Yet another improvement

I was looking for improvements on my game last week, where my opponent was baffled by my audacious 1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3 exf3 5.Nxf3 Bg4 6.h3 Bh5 7.g4 Bg6 8.Ne5 e6 9.Qf3 Nd5 10.Bb5+ c6 11.0-0.

My opponent choose the inferior 11...f6, but I realised black would get trhe upper hand aftre the correct 11...Nf6, as 12.Rf2 complicates things even further, but black remains on top after the simple 12...Be7.

But now I see that 11.0-0 is in fact the bad move ! 11.Rf1 (diagram) is much stronger.

a/ 11...Qh4+ 12.Kd1
...a1/ 12...cxb5 13.Nxd5 (++)
...a2/ 12...Nxc3+ 13.bxc3 (+=)
...a3/ 12...Be7 13.Nxd5 (+=)
...a4/ 12...f6 13.Nxd5 (++)

...a5/ 12...Qf6 13.Qg2 (=)

...a6/ 12...Qe7 13.Nxd5 (++)

...a7/ 12...Bd6 13.Nxg6 (++)

b/ 11...cxb5 12.Nxg6 (++)

c/ 11...Nf6 12.Be2 (=)

d/ 11...Qf6 12.Nxd5

...d1/ 12...exd5 13.Qxd5 (+=)

...d2/ 12...Qxf3 13.Nc7+ Kd8 14.Rxf3 Kxc7 15.Nxf7 (+)

e/ 11...f6 12.Nxg6 hxg6 13.Bd3 (=)

f/ 11...f5 12.Nxd5 

...f1/ 12...Qxd5 13.Qxd5 exd5 14.Bd3 (+=)

...f2/ 12...exd5 13.Bd3 (+=)

So it seems to me that 11.Rf1 is much stronger than 11.0-0. There is no advantage in sight for black and he will soon be drowning the terrible complications against a well prepared attacker.

Also, black can hold in three lines :

> 11...Qh4+ 12.Kd1 Qf6 Qg2

> 11...Nf6 12.Be2

> 11...f6 12.Nxg6 hxg6 13.Bd3

My next post will focus on these lines.

The jungle of variations

Yesterday afternoon I played an interesting Blackmar Diemer - I didnt win the game, as I lost the way in the jungle of variations myself.

Guido De Bouver - Patrick Colemont
Belgian interclubs. 15-dec-2013.

1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3 exf3 5.Nxf3 Bg4 6.h3 Bh5 7.g4 Bg6 8.Ne5 e6 9.Qf3
All according to plan - the Teichmann defense

9...Nd5?! (diagram)

Luckily I remembered a great attacking line.
10.Bb5+ c6 11.0-0 (diagram)

11..f6 ?!
The correct move is 11...Nf6 and black should be better somehow, even if 12.Rf2 complicates things for black.

12.Nxg6 hxg6 (diagram)

Now it was turn to make an inferior move :-(
13.Nxd5 ?
The correct move 13.Bd3 should gave given me a small advantage

13...Nxd5 14.Bd3 (diagram)

The defender is better now, but black choose the inferior 14...Kf7.

The remainder of the game was quite spectacular after 15.Be4 Qxd4+ 16.Be3 Qe5, but I was able to secure a draw in a complicated queen versus two rooks endgame.

In any case, I will have to find a decent continuation after black's best move 11.Nf6

The Euwe - O'Kelly : One move less also wins

My previous post on the "Euwe - O'Kelly defense" raised some comments. User "Anonymous" suggested 11.Bd3 (diagram) in the position after 1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3 exf3 5.Nxf3 c6 6.Bc4 e6 7.0-0 Be7 8.Qe1 Nbd7 9.Bg5 0-0 10.Qh4 h6. In my post, I only considered 11.Bxh6 with equal play ( provided black find sthe right moves !! )

This position might seem familiar to the attentive reader as this position can be reached in the EUwe defense after 1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3 exf3 5.Nxf3 e6 6.Bg5 Be7 7.Bd3 Nbd7 8.0-0 0-0 9.Qe1 c6 10.Qh4 h6. The only difference is that it is white to move in the Euwe, whilst it is black's turn in the Euwe-O'Kelly. Talking about a small difference.

