Based on lectures by FM Steve Stoyko

In the Summer and Fall of 2005, FM Steve Stoyko gave a series of lectures at the
Kenilworth Chess Club on Lasker's Defense to the Queen's Gambit Declined. Since
then, many players at our club have made the Lasker part of their repertoires and quite a
few have developed interesting innovations with it. Steve's lectures presented a
complete repertoire for Black after 1.d4 d5, and I think anyone who plays through the
23 games and notes that follow will feel very comfortable playing the defense against
any level of opponent. A brief bibliography and a PGN file is appended below for those
who want to modify the repertoire to fit their own style of play.

Lasker's Defense typically begins 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e3 h6 6.Bh4
O-O 7.Nf3 Ne4, offering the trade of two minor pieces to ease Black's defensive task. It
is a very straight-forward system, though there are many opportunities for both players
to vary from the main line. For one thing, Black can reach the main position by various
move orders, most notably from a Nimzo-Indian beginning 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5
where Black chooses to return to Queen's Gambit lines rather than try the Queen's
Indian or Bogo-Indian set-up. That "transpo trick" can be especially useful for
confronting players who use alternative d4 systems, against which Black may benefit
from keeping the d-pawn back. Black can also leave out ...h6, as Lasker himself
generally did, which actually makes for a slightly different system (where, for example,
Black more typically plays an early ...f5 advance because he worries less about
weakening the g6 square near his King), but the modern method is to include ...h6 so
that White does not gain time by attacking h7 with a Qc2 and Bd3 battery. The
repertoire that follows also includes some ideas on how to handle various White
alternatives, including: the Exchange Variation (with an early cxd5 by White, where we
recommend an early ...Ne4! whenever possible); various White Bishop developments
(including an early Bxf6 or Bf4 to sidestep the Lasker); and various other White
systems (including the Torre, Catalan, and Colle).

Part One: Main Line with 9.Rc1

Most GMs prefer the strong positional system with 9.Rc1, where White often gains
lasting pressure along the c-file and on Black's queenside pawns. At the highest levels,
both Yusupov and Kasparov have shown that Black can play an early Pc6, often
accepting a safe but rather passive and cramped position, in order to secure a draw.
While that method of playing the Lasker works well at the GM level, where having a
safe way to gain a draw as Black can help win tournaments or matches, at the amateur
level it is not especially attractive. But Black has alternatives, and former Kenilworth
Champion Scott Massey demonstrated a more interesting method for Black against
Stoyko himself in the 2006 Kenilworth Chess Club Championship.

Game One

Steve Stoyko (2350) - Scott Massey (2212) [D56]

Kenilworth CC Ch, Open/Kenilworth, NJ USA 2006

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bg5

4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bg5 has often been Stoyko's preference, but likely he wanted to see
what Scott had in mind.

4... Be7 5. e3 h6 6. Bh4 O-O 7. Nf3 Ne4!

The Lasker Variation, which was the cornerstone of Steve's recommended 1.d4 d5 Black
Repertoire lecture series this past summer at the club. Playing the Lasker against Steve,
though, takes some guts.

8. Bxe7 Qxe7 9. Rc1

The strongest move and preferred by GMs. Black has a very nice time generally against
9. Nxe4 dxe4 10. Nd2 f5= (10... e5!?), as we will see.

9... Nc6!

Though this move has been played before, it remains rather unknown to theory. It may
well be Black's best. The idea is to play a more useful "temporizing" move than the
more traditional pawn to c6 (which is the method preferred by the great Lasker
champion Yusupov). The Knight will temporarily block White's pressure on the c-file
while speeding Black's development so that he can deal with that pressure without
creating pawn weaknesses. The Knight will then remaneuver to a more useful square.
The Knight move also allows Black to play a quick ...e5 break in some lines without the
time-wasting preparations of ... c6 and ...Nd7.
Also possible is the more direct method with 9... Nxc3 10. Rxc3 Nc6 11. a3!? (11. Bd3
Nb4!? 12. Bb1 dxc4 13. Rxc4 b6 14. a3 Nd5 15. Ne5 Ba6 ) 11... Rd8 12. cxd5 exd5
13. Bb5 Nb8! 14. Qc2 c6 15. Bd3 a5 16. O-O Nd7 17. Rb1 a4 18. Qd1 Qf6 19. Bc2 Nb6
20. Ne5 Bf5 21. b3 axb3 22. Rcxb3 Nc4 23. Nxc4 dxc4 24. Rxb7 Rxa3 25. Qc1?? Rc3!
26. e4?! (26. R1b2 Qg6) 26... Bxe4 27. Bxe4 Rxc1+ 28. Rxc1 Qxd4 29. Bf3 c3 30.
h3 Qd2 31. Rbb1 Ra8 32. Be4 g6 33. Rc2 Qd4 34. Bxc6 Qd3 35. Rcc1 c2 0-1
Winants,L-Rechmann,K/Ostend open 1990.

10. cxd5

White has several alternatives:

a) My notes on Steve's lecture give 10. Nxe4 dxe4 11. Nd2 f5 12. c5 as the reason
9...Nc6 is not his own recommendation, but I am hardly convinced and Steve clearly
was not either during his game.

b) Black seems fine after 10. Qc2 Nxc3 11. Qxc3 Nb4!? (an alternate Chigorin-like plan
is 11... Rd8 12. a3 a5 13. Be2 Bd7 14. O-O Be8 15. Rfd1 a4 16. Bd3 dxc4 17. Qxc4
Rdc8 18. Qc3 Na5 19. Bb1 Bb5 20. Qc2 g6 21. Ba2 Nb3 22. Bxb3 axb3 23. Qd2 Bc6
24. Ne1 Rd8 25. Rc3 e5 26. Rdc1 Qh4 27. Rxb3 exd4 28. Rb4 dxe3 29. Qxe3 Qg5= 30.
f4 Qg4 31. f5 Qxf5 32. Qxh6 Qf6 33. Nc2 Ra5 34. Rf1 Qg5 35. Qxg5 Rxg5 36. g3 Rd2
37. Rf2 Rd1+ 38. Rf1 Rgd5 39. Ne3 Rxf1+ 40. Kxf1 Rd2 41. h4 Kg7 42. g4 1/2-1/2
Litinskaya Shul,M-Sikora Gizynska,B/Lubniewice tt 1994) 12. Qb3 (12. a3? Na2 )
12... dxc4 13. Bxc4 Rd8 14. O-O b6 15. e4 c5! 16. dxc5 bxc5 17. Ne5 Bb7 18. Qe3
Rd4! 19. f3 Qd6 20. Qf4 Rf8 21. Qg3 Rd2 22. Bb3?! Ba6! 23. Rfd1?! Nxa2! 24. Ra1
(24. Bxa2?? Rxd1+) 24... Qd4+ 25. Kh1 Rxd1+ 26. Rxd1 Qxb2 27. Bxa2 Qxa2 28. Nd7
Rc8 29. Nf6+ Kh8 30. Nh5 Qb2 31. h3 g6 32. Qd6 Bb5 33. Ng3 Kg7 34. e5 c4 35. Ne4
c3 36. Qe7 c2 37. Qf6+ Kg8 38. Rd8+ Rxd8 39. Qxd8+ Kg7 40. Qf6+ Kf8 41. Qh8+
Ke7 42. Qf6+ Ke8 0-1 Kerssemakers,H-Phillips/Netherlands 1993 (42).

c) 10. Bd3 has brought White the most success in practice: 10... Nxc3 (10... f5?! 11. O-
O Nb4!? 12. Bb1 Nxc3 13. bxc3 Nc6 14. cxd5 exd5 15. Qb3 Qd6 16. Bd3 a6 17. c4
Na5 18. Qc3 Nxc4 19. Bxc4 dxc4 20. Qxc4+ Be6 21. Qxc7 Qxc7 22. Rxc7 1-0
Timar,Z-Hamory,J/Pest Megye Egyeni 1992 (51)) 11. Rxc3 (11. bxc3!? is hardly a
natural follow-up to 9.Rc1, but it is a logical response to Black's early Knight move,
which puts pressure on d4 and supports an e5 advance. There might follow 11... dxc4
12. Bxc4 e5 13. Bd5! exd4 (not 13... e4?! 14. Nd2 with pressure on the e4 pawn, but
maybe best is 13... Qd6! 14. Bxc6 Qxc6 15. dxe5 Qg6 and Black seems to have
sufficient compensation for a pawn with great play on the light squares) after which
Black has to accept a pawn weakness or take risks upon 14. Bxc6 dxe3!? 15. Bb5 and
I'm not sure Black has enough for the piece) 11... e5! (This is one of Black's ideas
behind ...Nc6. Also interesting is 11... Nb4!? 12. Bb1 dxc4 13. Rxc4 b6 14. a3 Nd5 15.
Ne5 Ba6 ) 12. cxd5 Nxd4 13. O-O Nxf3+ 14. Qxf3 f5 15. Qg3 Qd6 16. Rfc1 c6 17.
dxc6 bxc6 18. Bc4+ Kh8 19. Bb3 Bd7 20. Rd1 Qe7 21. f4 e4 22. Qe1 Rfd8 23. h3 Be8
24. Rdc1 Rd3 25. Bc4 Rd6 26. Be2 Rad8 27. R1c2 Rd5 28. Kh2 Qd6 29. Ra3 Rd2= and
Black had equalized, but he soon began to go wrong and lost: 30. Qc1 Rxc2 31. Qxc2
Qd2 32. Qc4 a5 33. Rb3 Qd5?! (33... a4!) 34. Rb7! Qxc4 35. Bxc4 Kh7 36. g4 (36.
Ra7) 36... Rd2+ 37. Kg3 fxg4 38. hxg4 h5? 39. Rb8 Bg6 40. Bg8+ 1-0 Flear,G-
Chaplin,E/St Affrique 2001 (40).

10... Nxc3 11. Rxc3

Black seems fine after 11. bxc3 exd5 12. Qb3 Rd8=

11... exd5 12. Bb5

a) 12. Bd3! Bg4! 13. O-O Qf6?! (13... Nd8!? 14. h3 Bxf3 15. Qxf3 is similar to the
main game and seems a better idea) 14. Bb1 g6 15. h3! Bxf3 16. Qxf3 Qxf3 17. gxf3
Rad8 gave Black an overly passive endgame where White's doubled pawns were no
liability: 18. Rfc1 Rd6 19. a3 f5 20. f4 g5 21. fxg5 hxg5 22. Rb3 b6 23. Rbc3 Rff6 24.
b4 a6 25. Bd3 b5 26. Bxf5 Ne7 27. Bg4 c6 28. Kg2 Kg7 29. Kg3 Kg6 30. Rh1 Nf5+ 31.
Bxf5+ Kxf5 32. h4 gxh4+ 33. Rxh4 Rg6+ 34. Kf3 Rdf6 35. Rf4+ Kg5 36. Rxf6 Rxf6+
37. Ke2 Kg6 38. Rc1 Kf7 39. Rh1 Kg7 40. f4 Rf7 41. Kf3 Rf6 42. Rh5 Rd6 43. f5 Rd8
44. Kf4 Re8 45. Rg5+ Kf7 46. Rg6 Rc8 47. Ke5 Re8+ 48. Re6 Rc8 49. Kd6 a5 50. Kd7
Ra8 51. Kxc6 axb4 52. axb4 Rc8+ 53. Kxb5 Rc3 54. Kb6 Rc2 55. b5 Rf2 56. Re5 Re2
57. Kc6 1-0 Kopasov,E-Khatenever,F/St Petersburg 2002 (57)

b) 12. Be2?! Qd6 13. O-O Bf5! 14. a3 a5 (14... Rfc8!?) 15. Qb3 Rfb8! 16. Rfc1 a4 17.
Qd1 Nd8 18. Bb5 Qb6 19. Bxa4 Qxb2 20. Rxc7 Qxa3 21. Bc2 Bxc2 22. Qxc2 Qd6 23.
Ne5 Nc6 24. Rxf7 Nxe5 25. dxe5 Qxe5 26. Rc7 b5 27. g3 b4 28. Qb3 Kh8 29. R7c5
Ra1 30. Rxa1 Qxa1+ 31. Kg2 d4 32. exd4 Qxd4 33. Rc1 1/2-1/2 Naumkin,I-
Caruso,A/Padova 2000

12... Nd8!

a) Also good seems to be 12... Nb8!? 13. Qc2 c6 14. Bd3 Nd7 15. O-O Nf6 16. Rb1 a5
(16... Ne4!?) 17. b3 Ne4= 18. Bxe4 Qxe4 19. Qxe4 dxe4 20. Nd2 Re8 21. a3 Be6 22.
Nc4 Ra6 23. Nd6 Re7 24. b4 Ba2 25. Rbc1 axb4 26. axb4 Bd5 27. Rc5 b6 28. b5 Ra8
29. R5c2 Re6 30. bxc6 Rxd6 31. c7 Rc8 0-1 Holzapfel,D-Runau,R/Germany 1989 (31).

b) 12... Bd7?! This move seems a little too passive, but Black demonstrates an
interesting tactic for dealing with White's pressure on the c-file: 13. O-O a6 14. Bxc6
Bxc6 15. Qc2 Bb5! 16. Rc1 (16. Rxc7 Qd6 17. Rc1 Bc6=) 16... Qd6 17. a4 (17. Rxc7
Bc6!=) 17... Bd7 18. Qb3 (18. Ne5 c6 19. Rb3 ) 18... Qb6 (18... c6!? 19. Qxb7?? Rfb8
) 19. Qxb6 (19. Qxd5 Bxa4 20. Qc4 Bd7 21. Qxc7 ) 19... cxb6 20. Rb3 Bxa4 21. Rxb6
Rac8 22. Ra1 Rc7 23. h4 Bb5 24. Rd6 Rd7 (24... Rc2 25. b3 Rb2 26. Ra3 Rc8) 25.
Rxd7 Bxd7 26. Ne5 Be6 27. Rc1 Rc8 28. Rc5 b6 29. Rxc8+ Bxc8 30. Kf1 f6 31. Nd3
Kf7 32. Ke2 a5 33. Kd2 Ke6 34. Kc3 Kd6 35. b4 Ba6 36. Nb2 axb4+ 37. Kxb4 Bf1 38.
g3 b5 39. Nd1 Kc6 40. Nc3 Bd3 41. Ka5 f5 42. Na2 Bc4 43. Nb4+ Kd6 44. Kb6 g6 45.
f4 h5 46. Nc6 Ke6 47. Kc5 Be2 48. Na7 Bc4 1-0 GM Susan Polgar-Max
Sherer/Simultaneous Exhibition 2007. Max was 9-years-old at the time of this game and
held up well against the GM and former women's world champion. Maybe the opening
had something to do with it?

13. Bd3

13. Qc2 c6 14. Bd3 leaves Black's knight not as well placed as in the example above,
though the position hardly seems bad for Black long term.

13... Bg4! 14. h3 Bxf3! 15. Qxf3 c6 16. O-O

White gains nothing from 16. Qf5 g6 17. Qg4 Ne6 18. h4!? h5 19. Qg3 Nxd4! 20. Bxg6
fxg6 21. Qxg6+ Qg7 22. Qxg7+ Kxg7 23. exd4 Rf4 24. Rd3 Re8+ .

16... Ne6 17. Rfc1 Ng5 18. Qh5 f5 19. h4 Ne4

Here Scott accepted a draw from Steve. After the game, Scott was very magnanimous
and said, "You taught me well," referring to Steve's lectures. But I think that Scott's 9th
move suggests that he was quite the active learner.

1/2-1/2

[Michael Goeller]

Part Two: Main Line with 9.cxd5

Another popular line is 9.cxd5, which forces Black to exchange Knights and strengthen
White's center with 9...Nxc3 10.bxc3 exd5 when the eventual c4 advance for White will
gain a preponderance of pawns in the center. However, Black's rapid development and
piece play in the center and on the kingside more than compensate for White's slight
structural plus. As Yusupov demonstrated in one of his games with Karpov, Black gets a
lot of play in this line and can often damage White's castled position. The following
game was featured in Steve Stoyko's first lecture on the Lasker.
 Steve Stoyko Lectures on the Lasker

Game Two

Stoyko Lecture #1

Anatoly Karpov - Arthur Yusupov [D57]

Candidates Match /1989

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3

There are a number of possible move orders: 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bg5 O-O 6. e3
h6 (6... Ne4!? was Lasker's own preference) 7. Bh4 (the alternatives 7. Bf4 or 7. Bxf6
Bxf6 will be considered below) 7... Ne4 transposes to the main line.

3... Nf6

The transpositional 3... Be7!? is sometimes played to discourage the Exchange Variation
since after 4. cxd5 exd5, the White Bishop cannot go to its best square at g5 but instead
must settle for 5. Bf4 Nf6=

4. Bg5

a) Later we will consider 4. cxd5 exd5 ( Steve does not recommend meeting the
exchange with the Semi-Tarrasch 4... Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 c5) 5. Bg5 Be7 (the least
commital and consistent with the Lasker set-up, though also played are 5... c6 or the
trappy 5... Nbd7!? when 6. Nxd5?? Nxd5 7. Bxd8 Bb4+ 8. Qd2 Bxd2+ 9. Kxd2 Kxd8
).

b) Also possible is 4. Bf4!? which had a lot of interest for several years until Black
players figured out what to do, which will be covered later.

4... Be7

4... h6? 5. Bxf6 gxf6 (5... Qxf6 6. cxd5 exd5 7. Nxd5 ) 6. cxd5 exd5

5. Nf3 O-O 6. e3 h6
For good coverage of 6... Ne4, which is not discussed here, I recommend the work of
Soltis or Van der Sterren given in the annotated bibliography at the end of this article.

7. Bh4

a) After 7. Bxf6 Bxf6 there are pluses and minuses for both players--the chief minus
being that White can attack on the kingside with g4-g5 attacking the h6 pawn and
labelling that move a problem. However, Black has active counterplay in the center and
the queenside with a speedy ...c5.

b) After 7. Bf4 Black can also play an early ...c5. This is discussed in more detail below.

7... Ne4

It's tactically advisable for the defense to exchange some pieces. By exchanging a piece
or two, Black is able to mitigate White's initiative and pawn advantage in the center.
Generally, two pieces will be traded, though white has some options to preserve his
Bishop.

You can expand your repertoire to add 7... b6!? -- the Tartakower Variation -- for play
against opponents you'd rather not simplify against.

8. Bxe7

Black does well if White tries to avoid this natural Bishop trade:

a) 8. Nxe4?! Bxh4! (8... dxe4 9. Bxe7 Qxe7 10. Nd2 transposes to a line in the Lasker
bbut allows White 9.Bg3!?) 9. Nxh4?! dxe4! 10. Qg4 g5! 11. O-O-O Kh7! (not 11...
f5?! 12. Qh5=)

b) 8. Bg3!? is problematic from a development standpoint, and Black gets a good game
with 8... b6! developing his last piece, possibly with Ba6 or Bb7 depending on the
position. Also possibble is 8... Nxc3!? 9. bxc3 when the c-file is shut down and Black
has less to worry about with the Bishop pointing toward c7.

