f4 O-O 20. fxe5 cxb2 21. Raf4 ({Play has
been basically forced up until now, when White also has} 21. Re4 a6 22. Nd4 Ne7
{, which is given by Kolev and Nedev as slightly better for Black. I can't
disagree, as after} 23. Qxb2 Qc7 24. Kh1 Rac8 {Black has unwound a bit and
remains a pawn up.}) 21... a6 22. Rxf7 $4 {White misses a cute resource by
Black, and goes down quickly.} ({Better was} 22. Nc3 Ne7 23. Ne4 Qa7+ 24. Kh1
Nd5 {, as in C.Petrelli-V.Ivanov, correspondence 2008, though Black seems fine
here as well, and went on to win.}) 22... Rxf7 23. Qc4 Nd6 $1 24. Nxd6 Qa7+ $1
25. Kh1 b5 $1 26. Qd5 (26. Qxf7+ Qxf7 27. Nxf7 Rc8 {is also obviously lost for
White.}) 26... Raf8 {. The game lasted only a few more moves, as regaining any
type of material would leave White unable to cope with Black's set of twins on
the queenside.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "The Alapin – 2 c3"]
[Black "C2: 6 cxd4"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B22"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "50"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. c3 Nf6 3. e5 Nd5 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. cxd4 d6 7. Bc4 ({White
has some less popular options here as well:} 7. exd6 {is a bit too compliant,
leading to easy development and equality for Black. R.Teschner-W.Unzicker,
Bamburg 1968, was drawn after} Qxd6 8. Nc3 Bg4 9. Be2 e6 10. O-O Be7 11. h3 Bh5
12. Qb3 O-O 13. Nxd5 ({the straightforward} 13. Qxb7 Rab8 14. Qa6 Bxf3 15. Bxf3
Nxd4 16. Qxd6 Nxf3+ 17. gxf3 Bxd6 18. Nxd5 exd5 19. Be3 Rxb2 {is very
comfortable for Black}) 13... exd5 14. Be3 Bd8 ({Tal played} 14... f5 $5 {here
9 years earlier against Teschner}) 15. Qxb7 Rb8 16. Qa6 Rxb2 17. Rfb1 Rxb1+ 18.
Rxb1 Bb6 19. Rc1 {.}) (7. Nc3 {is likely to lead to an ending after} dxe5 8.
dxe5 Nxc3 9. Qxd8+ Nxd8 10. bxc3 Bd7 {. Here Kolev and Nedev suggest following
the game F.Neputstil-R.Kasperek, correspondence 2005, where Black planned for
a well-timed ...f6 break after} 11. Be3 g6 12. Nd4 Rc8 13. Kd2 Bg7 14. f4 Rf8 {
.}) 7... Nb6 8. Bb5 {After 8 Bb5, White threatens to saddle Black with a weak
and backward c-pawn. This plan does, however, leave White with an isolated
d-pawn and hands over the two bishops (depending on how White decides to play
his cards of course), so it's not all bad for Black either.} ({White has also
played} 8. Bb3 {quite a bit, a dangerous choice made famous by a book and DVD
by Sam Collins. Black should simply accept that a small amount of suffering is
in order and play} dxe5 9. d5 Na5 10. Nc3 Nxb3 ({it's also worth noting that
Black can opt out of all of the craziness with the perfectly acceptable and
mostly unclear} 10... Bg4 $5 11. Be3 Nxb3 12. Qxb3 Bxf3 13. gxf3 g6 14. O-O-O
Bg7 15. Kb1 O-O {of D.Pavasovic-J.Maiwald, German League 2010; Sveshnikov
prefers this method}) 11. Qxb3 e6 12. Nxe5 (12. Bg5 f6 $1 13. dxe6 Qd6 $1 {is
a novelty suggested by Vigorito, which looks good and is worthy of practical
tests; play might continue} 14. Nb5 Qb4+ 15. Ke2 Qxb3 16. axb3 Nd5 17. Rhd1
Bxe6 18. Rxd5 Bxd5 19. Nc7+ Kf7 20. Nxa8 Bc5 21. Nc7 Bxf3+ 22. Kxf3 fxg5 {with
advantage to Black}) 12... exd5 13. Be3 (13. O-O {seems inconsistent, and
allows Black to castle too easily when compared with 13 Be3: for example,} Be7
14. Be3 O-O 15. Bxb6 axb6 16. Nxd5 Bd6 {, when Black should be fine}) 13... Bd6
14. Qb5+ Kf8 15. O-O-O ({also possible is} 15. Nf3 {though} Bd7 16. Qb3 Be6 17.
Nd4 Nc4 {looks fine for Black, since} 18. Qxb7 Qc8 $1 19. Qxc8+ Rxc8 20. Bc1
Bc5 21. Nce2 Bb4+ 22. Kf1 Ke7 {gives Black good play for his structural
deficiencies}) 15... Be6 {, when White has a few choices:} 16. -- (16. f4 Bxe5
17. fxe5 h6 {leaves chances for both sides. M.Van Der Werf-L.Van Wely, Wijk
aan Zee 1995, continued} 18. h4 $5 Kg8 19. Kb1 Qc7 20. Bxb6 Qxb6 21. Qxb6 axb6
22. Nxd5 $2 Ra5 23. Nc3 Rxe5 {with some advantage to Black. Van Der Werf put
up tough resistance, but was finally forced to resign on move 71.}) (16. Rhe1 {
was essayed in a blitz game between Nikolai Vlassov and the 'Flying Dutchman'
Loek Van Wely in 2004 that continued} Bxe5 17. Bxb6 Qxb6 18. Qxb6 axb6 19. Rxe5
h5 $5 20. a3 Rc8 {(Black develops and forces some concessions before White's
allowed to grab his pawn back)} 21. Kb1 {, and here I like the idea of keeping
the dark-squared bishop and creating some luft with} g6 $1 22. Nxd5 Bf5+ {,
when Black is fine. His strong light-squared bishop and (soon to be) rook on
the seventh will compensate him for his poor queenside pawns and undeveloped
Rh8.}) (16. Nf3 Rc8 17. Kb1 {and now I quite like the novelty} Nc4 $5 {. Black
'hangs' the d-pawn and looks for ...Nxe3 or ...Na3+ ideas. One possible line is
} 18. Nxd5 (18. Ka1 {might be best, avoiding all the ...Na3 problems and
allowing Rb1 in some cases}) 18... a6 19. Qb3 Qa5 {(threatening the steed on
d5, but not allowing it to move either; White's options are limited)} 20. Bb6 (
20. Qd3 Qb5 21. b3 Bxd5 22. Qxd5 Na3+ 23. Kb2 Bb4 $1 {is problematic for White}
) 20... Nxb6 21. Qxb6 Qc5 22. Qxc5 Bxc5 {, when Black has the two bishops but
slightly stunted development. Given the choice, I take the bishops to a fault.}
)) 8... dxe5 (8... d5 $5 {is also possible, intending to steer the game into
an odd Advance French where Black will develop his perennial problem piece
outside of the pawn chain, but White gets c3 for his knight (normally Black
delays ...cxd4 so this can't happen) and some time. --- Play is fairly murky
here, but perhaps best (or close enough) is} 9. Nc3 (9. h3 $6 {pre-empts ...Bg4, but Black simply wants to get his light-squared bishop in front of his
pawn chain, he doesn't care where; F.Costa-V.Ikonnikov, Loures 2000, continued}
Bf5 10. Nc3 e6 11. O-O Be7 12. Ne2 O-O 13. Ng3 Bg6 14. Bf4 a6 15. Be2 Nc4 16.
b3 Na3 17. Bd3 Nb4 18. Bxg6 fxg6 $5 {, when Black was very slightly the more
comfortable, and Ikonnikov eventually pulled it out}) 9... Bg4 10. h3 Bxf3 11.
Qxf3 e6 12. O-O Rc8 13. Qg4 $1 (13. Rd1 {is also possible, when} a6 14. Bf1 g6
$5 15. Qg4 Bg7 16. Bg5 Qd7 17. Rac1 O-O {looks playable for Black; those pesky
dark-squared weaknesses are certainly something to be concerned about, but
Black has his plusses also, thinking about ...f6 or counterplay on the
queenside with ...Na5-c4}) 13... a6 14. Bg5 $1 Qd7 15. Bxc6 Rxc6 16. Rac1 h6
17. Bf4 (17. Be3 Nc4 {is fine for Black}) 17... g6 $5 18. Ne2 Rxc1 19. Rxc1 Bg7
20. b3 O-O {, with an okay position for Black after ...Rc8.}) 9. Nxe5 Bd7 10.
Nxd7 {Grabbing the bishop is the most popular at this point, but it's not
clear that it's any better than White's alternatives. To me, it seems as
though Black's already made it through the worst, and none of these
middlegames or endings should hold much fear for him regardless.} ({It's hard
for White to enforce d5 dangerously:} 10. Nc3 {is likely to lead to an equal
ending after} Nxe5 11. dxe5 Bxb5 (11... e6 12. Qb3 $1 {isn't as clear}) 12.
Nxb5 Qxd1+ (12... a6 13. Be3 $1 {might be better for White}) 13. Kxd1 Nd5 (
13... O-O-O+ 14. Ke2 Rd5 15. a4 Rxe5+ 16. Be3 Nd5 17. Rac1+ Kb8 18. Rhd1 {is
risky for Black due to his weakened kingside}) 14. Bd2 (14. e6 g6 $1 {is
better for Black according to Garry}) ({and} 14. Ke2 a6 15. Rd1 O-O-O 16. Na3
e6 17. Nc4 Be7 {was slightly better for Black in E.Sveshnikov-G.Kasparov,
Minsk 1979}) 14... a6 15. Nc3 {. --- There are many tries for Black here, but
two uncovered in databases and other books are} O-O-O $5 ({and} 15... Nb4 16.
Ke2 Nc6 17. f4 {, when either} f6 ({or} 17... g5 $5 {are good fighting attempts
})) 16. Ke2 e6 17. Rac1 Kb8 18. Nxd5 Rxd5 19. Be3 Be7 {with equality.}) (10.
Bxc6 Bxc6 11. Nxc6 {refusing to take on c6 isn't anything special for White,} (
{at the right moment Black should play ...Bd5, when equality will follow: for
example,} 11. O-O g6 12. Nc3 Bg7 13. Re1 O-O 14. Bg5 Bd5) 11... bxc6 12. O-O g6
13. Re1 Bg7 14. Bg5 O-O $1 {. White's problems on d4 and b2 allow this fancy
shot. Now} 15. Bxe7 Qxd4 16. Qxd4 (16. Bxf8 $2 Qxd1 17. Rxd1 Bxb2 18. Bc5 Bxa1
19. Nd2 Rd8 20. Rxa1 Rxd2 {is clearly better for Black}) 16... Bxd4 17. Nd2
Rfb8 $5 (17... Rfe8 {is of course also fine}) 18. Rac1 Bxb2 19. Rxc6 {reaches
an equal position according to Vigorito.}) 10... Qxd7 11. Nc3 {White elects
not to exchange on c6, but instead is going to try to work up an initiative
before Black hunkers down with his king out of the centre.} ({Also possible is
} 11. O-O Rd8 12. Nc3 e6 {, which transposes to the main line.}) 11... e6 12.
O-O (12. Qg4 $5 {looks bothersome, but Black can be just as annoying with the
bold} h5 $5 13. Qf3 ({keeping pressure on g7 with} 13. Qg3 {isn't much of
anything on account of} a6 14. Bxc6 Qxc6 15. O-O h4 $1 16. Qg4 h3 $1 {, when
Black has decent counterplay}) 13... a6 14. Bxc6 Qxc6 15. Qxc6+ bxc6 {of E.Sveshnikov-K.Sakaev, Russian Championship, St Petersburg 1998, and now} 16. O-O
g6 {, when Black's weak c6-pawn is compensated for by his strong g7-bishop and
White's isolated d-pawn that will never make it past d4. One possible line is}
17. Bg5 Bg7 18. Rfd1 O-O 19. Rac1 Rfb8 20. Ne4 Nd5 $1 21. b3 a5 $1 22. Rxc6 a4
{, and Black is fine. White's extra pawn on the queenside will evaporate in a
flash.}) 12... Rd8 $5 {Black leaves his king in the centre for a few more
moves to try to force a concession and stop the d-pawn from going anywhere.}
13. Be3 ({Alternatively: I've tested} 13. a4 {in quite a few coffee-shop
showdowns. Black should try} Nd5 $5 (13... a6 {is also possible}) 14. Qg4 a6
15. Bxc6 Qxc6 16. Bg5 h5 (16... f6 17. Rfe1 Kf7 18. Qh5+ g6 19. Qf3 {might
also be playable for Black, but I see no reason to shift Black's kingside up a
rank if it's not necessary}) 17. Qh3 Be7 18. Bxe7 Nxe7 19. Rfd1 g6 {when Black
is solid.}) (13. Bg5 {just leads to exchanges, which Black encourages when
fighting against an isolani. Now} Be7 14. Bxe7 Qxe7 15. Qf3 (15. Bxc6+ {
transposes, since White has little better than} bxc6 16. Qf3 O-O 17. Qxc6 {
anyway}) 15... O-O 16. Bxc6 bxc6 17. Qxc6 Rxd4 18. Rad1 Rxd1 19. Rxd1 Rc8 20.
Qb5 h6 {was fine for Black in S.Zhigalko-S.Karjakin, Dresden 2007.}) 13... Be7
14. Qg4 O-O 15. Rad1 f5 $1 {I like this move. Black lunges forward, weakening
the a2-g8 diagonal and his king position in order to secure a nice square on
f6 for his dark-squared bishop. Otherwise, ...Bf6 would be met with the
centralizing Ne4.} 16. Qf3 Bf6 17. d5 $5 {White temporarily jettisons a pawn
in order to saddle Black with weaknesses and inactive pieces.} Nxd5 18. Nxd5
exd5 19. Bc4 Ne7 20. Bc5 g6 21. Bb3 b6 22. Bd4 (22. Bxe7 Qxe7 23. Rfe1 Qc5 24.
Bxd5+ Kg7 25. b3 {is about equal.}) 22... Bxd4 23. Rxd4 Rf6 24. Rfd1 Re6 25. h4
Re5 {. I.Golgov-J.Bokar, Correspondence 2006. An interesting way to gain
counterplay courtesy of one of the few, the proud, American Correspondence GMs.
} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Key Takeaways 11"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "11"]

{1. On a high level, White plays 2 c3 to grab as much central space as
possible. In our chosen variation, Black exploits the lack of a knight on c3
by immediately attacking the e4-pawn with 2...Nf6. In the resulting positions,
Black focuses on getting White to unfavourably relieve the central tension and
finishing his development, while White is trying to hold everything together
and leverage his extra central space into more concrete advantages. --- 2. In
the 4 g3 variation, the ...d6 break followed by ...e6 and ...Bxd6 is generally
a clean equalizer. --- 3. Delaying d4 with 4 Nf3 and 5 Bc4 presents Black some
challenges, but is easily defused with minimal preparation. The key is to
challenge White's light-squared bishop quickly with ...Be6. I suggest
remembering that Black can occasionally exploit the weakness on d3 with ...Qd3,
as well as just memorizing the complications arising after 9 Bxe6 Qxe6 10 d4
cxd4 11 Nxd4 Nxd4 12 Qxd4 Rd8 13 Qh4 Qe2 14 Be3!?, as they're quite sharp. ---
4. The main lines with d4 carry similar ideas to above - force White to play ...exd6, challenge the bishop on b3 with ...Be6 and exchange it off, and
understand that your goal is to safely finish your development and castle. If
White enters the isolani positions of Line C2, focus on stopping d5 and
exchanging down into endings. The French-like line 8...d5!? also merits a more
detailed investigation.} 1. e4 c5 2. c3 Nf6 3. e5 Nd5 4. d4 {(C)} (4. g3 {- A
}) (4. Nf3 {(B)} Nc6 5. Bc4 Nb6 6. Bb3 d5 7. exd6 Qxd6 8. O-O Be6 9. Bxe6 {-
B1} (9. Na3 {- B2})) 4... cxd4 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. -- (6. Bc4 {- C1}) (6. cxd4 {
- C2}) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "12: The Closed 2 Nc3"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B25"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "11"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. d3 d6 {The Closed Sicilian has been
popular at all levels for donkey's years. A favourite of legends Spassky and
Smyslov (though I can't think of a regular top-level adherent in the last few
years), and nearly every club player on the planet, the Closed Sicilian aims
to clamp down on Black's ...d5 break while building a slow motion attack on
the kingside via f4-f5, or Be3/Qd2 with a later Bh6. --- I've decided to
recommend the most popular line, one that involves a kingside fianchetto. This
variation will always be playable, while also giving you the option to add
more schemes of development to your repertoire down the road: for example,
systems with ...Nf6, an early ...Rb8 with ...b5, or the very popular ...e6 and
...Nge7 systems. --- Moving forward, White has three main choices on his sixth
move, with various transpositions being possible between them:} 6. -- ({A:} 6.
Nge2) ({B:} 6. f4) ({C:} 6. Be3) (6. Nh3 $5 {immediately almost always
transposes to Line B2: for instance,} e5 7. O-O Nge7 8. Be3 (8. f4 {transposes
to Line B2 right away}) 8... O-O 9. f4 (9. Qd2 Nd4 10. f4 Bg4 {would amount to
the same as the main line, leading to Aksionova-Orlyanskaya, discussed in the
notes to White's 9th move in Line B}) 9... Nd4 {, with a final transposition
back to note 'a' to White's 9th move in Line B2.}) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "The Closed 2 Nc3"]
[Black "A: 6 Nge2"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B25"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "30"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. d3 d6 6. Nge2 {Not very popular,
but 6 Nge2 is tricky and flexible, with some oddball possibilities besides the
obvious transpositions to 6 Be3 and 6 f4.} e5 7. O-O ({White's tried a few
unusual ideas in this position as well:} 7. a3 $6 {is a gambit pioneered by
the American FIDE master and Dr. Miles Ardaman, somewhat resembling similar a3
and b4 gambits in the Symmetrical English. --- With decent play, Black can
push for slightly more than equality: for instance,} Nge7 8. b4 cxb4 9. axb4
Nxb4 10. Ba3 Nec6 11. O-O O-O 12. Qb1 $5 {was M.Ardaman-V.Rao, Philadelphia
1993, and now 12...a5! locks down the queenside with advantage for Black.} ({
Perhaps} 12. Qd2 {is a better try, intending to challenge the knight via 13
Rfb1, though} b6 $5 13. Rfb1 Na6 {followed by ...Nc5 consolidates Black's
extra pawn. Perhaps White can work up enough pressure on the queenside to win
the material back, but Black is in very little danger here and the onus is on
White to play well and prove he's got something.})) (7. h4 $5 h6 $1 {is
typical, keeping g5 firmly under control while allowing Black to meet h5 with ...g5.} ({This is a better option than} 7... h5 {, when} 8. Nd5 {sees White use
the insertion of the rook pawn moves to his advantage after} Nge7 9. Bg5 $1
Qa5+ 10. Bd2 Qd8 11. c4 $5 ({or} 11. Nec3)) {. After 7...h6,} 8. Nd5 Nge7 9.
Nec3 Nxd5 10. Nxd5 Ne7 11. Ne3 Be6 12. Bd2 Qd7 13. h5 g5 14. Qe2 O-O {was fine
for Black in Z.Rahman-Wu Shaobin, Kolkata 2009.}) (7. Nd5 {generally leads to
nothing but exchanges and drawn positions after} Nge7 8. Bg5 h6 $1 9. Bf6 O-O
10. Nxe7+ (10. Nec3 Bxf6 11. Nxf6+ Kg7 12. Nfd5 Nxd5 13. Nxd5 Ne7 14. Ne3 f5 {
saw American attacking genius Larry Christiansen start his counterplay against
a world champion in B.Spassky-L.Christiansen, Linares 1985}) 10... Nxe7 11.
Bxg7 Kxg7 12. Qd2 Be6 13. f4 Qd7 14. O-O f6 {, when Black was solid and drew
shortly in A.Karpov-A.Adorjan, Groningen 1967. As Adorjan would say, Black is
okay!}) 7... Nge7 8. f4 (8. Be3 {will very likely transpose back to Line C in
the event of either} O-O 9. Qd2 ({or} 9. f4 Nd4 10. Qd2) 9... Nd4 {.}) 8... O-O
9. h3 Be6 10. Be3 Nd4 {As you've seen by now, play generally transposes to the
6 Be3 system (Line C). White has only a few ideas that don't transpose back,
and they're not impressive at all.} 11. Kh2 (11. Rb1 {can be met simply by} Qd7
12. Kh2 f5 {, with great play for Black. White's h3, Kh2, and Rb1 will be
wasted moves once the centre opens up.}) 11... Qd7 12. g4 f5 $1 {Opening up
lines and stopping White's plans with f5; perhaps Black is already the more
comfortable. White may want to go into damage control mode with} 13. exf5 gxf5
14. g5 {, when one interesting plan for Black is to prepare ...d5 via} Bf7 $5
15. Qd2 Ne6 {. The d-pawn is ready to roll forward, and the defender already
seems better.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "The Closed 2 Nc3"]
[Black "B: 6 f4"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B25"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "13"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. d3 d6 6. f4 {This is the classic
way to play the Closed Sicilian, and certainly the most intuitive. White plays
f4 before deciding where his minor pieces should go, and will most certainly
look towards an attack against Black's king using the f and g-pawns to break
down the door.} e5 {Once again, we're sticking with ...e5 plans. Historically
6 f4 e5!? has been regarded as fairly dicey, mostly because if Black follows
standard development schemes with ...Nge7 and plays lackadaisically, White
gets a ready-made attack via f5 sacrifices (we'll see the exact line in B2
later). From here, White can choose between normal development with Nf3, or a
more modern and arguably dangerous line of play by putting his knight on the
curious h3-square.} 7. -- ({B1:} 7. Nf3) ({B2:} 7. Nh3 $1) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "The Closed 2 Nc3"]
[Black "B1: 7 Nf3"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B25"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "54"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. d3 d6 6. f4 e5 7. Nf3 {This move
probably has duller teeth than 7 Nh3, but is more likely to be seen at club
level, where players aren't prepared for the relatively rare ...e5 systems.}
Nge7 8. O-O O-O 9. f5 $5 {If it works, this swashbuckling sacrifice is the
move White wants to play. Perhaps the first player gets just enough too, as
his compensation on Black's weak light squares is fairly irritating. With that
said, it's nothing to be scared of - Black can hope to grab the pawn and give
it back later to break the light-square bind and obtain decent counterplay, as
you'll soon see.} ({White has a few minor alternatives:} 9. Be3 Nd4 10. Qd2 {
transposes to Line C.} ({. Alternatively,} 10. h3 {is a common occurrence in
the Closed, though in this case it may do more harm than good. Against 6...e5,
the idea can never be g4, since ...exf4 will expose White's weak dark squares
and kingside. It does keep pieces out of g4, but is that really worth it? I
like} Rb8 11. Qd2 b5 12. fxe5 (12. g4 exf4 $1 13. Bxf4 b4 14. Nd1 Nxf3+ 15.