But even with white one move down, it seems that 11.Bd3 is winning !!

a/ 11...hxg5 12.Nxg5 (++)

b/ 11...Nb6 12.Bxh6 (++)

c/ 11...Nd5  12.Nxd5 Bxg5 13.Nxg5 Qxg5 14.Qxg5 hxg5 15.Ne7+ Kh8 16.Rae1 (+=)

d/ 11...Qa5 12.Ne4
...d1/ 12...Re8 13.Rae1 (+)
...d2/ 12...Rd8 13.c3 (+)

...d3/ 12...Bd8 13.b4 (+)

...d4/ 12...hxg6 13.Nexg5 (++)

e/ 11...Qb6 12.Bxh6 (++)

f/ 11...Qc7 12.Bxh6 (++)

g/ 11...c5 12.Bxh6 (++)

Let's consider balck's best reply in more detail : 11...Re8 12.Bxh6 (diagram)

Declining the piece is no option for black :

...h1/ 12...Nf8 13.Ne5 (++)
...h2/ 12...Nd5 13.Nh7+ (++)
...h3/ 12...Qa5 13.Bg5 (++)

And now the killer move 12...gxh6 13.Ne5 !! Analysis shows only 13...Bf8 offers some chances. But now white brings in an extra piece with 14.Rf3 (diagram)

Again, black has only one move 14...Bg7, followed by the logical 15.Rg3 (diagram)

As "Anonymous" pointed out, black has to give back the piece with 15...Ne4, but white stays on top after 16.Qxe4 f5 17.Qe3 Nxe5 18.Qxe5 (+=)

Apparently, the Euwe defense is so strong that it evens wins with the move down !

Thank you "Anonymous" for this great line !

It only gets better

I always had problems dealing with the line 1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3 exf3 5.Nxf3 Bg4 6.h3 Bh5 7.g4 Bg6 8.Ne5 e6 9.Qf3 c6 10.g5 Ng8 (diagram)

Black retreats his horseman back to square null - safety first. Guess his reasoning is something like "Show me what you have for the pawn !".

And indeed, I have always been struggle with thius move as I could not find an immediate punishment. But now, I finally found the way to victory for white ( rather appropriate wording on this 11th november, when we remember the end of the Geat War ).

The right move is 11.Bd3 Qxd4 - black is obliged to take the pawn to stay in the game as 11...f5`12.gxf6 Qxf6 13.Qg3!! Bxd3 14.Bg5 Qf5 15.cxd3 does not look good at all for black (diagram).

Back to the main line after 11.Bd3 Qxd4 12.Nxg6 hxg6 13.Rf1 (diagram)

Only 13...Qh4+ is feasible here, follwed by 14.Rf2 Bc5 15.Qxf7+ Kd8 16.Ne4.

As 16...Bb6 now fails to 17.Qxb7, black has nothung else than 16...Bxf2+ 17.Nxf2 (diagram). Black is a lot of material ahead, but white has sufficient comprensation :

a/ 17...Nd7 18.Bd2
...a1/ 18...Ne7 19.0-0-0
......a1a/ 19...Nd5 20.Ne4 (+=)
......a1b/ 19...Rf8 20.Qxe6 Rxf2 21.Bc4 (=)
......a1c/ 19...Kc7 20.Qxe7 (+=)
......a1d/ 19...Ne5 20.Qxe6 (++)

...a2/ 18...Kc7 19.Bf4+ (+=)

...a3/ 18...Ne5 19.Qxb7 (+=)

b/ 17...Ne7 18.Bd2 Nd7 ( see a1 )

c/ 17...Qb4+ 18.Bd2 

...c1/ 18...Qe7 19.Qxg6 (+=)

...c2/ 18...Qxb2 19.Qf8+ Kc7 20.Rd1 (++)

So it seems that white had nothing to fear from the timid 10...Ng8 reply in the Teichmann defense

The Euwe - O'Kelly : defense all the way.