8... Qxe7

No good is 8... Nxc3? 9. Bxd8 Nxd1 10. Be7 Re8 11. Ba3
9. cxd5

This is the main line, though there are other moves including:

a) 9. Rc1 -- as discussedin Game 1 above -- when best may be 9...Nc6!

b) 9. Qc2

c) 9. Bd3 is covered below in Game 7.

d) 9. Nxe4 is discussed in several games below, including Game 5, which shows how
Black gets a nice center and kingside initiative.

9... Nxc3

Not 9... exd5? 10. Nxd5

10. bxc3 exd5

Steve said, "The books often say that this position is drawish and boring, but I have won
from this position 100% of the time in my 30 years experience playing this line."

11. Qb3!

This is the best move for White, putting pressure on Black right away.

a) 11. Bd3 c5! (also interesting is 11... Be6) and Black can easily get the edge, as we see
in Game 6 below.

b) 11. Be2?! is a typical defensive move, trying to prevent the pin by Bg4. 11... Be6!?
(11... Bf5?! 12. Qb3 c6 and Black has trouble developing his Knight.) (11... b6!? with
ideas like ...c5 and ...Ba6) 12. Rb1 b6 and Black is very comfortable with ideas like ...c5
and ...Nd7 or ...Nc6.

11... Rd8!

a) 11... Qd6!? was a second idea in the 50s of Guimard and Eliskases, with the idea of
playing an early ...c5. But with the Queen at d6 you can run into ..c5 Qa3! which is a
royal pain in the neck. 12. c4! c6 and we are passive again(12... dxc4 13. Bxc4 Nc6
(13... Bg4? 14. Ne5) 14. O-O Bg4 15. Nd2)
b) 11... c6?! is how the old timers would play it, rather passively 12. Rb1 b6 13. Bd3.

12. c4 dxc4 13. Bxc4 Nc6!

This is the critical move that solves all of Black's development problems: it stops Ne5
and even threatens ...Nxd4 due to the pin on the e-file. White also has to deal with Na5
forking Queen and Bishop.

14. Qc3

a) White does no better with the natural 14. O-O Na5! 15. Qc3 Nxc4 16. Qxc4 Be6 17.
Qc3 (17. Qc2 Rac8 followed by ...c5 (17... Bd5!? 18. Ne5) ) 17... Bd5 18. Ne5 Qg5 19.
g3 Qh5!?

b) 14. Be2!? b6 is fine for Black who also has other options, as shown in Game 4 below.

14... Bg4!

And White is behind in development and under attack.

15. O-O

a) 15. Be2 Bxf3 16. gxf3 (16. Bxf3? Nxd4 17. Bxb7 Rab8 ) 16... Rac8 is safest and
best, especially in discouraging Queenside castling.( Black has tons of good ideas: 16...
Nb4 17. a3 Nd5) (16... Qg5) (16... Rd6!? 17. O-O? Nxd4!! 18. exd4 Qxe2 19. Qxc7
Rg6+ 20. Kh1 Qxf3#)

b) 15. Nd2? Nxd4

15... Bxf3 16. gxf3 Qf6 17. Be2!

17. f4!? Black has resouces such as Qh4, Ne7, Nd5 or other attacking ideas.

17... Rac8!

The old timers used to play 17... Rd7 with the idea of bringing the Knight over to h4 via
Ne7-g6-h4 and White is in trouble.
18. Rab1 b6

Reveals one reason behind Qf6 which was dual action, defending the Knight and
attacking f3.

19. Rfc1

19. Ba6 Ne7! Yusupov says this was his idea, which he says gives him at least a forced
draw due to Black's attacking chances. The idea is to give up the exchange to get the
defender of the White squares of the board.(19... Qxf3 20. Bxc8 Rxc8 (20... Rd6 21.
Rfc1 ) )

19... Ne7 20. Kh1 Rd5!

with ideas like ..c5 or ..Rh5 and ...Qh4

21. Qc2 Qh4 22. f4 Qxf2 23. Bg4 Qxc2 24. Rxc2 f5 25. Bf3 Rd7 26. Rbc1 Nd5?! 27.
Bxd5+ Rxd5 28. Rxc7 Rxc7 29. Rxc7 Ra5 30. d5!

30. Rc2 Ra3 31. Re2 Kf7

30... Kf8 31. d6 Ke8 32. Rxg7 Rxa2 33. Kg1 a5?! 34. Re7+ Kd8 35. e4 fxe4 36. Rb7 e3
37. Kf1 a4?

37... Rxh2 38. Rxb6 Rf2+

38. Rxb6 a3 39. Ra6 Rf2+ 40. Ke1 a2 41. f5! Kd7

41... Rxh2? 42. f6! a1=Q+ 43. Rxa1 Rh1+ 44. Ke2 Rxa1 45. f7!

42. f6 Ke6 43. Ra8! Kxd6 44. f7 Rxf7 45. Rxa2 Kc5 46. Ra6=

Yusupov should have won this game, and the only reason he did not win was because
his opponent was Karpov! But what did Black do that was so mysterious? Nothing. He
developed logically and made simple moves. The only thing he did new was he found
the idea ...Rc8, which is also perfectly logical. So it really doesn't matter who you are,
you can play like this.

1/2-1/2

[Michael Goeller]

Game 3

Carlos E Guimard - Erich Gottlieb Eliskases [D57]

Mar del Plata (1) 1941

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 O-O 7. e3 Ne4 8. Bxe7 Qxe7
9. cxd5

This and the line beginning 9. Nxe4 dxe4 10. Nd2 are the most forcing choices for
White.

9... Nxc3 10. bxc3 exd5

This game between two Lasker Defense experts can tell us a lot about what might be the
best strategy for both sides.

11. Qb3 Qd6!?

More common today, as we saw in Game #2, is 11... Rd8 12. c4 dxc4 13. Bxc4 Nc6 14.
Qc3 Bg4= when White cannot retreat with 15. Nd2? as in the current game due to 15...
Rxd4!

12. c4

12. Bd3!? Nd7 13. Qc2 Nf6=

12... dxc4 13. Bxc4 Nc6 14. Qc3 Bg4 15. Nd2!
Preventing Black from damaging his kingside with 15...Bxf3 16.gxf3. This is the main
reason that ...Qd6 fell out of favor, but Black is still fine here.

15... Rad8 16. O-O Ne7 17. Rfc1!? b6

Premature is 17... c5?! 18. Ne4! cxd4! 19. Nxd6 dxc3 20. Nxb7 and White appears to
win a pawn.

18. Ne4! Qd7

18... Qg6 19. Ng3 c6 20. Bd3!

19. Ng3 c6 20. Qa3!?

This piece attack seems less effective than one with a pawn starting with 20. a4! Rfe8
21. a5 since Black cannot advance 21... b5? 22. Bb3 without leaving his c-pawn
dreadfully weak.

20... Ra8 21. h3?!

White begins to drift without a definite plan. This move drives the Bishop to where it
wants to go.

21... Be6 22. Be2

Better 22. Bxe6 Qxe6 23. Rc2

22... Rac8 23. Nh5 Ng6 24. Qb2!? f5!

Defending the g-pawn while beginning a kingside offensive.

25. a4

Too late.
25... f4?!

Likely premature, though Black has the right idea. An interesting idea might be 25...
Bd5 26. a5 b5!? weakening the Queenside structure but stopping White's queenside play
in preparation for the attack on the kingside.

26. Bd3?!

White misses a nice tactical trick in 26. d5! cxd5 (26... Bxd5 27. Bg4!) (26... Qxd5??
27. Qxg7#) 27. Rxc8 Rxc8 28. Bd3 Qf7 29. Bxg6 Qxg6 30. Nxf4

26... Bf5!

Also possible was 26... fxe3!? 27. fxe3! (27. Bxg6 Rxf2! 28. Rc2 Bf5! 29. Bxf5 Qxf5 )
27... Nh4 28. Nf4 Bd5

27. e4?

Part of Black's plan! Now the fireworks begin.

27... Bxh3! 28. f3

28. gxh3 Qxh3 wins the wayward Knight at h5.

28... Qe7!? 29. a5 Nh4 30. axb6 axb6 31. gxh3

31. Ba6 Nxf3+! (31... Qg5) (31... Bxg2) 32. gxf3 Qg5+ 33. Kh2 Qxh5 34. Bxc8 Bxc8+
35. Kg1 (35. Kg2 Qh3+ 36. Kf2?? Qh2+) 35... Qxf3 and Black has a winning attack
for only the Exchange.

31... Qg5+ 32. Kh1 Qxh5 33. Be2 Kh8 34. Ra3 Rf6!

Black is not ready yet for 34... Nf5?! 35. exf5 Qxh3+ 36. Kg1 Rxf5 37. Bf1 Rg5+ 38.
Bg2

35. Rg1
35. Qxb6 Nf5!

35... Nf5! 36. Kh2 Ne3

36... Ng3!

37. Ra7?

More unclear is 37. Qxb6! Rcf8 (37... Rg6 38. Ra5! Qh4 39. Rxg6 Qf2+ 40. Kh1 Qxe2
41. Qb7 Qxf3+ 42. Kh2 ) 38. Qc7 R6f7 39. Qxc6 Qh4 40. Ra2 Qf2+ 41. Kh1 Qh4 42.
Kh2=

37... Rg6! 38. Qa1 Rg5 39. d5?? Qxh3+!!

0-1

Game 4

Miguel Najdorf - Carlos E Guimard [D57]

ARG-ch/Buenos Aires (1) 1955

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 h6 7. Bh4 Ne4 8. Bxe7 Qxe7
9. cxd5 Nxc3 10. bxc3 exd5 11. Qb3 Rd8 12. c4 dxc4 13. Bxc4 Nc6 14. Be2!?

As we saw in Game 2, White risks a damaged kingside after 14. Qc3 Bg4 -- so perhaps
Be2 is the safe option.

14... Nb4!?

It is probably a good idea for players to investigate their options here:

a) 14... b6 15. O-O Be6 16. Qc3 with pressure on the c-file.

b) 14... Bg4? 15. Qxb7 Nb4 16. Rc1

c) 14... a5!? 15. O-O a4

d) 14... Rb8! 15. O-O Be6= looks easier, when Black then can maneuver the Knight to
d5 via b4 without worrying about pressure on b7.

15. O-O Nd5

15... Be6

16. Rfc1 c6 17. Rab1 Bf5 18. Rb2 Rab8 19. Ne5 f6 20. Nd3 Kh8 21. Bf3 Be6 22. Qa4
Bf5 23. Rb3 Nxe3?

A blunder. The idea behind it, however, is very nice but has to be executed in the correct
order: 23... b5! 24. Qa6 Rb6 25. Qa5 Nxe3!? 26. fxe3 Qxe3+ 27. Kh1 c5 (27... Bxd3?
28. Rd1 Rxd4 29. Qxa7 ) 28. Re1 Qxd4 and Black has a wonderful initiative.

24. Re1! b5 25. Qa6 Rb6 26. Rxe3!! Rxa6 27. Rxe7 Rxa2 28. g4! Bh7 29. Nb4 Ra1+
30. Kg2 1-0

Part Three: White Exchanges Knights with 9.Nxe4

The most pleasant line for Black to play against is where White chooses to exchange
both Bishop and Knight by 8. Bxe7 Qxe7 9. Nxe4 dxe4 when Black gets great play in
the center and on the kingside by either ...f5 or an immediate ...e5.

Game 5

Stoyko Lecture #2

Mark Kernighan - Steve Stoyko [D56]

Mt. Arlington, NJ USA (2) 2005

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 h6 7. Bh4 Ne4 8. Bxe7 Qxe7
9. Nxe4 dxe4 10. Nd2

White threatens Nxe4. The only way for Black to defend the pawn directly is with ...f5,
but that move has some drawbacks, including trapping Black's light squared Bishop.
10... e5!?

"I no longer believe the move is sound" says Steve. The only alternative is:

10... f5! "I think this is most correct. The idea is to first prepare the e-pawn advance by
Nd7-f6 and c6 and only then push ...e5. White's only good counter to this plan is
basically to play c5 and Nc4-d6 -- but Black's central play is too fast. 11. c5 e5 12. Bc4+
(12. d5!? Qxc5 13. Rc1 Qa5 14. b4 Qxb4 15. Rxc7 f4 16. Qb3) 12... Kh8 (12... Be6 13.
Qb3) 13. O-O

11. d5

Practically forced.

11. Nxe4? exd4 12. Qxd4? Rd8

11... f5

"But isn't that just a transposition to ...f5 lines?" "No."

Protecting e4 with the Bishop is usually too passive: 11... Bf5?! 12. f3!? (12. Qc2)

12. Qc2 Nd7

This is the critical position.

13. Be2

"White's best is 13. O-O-O! Nf6 (13... Nc5) 14. Kb1! End of attack. White still has the
4-to-3 majority on the Queenside and if ...c6 White is happy to allow the exchange at d5
to give him a monster passed pawn. White should play tight - like Texas Hold 'em."
That's why Steve doesn't like 10...e5, but many in the audience were not convinced. You
be the judge.

13... Nf6 14. O-O-O

"Now this move is very combative. White gets away from the possible kingside pawn-
storm by f4-f3 for example. Now White might open lines on the kingside -- if Black
gives him time."
14... c6 15. dxc6

15. d6! Qxd6 16. Nxe4 "and it's a game."

15... bxc6

Stoyko says, "being completely objective, White is very slightly better, but it is very
tricky to play."

16. c5

16. f3

16... Be6

"A natural move, pointing another piece at the King. Black will double Rooks on the b-
file and get a ready made attack. So I give my opponent credit for originality here for
preventing that plan."

17. Ba6?!

"This move gets five stars for originality but only one for soundness. This does help
stop Black's plan -- but it moves the same piece twice and fails to get a counterattack
going." Safe and sound is 17. Bc4 Bd5!? (17... Nd5 18. g4!? (18. Bxd5?! cxd5) )

17... Rab8 18. a3

The logical follow-up. White's plan is to take away all of the doubling squares for the
Rooks. While the White King looks airy, there is no way to get to it -- at least right
away."

18... Nd5!?

"I don't think this is necessarily the best move, but I had correctly predicted my
opponent's next logical move and planned a sharp retort."
19. b4?

As expected. Better is probably 19. g4.

19... Rxb4!!

Not as good is 19... Nxb4? 20. axb4 Rxb4

20. axb4? Nxb4

Gaining a tempo to get all the pieces into the attack. The Queen has to surrender the c-
pawn with check and may lose the Bishop. So Black has plenty of compensation. So
much for White's plan of keeping Black from using the b-file!"

21. Qa4 Qxc5+ 22. Kb1 Rb8

The King has nowhere to go. After you play over this game, I don't think you'll fear the
9.Nxe4 line as Black.

23. Nb3

23. Ka1 Qc3+

23... Qc2+ 24. Ka1 Qc3+ 25. Kb1 Bxb3 26. Bc4+ Bxc4 27. Qxa7 Ba2+

27... Qb3+ 28. Ka1 (28. Kc1 Qc2#) 28... Nc2#

28. Qxa2+ Nxa2+ 29. Kxa2 Qb2# 0-1

Part Four: Early Bd3 Development

White typically develops the light-squared Bishop to d3 in the Queen's Gambit
Declined, so many players will develop the Bishop to that square in an almost
unthinking way. In some lines, the move is quite appropriate. In others, it allows Black
to quickly liberate his game with ...c5.

Game 6

Lubomir Ftacnik - Ventzislav Inkiov [D57]

Moscow 1983

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bg5 O-O 6. e3 h6

A classic game reached a position similar to that in the game, but without ...h6
(following Lasker's own preference): 6... Ne4 7. Bxe7 Qxe7 8. cxd5 Nxc3 9. bxc3 exd5
10. Qb3 Rd8 11. Bd3 c5 12. Qa3 b6 13. O-O Nc6 14. Bb5 c4 15. Qxe7 Nxe7 16. Ba4
Bf5 17. Rfc1 a6 18. Bc2 b5 Black's chances of creating an outside passed pawn on the
queenside should give him a long-term edge. But he has to be careful that White does
not organize at attack on the kingside. Exchanging Bishops must favor Black since it
elminates a potential counter-attacker for White and a potential defender of the light
squares. But Treybal must have assumed he should keep the piece to support the
advance of his pawns. 19. Nd2 Be6?! Black should certainly trade or allow the trade of
Bishops.(19... Rab8) 20. Rcb1 f5 21. a3 Ng6 22. f4!? Rdb8 23. Nf3 Rb7 24. Ne5 Nxe5
25. fxe5 Rab8 26. Rb2 a5 27. Rab1 Kf7?! (27... g6!) 28. Rf1! b4 29. axb4 axb4 30. g4!
Kg8 (30... g6 31. e4!!) 31. gxf5 Bd7 32. e6 Bc6 33. cxb4 Rxb4 34. Rxb4 Rxb4 35. Ra1
Kf8 36. Ra6 Be8 37. e4 Rb5 38. Ra8 Ke7 39. Rxe8+ 1-0 Marshall,F-
Treybal,K/Folkestone 1933.

7. Bh4 Ne4 8. Bxe7 Qxe7 9. cxd5 Nxc3 10. bxc3 exd5 11. Qb3 Rd8 12. Bd3 c5!

12... Nc6!? 13. O-O b6 Black's idea is to use his pieces to control key squares. But I
think the idea of ...c5 followed by creating a queenside majority is much more effective.
(13... Rd6?! 14. Rae1 Bg4 15. Nd2 Qg5 16. f4! Qh5 17. e4 (17. Qxb7!?) 17... dxe4 18.
Nxe4 Na5 19. Qc2 Bf5? (19... Rdd8 20. f5 ) 20. Nxd6 Bxd3 21. Qxd3 cxd6 22. Re3
Qd5 23. Rfe1 1-0 Granara Barreto,S-Rey,F/Villa Ballester ARG 2005) (13... Bg4?! 14.
Qxb7 Bxf3 15. gxf3 Qd6 16. Qa6 ) (13... Rb8!? 14. Rfe1 Bg4) 14. Rac1 (14. Rfe1
Be6!? 15. Qc2 Na5 Black stops c4, but white has another break: 16. e4! Qa3!? 17. e5?!
(17. Ne5!) 17... c5 18. Nd2 (18. Re3!?) 18... cxd4 19. cxd4 Rac8 20. Qb1 Rc3 21. Bh7+
Kh8 22. f4? Qa4! 23. f5 Bc8 (23... Qxd4+) 24. e6 Kxh7 25. Nf3 fxe6 26. fxe6+ g6 27.
Kh1 Nc6 28. Nh4 Qc2 29. Qb4 Qd3 30. Qb2 Qxd4 31. Rad1 Rd3 32. Qc2 Qxh4 33.
Qxd3 Qe7 34. Qb5 Qd6 35. Rc1 Nd4 36. Qa4 Nxe6 37. Qxa7+ Bd7 38. Rb1 b5 39. a4
b4 40. a5 d4 41. a6 Kg8 42. Qb7 Bc6 43. Qb6 Bxg2+ 0-1 Halldorsson,B-Arnason,A)
14... Bg4 15. Qb5 (15. Nd2) 15... Na5? (15... Bxf3! 16. Qxc6 (16. gxf3 Na5) 16... Qg5)
16. Ne5! Be6 17. Bb1? Qg5!? 18. f4! Qh4 19. Qd3 (19. f5!) 19... f5! 20. Rf3 c5 (20...
Nc4) 21. Qb5 cxd4 22. exd4 Nb7 23. Qc6 Nd6 24. Bxf5? Bxf5 25. Qxd5+ Kf8? (25...
Kh7!) 26. Nc6? (26. g4!! Bh7 (26... Be4 27. Qxe4!! Nxe4 28. Ng6+) 27. f5 ) 26... Be4!
27. Qe5 Bxc6! 28. Rg3 Qf6 29. Qh5 Qf5 30. Qh4 Kg8 31. Qxh6 Qf7 32. Qh4? Nf5 0-1
Tomkivich-Sherer/Blitz:5' 2007/[Sherer,Max]
13. Qa3 b6

13... Qc7 14. O-O c4 15. Bc2 Nc6 16. Rfe1 b5 By skipping ...b6, Black has managed to
advance his Queenside majority more quickly than Inkiov did. 17. e4 Be6 18. Rab1
Rab8 19. exd5 Bxd5 20. Be4 Qf4 21. Bxd5 Rxd5 22. Re3 (22. Qa6) 22... a5! 23. Rbe1
Qd6 (23... Rh5) 24. Qc1 (24. Qxd6 Rxd6 25. Nd2! Kf8=) 24... Rh5 25. g3 Qd5 26. Qc2
g6 (26... f5 27. Re8+) 27. g4! Rh3 28. Kg2 Rxf3 29. Rxf3 b4 30. Qe4 Qxe4 31. Rxe4
b3! 32. axb3 cxb3 33. d5 b2! 34. Re1 Ne5 35. Rfe3 f6 (35... Nc4!) 36. f4 Nc4 37. Re4
Nd2 38. Ra4 b1=Q 39. Rxb1 Nxb1 40. c4 Rb4 41. Rxa5 Rxc4 42. Ra8+ Kf7 43. Ra7+
Ke8 44. Ra8+ Ke7 45. Ra7+ Kd6 46. Ra6+ Ke7 (46... Kxd5 47. Rxf6 Rc6 ) 47. Ra7+
Kd6 1/2-1/2 Thorsteinsson,T-O'Connor,E/Panormo GRE 2001.