Bxf3 Nc6 {is great for Black}) 12... dxe5 13. Bh6 {, when Black has the
initiative after the active} b4 $1 14. Nd1 f5 $1 {. --- Most of White's
problems stem from the move h3 - Black threatens to take on e4 then f3,
winning that very pawn. On the other hand, if White takes on f5, he loses after
} 15. exf5 $2 Bxh6 $1 16. Qxh6 Nexf5 17. Qd2 Nxg3 {.}) ({. White has also tried
} 10. Rb1 {, shoring up his main queenside weakness in preparation to move the
knight from c3, and kick out Black's steed on d4. However, there's no way this
type of move can be good either, and Black should be fine following the} Bg4 $1
11. Ne2 Nxf3+ 12. Bxf3 Bxf3 13. Rxf3 f5 {of R.Mamedov-S.Bogdanovich, Ukraine
2005.})) ({After} 9. h3 Nd4 {,} 10. g4 {then you should continue as advised
above with} exf4 $1 11. Bxf4 Nec6 12. Qd2 Be6 13. Bh6 {of M.Thoms-L.Van Wely,
Kuppenheim 2004. Perhaps the Flying Dutchman should have struck back with}
Nxf3+ $1 14. Rxf3 (14. Bxf3 $6 Bxh6 $1 15. Qxh6 Qb6 16. Rab1 c4+ $1 17. Kg2
cxd3 18. cxd3 Nb4 $1 {wins a clean pawn; White actually needs the rook on f3
to cover d3, however hideous actually capturing that way looks}) 14... Bxh6 $1
15. Qxh6 Qb6 $1 16. Rb1 Ne5 17. Rf2 c4 $1 18. Qd2 cxd3 19. cxd3 Nc6 {, and
Black will install his second knight into d4 with a fine game. His isolani on
d6 isn't terribly relevant right now, as White has scant ways to attack it.
White's light-squared bishop is fairly unimpressive, whereas Black's looks
towards the queenside and defends f7 admirably.}) (9. Nh4 {, with obvious
intent, should be met by the standard (hopefully by now)} exf4 10. Bxf4 Be6 ({
also possible here is the adventurous} 10... h6 $5 11. Be3 g5 12. Nf3 f5 {, as
suggested by my fairly brave and potentially slaphappy computer. It's possible
that after crunching its way through the Kalashnikov chapters it's just simply
learned to find the best way to play ...f5 over and over again}) 11. Qd2 d5 $1
12. Bh6 {(H.Westerinen-B.Ivkov, Geneva 1977)} Bxh6 $1 13. Qxh6 d4 14. Ne2 Ne5
15. Nf4 N7c6 {. This yields Black a very comfortable position due to his
dark-square control and impervious knight on e5.}) 9... gxf5 10. Nh4 fxe4 $1 {
Sometimes the best course of action is grabbing everything and holding on for
dear life.} 11. dxe4 {White needs to maintain control of the light squares,
despite wanting to keep the e4-square for his pieces. Other captures should
meet ...f5 immediately.} f6 $1 {A very strong and important defensive resource,
allowing manoeuvres such as ...Qe8-g6/h5, ...Be6-f7, and ...Rf7 while taking
f6 and g5 firmly under control.} 12. Nf5 ({Instead, C.Pedersen-T.Wippermann,
British League 2007, saw White try} 12. Nd5 Nxd5 (12... Be6 $5 {straight away
looks adequate too}) 13. Qxd5+ Kh8 14. c3 Ne7 {and here} 15. Qd3 {, although
staying on the a2-h8 diagonal was likely better. Black trotted out the natural}
Be6 16. Nf5 Bxf5 17. exf5 d5 18. c4 $1 dxc4 19. Qxc4 Qd4+ 20. Qxd4 cxd4 21.
Bxb7 Rab8 22. Be4 {, and now the strong} Rfd8 $1 {, allowing all his pieces to
take up good locations by vacating f8 and protecting d5. Black will reroute
the bishop to b4 via f8, and play ...Nd5 with a good game.}) 12... Bxf5 13.
exf5 Kh8 14. Nd5 {We're following B.Bujisho-E.Bacrot, French League 2004.
White's compensation lies in his light-square bind and extra space on the
kingside, which he hopes will allow him to slowly build up chances there with
ideas like Qh5, g4, and Rf3-h3. Bacrot will have none of it, though I suspect
that if it wasn't such a David vs. Goliath situation, White could drum up
enough compensation for equal chances. Black is well advised to give up b7 to
untangle and get active.} Qd7 15. c3 Rad8 {Bacrot wants to have ...Qe8
available, but must first remove the fork possibilities.} 16. Qh5 ({Given
Black's fate in the main game, Palliser, and later Pavlovic, suggested} 16. g4
{. I'd advise the reader play in similar fashion to the main line, allowing
White the b-pawn to activate Black's a8-rook and central majority. Now} Nxd5
17. Bxd5 (17. Qxd5 {is probably the way most players would play, although
Black has a nice solution here in} Ne7 $1 18. Qxb7 Qxb7 19. Bxb7 h5 $1 20. h3
Kh7 $1 {, trading off the dark-squared bishops}) 17... Ne7 18. Be6 Qc6 19. Rf3
d5 20. Rh3 Rd6 {à la Bacrot, looks okay for Black.}) 16... Qe8 $1 17. Qh3 Nxd5
18. Bxd5 Ne7 19. Be6 (19. Bxb7 d5 20. c4 {was certainly worth consideration.})
19... d5 20. g4 Rd6 $5 {Bacrot's intent is clear - the light-squared bishop's
time on board is limited.} 21. Bd2 Rxe6 22. fxe6 Qc6 23. g5 $1 {White's best
chance, allowing him to hack off a small chunk of Black's gigantic centre.} f5
24. g6 $1 Nxg6 25. Rxf5 Qxe6 26. Rxf8+ Nxf8 27. Qxe6 Nxe6 {. We've finally
reached a stable position with rough material equality. I suspect that Black's
position is a bit easier to play and sure enough, Bacrot forced resignation
just after the 50-move mark.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "The Closed 2 Nc3"]
[Black "B2: 7 Nh3!"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B25"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "19"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. d3 d6 6. f4 e5 7. Nh3 {More
incisive than 7 Nf3, keeping the f-file open and h5 available for her majesty.}
Nge7 8. O-O ({White has also switched up the move order with} 8. f5 $5 gxf5 9.
Qh5 h6 10. O-O Nd4 {, but it matters not.}) 8... Nd4 $5 {This is an important
detail - Black does well to delay castling for a bit to ensure that the
f5-square is secure.} ({Instead,} 8... O-O {is the reason 6...e5 isn't a
particularly popular choice as of now. White gets to smash through with Daniel
King's idea of} 9. f5 $1 gxf5 10. exf5 Bxf5 11. Rxf5 $1 Nxf5 12. Be4 Ncd4 13.
Qh5 Qf6 14. Nd5 Qg6 15. Qd1 $1 {this is King's refinement;} ({instead the} 15.
Ne7+ $6 Nxe7 16. Bxg6 fxg6 17. Qd1 {of I.Papazov-N.Grigore, Rimavska Sobota
1992, is also better for White, but less so}) 15... h5 {(White was threatening
16 c3 and 17 g4, and Black had little choice)} 16. Ne7+ Nxe7 17. Bxg6 fxg6 {,
when the first player has succeeded in reaching a standard position, except
that Black was forced to further weaken his kingside with ...h5.}) ({In the
first cut of this chapter I preferred} 8... exf4 $5 9. Bxf4 (9. Nxf4 {is also
popular, when play might continue} O-O 10. Be3 Ne5 11. h3 Rb8 12. Qd2 b5 13. a3
a5 {, with rough equality in a typically complex position; this position has
seen two outings, Black winning both}) 9... h6 $5 {, slamming the door on
White's f5 ambitions immediately while not allowing a future Bh6.} ({Instead
of the combative 9...h6!?, Pavlovic prefers the quieter positions that occur
when Black allows Bh6: for example,} 9... O-O 10. Qd2 Rb8 11. Bh6 b5 12. Bxg7
Kxg7 13. Nf4 b4 14. Ncd5 Nxd5 15. Nxd5 Ne7 {, as in P.Garcia Castro-U.Andersson, Liverpool 2008, but I'm not sure about} 16. Ne3 (16. Nf4 {is also
possible}) 16... Be6 17. a3 $1 ({or} 17. d4 {. White seems better in both cases
})) {. Play typically continues} 10. Qd2 g5 11. Be3 O-O {, with a few
practical examples:} 12. -- (12. Kh1 $6 {(I don't think this move accomplishes
enough for the time investment)} Ne5 13. Nf2 Be6 14. a3 $6 {(I doubt preparing
b4 is good enough for White here)} Rc8 15. Nd5 f5 $1 16. Rae1 fxe4 17. Nxe7+
Qxe7 18. Nxe4 Rxf1+ 19. Rxf1 d5 {was a little better for Black in I.
Mihalincic-N.Lakos, Croatian Team Championship 2000.}) (12. Nf2 Nd4 ({my
preference would be for} 12... Be6 13. Nd5 Qd7 {, though} 14. h4 $5 {is complex
}) 13. g4 $5 {(securing the f5-square and possibly preparing h4 down the line)}
Be6 14. h3 d5 15. exd5 Nxd5 (15... Bxd5 $5) 16. Nxd5 Bxd5 17. Ne4 b6 $6 18. c3
Nc6 {was S.Pederson-J.Kristiansen, Danish Team Championships 2000, and now} 19.
h4 $1 {would have ensured a large white advantage. Black has nothing to
compensate for the massive pressure on his kingside.}) (12. Rae1 Rb8 13. Kh1 b5
14. Nd5 Nxd5 15. exd5 Ne5 16. b3 Ng4 17. Bg1 b4 {was about equal in A.Gasik-W.Wierzbicka, Lublin 2006. --- The 8...exf4 line ultimately seemed playable for
Black, though I eventually decided that if we're going to accept a shaky
kingside either way (I got sick of analysing h4 strikes every move), we might
as well embrace that 'killer' instinct, grab some material, and try to refute
White's pawn sacrifice with f5.})) 9. f5 {This is the critical test of Black's
idea, and possibly 6...e5 as a whole.} ({For those less adventurous white
players, there are other lines as well:} 9. Be3 O-O 10. Qd2 Bg4 $5 {reaches a
position very similar to the main line covered in Line C, with the difference
that White's knight is definitely worse on h3, as ...Qd7 is now a real threat.
Players of the white pieces have generally tried} 11. Kh1 ({White has been
reluctant to play} 11. Nf2 {on account of} Bf3 {, as} 12. Bxd4 Bxg2 13. Kxg2 ({
and while White has a better practical try in} 13. Bxe5 $5 Bxf1 14. Bxg7 Kxg7
15. f5 $1 {, this whole line is probably best avoided}) 13... cxd4 14. Ne2 Rc8
{is very comfortable for Black}) ({instead, against} 11. Ng5 {, I like the
simple plan we're always hunting for:} f6 12. Nf3 Qd7 13. Rae1 Rac8 14. Nd1
exf4 $1 15. Bxf4 Nxf3+ 16. Bxf3 Bxf3 17. Rxf3 d5 {with equality or more after
a later ...f5}) 11... Qd7 {. --- Here} 12. Ng1 ({nobody has tried} 12. Ng5 {,
perhaps for good reason; both the simple} f6 ({and the riskier and more dynamic
} 12... exf4 13. Bxf4 h6 14. Nf3 g5 15. Be3 f5 {look very promising for the
second player})) 12... Be6 13. Nd1 exf4 14. Bxf4 d5 15. c3 Ndc6 16. Nf2 Rad8 ({
also strong is} 16... d4 $5 17. Nf3 f6 {, threatening ...g5 and cementing
control over the fine outpost on e5}) 17. Nf3 dxe4 18. Nxe4 b6 {was T.Aksionova-D.Orlyanskaya, Ukraine 2007. After the now-routine ...exf4 and ...d5
plan, Black has a wonderful position. In the game, White erred slightly with}
19. Rfd1 $6 {and should have been punished after} Nd5 $1 20. Bh6 {(else the
two bishops and weakness on d3 would leave Black obviously better)} f5 $1 21.
Nf2 Bxh6 22. Qxh6 f4 $1 {, when White is in real trouble and has to meet ...Ne3.}) (9. Rf2 {is a curious waiting move, protecting c2 whilst keeping Black
guessing about whether or not White intends Be3/Qd2 or f5. The first player's
main idea has been that after} O-O 10. f5 $5 (10. Be3 {has been played little,
but Black has scored excellently after} Rb8 $5 {, as in M.Olesen-F.Serban,
correspondence 2007, where Black meets White's small improvement of his
position with Rf2 in kind; the game devolved into chaos after} 11. a4 f6 12. g4
$5 f5 $1 {, but Black seems fine anyway}) 10... gxf5 11. Qh5 {Black has
seemingly castled into the standard f5 onslaught, but after} f6 $1 {White's
results have been poor. All piece incursions on g5 are stopped, and ...Qe8 is
on the cards. R.Cifuentes Parada-F.Nijboer, Wijk aan Zee 1994, continued} 12.
Bh6 Qe8 $1 13. Qxe8 Rxe8 14. Bxg7 Kxg7 15. Raf1 Rf8 $1 16. exf5 Ndxf5 {, when
White had little for his pawn investment.}) 9... gxf5 $1 10. -- ({B21:} 10. Bg5
) ({B22:} 10. Qh5) (10. Ng5 {has been tried a few times, but} h5 $5 {Black
stops Qh5,} ({but there's also} 10... h6 {of L.Day-I.Smirin, Calgary 1996,
though White seems to have enough play after} 11. exf5 $1 hxg5 12. f6 Bf8 13.
fxe7 Bxe7 14. Nd5 Be6 15. c3 Nc6 16. Qa4 {, and has scored well in practice})
11. exf5 f6 12. Nge4 ({Palliser claims that} 12. Ne6 Nxe6 13. fxe6 d5 {is bad
for White, and I wholeheartedly agree}) 12... Bxf5 13. Rf2 Rc8 {was awful for
White in L.Day-Y.Teplitsky, Canadian Championship 1996.}) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "The Closed 2 Nc3"]
[Black "B21: 10 Bg5"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B25"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "30"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. d3 d6 6. f4 e5 7. Nh3 Nge7 8. O-O
Nd4 $5 9. f5 gxf5 $1 10. Bg5 {This move is less popular right now, but if in
Line B22 Nataf's 12...Ng8 catches on or my 12...Rf8!? turns out to be
troublesome, this move could surpass 10 Qh5 in popularity. The positions are
awfully messy, and a lot of Closed Sicilian players would enjoy trying to
attack Black's king on (eventually) c7.} f6 $1 {This is Black's best way of
meeting the threat of Nd5.} 11. Qh5+ ({Moving the bishop, say, with} 11. Bd2 {
, is inaccurate, allowing Black to consolidate his king's position (somewhat)
with either} h5 ({or} 11... O-O {.})) 11... Kd7 {This isn't as disastrous as
it may seem, as Black's king will find a reasonably safe home on c7.} 12. exf5
Qe8 $1 {This is the best and most obvious move, stopping the queen intrusion
on f7 and forcing White's lady to a more passive square.} ({Instead,} 12...
Nxc2 $5 {is risky even for me, as after} 13. Rac1 Nd4 14. Be3 {White is able
to use the time donated to him by putting the knight on e4 after Bxd4 and
ripping Black's centre open with b4.}) ({I also analysed} 12... Kc7 $5 {, and
can't resist showing} 13. Qf7 Qf8 14. Nd5+ Kd8 {, when anything but} 15. Qxg7
$3 {is worse for White. After White's 15th move shocker, play might continue}
Qxg7 16. Bxf6 Qxf6 ({astonishingly, Black has nothing better: for instance,} 
16... Qf7 17. Bxe7+ Ke8 18. Ng5 Qg7 19. f6 {and White's dead winning}) 17. Nxf6
Nxc2 18. Rac1 Ne3 19. Rf3 Nxg2 20. Kxg2 Nxf5 $1 21. Ng5 $1 {with an
approximately equal jumble of pieces.}) 13. Qd1 ({Palliser gives some
attention to} 13. Qg4 {, stating that} h5 14. Qe4 Kc7 15. Bd2 Rb8 {looked
critical, with White retaining compensation after} 16. b4 $1 Bxf5 17. Rxf5 {
mostly forced, as c2 is hanging,} ({and something like} 17. Nd5+ Nxd5 18. Qxd5
Be6 19. Qe4 d5 {isn't any better}) 17... Ndxf5 18. bxc5 {. White definitely
has compensation, but I'm not sure it's enough after the mostly forced} Qc6 $1
(18... dxc5 {is also possible, but I thought Houdini's active} 19. Nf4 $1 {
gave White sufficient compensation}) 19. cxd6+ {(anything else is met by ...Qxc5+)} Nxd6 20. Qe2 Qc5+ 21. Kh1 {. Houdini loves} Kd7 {here, stopping White
from introducing his offside knight back into the fray with 22 Nf4 and
intending to clamp down with ...f5 next.} ({If Black is desperate to simplify
and get out of this mess, then} 21... Bh6 $5 22. Nf4 $1 Bxf4 23. gxf4 Rbg8 24.
Rb1 Rxg2 $5 25. Qxg2 Rg8 26. Qf3 Kb8 {is equal and more clear. In fact, in
practice White may have some problems, as his king is looking a little shaky
along the a8-h1 diagonal and the g-file.})) 13... Kc7 {Black decides to fix
his king before doing anything else,} ({though I also examined} 13... Ndxf5 $5
{, the subtle point being that after} 14. Bd2 Kc7 {, it's harder to achieve
the desirable b4 break without Ne4 and ...Rf8 inserted. Keeping the rook on h8
also strengthens ...h5-h4 pushes. --- White has a lot of moves here, but
here's a taste:} 15. -- ({. Trying to achieve play similar to our main line is
now impossible: for example,} 15. b4 $6 cxb4 16. Ne4 $2 d5 $1 {, and White is
probably lost.}) (15. Nf2 {looks a little timid, and after either} h5 $5 ({or} 
15... Be6 {Black seems equal or better in a messy position.})) (15. a3 Be6 16.
b4 c4 {Black seeks to keep all lines closed,} ({but} 16... d5 $5 {is also
possible, with the idea that} 17. Nxd5+ Nxd5 18. Bxd5 Bxd5 19. Rxf5 Bc6 {,
threatening ...Qd7-d5 and ...h5-h4, looks reasonable for Black}) 17. dxc4 Bxc4
{is messy, but Black seems more than okay here.}) (15. Rb1 a5 16. a3 h5 $5 17.
b4 $6 ({against quieter moves like} 17. Nf2 {Black can continue to break down
the white kingside via} h4 18. g4 Nd4 {, intending moves like ...f5, ...h3, or
...a4}) 17... cxb4 $1 18. axb4 a4 $1 {sees Black keep all lines closed whilst
adding a nice passed a-pawn to his list of positive imbalances.}) ({. My
silicon sparring partners prefer to switch gears with} 15. a4 $5 {, looking to
open lines via Nb5. Play might continue} Bd7 (15... Nd4 {is natural, but} 16.
Nb5+ $5 Nxb5 17. axb5 Qxb5 18. Ng5 $3 {gives White sufficient play, as the
threat of Ba5+ and Nf7xd6 is strong, and} fxg5 19. Rf7 Bf8 20. Ba5+ Kb8 21. Qf3
{contains the double threat of Qf6 and Rxf8}) 16. b4 cxb4 17. Nb5+ $1 Bxb5 18.
axb5 Qxb5 19. Qh5 Qd7 {with an ugly mess. I'd probably still take Black on
account of his powerful centre after ...d5 gets played.})) 14. Ne4 {This is
the only move that's been tried in practice, perhaps with good reason. I can't
imagine that the insertion of Ne4 and ...Rf8 doesn't favour White.} ({Instead,
} 14. Bd2 Bxf5 {looks like an improved version of the main line, since White
needs to waste crucial time preparing b4 instead of lashing out with it
immediately. Black may also make good use of his rook on the h-file with ...h5-h4 in the near future.}) 14... Rf8 ({White's point is that} 14... fxg5 15.
f6 Bf8 16. fxe7 Bxe7 17. Nhxg5 {regains the piece, but even this looks very
playable for Black based on the two bishops and his preponderance of pawns in
the centre. I'd definitely be interested in playing the positions reached after
} Qg6 ({or} 17... h6 {.})) 15. Bd2 -- (15... Bxf5 {. After the text, Palliser
opines that White's counterplay is likely insufficient for full compensation
after} 16. b4 $1 {(White must open lines against Black's king)} b6 ({in
addition,} 16... cxb4 $5 17. Bxb4 Rd8 18. Rb1 b6 {looks tempting to me, since
moves like ...d5, ...h5, and ...Bxh3 with ...f5 are coming soon}) 17. bxc5 dxc5
18. a4 Bxh3 19. Bxh3 f5 20. Nc3 a6 21. Bg2 Rd8 {of M.Dvoretsky-T.Giorgadze,
Tbilisi 1973. White will have annoying long-term play against Black's king
using those open lines and the weak light squares, however.}) ({In the spirit
of the same capture two moves ago,} 15... Ndxf5 $5 16. b4 cxb4 {is preferred
by all of my computer friends and also looks very good.}) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "The Closed 2 Nc3"]
[Black "B22: 10 Qh5"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B25"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "42"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. d3 d6 6. f4 e5 7. Nh3 Nge7 8. O-O
Nd4 $5 9. f5 gxf5 $1 10. Qh5 {This move, threatening Ng5, has been played in
nearly 75% of the games that have reached this position.} h6 {The moves up
through White's 12th are almost universally played. Here, Black must stop Ng5
and prepare ...Be6 so he can eventually try and castle long.} ({Instead,} 10...
O-O $2 {can be met by} 11. exf5 Bxf5 12. Rxf5 $1 Ndxf5 13. Be4 Qd7 14. g4 {,
winning handily.}) 11. Rf2 Be6 12. Be3 Qd7 {This is the main move by far,} ({
though Nataf has preferred a snazzy regrouping with} 12... Ng8 $5 {. --- I.Starosits-I.Nataf, Pardubice 2002, continued} 13. Bxd4 ({White has basically
no choice, as other moves allow Black to consolidate fairly easily, such as
with} 13. Nd5 $6 Bxd5 14. exd5 Nf6 15. Qd1 Ng4) 13... Nf6 14. Qe2 cxd4 15. exf5
$1 {again forced,} ({as} 15. Nd5 fxe4 16. Nxf6+ Bxf6 {leaves White with less
than nothing for the pawn}) 15... Bd7 16. Ne4 ({Palliser opines that} 16. Nd5 {
is more challenging, though to me, both} O-O ({and the crazier} 16... h5 $5 17.
Nhf4 h4 18. g4 Bc6 {of I.Starostits-M.Krasenkow, German League 2008, look
playable for Black})) 16... Bc6 {when Black was more or less equal.}) 13. Raf1
Rf8 $5 {This straightforward move has only been played a few times, but I
can't find anything wrong with it. Black simply protects his f-pawn,
threatening to bag the extra pawn for good with 14...fxe4 and bail to the
queenside immediately after.} ({There are a few other possibilities, but care
is needed:} 13... O-O-O $6 {is obviously what Black would like to play, but
it's pretty bad:} 14. Bxd4 cxd4 ({the} 14... exd4 15. exf5 dxc3 16. fxe6 fxe6
17. bxc3 Bxc3 18. Rf7 {of J.Laine-H.Mujica, correspondence 2006 might be
slightly better, but still bad for Black after White's knight hops into f4})
15. exf5 $1 Nxf5 (15... Bxf5 16. Rxf5 $1 Nxf5 17. Nd5 Ne7 $2 18. Nxe7+ Qxe7 19.
Rxf7 {was an absolute massacre in H.Bastian-J.Cordes, German League 1983}) 16.
