A tough nut to crack

Just looking at "Long Bogo" Bogoljubow position with my new Stockfish 8 toy boy 👰  : 1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3 exf3 5.Nxf4 g6 6.Bf4 Bg7 7.Qd2 0-0 8.0-0-0 Bf5 (diagram)

I always believed 9.h3 was the key move here, but now I am not so sure anymore since white cannot avoid black swapping some pieces ; 9.h3 Ne4!! 10.Nxe4 Bxe5

Stockfish 8 now gives 11.Ng5 (diagram) as best and follows up 11...Bd5 (diagram)

I think everyone will agree with me that this is not a good position for the attacker - white has nothing for the pawn, maybe some distant development advantage, but certainly not worth a pawn. Stockfish suggests 12.Be3 as best now, which is certainly not a killer move 😞

Going back one move, at depth 26/46, my silicon assistant finds nothing better. Also at move 10, there is nothing better, so any improvement must come at move 9, when white played 9.h3.

The alternative is 9.Bh6 (diagram) which has the benefit of not exchanging any pieces needlessly as 9...Bxh6 10.Qxh6 Ng4 11.Qd2 is equal.

What did we learn today ? 8...Bf5 9.Bh6 is to be preferred over 8...Bf5 9.h3 in the Long Bogo. We will look at possible black moves in my next post.

The Long Bogo - looking at sidelines

Today we look at an interesting sideline in the Long Bogo : 1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3 exf3 5.Nxf3 g6 ( the Bogoljubow defense ) 6.Bf4 ( the Long Bogo ) Bg7 7.Qd2 0-0 8.0-0-0 and now the interesting move 8...Nbd7 (diagram)

Scheerer recommends 9.Bh6 Nb6 10.h4 here, but its seems black is better after the obvious 10...Bg4, pausing the white attack before it even started. there must be surely a better way to handle this line. Let's see what happens if black tries to open up the h line, potentially at the cost of another pawn. I guess the most immediate way to do so is 9.h4.

Let's look at a few lines - I will cover today 9....Nh5, in a future post, I will cover some alternatives.

9.h4 Nh5 10.Be2 (diagram)

This looks strange, as black is able to exchange some pieces, but the aim of white is to open the g and h files.

a/ 10...Nxf4 11.Qxf4 (diagram)

...a1/ 11...Nf6 12.Ne5 (=)
...a2/ 11...h5 12.g4 (=)
...a3/ 11...h6 12.Kb1 (=)
...a4/ 11...c5 12.h5 (+=)
...a4/ 11...c6 12.h5 (+=)
...a5/ 11...e6 12.g4 (+=)
...a6/ 11...Nb6 12.h5 (=)

b/ 10...c6 11.Bh2
...b1/ 11...b5 12.g4 Nf6 13.g5 (=)
...b2/ 11...Qa5 12.g4 Nf6 13.g5 (=)
...b3/ 11...Nhf6 12.h5 (=)

c/ 10...c5 11.Bh2 cxd4 12.Nxd4 (=)

d/ 10...Nb6 11.Bh2 (=)

e/ 10...a6 11.Bh6 (=)

So we can conclude that the lin e8...Nbd7 9.h4 Nh5 brings no advantage to black. Maybe there are other black moves that give black some chances, let's discuss that next blog.

Moving a piece twice in the opening

I have been looking at a curious line in the Bigoljubow lately :  1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3 exf3 5.Nxf3 g6 6.Bc4 Bg7 7.0-0 0-0 8.Qe1 Nc6 9.Qh4 and now the move 9...Nb4 (diagram)

My engine does not find an immediate refutation as every white move seems to has some drawback. White seems to get away with taking the second pawn on c2 !!