14. O-O Nd7

14... Nc6 15. Qb2 Be6 16. Bb5 Rac8 17. Bxc6?! Rxc6 18. a4 Bf5 19. Ne5 Re6 20. a5
Be4 21. axb6 Rxb6 22. Qe2 c4 23. Qg4 f6 24. Ng6 Qd7 25. Qg3 Kh7 26. Nh4 Rdb8 27.
Nf3 Bd3 28. Rfc1 Rb1! Black clears off the Rooks so that his outside passed pawn can
march forward to victory. 29. Rcxb1 Rxb1+ 30. Rxb1 Bxb1 31. h3 a5 32. Qb8 Bc2 33.
Nd2 Qf5 34. Qb5 a4 35. e4 Qg5 36. f4 Qxf4 37. Qxd5 a3 38. Qa5 Qg5 39. Qxa3 Qxd2
0-1 Gagunashvili,M-Nigalidze,G/Tbilisi GEO 2007.

15. Rfe1 Bb7 16. Rab1

16. Bf5 Nf6 17. Ne5 Re8 18. Qa4 Ne4 19. Qc2 Qf6 20. Bxe4 dxe4 21. a4 1/2-1/2
Ljubojevic,L-Andersson,U

16... Qe6 17. Qb2 c4 18. Bc2 Re8 19. Nd2 Nf6 20. Re2 Ne4 21. Nf1 f5 22. Rbe1 Re7
23. f3 Nd6 24. Ng3 Rf8 25. Qb4

25. e4 fxe4 26. fxe4 dxe4 27. Nxe4 Nxe4 28. Bxe4 Bxe4 29. Rxe4 Qxe4! 30. Rxe4
Rxe4 Soltis

25... Kh8 26. h3 Qd7 27. h4 Qc7 28. Nh5 g5!? 29. Kf2 a5 30. Qb1 Rh7 31. Rh1 Bc6 32.
Ree1 Be8 33. hxg5 hxg5 34. Ng3 Bg6 35. Rxh7+ Bxh7 36. Rh1 Ne4+ 37. Nxe4

37. fxe4? fxe4+ 38. Ke2 Qxg3

37... fxe4 38. Rh6 g4 39. Qxb6 g3+ 40. Kg1

40. Kf1 Qxb6 41. Rxb6 exf3

40... Qxb6 41. Rxb6 exf3 42. Rh6 f2+ 43. Kf1 Rf7 44. Rh3 Re7 45. e4

45. Bxh7 Rxe3!!

45... dxe4 46. d5 Re8 47. a3 Re5 48. d6 Re6 49. Rxg3 Rxd6 50. Re3 Rd8 51. Ba4 Rd2
52. Bc6 Ra2 53. Bxe4 Bg8

"With the elimination of the kingside pawns, Black's winning chances have sharply
declined" - Soltis. Perhaps Black should consider one of the alternatives shown in the
illustrative games above.

54. Re2 Rxa3 55. Kxf2 a4 56. Bc6 Ra1 57. Ke3 a3 58. Kd4 Rd1+ 59. Kc5 Rc1 60. Kb4
Rb1+ 61. Kxa3 1/2-1/2

Game 7

Vinny Puri (2246) - Steve Stoyko (2293) [D57]

Las Vegas Masters/Las Vegas, NV USA (7) 2006

The following game is from Steve Stoyko's games at the 2006 Las Vegas Masters. Black
gains a clear advantage but misses some winning opportunities. The ending, where
White's active Queen and Rook help hold a draw despite being a pawn down, is worth
some attention.

1. c4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. d4

White can sidestep QGD transpositions several ways, including by 3. b3.

3... Nf6 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bg5

Steve considers the Exchange Variation with 5. cxd5 exd5 6. Bg5 more of a challenge
for Black.
5... O-O 6. e3 h6

Lasker used to play the Knight move immediately with 6... Ne4 possibly to avoid 6...h6
7.Bxf6 and White gains time in exchange for the Bishop pair.

7. Bh4 Ne4

The standard Lasker's Defense idea. Black seeks to exchange off pieces and reduce
White's attacking force. He will then pursue a break by . ... c5 or ....e5 with equality.

8. Bxe7 Qxe7 9. Bd3

Steve considers this move the least challenging of White's choices at this point, mostly
because Black has no problem now liberating his game after the trade of knights and of
pawns (with tempo). To review White's alternatives:

a) 9. Rc1 is the most challenging move, but Black has a good antidote in 9...Nc6! as we
saw in Game 1.

b) 9. Nxe4 dxe4 10. Nd2 f5 is good for Black, who has chances of developing a
kingside initiative, as we saw most dramatically in Game 5.

c) 9. cxd5 Nxc3 10. bxc3 exd5 11. Qb3 Rd8 12. c4 dxc4 13. Bxc4 Nc6!= as in Game 2.

9... Nxc3 10. bxc3 dxc4 11. Bxc4 c5

I have also seen Steve try 11... b6 12. O-O Ba6!? 13. Bxa6 Nxa6 14. Qb3 c5 15. Ne5
Rac8 16. Rfe1 Rfd8= -- but the c5 break seems most natural.

12. O-O Nc6

"I generally prefer this Knight development" Steve says. The chief alternative idea is
12... b6 13. Qe2 Bb7 14. e4 Nc6 15. Rad1 Rad8 16. Rd2 e5 17. d5 Na5 18. Bd3 Bc8 19.
Ne1 Rfe8 20. Bb5 Bd7 21. Bxd7 Qxd7 22. Nf3 Nb7 23. Rb2 Nd6 24. c4 Rb8 25. Nd2
1/2-1/2 Cramling,P-Krogius,N/Genova 1989 (25).
13. Bb5!?

To trade off the good Knight and make Ne5 possible.

13. Qe2 e5 14. d5 Na5 15. e4 Bg4 16. Bd3 Qf6 17. Qe3 Bxf3 18. gxf3 b6 19. Kh1 Nb7
20. Bb5 Nd6 21. Bc6 Rab8 22. Rg1 Kh8 23. Rg4 Nc4 24. Qe2 Nd6 1/2-1/2 Lugovoj,M-
Gejko,V/Korolev 1999 (24).

13... Bd7 14. Qe2 Rac8 15. e4 cxd4 16. cxd4 a6 17. Bxc6 Bxc6 18. Rfc1 Qa3!

19. h3

Black has a bit of pressure down the c-file and on the back rank and so White takes
precautions. He has to be careful of things like 19. Ne5? Bxe4!

or 19. Rc5?! Bb5!

19... Bb5 20. Qe3 Rxc1+! 21. Rxc1!?

White decides to surrender a pawn in order to get his Rook to the 7th. White will have
lots of activity in the heavy piece ending that follows. Meanwhile, hanging onto the
pawn is no fun for White: 21. Qxc1 Qxc1+ 22. Rxc1 Rd8 23. Rd1 Bc6 (also interesting
are 23... Be2 24. Rd2 Bxf3 25. gxf3 b5 or 23... Be2 24. Rd2 Bxf3 25. gxf3 b5 ) 24. Re1
f5!

21... Qxa2 22. Rc7 Bc6

22... b6! 23. Ne5 Qe2! may offer Black better chances of converting the pawn.

23. Ne5 Qa1+!?

Black plans a series of checks that force the exchange of minor pieces without
disrupting his pawns by Nxc6 bxc6. But the resulting heavy piece ending will be
difficult to win, especially since White's Rook remains on the seventh. A better idea is to
keep the minor pieces on and grab a second pawn by 23... Qb1+! 24. Kh2 Bxe4! (but
not 24... Qxe4?? 25. Nxc6! )
24. Kh2 Qa5 25. Re7 Qd8

Or 25... Qb4 26. Nxc6 Qd6+!

26. Nxc6 Qd6+!

26... bxc6 27. Rb7

27. Qg3 Qxc6

Black is up a straight pawn, with a wonderful connected passer pair on the queenside. It
appears he should win, but White has lots of counterplay. White's Rook is much more
active than Black's, his Queen is more active, and his d-pawn is faster and better
supported than Black's two pawns.

28. Qf4 b5 29. Rc7!

29... Qa8!?

It may be that Black's best chance at victory is to keep the Queen nearer to the passed
pawns so that they can be pushed up together. For example: 29... Qb6 30. d5 a5 31. d6
(31. Rc6?! Qd4) 31... b4 32. d7 (32. e5 a4 33. Rc4 b3! 34. Rb4 Qc6 35. Rxa4? b2 )
32... Qb8 (32... Qd4!?) 33. Qd6 Rd8 34. e5 b3

30. Qe5 Qb8!?

30... Rc8!

31. d5 exd5 32. exd5 b4

32... Re8?! 33. Qf4 Re7? 34. d6!!

33. d6 b3 34. Rc1 Rd8 35. Rd1 a5 36. Qxa5 Rxd6 37. Qe5 Rb6
The Rook ending appears at first winnable for Black, but close analysis suggests that it
is drawn with best play. Black must improve before this point. These heavy piece
endings are certainly difficult.

38. Qxb8+ Rxb8 39. Kg3

A critical moment.

39... b2?!

"Too commital" said NM Scott Massey, who went over some lines with us at the
Kenilworth Chess Club. But even trying to bring up the Black king more quickly did
not result in real winning chances for Black.

a) 39... Kf8 40. Kf3 Ke7 41. Ke3 Ke6 42. Rb1 (42. Kd2?? Rd8+ ) 42... Ke5 (42... f5
43. Kd3 f4 44. Kc3 Kf5) 43. Kd3 Rb6 44. Kc3 Rg6 45. Rg1!? Ke4 46. Re1+ (46. Kxb3
Kd3) 46... Kd5 47. Rg1 Rb6 48. Rb1=

b) 39... Rb6 40. Kf3 Kf8 41. Ke3= (41. Ke4?! Rg6 42. Kf3 Rf6+ 43. Ke3 Ke7 44. Rb1
Rg6 45. Kf3 (45. Rxb3!?) 45... Rb6 46. Ke3=)

40. Rb1 Rb3+ 41. Kf4 g5+

a) 41... Kf8 42. Ke4 Ke7 43. Kd4 Ke6 44. Kc4 Rb8 45. Kc3 Kd5 46. Rxb2 Rxb2 47.
Kxb2 Kd4 48. Kc2 f5 49. Kd2 g5 50. g4 fxg4 51. hxg4 Ke4 52. Ke2 Kf4 53. f3 Kg3 54.
Ke3=

b) 41... Kh7 42. Ke4 Kg6 43. Kd4 Kf5 44. Kc4 Rb8 45. Kc3 Ke4 46. Re1+ Kf4 47. Rb1
f5 48. Rxb2 Rxb2 49. Kxb2 Ke4 50. Kc2 f4 51. Kd2 f3 52. g3 Kd4 53. Kc2=

42. Ke4 Kg7 43. Kd4 f5 44. Kc4 Rb6 45. Kc3 g4 46. hxg4 fxg4 47. Rxb2 Rxb2 48.
Kxb2=

Agreed drawn.

1/2-1/2

Part Five: The Lasker as an Everyday Weapon

Here are two games: the first from among Steve Stoyko's online games with the Lasker
(his ICC handle is "knightmare51"). The second shows Greg Tomkovich, a B-player,
gaining the edge as Black against master Mark Kernighan, his long-time rival at the
Kenilworth Chess Club, before going wrong. The Lasker makes a great everyday
weapon.

Game 8

KIMO - knightmare51 [D57]

ICC Blitz/Internet Chess Club 2005

1. d4 e6 2. c4 d5 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bg5 O-O 6. e3 h6 7. Bh4 Ne4 8. Bxe7 Qxe7
9. Nxe4

a) 9. Bd3 Nxc3 10. bxc3 dxc4 11. Bxc4 b6 12. O-O Ba6 13. Bxa6 Nxa6 14. Qb3 c5 15.
Ne5 Rac8 16. Rfe1 Rfd8= KIMO-Knightmare51, ICC 10-05-2005 (0-1 53)

b) 9. cxd5 (This appears to be the most commonly played move among strong players
on ICC) 9... Nxc3 10. bxc3 exd5 11. Bd3 c5! 12. O-O Be6 13. Ne5 Nd7 (13... c4!?) 14.
Nxd7 Qxd7 15. Rb1 b6 16. Bb5 Qd6 17. Qf3 Rac8= ExcaliburBrief-knightmare51, ICC
10-05-2005 (0-1 36)

c) 9. Rc1! c6 10. Bd3 Nxc3 11. Rxc3 dxc4 12. Bxc4 Nd7 13. O-O e5 14. dxe5 (14.
Bb3!?) 14... Nxe5 15. Nxe5 Qxe5 16. f4! The classic book move. 16... Qf6?! (16... Qf5
17. Bd3 Qe6) (16... Qe4) 17. f5!? (17. e4 ) 17... b5 18. Bb3 b4 19. Rc5 Ba6 20. Rf2
(20. Rf4!) 20... Rad8 21. Qc1 Bb5 22. e4 Qd4 (22... Rfe8! ) 23. e5 a5! 24. e6 a4 25.
exf7+ Kh8 26. Rxb5 axb3!? 27. Ra5 Rxf7 (27... bxa2! ) 28. axb3= 0-1 SaabMaster-
knightmare51/Internet Chess Club 2003 (37)

9... dxe4 10. Nd2 f5 11. g3?! c6 12. Bg2 e5 13. Nb3?! exd4

13... f4! 14. Bxe4? exd4 (14... fxe3!?) 15. Qxd4?? Rd8

14. Nxd4 Be6!?

14... Rd8! 15. Qa4 c5 16. Nb5 Nc6

14... Qb4+! 15. Qd2 Qxc4

15. Qc2 Nd7 16. a3 c5 17. Nxe6 Qxe6 18. O-O Ne5 19. Rfd1 Rfd8 20. Qb3 b6 21. Rd5
Rxd5 22. cxd5 Qd6 23. Rd1 h5 24. a4 Rd8 25. Bf1 Kh7 26. Be2 h4 27. Rd2 hxg3 28.
hxg3 Qh6! 29. Qd1
29. Qc3 Nf7

29... Kg6 30. Kg2?

30. Qf1 Rh8 31. Qg2 Kf7

30... Rh8 31. Qg1

31. Bh5+

31... Qh3# 0-1

Game 9

Mark Kernighan (2210) - Greg Tomkovich (1718) [D56]

Kenilworth Chess Club Chp./Kenilworth, NJ (4) 2006

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 h6 7. Bh4 Ne4

I think these players have had this position against each other many times.

8. Bxe7 Qxe7 9. Nxe4 dxe4 10. Nd2 e5 11. d5 f5 12. Qc2 c6 13. Nb1 cxd5 14. cxd5
Nd7 15. Nc3 Nf6 16. Be2 Rd8 17. O-O a6 18. a4 Qc5 19. Qb3 b6= 20. Rac1 Qd6 21.
Rfd1 Bb7 22. Bc4 Rac8 23. Rc2 Rc5 24. Qa2 Kh8= 25. Rcd2 f4 26. exf4 exf4 27. Rd4
f3

The position is quite sharp and Black rightly plays for a kingside attack. Safer may have
been liquidation by

27... e3!? 28. fxe3 fxe3 29. b3 Qe5 30. Qe2=

28. b4 Rcc8 29. Qb1 fxg2?!

Black misses the strongest shot: 29... b5! 30. axb5 axb5 31. Nxb5 Qe5! (Also strong is
31... Qd7!? 32. Na3! Qg4 (32... Rxc4? 33. Nxc4 Qg4 34. Ne3 ) 33. Bf1 fxg2 34. Bc4
Qh3 ) 32. gxf3 exf3 33. Qg6 Rxc4!! 34. Rxc4 Rxd5 35. Rcd4 Qg5+ 36. Qxg5 Rxg5+
30. Nxe4 Nxe4 31. Qxe4 Re8 32. Qxg2 Qxb4?!

32... Re5 33. f4 Rf5 34. Qe4 Qg6+ 35. Kh1 Qf7=

33. Bxa6 Qe1+??

33... Re1+! 34. Bf1 Qc5 35. Qg4 Rce8

34. Rxe1 Rxe1+ 35. Bf1 Ba6 36. Qg4 Rcc1 37. Kg2 Bxf1+ 38. Kg3 Rc3+ 39. f3 Be2
40. Kf2 Rcc1

40... Bxf3 was somewhat better 41. Qxf3 Rf1+ 42. Kxf1 Rxf3+ 43. Ke2

41. d6 Ba6 42. Rd2 Rf1+ 43. Ke3 Rfe1+ 44. Kf2 Rf1+ 45. Kg3 Rg1+ 46. Rg2 Rgd1 47.
d7 Rc4 48. Qe6 Kh7 49. Qxb6 Rcd4 50. Qxa6 Rxd7 51. Ra2 R7d5 52. Qc4 Rg5+ 53.
Kf2 Rdg1 54. Qe4+ Kh8 55. Re2 R1g2+ 56. Ke3 Rg1 57. Qa8+ Kh7 58. Qe4+ Kh8 59.
Kd2 Ra1 60. Qd4 Rgg1 61. Re8+ 1-0 [Fritz8]

Part Six: White Plays Bf4

One way for White to sidestep the Lasker is by playing Bf4, either in place of Bg5 or
after the Bishop at g5 is attacked by ...h6. White thus avoids the exchanges in the
Lasker, but he does not put as much pressure on Black who can therefore generally
liberate his game with an early c5 advance.