Nd5 Ne3 17. Rxf7 $1 Qe8 18. Rc7+ Kb8 19. Rxb7+ {and Black was cooked in A.Del
Vecchio-L.Labuz, correspondence 2002.}) ({A better alternative to our main
line is the forcing} 13... f4 $5 14. gxf4 Bg4 15. Qh4 Ng6 16. Qg3 f5 $1 {of R.Griffith-M.Levine, correspondence 1988, stopping White from playing f5 and
preparing ...h5-h4. This position is somehow even messier and more complicated
than our main line, and as such, not that suitable as a repertoire choice.})
14. Nd5 {This was seen in I.Starostits-J.Sowislok, correspondence 2004.} ({The
nice thing about this line is that White's 14th is practically forced, as} 14.
exf5 Ndxf5 15. Bd2 O-O-O {allows Black to consolidate easily}) ({and} 14. Bxd4
cxd4 15. exf5 Nxf5 16. Rxf5 Bxf5 17. Rxf5 dxc3 18. bxc3 d5 {leaves White with
little in the way of compensation. Black's centre leaves a strong impression,
and that knight is just so sickly on h3.}) 14... f4 $1 {This initiates a
forced sequence that results in some double-edged but ultimately promising
positions for Black.} 15. gxf4 Nxd5 16. exd5 Bg4 $1 17. Qh4 Be2 $1 {Looks are
deceiving at the moment - Black's main threat is not 18...Bxf1, but 18...Nf5,
trapping the unfortunately placed queen on h4.} 18. Rxe2 ({This is not White's
only move:} 18. Bxd4 Bxf1 19. Bxe5 $1 {this is White's only real chance,} ({as
something like} 19. Rxf1 cxd4 {is just a very bad version of the main line
after 20...Qe7}) 19... dxe5 20. Rxf1 Qe7 21. Qg3 (21. Qg4 $2 f5 $1 22. Qg6+ Kd7
{allows Black to consolidate his exchange too easily after 23...Rae8}) 21...
Rg8 22. fxe5 O-O-O {threatens to win with ...Bxe5, and so} 23. Rf5 {seems
nearly forced. Following} Bh8 {, the only sequence that doesn't hang the
d-pawn to ...Rxd5 is} 24. d6 $1 Qe6 25. Qf3 Rd7 {, but now e5 and a2 are both
free for the taking. This position is obviously really messy, but further
analysis, some shoot-out games, and a few Monte Carlo simulations have
encouraged me that Black should better than average for here barring some huge
surprise.}) ({There's also} 18. fxe5 {, but Black seems to be close to winning
in a messy position after the forced} Bxf1 19. Rxf1 Nf5 20. Rxf5 ({White has
little choice, as} 20. Qe4 Nxe3 21. Qxe3 Bxe5 {is completely lost for him})
20... Qxf5 21. exd6 Bf6 22. Qa4+ Qd7 23. Qe4+ Kd8 24. Bxc5 Rg8 {.}) 18... Nxe2+
19. Kh1 Nd4 20. fxe5 Bxe5 {The position has settled down somewhat, and after
White meets the threat of ...Nf5 with} 21. Bc1 {, Black can prepare castling
long with the obvious} Qe7 {. It's going to be hard for Black to hold his f-
and h-pawns for too long, but even so I'd prefer the side with two rooks,
given the open files leading to White's poorly sheltered monarch.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "The Closed 2 Nc3"]
[Black "C: 6 Be3"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B25"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "38"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. d3 d6 6. Be3 {This is the sexiest
way to play the Closed Sicilian nowadays, intending Qd2 and Bh6 without f4, at
least at the moment. This flexibility allows White to entertain the option of
h4 instead of the usual f-pawn pushing, and has attracted some English players
and authors to this line as well.} e5 {After 6 Be3, 6...e5 is even more
logical. Once White has signalled his interest in hacking off the dark-squared
bishops, it makes sense to place all of your central pawns on dark squares,
and fix your opponents' on light squares.} 7. Qd2 (7. h4 $5 {is possible, but
not particularly dangerous. It seems to me that White doesn't get much in the
way of advantages from inserting h4 and ...h5. Play continues} h5 8. Nh3 (8.
Bh3 $5 {is an interesting idea from Andrei Sokolov; Chomet reacts well here
and after} Bxh3 9. Nxh3 Qd7 10. Nd5 Nce7 $5 11. c4 b5 $5 12. b3 Rb8 13. Ng5
Nxd5 14. cxd5 Nf6 {, Black was fine in A.Sokolov-P.Chomet, French League 2008})
8... Nge7 9. Qd2 Nd4 10. f4 Bg4 11. O-O Qd7 12. Kh2 (12. Ng5 f6 13. Nf3 O-O 14.
Rf2 Nxf3+ 15. Bxf3 Bxf3 16. Rxf3 {was G.Eichler-W.Nitsche, correspondence 1980;
you should know what to do by now, but if not, it's} exf4 17. Bxf4 f5 $1 {with
a good position for Black}) 12... O-O 13. Rf2 b5 $1 14. Raf1 b4 15. Nd1 exf4 $1
16. Bxf4 d5 {saw Black obtain good counterplay in the centre in S.Conquest-I.Smirin, Komotini 1992.}) 7... Nd4 $5 {This is a somewhat odd move order
designed to keep White's Qd2/Be3 battery at bay via the threat to the c2-pawn.
It's not strictly necessary and Black can just get on with it after ...Nge7,
but I don't like to let players get what they want, and this move order could
perhaps confuse and frustrate less experienced Closed Sicilian players. For
the same reasons, Pavlovic recommends 7...Be6 in the wonderful Experts vs. the
Anti-Sicilians.} 8. f4 $1 {Given Black's strong reaction to White's initial
Bh6 plan, white players have recognized that the best way to proceed is to
switch back to pawn-storm plans with f4.} ({They certainly took their time
getting there though:} 8. Nce2 {is the second or third time we've seen the
very common Closed Sicilian idea of moving the knight off of the c3-square to
bounce Black's d4-knight. We've also seen Black equalize in three major ways
in this chapter; gaining extra queenside space and strengthening his
dark-squared bishop with ...b5-b4, or playing in the centre with ...d5 or ...f5, frequently after exchanging on f4. Here is no different, although the
subtle 'flow' of the game points strongly to the ...d5 break, exploiting
White's missing c3-knight. Play might continue} Ne7 9. c3 Ne6 $5 10. f4 O-O 11.
Nf3 Bd7 $5 {(M.Najdorf-O.Panno, Gothenburg Interzonal 1955)} 12. O-O {, and
now Black should go for it with} Bc6 13. Nh4 exf4 $1 14. Nxf4 Nxf4 15. Bxf4 ({
trying to force through f5 with} 15. gxf4 {is generally unsuccessful in these
positions because of the common blockading device} f5) 15... d5 $1 {. ---
Black has neutralized White's slight space advantage and has opened up the
position with White's knight on h4 no longer performing a useful function.
Note that} 16. e5 {should be met by} d4 {, not allowing White to play this
move himself.}) (8. Nd1 {is similar to line 'a' above, and historically
reached via 6...e6 7 Qd2 Nd4 8 Nd1 e5, leaving us up a tempo up! --- Play
continues} Ne7 9. c3 Ne6 {when White has two main moves:} 10. -- (10. Ne2 O-O
11. O-O d5 12. exd5 Nxd5 13. Bh6 $6 Bxh6 $1 {(White's queen is misplaced here
without support to generate meaningful kingside activity)} 14. Qxh6 {was F.Pancevski-M.Vasilev, Sofia 2006. Black could have really turned the screws with
} f5 $1 {, threatening ...f4-f3, or even ...f4 and ...Rf5-h5.}) (10. Bh6 O-O
11. Bxg7 ({White can also go whole-hog with the} 11. h4 {of W.Polster-J.Pinter,
Kiel 2003, but I like Pinter's} f6 {, intending the classic queen trap after}
12. h5 $4 ({White should take on g7 instead, but after} 12. Bxg7 Nxg7 13. Ne2
d5 {again, Black has no problems}) 12... Bxh6 13. Qxh6 g5) 11... Kxg7 12. Ne2
d5 13. Ne3 {occurred in V.Hort-M.Cuellar Gacharna, Sousse Interzonal 1967, and
now the easiest way to equality is the obvious} dxe4 14. dxe4 Qxd2+ 15. Kxd2
Bd7 {, intending ...Bc6 and ...Rd8.})) (8. Nge2 Ne7 9. O-O (9. h3 $5 {has been
played a few times with the idea of} Be6 10. f4 O-O 11. g4 {, as in B.Johannesson-P.Benko, Reykjavik 1957, but I don't believe in this after} Nxe2 $1
12. Qxe2 exf4 13. Bxf4 Qb6 $1 {- Black has a strong initiative on account of
the pressure on the first player's dark squares}) 9... O-O 10. f4 Be6 {. White
has tried a bunch of moves here:} 11. -- (11. Nd1 {(abandoning the d5-square
ensures ...d5 down the road)} Qd7 12. c3 Nxe2+ 13. Qxe2 exf4 14. Bxf4 d5 {and
Black was equal in T.Muelli-V.Hort, Brocco 1990.}) (11. Rf2 {hasn't been any
more successful, despite being the choice of Spassky and Spraggett. A very
typical Botvinnik position is reached after} Qd7 12. Raf1 f6 $5 {, when the
standard c3 plan allows} 13. Nc1 Rac8 14. Nd1 exf4 15. Bxf4 d5 $1 {, ensuring
Black good counterplay. Perhaps White should rethink putting all of his pieces
on the back rank if Black has active options in the centre.}) (11. h3 Qd7 12.
Kh2 Rac8 13. Rf2 (13. Rae1 b5 14. Nc1 b4 15. Nd1 c4 $1 {gave Black the
initiative in C.Engelhard-C.Bergonzoni, correspondence 2005}) 13... b5 14. a3 (
14. Raf1 b4 15. Nd1 d5 {is equal but might be a better approach; if White
intends to put all of his eggs in the kingside basket, why open the a-file for
Black?}) 14... a5 15. Raf1 b4 16. axb4 {. --- Now the keen but not too
difficult} cxb4 $1 {secured a clear advantage for Black in A.Melekhina-D.Ludwig, World Open 2007. I highly doubt that White can stop blood from flowing
on the c2-square.})) 8... Ne7 9. Nf3 (9. Nd1 {has been tried a few times as
well, although I think Black should be fine after the slick} O-O 10. c3 exf4 $1
{(typically creative and dynamic play by Kotronias)} 11. gxf4 (11. Bxf4 {is
perhaps better, but I'd guess that white players weren't eager to see ...Ne6
attack their important bishop; after} Ne6 12. Ne2 {, of course} d5 $1 {was
fine for Black in J.Thorn Leeso-J.Verleur, correspondence 2002}) 11... Ne6 12.
Nf3 {, as in A.Koukoufikis-V.Kotronias, Agios Kirykos 2000. The legendary
Greek GM continued forcefully with} ({Note that} 12. Ne2 {transposes to 8 Nd1
above}) 12... d5 $1 13. O-O f5 $1 14. e5 d4 $1 15. cxd4 cxd4 16. Bf2 Bh6 $1 {
, when he was already much better and went on to win.}) 9... O-O 10. O-O Bg4 $5
{Black gets on with his development and plans ...Qd7, possibly looking to take
twice on f3 in the future.} 11. Nh4 {This is the most popular, dodging any
exchanges on f3 and preparing f5.} ({Alternatively: Short has tried} 11. Rf2 {
, so it merits examination. Following} Qd7 12. Raf1 exf4 13. Bxf4 (13. gxf4 $6
{doesn't make a lot of conceptual sense now that White's doubled his heavies
on the f-file - Black can render White's set-up impotent after} Nxf3+ $1 14.
Bxf3 Bxf3 15. Rxf3 f5 $1) 13... Nxf3+ 14. Bxf3 Bxf3 15. Rxf3 d5 $1 16. Bh6 (16.
e5 $2 Nc6 {is actually quite bad for White: for instance,} 17. Re1 Rfe8 {,
losing the e-pawn}) 16... d4 17. Bxg7 Kxg7 18. Ne2 {and now} f5 $1 {was
satisfactory for Black in J.Radulski-A.Kurtenkov, Sofia 1992.}) ({Also
possible is} 11. Nd1 Qd7 12. c3 Nxf3+ 13. Bxf3 Bxf3 14. Rxf3 exf4 15. Bxf4 d5 {
with a comfortable position for Black in M.Motyka-V.Koziak, Mielo 2005.}) 11...
exf4 {An important move, once again taking on f4 the moment White threatens
the f5 break. As an extra bonus, the knight on h4 now looks misplaced. White
must now switch to a slower strategy using heavy pieces on the f-file.} 12.
Bxf4 (12. Rxf4 Be6 13. Rf2 Qb6 14. Rb1 Rae8 {would be extremely similar to the
game continuation}) ({and} 12. gxf4 $6 Nec6 13. Nf3 Bxf3 14. Bxf3 Nxf3+ 15.
Rxf3 f5 $1 {was more comfortable for Black in S.Brih-J.Koch, French League
2006.}) 12... Qb6 {And in turn again, Black stops White's plan of doubling up
on the f-file by forcing a rook to baby-sit the b-pawn. This move went
unmentioned by Palliser in his great book Starting Out: The Closed Sicilian,
but replicates an idea used by Portisch against my chess hero Bent Larsen 
(rest in peace) in their 1977 Candidates match.} 13. Rab1 Rae8 (13... Rad8 $5 {
was played by Delchev in a tough game, and also looks good. After} 14. Rf2 (14.
Bg5 $1 f6 15. Be3 {may be an improvement, taking prophylactic action against ...d5}) 14... Be6 {(it's fairly common for Black to retreat the bishop back to
e6 in this line, as after a while it doesn't serve a purpose on g4, while on
e6 it bolsters the f-pawn and helps support ...d5; it also allows Black to
play ...f5 without having to worry about his light-squared bishop being on the
wrong side of the pawn chain)} 15. Nd5 Nxd5 16. exd5 Bc8 17. c3 Nf5 18. Nxf5
Bxf5 19. Bg5 Rde8 20. Rbf1 Qa6 (20... Re5 {is probably a better way to go here,
as White has at least a draw and a dangerous attack after Delchev's move}) 21.
Rxf5 $1 gxf5 22. Rxf5 Qxa2 23. Bh6 $2 (23. Bf6 $1) 23... Qb1+ 24. Bf1 Bxh6 25.
Qxh6 f6 $1 26. Rxf6 Rxf6 27. Qxf6 Rf8 28. Qe6+ Kh8 29. Qe2 b5 {White was
busted in V.Arjun-A.Delchev, German League 2005.}) 14. Rf2 Be6 15. b3 Qd8 $1 {
I like this move a lot - Black prepares ...d5, ...b5, and ...Nec6.} 16. Rbf1 {
This was D.Lima-R.Disconzi da Silva, Guarulhos 2005. From here,} Nec6 $5 {
(Black's grip on the central dark squares is strong, and he has no problems)}
17. Nf3 (17. Ne2 Nxe2+ 18. Rxe2 d5 {is obviously okay for Black.}) 17... Nxf3+
18. Bxf3 Ne5 19. Bd1 Qa5 $1 {is strong. --- Black threatens 20...Nxd3, and
should be fine. White's queenside pawn structure makes a dubious impression
given the dual pressure along the e1-a5 and a1-h8 diagonals.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Key Takeaways 12"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "19"]

{1. White's two main plans in the Closed Sicilian with ...e5 are playing f4
and f5 right away (a lot of times as a pawn sacrifice), or Be3 and Qd2,
intending a quick trade of dark-squared bishops. --- 2. Against f4-f5 plans,
taking on f4 with ...exf4 followed by a counterstrike in the centre with ...d5/...f5 is nearly always the correct action, although occasionally blockading
with ...f5 is enough by itself. If White sacrifices the pawn on f5 before you
can play ...exf4, as in the lines 6 f4 e5 7 Nf3 Nge7 8 0-0 0-0 9 f5 and 6 f4
e5 7 Nh3 Nge7 8 0-0 Nd4 9 f5, you simply need to take it and enter the
concrete complications that follow. Black has no theoretical problems in
either of these lines, and is frequently pushing for the advantage. Well
prepared players of the black pieces can expect to score well with a bit of
study. --- 3. Line B is obviously very sharp and theoretical, but the outlook
for Black seems good. Remember that 10 Bg5 should be met by 10...f6! 11 Qh5+
Kd7 12 exf5 Qe8! 13 Qd1, after which we discussed a multitude of options for
the second player. After the more popular 10 Qh5, Black should walk straight
down the main line with 10...h6 11 Rf2 Be6 12 Be3 Qd7 13 Raf1, and now deviate
with the rare 13...Rf8. Play is still mostly forced after 14 Nd5 f4! 15 gxf4
Nxd5 16 exd5 Bg4 17 Qh4 Be2, when, despite my best efforts, I could not blow
Black's house down. In fact, I think the onus is on White to prove he has
enough for the exchange. If Black desires something easier to remember and a
bit more tame, then Nataf's 12...Ng8!? also stands theoretically tall. --- 4.
In the 6 Be3 section, we saw Black fight against White's Bh6 ambitions by
placing all his pawns on dark squares and playing an early ...Nd4, keeping
White's queen at home due to the weak c2-pawn. In that case, White's best is
to revert back to the f4 plan, when play is very similar to lines discussed
under 9 Be3 in both Lines B1 and B2. Black will usually play ...Bg4 and ...Qd7,
eventually taking on f4 and breaking in the centre with ...d5 or ...f5. --- 5.
Black will follow the same plan if White doesn't play f4 and insists on
dealing with the knight on d4 by retreating his own knight on c3 to d1 or e2.
Develop naturally, move or exchange off the knight on d4 when White plays c3,
and exploit the absence of a knight on c3 by breaking out with ...d5. Remember
too that if White's knight on f3 finds a home elsewhere and Black has already
played ...Bg4, it's occasionally correct to retreat back to the e6-square to
prepare ...d5 or ...f5.6. While Black's main plain in the Botvinnik Closed
Sicilian positions revolves around breaking in the centre with ...exf4
followed by ...d5 or ...f5, this isn't always possible or optimal.
Occasionally Black turns to the tried and true plan of ...Rb8 and ...b5-b4,
grabbing more space on the kingside and extending the range of the strong
bishop on g7.} 1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. d3 d6 6. f4 {(B)} (6.
Nge2 {- A}) (6. Be3 {- C}) 6... e5 7. Nh3 $1 {(B2)} (7. Nf3 {- B1}) 7...
Nge7 8. O-O Nd4 $5 9. f5 gxf5 $1 10. -- (10. Bg5 {- B21}) (10. Qh5 {- B22})
*

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "13: The GPA and Siblings"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B23"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "3"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 {In this chapter, we're going to cover all of White's permutations
involving an early f4. The main variation is the Grand Prix Attack, a line
that gained popularity in the late 70's and early 80's on account of British
GMs claiming scalp after scalp on the tournament circuit. White simply levered
open the light squares around Black's king with f4-f5, the strong bishop on b3
and open f-file driving the attack to its natural conclusion. Nowadays the
Grand Prix is more refined, with most players delaying f4 for a move (2 Nc3
stops White from having to deal with the strong gambit 2 f4 d5!), and forgoing
the bishop on the a2-g8 diagonal in favour of a positional approach involving
a bishop on b5, threatening to inflict structural weaknesses later. --- Indeed,
some players find the positional approach strong enough to justify delaying f4
for a very long time, preferring 2 Nc3 Nc6 3 Bb5 to 3 f4. Lastly, there's the
'Big Clamp' - essentially a Grand Prix Attack without the knight on c3, and
with White's light-squared bishop inside the pawn chain. An interesting
concept, White seeks to deny Black counterplay based on the weak d4-square and
White's unstable bishop on b5/c4. The plan is still the same though - slowly
build up an attack on the kingside with f5 and a likely queen sortie to h4
from e1. Let's forge on, with an early divide based on White's approach:} 2. --
({A:} 2. d3) ({B:} 2. f4) ({C:} 2. Nc3) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "The GPA and Siblings"]
[Black "A: 2 d3"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B21"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "9"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. d3 {This is the Big Clamp. White plans f4, Nf3, c3, and Be2 or g3
with Bg2. If Black doesn't find an active plan or missteps, then indeed, he'll
get completely smashed by a glacial kingside attack facilitated by White's
greedy grabbing of central terrain. This line is obvious clunky though, and
playing c3 instead of putting a knight there does have its disadvantages. It's
slower, and the plan of trying to eventually put your pawns on f4, e4, and d4
opens White up to various strikes on the light squares, mostly ...d5 or ...f5.
It also encourages ...b5-b4 from Black, since there's something tasty to latch
on to in White's queenside.} Nc6 3. f4 g6 4. Nf3 Bg7 {Play has continued à la
the Closed Sicilian, and now White has to commit to a placement of his
light-squared bishop.} 5. -- ({A1:} 5. Be2) ({A2:} 5. g3) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "The GPA and Siblings"]
[Black "A1: 5 Be2"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B21"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "42"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. d3 Nc6 3. f4 g6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Be2 e6 {Once White has committed to
Be2 and we're sure that we won't end up in a variation of the Closed Sicilian
that's outside of the repertoire, then we commit to ...e6 approaches,
signalling a later ...d5 or ...f5. This is a popular approach against the
Closed Sicilian as well, since Black will always be able to pre-empt f5 from
White by playing it first.} 6. O-O (6. c3 Nge7 7. O-O {will transpose back to
our coverage.}) 6... Nge7 7. c3 d6 {and now White has a few options:} 8. Be3 {
This is the most common choice, and the most flexible,} ({but White can try
two others as well: If White decides on the queen sortie right away with} 8.
Qe1 {, Black can try the natural} O-O 9. Qh4 b5 $5 {, starting his queenside
counterplay and attacking White's hook on c3. Now if} 10. a3 ({the} 10. Ng5 h6
11. Nf3 f5 12. Be3 {of J.Leonardo-A.Rodrigues, Lisbon 2001, should not have
ended well for White after} b4 {, when Black's counterplay on the queenside is
unhindered, while White still needs to find some way in after Black's strong ...f5 blockade}) 10... a5 11. Be3 Ba6 12. Nbd2 b4 {with counterplay for Black.