Sometimes my opponents choose very defensive ways of dealing with the Blackmar Diemer, for example 1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3 exf3 5.Nxf3 c6 6.Bc4 e6 (diagram). This has occured several times in the last weeks. Black deliberately shuts in his lightsquared bishop and takes a very defensive stand.

In the Euwe defense, black plays e6 furst and white places his bishop on d3. In the O'Kelly, black plays c6 first and white then plays Bc4. But this system is a mixture of both.

Most lines will transpose into the Euwe defense, when white will eventually place his bishop back onto d3, but there might be following different ideas.

a/ 7...Nd5 8.Bxd5 exd5 9.Ng5 (+)

b/ 7... b5 8.Bd3 b4 9.Nxe4
...b1/ 9...Nxe4 10.Bxe4 (+=)
...b2/ 9...Nbd7 10.Bf4 (+=)

c/ 7...Nbd7 8.Qe1 (=)

d/ 7...Be7 8.Qe1 (=)

e/ 7...Bd6 8.Qe1 (=)

So white quietly gets all its pieces in an Euwe-like fashion to deliver a tremendous attack. A standard line might be : 7...Be7 8.Qe1 Nbd7 9.Bg5 0-0 10.Qh4 (diagram)

We all know that h6 in the Euwe equivalent of this position is deadly, but this is when the white bishop is on d3, now it is on c4. Does 10...h6 force white to retreat ?

f. 10...h6 11.Bxh6 gxh6 12.Qxh6 (diagram)

It seems to me that black is alive and kicking in this position ! Houdini suggests more than 5 black moves, al equal. The move 12...Nh7 even gives bnlack a small lead. Hmm, let's look at 12...Nh7 (diagram)

Only 13.Bd3 is possible but now the odd looking 13.f5 saves the day for black as 14.Qxe6+ is not sufficient for a win, eg 14...Kh7 15.Rae1 Bf6 (=)

So we see that the Euwe-O'Kelly defense is not without risk for the attacker as the standard Euwe attacking lines might fail.

Is this winnable ?

Dont know if winnable is correct English. I am just wondering if white can convert a small advantage that occurs in the Teichmann defense into a full point.

Consider the position after 1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3 exf3 5.Nxf3 Bg4 6.h3 Bh5 7.g4 Bg6 8.Ne5 e6 9.Bg2 c6 10.h4 Nbd7 (diagram)

I discussed the main line 10...Bb4 in length in previous posts, but 10...Nbd7 ( and also 10...Bd6 ) gives interesting, unbalanced positions.

My silicon assistant suggests 11.h5 Nxe5 12.dxe5 Qxd1+ 13.Kxd1 Nxg4 14.hxg6 Nxf2 15.Ke2 Nxh1 16.gxf7+ Kxf7 17.Bxh1 (diagram)

Black has rook and two pawns for the two pieces. Some might say black has the material advantage ( especially in view of the g and h pawns ), but my computer gives white a small plus ?! let's look at the lines

a/ 17...h5 18.Ne4
...a1/ 18...h4 19.Ng5+ Kg8 20.Bg2 (+=)
...a2/ 18...Be7 19.Bf4 (+=)

...a3/ 18...Bb4 19.Ng5+ (+)
...a4/ 18...Rd8 19.Ng5+ (+)

...a5/ 18...Re8 19.Ng5+ (+)

b/ 17...h6 18.Ne4

...b1/ 18...g5 19.Be3 (+=)
...b2/ 18...Be7 19.Be3 (+=)

...b3/ 18...Bb4 19.Be3 (+=)
...b4/ 18...Rd8 19.Be3 (+)

c/ 17...g6 18.Ne4

...c1/ 18...Bg7 19.Nd6+ (+)
...c2/ 18...Be7 19.Bh6 (+)

d/ 17...Bc5 18.Ne4

...d1/ 18...Be7 19.Be3 (+=)
...d2/ 18...Bb6 19.Nd6+ (+)

...d3/ 18...Bd4 19.Nd6+ (+)

e/ 17...Bb4 18.Ne4

...e1/ 18...Be7 19.Be3 (+=)
...e2/ 18...Rd8 19.Ng5+ (+)

f/ 17...Be7 18.Ne4 h5 19.Bf4 (+=)

g/ 17...a6 18.Be3 (+=)

So it quickly becomes clear that the line 17...Be5 18.Ne4 h5 19.Bf4 (diagram) is critical

Does white have something here ? Maybe, maybe not.  Sure wont be easy for either player.

