14 Minor Systems

This looks better than 1 O . . .i.a3 1 l .i.c4 d6

1 2.lt:ld5 lt:lxd5 1 3.hd5 0-0 1 4.d4± The
bishop on d5 shines brightly.
l l .Wfc2
Or 1 l .i.c4 hc3 1 2.dxc3 Wfc5 1 3.Wfd3
( 1 3.a4 b6 14.Wfd3 i.b7=) 1 3 . . . b5 1 4.id5
lt:lxd5 1 5 .exd5 f6= Black will soon catch up
on development and then enjoy a healthy
position.
l l ...d6 1 2.a3 ixc3 1 3.dxc3 0-0 1 4.lt:ld2 ie6
1 5 .E'i:fcl E'i:ac8 1 6.c4 lt:ld7 a b c d e f g h

Black has obtained comfortable equality, 7 . . . lt:lf6!?N

Wohl - Palac, Metz 200 1 . The game continued 7 ... lt:lh6 8.W'xe5t cj;Jds
9.ie3 'Mfxh 1 1 0.f3 Wfg2 1 1 .lt:lc3 d6 1 2.'Mfd5�
with a dangerous initiative for White.
8.i.xf7t
8.W'xe5t?! cj;Jds 9.ie3 Wfxh 1 turns out
badly for White. Compared with the
aforementioned game, the black knight is
much better on f6 than h6.
8 ... cj;Jds 9.'Mff3 Wfxf3 1 0.lt:lxf3 cxd4 1 1 .lt:lxe5
id6 1 2.lt:Jf3 lt:Jxe4 1 3.E'i:g1oo
We have reached a somewhat irregular
queenless posltlon, with approximately
balanced chances.

a b c d e f g h 6)tk3 i.e?
5. .ttJf6
.
The position is essentially the same as line
Should the reader feel more adventurous B 1 , except for the inclusion of the 'free' move
he might wish to consider the following . . . lt:lc6-d4.
daring queen foray, which is intended to
derive some benefit from the pesky knight on 7.l2Jge2 0-0 8.d3 E'i:b8
d4. (Disclaimer: This would be done on the Playing for . . . b5 is the most natural way to
readers' own risk!) utilize the knight's presence on d4.
5 . . . Wfg5!? 6.ixd4
This looks more critical than 6. �fl lt:lf6 9.0-0
7.lt:Jf3 'Mfh5 8.lt:Jc3 id6!? 9.h4 a600• White can also try 9.a4 a6 1 0.a5, although
6 .. .'�xg2 7.'Mfh5 in this case the a-pawn might become a target.
7.'Mff3 W'xf3 8.lt:lxf3 exd4 9.0-0 ie7 leaves Play continues 1 0 ... d6 1 l .W'd2 lt:lc6 1 2.lt:ld5
White with insufficient compensation. lt:lxd5 1 3 .hd5 i.e6 1 4.0-0 hd5 1 5.exd5
So far we have been following the game lt:ld4 1 6.f4 if6 with roughly even chances,
Gelashvili - Thoma, Panormo 200 1 , which although White may have to be slightly more
did not continue in a pleasant way for Black. careful due to his pawn weaknesses, Gelashvili
So I found an interesting new idea: - Najer, Panormo 200 1 .
 Chapter 1 - Miscellaneous 2nd moves 15

9 d6 10.a4 a6
..•

a b d f g
e Sicilia� is often associated with pawn
c e h

a b c d e f g h
�
sacnfices. Thts one is earlier than most and
�
altho�gh Black should play cautiously and
1 1.a5!? is not considered theoretically pro ising
White pushes his a-pawn into a precarious
position in order to prevent . . . b5 for good. _ respect. We will consider three
treat It wtth
options for White: C1) 3.d4, C2) 3.i.h2 and
Another possibility is l l .f4 �g4 1 2.h3 �d7 C3) 3.a3.
1 3.a5 Wc7 1 4.Wd2 h6 with mutual chances.
C1) 3.d4 ltlf6!
l l ... ltlc6 12.ltld5 ltlxd5 13.hd5 llJxaS
14.£4 i.f6 15.i.c3 3 . . . d5 is not a bad move and should probably
1 5.fxe5 .be5 1 6 ..be5 dxe5 17.Wd2 b6 give Black some advantage, but I believe the
�
1 8. 4 cxb4 1 9.Wxb4 �e6 looks about equal. text to be slightly more accurate.
White has enough positional compensation
4.i.d3 ltlc6 s.c!lJe2
for the sacrificed pawn, but not more.
White struggles to find a set-up that could
justifY his sacrificed pawn. For instance:
1 5 b6 16.ha5 bxa5 17.£5 i.d7 18.ltlc3 g6
.•.