Note that the standard} 13. f5 $2 {attack is much less effective with the
knight on e7, since} exf5 $1 14. Bh6 f6 $1 {completely shuts it down.}) (8. Na3
O-O 9. Nc2 (9. Be3 a6 $5 {looks to keep the knight out of c4, when} 10. d4 cxd4
({Fischer could have also tried the strong} 10... f5 $5 11. e5 cxd4 12. cxd4 b5
{, when Black will slam a knight into d5 and be quite comfortable}) 11. Nxd4 b5
12. Nxc6 Nxc6 13. Qd2 Qc7 14. Rad1 Rd8 15. Nc2 Rb8 16. a3 $6 Na5 $1 {was fine
for Black in B.Larsen-R.Fischer, 6th matchgame, Denver 1971}) 9... f5 10. Be3
b6 11. Qd2 {of T.Stepovaia Dianchenko-I.Gaponenko, Ulcinj 1997, is fully
satisfactory for Black after either} Ba6 ({or} 11... Qd7 {followed by ...Bb7,
bolstering e6 and f5 and focusing on the centre.})) 8... O-O 9. Nbd2 (9. d4 {
and now} f5 $5 {is one of those light-square strikes that I talked about in
the notes to 2 d3. White has little choice but to push past, allowing Black's
steed to sit comfortably on d5: for example,} 10. e5 Nd5 11. Qd2 ({if White
anticipates Black's intentions with ...Qa5 and doesn't place his queen on the
e1-a5 diagonal, Black can play to keep White's knight out of c4 with} 11. Qc1
a6 $5 12. Na3 b5 13. Nc2 Bb7 {, with an approximately equal position I find
appealing for Black; the central pressure isn't easy for White to deal with,
and it is positions like these where bad players make errors in relieving the
tension too early}) 11... Qa5 12. Qc1 (12. Na3 cxd4 13. cxd4 Qxd2 14. Bxd2 g5
$5 {reveals Black's saucy idea}) 12... cxd4 13. cxd4 g5 $1 14. Nxg5 (14. fxg5
Nxe3 15. Qxe3 dxe5 {and White's centre falls apart}) 14... Qb6 15. Rd1 dxe5 16.
fxe5 Nxe5 {and Black has an okay position, though he still has to solve his
queenside development problems and deal with his weak e6-pawn.}) 9... b6 {
Preparing ...d5,} ({although} 9... f5 {right away is also worth investigating.}
) 10. Qe1 d5 11. Bf2 a5 {Black looks to grab some space and break up White's
queenside with ...a4-a3,} ({but} 11... Ba6 {right away is possible too.}) 12.
a4 {White definitely does best to stop Black's a-pawn from reaching a3,
although it's possible to play a3 next turn instead. Perhaps White feared the
long-term ramifications of the weak b3-square in that case.} Ra7 13. Bh4 f6 14.
g4 {, E.Pederson-S.Pederson, Danish League 1998. Now instead of Steffen
Pederson's odd 14...Qe8!?, which I'm sure had a point (he's no doubt a better
player than I), I would probably just continue with our straightforward plan
by playing} Ba6 15. Qf2 {(White's queen is tied down to the e2-bishop, else ...dxe4 is an issue)} Rd7 16. d4 Bxe2 17. Qxe2 {, when the forcing} cxd4 $5 18.
exd5 Rxd5 19. Qxe6+ Kh8 20. Nc4 dxc3 21. bxc3 Rd3 {leaves Black with a fine
position.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "The GPA and Siblings"]
[Black "A2: 5 g3"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B25"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "15"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. d3 Nc6 3. f4 g6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. g3 d6 6. Bg2 e5 {This should be
familiar to you if you've checked out the Closed Sicilian coverage already. In
some ways, this move is even better here than against 2 Nc3, as White may
intend to place a pawn on c3 instead, relieving himself of the opportunity to
capitalize on our newly created d5 weakness. This, in turn, makes it easier to
play ...d5 ourselves.} 7. O-O ({White has very few deviations here:} 7. fxe5 {
isn't particularly great, as illustrated in R.Hess-N.De Firmian, New York 2005,
which continued} dxe5 8. O-O Nge7 9. Nc3 O-O 10. Be3 Nd4 11. Ne2 Qd6 12. Qd2
Be6 13. Bxd4 $6 {the knight on d4 must obviously be dealt with, but giving up
the dark-squared bishop seems faulty;} ({better was to play simply and admit
equality with something like} 13. Nexd4 cxd4 14. Bh6 Nc6 15. Bxg7 Kxg7) ({or
keep the tension with} 13. Rf2) 13... cxd4 14. c3 (14. Rf2 {leaves White
d-pawn out of the firing line, at least temporarily}) 14... dxc3 15. bxc3 Rad8
16. Rfd1 Nc6 17. Rab1 b6 18. a4 Na5 $1 {when the threat of ...Bb3 is quite
hard to meet, and Black is already much better.}) (7. Nc3 {transposes back to
the Closed Sicilian coverage.}) (7. c3 Nge7 8. O-O {transposes to Line A21,
below.}) 7... Nge7 {Similar to the ideas in our Closed Sicilian coverage,
Black can also take on f4 early to defuse possible f5 sacrifices.} ({Shaw
gives the thematic line} 7... exf4 $5 8. gxf4 Nge7 9. c3 O-O 10. Be3 b6 11. d4
d5 $1 {, when Black is very well positioned. Moving forward, White can press
on with his slow build-up, or go for the gold right away. Note that 8 Nc3
transposes to the Closed Sicilian.}) 8. -- ({A21:} 8. c3) ({A22:} 8. f5) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "The GPA and Siblings"]
[Black "A21: 8 c3"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B20"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "36"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. d3 Nc6 3. f4 g6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. g3 d6 6. Bg2 e5 7. O-O Nge7 8. c3 {
This is the move that gives the Big Clamp its own feel and uniqueness. It's a
bit more awkward for White to develop his queenside, but the added central
control and the possibility of d4 gives the position some venom.} h6 $5 {
Shaw's recommendation and one I really like as well, mostly because it's a
line for which Kalashnikov and KID connoisseur Igor Nataf has shown an
affinity. Black looks to play ...Be6 without hassle, but ...exf4 and ...g5,
locking down the central dark squares, is also an idea here.} 9. Na3 ({Instead,
} 9. Be3 exf4 10. gxf4 f5 11. Qb3 $5 ({more natural and consistent is the} 11.
Nbd2 Be6 12. Qe2 Qd7 13. Rae1 O-O-O {of J.Maiwald-G.Donner, Vienna 1998; Black
is very comfortable here after 14...Rhe8 against most moves}) 11... Na5 12. Qa3
O-O 13. e5 b6 14. b4 Nac6 15. d4 Be6 16. bxc5 bxc5 17. exd6 {was A.Zatonskih-I.Nataf, Kapuskasing 2003, and now perhaps simplest is} Qxd6 18. dxc5 Qd7 19. Qc1
Rad8 {, when White's extra pawn isn't particularly useful, but Black's bishops,
and strong queenside and central pressure are. White's main problem is that}
20. Nbd2 ({and} 20. Na3 {is met by} Qd3 {followed by 21...Nd5}) {, is met
strongly by} 20... Nd5 $1 {.}) 9... Be6 10. Be3 (10. Nc2 exf4 11. Bxf4 d5 12.
Qc1 g5 13. exd5 (13. Be3 d4 14. cxd4 cxd4 15. Bf2 {is perhaps a slight
improvement}) 13... Nxd5 14. Be3 (14. Bd2 {is probably a little better -
giving up the two bishops, especially the dark-squared one at that, seems like
a strategic error}) 14... Nxe3 15. Qxe3 O-O 16. Qxc5 Qxd3 17. Nfd4 Nxd4 18.
Nxd4 {was J.Koch-I.Nataf, Senat 2003, and now Shaw prefers} Rfc8 19. Qb4 a5 20.
Qxb7 Rab8 21. Qe4 Qxe4 22. Bxe4 Rxb2 23. Nxe6 fxe6 {, with very slight winning
chances for Black based on his extra pawn, active rook, and White's weak
a-pawn.}) 10... exf4 11. gxf4 ({If} 11. Bxf4 {and now the ultra-flexible} Qd7
$5 {is interesting, not deciding on crucial questions like where Black's
monarch is going, the ...f5 versus ...d5 break, and whether or not ...g5 is
coming until White makes some declaration of where his queen is going. After}
12. Qd2 {White gives up an ounce of information, and we can proceed
accordingly with} g5 {. Since the white queen isn't on e2, ...f5 also looks
like the way to play: for example,} 13. Be3 f5 14. exf5 Nxf5 15. d4 Nxe3 16.
Qxe3 O-O-O {with a fully playable position for Black.}) 11... f5 $1 {A
well-known theme by now, stopping f5 ideas for White and keeping his
dark-squared bishop somewhat hemmed in.} 12. Qe2 O-O 13. e5 (13. Rfd1 b6 {
looks fine for Black as well.}) 13... Nd5 14. d4 Nxe3 15. Qxe3 cxd4 16. cxd4
Qb6 17. exd6 {With the pressure on White's centre mounting, White gives it up
and hopes to survive without his strong central pawn mass.} Nxd4 (17... Rfe8 $5
{is also fine.}) 18. Kh1 Bd5 {, J.Maiwald-L.Keitlinghaus, German League 1998.
Black will pick up either the b- or the d-pawn, with a complicated but
pleasant position.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "The GPA and Siblings"]
[Black "A22: 8 f5"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B20"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "40"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. d3 Nc6 3. f4 g6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. g3 d6 6. Bg2 e5 7. O-O Nge7 8. f5 {
These types of ideas should be familiar to the reader by now if you've read
Chapter 12 - White chucks a pawn away to expose Black's kingside. The f1-rook
and the bishop on c1 are activated, and White's queen soon has h5 as a home.}
gxf5 9. Nh4 f4 10. Qh5 ({The} 10. gxf4 Ng6 11. Nf5 Bxf5 12. exf5 Nxf4 13. Bxf4
exf4 14. Nc3 Be5 {of D.Ioneschu-G.Grigore, Bucharest 2001, looks clearly
better for Black.}) 10... Nd4 ({Shaw also notes that the} 10... Qd7 {of A.Strikovic-U.Andersson, Pamplona 1997, looking to trade queens, is also good
enough if you're looking for something a bit safer. However, if you write a
book called The Killer Sicilian, it seems like you should put the aggressive
and principled choice in bold, no?}) 11. Na3 (11. gxf4 $2 Nxc2 12. fxe5 Be6 13.
Bg5 Qd7 14. Nc3 Nxa1 {probably doesn't give White enough.}) 11... Bf6 12. c3
Ne6 (12... Bxh4 $2 13. cxd4 Bf6 14. gxf4 {gives White quite the initiative.
Now the threat of 13...Ng7! compels White to hop in and give himself some room
to breathe.}) 13. Nf5 Nxf5 14. exf5 Ng7 15. Qf3 {We've been following the game
K.Szczepkowska-M.Bednarska, Polish League 2006.} Rg8 $1 {This move has never
been played, but appears quite strong, causing White a bit of concern about
the placement of his king and the Bg2/Qf3.} 16. gxf4 (16. g4 {can be met by} h5
17. h3 Rb8 {, anticipating the knight's arrival on c4 and looking to play ...Bb7. After} 18. Nc4 hxg4 19. hxg4 b5 20. Nd2 Bb7 {, Black can hide his king on
f8. One easy plan is ...Kf8, ...Ne8, ...Bh4, and ...Nf6.}) 16... Nxf5 {17...
Nh4 is a huge threat.} 17. fxe5 dxe5 (17... Bxe5 {is also good.}) 18. Kh1 Nh4
19. Qxf6 Qxf6 20. Rxf6 Nxg2 {. Black has stabilized, and is clearly better in
this endgame.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "The GPA and Siblings"]
[Black "B: 2 f4"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B21"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "40"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. f4 {As stated earlier, this move is a little loose on account of
Black's next, though you might infrequently run into a specialist who just
wants to try and grab the pawn and hang on. Sveshnikov, for instance, has
shown a willingness to try the white side of 2 f4 in serious games, and has
amassed a good score. I think that has to do more with him being Sveshnikov
than his interesting choices as White though.} d5 $1 {This is Black's
strongest and most popular try. Recommended by the 8th world champion Mikhail
Tal and normally termed the Tal Gambit, Black immediately exploits White's
lack of control over the d5-square by realizing the much desired ...d5 break.}
3. exd5 {This is the most common choice, aiming to hold on to the pawn and
make Black work for it. Turns out Black is up to the challenge!} ({White's
alternatives aren't dangerous:} 3. e5 {is not a good choice, though I have to
say I've seen it more in this position than you'd think. White basically hands
over a French Advance to Black, except that he's not committed to owning that
terrible light-square bishop yet. At the first opportunity, throw that thing
outside the pawn chain and then play ...e6: for instance,} Nc6 4. Nf3 Bg4 5.
Be2 e6 6. O-O Nh6 $5 7. c3 Nf5 8. Na3 Be7 9. Nc2 O-O 10. d3 (10. d4 Qb6 $1 {
gives Black good counterplay too, as the central tension is mounting}) 10... f6
{with good counterplay in the centre for Black. White will have to exchange on
f6, leaving Black with an extra centre pawn and a good dark-squared bishop.}) (
3. Nc3 {has the unfortunate moniker of the 'Toilet Variation', named so
because British GM Mark Hebden thought of it while...well...you get it. The
move itself is (very) slightly better than its name would make it out to be.
I'd recommend just heading into the Closed Sicilianish positions that result
after} d4 {. After} 4. Nce2 Nf6 5. d3 (5. Ng3 {can be met with the ambitious}
h5 $5 6. d3 h4 7. N3e2 Nc6 8. Nf3 g6 {with an interesting position for both
sides; the pawn on h4 makes it more difficult for White to complete his
development with the standard g3 and Bg2, so White might try} 9. c3 {, but
Black can attack this in hypermodern fashion with} dxc3 10. bxc3 Bg7 11. Qc2 b6
$5 12. d4 cxd4 13. cxd4 Bb7 {, with an unclear position in which I think Black
stands quite well, as White's king is nowhere near safe, and ...Rc8 and ...Nb4
looms}) 5... Nc6 6. Nf3 g6 {when White has two choices: he can go with the
sombre, more natural approach (g3, Bg2, and an eventual h3 to keep the knight
out), or try to improve upon that by lunging forward with the g-pawn right
away. In either case, Black seems to be fine:} 7. -- (7. h3 $5 {The plan of h3
and g4 right away leads to tense and complex positions, more akin to the slow,
build-up and break type positions from the Closed Sicilian. White will castle
short and ram his kingside pawns down the board as far as they can go, while
Black should strive for ...c4 and queenside pressure. Play might continue} Bg7
8. g4 O-O 9. Bg2 b5 10. O-O Ba6 $5 11. f5 Nd7 12. g5 c4 $1 13. Nf4 ({White
dare not challenge Black's idea with} 13. dxc4 $6 {, as} Qb6 $1 14. Nf4 bxc4
15. Nd5 Qc5 16. Nc7 Rad8 $1 17. Nxa6 Qb6 {leaves White much worse; there are
some alternatives along the way, but White is obviously playing with fire
allowing Black the massive pawn centre and ...d3+ tricks}) 13... Nc5 {with a
position that seems balanced and fine for Black. His kingside is solid, and
it's going to take White some more time to make progress there. The play on
the queenside has progressed nicely, and White also still needs to figure out
what to do with his dark-squared bishop and a1-rook. If White tries to get
frisky with} 14. e5 $5 {you should snap on e5 immediately with} Nxe5 {,
receiving strong compensation for the exchange after} 15. Nxe5 Bxe5 16. Bxa8
Qxa8 {.}) (7. g3 {is slower, intending g4 much later. --- Now} Bg7 8. h3 O-O 9.
Bg2 c4 $5 {sees Black getting down to business immediately. White can get
fancy or just ignore the c4-pawn and castle his king away:} 10. O-O ({or} 10.
e5 cxd3 $1 11. Qxd3 Nd5 12. O-O Ndb4 13. Qd1 d3 $1 {with good play for Black
after the queen trade; the second player should strive to give his
dark-squared bishop some breathing room with ...f6 soon}) 10... Qb6 11. Kh2
cxd3 12. cxd3 {was D.Collutiis-P.Gambardella, Bagnara Calabra 2008, and now
perhaps manoeuvring the knight to c5 with} Nd7 {is decent.})) 3... Nf6 $1 {
This is the point - Black never wanted to take back with the queen. If the
second player can nab his pawn back without making any concessions, then
White's f4-pawn is going to be out of place, resembling an odd deviation from
the Centre Counter Variation, 1 e4 d5 2 exd5 etc.} 4. Bb5+ {Throwing the
bishop out there is likely best, as this piece has a bleak future if White
intends to keep the pawn with c4.} ({Because of this, playing} 4. c4 {right
away is probably a slight inaccuracy, play generally continuing} e6 5. dxe6
Bxe6 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. Be2 Bd6 8. d3 Qc7 $1 9. g3 {, and now I think I'd prefer the
} O-O {of A.Melnichenko-I.Martemianov, Tiraspol 2008. Black has preferred 9...0-0-0 in the past, but I see no reason to go long. Just simply bring your
rooks to the open files and the threats start lining up nicely after 9...0-0:
for instance,} 10. O-O Rad8 11. Nc3 Rfe8 12. Re1 Bf8 $1 {, threatening ...Bxc4.
Black has great compensation for the pawn due to White's poor development,
passive pieces, backward d3-pawn, and the giant holes on d4 and e3. Note how
misplaced the pawn on f4 is - White might like to play the retreat f4-f2 if
the rules allowed it.}) 4... Nbd7 $5 (4... Bd7 {has been played about twice as
much as the knight move, but I'm keen on the two bishops and surprise value.})
5. c4 a6 6. Bxd7+ (6. Ba4 {allows} b5 $1 7. cxb5 Nxd5 8. Nf3 {and now Colin
McNab's novelty} c4 $1 {is simply too strong not to recommend. Play could
continue} 9. Nc3 (9. Ne5 e6 10. bxa6 Bd6 {also seems fine for Black}) 9... Nxf4
10. O-O Nd3 11. bxa6 e6 $1 {, though White just seems worse to me. Black will
eventually pick the pawn on a6 back up, but what does the first player do
about that gigantic octopus on d3?}) 6... Bxd7 ({I looked at} 6... Qxd7 $5 {
for a while too. Even this looks playable and fine for Black, which certainly
speaks volumes about White's chances for an edge in this system.}) 7. Nf3 e6 {
Black needs to open up lines and get on with his development.} 8. Qe2 (8. dxe6
Bxe6 9. d3 Bd6 10. O-O O-O 11. Nc3 {saw one of our heroes (with the white
pieces) trying to squeak out an edge in E.Sveshnikov-F.Bruno, Brescia 2009,
and perhaps he did after the somewhat lazy} Qc7 {,} ({and in lieu of that, I'd
recommend simply keeping the knight out with} 11... h6 {, then continuing as
planned. One possible line is} 12. Be3 Qc7 13. Nd2 Rfe8 14. Nde4 Nxe4 15. Nxe4
Bxc4 $1 16. Nxd6 Qxd6 17. dxc4 Qxd1 18. Raxd1 Rxe3 {with equality for the
second player.})) 8... Be7 9. dxe6 Bxe6 10. O-O O-O 11. d3 Bf5 12. Rd1 Re8 {
Black's position is very comfortable already, despite his pawn deficit.} 13.
Nc3 Bd6 14. Qf1 ({Black also has good compensation after the} 14. Qf2 Qc7 {of
K.Kling-A.De Groot, correspondence 1998. Similar to the main lines, White's
hindered development, awkward d-pawn, and Black's open files and two bishops
give him adequate compensation for the measly one-pawn investment.}) 14... Qc7
{, D.Kuzuev-D.Batsanin, Moscow 1997. Black has great compensation here. In the
stem game White stumbled into some trouble trying to keep the pawn with} 15. g3
$6 {and should have been pounded with} Qc6 16. Qg2 Bg4 $1 17. Rf1 Qd7 $1 {
Threatening 18...Bh3.} 18. Re1 (18. Rd1 Re7 {is also incredibly bad for White.}
) 18... Rxe1+ 19. Nxe1 Re8 20. Bd2 b5 $1 {, when Black just has too much
pressure. White is definitely worse here despite being a pawn to the good.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "The GPA and Siblings"]
[Black "C: 2 Nc3"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B23"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "5"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 {Just like the previous chapter, we see White wisely
preventing the immediate ...d5 break. This is where the bulk of the material
in this chapter lies. From here, White can continue along the Grand Prix path
with 3 f4, or try and 'accelerate' the positional threat of Bb5xc6 with 3 Bb5.}
3. -- ({C1:} 3. Bb5) ({C2:} 3. f4) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "The GPA and Siblings"]
[Black "C1: 3 Bb5"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B23"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "36"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Bb5 {I'm going to just go ahead and call this one the
'Accelerated Grand Prix', as I'm not sure its name has really been agreed upon
at this point (and yes, I do know I'm suggested yet another one). White's idea
is to shatter Black's pawn structure a move earlier against any move but 3...Nd4, only then committing to f4. Once this exchange is completed, Black no
longer has ...Nd4 or White's light-squared bishop as sources of counterplay,
and White is free to pursue his standard f5 and Qh4 attacking plans, or
Nimzo-Indian type ideas based on attacking Black's weak queenside pawns.} Nd4 (
{As evidence, consider G.Jones-D.Abhishek, Yerevan 2007, which continued} 3...
g6 4. Bxc6 $1 dxc6 5. f4 Bg7 6. d3 ({instead, in G.Jones-G.Eppinger, Calvia
2006, Black tried getting frisky on the queenside with} 6. Nf3 b5 $6 {, but
after} 7. d3 b4 8. Ne2 c4 9. dxc4 Qxd1+ 10. Kxd1 Ba6 11. a3 $1 bxa3 12. Rxa3
Bxc4 13. b3 Be6 14. Be3 {he paid dearly for his weak queenside pawns}) 6... Nf6
7. Nf3 O-O 8. O-O b6 9. Qe1 Bg4 10. Ne5 Qc7 11. Qh4 Be6 12. Nf3 h6 13. f5 $1 g5
14. Nxg5 $1 hxg5 15. Bxg5 Bc8 16. Rf3 $1 {when the rising British GM had
already assembled a lethal attack. --- If Black plays 3...Nd4, as he should,
then the play retains an independent character in which White maintains some
flexibility to choose between various king's knight and f-pawn placements.
White players who play 3 Bb5 tend to be specialists, so attention to detail is
needed.}) 4. Bc4 (4. Ba4 {can transpose back to lines in which the bishop
drops back to b3, although Cornette mentions} Qa5 {, which Houdini likes a lot.
Play might continue} 5. Nf3 ({if} 5. Bb3 {and now} b5 (5... d5) ({and} 5... g6
{all look viable for the second player; after Black takes on b3, White will
have some problems with his pawn structure, and the d4-square in particular}))
5... b5 6. Nxd4 cxd4 7. Nxb5 Qxa4 8. Nc7+ Kd8 9. Nxa8 Bb7 10. d3 Bxa8 11. O-O
e6 {, with a pretty messy position in D.Sirkova-A.Nikolova, Dupnitsa 2010.})
4... e6 5. Nge2 (5. Nf3 {is less popular, but of course very reasonable. After}
Nf6 6. O-O a6 {there's a split:} 7. -- (7. e5 {must be met by} d5 $1 8. exf6
dxc4 9. fxg7 Bxg7 {, when Black should be okay based on his two bishops and
extra space in the centre. D.Tan-J.Gallagher, British Championship, Torquay
2002, continued} 10. d3 cxd3 11. Qxd3 Bd7 $1 {(Black prepares to 'fianchetto'
his light-squared bishop and leaves open the option of castling long)} 12. Nxd4
Bxd4 13. Be3 Bc6 14. f3 Rg8 15. Rf2 Qh4 {(in true Joe Gallagher fashion,
pieces start clouding around White's kingside)} 16. Bxd4 O-O-O 17. Ne2 cxd4 18.
a4 Rd5 {, and Black was okay. Eventually the Anglo-Swiss GM pulled out the win
over his younger, lower-rated opponent.}) (7. a4 {can be met in a similar
fashion to 5 Nge2 Nf6 6 0-0 a6 7 a4, with} d5 $1 8. exd5 exd5 9. Ba2 {, except
that Black has an extra option in} Bg4 {since White's played 5 Nf3 and no
longer has the option of breaking the pin with f3. White has only one way to
prevent the shattering of his kingside pawns in} 10. Qe1+ Be7 11. Nxd4 cxd4 12.