Aftre long analysis, it seems to me 10.Bh6 is the right move here, with horrrible complications :

a/ 10...Bxh6 11.Qxh6 (diagram)

...a1/ 11....Nxc2 12.Ng5 (++)
...a2/ 11....Ng4 12.Qd2 (=)

...a3/ 11....Bf5 12.h3 (=)

b/ 10...Bg5 11.Rad1 (=)

c/ 10...Bf5 11.h3 (diagram)

...c1/ 11...Nxc2 12.Rad1 (=)
...c2/ 11...Bxc2 12.Ng5 (+=)

...c3/ 11...e6 12.Bg5 (=)

...c4/ 11...c5 12.dxc5 (=)

...c5/ 11...Rc8 12.Rf2 (=)

d/ 10...Nxc2 11.Rad1 (diagram)

...d1/ 11...Nh5 12.Bg5 (=)
...d2/ 11...Bxh6 12.Qxh6 Ng4 Qh4 (analysed further)

...d3/ 11...Bf5 12.h3 (=)

...d4/ 11...Bg4 12.Rd2 (=)

It seems that white has nothing to fear. The critical line is line d2 which will be analysed in next blog. Stay tuned !

A defensive wall of knights

I played against a Bojoljubow defense friday evening but failed to find the weak spot - and as it turned out, there was none. When I came home in the middle of the night, I started looking up the defense, and it seems the line my opponent played is not covered in Scheerer.

Guido De Bouver - Wilfried Gys
1.d4 Nf6 2.f3 d5 3.e4 dxe4 4.Nc3 exf3 5.Nxf3 g6 6.Bc4 Bg7 7.00 00 8.Qe1
I played 8.Ne5 some years ago the same opponent, and was very lucky to win after 8...Nc6, which gives black the advantage. Since then, I learned that Qe1 is better.

8...Bf5 9.h3
Maybe the immediate 9.Qh4 would be better.

9...Nbd7
The knight is normally played to c6, but black aims to create a defensive wall of knights.

10.Qh4 (diagram)

10...c6 11.Bh6 Qc7 12.Ng5 (diagram)
Completely equal, says my silicon assistant.

12...b5 13.Bd3 ?
13.Bb3 would have given white the advantage, but now black starts his counterplay.

13...Bxd3 14.cxd3 Qd6
Very good move - black is now clearly on top and I lost a piece a few moves later.
0-1

But how to play against this defensive wall of knights ? Let's look at the position after 9.Qh4 Nbd7 10.h3 (diagram above). We will look today at the line 10...c6 11.Bh6 (diagram) which was played in my game

a/ 11...Bxh6 12.Qxh6
...a1/ 12...b5 13.Bb3 Ne2 (=)
...a2/ 12...a5 13.g4 Bxc2 14.Rac1 b5 15.Ng5 (+=)
...a3/ 12...c5 13.Bb5 (=)
...a4/ 12...e6 13.g4 (+=)
...a5/ 12...Qc7 13.Ng5 (=)

...a6/ 12...Qb6 13.Bb3 (=)

...a7/ 12...Bxc2 13.Rf2 (=)

b/ 11...b5 12.Bb3 (=)

c/ 11...a5 12.g4 (=)

d/ 11...e6 12.Bb3 (=)

e/ 11...Qc7 12.Ng5 (as in the game)
...e1/ 12...e5 13.dxe5 (=)
...e2/ 12...e6 13.Bb3 (=)
...e3/ 12...Bxh6 13.Qxh6 (=)
...e4/ 12...b5 13.Bb3 (+=)
...e5/ 12...Qd6 13.Bb3 (=)

f/ 11...Qb6 12.Bb3 (=)

g/ 11...Bxc2 12.Bxg7 Kxg7 13.Rf2 (=)

So we see that white must play very carefully in this line. There is no golden bullet to demolish black's defensive position as there are no apparent sacrifices. A tough nut for the attacker !

Abby Marchall on chesscafe on the Blackmar Diemer

I am so glad that Abby Marshall discusses the Blackmar Diemer gambit on her blog on chesscafe.com. She really makes my day !

The line she suggests as a defense to the Blackmar Diemer is the Bogoljubow 1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3 exf3 5.Nxf3 g6 6.Bc4 Bg7 7.00 00 8.Qe1 Nc6 9.Qh4 and now 9...Bf5 (diagram).