Expert knowledge is absolutely necessary to win

I managed to secure a draw yesterday against a Teichmann Excehnge defense. My opponent did not play the strongest move, but I was unable to benefit from it, and i left him off the hook. So my advise to every gambiteer : learn the theory lines well - it will bring you many rewards.

Guido De Bouver - Bart Van Tichelen
1.d4 Nf6 2.f3 d5 3.e4 dxe4 4.Nc3 exf3 5.Nxf3 Bg4 6.h3 Bxf3 7.Qxf3 c6 8.g4 e6 9.g5 Nd5 10.Bd3 Nd7 (diagram)

I knew that this move is not so good - but I failed to take advantage of his move. Maybe I did not think well enough as my opponent had consumed already 55 minutes in this fiurst 10 moves. I used only 2 minutes and planned to start playing quickly to put extra pressure on my opponent's clock ( game was played under standard time control : 2 hours for 40 moves, then 1 hour knock out ).

Now playing quickly in this sort of positions might not be the best strategy...


11. Bd2 ??? (diagram)

Giving it away immediately. My plan was to castle queenside and continue play on f7.
But 11.00 would have crampled black's position ( see below ).

11...Qb6 12.Rf1 000 13.000 Bb4 14.Nxd5 Bxd2+ 15.Rxd2 exd5 16.Qxf7 Qxd4 17.Bxh7 (=) and the game was declared a draw quickly.

But let's look at the correct line after 11.00 (diagram)

a/ 11...f5 12.Nxd5
...a1/ 12...cxd5 13.Re1 (++)
...a2/ 12...exd5 13.Bxf5 (++)

b/ 11...f6 12.Re1
...b1/ 12...Nxc3 13.Rxe6+ (++)
...b2/ 12...Be7 13.Qh5+ (++)
...b3/ 12...Qe7 13.Nxd5 cxd5 14.Bf4 (+=)

c/ 11...Qe7 12.Nxd5 cxd5 13.Bf4 (diagram)

...c1/ 13...000 14.Kh1 (+=)
...c2/ 13...g6 14.Rae1 (+=)
...c3/ 13...Qb4 14.Bh2 (+=)
...c4/ 13...Rc8 14.Rae1 (+=)

So learn these theory lines and let your opponent's clock tick away these precious seconds !

Grandmaster 's feedback

I got an interesting comment from GM David Smerdon from Australian. His exact words are :
"I stumbled across this blog when searching for a refutation to the BDG for a book I'm writing on the Scandinavian Defense. The more I went through these posts, the more impressed I was with the analysis - and no refutation was to be found! Nice job :)"

I am glad to hear that this GM likes my blog. Even more that he realises that there is no refutation to be found !

So David - when do you start playing the Blackmar Diemer yourself ?

It aint that bad

In my quest to refute the refutation of the Teichmann defense, I studied the line 9.Bg2 c6 10.h4 in the Tecihmann defense 1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3 exf3 5.Nxf3 Bg4 6.h3 Bh5 7.g4 Bg6 8.Ne5 e6.

It is obvious that only 10...Bb4 gives black a chance to survive. White now has both 11.00 and 11.Bg5 at his disposal.

11.00 was discussed in an earlier post as white risks all to trap an enemy piece. Analysis shows that white has nothing to fear in this line.

More enterprising is the line 11.Bg5 and I looked at the black replies 11...h6, 11...Qa5, 11...Nbd7 and 11...00

The black defense 11...h6 seemed to give white some headache, but 12.Nxg6 fxg6 13.Bxf6 Qxf6 14.Qd3 seemed to equalize.