Ne2 {, though Black gains the option to try the fancy} d3 $1 13. cxd3 {,
completely disrupting White's development. If the dark-squared bishop wants to
come to b2, then the a2-bishop suffers. Otherwise, White's pieces are
completely bungled up, and it will be a while before he can wriggle out of the
bind. M.Tissir-M.Parligras, Seville 2005, continued} O-O 14. h3 Bf5 15. d4 Qd7
(15... Re8 $5 {looks less committal; you can be fairly sure that the rook is
coming here, but is d7 best for her majesty?}) 16. Qd1 Bd3 17. Bb1 Qf5 18. Ng3
Qg6 19. Bxd3 Qxd3 20. Re1 Bd6 21. Re3 Qxd4 {, and Black was fine.}) (7. d3 {is
the most popular. --- Black should play the forcing} b5 8. Bb3 Nxb3 9. axb3 Bb7
{. From here White can play e5 right away or delay it for a while, as Black
gets time for ...d6:} 10. -- (10. Re1 d6 11. Bg5 Be7 12. Qd2 O-O 13. e5 $5 {
(this isn't forced, but it's an interesting try for White)} dxe5 14. Nxe5 Qc7
15. Bh4 Rac8 $5 {(again, not forced, but perhaps Black already saw that one of
his knights was headed to d4)} 16. Qe2 Nd5 17. Bxe7 Nxe7 18. Nf3 Nf5 19. Ne4 {
was A.Muromtsev-B.Onoprijchuk, Saratov 2008, and now I see nothing wrong with
the obvious} Nd4 20. Nxd4 (20. Qd1 $2 Nxf3+ {forces structural damage because
of} 21. Qxf3 f5) 20... cxd4 {, when Black's 15th becomes more clear, and his
position looks comfortable.}) (10. e5 Nd5 11. Ne4 Be7 12. Bg5 f6 $1 13. exf6
Nxf6 (13... gxf6 $2 {looks logical, but is basically refuted by} 14. Ne5 $3 {
, as} fxe5 15. Qh5+ Kf8 16. Bh6+ Kg8 17. Nd6 $1 {is a complete massacre}) 14.
-- {, and now two examples are:} (14. Qe2 {keeps the tension. Black can try}
O-O 15. Qe3 Qc7 {, threatening ...Ng4 and ...Rxf3. Now} 16. Nxf6+ ({White can
also avoid giving Black an f-pawn and the open g-file with} 16. Bf4 Qb6 17. Bg3
{, but} Nd5 18. Qd2 d6 {followed by ...e5 seems more comfortable for Black})
16... gxf6 17. Bf4 Qc6 {looks slightly better for Black, as the central pawn
mass and two bishops seem more relevant than his shaky kingside structure.}) (
14. Bxf6 gxf6 15. Re1 O-O {(Hou Yifan-A.Ushenina, Krasnoturinsk 2007)} 16. c3
f5 ({also possible is} 16... Rf7 {, with the plan of ...Kh8 and ...Rg8/Rfg7})
17. Ng3 Rf6 $5 {seems unclear, but I think I'd rather be Black, who's planning
...Rg6 and ...f4.})) (10. Bg5 {can be met with a typical attack on the dark
squares with} h6 11. Bh4 d6 12. Re1 g5 $1 13. Bg3 Nh5 $1 14. d4 (14. Qe2 {was
R.Lilja-A.Dreev, Helsingor 2012, and now} Nxg3 $1 15. hxg3 g4 $1 16. Nd2 Qg5 {
with the simple plan of ...h5-h4 seems clearly better for Black; his pieces
are far more active, and White's knights compare poorly to Black's bishops})
14... Bg7 15. d5 Nxg3 16. hxg3 O-O {, as in F.Wantiez-A.Dutra Neto,
correspondence 2003, which seems slightly better for Black. White can't
maintain the central tension, which will favour Black's bishops and possibly
open the f-file.}))) 5... Nf6 6. O-O a6 7. d3 (7. a4 {should be met with} d5 $1
8. exd5 exd5 9. Ba2 Ne6 $5 {, avoiding the trade on d4 and keeping some play
in the position. --- After} 10. d4 (10. d3 Bd6 11. Ng3 Bxg3 12. fxg3 O-O 13. h3
{, looking to play 14 g4, should perhaps just be met by the active} d4 $1 14.
Ne2 Nd5 15. g4 b5 16. Ng3 Bb7 {with a decent position for Black}) 10... c4 {
White has:} 11. -- (11. f4 Nc7 $1 12. f5 b5 $5 {(not preferred by Matthieu
Cornette in his fantastic chapters on 3 Bb5 in Experts vs. the Sicilian,
though it looks to secure Black a great position; the immediate threat is ...b4, when White's knight lacks a square besides the embarrassing b1 retreat)}
13. Ng3 (13. Bg5 {seems a move too slow, as now White has no good squares for
the knight: for example,} b4 14. Nb1 h6 15. Bh4 Be7 16. Nd2 O-O 17. Ng3 g5 $1
18. fxg6 fxg6 19. Bxf6 Bxf6 20. c3 Qe7 {, and White looks a bit worse}) 13...
b4 14. Nce2 Be7 15. Nf4 (15. Bg5 O-O 16. Nf4 h6 17. Bh4 Qd6 {followed by ...Bd7 seems solid for Black; perhaps White is worse based on his horrendous
looking pawn on a2}) 15... O-O 16. Qf3 (16. Nfh5 Nce8 $1 17. Bf4 Nxh5 18. Qxh5
Nf6 19. Qf3 Bd7 $1 {looks tougher for White}) 16... Bd7 $1 {and White needs to
find a way to justify the impending loss of his a-pawn.}) (11. b3 b5 {is
actually possible here through some small 'tactics':} 12. axb5 axb5 13. Nxb5
cxb3 14. cxb3 Ba6 15. Nbc3 (15. Nec3 Rb8 {is not what White wants}) 15... Bb4
16. Bb2 O-O $1 {(Black threatens 17...Bxc3 18 Bxc3 Qc7 followed by either ...Nf4, or simply ...Bxe2 and ...Nxd4 depending on White's response, so White
allows himself 18 Bd3 next move)} 17. Bb1 Qb6 18. Bd3 Bxc3 19. Bxc3 Bxd3 20.
Qxd3 Qxb3 {with equality.})) 7... b5 8. Bb3 Nxb3 9. axb3 Bb7 {An important
tabiya for 3 Bb5, where White's tried three main moves. Cornette and Jones
both agree that 10 Ng3 is sub-optimal and that 10 f4 and 10 Bg5 are close in
value. They differ in that Jones is optimistic about White's chances, while
Cornette thinks Black has solved his problems.} 10. f4 ({Let's round up
White's other possibilities:} 10. Bg5 {. Now Black should challenge the bishop
immediately with} h6 {, with a final divide:} 11. -- (11. Bxf6 Qxf6 12. f4 Be7
$5 {is a yet-to-be-played line (which perhaps never will be now) demonstrated
by Matthieu Cornette. White can try to stir up some trouble, but Black's
position is solid, and any opening of the position should favour his two
bishops. Now} 13. e5 (13. f5 Qe5 14. fxe6 dxe6 {followed by 15...0-0 leaves
White with less than nothing}) ({and} 13. Ng3 Qd4+ 14. Kh1 O-O 15. f5 Kh7 16.
Qg4 g6 {looks good for Black despite his weakened kingside, on account of his
two bishops and strong dark-square presence}) 13... Qg6 14. Ng3 f5 $1 {keeps
White out of e4, or opens up the position favourably: for instance,} 15. exf6
Bxf6 16. f5 exf5 17. Qe2+ Kd8 18. Nxf5 Kc7 {should be at least somewhat better
for Black after his rooks come to f8 and e8, though the position remains
slightly unclear because of the second player's shaky king position.}) (11. Bh4
Be7 12. f4 {allows a Najdorf-like strike on the dark squares with} g5 $1 13.
fxg5 Ng4 14. Qd2 (14. Ng3 {looks better, but} hxg5 15. Qxg4 Rxh4 16. Qf3 f5 {
should be better for Black; if White tries to smash through with} 17. Nxf5 exf5
18. Qxf5 {then} Qb6 {consolidates with advantage}) 14... Nxh2 $1 15. Qf4 (15.
g6 {is a bit scarier, but} Nxf1 16. gxf7+ Kxf7 17. Rxf1+ Kg7 18. Bg3 Rf8 {sees
Black survive the worst of it}) 15... Nxf1 16. Rxf1 Rf8 17. g6 fxg6 18. Qxh6
Rxf1+ 19. Kxf1 Bxh4 20. Qh8+ Kf7 21. Qh7+ Kf6 22. Qxh4+ Kg7 {and Black was
winning in I.Shkuro-Y.Vovk, Ukrainian Team Championship 2009.})) (10. Ng3 d6
11. f4 (11. Qe2 Be7 12. f4 {was L.Ibarra Chami-A.Ivanov, California 2007, and
now perhaps} h5 $1 {with similar play to the main game is best}) 11... h5 $1
12. Nh1 d5 $1 13. e5 d4 14. Ne2 (14. exf6 dxc3 15. bxc3 gxf6 16. Nf2 f5 {
followed by ...Bg7 isn't very good for White}) 14... Qd5 $1 15. Rf3 Ng4 {was
quite bad for White in S.Tiviakov-V.Kotronias, French League 2007. Typically
sharp and well researched play from one of Greece's top gunslingers. The
contrast in quality between both colours' minor pieces is striking. --- Moving
forward, perhaps the easiest way to play after 10 f4 is to enter Frenchish
type positions after ...d5.}) 10... d5 ({Other lines suggest themselves here
too: for instance,} 10... b4 $5 11. Na4 Be7 12. f5 O-O 13. Ng3 d6 {, as in C.Koepcke-F.Armbrust, Internet 2008}) ({or} 10... d6 {(this has been popular
lately)} 11. f5 Be7 12. Bg5 O-O 13. Ng3 b4 $5 {(not forced, but reasonable)}
14. Nce2 e5 15. Kh1 d5 {of A.Sanchez Garcia-D.Vukotic Jovsic, Spain 2008.}) 11.
e5 Nd7 ({Black also secures his share of the chances with the wild} 11... d4 $5
12. exf6 dxc3 {of S.Tiviakov-A.Shirov, Wijk aan Zee 2010.}) 12. d4 (12. f5 exf5
$1 13. Rxf5 g6 {isn't good for White at all.}) 12... Be7 $5 ({Another path is
Cornette's} 12... cxd4 13. Nxd4 Bc5 14. Be3 O-O 15. Qh5 {, which looks good,
but I prefer to leave the tension and give my knight access to the e4-square
if White wants the d4-square.}) 13. Be3 O-O 14. dxc5 ({The immediate} 14. f5 {
should be met by the straightforward} exf5 15. Rxf5 cxd4 16. Bxd4 Nc5 {
followed by ...Ne6 with a very solid position for Black. He can slowly start
to work up play on the queenside with ...Qc7 and ...Rac8 (with an eventual ...b4 bust), or further solidify his position with ...Nxd4 and ...Bc8-e6.}) ({
Instead,} 14. Qd2 {can be met with the simple plan of} Qc7 {and 15...Rac8.
Eventually Black will want to take on d4 and play ...Nc5-e4 (giving his
typically poor light-squared bishop some air), or ...b4 with decent play.})
14... Nxc5 (14... Bxc5 {may also be worth investigating: for example,} 15. Bxc5
Nxc5 16. Nd4 {, when} b4 17. Nce2 a5 {is a typical way to activate Black's bad
bishop in these French structures.}) 15. Nd4 {Grabbing the d4-square
immediately for the steed can't be bad. Black should look to the queenside
while still maintaining a clear eye towards White's obvious plan of f4-f5.
Play might continue something like} Qc7 16. b4 Ne4 17. Nxe4 dxe4 18. c3 Bd5 {
, with unclear play ahead. It's hard to White to achieve f5 with e5 hanging,
and ...a5 is not far off.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "The GPA and Siblings"]
[Black "C2: 3 f4"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B23"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "9"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4 g6 4. Nf3 Bg7 {This is the main branch of the Grand
Prix Attack. Black also has wholly legitimate plans with ...e6 and ...d5, but
I've stuck to the historically more popular and classic ...g6 schemes, as it's
consistent with the rest of our repertoire, allowing transpositions to the
Closed Sicilian if White so chooses. From here, White has quite a few options:}
5. -- ({C21:} 5. Bc4) ({C22:} 5. Bb5) ({Other notable lines include:} 5. g3 {
will transpose back to Chapter 12 after} d6 6. Bg2 e5 {.}) (5. d3 {transposes
to the Closed if White decides on 6 g3 or to line 'c' below if White plays 6
Be2.}) (5. Be2 {is possible, but looks fairly lame. I like continuing parallel
to our 5 Bc4 coverage with} e6 6. O-O Nge7 7. d3 d5 $5 {, delaying castling
and striking out in the centre right away. Play may continue} 8. Qe1 (8. e5 Nf5
{seem okay for Black; in the only game that's seen this position, White tried
the usual} 9. Qe1 {, but it makes little impact here with h4 unavailable: for
example,} Ncd4 10. Bd1 O-O 11. g4 Nxf3+ 12. Rxf3 Nd4) 8... O-O 9. Qh4 (9. e5
Nf5 10. g4 Nfd4 11. Bd1 f6 $1 {is really bad for White}) 9... Nd4 (9... b6 $5 {
also looks solid, and if White tries} 10. f5 $6 {, then Black has the resource}
exf5 11. Bh6 Bxh6 12. Qxh6 f6 $1 {, with a great position}) 10. Bd1 b6 11. g4 {
, as in A.Boronyak-S.Farago, Hungarian League 1995, and now the easiest
rebuttal to White's action on the flank is, as always, a reaction in the
centre with} dxe4 $1 12. Nxe4 f5 13. gxf5 exf5 14. Neg5 h6 15. c3 ({or} 15. Nh3
Be6 16. c3 Nxf3+ 17. Bxf3 Rc8 {, and White's pieces are unimpressive and
uncoordinated}) 15... Ndc6 16. Bb3+ Nd5 17. Nh3 Bb7 18. Qg3 Qd6 {followed by ...Na5 and Black is slightly better.}) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "The GPA and Siblings"]
[Black "C21: 5 Bc4"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B23"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "11"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4 g6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Bc4 {is the approach White first
adopted in the Grand Prix Attack's early years. Simply by castling and playing
f5 quickly after, White players caused a lot of heads to roll in the beginning
phases of this opening's development. Nowadays, Black players are better
prepared for this sort of thing, rendering this try ineffectual, since White's
bishop generally sits worse there than on the more positionally desirable
b5-square.} e6 $1 {Slamming the door shut on the newly arrived light-squared
bishop and prepare ...Nge7 and ...d5. Simple play, but it's strong! Now White
can go the civilized route, or get caveman on you:} 6. -- ({C211:} 6. f5) ({
C212:} 6. O-O) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "The GPA and Siblings"]
[Black "C211: 6 f5"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B23"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "42"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4 g6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Bc4 e6 $1 6. f5 {This is the 'go
for the throat' option, trying to rough Black up and open lines before he can
get all of his pieces off the bank rank. I don't place a lot of faith in this
move for many a reason - to start, White is opening up the game when his
pieces just appear slightly worse than Black's, and without any lead in
development. The capitulation of the e5-square isn't irrelevant either.} exf5
$5 {This move and its merit as a refutation attempt snuck up on me.} ({In my
first draft of this chapter, I recommended the line} 6... Nge7 7. fxe6 dxe6 $5
{which is very solid and relatively unexplored, giving the second player the
opportunity to exercise his greater knowledge of the resulting positions. When
making the final revisions, I stumbled upon this move, and simply couldn't
resist presenting it instead, as it actually just seems too good to not do so!
At first glance, 6...exf5 looks odd - Black surrenders the a2-g8 diagonal and
the d5-square without a fight. The real truth of the matter is that Black is
more concerned about grabbing a pawn while keeping his kingside pawn structure
intact and compact. If the sharp complications or resulting positions aren't
to your taste however, I'd recommend the above 7...dxe6 as a good alternative.}
) 7. d3 ({Releasing the tension with} 7. exf5 {is probably dubious on account
of the less common} Nge7 {. After} 8. fxg6 ({White has the preferable} 8. f6 {
, but after} Bxf6 9. Ne4 Nf5 10. Nxf6+ ({in J.Cattermole-M.Bergeron,
correspondence 1998, White tried} 10. Nxc5 $2 {and Black missed} Qe7+ $1 11.
Qe2 Ncd4 12. Nxd4 Nxd4 13. Qxe7+ Bxe7 {, winning a piece}) 10... Qxf6 11. O-O
O-O {, both} 12. c3 ({and} 12. d3 b6 $5 (12... Qd8) (12... d6) ({and} 12...
Nce7 {all deserve consideration too}) 13. c3 Na5 {followed by ...Bb7 seem a
little better for Black}) 12... d5 $5 (12... Qd8 13. Bd5 Nce7 {is a worthy
alternative}) 13. Bxd5 Rd8 14. Bxc6 Qxc6 15. d3 f6) 8... hxg6 {White can't
stop ...d5, as} 9. Nd5 b5 $1 10. Nxe7 Qxe7+ 11. Be2 g5 $1 12. d3 g4 13. Nd2 Be5
14. Nf1 Bb7 {is just terrible.}) 7... Nge7 8. O-O d6 {This is the main tabiya,
and from here White's tried everything but the kitchen sink.} 9. Qe1 {Swinging
the queen over to the kingside and X-raying the e-file is far and away the
most popular,} ({but again, the first player has tried a lot of ideas here:} 9.
Bg5 h6 $1 10. Bh4 g5 11. Bg3 O-O {was V.Dubuois-K.Szabo, Cappelle la Grande
2012. Black mopped up White's collapsing kingside after} 12. h4 $2 f4 13. Be1
g4 14. Nh2 g3 15. Nf3 Ng6 {. Black seems much better after any of White's 12th
move options anyway.}) (9. Ng5 {seems premature. J.Cathcart-M.Castrillon,
Duran 2011, continued} O-O (9... Ne5 10. exf5 Bxf5 11. Bb3 {also seems much
better for Black after} O-O) 10. Qe1 Ne5 11. Bb3 h6 12. Nf3 Nxf3+ 13. Rxf3 fxe4
14. dxe4 Be6 $1 15. Nd5 Nxd5 16. Bxd5 Bxd5 17. exd5 {, and now} Re8 {would
have left White a pawn down with a worse position.}) (9. exf5 Bxf5 {
illogically allows Black freer development at no cost. A few continuations to
illustrate White is worse:} 10. -- (10. g4 Bxg4 11. Bxf7+ Kd7 $1 (11... Kxf7 $6
12. Ng5+ Ke8 13. Qxg4 {gives White too much play}) 12. Qe1 Bxf3 13. Rxf3 Ne5
14. Rf1 Rf8 15. Bb3 Qb6 {is much worse for White.}) (10. Bg5 {should be met by
the standard} h6 $1 {when both} 11. Bh4 ({and} 11. Bxe7 Nxe7 12. Nh4 O-O) 11...
g5 12. Bg3 O-O 13. Bb3 Be6 14. Bxe6 fxe6 {look markedly worse for White}) (10.
Qe1 O-O 11. Bg5 (11. Qh4 d5 12. Bb3 Be6 {is similarly bad for White}) 11... Qd7
12. Qh4 d5 13. Bb3 Be6 {is obviously better for Black, as White has very
little in the way of compensation for his pawn and lack of central control.}))
9... h6 $1 {Black immediately stops all shenanigans with Bg5 or Bh6, Ng5, and
even prepares to boot the queen from h4 and grab some space with ...g5 if
needed. The move appears to be counterintuitive and time-wasting, but this
little nudge is prickly and to the point - White now lacks adequate kingside
play, as very few of his pieces have active options.} 10. Qg3 ({Perhaps the
fact that White has tried a lot of moves points to the strength of Black's
approach: Again the trick with} 10. exf5 Bxf5 11. g4 {is not particularly
great on account of} Bxg4 12. Bxf7+ Kxf7 13. Ne5+ Kg8 14. Nxg4 Nd4 {of O.
Cartagena-A.Wojtkiewicz, Manila 1991.}) (10. Bd2 {is preferred by my computer,
though I'd prefer Black after both} Be6 ({and} 10... fxe4 11. dxe4 Be6 12. Bxe6
fxe6 13. Qg3 Qd7 {followed by 14...0-0-0}) 11. exf5 Bxf5 12. g4 (12. h3 Qd7 13.
Ne4 O-O-O {also seems comfortable for Black}) 12... Bxg4 13. Bxf7+ Kxf7 14.
Ne5+ Kg8 15. Nxg4 Qd7 16. Qg3 Ne5 {.}) (10. Kh1 {is a constructive waiting
move that's too sophisticated for me, but has been essayed in quite a few
games by strong players. D.Andreikin-B.Gelfand, Moscow (blitz) 2010, continued}
fxe4 11. dxe4 Be6 12. Nd5 {, when I'd prefer something like} O-O 13. Bd2 Qd7 {
, since if White tries the cheapo} 14. Bxh6 {Black still ends up on top after}
Bxd5 15. exd5 Bxh6 16. dxc6 bxc6 {.}) 10... g5 $1 {The d6-pawn is somewhat
soft for Black in this variation, and as such he can't allow White to get Bf4
in.} 11. Nb5 ({Really messy and complicated is} 11. h4 g4 {(threatening ...Bxc3, winning a piece)} 12. Nb5 Kf8 {(looking to simply take on f3)} 13. Nxd6
gxf3 (13... Be6 14. Bxe6 fxe6 15. exf5 exf5 16. Ng5 hxg5 17. Nxf5 Nxf5 18.
Rxf5+ Kg8 19. Rxg5 Rh7 {is also very unclear and worth considering}) 14. Nxf7
Qd4+ 15. Rf2 b5 16. Bb3 c4 17. c3 Qf6 18. dxc4 bxc4 19. Bxc4 Na5 20. Nxh8 Nxc4
21. exf5 Bxh8 22. Qxf3 Rb8 {. I have no idea what's happening here - I'd
suspect that it simply comes down to whoever makes the second to last blunder
in a position like this.}) 11... Ne5 12. Bf4 Nxf3+ 13. Rxf3 O-O 14. Bxd6 f4 15.
Qe1 a6 16. Bxe7 Qxe7 17. Nc3 Bg4 18. Rf1 b5 19. Bd5 Rad8 {. Play has been
somewhat forced thus far, following B.Helman-V.Leupold, correspondence 2007,
which was clearly better for Black after} 20. Rb1 Bd4+ 21. Kh1 Qe5 {.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "The GPA and Siblings"]
[Black "C212: 6 0-0"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B23"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "26"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4 g6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Bc4 e6 $1 6. O-O {This is more
popular and probably better objectively.} Nge7 7. d3 ({There are other moves
as well:} 7. Qe1 O-O 8. d3 d5 9. Bb3 {transposes to the main lines.}) (7. e5 {
can be met by the very standard and thematic} d5 $1 8. exd6 Nf5 9. Ne4 Nxd6 10.
Nxd6+ Qxd6 11. d3 O-O {, when I can't believe that White's not already
slightly less comfortable because of Black's strong bishop and extra central
space. --- The most interesting game to reach this position was L.Galego-B.Avrukh, Linares 1997, which continued} 12. Qe1 b6 13. a3 Bb7 14. Rb1 Rac8 15.