Now we all know that the Bogoljubow is a difficult animal, not only for the attacker, but also for the defender. I covered an earlier blog on this "For those that do not believe" where I suggested 10.h3. Abby only briefly discusses 10.h3 and focuses on 10.Kh1. I agree with her that white gets a difficult game after 10.Kh1, but I do not agree with her in her comment on 10.Kh1 :

"...10.h3 is a useful move, preparing g4, while preventing any black pieces from going to g4. 10...Nb4 The first we get to see of ...Nb4 in action. 11.g4 (11.Bh6 is less reckless and better. 11...Qd6 taking on c2 is possible, though why not make White think about it on every move? Black is already up a pawn.) 11...Bxc2 12.Be3 Bd3 13.Bxd3 Nxd3 14.Ng5 h6 White's aggression is rebuked and Black is up another pawn...."

Hmm, let's look at 10.h3 Nb4 (diagram) ( in my earlier blog, I only discussed 10...Bxc2 11.Rf2 and proved that white is doing very well )

I agree with her that 11.g4 is reckless and that 11.Bh6 is better. Let's now take a look at 11...Qd6 that she suggests. After some assistance of Houdini, it seems 12.Rad1 (diagram) fully equalizes and perhaps even more !!!

a/ 12...Nxc2 13.Rd2 (+=)

b/ 12...Bxc2 13.Ng5 (+=)

c/ 12...Bxh6 13.Qxh6 (+)

d/ 12...Nbd5 13.Bxd5 Nxd5 14.Ng5 (+=)

e/ 12...Nfd5 13.Ng5 (+)

f/ 12...Nh5 13.Bxg7
...f1/ 13...Kxg7 14.g4 (+=)
...f2/ 13...Nxg7 14.Ne4 (+)

g/ 12...Nc6 13.Ng5 (+=)

h/ 12...e6 13.Bxg7 Kxg7 14.g4 (+=)

i/ 12...c5 13.Be3 (+=)

j/ 12...b5 13.Nxb5 (+=)

k/ 12...Rad8 13.Ng5
...k1/ 13...Qb6 14.Na4 Qc6 15.Bb3 (=)
...k2/ 13...Nxc2 14.Nd5 Nh5 15.Rxf5 gxf5 16.Bxg7 Kxg7 17.Nxe7 (=)


So Abby, welcome to reality !! The line you suggested as winning for black is certainly no win for black. On the contrary, it is black who is struggling to stay in the game as white is winning in all but one lines. If black can find all these moves behind the board - he has a chance of levelling the game against a well prepared attacker !

I wont give up

We all know that the Bogoljubow defense is a difficult animal, not only for the attacker but also for the defender. In previous posts, I already discussed both the Studier Attack and the Long Bogo. Both have their  advantages, both have their problems :
- it seems the Studier attack is incorrect against precise defense. But it complicates the game, and that is what the attacker is hoping for, no ?
- the Long Bogo is more precise, but it just doesnt feel right to me. The attacker, hoping for wild Diemer-ish attacks, plays it quietly ? It is like Robert de Niro playing in a spaghetti western - who would believe that ?

In any case, the line 1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3 exf3 5.Nxf3 g6 6.Bc4 Bg7 7.00 00 8.Qe1 Nc6 9.Qh4 Bg4 10.Ne2 Bf5 (diagram) has proven to be a challenge for white.

I considered 11.Bb3 before, only to find that black is better after the simple 11...Na5.

