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Home > Chess > Openings > Bits & Pieces > Archive > A Quick D4-D5 Push in the Kid
The advent of the database reduces originality in the opening stage of the game. All seems to be
known, played and catalogued for everyone to examine. We are in the age of the chess “all-
rounder.”
I think it is still possible to develop new ideas or to take ideas from the past and refine them to our
own satisfaction. One must remain optimistic. Let us rewind forty years now and start off by
examining a classic game.
Petrosian was very fond of this type of advance, hoping to cramp the opponent and set new
problems. His own system against the King's Indian, 6.Nf3 e5 7.d5!, bears the same stamp and
there are echoes of his theme all over the Queens Pawn openings. A notable example would be
the Petrosian System against the Queen's Indian, e.g. 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.a3 Bb7 5.Nc3
Be7?! (there are several better moves) 6.d5!
The Bishop on b7 is restricted and White builds his centre with a subsequent e2-e4. Of course 6.d5
in the current position is much more controversial. The pawn advance opens the diagonal for
Black's fiachettoed Bishop and leaves weak squares on c5 and e5 in its wake. I'm not sure I like
the move too much but as stated, for this one game Geller will have to think for himself.
6...Na6!
A good response. The Knight aims for c5 and Black can chip away at the d5 pawn with either ...c7-
c6 or ...e7-e6.
As Geller states, not so much a kingside attacking move, but an attempt to get the Knight on g1
going!
11...Rc8
Black has a fine position. He is ahead in development and correctly starts the tactical action.
13.Nxb5 Bxb5 14.Bxb5 Nfxe4 15.fxe4 Nxe4 16.Qb4 Ng3 was given by Geller in his notes and we
can see why Petrosian doesn't go down this route. White is condemned to defense and his pieces
are all over the place. With Deep Fritz whirring away, the position reveals itself as anything but
clear after 17.Rh2 Qb6 (17...Rb8 18.a4 a6 19.Qg4 Bxb2 20.Ra2 Be5) 18.a4 a6 19.Qa3, but in
those days you just had to make a practical decision.
Taking off this Bishop is a big gain for Black who can now hope to infiltrate on the light squares.
Black handles the attack in a very striking way winning the battle on both flanks and tying White
down before penetrating in the centre. Take away names and dates and I'm sure this could be
identified as a very “modern” King's Indian.
Beautiful coordination.
Well, he could resign now. Petrosian limps on but it quickly becomes obvious that he is never going
to get back into the game.
Part 1 | Part 2
Copyright © 2004 Andrew Martin
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Home > Chess > Openings > Bits & Pieces > Archive > A Quick D4-D5 Push in the Kid
34.Rf2 Qxg2+ 35.Kxg2 Be4+ 36.Kg3 Nd3 37.Rxf8+ Kxf8 38.Rf1+ Kg7 39.Nf4 Be5 40.Nc4 Nxf4
41.Bxf4 Bc3 42.Rd1 Rc5 43.Be3 Rxd5 44.Rxd5 Bxd5 45.Bxa7 Be4 46.Bb6 d5 47.Na5 Kf6 48.
Nc6 e5 49.Bc5 d4 50.Nxb4
50...d3, 0-1. A marvelous exhibition by Geller and probably sufficient to remove the idea of d4-d5
from the mind of the competitive player for generations. Can't White do better?
Another variation, another opportunity. Keith Arkell ventured this move against me in the 1997
British Championship and I have seen Rustemov play 7.d5 on occasion. As my opponent said in
the post mortem: “From this moment on, I had no point of reference." 7.d5 seems to remain faithful
to Petrosian's original thought. If Black wants to hit the pawn with ...c7-c6 or ...e7-e6 he will open
the diagonal for the Bg2, and if not Black is cramped. There are difficult positional problems to
solve for both players.
But this is not correct, despite looking good. White should keep it simple with 9.Nc3, when I prefer
his position. The Black centre is backward and difficult to advance, meanwhile White can develop
smoothly: 9.Nc3 Nc5 10.Be3 Nce4 11.Nxe4 Nxe4 12.Qc2 Nf6 13.c5! and White had the edge in
Benko –Browne, Oberlin 1975.
Black hits out before White gets the chance to cement his advantage. He also justifies the position
of the Nb6, which is always important. Suddenly and strangely, Black is better.
Probably White has to play 15 Bxd5, but it is not nice: 15.Bxd5 exd5 16.Nb5 c6 (16...Bxc3 17.Nxc3
c6 18.Qd4 isn't clear) 17.Bxg7 Qxg7 18.Nd4 Bh3 19.Re1 Qf6 20.f3 Rae8.
14.Qc1!
The move that saves the day, more than that as Black now has to face his structural difficulties.
14...Nxc3 15.Bxc3 e5 16.Nc2 Nd5 17.Bb2 Be6 18.Ne3 Nxe3 19.Qxe3 Bd5 20.Rad1
White has a small but obvious edge. Maybe this can't be converted against perfect defense, but
who is up to the groveling defensive task? Certainly not Mack, who seemed demoralized just
looking at his game.