Bd2 Rfd8 16. Kh1 {. I find it quite hard to believe that White's last four
moves were even close to optimal, and he's already clearly worse. Avrukh 
(quite the author himself these days) has developed his pieces on good squares,
foreshadowing his plans to pry open the c-file with his 14th move. Black's
bishops and pressure prove too much, although Avrukh progresses his position
in a marvellously clever way. The game continued} Nd4 $1 17. Nxd4 cxd4 18. Bb4
Qd7 19. Qe2 Rc7 20. Ra1 Rdc8 21. a4 Bd5 $1 22. b3 Bb7 $1 {(now everything is
clear - it was quite bad to take on d5, but was it better for White to
self-trap his light-squared bishop? Avrukh creates the devilish threat of ...a6 and ...b5 and forces some serious concessions from White)} 23. Bd2 a6 24. b4
b5 25. axb5 axb5 26. Bb3 {, when Avrukh uncorked} Bd5 $1 {, and White had
nothing better than to allow ...Bxb3 to rid him of the horrendously backward
c-pawn. White's near lost - bravo Boris!}) 7... d5 8. Bb3 O-O 9. Qe1 ({White
generally chooses the standard Grand Prix queen sortie as} 9. Bd2 {might just
be a loss of tempo in the event of a future f5}) ({and relieving the tension
with} 9. e5 Nf5 10. Ne2 b5 {looks fine for Black, with} 11. a4 {met simply by}
b4 {.}) 9... Na5 (9... Nd4 $5 10. Nxd4 cxd4 11. Ne2 dxe4 12. dxe4 b6 {also
looks playable.}) 10. Bd2 ({White has tried quite a few moves here, perhaps
indicative of the fact that the first player has struggled to prove anything
here in practice:} 10. Qh4 Nec6 {offers to trade queens, and is really nothing.
}) (10. Qf2 {was tried in A.Bangiev-A.Hauschild, German League 1995, although
Black was perfectly fine after} b6 11. Bd2 Nxb3 12. axb3 Nc6 13. e5 Nb4 14.
Rfc1 f6 {.}) ({The trick} 10. exd5 exd5 11. Nxd5 $6 Nxd5 12. Bxd5 Qxd5 13. Qxa5
{is ill-advised on account of} Re8 $1 14. Ne5 {(else ...Re2 was too much)} b6
15. Qa4 Bb7 16. Rf2 f6 17. Nf3 f5 {(threatening ...Bd4)} 18. Ne5 Bxe5 19. fxe5
Rxe5 {with a position in which I'd rather be Black, even though chances might
be approximately level.}) 10... Nec6 11. Ba4 ({The} 11. Rd1 {of A.Boronyak-L.Czegledi, Zalakaros 1995, is met straightforwardly with} Nxb3 12. axb3 Nb4 13.
Rc1 b6 14. Nd1 a5 15. e5 Bb7 16. d4 {. White was reluctant to allow ...d4,
although} f6 $5 {still seems promising for the second player, as White can't
keep his centre together.}) 11... a6 12. Bxc6 Nxc6 13. e5 {. This was A.Boronyak-N.Szelenyi, Hungarian League 1998, and now the thematic} f6 $1 {seems
good for Black once more.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "The GPA and Siblings"]
[Black "C22: 5 Bb5"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B23"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "33"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4 g6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Bb5 {Eventually white players of
the Grand Prix shifted preference to this move after realizing that 5 Bc4 was
probably overoptimistic, and might misplace the piece on the a2-g8 diagonal.
The positional threat to take on c6 is quite real, and it's common for Black
to simply not allow it at all with his next.} Nd4 $1 {As described in the 3
Bb5 coverage (Line C1), it's best to avoid Bxc6 if at all possible.} 6. O-O {
White usually continues developing,} ({but there are some minor options as
well:} 6. Nxd4 cxd4 7. Ne2 e6 8. O-O Ne7 {transposes to note 'b' to White's
7th move, below, in almost all cases.}) (6. Bd3 d6 7. Nxd4 cxd4 8. Ne2 {has
been playing in hundreds of games, but Black has a fully adequate reply in} e5
{. We follow D.Campora-B.Damljanovic, Vila Real de Santo Antonio 1998, after}
9. O-O (9. f5 d5 $1 {rips open the centre, and White's in trouble}) 9... Nf6
10. c3 (10. fxe5 dxe5 {leaves White's queenside with very few options, and a
rather bleak future}) ({probably best for White is the lesser played} 10. Bb5+
Bd7 11. Bxd7+ {of T.Eckhardt-M.Elent, correspondence 2012, but after either
recapture the position looks about equal to me (the quoted game was drawn only
a few moves later). Black can post his queen on b6 to make the development of
White's queenside a bit awkward, and will soon castle, with no practical
problems}) 10... O-O 11. cxd4 exf4 $1 12. Rxf4 (12. Nxf4 $6 Qb6 $1 13. Ne2 Re8
{leaves White under far too much pressure}) 12... Nh5 13. Rf1 Bg4 {, when
White's position wasn't for preference.}) (6. a4 e6 {will generally transpose
to 7 a4 (note 'c' to White's 7th, below) if White plays 7 0-0, but he can also
try} 7. e5 $5 {, when Black can continue in the usual fashion with} a6 8. Bc4
d5 9. exd6 Nf6 $1 {of J.Meister-D.Kokarev, Internet (blitz) 2006. The pawn
isn't going anywhere, so Black develops and stops Ne4 before taking on d6 with
the queen. Now if} 10. d3 Qxd6 11. Ne4 Qc7 $1 {(I see no need to take on e4
and improve White's centre, giving him the option of shutting your bishop out
with e5)} 12. c3 Nxf3+ 13. Qxf3 O-O 14. a5 Bd7 {, intending ...Bc6 and ...Rad8,
with a totally equal position.}) (6. Bc4 {preserves White's bishop, but is it
clear that White's going to want it after} e6 $2 {There haven't been a lot of
games stemming from this position (go figure), but play might continue
something like} 7. O-O Ne7 8. e5 d5 $1 9. exd6 Nef5 $1 10. d3 Nxd6 {, when
Black is more than fine.}) 6... e6 7. e5 ({Once again, White's free to try a
lot of ideas:} 7. d3 Ne7 8. Nxd4 cxd4 9. Ne2 {transposes to 7 Nxd4.}) (7. Nxd4
cxd4 8. Ne2 Ne7 9. d3 ({the prophylactic} 9. Kh1 {, intending to remove the
White's monarch from the g1-a7 diagonal, has been played quite a few times;
one simple solution was displayed in L.McLaren-M.Pein, British Championship,
Plymouth 1989, which continued} O-O 10. c3 Qb6 11. Bd3 Nc6 12. Ng3 f5 $5 {with
a fine position for Black, where White tried} 13. e5 d6 $1 14. exd6 {, but
could have landed himself in some trouble after the funky} Qd8 $1 {, when it's
hard to find a constructive move}) 9... O-O 10. Ba4 $5 {(this is a tricky move
that meets a trickier threat; Black plans 10...d5 11 e5 Qa5!, stirring up some
trouble for the bishop on b5, so White gives himself the b3-square as a
reserve)} d5 11. e5 {, when perhaps} Nf5 {is best, planning ...f6,} ({but not
allowing} 11... f6 12. Nxd4 $1 {, which might give White chances for an edge.})
) (7. a4 {intends to carve out c4 for White's bishop, but is most likely just
sub-optimal based on the loss of time in playing this flank pawn lunge. Play
normally continues} Ne7 8. e5 a6 9. Bc4 d5 10. exd6 {and now I like the lesser
played} Nef5 {, when} 11. Ne4 b5 $5 {is a wild idea I stumbled upon while
writing this chapter.} 12. -- ({. Black throws the pawn wildly towards White
with the sole purpose of slamming his light-squared bishop on b7 with tempo.
If White accepts, the main line appears to run} 12. axb5 Bb7 13. c3 $5 (13.
Nxc5 $2 Nxf3+ 14. gxf3 Qb6 {is just lost for White}) ({and} 13. d3 axb5 14. Ba2
Nxf3+ 15. Qxf3 O-O {is also quite bad}) 13... axb5 $1 14. Rxa8 Qxa8 15. Nxd4
Nxd4 (15... Bxe4 $2 16. Bxb5+ {turns the tables}) 16. Nxc5 (16. cxd4 Bxd4+ 17.
Nf2 bxc4 {is just awful for White}) 16... Bxg2 17. Bd3 Bxf1 18. Qxf1 O-O $1 19.
b4 Nf3+ 20. Kf2 Nxh2 21. Qg2 Qa1 $1 22. Qxh2 Qxc1 {with a total mess in which
I can't believe that Black should be any worse.}) ({. Also possible is} 12. Be2
Bb7 13. d3 Nxd6 14. c3 (14. Nxc5 $2 Nxf3+ {followed by ...Bd4+ is just winning
for Black}) 14... Nxe2+ 15. Qxe2 {(C.Sirotti-N.Opryatkin, correspondence 2011)}
Qc7 $5 ({the stem game continued} 15... Nxe4 16. dxe4 O-O 17. e5 Qb6 18. Be3
Rfd8 {, which also seems fine for Black}) 16. Be3 Nxe4 17. dxe4 O-O 18. e5 Rfb8
$5 19. axb5 axb5 20. Rxa8 Bxa8 {(the point of Black's 18th)} 21. Ra1 Bf8 {,
after which Black appears to be totally fine. His poor bishop on f8 guards the
kingside and may join the action soon via ...c4 and ...Bc5. Black can also
display some strength along the a8-h1 diagonal with ...Qc6 right away, or
after ...Bd5.})) 7... a6 8. Bd3 f5 $5 {This has been a pet line of mine for
years now, and it still continues to serve me well to this day. Almost no one
I've played has seen it before, and yet it appears totally viable and full of
life, played in a few games by Kalashnikov hero Viacheslav Ikonnikov.} 9. Nxd4
(9. exf6 Nxf3+ $1 10. Qxf3 Nxf6 {should be fine for Black based on his (soon
to be) big centre and White's awkward bishop on d3. Black's 9th move was
important - he'd rather not have the doubled d-pawns here. One sample line is}
11. b3 O-O 12. Bb2 Rb8 $1 {, preparing ...b5 and ...Bb7. Black is already more
than fine, but do note the cute trick} 13. a4 $2 Nh5 14. g3 Bd4+ 15. Kg2 Nf6 {
, when e4 is back under control, and ...b5 and ...Bb7 is strongly threatened.})
({Another option for White is} 9. b3 d6 10. exd6 Qxd6 11. Ne5 (11. Bb2 {just
hangs the f-pawn}) 11... Ne7 12. Bb2 Nec6 {, when Black looks quite
comfortable.}) 9... cxd4 10. Ne2 d6 $1 11. exd6 Qxd6 12. a4 {This is probably
the most precise way to realize the b3, a4, and Ba3 set-up if White has his
heart set on it,} ({as other moves allow Black to counter with ...b5-b4:} 12.
b3 b5 $5 ({in an internet game of mine I tried} 12... Bd7 {and was very
comfortable after} 13. Bb2 Bc6 14. Qe1 Nh6 15. h3 O-O-O 16. a4 Kb8 17. Qf2 Nf7
18. Bc4) 13. Bb2 Bb7 14. a4 b4 15. Bc4 {(Black's ...b5 plan does eventually
concede the c4-square, though play remains balanced regardless)} Ne7 16. Qe1
O-O 17. Qf2 Rad8 18. Rae1 Rfe8 {with an unclear, but in my opinion, fully
playable position for Black.}) (12. Qe1 {looks quite similar to 12 b3 after
something like} b5 ({the more reserved} 12... b6 {is also completely fine}) 13.
a4 b4 14. b3 Bb7 15. Bb2 Nh6 $5 16. Bc4 O-O 17. Nc1 Rfe8 18. Nd3 Nf7 {, with a
solid position for Black.}) 12... b6 $1 {I'm awarding the execution of the
idea a bang, not this specific move, as Black has two ways to line up on the
h1-a8 diagonal.} ({J.Gonzalez-H.Rosch, correspondence 2009, continued
accurately with} 12... Bd7 13. b3 Bc6 14. Qe1 {(this thematic sortie is
logical, planning to guard g2 with the queen while pressuring d4)} Qd5 15. Qf2
Nf6 16. Bb2 Ng4 17. Qg3 h5 18. Bc4 Qc5 19. Qd3 Be4 20. Bxd4 Bxd3 21. Bxc5 Bxc4
22. bxc4 Bxa1 23. Rxa1 O-O-O {, when the position looked unclear but balanced,
as Black's rooks lack open lines and White's structure was relatively solid.
The game ended peacefully 12 moves later.}) 13. b3 (13. Qe1 {occurred in J.Schilperoort-V.Ikonnikov, Vlissingen 2008. The game continued} Nf6 14. b3 Bb7
15. Ng3 $6 {(yes, this opens the e-file, but the knight has no future here,
and the course of the game illustrates that this is mostly just a waste of
time)} O-O 16. Rf2 Rfe8 {(this is probably more precise than hopping into e4
or g4 right away; Black prepares ...e5, while White has to contemplate the
possibility of three knight hops until Black finally decides which one hurts
the most)} 17. Ba3 Qc6 18. Be2 Ne4 (18... Nd5 $5 {might have been better, as}
19. Rc1 Nxf4 $1 {is embarrassing for the first player}) 19. Bf3 $6 (19. Nxe4
fxe4 20. Rc1 {might be better, but this looks completely unpalatable as well})
19... Qxc2 20. Bd1 {, and now} Qd3 {would have just been winning for Black,} ({
though Ikonnikov's} 20... Qc6 {was fine too.})) 13... Bb7 14. Ba3 Qc6 15. Rf2 (
{My computer insists that} 15. Rf3 {is better, but it's tough for a human to
play this move. I'd still rather be Black after} O-O-O {.}) 15... O-O-O $5 {
Castling long is not uncommon in these positions, as Black hasn't an idea
about where his g8-knight belongs yet, but does know that his d-pawn needs
overprotection and the queenside is safe.} 16. b4 {White tries to drum up
practical chances, but Black has a strong prophylactic resource prepared.} (16.
Bb2 {is natural, but} e5 ({holding back with} 16... Kb8 {is probably even
better}) 17. c3 (17. Rc1 {might be too slow, as} Kb8 18. c3 Qd6 19. cxd4 exf4 {
feels good for Black}) 17... dxc3 18. Bxc3 Kb8 19. Rc1 Qd6 20. Bc4 Ne7 {looks
about equal to me.}) 16... Qc7 $1 17. -- ({Black stops the opening of
queenside lines, as} 17. b5 a5) ({and} 17. a5 b5 $1 {lead nowhere. If White
tries the latter, attempting to capitalize on the weak c5-square via} 18. Nc1 {
backfires after} Nf6 19. Nb3 Bh6 {. Still, this might be White's best
practical chance, since more sombre approaches allow easy play from Black with
...Kb8 and the ...e5 break.}) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Key Takeaways 13"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "11"]

{1. If White plays the Big Clamp, simply continuing development with ...g6 and
so on is the best plan of action. Against Be2 development schemes, preparing ...d5 with ...e6, ...Nge7, and ...b6 is enough to ensure a good position. In the
Closed Sicilian style positions sans Nc3, I recommend our preferred ...e5
schemes, intending the usual ...exf4 and ...f5 ideas. If White beats you to
the punch and plays f5 himself, you simply have to take it, following up with ...f4 and ...Nd4. White is poorly developed, and it turns out that his king
might be in more danger along the g-file than ours is. --- 2. The premature 2
f4 should be met by the well-known Tal Gambit, 2...d5! 3 exd5 Nf6, when Black
has great compensation. Our plan is to meet 4 Bb5+ with the interesting 4...Nbd7,
followed by simple development and pressure on the weak d3-pawn/d4-square. White's pawn is completely misplaced on f4. --- 3. It's basically
the case that if White throws his light-squared bishop out to b5, you
shouldn't allow him the opportunity to play Bxc6, instead preferring the
active ...Nd4. In the Accelerated Grand Prix, this knight frequently trades
itself for the same bishop, but on the more favourable b3-square. --- 4.
Moving on to the Grand Prix proper, against the dangerous 5 Bc4, I've
recommended the standard and strong 5...e6!, intending to greedily grab the
offered pawn and keep Black's kingside structure intact if White continues 6
f5. This line requires modest theoretical preparation, with the key idea being
the prophylactic ...h6, denying White's kingside pieces any activity or scope.
--- 5. In the absolute main line 5 Bb5 Nd4 6 0-0, I've finally divulged my pet
line in 6...e6!? 7 e5 a6 8 Bd3 f5!?, a great practical weapon and a favourite
of Ikonnikov. In the resulting positions, Black grabs more than his fair share
of central space and attempts to completely deny White's minor pieces active
outposts. Castling long is strongly encouraged, with the tenant that you
should be prepared to answer the line-opening c3.} 1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 {(C)} (2. f4
{- B}) (2. d3 {(A)} Nc6 3. f4 g6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Be2 {- A1} (5. g3 {(A2)} d6
6. Bg2 e5 7. O-O Nge7 8. c3 {- A21} (8. f5 {- A22}))) 2... Nc6 3. f4 {(C2)}
(3. Bb5 {- C1}) 3... g6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Bc4 {(C21)} (5. Bb5 {- C22}) 5... e6
$1 6. -- (6. f5 {- C211}) (6. O-O {- C212}) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "14: White's Odd Second Moves"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B20"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "3"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 {The odd and unorthodox second move options not covered elsewhere
really conflict an author - I have the unlucky task of following up some
great (relatively) recent books on the Anti-Sicilians, while also maintaining
a cohesive, easy-to-learn repertoire that doesn't waste reader time with, say,
20 pages on the Wing Gambit, or an attempt at the refutation of 2 a3. I've
tried to strike a balance between new ideas and principled/well established
retorts without taking up a huge amount of space analysing sub-lines within
variations you're likely to see once or twice a year at most. --- White has
quite a few important attempts on the second move (in no particular order):} 2.
-- ({A:} 2. Ne2 $5) ({B:} 2. c4) ({C:} 2. a3) ({D:} 2. b4) ({E:} 2. g3) ({F:} 
2. b3) ({G:} 2. d4) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "White's Odd Second Moves"]
[Black "A: 2 Ne2!?"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B20"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "38"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. Ne2 $5 {This is a tricky one, but only if you allow it to be.
White looks to keep Black up in the air about whether or not he intends a
Closed or Open Sicilian, or something even more offbeat. It seems most
principled to deny White the opportunity of 3 d4 and force a Closed Sicilian,
or perhaps something even more off the well-trodden paths.} e5 {Now the only
independent tries available centre around trying for an early c3 and d4. Any
future Nc3 will probably transpose back to our Closed Sicilian coverage, as
otherwise White lacks a decent way to develop his light-squared bishop.} 3. g3
({There are a few other options here:} 3. f4 d6 {will almost assuredly
transpose back to the Closed Sicilian, though if White omits Nc3 you should
instead head over to the Big Clamp, covered in the Grand Prix Attack chapter.
White has one independent path in} 4. f5 {, but this looks to be little
trouble after} Nf6 {, when both} 5. Ng3 ({and} 5. Nec3 Nc6 6. Bb5 (6. Bc4 {
allows} Nxe4 $1 7. Nxe4 Qh4+) 6... Be7 7. O-O O-O 8. d3 d5) 5... h5 $1 6. Nc3
h4 7. Bb5+ Nc6 8. Nf1 a6 9. Be2 d5 $1 10. exd5 Nd4 $5 {look more than full
satisfactory for the second player.}) (3. Nbc3 Nc6 {is popular, and can also
be reached via 2 Nc3. White has two logical pathways:} 4. -- (4. Ng3 d6 ({I'd
like to make} 4... g6 {work, but it's too weakening:} 5. Bc4 Bg7 6. d3 d6 7. h4
$5 h5 8. Bg5 $1 f6 9. Be3 {was D.Sengupta-V.Ikonnikov, Gibraltar 2011, when
Black's king position is certainly unenviable}) 5. Bc4 Nf6 (5... Be6 $5 6. d3
Nf6 {is another idea}) 6. d3 (6. O-O {has no independent significance, as a
later d3 is unavoidable}) 6... Be7 7. O-O O-O 8. f4 Bg4 9. Qd2 exf4 10. Rxf4 (
10. Qxf4 {might be better, but after play similar to the game, say,} Be6 11.
Nd5 Ne5 12. Nf5 Nxd5 13. Bxd5 Ng6 14. Qg3 Bf6 15. c3 Be5 {, Black's position
is very solid}) 10... Be6 11. Nf5 Ne5 12. Qe2 Re8 13. Bd2 {was P.Vandevoort-G.Van der Stricht, Charleroi 2007. Here I'd be very tempted by the sharp sequence
} Nxc4 $5 {(not generally a good idea, but here it looks promising)} 14. dxc4
Nd7 15. Nd5 Bg5 $5 16. Nxd6 Bxd5 17. Nxe8 Bxc4 18. Qxc4 Bxf4 19. Bxf4 Qxe8 {,
with clear equality.}) (4. Nd5 {is White's most obvious try for an advantage,
arranging his pieces for maximum control over the d5-square. --- Black has
little choice but to continue} Nge7 (4... Nf6 {will amount to the same}) 5.
Nec3 Nxd5 6. Nxd5 d6 (6... g6 $6 {is again not advisable after something like}
7. h4 $5) 7. Bc4 Be7 8. O-O O-O 9. d3 Be6 (9... Rb8 10. a4 Be6 11. f4 {is a
more forcing way to reach our main line, but Black loses the option of} Nb4 {
this way}) 10. -- {, and now:} (10. c3 Na5 $5 11. Be3 {was played in E.Lobron-P.Ostermeyer, Bad Neuenahr 1984, when Black should have bitten the
bullet with} ({White can also neutralize the two bishops and try to attack the
weak d-pawn with} 11. Nxe7+ Qxe7 12. Bd5 Nc6 13. f4 exf4 14. Bxf4 {, but again
Black is very solid after} Ne5) 11... Nxc4 12. dxc4 Qd7 13. f4 exf4 14. Bxf4
Rad8 {, with no problems for Black.}) (10. f4 {is more popular. --- Let's take
a look at a few examples of typical play after} exf4 11. Bxf4 Rb8 {(just as in
the Anti-Kalashnikov chapter, Black looks to expand on the queenside or induce
the weakening a4)} ({alternatively, Black can deviate from 'b22' a bit earlier
with Houdini's} 11... Nb4 $5 {, a move that's been tested in a few engine
duels. Following} 12. Nxb4 (12. c3 Nxd5 13. Bxd5 Bxd5 14. exd5 Bg5 {leaves
little to be played for}) ({and} 12. Nxe7+ Qxe7 13. c3 Nc6 14. Bb3 Rad8 $1 {,
preparing ...d5, also looks level}) 12... cxb4 13. Bxe6 fxe6 14. Qg4 Qd7 (14...
Rf6 15. e5 Rg6 16. Qf3 dxe5 17. Bxe5 Qd5 $1 {is another good equalizer}) 15. e5
Rac8 {(Black's main idea is that the c-pawn is backward)} 16. exd6 Bxd6 17.
Bxd6 Qxd6 18. Rxf8+ Rxf8 19. Re1 {, Black has the geometric} Qc5+ 20. d4 Qf5
21. Qxf5 exf5 {with clear equality}) 12. a4 Bg5 $1 {(just as in the
Kalashnikov chapters, trading the dark-squared bishops forms an important part
of Black's strategy)} 13. Qh5 (13. b3 Bxd5 14. Bxg5 Qxg5 15. Bxd5 Nb4 16. Bc4
d5 $1 17. exd5 Nxd5 18. Qf3 Qe3+ 19. Rf2 Qxf3 20. Rxf3 Nb6 {was dead equal in
G.Kasparov-T.Radjabov, Linares 2004}) 13... h6 {:} 14. -- (14. Ba2 Bxf4 15.