Igor S from Russia then mailed me that black gets the better game after 14...Nbd7 15.000 000 (diagram)

I initially agreed with him, but aftre carefull analysis, it seems to me 16.Kb1 (diagram) gives white full equality :

a/ 16...Bxc3 17.Qxc3 (=)

b/ 16...Qf2 17.Be4 (=)

c/ 16...Qe7 17.Ne4 (=)

d/ 16...Nc5 17.Qc4 Bxc3 18.Qxc3 (=)

e/ 16...Nb6 17.Ne4 (=)

f/ 16...Kb8 17.Qg3+ (=)

So it seems my Russian friend was wrong and that the line 9.Bg2 c6 10.h4 in the Teichmann Defense is certainly not refuted in any way !

The ink was not dry yet

The ink was no dry yet on an earlier post "Disturbing my plans", when i received a mail saying that "...you might have missed something"...

I was trying to demonstrate teh soundness of the line 1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc4 Nf6 4.f3 exf3 5.Nxf3 Bg4 6.h3 Bh5 7.g4 Bg6 8.Ne5 e6 9.Bg2 c6 10.h4 Bb4 11.Bg5.

Now I demonstrated that white is better after the natural 11...Nbd7 and has equal chances ( even if white had to trade 6!!! pawns for a piece ) after the challenging 11...Qa5. But last post considered 11...h6 and I suggested 12.Nxg6 fxg6 13.Bxf6 Qxf6 14.Qd3 with equal play.

But the attentive reader might see that black is better after 14...Nbd7 15.000 000.

Back to the drawing table !

Back again - the value of development

I am back agaon from a two week holiday in France where I met some interesting chess-related people, but more on that later.

My first 3 minute game after I came home showed how to take advantage of a player that refuses to develop his minor pieces..., a deadly sin Blackmar Diemer gambiteers never fall into.

Guido De Bouver - ??
1.d4 e5 2.dxe5 Qe7 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.Nc3 (diagram)

4...Nxe5 5.e4 (diagram)
A strong reply. I used to play this kind of gambits myself, but stopped doing so after a number of awfull defeats.

5...Nf6 6.Nxe5 Qxe5 7.f4 Qa5 8.Bd2 (diagram)
White's advantage is obvious.

8...Qb6 ??
Refusing to develop pieces...

9.e5 Ng8 10.Qf3 (diagram)
Black's position is tragicomic.

10...Be7
At last, a minor piece is developed - but too late...


11.000
Missing the immediate punishment 11.Nd5

11...d6 12.Nd5
Now I saw it

12...Qc5 13.Bb4 (diagram)

Black resigns as he will loose his majesty ( eg 13...Qc6 14.Bb5 )

 A fair punishment for playing a gambit whilst not developing !

Disturbing my plans.

Let my apologise first for my long absence - I was quite busy professionaly and had a week's holiday in Italy.

In my quest to demonstrate a theoretical equal line for white in the Teichman defense, I am looking at the "dubious" 11.Bg5 after 1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc4 Nf6 4.f3 exf3 5.Nxf3 Bg4 6.h3 Bh5 7.g4 Bg6 8.Ne5 e6 9.Bg2 c6 10.h4 Bb4

In earlier blogs, I proved that the attacker is better after the natural 11...Nbd7 and has equal chances ( even if white had to trade 6!!! pawns for a piece ) after the challenging 11...Qa5.

Let's look today at 11...h6 (diagram), another black try to disrupt white's plans.

It seems to me that this weakens black's position in two ways :
1. a timely exchange of the bishop on g6 yields a double pawn on g6 and an isolani on e6
2. white may consider sacrifing his bishop on h6 when black castles into it.

Unfortunately, my silicon assistant does not always see things the way I see them... As an example, Stockfish first thinks 12.Nxg6 is roughly equal, but, when thinking deeper, prefers 12.Bf4, then switches back to 12.Nxg6, then again 12.Bf4. So it is clear Stockfish is confused.