19.Wf3 @hs 5 .e5 lDd5 6.�e4 e6 7.tLlf3 d6 8.0-0 �e7

Germany 2004, and now Black could hav;

We have been following the game Ivanisevic
9.a3 dxe5 I O.dxe5 was Schneider - Schenk
- Fercec, Ljubljana 2005 . The position is
complex and difficult for both sides. White
secured a clear advantage with the simple
seems to have good positional compensation,
1 0 . . . 0-0N.
although it should be remembered that only
one of his pieces can occupy the d5-square. 5.lDf3 d5 6.e5 tLle4 7.0-0 �g4 8 .�b2 e6 9.We2
Black, on the other hand, can hope to activate tLlg5 I O.l2Jbd2 �e7 was also clearly better for
his bishop pair in the long run. In the game Black in Philippe - Lerner, Metz 1 996.
the second player eventually prevailed after a
tough fight. s ...d6 6.0-o g6!
The �ishop will be well placed on g7, and
C) 2.b4 cxb4 the sohd fianchetto formation will bolster the
kingside against any attacking ideas.
16 Minor Systems

1 0 .'1We2 i.e7 when he was already much better

in Rogers - Hoeksema, Groningen 1 99 1 .

4. . ti:Jd5
.

a b c d e f g h
s.tt:Je
The evaluation is not changed by:
C2) 3.i.h2 ttlf6 5 .i.c4 tt'lb6 6.i.b3 tt'lc6 7.a3
Compared with the previous note, GM
Rogers had a more favourable experience on
the black side of this opening in the same
tournament after 7.d4 d5 8.exd6 '1Wxd6
9.'1Wf3 i.e6 1 0.ctJe2 i.d5 1 1 .hd5 '1Wxd5
1 2.'1Wxd5 tt'lxd5 1 3.0-0 tt'la5 14.tt'ld2 2"1c8+
Houtman - Rogers, Groningen 1 99 1 .
7. . .e6 8.axb4 i.xb4 9.ctJa3 0-0 1 0.tt'lf3 d5
1 1 .exd6 hd6+
White remained a pawn down with not much
to show for it, Cierny - Lane, Topolcianky
1 994.

a b c d e f g h 5...ti:Jc6 6.a3 e6
Just as in the previous line, I believe this to Also promising is 6 . . . d6!?N for instance:
be slightly more accurate than the immediate 7.i.c4 tt'lb6 8.i.b3 a5 9.0-0 a4 I O.i.a2 e6
central strike with 3 . . . d5. 1 1 .exd6 '1Wxd6 1 2.axb4 tt'lxb4+ White will
struggle to get anything real for the missing
4.e5 pawn.
After 4.i.c4 Black should not hesitate to enter
the complications with 4 . . . tt'lxe4 5 .i.xf7t <;t>x£7 7.axb4 Ji.xh4 8.c3 i.e? 9.c4
6.'\Wh5t <;t>gs 7.'\Wd5t e6 8.'1Wxe4 tt'lc6 9.tt'lf3 d5 This was Baumert - Kovalev, Berlin 1 993,
and now I suggest:
 Chapter 1 - Miscellaneous 2nd moves 17

The simple trap of 5.axb4?? We5t has

embarrassed a few Wing Gambit practitioners
over the years.

5 ...e5
The solid 5 . . . e6 is a reasonable alternative,
but the text is more ambitious.