Rxf4 Qg5 16. Qxg5 hxg5 17. Rf2 Kh7 $1 18. h3 Kg6 $1 {(Black activates his king
from the a2-g8 diagonal and re-protects f7 while opening up the h-file for his
rook)} 19. c3 Rh8 {(Black plans ...Rh4 and ...g4)} 20. Ne3 Bxa2 21. Rxa2 Rbe8 {
was equal in N.Short-I.Nataf, New Delhi 2000. Note that Black has the humorous
threat of 22...Ne5 23 Rd2 Rxh3! on deck.}) (14. Bxg5 Qxg5 15. Qxg5 hxg5 16. a5
Kh7 $1 {(the same manoeuvre from the Short-Nataf game)} 17. Ne3 Kg6 $1 18. Nf5
Bxf5 19. Rxf5 f6 {, when Black was equal in A.Areshchenko-A.Moiseenko,
Ukrainiane 2004, again planning to put the rooks on the h-file and play ...g4.}
(19... --))))) (3. Nbc3 Nc6 4. Nd5) 3... Nc6 4. Bg2 g6 5. O-O Bg7 {From here
White can build up to d4 with moves like d3, Be3 and so forth, or try to save
the tempo and force through d4 in one go.} 6. d3 (6. c3 Nge7 7. Na3 O-O 8. Nc2
d5 $1 {capitalized on White's central neglect perfectly in M.Ginsburg-R.Dzindzichashvili, Philadelphia 1980. Play might have continued} 9. exd5 Nxd5
10. d4 exd4 11. cxd4 cxd4 12. Nexd4 Nxd4 13. Nxd4 Qb6 14. Bxd5 Bxd4 {with
equality.}) 6... Nge7 7. Be3 d6 8. c3 O-O 9. d4 exd4 $1 {Ensuring the
g7-bishop gets to participate in the action, though Black is spoiled for
choice here.} ({Also good here is} 9... cxd4 10. cxd4 exd4 11. Nxd4 Ne5 {
followed by ...d5.}) 10. cxd4 Qb6 11. Nbc3 cxd4 (11... Qxb2 $6 12. Rb1 Qa3 13.
d5 Nb4 14. Rb3 Qa5 15. a3 Na6 16. Nb5 {sidelines Black's pieces and looks
excessively dangerous.}) 12. Na4 Qa5 13. Nxd4 Ne5 $1 {Avoiding exchanges and
making sure Black has active play to compensate for his weak d6-pawn (for now,
Black might get ...d5 in soon).} 14. Bd2 Qa6 15. Bg5 Bg4 16. f3 Nd3 $5 17. Bxe7
$6 Bxd4+ 18. Kh1 Rfe8 19. Bxd6 $2 Bd7 $1 {. Here White resigned in L.Pachman-M.Tal, Amsterdam Interzonal 1964. Tal navigated the complications
characteristically well, and of course his opponent didn't. White loses a
piece at the minimum, and Pachman didn't feel the need to play on.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "White's Odd Second Moves"]
[Black "B: 2 c4"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B20"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "29"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. c4 {This one always bothered me when I was a die-hard Dragon fan,
since against typical second moves White can play Nf3 and d4, leading to
variations of the Open Sicilian that are obviously not the ones you want 
(there's nothing worse than being tricked into a Maroczy Bind when you want an
opposite-sides castling Yugoslav slugfest). --- If Black is set on stopping d4
at all costs, then he's forced into ...e5 systems, which we're familiar with
by now. The problem in this particular variation is that Black needs a good
independent try to avoid transposing into well-known Botvinnik System English
lines. The only one I could find has already been recommended by Palliser and
Keres, so I'm apologizing ahead of time for having to give redundant
recommendations here. The good news is that most white players aren't
masochistic enough to even want to tread in these waters. Play generally
continues:} Nc6 3. Nc3 {Consistency and repertoire cohesiveness demand that we
meet 3 Nf3 and 3 Ne2 with 3...e5.} ({The former will transpose to the next
note, while} 3. Ne2 e5 4. Nbc3 d6 {(this seems most precise)} 5. d3 {(White in
turn refuses to declare his kingside development scheme too early, even though
it's clear where everything is going to end up)} g6 6. g3 Bg7 7. Bg2 Nge7 8.
O-O O-O {yields a position more commonly reached via a Symmetrical English
move order. --- White has a few different plans, but his opponent has had few
problems in practice:} 9. -- (9. Be3 {plans the straightforward exchange of
dark-squared bishops. If Black's king can stay safe then he'd probably pay to
exchange these bishops off. S.Ostojic-D.Pantovic, Obrenovac 2010, illustrated
a thematic tactical idea in} Nd4 10. Qd2 Bh3 $5 {, Black having no problems
after} 11. Bh6 Bxg2 12. Kxg2 Bxh6 {(in positions like these it's frequently
slightly better for Black to distract White's queen, as later it will have to
move back)} 13. Qxh6 f5 {.}) (9. f4 {looks to play a later f5 à la the Closed
Sicilian, but Black has adequate resources to stop this:} Be6 10. Be3 Qd7 11.
Qd2 Nd4 12. Rae1 {was J.Polgar-J.Granda Zuniga, Madrid 1992. Instead of Granda
Zuniga's} Rae8 {(this is too committal in my opinion - the rook is misplaced
after 13 fxe5),} ({I might prefer} 12... Bg4 {, intending to take twice on e2
so that a later ...exf4 doesn't allow a knight to recapture. For instance,
after} 13. Rf2 Nec6 14. Ref1 Nxe2+ 15. Nxe2 Bxe2 16. Qxe2 exf4 17. Bxf4 Bd4 {
, Black is equal.})) ({. Lastly, White can try to build an initiative on the
queenside with} 9. a3 {. Simple development seems fine: for instance,} Be6 10.
Rb1 Qd7 11. b4 b6 12. Be3 Rad8 $5 {(many moves suffice here - Dembo decides to
discourage bxc5 and remove the rook from the long diagonal in case of a later ...f5)} 13. Qd2 {was A.Muzychuk-Y.Dembo, Biel 2006, and here} Nd4 {looks fine
for Black.})) 3... e5 4. g3 ({There have been a number of games in which White
decided} 4. Nf3 {was better. Play typically continues} g6 5. d3 Bg7 6. Be2 Nge7
7. O-O O-O {, and now key is} 8. Ne1 $1 {, fixing White's oddly placed knight
and preparing f4. --- After} d6 9. f4 {Black should play the thematic} f5 $1 {
of H.Gal-B.Valyi, Balatonlelle 2012, stopping White's f-pawn in its tracks.
One possible continuation is} 10. Be3 exf4 $5 {(waiting for the bishop to move
is correct, refusing to lose a tempo)} 11. Bxf4 Nd4 12. Qd2 fxe4 $5 {(I'm not
sure that releasing the tension is the most precise, but I thought it was
interesting)} 13. dxe4 (13. Nxe4 $2 Rxf4 $1 14. Rxf4 Bh6 15. g3 Bxf4 16. gxf4
d5 $1 {is horrendous for White}) 13... Be6 14. Nc2 Nxe2+ 15. Qxe2 Qd7 16. Ne3
Nc6 17. Kh1 Rf7 {with a nice position for Black. White's dark squares in the
centre are good homes for Black's active minor pieces.}) 4... h5 $5 {As an
ardent Bent Larsen fan, I'm always on the lookout for ways of pushing my
h-pawn down the board. White should react to this move right away, as allowing
...h4 and ...hxg3 before White can recapture with the h-pawn is
anti-positional.} 5. h3 (5. h4 {stops the pawn in its tracks, but may leave
White with some light-square problems down the line. Play might continue} d6 6.
Bg2 Bg4 7. f3 Be6 8. d3 Be7 {with a position that's equal according to Keres,
and "quite complicated" according to Palliser. Black has quite a few options -
lashing out with ...g5, striking on the queenside with ...a6, ...Rb8, and ...b5, or simply finishing up development with ...Nf6 and short castling. One
possible line is} 9. Nge2 a6 10. O-O Nf6 11. Be3 Rb8 12. Nd5 b5 {, with an
unclear position. The knight should probably stay on f6 for a bit to dissuade
White from breaking with f4.}) 5... h4 6. g4 Nge7 (6... Nd4 $5 {is very
natural and was tried in J.Maierhofer-H.Firlbeck, German League 2008. Black
obtained a satisfactory position and could have hung White up to dry after} 7.
d3 Ne7 8. Bg2 Nec6 9. f4 $6 Nb4 $1 {, embarrassing White's king. Most other
9th moves from White would have retained equal chances.}) 7. Nge2 Nd4 8. Bg2
Nec6 9. O-O Be7 10. Nxd4 Nxd4 11. Ne2 {White obviously wasn't in a fighting
mood this game - odd for a correspondence game, where every White counts.}
Nxe2+ 12. Qxe2 Bg5 $1 {Trading off Black's bad bishop for White's good one,
and accentuating the poor bishop on g2.} 13. d3 Bxc1 14. Raxc1 d6 {. T.L'Henoret-R.Roelens, correspondence 1997, and now} 15. f4 {is about equal.
Neither player has particularly good prospects for the full point, and given
the closed nature of the position, I'm not sure that Black's superior minor
piece counts for much.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "White's Odd Second Moves"]
[Black "C: 2 a3"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B20"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "24"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. a3 {A sort of delayed Wing Gambit, here White is trying to obtain
a central majority and a freed-up d-pawn without giving the pawn up, as with 2
b4. The problem with this approach is that it's blatantly obvious what's going
on, and Black's extra move turns out to be a fairly significant thorn in
White's side.} g6 $1 {Beating White to the long diagonal.} 3. b4 (3. d4 {looks
dubious, as something like 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 g6!? 3 d4 cxd4 is fairly playable for
Black, and the inclusion of a3 instead of Nf3 has to favour Black somewhat.
Indeed, in the only top-level game to occur in this variation, S.Williams-P.Wells, Halifax (rapid) 2004, the Ginger GM was dispatched mercilessly after}
cxd4 4. Qxd4 Nf6 5. Bb5 $5 ({this is usually the way, as White can't tolerate
giving Black ...Nc6 for free: for instance,} 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Qe3 ({or} 6. Qd1 Bg7
7. h3 O-O 8. Nf3 d6 {, etc, with an excellent version of the Dragon}) 6... d5
$1) 5... a6 6. e5 axb5 7. exf6 Nc6 8. Qe3 e6 9. Nc3 b4 $1 10. Nb5 bxa3 11. bxa3
Qa5+ $1 12. Nc3 Bc5 13. Qd3 Ne5 14. Qg3 Ng4 $1 {.}) (3. c3 {looks like White's
going to end up in a worse version of the Alapin, since a3 is mostly useless,
while ...g6 is not. Peter Heine Nielsen once faced it in a simul, play
continuing} Nf6 4. e5 Nd5 5. d4 cxd4 6. cxd4 d6 7. f4 $5 ({better would have
been} 7. Nf3 {, though even after} Bg7 8. Bc4 Nb6 9. Bb5+ Nc6 10. O-O O-O {both
} 11. Re1 ({and} 11. h3 dxe5 12. Bxc6 bxc6 13. Nxe5 c5 $1) 11... Bg4 12. Bxc6
bxc6 {leave White under some central pressure}) 7... Bg7 8. Nf3 Nc6 9. Bd2 $6
Bg4 10. Bc4 dxe5 11. dxe5 O-O 12. O-O Qb6+ 13. Kh1 Rad8 14. Bxd5 Rxd5 15. Nc3
Rd3 {by when White was clearly much worse.}) 3... Bg7 4. Nc3 d6 {White has to
decide where his light-squared bishop is going right now, as his g1-knight's
development depends on the light-squared bishop's location as well. If White
fianchettoes his bishop, then e2 is the right square; else, f3 is likely
correct. Regardless of where any of White's pieces go, Black should have equal
chances here.} 5. g3 ({It's also possible to develop the light-squared bishop
more conventionally with} 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. Rb1 Nf6 {when White has tried pretty
much every square for the thing:} 7. -- (7. Bc4 O-O 8. O-O {allows the good,
old fork trick with} Nxe4 {. After} 9. Nxe4 d5 10. Bd3 (10. bxc5 dxe4 11. Ng5
Qd4 {also seems solid for Black}) 10... c4 $1 {(cheapo after cheapo here)} 11.
Bxc4 dxe4 12. Ng5 Bf5 {with a fine position for Black. Humorously, if White
gets greedy with} 13. g4 Bd7 14. Nxe4 {, Black gets to embarrass him with
another fork trick via} Ne5 15. Be2 Nxg4 16. Bxg4 f5 {, when White's kingside
is noticeably weaker than Black's. The two bishops are a real asset here, and
White should be slightly worse.}) (7. bxc5 dxc5 8. Bb5 Bd7 9. O-O O-O 10. Re1
Ne8 (10... Ng4 11. Bb2 a6 12. Bf1 b5 13. a4 b4 14. Nd5 Bxb2 15. Rxb2 e6 {also
looks possible}) 11. Nd5 Nd6 12. Bf1 e6 13. Ne3 Nd4 $1 {was H.Nakamura-R.Felgaer, Cuernavaca 2006. Black actually looks more than comfortable here
based on his slightly better minor pieces, although Hikaru went on to outplay
Felgaer in a tough, complicated middlegame like he always does.}) (7. Be2 {is
a little compliant, running into} d5 $1 8. exd5 (8. bxc5 Nxe4 {is not what
White wants}) 8... Nxd5 9. Nxd5 Qxd5 10. c4 Qf5 11. d3 {, and now either} cxb4
({or} 11... O-O 12. O-O b5 $5) 12. axb4 a5 {with satisfactory counterplay for
Black.})) 5... Nc6 6. Rb1 {A solid and sensible option that's scored well for
Black in practice is} b6 {This is the solid and sensible choice, and one
that's scored well in practice.} ({There are a few entertaining options that
I'd encourage the reader to look into: My computer is expressly enamoured with
the zany} 6... cxb4 $5 7. axb4 a5 8. bxa5 Bxc3 $5 9. dxc3 Nf6 {. All I can say
is that it's unclear, but exceptionally risky to throw away your dark-squared
bishop like that.}) ({I spent a long time investigating the hair-raising
complications after} 6... Nf6 7. Bg2 Nd4 $5 8. Nge2 Bg4 9. O-O Nf3+ 10. Kh1 h5
$1 11. h3 e5 $5 12. bxc5 dxc5 13. Rxb7 h4 14. Ng1 Ng5 15. hxg4 hxg3+ 16. Nh3
Nxh3 17. Bxh3 Qc8 (17... Rxh3+ 18. Kg2 {is better for White}) 18. Nb5 $1 {,
and I still really don't know if any of that is correct, or what's going on
here.}) 7. Bg2 Bb7 8. Nge2 e6 9. O-O Nge7 10. d3 O-O 11. Bg5 ({A few other
moves have been essayed here, though none impress:} 11. b5 Nd4 12. Nxd4 cxd4
13. Ne2 Rc8 (13... d5 $5 {also looks possible}) 14. Bb2 e5 15. c3 dxc3 16. Bxc3
{was the course of J.Murey-K.Volke, Podolsk 1991, and now the obvious} d5 $1 {
looks to keep even chances.}) (11. Be3 Nd4 12. Qd2 Qd7 13. f4 Rac8 14. b5 f5 (
14... d5 $5 15. e5 Nxe2+ 16. Nxe2 d4 17. Bxb7 Qxb7 18. Bf2 Rfd8 {is similar
enough to the main line}) 15. a4 d5 16. e5 {was J.Tompa-I.Bilek, Hungarian
Championship 1970, and now I like the straightforward} Nxe2+ 17. Nxe2 d4 18.
Bxb7 Qxb7 19. Bf2 Nd5 {, instead of the game's fancy 16...Nxc2. Here Black's
extra central space and strong knight on d5 seem more relevant than anything
White has going on at the moment. Black might even contemplate ...Kh8 and ...g5 plans in the future to build up pressure against White's centre and
kingside.}) 11... Qd7 12. Qd2 {. This was J.Murey-A.Goszpeter, Oberwart 1996,
and now} Nd4 {,} (12... Rfe8) ({and} 12... Rac8 {have all been essayed
successfully in my database, with play similar to 11 Be3 above.}) *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "White's Odd Second Moves"]
[Black "D: 2 b4"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B20"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "38"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. b4 {The Wing Gambit dates all the way back to Greco in the 1600's,
and has been popular with gambiteers and chess swashbucklers ever since. White
tosses a pawn away for the opportunity to grab the whole centre and generate a
full board press. However, with chess theory advancing as it does these days
with modern computing power, I doubt black players will fear this opening for
very much longer. With all of that said, the Wing Gambit still has some venom
in its fangs, so tread lightly.} cxb4 $1 ({Taking the pawn is obviously
critical, though my first recommendation was} 2... d5 $5 {Black nearly always
wants to play this move in the Sicilian - why not now, and why not against the
Wing Gambit!? White has 3 options:} 3. exd5 {is critical, and the line splits
after} Qxd5 4. Nf3 {, as} cxb4 {appears best. I wasn't particularly excited
about rehashing all of the analysis that already exists on this popular line
after} 5. a3 e5 {.}) 3. a3 ({White has also left the b-pawn alone for the
moment with:} 3. d4 d5 4. e5 (4. exd5 Nf6 $5 5. a3 Nxd5 6. axb4 e5 $1 {seems
like a strong retort}) 4... Nc6 5. a3 Qb6 $1 {Black generally prefers to
attack d4 and insert ...Qb6 and Be3,} ({though also possible is} 5... Bf5 {
right away, when one possible line is} 6. axb4 Nxb4 7. Bb5+ Nc6 8. c3 e6 9. Ne2
Nge7 {followed by ...a6, with a good position for Black}) 6. Be3 Bf5 7. Bd3
Bxd3 8. Qxd3 e6 {, and here White has generally chosen to keep the f-pawn free
with} 9. Ne2 {. --- The problem with White's entire 3 d4 concept is that the
position strongly resembles the French Wing Gambit structurally, except that
Black has solved the problem of his light-squared bishop by trading it off for
White's - an exceptionally favourable interaction. During the writing of
this book, I discovered a Hungarian player named Ferenc Frink who has a
strange fascination with this line. This position occurs 54 times in my
database, and 20 of those games are Frink's. Play has generally continued} Nge7
10. O-O Nf5 11. axb4 Nxb4 12. Qb3 {, and now Black has} ({the} 12. Qd2 Be7 13.
c3 Nc6 {of F.Frink-M.Bida, Arad Open 2011, doesn't inspire much confidence
either}) 12... Qb5 $1 {, threatening the knight on e2 and planning to relocate
the queen to the cosier d7-square, leaving White with little in the way of
compensation for his missing pawn. Now} 13. Nbc3 $6 {now White can't patch up
his queenside and d4-pawn with c3;} ({more palatable would have been} 13. Nf4 {
, but after} Qd7 14. c3 Nc6 15. Nd2 Be7 {, Black still seems a little bit
better}) 13... Qc6 $1 {was F.Frink-I.Sinka, Hungarian League 2005. After
White's inaccurate 13th, he has no way to get rid of Black's knight from the
b4-square, and no way to shield his c2-pawn from the pressure mounting down
the c-file. In addition, Black's still up a pawn and has the natural plan of
playing ...Be7 and castling, following by ramming his queenside pawns down the
board as far as they can go.}) (3. Nf3 {isn't particularly strong in this
position, as Black can go with the ...d5 and ...Nf6 plan:} d5 4. exd5 Nf6 5. a3
Nxd5 6. axb4 Nxb4 {. Palliser states that it's unlikely that White has enough
here, and I agree. Black's position is devoid of weaknesses, and White's lead
in development and central presence aren't as progressed as they are in other
lines. One example is M.Ehlers-C.Pfrommer, Schwaebisch Gmuend 2008, which
continued} 7. Bc4 Bf5 8. d3 e6 9. O-O Be7 10. Nbd2 N8c6 11. Re1 {and White
seems much worse.}) ({I've lost a few coffee-house games after} 3. Bb2 d5 $1 4.
exd5 Nf6 $1 {, though I still believe it's better for Black. White has a
variety of options, but the most aggressive Wing Gambitish try is} 5. c4 $5
bxc3 6. Nxc3 Nxd5 7. Bc4 Nb6 8. Bb3 {. Play could continue} Bf5 $1 9. Nf3 (9.
Qf3 e6 10. Qxb7 N8d7 {is risky for White}) 9... e6 10. O-O Bb4 $5 {, after
which Black seems to be at least slightly better.}) 3... e5 $5 {I am very
excited by this promising and under-mentioned continuation. Black grabs his
fair share of the centre, stopping d4, while preparing to quickly develop his
kingside pieces and castle. White is forced to show that he has enough
compensation in positions that closely resemble the Evan's Gambit.} 4. Nf3 (4.
axb4 {seems inaccurate, as it violates the age-old rule of never relieving the
tension in a position if you don't have to. It's a bigger concession on
Black's part if he wastes more time with ...bxa3 or moves his dark-squared
bishop before White plays axb4. Now} Bxb4 5. c3 Be7 {leads to a divide:} 6. --
(6. Nf3 Nc6 7. d4 exd4 8. cxd4 d5 9. e5 (9. exd5 Qxd5 10. Nc3 Bb4 11. Bd2 Bxc3
12. Bxc3 Nf6 {also seems good for Black, since} 13. Be2 ({is probably the best
White can muster on account of} 13. Qa4 $2 O-O 14. Bc4 Qe4+ {when Black is
nearly winning}) ({or} 13. Bd3 O-O 14. O-O Bg4 {, when White again looks much
worse})) 9... Bb4+ 10. Bd2 {. This doesn't give White nearly enough after} Nge7
{, since Black will castle soon with no problems.}) (6. d4 exd4 7. cxd4 d5 {
with a likely transposition to 6 Nf3 and 7 d4 after 8 e5 Nc6 9 Nf3. If White
decides to open up the game and keep the independent character with} 8. exd5 {
, then Black can play} Nf6 $1 {, when one possible line of play is} 9. Bc4 O-O
10. Nc3 Bb4 11. Nge2 Nxd5 12. Bxd5 Qxd5 13. O-O Qc4 {, and Black is better.}))
4... Nc6 5. Bc4 ({White, once again, has tried a few other ways to tackle the
position: A few games (including one featuring Komodo co-creator and World
Senior Champion Larry Kaufman defending the black side) have gone} 5. axb4 Bxb4
6. Bc4 (6. c3 Be7 7. d4 {transposes to 4 axb4 with 6 Nf3 above}) 6... Nf6 7. c3
Be7 8. d4 {, but no one has tried the obvious} exd4 $1 9. cxd4 (9. e5 Ne4 10.
cxd4 d5 {also seems better for Black}) 9... d5 $1 {yet. --- White seems to
have very little after} 10. exd5 Nxd5 11. O-O O-O {. It's worth taking a look
at the position after White's 6th and comparing it to the Evans' Gambit, which
occurs after 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bc4 Bc5 4 b4!? Bxb4 5 c3, etc. The positions
are similar, except that Black's up a tempo because he didn't move his bishop
prior to White capturing on b4, and White's managed to exchange his a-pawn for
Black's c-pawn. The pawn switcheroo is favourable for White, activating his
a1-rook for free and weakening squares in Black's camp like d6/d5 and b6, but
is it worth the tempo?}) (5. Bb2 {is an interesting way to try and exploit
Black's unusual choice of 3...e5, when} Qb6 $5 {looks to capitalize on the
b2-bishop's position using some tactical themes. --- One thematic line might be
} 6. Bc4 (6. Nxe5 $2 bxa3 $1 7. Bc3 a2 $1 8. Rxa2 Nxe5 9. Bxe5 Qe6 {is the
point, when} 10. Ra5 b6 11. Rd5 f6 12. Bb2 Qxe4+ 13. Qe2 Qxe2+ 14. Kxe2 Bc5 {
is nearly forced, and noticeably better for Black, who's up a pawn with a much
better king, and strong bishops}) 6... bxa3 7. Bxa3 Bxa3 8. Nxa3 Nf6 9. O-O O-O
10. Qe2 d6 {, when Black seems somewhat better, but White has a bit of
compensation based on open lines on the queenside and Black's somewhat slow
development.}) 5... Nf6 6. Qe2 {This move seems to be the most accurate,
refusing to play d3, and delaying the capture on b4 until Black moves his
dark-squared bishop, which he basically can't delay any further.} ({There are
others though:} 6. axb4 Bxb4 7. c3 Be7 8. d4 exd4 {transposes to 5 axb4 above.}
) ({After} 6. d3 {, Black can even afford the loss of a tempo (by moving his
dark-squared bishop and allowing axb4) and transpose back to 5 axb4 above after
} Bc5 7. O-O O-O 8. axb4 Bxb4 9. c3 Be7 {.}) (6. Ng5 $6 {is sharp, but
probably a bit speculative after the principled} d5 $1 7. exd5 Nxd5 {.} 8. -- (
{. Now White probably needs to hop in and go for it with 8 Nxf7 since} 8. Qf3
$6 Qxg5 9. Bxd5 Qf6 {is much worse for him}) ({, and} 8. Qh5 $2 {seems lost
after} g6 9. Qf3 Nf4 $1 {: for instance,} 10. Bxf7+ Ke7 11. g3 Nd4 12. Qe4 Qc7
13. gxf4 Bf5 14. Qxe5+ Qxe5+ 15. fxe5 Nxc2+ 16. Ke2 {and now both} Nxa1 ({and} 
16... h6 {should be sufficient to bring home the full point.})) ({. White can
also try} 8. O-O {, though} f6 9. Nf3 Be6 10. axb4 Bxb4 11. c3 Be7 {looks a
lot better for the second player, who's already very solid and ready to castle,
a full pawn to the good.}) ({. Returning to the Fried-Liveresque} 8. Nxf7 Kxf7
9. Qf3+ Ke6 {, White probably has to try} 10. Bb2 {, looking to Qe4 and f4
plans. Black seems to have more than one way to react, though both are
complicated and difficult:} -- (10... Be7 {seeks to quickly develop and return
some material after something like} 11. axb4 Rf8 12. Qb3 Rf4 $1 13. b5 (13. Nc3
{is met by the same idea, that being} Rxc4 14. Qxc4 Ncxb4 15. O-O Kf7 16. f4
Kg8 {with relative safety}) 13... Re4+ 14. Kd1 Ncb4 15. Nc3 Rxc4 16. Qxc4 Kf7
17. Nxd5 Nxd5 18. Qe4 g6 19. c4 Nf6 20. Qxe5 Qd3 {with a messy position in
which Black seems to be better - I'd much rather have the light-squared bishop
and knight in a position with mutually exposed kings but few open files.}) (
10... b5 $5 {sees Black shed a pawn to ease the pressure on his king, which
will eventually hide on the queenside somewhere: for example,} 11. Bxb5 Bb7 12.
axb4 Bxb4 13. Qg4+ Kd6 14. c3 Bc5 15. d4 exd4 16. O-O (16. cxd4 Bb4+) 16... Kc7
{followed by ...Kb8, when Black seems a little better.}))) 6... Bc5 7. axb4 (7.