Let's look at both lines.

a/ 12.Nxg6 fxg6 (diagram)
Let's look at three different white lines

...a1/ 13.Bxf6
......a1a/ 13...Qxf6 14.Qd3
.........a1a1/ 14...Bxc3+ 15.bxc3 Nd7 16.g5 (=)
.........a1a2/ 14...00 15.000 (+=)
.........a1a3/ 14...Nd7 15.000 (=)

......a1b/ 13...gxf6 14.Qd3 (+=)

......a1c/ 13...Bxc3 14.bxc3 Qxf6 15.Rb1 (=)

...a2/ 13.Bf4

......a2a/ 13...Bxc3 14.bxc3 (=)
......a2b/ 13...Nd5 14.Bd2 (=+)

......a2c/ 13...00 14.00 (=+)

...a3/ 13.Be3

......a3a/ 13...Bxc3 14.bxc3 (=)

......a3b/ 13...Qd6 14.00 (=+)
......a3c/ 13...Nd5 14.Qd3 (=)
......a3d/ 13...00 14.00 (=)

b/ 12.Bf4 (diagram)

...b1/ 12...Nd5 13.Nxg6 

......b1a/ 13...Bxc3+  14.bxc3 fxg6 15.00 (=)

......b1b/ 13...fxg6  15.00 (=)

...b2/ 12...Be4 13.Bxe4 (=)

...b3/ 12...Bh7 13.g5 (=)
...b4/ 12...Ne4 13.Nxg6 Nxc3 14.bxc3 Bxc3+ 15.Bd2 (=)
...b5/ 12...Nbd7 13.Nxg6 fxg6 14.Qd3 (=)
...b6/ 12...Nfd7 13.Nxg6 fxg6 14.Qd3 (+)
...b7/ 12...Nfd7 13.Nxg6 fxg6 14.Qd3 (+)
...b8/ 12...00 13.00 (=+)

So we see that the challenging 11...h6 is no roadblocker for playing 9.Bg2 c6 10.h4 Bb4 11.Bg5 in  the Teichmann defense. The retreat 12.Bf4 might be a bit shaky after 12...00, but the immeidate 12.Nxg6 fxg6 13.Bxf6 offers white an equal game.

Forced lines all along

Last post, I covered a line in the Teichmann defense 1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc4 Nf6 4.f3 exf3 5.Nxf3 Bg4 6.h3 Bh5 7.g4 Bg6 8.Ne5 e6 9.Bg2 c6 10.h4 Bb4 11.Bg5 ?!

I showed that white is on top aftre the natural move 11...Nbd7 12.h5.

Unfortunately for the line, black has some otehr choices. as an example, Scheerer indicates 11.Bg5 to be "dubious" and suggests 11...Qa5 after which 12.Bd2 Qb6 13.h5 Qxd4 14.Nf3 Qxg4 15.hxg6 Qxg6 "...Black has four pawns for the piece and went on to win in E.Stadler-G.Haika, correspondence 2000."

Hmm, that's a bit of a setback. Let's start at 11...Qa5 12.Bd2 (diagram)

My silicon assistant only gives 12...Qb6 here ( 12...Qc7 13.Qe2 += ) followed by 13.h5 Qxd4 14.Nf3 (diagram)

Again, Scheerer's line is confirmed and 14...Qxg4 15.hxg6 is suggested.
Black may deviate now with 15...Qxg2 but this greedy capture is punished by 16.gxf7+ (+)
Another option is 15...Qg3+ 16.Kf1 but this is better for white than the main line.

So Scheerer was completely right - black has 4 pawns for the piece. But is black also winning ? Let's look after 16.Qe2 (diagram)

Faithfull Houdini now suggests 3 lines

a/ 16...Bxc3 17.Bxc3 Qg3+ 18.Kf1 (+=)

b/ 16...Qg3+ 17.Kf1
...b1/ 17...Nbd7 18.Rh3
......b1a/ 18...Qc7 19.Nb5 cxb5 20.Bxb4 Nd5 21.Be1 (+=)
......b1b/ 18...Qb8 19.Ne1 (+=)
......b1c/ 18...Qd6 19.a3 (+=)
......b1d/ 18...Qg6 19.Nb5 (+=)

...b2/ 17...Qc7 18.a3 (+=)
...b3/ 17...Be7 18.Rh3 (+=)
...b4/ 17...Bxc3 18.Bxc3 (+=)
...b5/ 17...Qg6 18.Nb5 (+=)

...b6/ 17...00 18.Ne4 Nxe4 19.Qxe4 (++)

c/ 16...Qxc2 17.Nd4 Qxb2 18.Rb1 Qxc3 19.Rxb4 !!