6.axb4
6.c4!?
This has not been the most common move,
but it requires accurate handling from
Black.
6 . . . We6
I think this is the best square for the queen.
7.d4!?
This is the critical continuation, seeking to
blast open as many lines as possible.
7 . . .exd4t 8 .i.e2 d3!
IO)t]c3 0-0 I I .lLibS a6 12.i.e2 gbg 13.lL!d6 It is important to play this here in order to
f6:j: disrupt the harmony of White's position
Black's position remains solid, and as long before he can castle.
as he stays alert he will have good chances to 9.Wxd3 'Llf6 1 0.0-0 'Llc6 1 l .�el i.e?
make his extra pawn count in the long run. 1 2.axb4
This position was reached in Shirazi -
C3) 3.a3 d5! Tregubov, Livry Gagran (rapid) 2009, and
here I found an improvement for Black:

a b c d e f g h

1 2 . . . i.xb4!N
The game continuation of 1 2 . . . 'Llxb4?
This has for a long time been known as an
1 3.Wd2 0-0 1 4.i.fl Wd6 1 5 .�xe7! Wxe7
effective response to White's plan.
1 6.i.a3 gave Black serious problems.
1 3 .i.d2 0-0+
4.exd5 '1Mfxd5 s.lL!a
18 Minor Systems

White will have a hard time demonstrating 9.tt:lc4 �c7 1 0.ctJe3 �d8 l l .�c4 e4 1 2.tt:lgl
compensation for the missing pawn. ctJe5 1 3.�a3 tt:lxc4 1 4.tt:lxc4 tt:lf6 White was
struggling for compensation in Balakanova -
6...hb4 7.c3 Chernenko, Pavlodar 2008.
7.�a3 �xa3 followed by . . . tt:lc6 does not
give White much. 9 .. .'1We4t 10.i.e2
I also considered the untested:
7...i.d6!? 1 0.�fl !?N �g4
The point of this slightly unusual move is Black can also try 1 0 . . . tt:lh6!? 1 l .d4 �g4
to defend the c7-square. The obvious 7 . . .�e7 1 2.tt:lb5 with a very lively game.
8 .ctJa3 tt:lc6 9.ctJb5 �d8 1 0.d4 exd4 1 l .�f4 l l .ctJg5!?
�f8 1 2.ctJc7 �b8 1 3 .tt:lxd4 �d7 is playable for
Black but not so pleasant in practice. 8
7
8.lba3 lbc6
6
Also possible is 8 . . . tt:lf6 9.tt:lb5 tt:lc6 1 0.c4?!
5
(Better was 1 0.�c4N, although after 1 0 . . . �e4t
1 l .�e2 �xe2t 1 2.�xe2 �b8 1 3.ctJg5 �g4t 4

1 4.f3 �h5 1 5 .d3 a6 Black has no worries at 3

v�-=7'"""'/"=",,m"
all.) 1 0 . . .�e6 1 l .ctJxd6t �xd6 1 2.�a3 �c7 2
13.�e2 e4 1 4.tt:lg5 h6 1 5 .ctJh3 �xh3 1 6.gxh3
0-0-0 And Black was already clearly better in
a b c d e f g h
Grcic - Malpas, Australia 1 997.
l l . . .�f4!?
This is perhaps the most accurate.
1 1 . . .�d 1 leads to a roughly level ending
after 1 2 .�f7t �e7 1 3.ctJxe4 �xa3 1 4.�a3t
�xf7 1 5 .�xdl b6.
Black can even try the surprising l l .. .�d3t!?
1 2.�xd3 �xdl 1 3.tt:lb5 �d8 14.tt:lxd6t �xd6
1 5 .�b5 with complex play.
1 2.d4 �xg5! 1 3 .�g5 �xd1 1 4.tt:lb5 �b8
1 5 .�xdl a6
White has a hard time demonstrating
compensation.

a b c d e f g h lO tLlge7
•••

9.i.c4 This looks like the most natural move,

White needs something crisper than either although the following game showed another
of the following moves: way to deal with White's activity: 1 0 . . . �g6
l l .tLlc4 �c7 1 2.d4 exd4 1 3.cxd4 �e6 1 4.tt:le3
9.tt:lb5 �b8 1 0.�a4 tt:lge7 1 l .�c4 �e4t 1 2.<j:{fl tt:lge7 1 5.0-0 �d8 1 6.�a3 �b6 1 7.�a4 0-0
�g6 1 3.d4 0-0 1 4.d5 �d8+ Rombaldoni - 1 8.tt:le5 �f6 1 9.tt:lxc6 bxc6+ Bronstein -
Miladinovic, Assisi 2003. Comp Chess Master 4000, The Hague 1 995.