Game 10

Stoyko Lecture #3

Anatoly Tonkonogy - Steve Stoyko [D37]

USATE 1978

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3

a) Next time we will focus our attention on the most critical line, which some call "the
GM point machine": the Exchange Variation with 4. cxd5! In my view, Black should not
choose the semi-Tarrasch route via 4... Nxd5?! which I have used a few times with very
bad results. But let's just get the warning on this line out of the way.(Next time we will
look at 4... exd5! 5. Bg5 Be7 6. e3 h6 (6... c6 7. Bd3 O-O 8. Qc2 h6 9. Bh4 Nbd7 10.
Nf3 Re8 11. O-O Nf8 is too easy for White to play.) 7. Bh4 O-O 8. Bd3 b6!? 9. Nf3
Bb7 10. Qc2 Ne4! 11. Bxe7 Qxe7 12. Bxe4?! dxe4 13. Ne5 Nd7!=) 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3
c5 7. Nf3 cxd4 8. cxd4 Bb4+ ( Fischer's idea from Game 9 with Spassky was 8... Nc6 9.
Bc4 b5!? 10. Bb3! (better than Spassky's 10. Bd3 Bb4+ 11. Bd2 Bxd2+ 12. Qxd2 a6 13.
a4 O-O 14. Qc3 Bb7 15. axb5 axb5 16. O-O Qb6 17. Rab1 b4 18. Qd2 Nxd4 19. Nxd4
Qxd4 20. Rxb4 Qd7 21. Qe3 Rfd8 22. Rfb1 Qxd3 23. Qxd3 Rxd3 24. Rxb7 g5 25.
Rb8+ Rxb8 26. Rxb8+ Kg7 27. f3 Rd2 28. h4 h6 29. hxg5 hxg5 1/2-1/2 Spassky,B-
Fischer,R/Reykjavik 1972 (29)) (also played is 10. Be2 Bb4+ 11. Bd2 Qa5 12. a4
Bxd2+ 13. Qxd2 Qxd2+ 14. Kxd2 b4 15. Bb5 Bd7 16. Rac1 Nd8 17. Bxd7+ Kxd7 18.
Ne5+ Kd6 19. Rc5 f6 20. Nc4+ 1-0 Vaisser,A-Campora,D/Grand Canaria 1993 (44))
10... Bb4+ 11. Bd2 Bxd2+ 12. Qxd2 O-O 13. O-O Bb7 14. d5 Na5 15. dxe6 Nxb3 16.
exf7+ Rxf7 17. Qxd8+ Rxd8 18. axb3 Bxe4 19. Ng5 Re7 20. Nxe4 Rxe4 21. Rxa7 1-0
Rustemov,A-Feoktistov,A/Moscow 1994 (45)) 9. Bd2 Bxd2+ 10. Qxd2 O-O and Black
would have good pawns for the ending if he exchanged Rooks, etc., and made the White
center seem overextended. But the key attacking maneuver is to avoid exchanges on the
c-file and play Rfe1, Rad1!, Bd3, and eventually d5! exd5 e5! with good attacking
chances on the kingside. 11. Bc4 b6 12. O-O Bb7 13. Rfe1 Nc6 14. Rad1! Rc8 15. d5
Na5 16. Bd3! exd5 17. e5! Nc4 (17... Rc6 18. Nd4 Rh6 19. f4 Nc6 20. Nf5 Re6 21.
Nd6 Rxd6 22. exd6 Qxd6 23. Kh1 Rd8 24. Qe3 g6 25. f5 Khenkin-Straeter,
Recklinghausen 1996) 18. Qf4 Nb2? (18... g6 19. Qh6!? f5 ) 19. Bxh7+! Kxh7 (19...
Kh8? 20. Ng5! ) 20. Ng5+ Kg6 (20... Kg8 21. Qh4 Re8 22. Qh7+ Kf8 23. e6! ) 21.
h4 Qe7!? the latest attempt by Black, but White's attack is winning.( Previously tried
were 21... Rc4 22. h5+! Kxh5 23. g4+ Kh6 24. Qh2+ forced mate in Avrukh-Donk, Lost
Boys 1998) (and 21... Nxd1 22. h5+ Kh6 23. Ne6+ Gurevich-Massana, New York
1985) 22. Rd2 Rc4 (22... Nc4 23. Rd3 ) 23. Qg3 ( 23. h5+!) 23... Kh6 24. Rxb2 f6 25.
Nf3 Re4 26. Rbe2 Kh7 27. exf6 gxf6 28. Rxe4 dxe4 29. Qf4 Rg8 30. Nd4 Qe5 31. Qe3
f5 32. Ne2 Rc8 33. Rd1 Bc6 34. Qg5 Rg8 35. Qh5+ Kg7 36. Ng3 Kf6 37. Qh6+ Rg6
38. Nh5+ 1-0 Dreev,A-Jussupow,A/Mainz GER 2003 (38)

b) 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 h6 7. Bxf6 is another common way for White to avoid
the Lasker's - though it is really to avoid the Tartakower of course.(7. Bh4 Ne4 8. Bxe7
Qxe7 9. Rc1 (9. cxd5?! Theory condemns this move, though it is very commonly
played. 9... Nxc3 10. bxc3 exd5 11. Qb3 Rd8 12. c4 dxc4 13. Bxc4 Nc6 14. Qc3 Bg4
15. Be2 Bxf3 16. gxf3 Rd6 and Black does well.) (9. Qc2 Nxc3 10. Qxc3 c6!? 11. Bd3
dxc4 12. Bxc4 Nd7 13. O-O c5!? is similar to the main line here.) 9... Nxc3 10. Rxc3
c6 (10... dxc4 11. Bxc4 Nd7 12. O-O c5 is the same) 11. Bd3 dxc4 12. Bxc4 Nd7 13. O-
O and now Steve's recommended novelty 13... c5!? has received a very recent and
local test in last week's tournament: 14. dxc5 Nxc5 15. Qd4 Rd8 16. Qf4 b6 (16... a5!?
17. Ne5! (17. Rfc1 b6=) (17. a3 a4=) 17... Na4!? (17... f6!?) 18. Rc2 (18. Rb3 Qc7 19.
Rc1 b6! 20. e4!? Nc5! 21. Rg3 Kh7!=) 18... Nb6 19. Rfc1 (19. Bb3 a4) 19... Nxc4 20.
Rxc4 f6 21. Ng6 Qf7 Goeller / Fritz) 17. b4 Nd7 18. Bb5 (18. Qc7!? Re8 19. Bb5
Qxb4 20. Rb3 Qe7 21. Bc6 Rb8 22. Rc1 ) 18... e5?! Kernighan-Tomkovich,
Kenilworth Classic G-30 2005(18... Nf6! 19. Bc6 ) 19. Qe4 ) 7... Bxf6 White has
surrendered the two Bishops, but if he is allowed he will develop an attack on the h6-
weakness by g4, h4, and g5 combined with Qc2 and O-O-O. Nasty stuff. 8. Qb3 (8. Qd2
makes less sense to me 8... c6 ( White's idea is to defend the Knight in anticipation of
8... c5 9. dxc5) 9. Rc1 Nd7 and the queen seems misplaced) (8. Qc2 c5 9. O-O-O?!
Black must ckly counter-attack or else White will play h4, g4, and g5 -- takes just three
moves.(9. dxc5 Qa5 (9... dxc4 10. Bxc4 Qa5 11. O-O Bxc3 12. Qxc3 Qxc3 13. bxc3
Nd7 14. c6 bxc6 15. Rab1 Nb6 16. Be2 c5 1/2-1/2 Zvjaginsev,V-Beliavsky,A/Essen
GER 2000 (16)) 10. cxd5 exd5 see Beliavsky's games from this position.) 9... cxd4 10.
Nxd4 Nc6 11. Nxc6 bxc6 12. Bd3 Rb8 13. g4 Qa5 14. h4 Ba6 15. g5 Rxb2 16. Qxb2
Bxc3 17. Qb3 dxc4 18. Bxc4 Bxc4 19. Qxc4 Rb8 20. a4 Bb4 21. Qxc6 Ba3+ 22. Kc2
Qf5+ 23. Kc3 Bb2+ 24. Kd2 Qxf2+ 25. Kd3 Rb3+ 26. Ke4 Qf5# Knudsen-Stentebjerg
1985) 8... dxc4! "actively!"(8... c6 "plays too defensively" and "does not solve the
problem of the queenside.") 9. Bxc4 (9. Qxc4!?) 9... c5 10. dxc5 (10. d5!? Bxc3+! 11.
bxc3 exd5 12. Bxd5 Qc7 13. O-O Nc6 14. c4 Bd7 15. Rfd1 Rfe8 16. a3 Rac8 17. h3
Be6 18. Bxe6 Rxe6 19. Rd5 Ne7 20. Rd3 Nf5 21. Rad1 Rd6 22. Rxd6 Nxd6= 0-1
Krivoshey,S-Kasimdzhanov,R/Solingen GER 2003 (59)) 10... Nd7 11. Ne4 Nxc5 12.
Nxf6+ Qxf6 13. Qc2 b6 14. O-O Bb7 15. Nd4 Rac8 16. Qe2 e5 17. Nb3 b5 18. Nxc5
Rxc5 19. Bb3 a5 20. e4 Rfc8 21. Rad1 a4 22. Bd5 Ba6 23. Qe3 b4 24. Rc1 Rc2 25.
Rxc2 Rxc2 26. Rb1 Re2 27. Qf3 Bd3 28. Rc1 Rxb2 29. Qxf6 gxf6 30. Rc8+ Kg7 31. h3
Bb1 32. Rb8 a3 33. g4 b3 34. Rxb3 Rxb3 35. Bxb3 Bxe4 36. Kh2 f5 37. gxf5 Bxf5 38.
Kg3 f6 39. Kh4 Bg6 40. Kg4 f5+ 41. Kh4 Kf6 42. Bc2 f4 43. Bb3 Bf7 44. Bxf7 Kxf7
45. Kg4 Kg6 Reti-Tartakower, Hastings 1926 is a classic game here.

4... Be7 5. Bf4 O-O 6. e3 c5! 7. dxc5 Bxc5 8. Qc2 Nc6

threatening ...d4

9. Rd1

If 9. O-O-O!? Black must again attack like crazy on the queenside.

9... Qa5

to nullify the Knight

10. a3

surprisingly White is not threatening b4 due to Nxb4!

10. Be2 Nb4 11. Qb3 dxc4 12. Bxc4 Nbd5 13. Be5 Bb4 14. O-O Nxc3 15. bxc3 Be7 16.
Bb5 b6 17. Nd2 Ba6 18. a4 Bxb5 19. axb5 a6 20. Rb1 Nd7 21. Nc4 Qxb5 22. Qxb5
axb5 23. Rxb5 Nxe5 24. Nxe5 Rfc8 25. Rxb6 Rxc3 1/2-1/2 Brodsky,M-
Onischuk,A/Sochi RUS 2005 (25)

10... Re8!
Beliavsky's improvement. This is much more active than ...Be7 because it allows the
Bishop to retreat to f8 leaving the Rook to support Pe5.

a) The book move 10... Be7 has certainly been proven equal in many games, especially
Karpov's match with Korchnoi: 11. Nd2 (11. Rd2!? Rd8 12. cxd5 Nxd5 (12... exd5 13.
Be2 Bg4 14. O-O Bxf3 15. Bxf3 d4) 13. Nxd5 exd5 14. Bd3 h6 15. O-O Bf6 16. Qb3?
Bg4 (16... g5! ) 17. Rfd1 Rd7 18. h3 Bxf3 19. gxf3 d4= 1/2-1/2 Browne,W-Karpov,A
(35)) 11... e5 12. Bg5 d4 13. Nb3 Qd8 (13... Qb6 14. Bxf6 Bxf6 15. Nd5 Qd8 16. Bd3
g6 17. exd4 Nxd4 18. Nxd4 exd4 19. Nxf6+ Qxf6 20. O-O Be6 21. Rfe1 Rac8 22. b3
Rfd8 23. Be4 Rc7 24. Qd2 Bg4 25. f3 Be6 26. a4 b6 27. a5 b5 28. cxb5 Bxb3 29. Rb1
Bd5 30. b6 axb6 31. Rxb6 Rc6 32. Rxc6 Bxc6 33. Bd3 Bd7 34. a6 Bf5 35. Qf4 Kg7 36.
Bxf5 Qxf5 37. Qxf5 gxf5 38. Ra1 d3 39. Kf2 Re8 40. Ra2 Re7 41. Rd2 Re6 42. a7 1/2-
1/2 Korchnoi,V-Karpov,A/Baguio City 1978 (42)) 14. Be2 a5 (14... h6 15. Bxf6 Bxf6
16. O-O Be6 17. Nc5 Qe7 18. Nxe6 Qxe6 19. Nd5 Rad8 20. Bd3 Ne7 21. Nxf6+ Qxf6
22. exd4 exd4 23. Rfe1 Rd7 24. Re4 Nc6 25. Qe2 g6 26. Re1 Kg7 27. b4 b6 28. Qg4
Rfd8 29. h4 h5 30. Qg3 Qd6 31. f4 Re7 32. Rxe7 Nxe7 33. Re5 a5 34. Rxh5 axb4 35.
axb4 Qxb4 36. Rb5 Qd2 37. Kh2 Qe3 38. Rxb6 Ra8 39. Qxe3 dxe3 40. Rb2 Ra3 41.
Be4 Rc3 1/2-1/2 Korchnoi,V-Karpov,A/Baguio City 1978 (41)) 15. exd4 a4 16. Nxa4
Nxd4 17. Nxd4 exd4 18. b3 Qa5+ 19. Qd2 Bxa3 20. Qxa5 Rxa5 21. Bxf6 Bb4+ 22. Kf1
gxf6 23. Rxd4 Re5 24. g4 b5 25. cxb5 Bb7 26. f3 Rfe8 27. Bd1 Rxb5 28. Kg2 Kg7 29.
Kf2 Ba5 30. Rf1 Re7 31. h3 h6 32. Bc2 Rc7 33. Rc4 Rxc4 34. bxc4 Rb4 35. c5 Bc6
1/2-1/2 Korchnoi,V-Karpov,A (35)

b) 10... dxc4?! is played but leaves the Queen-a5 unhappy.

11. Nd2!

unpinning and threatening b4

11... Bf8!

leaving the possibility of ...e5

Karpov played 11... e5!? 12. Bg5! Nd4! 13. Qb1 Bf5 14. Bd3 e4 15. Bc2 (15. Bf1! )
15... Nxc2+ 16. Qxc2 Qa6 17. Bxf6 Qxf6 18. Nb3 Bd6 19. Rxd5 Re5 20. Nd4 Rc8 21.
Rxe5 Qxe5 22. Nxf5 Qxf5 23. O-O Rxc4 24. Rd1 Qe5 25. g3 a6 26. Qb3 b5 27. a4 Rb4
28. Qd5 Qxd5 29. Rxd5 Bf8 30. axb5 a5 31. Rd8 Rxb2 32. Ra8 f5 33. Rxa5 Bb4 34.
Ra8+ Kf7 35. Na4 Rb1+ 36. Kg2 Bd6 37. Ra7+ Kf6 38. b6 Bb8 39. Ra8 Be5 40. Nc5
Bd6 41. b7 Ke7 42. Rg8 Be5 43. f4 exf3+ 44. Kxf3 Kf7 45. Rc8 Ke7 46. h3 h5 47. Rg8
Kf7 48. Rd8 g5 49. g4 hxg4+ 50. hxg4 Ke7 51. Rg8 fxg4+ 52. Kxg4 Kf7 53. Rc8 Bd6
54. e4 Rg1+ 55. Kf5 g4 56. e5 Rf1+ 57. Ke4 Re1+ 58. Kd5 Rd1+ 59. Nd3 Rxd3+ 60.
Kc4 1-0 Korchnoi,V-Karpov,A/Baguio City 1978 (60).

12. Nb3 Qd8 13. Bg5

the idea is to "exploit" the lack of Be7

13... h6!

Beliavsky's move

14. Bxf6 Qxf6 15. cxd5 exd5 16. Nxd5

White is chuckling here, but all of his pieces other than the Nd5 are on bad squares and
his King is in the center -- and it takes two moves to castle.

16... Qg5! 17. Nc7 Bg4! 18. Rd5

18. Nxa8 Bxd1 19. Qxd1 Rxa8

18. Rd2 Nb4! (18... Rac8!? 19. Nxe8 Na5 20. Nc7 Nxb3 21. Qxb3 Rxc7 ) 19. axb4
Rac8 followed by Bxb4 and / or Re7

18... Nb4!!

18... Rxe3+ 19. fxe3 Qxe3+ 20. Be2 Rc8 21. Qd3 Qxd3 22. Rxd3 Bxe2 23. Kxe2 Rxc7
is insufficient.

19. Rxg5

19. axb4 Bxb4+ 20. Rd2 Rxe3+!!

19... Nxc2+ 20. Kd2 hxg5 21. Nxa8 Nxa3!?

threatening mate

a major improvement may be 21... Rc8! 22. Bd3 Nb4 23. Rc1! Nc6

22. Nc7

22. bxa3? Rxa8

22... Bb4+ 23. Kd3 Rd8+ 24. Nd4 Ba5! 25. bxa3 Bxc7

Black has the bishop pair and outside passer, though White's King is certainly more
active.

26. Be2 Bxe2+?!

securing the draw for the team

26... Be6

27. Kxe2 Bb6 28. Rb1 Bxd4 29. exd4 b6

with an eventual draw in Tonkonogy-Stoyko, US Amateur Teams 1978

1/2-1/2

[Michael Goeller]

Game 11

Mark Kernighan - Steve Stoyko [D56]

Kenilworth Chess Club Championship/Kenilworth, NJ USA (12) 2005

1. d4 d5

I told Mark he would likely face the King's Indian. Oh well. You can never know for
sure what to expect from Steve.

2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Be7 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Bg5 h6

The Lasker Variation of the Queen's Gambit Declined, which Steve has studied and
played for decades.
6. Bf4!?

More usual is 6. Bh4 O-O 7. e3 Ne4 8. Bxe7 Qxe7 followed by the exchange of
Knights, which is the main line of the Lasker Variation. The Bishop retreat to f4 has
been played -- including by Tarrasch and Larsen -- but it is much less usual and
probably less challenging. White sidesteps a possible exchange of pieces but at the cost
of time and pressure on the center. The point of Bg5 is to put pressure on the e4 and d5
squares by attacking the Knight at f6, so most people retreat to h4 to keep up the
pressure. Moving the Bishop to f4 lets up the pressure and also makes the Bishop more
vulnerable to attacks by Nh5 or (after dxc4) Nd5. the move does have the advantage of
securing control over the e5 square, which White should exploit by playing Ne5. But
Black should have no trouble equalizing now.