...c1/ 19...Qc5 20.Rh4 (=)

...c2/ 19...Qg3+ 20.Kf1 00 21.Rxb7 (+=)

...c3/ 19...Qa1+ 20.Kf2 Qxa2 21.Nf5 (++)

So it seems to me that Scheerer was right - white has to give an awfull lot of pawns for the piece. But I disagree that black is winning. Its seems to me only line c1 gives black an equal games, and white is on top in all other lines, even if white has given 4 or 5 pawns for the piece.

Milking the position

In dutch, "milking the position" means that the player manoeuvres very slowly and carefully as to exploit a very small positional advantage. Of course, that does apply to the vast majority of Blackmar Diemer positions, but still, you might need to do so as to show an advantage.

I learned that the Teichmann defense might give black a smalkl advantage after1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc4 Nf6 4.f3 exf3 5.Nxf3 Bg4 6.h3 Bh5 7.g4 Bg6 8.Ne5 e6 9.Qf3 c6 10.g5 Nh5.

So I decided to look into 9.Bg2 c6 10.h4 Bb4 and showed that white has equality.

But is there an advantage for teh attacker. My earlier analysis only considered 11.00. So let's look today at 11.Bg5 (diagram) and see if this one can bring white an advantage.

The move looks rather stupid, as it seems to block the advance of the g pawn.

The most natural black move in this position is clearly 11...Nbd7, attacking white's outpost. However white can now can a small advantage attacking the bishop 12.h5 (diagram)

 a/ 12...Nxe5 13.dxe5
...a1/ 13...Qxd1+ 14.Rxd1
......a1a/ 14...Be4 15.exf6 Bxg2 16.Rh2 (+=)
......a1b/ 14...Bxc2 15.exf6 (+=)
......a1c/ 14...Ne4 15.Bd2 (+=)

......a1d/ 14...Bxc3+ 15.bxc3 (+=)

...a2/ 13...Be4 14.Qxd8+ Rxd8 15.exf6 Bxg2 16.fxg7 Rg8 17.Rg1 (+=)

...a3/ 13...Bxc3+ 14.bxc3 (+=)

...a4/ 13...Qa5 14.exf6 Qxg5 15.hxg6 (+=)

b/ 12...Qa5 13.Bxf6

...b1/ 13...Bxc3+ 14.bxc3 Qxc3 15.Kf2 (+=)

...b2/ 13...gxf6 14.Nxd7 (+=)

c/ 12...Bxc3+ 13.bxc3 (transposing to other lines ) (+=)

d/ 12...Be4 13.Bxe4 Nxe5 14.Bxf6  (+=)

e/ 12...Qc7 13.Bxf6 (+=)

So we see that whote can get a small advanatge aftre the natural move 12...Nbd7. Unfortunately, black has some other moves, which we will analyse on a further post.

Zilbermints gambit in the Euwe defense

I admit - I am touching a very delicate item right now. Something that will certainly stir angry reactions. But nonetheless, I am covering it - the Zilbermints gambit in the Euwe defense occuring aftrer 1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3 exf3 5.Nxf3 e6 6.Bg5 Be7 7.Bd3 Nc6 8.00 Nxd4 and now  9.Kh1 (diagram).

I once showed this gambit-in-a-gambit to an IM friend of mine, and he felt really annoyed. "Why do you show this to me ?", he asked. "Do you want to test me on my defensive skills ?". Me, a mere mortal, I did not dare to answer this obvious question with a honest answer, so I just repsonded with a simple "I just wanted to know what you would play against this aggresive move." So he looked at the board for a few minutes and played 9...c5.