24...c6 25.Rc2
Waiting, maybe preparing Bc1 and Rd2. It's tough for Black to find a good move.
I expected 28...Rd1 29.Ke2 Rh1 30.h4 Rb1 keeping Black's rook active, but after 31.Bc3 b6 32.
Rd2 Ke6 33.f4 White is still quite a bit better.
There are no tricks after 30...Bf8: 31.Rxe5+ Kf7 32.Rxa5 Bb4 33.Ra4! Rd2+ 34.Ke3 Rxb2 35.Rxb4
and White wins.
31.bxa4 Rd8 32.a5 Ra8 33.Bc3 Kd6 34.Rc4 Kc7 35.a4 b6 36.axb6+ Kxb6 37.f4 Re8
Black's play must be seen against the background of serious time shortage.
38.g4 Bh8 39.f5 gxf5 40.exf5 Bf6 41.Bd2 Rg8 42.g5, 1-0. In my opinion, the idea of an early d4-
d5 works very well here in the Fianchetto Variation. I shall try it again whenever I get the chance.
Now we proceed to an even earlier moment in the game where White unleashes his unexpected
pawn advance.
Stops the Grunfeld, don't knock it! This will be a blow to many players. Surely 3.d5 cannot be good,
but it is up to your opponent to show why. The pressure might well prove considerable.
3...c6
One way to chip at the pawn. For the moment, White is able to comfortably reinforce his center.
I like this move very much, just taking g4 and preparing Nd4.
The signs are that Black's judgment has been impaired by the arrogant d-pawn. He wants to
punish White, but his intuition should surely have indicated that the dark-squared Bishop is worth
far more than a measly pawn. I'm not sure what to suggest though; White is simply better.
Open lines and all the dark squares on the board. More than adequate compensation.
14...Qc7 15.c4 Qc5 16.Qh4 Nbd7 17.Be3 Qc7 18.Bd4 Ne5 19.Ng5
22...Nf8 23.Bf3 Rab8 24.g4 Bc8 25.Ne4! N8d7 26.g5 should be the end of the game.
28...Qd2 29.Rd1 Re1+ 30.Rxe1 Qxe1+ 31.Kg2 Nh5 32.Re3 is clearly better for White.
29.Kg2 Ne8 30.Rxe1 Qxe1 31.Re3, 1-0. On the evidence of this game, 3...c6 doesn't look too hot.
Doubtless there are many better ways for Black to handle it, but the d5-pawn is annoying.
Here he shows a different way to the earlier Nf3, Be2. The fianchetto variation beckons, albeit in a
somewhat different guise.
8.0–0 Nbd7?!
It's more coherent to play the Knight to a6 and then c7. Black then has two breaks to choose from
(...b7-b5, ...f7-f5) instead of one. 8...Ne8!? was also possible, delaying a decision about the
queenside pieces.
9.e4 h6
11...f5 is a little premature. Black is opening the position whilst behind in development. It's no
surprise that White ends up better after 12.Nh4! Qf6 13.exf5 gxf5 14.f4!
12.a4 b6
He could also have considered 12...f5, though after 13.exf5 gxf5 14.Nh4! Black's positional
weaknesses are quite pronounced.
He can hardly play ...f5-f4, surrendering the light squares and if he doesn't, White will assume
control with f2-f4 himself.
13.a5!
13…Rb8
13...bxa5 14.Nd1.
14.axb6 Qxb6
17.Nd1!
Slow and steady. White prepares the very effective regrouping Ne3 and then the pawn advance b2-
b4! which drives Black into confusion.
17...Nb6
No better is 17...f5 18.exf5 gxf5 19.Nh4 Nb6 20.Ne3 f4 21.Qd3+ Kg8 22.Bxc8 Rxc8 23.Nef5.
20.Ne3 Qh3
21.b4!
Black's busted.
21…Nd7
Also winning for White is 21...cxb4 22.Bxb4 Rfd8 23.c5 (23.Ba5) 23...dxc5 24.Bxc5.
24.Ba5! Nb6
25.cxb5
25...Qd7 26.Kg2! c4 27.Bxb6 Rxb6 28.Nxc4 Rxb5 29.Nb6 Rxb6 30.Rxb6 Bf6 31.Nf3 Be7 32.
Rc6 Bd8 33.Nd2 Qe8 34.Nc4, 1-0. It's my belief that 3.d5 will have an unsettling effect on even the
strongest opponents. Perhaps this game is enough to convince you but if not, I now include a few
extra examples where White's idea succeeded.
It's time to close our brief survey with the observation that an early d4-d5 hasn't really been seen
very often on the modern master scene. Maybe it's the right moment for this space-gaining pawn
push to be re-examined or even tried in your very own games. 3.d5 is worth playing!
Part 1 | Part 2
Copyright © 2004 Andrew Martin