6... O-O

The most common move. Black can also consider two more immediately active
alternatives:

a) 6... dxc4!? 7. e3 (7. Qa4+ c6 8. Qxc4 O-O 9. e3 Qb6 10. Qb3 Qxb3 11. axb3 Nbd7=
Krajewski-Burmakin) 7... Nd5 8. Be5 f6 9. Bg3 Bb4!? 10. Qc2 b5 11. a4 c6 12. axb5
cxb5 13. e4 Nxc3 14. bxc3 Be7 15. Bxb8 Rxb8 16. Rxa7 Qb6 17. Ra1 O-O 18. Be2
Bb7= as in the earliest recorded game with this line, Tarrasch-Halprin, Vienna 1898.

b) 6... c5!? 7. dxc5 Bxc5 8. e3 Nc6 9. cxd5 exd5 10. Bd3 O-O as in Bent Larsen-Daniel
King, New York 1990, where Black gained activity in exchange for an isolated d-pawn.

7. c5!?

An interesting idea, designed to rule out Black's typical counterplay by ...c5 or ...b6
and ...c5. But the c-pawn can also now become a target and White is spending more
time that could be used for development.

7... b6!

Black can chase White's Bishop with 7... Nh5 8. Bd2 but there is no good follow-up on
the kingside.

8. b4 a5 9. a3 axb4 10. axb4 Rxa1 11. Qxa1 bxc5 12. bxc5 Ba6!

Black risks sacrificing a pawn in order to make it impossible for White to castle or
finish his kingside development easily. Steve now thought that Black was practically
winning, though any computer program you ask thinks that White is much better.
13. Qa5

Steve thought best was to grab the e5 square with 13. Ne5 Nfd7 (13... Ne4!?) 14. Qa5
which looks better than the game continuation, if still better for Black: 14... Nxe5 15.
Bxe5 Qc8 16. Qxc7 (16. Bxc7?! Nc6 17. Qb6 Nxd4 ) (16. e3? Bxf1 17. Rxf1 Nc6 18.
Qxc7 Qa8 ) 16... Nc6!

13... Ne4!

Steve thought that giving up the c-pawn for activity was the best way to emphasize
White's lack of development. Black can also preserve the c-pawn by 13... c6 14. Bc7
Qc8 15. Bxb8 (15. Ne5!? Nfd7) 15... Qxb8 16. Qxa6? (16. Ne5 Bd8 17. Qa3 Qb7 18.
g3!? Bc7 19. Bg2 Ra8 ) 16... Qb4 17. Qd3 Ra8! 18. e3 Ne4 19. Nd2 Nxc3 20. f3 Ra2

14. Bxc7

14. Nxe4 dxe4 15. Bxc7 Qd5! 16. Ne5 Qxd4 17. e3 Qb2

14... Qc8 15. Nxe4 Nc6! 16. Nf6+?!

Giving back the pawn and making Black's task somewhat easier. Black gets excellent
compensation if White tries to hold onto the pawn by 16. Qa4 dxe4! (16... Qxc7 17.
Nc3 Qb7 18. e3 Bxf1 19. Kxf1 Ra8 ) 17. Qxc6 exf3 18. Qb6! (otherwise Bd8 wins the
pinned Bishop at c7) 18... fxe2 19. Bxe2 Bxe2 20. Kxe2 Qa8 (also possible are 20...
e5!? 21. dxe5? Qg4+ or 20... Qd7!? )

16... Bxf6 17. Qb6 Nxd4 18. Nxd4 Bxd4 19. e3

Mark considered 19. Kd2!? Qa8! which just emphasizes the desperate situation of his
uncastled King.

19... Bc3+ 20. Kd1 Bxf1 21. Rxf1 e5!

Q: "What do you do when the King is in the center?" A: "Attack!"

22. Kc2 d4 23. Kb3

23. Kd3 Qf5+ 24. e4 Qf4

23. exd4

23... Qa8!?

This allows White to block the Queen with his c-pawn.

Black infiltrates more quickly by keeping his Queen in the center by either 23... Qd7!
24. c6?! Qd5+!

or 23... Qf5! 24. Kc4 (24. exd4? Qd3!!) 24... Qc2 (not 24... dxe3? 25. Kxc3 e2 26. Re1
Qxf2 27. Kd2 Ra8 28. Bxe5 ) (24... Qg4!?) (24... Rc8!?)

24. c6 Qe8 25. Qb5 Qe6+ 26. Qc4 Qe7 27. Bb6 Rb8 28. c7 Rxb6+!!

Several onlookers were not sure this was possible since they overlooked the critical
following move.

28... Rc8 should also win according to Steve - and confirmed by Fritz

29. Kc2 d3+!! 30. Kc1?

Time pressure, but there is no hope for White.

30. Kxd3 Qd7+ 31. Ke2 (31. Kxc3 Rc6) 31... Rc6 wins the passed c-pawn, leaving
Black a piece up with a continued attack.

30... Qa3+

and mate next move.

0-1

[Michael Goeller]

Game 12

Victor Korchnoi - Anatoly Karpov [D37]

 Baguio City/Baguio City, Phillipines (21) 1978

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. d4 Be7 5. Bf4 O-O 6. e3 c5 7. dxc5 Bxc5 8. Qc2 Nc6
9. Rd1 Qa5 10. a3 Re8!?

Supporting ...e5 directly while clearing the f8 square for the Bishop's retreat.

The book move 10... Be7 does have a better reputation. And to enter into the
complications following 10...Re8!? without plenty of analysis under your belt would be
a mistake.

11. Nd2

a) 11. Be2 e5!? There is really no good safe alternative for Black. 12. cxd5 (12. Bg3
d4!) 12... exf4 13. dxc6 fxe3 14. b4 exf2+ 15. Kf1 Qxa3 16. bxc5 bxc6 Black will
have three pawns for the piece, open lines, and threats on the White King. The idea of
Ra8-b8-b2 is one way of getting the attack going. 17. Qc1 Qa5! 18. h3 Rb8 19. Rd4?
Rb3! 20. Nb1 Rbe3 21. Qd2 Qxd2 22. Nbxd2 (22. Rxd2 Ne4!) 22... Rxe2 0-1
Banas,J-Ac,M/Sala 1987 (22)

b) 11. b4? Nxb4! 12. axb4 Bxb4 13. Be5 Ne4 14. Rc1 f6

c) 11. Ne5?! d4 12. Nxc6 bxc6 13. exd4 (13. Qa4 Qb6 ) 13... Bxd4! 14. Rxd4?! e5

11... e5?

This move is universally condemned. Timman calls it "consistent but bad" and goes on
to speculate that Karpov and his team recognized that it was bad but expected to gain
enough from the element of surprise to simply overwhelm Korchoi with the
complications that follow. In any event, I seek to show in my analysis that Black has
many practical chances here. Beliavsky had analyzed the superior 11... Bf8! but the
complications that follow are difficult for both players to fathom: 12. Nb3 (12. Bg5!?
dxc4! (12... Qd8?! 13. Nde4!) 13. Bxf6 gxf6 14. Nxc4 Qg5!? (14... Qh5 15. Be2 Qg6)
15. g3 (15. Ne4!?) 15... e5 16. Nd6 Bxd6 17. Rxd6 Bf5 ) 12... Qd8 13. Bg5 (13. cxd5
exd5 14. Be2 Be6 ) 13... h6 14. Bxf6 Qxf6 15. cxd5 exd5 16. Nxd5 Qg5 17. Nc7 (17.
h4!?) 17... Bg4 18. Rd5 (18. Rd2 Nb4! 19. axb4 (19. Qb1?! Bf5!) 19... Rac8 ) 18...
Nb4!! 19. Rxg5 Nxc2+ 20. Kd2 hxg5 21. Nxa8 Nxa3 (21... Rc8!? ) 22. Nc7 Bb4+ 23.
Kd3 Rd8+ 24. Nd4 Ba5 25. bxa3 Bxc7 26. Be2 Bxe2+?! (26... Be6 ) 27. Kxe2 Bb6 28.
Rb1 Bxd4 29. exd4 b6 1/2-1/2 .
12. Bg5

12. Bg3!? protecting f2 12... Nd4 13. Qb1 (13. exd4 exd4+ 14. Ne2 Ne4 (14... b6!?)
(14... dxc4!?) 15. b4 (15. cxd5 Bf5 16. Qc4 Nxg3 17. hxg3 d3) 15... Qxa3 16. bxc5
Nxc5 ) 13... Bf5 14. Bd3 e4 15. Bc2 (15. Bf1! Bxa3! 16. exd4 (16. cxd5 Bb4) (16. Rc1
Bb4 17. exd4 e3 18. Nb3! (18. Qxf5 Bxc3 19. bxc3 (19. Rxc3 exd2+ 20. Kxd2 Ne4+)
19... exd2+ 20. Kxd2 Ne4+ ) 18... Bxb1 19. Nxa5 e2 20. Bxe2 Bd3 21. Kd1 Bxe2+ 22.
Nxe2 Bxa5=) (16. bxa3 Qxc3 17. Rc1 Qxa3 ) 16... e3 17. Nb3 (17. Qxf5 exd2+ 18.
Kxd2 Bxb2 ) 17... Qb4 18. Bd3 Bxb2 19. Qxb2 Bxd3 20. Rxd3 exf2+ 21. Kxf2 dxc4
22. Rf3 Ng4+ 23. Kg1 cxb3 24. Nd5 Qc4 25. h3 Re2 26. Qxb3 Qxd4+ 27. Ne3 ) 15...
Nxc2+ 16. Qxc2 dxc4 17. Nxc4 Qa6 18. Nd6 Bxd6 19. Rxd6 b6 20. Qe2 Bc8 21. Nb5?
(21. Qb5 Bb7 ) 21... Bg4! 22. f3? exf3 23. gxf3 Bxf3! 24. Qxf3 Qxb5 25. Rxf6 Qd3
26. Kf2 gxf6 27. Rg1 Kf8 28. Bf4 Rad8 29. Rg4 Re6 30. h4 Qc2+ 31. Kg3 f5 32. Rg5
Qe4 33. h5 Rd2 34. Qf1 Rf6 35. Kh3 Qd5 36. Rg1 Rc6 37. b4 Rcc2 38. Kh4 Qe4 39.
Kh3 Ke7 40. Kg3 Rh2 0-1 Eriksson,O-Arfwedson,G/Corr. Sweden 1979 (40).

12... Nd4 13. Qb1

13. exd4? exd4+ 14. Ne2 Ng4! xf2 d3 15. Bh4 dxc4

13... Bf5 14. Bd3 e4 15. Bc2?!

All sources agree that the "Steinitzian retreat" (Timman) by 15. Bf1! was "winning"
after 15... Ng4 (15... Bxa3!? 16. Bxf6 gxf6 17. cxd5! Bb4 18. exd4 e3 19. Qxf5 Bxc3
20. bxc3 exd2+ 21. Kxd2 ) 16. cxd5! (16. Nxd5? Ne5!? 17. exd4? e3! 18. Qxf5 Nf3+!!
19. Qxf3 exd2#) 16... b5? (16... Ne5!? 17. exd4 (17. Bc4 Rac8) 17... Nf3+ (17...
Bxd4!?) 18. gxf3 exf3+ 19. Nde4 (19. Be3 Bxb1 20. dxc5 Bc2 must offer some
practical chances.) 19... Bxe4 (19... Rxe4+!? 20. Qxe4 Bxe4 21. dxc5 ) 20. Qc1 Bc2+
21. Be3 Bxd1 22. dxc5 Bb3 offers some practical chances for Black.) 17. exd4 e3? 18.
Nb3 1-0 Cunningham,P-Cooper,J/Wales 1981 (18).

15... Nxc2+ 16. Qxc2 Qa6?

16... dxc4! Kholmov 17. Bxf6 gxf6 18. Nxc4 (18. O-O!? Rac8 19. Ndxe4 Qb6 ) (18. b4
cxb3 19. Nxb3 Qxa3 20. Ra1 Qb4 21. Ra4 Qb6 22. Nd5 Qc6!=) 18... Qa6 19. Qe2 (19.
Nd5?! Rac8 20. Qc3 Be7 ) (19. Qa4!? Qxa4 20. Nxa4 Be7! 21. Nd6! Bg4!? 22. Nxe8
Bxd1 23. Nxf6+ Bxf6 24. Kxd1 ) 19... Rac8? (19... Red8! 20. Nd2 Qe6 keeps the two
Bishops and the Queens on the board, providing Black more than sufficient play for his
kingside weakness.) 20. Nd6! Qxe2+ 21. Kxe2 Bg4+ 22. Ke1 Red8 (or 22... Bxd1 23.
Nxe8 ) 23. Nxc8 Bxd1 24. Nxd1 Rxc8 25. Kd2 f5 26. Nc3 Bd6 27. g3 the locked
pawns favor the Knight and Black's doubled f-pawns are a long-term problem 27... Kf8
28. Rc1 Be5 29. Rc2 Kg7 30. Nb1 Rd8+ 31. Ke2 Kf6 32. Nd2 Ke6 33. f3 exf3+ 34.
Nxf3 Bf6 35. Ne1 Rd6 36. Nd3 Rb6 37. b4 Be7 38. Nf4+ Kd7 39. Nd5 Ra6 40. Rc7+
Kd6 41. Rxe7 Kxd5 42. Rxf7 b5?! (42... Rxa3!) 43. Rxf5+ Kc4 44. Rc5+ Kb3 45.
Rxb5 Rxa3 46. Kf3 Ra2 47. h4 Rh2 48. Rb7 a6 49. b5 axb5 50. Rxb5+ Kc4 51. Rh5 1-0
Tatai-Olp/Lucca tt 1978 (51).

17. Bxf6

17. cxd5 Nd7 and White has difficulty getting his king to safety.

17... Qxf6 18. Nb3

18. Nxd5 Qg5 19. O-O (19. g3!?) 19... Bd6! 20. Kh1 Re6

18... Bd6

18... Bf8!? 19. Rxd5 Qg6

19. Rxd5 Re5?

19... Be5 20. Nd4 Bxd4 21. Rxd4 Qg5 22. g3 (22. O-O!? Bh3!? 23. f4 exf3 24. Rxf3 )
(22. Kf1 Rad8 ) 22... Rad8 23. Ne2 Rxd4 24. Nxd4 Bh3 25. Qa4 Rc8

20. Nd4 Rc8 21. Rxe5

21. f4! exf3? 22. Nxf5 fxg2 23. Rg1

21... Qxe5 22. Nxf5

22. f4! Qf6 23. Nxe4 Bxe4 24. Qxe4 Qe7 25. Qxe7 Bxe7 26. Kd2 Rxc4 27. Kd3 Rc8
28. e4 h5 29. b4 g6 30. e5 Kh7 31. Rd1 b6 32. Rd2 a5 33. Rc2 Rxc2 34. Nxc2 axb4 35.
Nxb4 Bc5 36. Kc4 Kg7 37. a4 Bg1 38. h4 Bf2 39. Kb5 Bxh4 40. Kxb6 Bf2+ 41. Kc6 h4
42. a5 g5 43. fxg5 1-0 Massimini Gerbino,M-Van Bommel,T/IECG email 2002 (43)

22... Qxf5 23. O-O

23. Nxe4 b5 24. O-O Rxc4 25. Qd2 Bc7 26. Ng3 Qe6 27. Qd3 g6
23... Rxc4 24. Rd1 Qe5 25. g3 a6 26. Qb3 b5 27. a4 Rb4 28. Qd5 Qxd5 29. Rxd5 Bf8
30. axb5 a5 31. Rd8 Rxb2 32. Ra8 f5 33. Rxa5 Bb4 34. Ra8+ Kf7 35. Na4 Rb1+ 36.
Kg2 Bd6 37. Ra7+ Kf6 38. b6 Bb8 39. Ra8 Be5 40. Nc5 Bd6 41. b7 Ke7 42. Rg8 Be5
43. f4 exf3+ 44. Kxf3 Kf7 45. Rc8 Ke7 46. h3 h5? 47. Rg8 Kf7 48. Rd8 g5 49. g4
hxg4+ 50. hxg4 Ke7 51. Rg8 fxg4+ 52. Kxg4 Kf7 53. Rc8 Bd6 54. e4 Rg1+ 55. Kf5 g4
56. e5 Rf1+ 57. Ke4 Re1+ 58. Kd5 Rd1+ 59. Nd3 Rxd3+ 60. Kc4 1-0

[Michael Goeller]

Part Seven: The Exchange Variation

The biggest challenge as Black in the Queen's Gambit Declined is not the main line
where White allows Black to resolve the tension in the center but the Exchange
Variation where White resolves the tension in the center with 4.cxd5 exd5. The resulting
positions allow White to use his superior piece activity and to develop certain pawn
strategies (either by supporting a central advance at e4 or a minority attack by b4-
b5xc6). However, Black is not without counterplay, and his best chance often lies in a
timely ...Ne4! as in the Lasker.

Steve Stoyko Lectures on the Exchange Variation

Game 13

Stoyko Lecture #4

Ermenkov - Seret [D36]

Stockholm 1969 (fragment)

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6

3... Be7!? avoids some of the main lines with Bg5.

4. cxd5 exd5

Steve began by saying a few words about the pawn structure of the Exchange Variation.
He noted that superficially it appears that Black is helped by the exchange of central
pawns because the light-squared Bishop is liberated and the tension in the center is
resolved without any immediate gain for White. But, long-term, White has the minority
attack once Black plays ...c6 (which is almost inevitable). The minority attack (with b2-
b4-b5xc6) can leave Black with a crippled pawn at c6 or an isolated pawn at d5. So no
matter how you slice it, Black is going to get a bad endgame. So what can be done? One
option is to play an early ...a5 to trade White's pawn after a3 and b4, Pa5xb5 Pa3xb4
and then play the ugly looking ...b5!? but only if he can play Nd7-b6-c4 or Nf6-e8-d6-
c4. Of course, the timing is everything in this line. Black can also play for his own
minority attack after White's e3 advance by playing f7-f5-f4xe3 with similar
advantageous possibilities to White's minority attack on the other side. But this is the
type of game that goes on and on. It is a lifetime study. Unlike the Colle, where White
has just one plan and Black can easily nullify it, in the Exchange White has plans upon
plans, Black has counter-plans, and White has counter-counter plans, and it goes on and
on. Where do the pieces go? For White, typically (for the Minority Attack) Nf3, Nc3,
Bg5 (or Bf4 but g5 is better), Rb1 (to support b2-b4-b5), Qc2, Bd3, O-O, and Rc1. For
Black, things are more limited and that's part of the advantage that White has. Black
plays Nf6, Be7, O-O, maybe Re8, Qd8, Ra8 (until you know where to put it), Nbd7
(possibly redeploying to 8). Let's see how this plays out in practice.

In a previous lecture we looked at the Semi-Tarrasch with 4... Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3
which has practically disappeared from GM play due to work by Spassky, Tal, and
Geller. It is not recommended.

5. Bg5 Be7 6. e3

6. Qc2!?

6... c6

Defending the d-pawn directly and b-pawn indirectly because Black will be able to play
Qc7 or Qb6.