Bxf7+ {is too much, and} Kxf7 8. Qc4+ d5 9. Qxc5 Nxe4 10. Qe3 Re8 {is
obviously quite a bit better for Black, up a pawn with a massive centre.}) ({
White might also try} 7. O-O O-O (7... Nd4 $5 {seems neat too}) 8. axb4 Bxb4 9.
Nc3 {, trying to exploit the d5 weakness and develop quickly, as c3 is not
good here. Play can continue} d5 (9... Bxc3 $6 10. dxc3 d6 11. Ba3 {would give
White good play on the dark squares, and good compensation}) 10. Nxd5 Bc5 11.
c3 {and now my computer suggests} a5 $5 {, getting the outside passer rolling
as well as preparing some ...Ba6 tricks for later. If White tries to enforce
d4 with} ({The 'human' choice of} 11... Nxd5 12. Bxd5 Be6 {also looks at least
equal for Black}) 12. Bb2 {, then Black can stop it dead in its tracks with}
Nxd5 13. Bxd5 Qf6 14. d4 (14. Bxc6 $6 bxc6 15. d4 $2 Ba6 {is a funny one})
14... exd4 15. cxd4 Nxd4 16. Nxd4 Bxd4 17. Bxd4 Qxd4 18. Rfd1 Qa7 {, when
White likely doesn't have enough compensation for the two pawn investment,
despite Black's awful looking pieces and slow development.}) 7... Bxb4 8. c3
Be7 ({Other bishop moves are dangerous:} 8... Bc5 $6 9. Ng5 $1 O-O (9... d5 $6
10. exd5 Nxd5 11. d4 $1 {also gives Black large problems to solve regarding
king safety}) 10. Nxf7 $1 Rxf7 11. Bxf7+ Kxf7 12. Qc4+ d5 13. Qxc5 Nxe4 14. Qe3
{is better for White.}) (8... Ba5 $5 {is possible (perhaps just as good or
better than the main line), but risky, as Black forfeits the a3-f8 diagonal,
thereby getting his monarch stuck in the centre after} 9. d4 (9. O-O O-O 10.
Ba3 d6 11. d4 exd4 12. e5 Ne8 13. cxd4 Bg4 14. Bd3 g6 $1 {is quite solid for
Black, who can consider the exchange sacrifice} 15. Be4 d5 $5 16. Bd3 Nc7 {,
with great compensation}) 9... exd4 10. Ba3 d6 11. e5 d3 $1 {deflecting the
light-squared bishop from targeting f7, or the queen from the e-file pin;} ({
Black seeks to avoid the trouble that ensues after} 11... O-O 12. Bxd6 Re8 13.
Ng5 $1 {, etc}) 12. Bxd3 (12. Qxd3 dxe5 {is bad for White}) 12... O-O 13. Bxd6
(13. exf6 $2 Re8 14. Be4 Bf5 {is, of course, awful for the first player}) 13...
Re8 14. O-O Bc7 15. Bxc7 Qxc7 {, when Black eventually bags the e-pawn with a
good game.}) 9. d4 d6 ({With Qe2 inserted,} 9... exd4 $6 10. e5 {is obviously
not what Black wants.}) 10. O-O O-O 11. Rd1 {We've been following V.Gerasimov-H.Gromotka, correspondence 2012, thus far.} ({Without the black
queen on c7,} 11. h3 {can be met with the thematic} exd4 $1 12. cxd4 d5 $1 {
when Black is more than fine.}) 11... Bg4 $5 ({This was a tough choice for me
- in my analysis of} 11... Qc7 {(played in the correspondence game quoted
above) and other moves, this piece didn't always have a great home, and was
frequently in the way. Couple that with Black's pressure on d4 and the fact
that he has less space, and it starts to become clear that it might be good to
trade the bishop for the knight on f3 right away. Do still note that 11...Qc7
is also a worthy try, and ripe for exploration.}) 12. h3 ({The pressure on d4
was mounting, and} 12. d5 $6 Na5 13. Ba2 Qc7 {is clearly worse.}) 12... Bxf3
13. Qxf3 Qc7 14. Na3 ({White's options are limited, as both} 14. Nd2 $2 exd4) (
{and} 14. Bb2 $6 Nxd4 $1 {hang the d-pawn.}) 14... Na5 (14... a6 15. Ba2 b5 16.
Nc2 (16. d5 $6 Na5 {releases the central tension unfavourably for White,
eventually allowing Black to plunk a knight on c5, which spells a lot of
trouble for White}) 16... a5 {is suggested by my computer as the way to play.
One humorous line is} 17. Ne3 exd4 $5 18. cxd4 Nxd4 19. Rxd4 Qc3 20. Rb1 Qxd4
21. Nf5 Qxe4 22. Qxe4 Nxe4 23. Nxe7+ Kh8 24. Bb2 {with a totally unclear mess
in which Black has decent practical chances. A Monte Carlo analysis of this
position predicted a 70% score for Black, if you believe in that type of thing.
}) 15. Ba2 Rfc8 16. Bb2 (16. Bd2 a6 {sees Black threaten the odd ...d5 on
account of the hanging a3-knight. Perhaps White's best is} 17. Nc2 ({again,} 
17. d5 {allows Black to sink a knight into c5: for instance,} b5 18. c4 Rcb8 $1
19. Rab1 bxc4 20. Rbc1 Nb7 21. Be3 Nd7 22. Nxc4 Nbc5 {and Black is much better}
) 17... Nc4 18. Bg5 h6 19. Ne3 $1 (19. Bh4 d5 $5 20. exd5 e4 21. Qe2 Nd6 {also
looks a little better for the second player}) 19... Nxe3 20. Bxe3 Qxc3 21. Qf5
{, and now Black can meet White's threat of Rc1 with} Rc6 {, when perhaps he's
got a small edge. White has the two bishops, active pieces with open lines,
and pressure against Black's centre for the two pawns.}) 16... a6 17. Nc2 Nc4
18. Bxc4 Qxc4 19. Ne3 Qe6 {. White still has some compensation for his pawn in
the form of a strong knight on f5 (soon), and some extra central space, though
there's nothing actually wrong with Black's position. If I had to choose a
side, I'd likely take Black, but it's close, and awfully unclear.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "White's Odd Second Moves"]
[Black "E: 2 g3"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B20"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "30"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. g3 {This is an amorphous line that might transpose to Closed
Sicilian or Big Clamp lines if Black doesn't choose to strike out in the
centre right away. We are, however, as this seems to me to be the best way to
punish White's move order on a fundamental level, and is generally desirable
in the Sicilian anyway.} d5 $1 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. Nf3 Bg4 5. Bg2 Qe6+ $1 {The
flaw in White's plan - his king has to step aside to f1. This isn't the end of
the world however, as White can eventually put it on h2, and Black will lose
some time coordinating his pieces and finding a comfortable square for his
queen.} 6. Kf1 (6. Qe2 Qxe2+ 7. Kxe2 Nc6 8. Kf1 e5 9. d3 f6 {seems fine for
Black. It's obviously going to take White some time and awkward manoeuvres
like h3, Kg1, and Kh2 to activate/connect his rooks.}) 6... Nc6 7. h3 (7. d3 {
is likely to transpose, as White will be hard pressed to avoid h3 for long.})
7... Bh5 8. d3 Qd7 $1 {Black sensibly removes his queen from the awkward
e6-square and back on to the d-file. Of course, he intends ...e6, most of the
time following it up with ...f6, and if he's allowed, ...e5 as well.} 9. Na3 ({
White has tried to pose Black problems in other ways, though none were
particularly successful:} 9. Nc3 e6 10. Bf4 f6 $5 11. Qe1 $6 {was A.Zatonskih-M.Sebag, Leon 2001.} ({A better try for White might be} 11. Be3 {,
although here I like} Nh6 $5 {, with the idea that} 12. Bxh6 gxh6 13. g4 Bf7
14. Nd2 Be7 15. a4 h5 $1 {gives Black strong counterplay}) (11. Kg1 Nge7 12.
Kh2 Bf7 {is also possible, when Black will follow up soon with 13...e5 and 14...Nf5}) 11... Nge7 {. Now I like} 12. Kg1 Nd4 $1 13. Nxd4 cxd4 14. Ne4 Nd5 15.
Bd2 Be7 {with a very comfortable position for Black.}) (9. Be3 e6 10. Nbd2 Rc8
{has the idea of removing everything from the long diagonal and overprotecting
the knight on c6 before playing ...b6. The rook on c8 isn't dead here either
- it's common to see Black's knight hop into d4, when capturing will
activate it. --- Then} 11. g4 Bg6 12. Nc4 f6 13. Nh4 Bf7 14. a4 b6 15. Qd2 (15.
Be4 Nge7 {is also comfortable for Black}) 15... Nge7 16. f4 $6 Nd5 17. Bf2 Be7
18. Re1 O-O {was obviously better for Black in S.Chernikova-M.Kursova,
Serpukhov 2004.}) 9... e6 (9... f6 10. Be3 e5 $2 11. Nxe5 $1 {is bad for Black.
If 10...e5 doesn't work, then ...f6 is pointless.}) 10. Nc4 ({Going bishop
hunting with} 10. g4 {is also possible, but likely harmless due to the time
loss incurred in doing so. Play might continue} Bg6 11. Nh4 Be7 12. Nxg6 hxg6
13. Nc4 Nf6 14. a4 Nd5 $1 {, which was D.King-E.Sveshnikov, Isenburg (rapid)
1992. Black intends the strong positional push 15...g5!, erecting a
dark-square clamp. I already prefer his position, as White's just weakened his
kingside and displaced his king, while Black's monarch can hop right, allowing
him to find some way to pry open White's silly looking kingside structure
unabated.}) 10... f6 11. Be3 Rc8 (11... b6 $6 12. Nfe5 $1 Bxd1 13. Nxd7 Kxd7
14. Rxd1 {looks better for White on account of his two bishops and Black's
king position.}) 12. Kg1 ({This time} 12. Nfe5 $2 Bxd1 13. Nxd7 Bxc2 14. Nxf8 (
14. Nxc5 Bxc5 15. Bxc5 Bxd3+ 16. Kg1 Bxc4 {is even worse}) 14... Bxd3+ 15. Ke1
Bxc4 16. b3 Bd5 17. Bxd5 exd5 18. Ne6 d4 19. Bd2 b6 {is really bad for White.})
12... b6 13. Kh2 Bf7 14. Qe2 Nge7 15. c3 Nf5 {. The position is fairly level -
White's got a strong light-squared bishop and a slight lead in development
that's unlikely to matter given the nature of the position, and Black's got
some extra central space and pressure on the weak d3-pawn to look forward to
soon. Given the choice, I'd take Black, as it's easier for him to find a
constructive plan. Develop and castle, bring a rook to the d-file, expand on
the queenside, grab the two bishops, and so on.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "White's Odd Second Moves"]
[Black "F: 2 b3"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B20"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "20"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. b3 {This continuation has never been popular, but has popped up as
a surprise weapon for Short, Carlsen, Aronian, and a few other strong GMs a
few times. I'm not sure White has some kind of overarching plan, he just wants
to develop his pieces and look forward to an original game.} g6 $5 {I like
this line a lot, which was also recommended by Peter Heine Nielsen in Experts
vs. the Anti-Sicilians. Black plays in a direct, provocative manner that gives
him great chances to complicate the game. The irony is not lost on me that I
called 2 b3 an odd continuation and relegated it to the last chapter in the
book, and then promptly recommended the black equivalent to 2 b3 as the proper
retort.} 3. Bb2 Nf6 4. e5 ({There are a few alternatives worth looking at as
well:} 4. Qf3 $5 {has only been essayed in a few games according to my
database, although it's interesting. --- I'm going to go out on a limb here
and recommend against the 'Great Dane' Peter Heine Nielsen with} d6 5. Bb5+
Nbd7 6. Bxf6 (6. Ne2 {is a bit weak, as after} Bg7 7. O-O O-O {, 8...Ne5 is
annoying if White doesn't deal with it}) 6... exf6 7. Qd3 a6 8. Bxd7+ Qxd7 9.
Nc3 Bg7 10. Nge2 O-O 11. O-O {, which was L.Paichadze-Y.Yakovich, Kavala 2010.
Now I like the active} Qc6 12. Nd5 Re8 13. c4 (13. Nec3 f5 {with 14...b5 up
next gives Black good play}) 13... f5 14. Nec3 b5 $1 {when Black's position
looks very active, and the position is opening up nicely for his bishops.}) (4.
Nc3 {is similar to 4 Qf3 in that White is grabbing the d5-square from the
black knight in the event of 5 e5. White tried this approach in J.Vila
Gazquez-V.Ivanchuk, Benidorm (rapid) 2008, which continued intriguingly with}
Bg7 5. e5 Nh5 $5 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. Ne4 d6 $5 8. Bb5 Bd7 9. Bxc6 Bxc6 10. d3 Qc7 $5
11. exd6 Qa5+ 12. c3 Bxe4 13. d7+ Kf8 14. dxe4 Bxc3+ 15. Bxc3 Qxc3+ 16. Kf1 Rd8
{, when Black looked much better in this complicated position, as the d-pawn
looks doomed. Ivanchuk closed before move 40.}) (4. Bxf6 exf6 5. Nc3 {looks
tempting, but is probably uninspiring for White. Black's dark-squared bishop
is probably worth a rook after ...Bg7 and ...f5, and his piece activity and
two bishops will compensate for the terrible weakness of the d5-square.}) 4...
Nd5 5. e6 (5. Nc3 Nxc3 6. Bxc3 Bg7 7. Nf3 O-O 8. Bc4 Nc6 9. O-O d5 10. exd6
Qxd6 11. Bxg7 Kxg7 {was comfortable for Black in A.Maier-M.Jirovsky, Pardubice
1996. Black's pieces will develop quickly and to good squares, and the open
d-file and d4-square are both very useful.}) ({There's also the} 5. Qf3 $5 {of
D.Kabanov-D.Navara, Khanty-Mansiysk 2011, though} Nb4 $1 6. Bc4 e6 7. Na3 Bg7
8. Nb5 $2 ({Palliser notes that after the better} 8. Qe3 N8c6 9. Nf3 d5 10. Bb5
O-O {Black should be fine}) 8... O-O 9. O-O-O Nxa2+ 10. Kb1 Nb4 11. Qe3 Qa5 $1
12. Nd6 N8c6 13. f4 Nd4 $1 14. c3 Qa2+ 15. Kc1 b5 $1 {was a beating.}) 5... f6
6. exd7+ (6. Bb5 Nc6 7. exd7+ Bxd7 8. Nf3 {was V.Nerlich-Z.Ksieski, Liepzig
2008, and now I like the simple} a6 9. Be2 Nf4 {as an equalizer, and perhaps
more based on Black's soon-to-be large central space advantage and two bishops.
}) 6... Qxd7 $5 {This capture looks unusual, but future notes will show that
creating ...Qe6+ resources is relevant.} 7. Nc3 ({Other options for White
include:} 7. Nf3 $6 {allows the odd} Nf4 $1 {when} 8. g3 Qe6+ $1 9. Be2 Nxe2
10. Qxe2 Qxe2+ 11. Kxe2 {is obviously not what White wants. Black's
light-squared bishop will find a fantastic home on b7.}) ({Given what happens
after 7 Nf3, White can try placing his bishop on g2 here. Black should
continue naturally by grabbing the centre, and consequently avoiding piece
exchanges. One plausible continuation is} 7. g3 Nc6 8. Bg2 Bg7 9. Ne2 O-O 10.
O-O e5 11. Nbc3 Nc7 $1 {, which is very reminiscent of Akiba Rubinstein.
White's already very uncomfortable, as his central influence is dwarfed by
Black's and it's hard to find a plan. Now if} 12. d3 b6 $1 {with a much better
position for Black after 13...Bb7 and 14...Rad8.}) 7... Nxc3 8. Bxc3 Nc6 9. Nf3
Qd6 $1 {Taking the time to unravel Black's pieces and develop a bit more
harmoniously.} ({Instead,} 9... Bg7 10. Bc4 $1 {is less comfortable.}) 10. Bc4
Be6 {. Black has achieved full equality, but must find a safe spot for his
king, with either ...0-0-0 or ...e5 and ...Kf7.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "White's Odd Second Moves"]
[Black "G: 2 d4"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B21"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "8"]
[Source "Everyman Chess"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.28"]

1. e4 c5 2. d4 {Boy do club players love the Smith-Morra Gambit! In the last
7-8 years, a few books by Morra experts (most notably Marc Esserman) have
strengthened White's cause a bit (I'll never believe it's enough!),
encouraging me less and less to invest the time and effort preparing for these
savages. --- Instead, it's easy to transpose to our Alapin coverage with} cxd4
3. c3 Nf6 $5 4. e5 ({White's only other option is the feeble and inharmonious} 
4. Bd3 {, after which I'd then accept the pawn happily. White's compensation
is significantly hampered with the d-file blocked and the bishop on the poor
d3-square. One great example was M.Brooks-W.Browne, Los Angeles (blitz) 1988,
which continued} dxc3 $1 5. Nxc3 Nc6 6. Nf3 d6 7. O-O g6 $5 {(Black has many
ways to go here, but I like this one)} 8. Bg5 {(White has more frequently
preferred 7 h3, but I don't believe it can be critical)} Bg7 9. Qd2 O-O 10. Bh6
Bg4 $1 11. Bxg7 Kxg7 12. Be2 Bxf3 13. Bxf3 Rc8 {, when White had literally
nothing for his pawn.}) 4... Nd5 {.} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Key Takeaways 14"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "Tony Rotella"]
[PlyCount "3"]

{1. This chapter covered a lot of moves that you won't see very often, with
the exception of the Wing Gambit. I wouldn't spend a lot of time here
memorizing theory - understanding the recommended system and playing within
well-established opening principles will likely be enough. --- 2. Both 2 Ne2
and 2 c4 present transpositional problems if 2...e5 isn't played. If you're
comfortable in Maroczy Bind or other Open Sicilian lines, then it should be no
problem. If not, 3 d4 must be halted with 2...e5. --- 3. Play in the 2 Ne2
variation resembles that of the Closed Sicilian and Grand Prix chapters. Black
should play ...e5, fianchetto his dark-squared bishop, and slowly look towards
liquidating the centre with exchanges on d4 (if White plays it), and the ...d5
break. --- 4. Against 2 a3, beating their dark-squared bishop to the long
diagonal with 2...g6! is the key idea. Tries besides 3 b4 are worse versions
of the Hyper-Accelerated Dragon with 3 d4 and the Alapin. --- 5. The Wing
Gambit is definitely dangerous, but I believe the 3...e5!? system gives Black
comfortable positions that are relatively easy to play, with good upside if
White doesn't know what he's doing. Play frequently resembles the Evans'
Gambit lines with ...Be7, except that Black's king has ample time to tuck
himself away safely on the kingside. White has some compensation in his extra
central space and freedom to develop, as well as the favourable trade of his
a-pawn for Black's c-pawn. All things considered, play is complicated but
balanced, and I expect that readers will be better prepared and score well
here. --- 6. The other gambit in this chapter, the Smith-Morra, should be met
with a transposition to the Alapin. Otherwise, White can choose to enter a bad
version of the gambit, which you should happily agree to. --- 7. The key point
to remember about the 2 g3 variation is that White's omission of 2 Nc3 allows
the immediate counterstrike 2...d5!, with the important idea of 3 exd5 Qxd5 4
Nf3 Bg4 5 Bg2 Qe6+!, dislodging White's king at little cost. If permitted,
Black should develop solidly, moving his queen back to the d-file, followed by
...f6 and ...e5. --- 8. Lastly, I've chosen to recommend 2 b3 g6!?, a
combative line that allows 3 Bb2 Nf6 4 Bxf6 if White so chooses. This seems
fine for Black after a later ...Bg7 and ...f5. White typically prefers 4 e5,
but the tricks along the long diagonal and the discomfort Black feels if a
pawn hits e6 are minimal, as White is poorly developed and not prepared to
follow his jab up with anything more powerful. The resulting structures
somewhat resemble the positions occurring after 2 g3, and again Black should
fix his development and look towards ...f6 and ...e5.} 1. e4 c5 2. -- (2. Ne2
$5 {- A}) (2. c4 {- B}) (2. a3 {- C}) (2. b4 {- D}) (2. g3 {- E}) (2.
b3 {- F}) (2. d4 {- G}) *