Okay, I expected that one. "Can't be bad - I protect my outpost and make some space for the queen", he added.

Since then, I have always distrusted the Zilbermints gambit. Maybe it is me being an engineer, wanting a clear path ahead for every move, that narrows my eyesight, but I cant see any white plan here.

Let's consider 10.Qe1 (what else) followed by the simple exchnage 10...Nxf3 11.Rxf3 (diagram). Note that black has stronger 10th moves and that taking the knight is rather silly now, aftre having defended it first with c5, but anyway.

My silicon assistant now gives 3 moves that give the defender the advantage : 11...Bd7, 11...a6 and 11...h6. Of course, white can only dream of black castling now into it, but that is not real chess, but  wishfullthinking chess.

Let's consider 11...Bd7. Houdini suggests 12.Rad1 (diagram) - who am I to doubt that ?

Houdini now suggests 5 black moves with a black advantage - surely there will be one that allows black to exchange some pieces ? 12...a6 is recommended, but let's look at 12...Bc6 (diagram)

To me, it seems the attacker has less than anything here. Sure, black has not yet castled and his queen is about to be x-rayed, but all of white's threats can be answered.

Summary, the Zilbermints gambit in the Euwe defense is to be respected, but not to be feared and there are many black lines leading to a black advantage.

Teichmann defense - continued.

Last week we learned that black can achieve a better position in the Teichmann Defense after the moves 1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc4 Nf6 4.f3 exf3 5.Nxf3 Bg4 6.h3 Bh5 7.g4 Bg6 8.Ne5 e6 9.Qf3 c6 10.g5 Nh5 as 11.Bd3 Qxd4 12.Nxg6 fxg6 13.Qg4 gives the defender a small advantage.

In my quest to find an theoretical equalizing line, I conclude the old 9.Bg2 c6 10.h4 (diagram) is the only candidate.

Black is forced to seek a place for his bishop, which can be done indirectly only through 10...Bb4. My silicon friend now gives 11.Bg5 as best, and completely equal after 11...h6 12.Nxg6 fxg6 13.Bxf6 (=), but I will discuss 11.00 today (diagram). White risks all to trap an enemy piece.

a/ 11...Bxc2 12.Qd2 (diagram)

...a1/ 12...00 13.Rf4
......a1a/ 13...Ba4 14.Qe3 Bxc3 15.bxc3 (=)
......a1b/ 13...Bg6 14.h5 Nxh5 15.gxh5 Bxh5 16.Qe3 (=)
......a1c/ 13...Bxc3 14.Qxc3 (=)
......a1d/ 13...Nxg4 14.Qxc2 (+=)
...a2/ 12...h6 13.Rf2 Bg6 14.Nxg6 fxg6 15.g5 hxg5 16.hxg5 Nd5 17.Qe2 (+=)
...a3/ 12...Bg6 13.h5 (+=)
...a4/ 12...Be4 13.Nxf7!! Kxf7 14.Bxe4 (+=)

b/ 11...00 12.Rf2!! (diagram)

...b1/ 12...Bxc3 13.bxc3 Ne4 14.Rf3 (=)
...b2/ 12...h5 13.g5 (=)
...b3/ 12...h6 13.g5 hxg5 14.hxg5 (+=)
...b4/ 12...Nbd7 13.Nxd7 Qxd7 14.h5 Bxc3 15.bxc3 Be4 16.g5 Bxg2 17.gxf6 (+=)

c/ 11...Nbd7 12.Qe2 (diagram)

...c1/ 12...Nxe5 13.dxe5 (=)

...c2/ 12...00 13.h5 (=)

...c3/ 12...Qb6 13.Be3 (=)

...c4/ 12...Qc7 13.h5 (+=)

...c5/ 12...Qa5 13.Nxd7 (+)

So, if white wants a (theoretically) safer alternative than 9.Qf3 c6 10.g5 Nh5 11.Bd3, it is obvious 9.Bg2 is a serious option - as none of black's options seem to give ab advantage to the defender.