6... Bf5? 7. Qb3 hitting the b- and d- pawns and picking up material.(7. Bxf6 Bxf6 8.
Qb3)

7. Qc2!

7. Bd3?! Ne4!? 8. Bf4 Bf5 9. f3?! Nxc3 10. bxc3 Bxd3 11. Qxd3 O-O=

7... O-O

7... Ne4?? 8. Bxe7 Qxe7 9. Nxd5

8. Bd3 Nbd7
8... h6?! such weakening kingside moves invite White to switch gears and play for
direct attack on the kingside by O-O-O, h4, and g4-g5.

9. Nf3

9. Nge2!? keeps open the possibility of O-O-O and storming the king or playing for f3
and e4 in the center.

9... Re8 10. O-O Nf8

with the plan of Bg4-h4-g6 nullifying the White Bishop--if he gives us the time.

10... h6!? might be safe after O-O by White

11. Bxf6

Reshevsky Variation-eliminates the possibility of Ne4 and speeds the development of

the minority attack. There are several alternatives:

a) 11. Rab1 Minority Attack main line 11... a5 Black can also gain a move by waiting
for Pb4 and playing ...Pa6 with the same inevitable exchange of pawns and slowing of
White's attack. 12. a3 Ng6!? with the idea of ...Ne4 and White has no Bf4(12... Ne4 13.
Bf4! is the main problem with Black's advance.(13. Nxe4 dxe4 ) (13. Bxe4 Bxg5 14.
Nxg5 Qxg5=) (13. Bxe7 Qxe7 14. b4 axb4 15. axb4 Bf5!? (15... b5?! 16. Bxe4 dxe4 17.
Ne5 ) ) 13... Bd6?! (13... f5 14. Ne5) 14. Nxe4!? Bxf4 15. exf4 dxe4 16. Bxe4 ) 13. b4
axb4 14. axb4 Ne4 15. Bxe7 Qxe7 16. Rfc1 Bg4 and Black is getting some activity on
the kingside 17. Bxe4 (17. Nd2? played by Taimanov-Nezh 17... Nxd2 (17... Nxf2! is
also very strong) 18. Qxd2 Nh4! 19. Bf1 Qg5 20. f4!? (20. Kh1? Bf3!! 21. gxf3 Nxf3 )
20... Qg6!? (20... Qe7) 21. Bd3 Bf5 (21... Nf3+!? 22. gxf3 Bf5+ ) 22. Bxf5 Nxf5 )
17... dxe4 18. Nd2 with the idea of Nf1 or Nxe4 and Na4, b5, etc. But Black can attack
the king, perhaps with Rd8-d5-h5!? 18... f5 (18... Bf5 19. b5)

b) 11. Rae1 Botvinnik Variation, where the plan is Ne5 followed by f4!? or f3 and e4
with strong central control. Botvinnik had great success with this type of plan -- witness
Botvinnik-Capablanca, Avro 1938. It is discussed by Angus Dunnington in "Attacking
with 1.d4."

c) 11. h3 Karpov Variation, which is very nuanced and basically a very high-class
waiting move, waiting for Black to commit himself so that White can make a suitable
counter-plan. Yermolinsky does a good job of covering this in his Road to Chess
Improvement.
11... Bxf6 12. b4

speeding up the minority attack by foregoing Rb1. But if you give Black time he might
play Qd6, Bd8-c7, and Bg4 and possibly f7-f5-f4 with real attacking chances.

12... Qd6!?

12... Bg4 13. Nd2 Rc8 14. Bf5! Bxf5 15. Qxf5 Be7 Euwe-Guimard(15... Ne6
Reshevsky) 16. Rab1 a6 17. a4 Bd6 18. Rb3 Re6 19. Rfb1 Rf6 20. Qd3 Rh6 21. f4 g5

12... a6! 13. a4

13. b5!

If White doesn't go for this advance, he may be slowed by ...a6.

13. Rab1 a6 14. a4 Bg4 15. Nd2 Bd8 16. b5 Bc7 17. g3 axb5 18. axb5 c5!?

13... Bg4!

13... c5!? 14. dxc5 Qxc5 15. Ne4 Qe7 16. Nxf6+ Qxf6 17. Nd4 Be6 18. Rac1

14. bxc6 bxc6 15. Nd2 Bd8 16. Rfc1

and both side s have achieved their standard set-ups to pursue plans attacking on
opposite sides -- with Black focusing on the White king and White on Black's queenside
pawns. Black has to watch out for the Nb5 shot here after Bc7 and Nf1. Standard is the
Rook lift via Re6-h6 to help defend the c-pawn laterally. White likely retains an edge,
but Black holds his own. Our main game concluded: 16...Re6 17.Nf1 Bh4 18.Rab1 Rf6
19.Ng3 Bxg3 20.hxg3 h5 21.e4 Rh6 22.e5 Qd8 23.f3 h4 24.fxg4 hxg3 25.Ne2 Qh4
26.Kf1 Qxg4 27.Qd2 Ne6 28.Rb4 Nf4 29.Ng1 Nxd3 30.Rcb1 Qf5+ 31.Ke2 Nxb4
32.Qxb4 Qc2+ 33.Ke3 Rh4 34.Nh3 Re4+ 35.Kf3 Qd3+ 0-1 Ermenkov- Seret,
Stockholm 1969 -- see next game below.

[Stoyko and Goeller]

Game 14

Evgenij Ermenkov - Jean Luc Seret [D36]

Wch U20 prel-F/Stockholm (5) 1969

1. d4 e6 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 d5 4. Nc3 Nbd7 5. cxd5 exd5 6. Bg5 Be7 7. e3 O-O 8. Bd3
Re8 9. O-O c6 10. Qc2 Nf8 11. Bxf6 Bxf6 12. b4 Qd6

12... a6

13. b5! Bg4 14. bxc6 bxc6 15. Nd2 Bd8 16. Rfc1 Re6

Black defends the weakended c-pawn laterally with Queen and Rook so that he can also
use those pieces to begin a kingside attack.

17. Nf1! Bh4!?

An unusual place for the Bishop, which usually goes to c7, but White's timing prevents
Black's typical set-up due to a tactical trick.

17... Bc7? 18. Nb5!

18. Rab1

18. Na4! Rf6 19. f3 Bh5 20. Nc5 Bg6 21. Rab1

18... Rf6 19. Ng3?! Bxg3 20. hxg3 h5 21. e4 Rh6 22. e5 Qd8 23. f3 h4! 24. fxg4

24. gxh4 Qxh4 25. fxg4 Qh2+ 26. Kf1 Qg3! 27. Re1 Ne6!

24... hxg3 25. Ne2 Qh4 26. Kf1 Qxg4 27. Qd2 Ne6 28. Rb4 Nf4 29. Ng1 Nxd3 30.
Rcb1 Qf5+ 31. Ke2 Nxb4 32. Qxb4 Qc2+ 33. Ke3 Rh4 34. Nh3 Re4+ 35. Kf3 Qd3# 0-1

Game 15

Max Euwe - Carlos Guimard [D36]

New York (6) 1951

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bg5 Nbd7 5. e3 Be7 6. Nf3 O-O 7. cxd5 exd5 8. Bd3 c6
9. Qc2 Re8 10. O-O Nf8 11. Bxf6 Bxf6 12. b4 Bg4 13. Nd2 Rc8!?

Discouraging b5 with White's Queen at c2 and avoiding an exchange of Rooks on the a-

file.

14. Bf5 Bxf5 15. Qxf5 Be7 16. Rab1 a6

An earlier advance by ... a5 followed by ...axb4 axb4 typically amounts to the same
thing as ...a6 and a4 plus b5 ...axb5 axb5 etc.

17. a4 Bd6 18. Rb3 Re6!

Black must play vigorously for a kingside attack. The Rook also can serve as a defender
of c6 on the 6th rank.

19. Rfb1 Rf6 20. Qd3 Rh6 21. f4 g5!

21... Qh4!? 22. Nf3

22. g3 gxf4 23. exf4 Ne6 24. Ne2 Qf8 25. Nf1 f5!?

25... Re8!

26. Ne3 Ng7 27. b5 axb5 28. axb5 Re6 29. bxc6 bxc6 30. Nc3 Rce8 31. Ncd1 Qe7 32.
Kg2 h5 33. Nxf5 Re2+ 34. Kf3 Qe6 35. Nde3 Rxh2 36. Nxd6 Qxd6 37. R3b2 Rxb2 38.
Rxb2 Re4= 39. Nc4?

39. Rb6

39... Qe6?

39... dxc4! 40. Qxc4+ (40. Qxe4 Qa3+ ) 40... Qd5!

40. Rb8+! Ne8 41. Rxe8+!

simplifying to a won ending.

41... Qxe8 42. Nd6 Qd7 43. Nxe4 dxe4+ 44. Qxe4 Qg4+ 45. Kg2 h4 46. Qe8+ Kg7 47.
Qe7+ Kg6 48. Qd6+ Kf7 49. Qc7+ Kf8 50. Qd8+ Kf7 51. Qxh4 Qe2+ 52. Kh3 Qf1+
53. Kg4 Qe2+ 54. Kg5 Qe7+ 55. Kh5 Qe4 56. Qg4 Qh7+ 57. Kg5 Qg7+ 58. Kf5 Qh7+
59. Ke5 Qh8+ 60. Ke4 Qh1+ 61. Qf3 Qe1+ 62. Kf5 Qe6+ 63. Kg5 Kg7 64. Kh4 Qf6+
65. Kh3 Qh6+ 66. Kg2 Qg6 67. Qe2 Kf8 68. f5 Qg5 69. f6 Qd5+ 70. Kh3 Kf7 71. Qe7+
Kg6 72. Qg7+ 1-0

Game 16
 Carsten Hoi - Carlos Perdomo [D36]

Yerevan,ARM ol32 (4) 1996

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bg5 Nbd7 5. e3 Be7 6. Nf3 O-O 7. cxd5 exd5 8. Bd3 c6
9. Qc2 Re8 10. O-O Nf8 11. Bxf6 Bxf6 12. b4 Bg4 13. Nd2 a6

A good way o slow White's progress on the queenside, but Black has done well with
other moves.

a) 13... Be7 14. Rab1 Bd6 15. Bf5 Bh5 16. Rfc1 g6 17. Bd3 Qg5 18. Ne2 Nd7 19. h3
a6! 20. a4 Rac8 21. Nf1 Bxe2 22. Bxe2 Qe7 23. Qb3 Nf6 1/2-1/2 Timman,J-Kasparov,G

b) 13... Rc8 14. Rfc1 Be7 15. b5 c5?! (15... Ba3!? 16. Rcb1 Qg5 17. bxc6 Bh3 18. g3
bxc6 ) (15... cxb5 16. Qb3 ) 16. a4? (16. Bf5! Bxf5 17. Qxf5 cxd4 18. Nxd5! ) 16...
cxd4! 17. exd4 Bb4 18. Ndb1 Qg5 19. Qb2 Bf3 (19... Bd6 ) 20. g3 Bxc3 21. Nxc3
Ne6 22. Nd1 Rxc1 23. Qxc1 Nxd4 24. Bf1 Qe5 25. Qe3 Be4 26. Nc3 Nc2 0-1
Uhlmann,W-Klovans,J/Gladenbach GER 1999

14. Bf5 Bxf5 15. Qxf5 Be7 16. a3 Bd6 17. Nb3 Re6 18. g3 Rf6 19. Qg4 Rg6 20. Qf5
Rf6?!

Basically a draw offer more than a move. Best was

20... Ne6! 21. Rfe1 (21. e4 Rg5 22. Qf3 dxe4 23. Nxe4 Rd5) 21... Ng5 22. e4 Nxe4 23.
Nxe4 dxe4 24. Rxe4 Rg5 25. Qf3 Rd5=

21. Qc2 Qc8 22. Nc5 h5 23. e4 dxe4 24. N3xe4 Rg6 25. f4 Bxc5 26. dxc5 Qf5 27.
Rac1?!

27. Qg2! h4 28. Nd6! Qg4 29. f5 Rg5 30. Rf4 Qxf4 31. gxf4 Rxg2+ 32. Kxg2 a5 33. b5

27... h4! 28. Ng5 Qxc2 29. Rxc2 hxg3 30. hxg3 Ne6 31. Nxe6 Rxe6 32. Rd1 Re3 33.
Kh2 Rxa3 34. Rd7 a5 35. bxa5 R8xa5 36. Kh3?

36. Rxb7 Ra2 37. Rxa2 Rxa2+ 38. Kh3 Ra5 39. Rc7 Rxc5

36... Ra2 37. Rc3 R5a3 38. Rc1 Rb2 39. Re1 Rbb3! 40. Kg4?!

40. Rg1 Rc3

40... Rxg3+ 41. Kf5 Rae3 42. Rd8+ Kh7 43. Ra1 Rc3 44. Ra5 Rc4 45. Rd1 g6+ 46. Ke5
Rgc3 47. Kd6 Rxf4 48. Rb1 Rd4+ 49. Kc7 Rd5 0-1
 Game 17

Joan Santana (2200) - Steve Stoyko (2350) [D35]

US Amateur Teams East/Parsippany, NJ USA (4) 2006

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bg5 Be7 6. e3

Theory sometimes recommends 6. Qc2 before developing with e3 and Bd3 so as to

prevent an early ...Bf5 by Black.

6... c6 7. Bd3 O-O

To judge from this game and the one below, this is probably a pretty common opening
error.

8. Nge2?!

More precise is 8. Qc2 to hold the e4 square.

8... Ne4!

Black now qu ickly gets full equality and has the best chances of gaining a kingside
initiative.

9. Bf4!?

Keeping pieces on the board. But now the Bishop becomes a target to aid Black in
developing a kingside initiative. Besides exchanging Bishops with 9.Bxe7, covered in
the next game, White has two alternatives:

a) 9. h4!? f5 (9... Nxg5?! 10. hxg5 Bxg5? 11. Bxh7+ ) (9... f6!? 10. Bf4 f5) 10. Bxe7
Qxe7 11. Nf4 Nd7 12. Bxe4?! fxe4 13. g4 Rf7 Black has too much control on the
kingside for White's attack there to work. 14. g5 Nf8 15. Qe2 Bf5 16. O-O-O Ne6
( Black should already begin his counter-attack with 16... b5!) 17. Rd2?! Raf8 18. Rh2
Bg6?! (18... Nxf4 19. exf4 Qd6 ) 19. Nh5 Bxh5 20. Qxh5 g6 21. Qd1 Rf3 22. a3 Ng7
1/2-1/2 Lagland,G-Kaasalainen,A/Finland 1970 (71) and now Black should have
hurried to get his own queenside initiative going with a rapid ...b5 advance.

b) 9. Bxe4?! Bxg5! 10. Bd3 Nd7 (10... f5!?) 11. Qc2 Nf6 12. O-O-O Bh6 13. Ng3 g6 0-
1 Raineri de Luca,P-Gutierrez,R/Buenos Aires 1997 (31) Black eventually won but
should have gotten his queenside counterattack rolling more quickly.

9... f5 10. O-O?!

10. Qc2 followed by Pf3, keeping open the option of castling queenside, was probably
better: 10... Be6 (10... Nd7 11. f3 Nxc3 (11... Nd6!?) 12. bxc3 Nb6 13. O-O Be6 14. e4
Qd7 15. Ng3 fxe4 16. fxe4 dxe4 17. Bxe4 h6 18. Nh5 Bf5? 19. Bxh6!! Qe6 (19... gxh6
20. Bxf5 ) (19... Bxe4 20. Qxe4 Rxf1+ 21. Rxf1 Rf8 22. Qg6 ) 20. Rxf5 Qxh6 21.
Ng3 Rxf5 22. Nxf5 Qe6 23. Qe2 Bf6 24. Re1 Rd8 25. Qf2 Qc4 26. Nh6+ Kf8 27. Ng4
Nd7 28. Bf5 Qxc3 29. Bxd7 Qxd4 30. Nxf6 1-0 Volzhin,A-Kroencke,M/Bad Wiessee
1999 (30)) 11. f3 Nd6 12. O-O-O b5 13. g4 Na6 14. Bxd6 Bxd6 15. Bxf5 Bxf5 16. gxf5
Qg5 17. Qd2 Rae8 18. e4 Qxd2+ 19. Kxd2 b4 20. Na4 dxe4 21. fxe4 Rxe4 22. Kd3
Rfe8 23. Ng3 Re3+ 24. Kc4 Nc7 25. Rhg1 Nd5 26. Nc5 a5 27. Na4 Rf3 28. Rd3 Ree3
29. Rd2 Nb6+

10... g5! 11. Bg3 Qe8 12. f3 Nxg3 13. Nxg3 f4 14. exf4 gxf4 15. Nge2 Qh5

Lines are open for Black's attack. Now he just has to get the rest of his pieces into the
action.

16. Qd2 Bd6 17. Rf2 Kh8!

Steve liked this move very much, since the best targets are along the g-file and he does
not want to surrender the back rank prematurely by a Rook lift with

17... Rf6!? 18. Re1 Rh6? (18... Be6!) 19. g3!

18. g4?

This can only help Black, but it is exactly the type of attempt at "active defense" to
which all non-masters are prone.

18... fxg3 19. hxg3 Bh3!

Perhaps Black hoped for 19... Rxf3? 20. Rxf3 Qxf3 21. Rf1 - but now the White Rook
is prevented from getting to f1 and Black will get his pawn.

20. Qc2?! Rxf3 21. Bxh7?

Still more useless counter-attacking attempts - though there was no real defense.

21... Bxg3! 22. Rxf3 Qxf3 23. Nxg3 Qxg3+ 24. Kh1 Qh4!

and White resigns. He must lose at least a piece:

25. Bd3

25. Qh2 Kxh7 26. Rg1 Qh6! 27. Rg3 Bf5

25... Bf5+ 26. Kg2 Qh3+

picks up the Bishop at d3.

0-1
 Game 18

Ben Gershenov (1963) - Scott Massey (2212) [D35]

US Amateur Teams East/Parsippany, NJ USA (6) 2006

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bg5 Be7 6. e3 c6 7. Bd3 O-O 8. Nge2?!

Steve had just finished showing me his win in this line from the night before (see
above) when we hustled, a bit late, to find our table. As I sat down next to Scott, this
was the position on the board. I could hardly repress a laugh at the coincidence, of
course.

8... Ne4! 9. Bxe7 Qxe7 10. Bxe4

White exchanges immediately because he plans to play Ng3 and f3 to liquidate Black's
e-pawn and then advance his own e-pawn. As always in the Exchange Variation, there
are a variety of alternative plans, but none cause Black significant problems because of
his active kingside play.

a) If you worry that it would be hard for a non-master to exploit Black's edge here, take
a look at this nice Class-B game with this line: 10. O-O f5! 11. Qc2 Qg5?! with the idea
of discouraging Pf3(11... Be6 12. Nf4 Nd7 13. b4 Ndf6=) 12. Nd1?! (12. Nf4) 12... Nd7
13. f3 Nd6 14. Nf4 Qf6 15. Rc1 g5! 16. Nh3 Rf7 17. Qf2 Nf8 18. Nc3 Qh6 (18... f4!)
19. Qg3 Rg7! 20. Nf2 f4! 21. Ng4 Bxg4 22. Qxg4 fxe3 23. Rce1 Re8 24. Re2 Ng6 25.
Rfe1 Rge7 (25... Nf4! 26. Rxe3 Rxe3 27. Rxe3 Qf6 28. Ne2 h5 29. Qg3 Nxe2+ 30.
Rxe2 Qxd4+ ) 26. Nd1? Nf4! 27. Rxe3 Rxe3 28. Rxe3 Rxe3 29. Bxh7+ Kxh7 30.
Nxe3 Qe6 31. Qxe6 Nxe6 32. Nc2 Nf5 33. Kf2 Nfxd4 34. Nxd4 Nxd4 35. g3 Kg6 36.
Ke3 c5 37. f4 gxf4+ 38. gxf4 Kf5 0-1 Smith,R-Gregory,K/Flint ch-MI class-B 1992
(38)

b) An alternative method for Black of pursuing the kingside initiative that does not
involve an immediate ...f5 push is illustrated in this game, which has a nice finish: 10.
Qc2 Re8 11. O-O Nd7 12. Rab1 Ndf6 13. Nxe4 Nxe4 14. Nc3 Nf6 15. b4 g6 16. h3
Nh5 17. b5 Qg5 18. Kh1 f5 19. Na4 Re6 20. Nc5 Rf6 21. bxc6 bxc6 22. Be2 f4 23. e4
f3 24. Bxf3 Rxf3 25. gxf3 Qh4 0-1 Kelly,R-Hunt,J/IECG email 1996 (25).

10... dxe4 11. O-O

11. Ng3 f5! 12. O-O Be6 13. b3 Na6! (13... Nd7!? seems more natural but allows 14.
d5! cxd5 15. Nxd5 ) 14. Qd2 Rad8 15. f3 exf3 16. gxf3? (16. Rxf3 c5 17. Raf1=) 16...
Nc7 17. Kh1 f4! 18. Nge2 Bh3 19. e4 Bxf1 20. Rxf1 Qh4 21. Rg1 Ne6 22. Qd3 Ng5
23. Nd1 Qh5 24. Qc4+ Kh8 25. Qc5 Qxf3+ 26. Rg2 Qf1+ 27. Rg1 Qxe2 28. Qxg5 Qf3+
29. Qg2 Qxg2+ 30. Rxg2 Rxd4 31. Nf2 Rd2 32. Ng4 Rfd8 33. e5 h5 34. Nf2 f3 0-1 Von
Malm,H-Brenner,S/Germany 1993 (34)

11... Bf5!?

Black's idea is to develop the Bishop before pushing with f5, but this turns out to be a
little slow. Two better plans suggest themselves:

a) Fritz likes 11... Bg4!? 12. Qc2 Bxe2 13. Qxe2 f5=

b) After the game, Steve Stoyko suggested 11... f5 12. Nf4!? Be6! 13. Qh5 Nd7 and
Black's plan is to play Nf6, Rf7, g5, Kh8, and Rg8 (in a logical and tactically sound
order), eventually developing a kingside initiative.

12. Ng3 Bg6 13. f3 exf3 14. Qxf3 Nd7

14... f5!? 15. e4?! fxe4 16. Qxf8+ Qxf8 17. Rxf8+ Kxf8 18. Rf1+ Ke7 19. Ncxe4 Na6
20. Nf5+ Bxf5 21. Rxf5 Rd8

15. Rae1 Rae8 16. e4 c5!

Black's idea is to gain the dark squares.

17. d5?!

This just aids Black in his plan. Better perhaps

17. Nd5 Qd6 18. Qd1!?=

17... Ne5! 18. Qe3 b6 19. Nf5

Stoyko thought this just helps Black, since the Knight is a better piece than the Bishop,
but it s hard to see what White does otherwise.

19... Bxf5 20. Rxf5

20. exf5!? f6

20... Qh4!

Vying for the initiative, but never expecting White to walk right into a cute combination.

21. Ref1??
21... Qxh2+! 22. Kxh2 Ng4+ 23. Kg3 Nxe3 24. a4 f6 25. R1f3 Nxf5+ 26. Rxf5 Re7 27.
Rf1 Kf7 28. Nb5 Rd8 29. Nc3 a6 30. Kf3 Re5 31. Rh1 h6 32. g4 Ke7 33. Rh2 Rh8 34.
Rg2 Rg5 35. Ne2 h5

and White resigns.

0-1

Game 19

Thomas Bartell (2350) - Mark Kernighan (2216) [D35]

Westfield Action Quads/Westfield, NJ USA 2005

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bg5 Be7 6. e3 O-O 7. Bd3 c6 8. Nge2

Ne4! 9. Bf4 Bf5!?

9... f5!

10. O-O Nxc3?! 11. bxc3 Bxd3 12. Qxd3

Black has removed some pieces but strengthened White's center. His next exchange
only serves to help White further.

12... Bd6 13. f3!?

13. Rfb1 b6 14. a4 gives White an easy edge with a queenside attack.

13... Bxf4 14. Nxf4 Qc7 15. Qd2

15. Qf5!?

15... Nd7 16. e4 Nb6!

White has achieved his goal and will eventually build up a kingside initiative. But Black
is not without chances, especially due to the weak c-pawn and c4-square.

17. Rae1 Rac8?!

17... Rae8 18. e5 Nc4 19. Qc1 (19. Qf2 f6) 19... Qa5

17... Nc4=

18. e5 c5!? 19. Nh5 Qe7 20. Qf4 Rc6 21. Qg3
an interesting maneuver, which forces Black's Rook to g6 where it will be attacked by
the f-pawn.

21. Ng3!? g6

21... Rg6 22. Qf2 cxd4 23. cxd4 Rc8 24. f4! Rh6 25. Ng3 Qh4! 26. h3 Rhc6 27. Qf3
Qe7?!

27... Rc3!=

28. f5

28. Nf5 Qd7 29. Nd6

28... Qh4 29. Ne2 Nc4 30. Rd1 Ra6

With the "threat" of Rxa2 or Ra3--and thinking the d-pawn is protected by a tactical
trick. ..but is it? White has tactics of his own and they are better.

30... Qe4!? 31. Qxe4 dxe4

31. Qxd5! Ne3?

31... Rxa2 32. Qxb7 Qd8

32. Qxb7 Rac6 33. Rc1!

33. e6?! R8c7 (33... Nxd1? 34. Qxf7+ Kh8 35. e7 ) 34. Qb8+ Rc8 35. exf7+ Kf8 36.
Qb4+ Qe7

33... Qe4??

A time blunder in an otherwise still difficult position for both sides. Black was down to
Game in 3 minutes. Forced is

33... Rxc1 34. Nxc1! Qd8 35. Re1 Nc2 36. Re4 Nxd4 37. Ne2

34. Qxc8+!

A pattern that we should remember from "Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess"! After 34.
..Rxc8 then 35.Rxc8# is mate.

1-0

Game 20

Mark Taimanov - Rashit Nezhmetdinov [D36]

 USSR 1954

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 e6 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Nf3 Nf6 6. Bg5 Be7 7. Qc2 Nbd7 8. e3 O-O
9. Bd3 Re8 10. O-O Nf8 11. Rab1 a5 12. a3 Ne4 13. Bxe7 Qxe7 14. b4 axb4 15. axb4
Ng6!?

The key move to the modern system of Black counter-attack.

16. b5 Bg4 17. Nd2?!

17. Bxe4! dxe4 18. Nd2 f5!? 19. bxc6 bxc6 20. Rb6 Qg5 21. Kh1 Nh4 22. Rg1!

17... Nxd2 18. Qxd2 Nh4 19. f3 Qxe3+ 20. Qxe3 Rxe3 21. fxg4 Rxd3 22. bxc6 bxc6
23. Ne2 Rd2 24. Rf2 h6 25. Rbf1 Ng6 26. h3 f6 27. Ng3 Rxd4 28. Rb1 Ra7 29. Rb8+
Kh7 30. Rfb2 Rd1+ 31. Kh2 Re1 32. Rd8 Nf4 33. Nh5 Re2 34. Rxe2 Nxe2 35. Rc8
Nd4 36. Nf4 Re7 37. h4 Re4 38. Kg3 Re3+?!

38... Ne6! 39. Nxe6 (39. Re8 Nxf4 ) 39... Rxe6

39. Kf2 Re4

39... Ra3?? 40. h5! Ra2+ 41. Ke3 Nc2+ 42. Kd2 Nb4+ 43. Kc3 Ra3+ 44. Kxb4 Rg3
45. Ng6 Rxg4+ 46. Kc5 Rxg6 47. hxg6+ Kxg6 48. Rxc6

40. g3!

40. Kg3 Ne6!

40... Ne6

40... g5!? 41. Rc7+ Kg8 42. Nh5 Re2+ 43. Kf1 Re6

41. Rxc6 Nxf4 42. gxf4 Rxf4+ 43. Kg3 Re4 44. Rd6 Re5 45. h5 Kg8 46. Kf4 g5+!? 47.
Kf3 Kf7 48. Rd7+ Ke6 49. Rh7 d4 50. Rxh6 Re3+ 51. Kf2 Re4 52. Kf3 Rf4+ 53. Kg3
d3 54. Rh8 Rd4 55. Re8+ Kf7 56. Re1 d2 57. Rd1 Rd3+?

57... Kg7

58. Kg2 Kg7 59. Kf2 Kh6 60. Kg2 f5 61. gxf5 Kxh5 62. Kf2 g4 63. f6 g3+?

63... Kg6! 64. Ke2 Rf3 65. Rxd2 Kxf6

64. Ke2 Rd6 65. Kf3!= 1/2-1/2

Game 21
 Aleksandar Kaminik - Janis Klovans [D36]

Wch Seniors/Rowy (6) 2000

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bg5 Be7 6. e3 Nbd7 7. Qc2 O-O 8. Bd3
Re8 9. Nf3 c6 10. O-O Nf8 11. Rab1 Ng6 12. Bf5!?

12. b4 Ne4! 13. Bxe7 Qxe7 14. b5 (14. Rfe1 Nxc3 15. Qxc3 Bg4 16. Nd2 Rac8 17.
Rbc1 Nh4 18. Bf1 Qg5 19. Kh1 Re6 20. e4 dxe4 21. Nxe4 (21. Rxe4 Rce8 22. Rce1
Bf5 ) 21... Qf4 22. Nc5 Nf3 23. g3 Rh6 24. h3 Rxh3+ 25. Bxh3 Qh6 0-1 Furman,S-
Klovans,J/Moscow 1964) 14... Bg4 15. Nd2 (15. bxc6 bxc6 16. Bxe4 dxe4 17. Nd2 f5)
15... Nxd2 16. Qxd2 Nh4 17. Kh1 Nf3 18. Qd1 Nxh2 19. Be2 Qh4 20. Kg1 Bxe2 0-1
Abdulghafour,Y-Klovans,J/Istanbul 2000

12... Ne4! 13. Bxe7 Qxe7 14. Bxc8 Raxc8 15. b4 Ng5!? 16. Qf5 Nxf3+ 17. Qxf3 a6 18.
Na4 Rcd8 19. Nc5 Rd6 20. g3 Nf8 21. a4 Ne6!

Though not as entertaining as Klovans's shorter wins with this line, the present game
helps to bring the basic pawn formation issues into stark relief.

22. Nxe6 Rxe6

Black's tripled power pieces may bite on granite at e3, but they are all perfectly placed
and centralized.

23. Rfc1 g6 24. Rc3 h5!? 25. b5! Qf6?

I assume that the score is mistaken here and that the exchange of pawns happened first.

26. Qg2? axb5 27. axb5 Ra8 28. bxc6 bxc6 29. Rcb3 Kg7 30. f3 Rd6 31. Qf2 Re8 32.
Rb7 Qg5 33. e4 dxe4 34. fxe4 Rf6 35. Qe2 h4 36. e5 Rf4 37. Rf1 hxg3 38. h3 c5 39. e6
Rxf1+ 40. Qxf1 Qe3+ 41. Kg2 Qxe6 42. dxc5 Qd5+ 43. Qf3 Re2+ 44. Kxg3 Qe5+ 0-1

Game 22

Svetozar Gligoric - Bojan Kurajica [D58]

Belgrade (12) 1969

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Be7 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 O-O 7. Rc1 b6 8. cxd5 exd5
9. e3 Bb7 10. Bd3
This position typically arises out of the Tartakower Defense rather than the Lasker, but
Black can transpose to it from the Exchange Variation. The Bishop at b7 supports an
eventual liberating ...Ne4.

The chief alternative is 10. Be2 Nbd7 11. O-O Ne4 12. Bxe7 Qxe7 13. Qa4! (13. Qb3
Ndf6 14. Nxe4 Nxe4 15. Rfd1 c5 16. Qa3 Qf6!? 17. dxc5 bxc5 18. Bd3 Rfe8 19. Bxe4
dxe4 20. Nd2 Re5 21. Nf1 (21. Rxc5 Rxc5 22. Qxc5 Qxb2=) (21. Qc3 Qe6=) 21... Ba6
22. Ng3 Bd3 23. Rxc5 Rxc5 24. Qxc5 Qxb2=) 13... c5 14. Ba6 (14. dxc5 Ndxc5 15.
Qa3 Rfd8 16. Nxe4 dxe4 17. Nd4 Bd5 18. Rfd1 a5 19. Rd2 Qf6 20. Rcd1 Bb7 21. Qc3
Rac8 22. Bg4 Rb8 23. Be2 Rbc8 24. Nb5 Rxd2 25. Rxd2 Nd3 26. Qxf6 gxf6 27. Bxd3
exd3 28. Nc3 b5 29. Rxd3 b4 30. Nd1 Rc2 31. a3 Ba6 32. Rd8+ Kg7 33. axb4 axb4 34.
f3 Be2 35. Rd4 Rc1 36. Rxb4 Bxd1 37. Kf2 Rc2+ 38. Kg3 Be2 39. Kf4 Bf1 40. g4
Rxh2 41. Rb8 Rf2 42. e4 Rd2 43. Kg3 Bc4 44. Rb4 Be2 45. f4 Rd3+ 46. Kh4 Re3 0-1
Schneider,B-Klovans,J/Germany 1996) 14... Ndf6 15. Rc2 Rfc8= 16. Rfc1 c4 (16...
Bxa6 17. Qxa6 Nxc3 18. bxc3 c4 ) 17. Ne5 Nxc3 18. Rxc3 Ne4 19. R3c2 Nd6?! 20. b3
f6?! 21. Ng6 Qf7 22. Nf4 g5 23. Ne2 Bxa6 24. Qxa6 Qe6 25. Ng3 f5 26. Nf1 Rc6 (26...
f4! ) 27. Nd2 Qc8 28. Qa3 b5 29. Nf3 a5 30. Ne5 Rca6 31. bxc4 dxc4 32. Qb2 a4 33.
d5 Qf8 34. Nc6 Qg7 35. Qb4 Qf6 36. f3 Rc8 37. Rd1 Kh7 38. e4 fxe4 39. fxe4 Raxc6
40. dxc6 Rxc6 41. Rcd2 Nxe4 1-0 Taimanov,M-Nezhmetdinov,R/Baku 1961.

10... Ne4!

10... c5!? 11. O-O Ne4 12. Bxe7 Qxe7 13. dxc5 bxc5 14. Qa4 Nd7 15. Ba6 Ndf6 16.
Nxe4 Nxe4 17. Rfd1 Bxa6 18. Qxa6 Rfd8 19. Nd2 Nxd2 20. Rxd2 d4 21. exd4 cxd4 22.
Re2 Qg5 23. Rd1 Rd7 24. h3 Rad8 25. Qd3 Qf6 26. Re4 g6 27. Rde1 Kg7 28. Re8
Rxe8 29. Rxe8 Rc7 30. Re1 h5 31. g3 Qb6 32. Re2 Rc1+ 33. Kh2 Ra1 34. b3 Qc5 35.
Qc4 Qxc4 36. bxc4 Rc1 37. Re7 a6 38. Ra7 Rc2 39. Kg2 Rxa2 40. Rd7 Rd2 41. Rd5
Kf8 42. Kf3 Ke7 43. h4 d3 44. Ra5 Rc2 45. Rxa6 Rxc4 46. Ra1 Ke6 47. Rd1 Rc3 48.
Ke3 Kf5 49. f3 1/2-1/2 Uhlmann,W-Boensch,U/Dresden 1985.

11. Bxe7 Qxe7 12. O-O

12. Qb3 Rd8 13. O-O c5 14. Bb1 Nc6 15. Rfd1 Nxc3 16. Qxc3 cxd4 17. exd4 Qf6 18.
Re1 Re8 19. Re3 g6 20. Rce1 Rxe3 21. Qxe3 Kg7 22. h4 h5 23. a3 Rd8 24. Bd3 Rd6
25. Rc1 Re6 26. Qg5 a6 27. b4 b5 28. Kf1 Re7 29. Bb1 Nd8 30. Qxf6+ Kxf6 31. Bd3
Ne6 32. g3 Re8 33. Be2 Rc8 34. Rxc8 Bxc8 35. Ke1 Ng7 36. Nd2 Ke6 37. Nb3 Kd6
38. Kd2 f6 39. Nc5 g5 40. Bd3 Kc6 41. a4 Kb6 42. a5+ Kc6 43. Bg6 Kd6 44. Ke3 gxh4
45. gxh4 Ke7 46. Bd3 Kd6 47. Kf4 Ke7 48. Bg6 Kd6 49. Nd3 Bg4 50. f3 Bc8 51. Nc1
Ne6+ 52. Ke3 Ng7 53. Ne2 Bf5 54. Bf7 Be6 55. Bxe6 Kxe6 56. Nf4+ Kd6 57. Kd3 Kc6
58. Kc3 Kd6= 1/2-1/2 Gligoric,S-Kurajica,B/Zagreb 1970.

12... Nd7
12... Rc8 13. Ne5 Nf6 14. Ng4 Nbd7 15. Nxf6+ Nxf6 16. Qa4 c5 17. dxc5 bxc5 18.
Rfe1 Qd6 19. Bf5 Re8 20. Red1 d4 21. exd4 Qf4 22. Bh3?! cxd4 23. Nb5?? Ng4 and
White can only save himself by 24.Bxg4 Qxg4 25.f3 Bxf3 26.Rd2 . The danger posed
by the Bishop on the long diagonal is quite real in these lines. 0-1 Kragelj,I-
Burmakin,V/Ljubljana 1997.

13. b4

13. Qa4 c5 14. Bb1 Rfc8 15. Rfd1 Ndf6 16. Ne5 Nd6 17. b4 c4 18. Qc2 Nde4 19. Qb2
Nxc3 20. Rxc3 b5 21. Bc2 a5 22. a3 Ra6 23. bxa5 Rxa5 24. Rb1 Rca8 25. a4 Ne8 26.
Bd1 Nd6 27. axb5 Ra2 28. Qb4 Rxf2 29. Ra3 Rxa3 30. Qxa3 Rd2 31. b6 Qh4 32. Bf3
Nb5 33. Qc1 Qf2+ 34. Kh1 Rc2 35. Qe1 Qxe1+ 36. Rxe1 Rb2 37. Nxc4 dxc4 38. Bxb7
c3 39. Be4 Nd6 40. Bd3 Rd2 41. Ba6 c2 42. Bb5 Rd1 0-1 Szukszta,J-
Kwasniewski,J/Lublin 1969.

13... c6 14. Qb3 Nxc3 15. Rxc3 a5 16. a3 axb4 17. axb4 b5 18. Rb1 Ra4 19. Bc2 Rfa8
20. Qb2 R4a7 21. Qc1 Nb6 22. Ne5 Nc4= 23. Nxc4 bxc4 24. e4 Bc8 25. Re3 Qd8 26.
b5 cxb5 27. Rxb5 Ra1 28. Rb1 Rxb1 29. Qxb1 Be6 30. exd5 Rb8 31. Qd1 Qxd5 32.
Be4 Qd7 33. h3 Rd8 34. d5 Kf8 35. Rc3 1/2-1/2

Part Eight: White Avoids the Queen's Gambit

more

Game 23

Stoyko Lecture #5

Wolpert - Wilken [D58]

Johannesburg 1955

1. d4 d5

Black can also play a more cagey method, which allows him to meet non-QGD lines
such as the Torre, London, and Colle with more of a Hedgehog formation that
includes ....d6 (rather than ...d5), ...c5 ...b6, ...Bb7, ...a6, ...O-O, ...Re8, ...Qc7, and
...Nbd7 with chances to push through with ...Pe5. This is actually a more dynamic
system than the one I recommend with 1.d4 d5, so you should be aware of this method
of playing. 1... Nf6 2. Nf3 (2. Nc3 d5 3. Bg5 Nbd7=) 2... e6 (2... d5) 3. e3 (3. Bg5 The
Torre System, but still with potential to transpose to main line QGD territory so you
have to be aware. 3... Be7 (3... c5!?) (3... b6!? 4. e4 (4. d5 exd5 5. Bxf6 Qxf6 6. Qxd5
Qxb2! 7. Qxa8?? Qc1#) 4... h6 5. Bxf6 Qxf6 6. Bd3 Bb7=) 4. e3 c5 followed by
the ...b6, ...Bb7, ...d6, ...O-O, ...Qc7 set-up as we shall see. Players were already using
this method against Torre himself at Moscow 1925.) (3. Bf4 The London System 3...
Be7 4. e3 c5 5. c3 O-O 6. Nbd2 cxd4 7. exd4 b6 8. Bd3 Bb7 9. O-O d6 10. Re1 Nd5
(10... Re8 11. Ng5 Nbd7 12. Qc2 Nf8 13. Re3 g6 14. Nh3 Nd5 15. Rg3 Nxf4 16. Nxf4
Bh4 17. Rh3 Qf6 18. g3 Bg5 19. Ng2 Bxd2 20. Qxd2 e5 21. dxe5 dxe5 22. Qh6 Rad8
23. g4 Rd6 24. g5 Qe6 25. Re1 Red8 26. Ree3 Rxd3 27. Rxd3 Qc6 28. Kf1 Qxg2+ 29.
Ke1 Qg1+ 0-1 Herzog,A-Felsberger,A/Austria 1997 (29)) (10... Nbd7 11. Nf1 Re8 12.
Ng3 a6 13. Qe2 Qc7 14. Rad1 b5 15. Ng5 Bd5 16. Bb1 Qc6 17. N5e4 g6 18. f3 Rad8
19. Nf1 Nh5 20. Bh6 Qb6 21. Ne3 Bb7 22. Kh1 Ndf6 23. Qf2 Nd5 24. Nxd5 Bxd5 25.
Ng3 Bh4 26. Re2 f5 27. f4 Rc8 28. Bg5 Bxg3 29. hxg3 Qb7 30. Rde1 Qg7 31. Bh4 h6
32. g4 fxg4 33. f5 gxf5 34. Bxf5 g3 35. Qe3 Rc7 36. Bd3 Qg4 37. Qxh6 Qxh4+ 38. Kg1
Qh2+ 0-1 Filatov,L-Ardaman,M/Philadelphia 1998 (38)) 11. Bg3 Nd7 12. Ne4 Qc7 with
the plan ...Re8, ...Nf8, ...Ng6 and ...Nf4! if white lets us.) (3. Nc3!? is important to
know about, since 3... d5 (3... Bb4!? goes in original directions) 4. Bg5 Be7 5. Bxf6
Bxf6 6. e4 transposes to the French Defense, so Black needs to be prepared for that.) 3...
c5 4. c3 (4. Bd3 b6 5. e4 cxd4) 4... b6 5. Bd3 Bb7 6. O-O Be7 7. Nbd2 (7. dxc5 bxc5)
7... cxd4! Now the Knight cannot get to c3 you want to liquidate. (7... O-O) 8. exd4 (8.
cxd4 Nc6 9. e4 d6) 8... O-O 9. Re1 d6! with the pla n of ...a6, ...Re8, ... Nf8!?, with a
long-term plan of the Minority Attack.(9... d5? 10. Ne5 ) 10. a4!? already playing
against Black's minority attack.(10. Qe2 Nbd7 11. Ng5 Qc7!? 12. Nxe6? (12. Nde4
Nxe4 13. Bxe4 Bxe4 14. Qxe4 Nf6= once White trades the White squared Bishop he
has no real attack.) 12... fxe6 13. Qxe6+ Kh8 14. Qxe7 Rae8) (10. Nf1 Nbd7 11. a4 a6
12. Ng3 Re8 13. Ng5 h6 14. N5e4 Nxe4 15. Nxe4 d5?! premature(15... Qc7 16. Bf4?!
e5! ) 16. Ng3 Bd6 17. Nh5 Nf6 18. Bf4 Bxf4 19. Nxf4 Qd6 20. Nh5 e5 21. Nxf6+
Qxf6 22. dxe5 Rxe5 23. Rxe5 Qxe5 24. Be2 Rd8 25. Bf3 Bc8 26. Qb3 d4 27. cxd4 1/2-
1/2 Vera,R-Browne,W/Linares 1993 (27)) 10... Nbd7 11. a5 Bc6 12. Qe2 Re8 13. axb6
axb6 14. Rxa8 Qxa8 15. Bb5 Rc8 16. Bxc6 Qxc6 17. Ne4 h6 18. Nxf6+ Nxf6 19. h3 b5
20. Bd2 Ra8 21. Qd3 Qd5 22. Qc2 Qa2 23. Kh2 Nd5 24. g4 Rc8 25. g5 hxg5 26. Rg1
b4 27. Nxg5 Bxg5 28. Bxg5 Rxc3 29. Qe4 Qxb2 30. Bh6 Qxf2+ 31. Rg2 Qf5 32.
Rxg7+ Kh8 33. Qxf5 exf5 34. Rxf7 b3 35. Rb7 Rc2+ 36. Kg3 b2 0-1 Bisguier,A-De
Firmian,N/Philadelphia 1995 (36)

2. Nf3

White can enter a Catalan set-up via a number of move orders, including 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3
Nf6 4. g3 Be7 (4... dxc4 5. Bg2 is too passive for Black.) 5. Bg2 O-O 6. O-O dxc4! only
now!(6... c6) 7. Ne5 (7. Qc2 a6 8. Qxc4 b5 9. Qc2 Bb7=) 7... Nc6 8. Nxc6 bxc6 9. Na3
(9. Bxc6 Rb8 10. Nc3 Nd5 11. e4 Nb4 12. Bb5 Nd3! 13. Be3 Bb4 14. a4 a6 15. Bxc4
Nxb2! Eriksson,Mag-Ernst,Th/Lindesberg/1993/0,5 (25) Inf 58/(528)/) 9... Bxa3 (9...
Nd5 was played in one of the earliest games with this line and is viable. 10. Nxc4 c5 11.
Na5 cxd4 12. Nc6 Qd7 13. Nxe7+ Qxe7 14. Qxd4 c5 15. Qc4 Bb7 16. b3 Nb6 17. Qg4
Bxg2 18. Kxg2 f5 19. Qf3 e5 20. Ba3 e4 21. Qc3 Rac8 22. e3 Rf6 23. Rfd1 h5 24. Rac1
h4 25. Bxc5 Qf7 26. Qe5 Qh5 27. Qf4 Rfc6 28. b4 h3+ 29. Kf1 Na4 30. Rd7 Nxc5 31.
bxc5 Rxc5 32. Rxc5 Rxc5 33. Qb8+ Kh7 34. Qb7 Qg4 35. Ke1 a6 36. f3 Qg6 37. Kf2
f4 38. exf4 Rc2+ 0-1 Szabo,L-Zaitsev,A/Ludwigsburg 1969 (38)) 10. bxa3 Ba6 (10...
Nd5 11. Qa4 Nb6 12. Qxc6 Rb8 13. Qc5 Ba6 14. Bf4 Nd5 15. Qxa7 Nxf4 16. gxf4 Qd6
17. Rfc1 Rb2 Sveshnikov,E-Balashov,Y/URS/1979/) 11. Bg5 (11. Bxc6 Rb8 12. Qa4
Rb6 13. Bf3 (13. Bg2 Qc8 14. Qa5) (13. Bd2 Qd6 14. Bf3 Nd5 15. Rfb1 Rfb8 16. Rxb6
Qxb6 Ribli,Z-Balashov,Y/Dortmund/1987/Inf 43/(609)/) 13... Nd5! 14. Qa5 c3 15. Re1
Qf6 16. Bxd5 exd5 17. Qxc3 Rc6 1/2-1/2 Beliavsky,A-Geller,E/Moscow 1981/[Belov]
(22)) 11... h6 12. Bxf6 Qxf6 13. Bxc6 (13. Qa4 Bb5 14. Qa5 c3) 13... Rab8 14. Qa4
Rb6 15. Rfd1 Rd8 16. Bf3! c6! (16... Rxd4 17. Rxd4 Qxd4 18. Rd1 Bb5! 19. Qc2 Qf6
20. a4 (20. Kg2 Ra6 21. Rb1 ) 20... Bc6) 17. Kg2 Qe7 (17... Rxd4?! 18. Rxd4 Qxd4 19.
Rd1 Qf6 20. Rd7 ) 18. e3 Rc8 (18... Bb5 19. Qb4 Qxb4 20. axb4 Ba4 21. Rdc1 Rxb4
22. a3 Rb6 23. Rxc4 ) 19. h4 Bb5 20. Qb4 c5! 21. dxc5 Rxc5 22. Rd8+ Kh7 (22...
Qxd8 23. Qxc5 ) 23. Rad1 Bc6! 24. Qc3 Bxf3+ 25. Kxf3 Rf5+ (25... Qb7+ 26. e4 (26.
Ke2 Rf5 ) 26... f5 27. R8d4 Re5 28. Re1 ) 26. Kg2 Qb7+ 27. Kg1 Qf3 28. Rf1 Rc6
(28... Rb1! ) 29. Rd4 Qe2?! (29... g5! ) 30. Rd2 Qf3 31. Rd4 Qe2 32. Rd2 Qh5
33. Rb1 Rd5 34. Qc2+ Qg6 35. Qxg6+ Kxg6 36. Rc2 Rd3 37. a4 Ra3 38. Rb4 c3 39.
Kf1 Ra6 40. Rb3 R3xa4 41. Rcxc3 Rxa2 42. Rb7 Rb6 43. Rxb6 axb6 44. Rb3 Ra6 45.
e4 Kf6 46. f4 Ke7 47. Ke2 Kd6 48. g4 Ra2+ 49. Ke3 Kc6 50. Rc3+ Kb7 0-1
Antunes,A-Karpov,A/Tilburg 1994/[Ftacnik] (73)

2... Nf6

This move order is best because it asks White what he is going to do and waits to see if
he pushes Pc4 or not.

3. e3

3. Bg5 e6 (3... Ne4!?) (3... Nbd7!? 4. c4) 4. e3 Be7 (4... c5 5. c4) 5. c3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 c5

3. Bf4 Nbd7 4. e3 g6

3. c4 e6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. Nc3 h6 6. Bh4 O-O=

3... Nbd7

With the idea of playing a quick . ..c5 and ...g6 with ... Bg7, possibly followed by
...b6, ... Bb7, and ... Qc7 and if White does not attack Black's center then possibly
the ...e5 push.

3... Bf5 "this is perfectly legitimate, but if you want to play a generic system that can
meet the London, Torre and Colle Systems, then you don't want to do this." 4. c4 e6 5.
Qb3

4. Bd3 g6
Immediately blunting the Bishop. White will never be able to sac the Bishop at h7,
which is always the dream scenario of the Colle. It's good to kill your opponent's
dreams before they hatch. What follows is a generalized system that is good for Black
and does not require a lot of deep study.

5. O-O Bg7 6. Nbd2

6. c3 O-O 7. Nbd2 b6 8. Qe2 Bb7 9. Re1 c5 10. e4 cxd4 11. cxd4 dxe4 12. Nxe4 Rc8=

6. b3! c5 7. Bb2 O-O 8. c4

6... O-O 7. Re1

7. Qe2 c5 8. c3 Qc7 (8... b6 9. e4) (8... Re8!?) 9. e4! e5?! Overly risky.(9... cxd4 10.
cxd4 dxe4 11. Nxe4 Nxe4 12. Qxe4 Nf6=) 10. dxe5 dxe4 11. Nxe4 (11. exf6?! exd3 12.
Qxd3 Nxf6 ) 11... Nxe5 12. Nxf6+ ( 12. Nxe5! Qxe5 13. f4 Qc7 14. f5! ) 12... Bxf6
13. Bf4 Nxf3+ 14. Qxf3 Be5 15. Bxe5 Qxe5 16. Rfe1 1/2-1/2 Denker,A-
Morton,H/New York 1936 (39)

7... c5 8. c3 b6 9. Rb1 Bb7 10. e4 dxe4 11. Nxe4 Nxe4 12. Bxe4 Bxe4 13. Rxe4 cxd4
14. cxd4 Nc5 15. Re1

15. Rh4 Ne6 16. Bh6 Bxh6 17. Rxh6 Qd5

15... Ne6 16. Be3

16. d5 Nc7 17. Bg5 Nxd5 18. Bxe7 Nxe7 19. Qxd8 Rfxd8 20. Rxe7 Kf8 21. Re2=

16... Qd5 17. Qa4 Rfd8 18. Rbd1 a5 19. Rd2 Rac8 20. Qd1 Rc7

20... b5

21. Ne5 f6 22. Nf3 Rdc8 23. Qb3 Qxb3 24. axb3 Rd7 25. Kf1 Rd5 26. Red1 Kf7 27.
Rd3 Rcd8 28. Ke2 g5 29. g4 h6 30. Ne1 f5 31. gxf5 Rxf5 32. Nc2 Rfd5 33. h3 Kg6 34.
R1d2 Nf4+ 35. Bxf4 gxf4 36. Kf3 Kf5 37. Re2 e5 38. Re4 Bf6 39. Rc3 exd4 40.
Rxf4+ Ke6 41. Rd3 Rf5 42. Ke4 Re5+ 43. Kf3 Rf5=

1/2-1/2 Wolpert,J-Wilken,L/Johannesburg 1955 (43)

[Stoyko and Goeller]

Bibliography
If you are interested in learning more about Lasker's Defense and related lines, the
following resources should be helpful.

Anka, Emil. "Catalan at the Highest Level." New in Chess Yearbook 81 (2006)

Chessgames.com. "Queen's Gambit Declined: Lasker Defense, D57."

There is no better way to learn a new opening than by playing through a bunch
of games with it. And there are few better places to do that than
Chessgames.com.

Cox, John. Dealing with d4 Deviations. Everyman 2005.

Horowitz, I.A. and Fred Reinfeld. How to Think Ahead in Chess.

This was one of my first opening books, and may be why I so deeply believe in
the Lasker for Black. There is a long chapter (over 50 pages) devoted to Lasker's
Defense as the heart of a Black repertoire versus 1.d4. Some of the analysis is
dated, but the basic ideas are good and the games are very interesting. If you can
handle English Descriptive Notation, it's worth a look.

Janjgava, Lasha. The Queen's Gambit and Catalan for Black. Gambit 2000.

Kasparov, Garry. How to Play the Queen's Gambit from ChessBase.

Offers a lecture on the Lasker and other lines.

Kasparov, Garry. The Queen's Gambit -- on YouTube, Video.

Bootleg -- no comment....

Kotronias, Vassilios. Beating the Flank Openings. Batsford 1996.

Offers excellent coverage of Stoyko's recommended system against the Catalan,
as well as good advice on handling other flank openings, including the English.

Lalic, Bogdan. Queen's Gambit Declined: Bg5 Systems. Everyman 2000.

A very good overview of the Queen's Gambit with a useful short chapter on the
Lasker Variation as well as other lines Black might face.

Lukacs, Peter and Laszlo Hazai. "The Leko Clan's Favourite Weapon." New in
Chess Yearbook 68 (2003)

Marovic, Drazen. Play the Queen's Gambit. Cardogan 1992.

Though extremely White-biased, this book is a classic and should probably be
on the shelf of anyone who takes on the Queen's Gambit from either side.

McDonald, Neil. Starting Out: Queen's Gambit Declined. Everyman 2006.

Probably among the best introductions to the Queen's Gambit for class players,
covering all the critical lines in our repertoire, including the Lasker, with only
some White bias.
 Morgado, Juan. "An Old Kasparov Idea: Anti-Tartakower 6.Bf6." New in Chess
Yearbook 75 (2005)

Morss, Mark. "Queen's Gambit Point Machine." Hard Chess at The Campbell
Report website.
Best to know what you're up against when facing the Queen's Gambit Exchange
Variation as Black. Be sure to check out the games links at the bottom of the
page.

Sadler, Matthew. "The Lasker Variation (6...h6 7.Bh4 Ne4)." Queen's Gambit
Declined. Everyman 2000. pp. 10-27.
Recently back in print, this has got to be one of the best books ever written on
the Queen's Gambit Declined for the average player (below 2000 rating), and the
chapter on the Lasker Variation (the first chapter in the book) is no exception. I
think many will appreciate the Question and Answer format, where typical
questions from the student are answered by the master instructor. Though Sadler
is mostly writing from White's perspectivve, and so many of the lines favor the
first player, there is a lot to learn for Black as well. I'd say that this book and the
Soltis one (below) are the best on the Lasker.

Silman, Jeremy. "A Reader Asks about the 1989 Karpov Yusupov Match."
Discusses the Lasker Variation and offers a very stereotyped view, which players
who adopt it should know about.

Soltis, Andrew. Lasker's Defense to the Queen's Gambit. Chess Digest 1993.
I have something of a love-hate relationship with Andy Soltis's work, which is
sometimes great sometimes not. This one, though, is really great and definitely
the best and most complete treatment of the Lasker in print. Other than the
Sadler book, this is the best available and the most sympathetic from the Black
perspective. Soltis is also one of the few sources (other than Van der Sterren) to
discuss playing the Lasker without ...h6. In algebraic, 104 pages, 16 illustrative
games.

Van der Sterren, Paul. "Lasker's 7...Ne4." New in Chess Yearbook 40 (1996)

_______. "Lasker's Defence 6....Ne4." New in Chess Yearbook 44 (1997)

_______. "Exchange Variation." New in Chess Yearbook 32 (1994)

Copyright 2007 Michael Goeller and Steve Stoyko