But now is seems to me that 11.Bh6 (diagram) is much better than 11.Bb3. Let's have a look at the lines :

a/ 11...e6 12.Bg5
...a1/ 12...Bxc2 13.Rac1 Bf5 (=+)
...a2/ 12...a6 13.c3 (=)
...a3/ 12...h6 13.Bxh6 Ne4 14.Qf4 (=)
...a4/ 12..Qe7 13.Ng3 (=)
...a5/ 12..Nb4 13.c3 (=)

...a6/ 12..Re8 13.g4 h6 14.gxf5 hxg5 15.Nxg5 gxf5 16.Rxf5(=)

b/ 11...Bxh6 12.Qxh6
...b1/ 12...Ng4 13.Qd2
......b1a/ 13...a6 14.h3 Nf6 15.Qh6 (=)
......b1b/ 13...Qd6 14.h3 Nf6 15.Qh6 (=)
......b1c/ 13...Be4 14.Qg5 (=)
...b2/ 12...Bxc2 13.Ng5 (++)
...b3/ 12...Na5 13.Bd3
......b3a/ 13...Ng4 14.Qd2 (=)
......b3b/ 13...Bxd3 14.Ng5 Bf5 15.g4 (=)

...b4/ 12...e6 13.Ng5 (=)

c/ 11...Na5 12.Bb5

...c1/ 12...c6 13.Bd3 (+=)

...c2/ 12...a6 13.Bd3 (=+)

...c3/ 12...Qd5 13.c4 (=+)

d/ 11...Qd6 12.Bxg7 Kxg7 13.Ng3

...d1/ 13...e6 14.c3 (=+)

...d2/ 13...Be6 14.b3 (=)

e/ 11...Nd5 12.Ng5 (++)

f/ 11...Ne4 12.Bxg7 Kxg7 13.Bd3 (+=)

Of course, with accurate play, black is slightly better after 11.Bh6, but white holds his chances for a fierce attack. And that's what counts for a gambiteer !

Houdini versus Stockfish

I downloaded Stockfish today and tried to compare it to Houdini. I started the analysis on 5...g6, the starting point of the Bogoljubow defense (diagram).

First I tried Houdini 1.5a 64 bit, with 4096 MB memory. Houdini suggests 6.Bc4 untill a depth of 20 (49" thinking time ), then switches to 6.Bf4. After 5' thinking, it gives black an advantage of 0,17.

Stockfish 222 64 bit with 4096 MB memory suggests 6.Bb5+ c6 7.Bd3 untill 3', then switches to 6.Bc4. Only after 5' 31", Stockfish considers 6.Bf4 to be best, with a rating of 0,32 in blacks advantage.

So it seems both engines arrive at the same conclusion, but Houdini does it considerably faster ( at least in this position ). Also, Houdini seems to be more optimistic for the attacker.

After 6.Bf4 Bg7 7.Qd2 00 8.000 (diagram), Stockfish recommends 8...Nbd7 with an advantage of 0,40, whilst Houdini first suggests 8...Bf5, then 8...Bg4 with a black advantage of 0,20.

Delving a bit deeper in Stockfish's suggestion of 8...Nbd7, Houdini suggests 9.Kb1, whilst Stockfish believes 9.h3 is best.

The last position that I investigated is after 5...g6 6.Bc4 Bg7 7.00 00 8.Qe1 Nc6 9.Qh4 Bf5 (diagram). Stockfish suggests 10.h3 Na5, whilst Houdini plays it differently with 10.Bg5.

So it seems that the Blackmar Diemer gambit brings disagreement even under the strongest chess engines ! And you would expect that humans can form an objective assessment of the unbalanced positions that result after white's enterprising play, such as the Studier line in the Bogoljubow.

Why waiting moves are ( sometimes ) great

I was wondering why my computer sometimes suggests waiting moves. As an example, in the position occurring after 1.d4 Nf6 2.f3 d5 3.e4 dxe4 4.Nc3 exf3 5.Nxf3 g6 6.Bf4 Bg7 7.Qd2 00 8.000 Nc6 9.d5 ( gaining space )  Nb8 ( only option as 9...Nb4 10.a3 and 9...Na5 10.Nb5 with slight white advantage ), my computer now suggests 10.Kb1 (diagram).

Why is this waiting move better than the natural development move 10.Bc4 ?

Let's look first at 10.Bc4. Obviously, black wants to generate counterplay on the queenside, so 10...a6 is the obvious choice. White can not block this by 11.a4, since 11...b5 would open up the file for the rook. The alternative 11.a3 is surely better, but again allows black gaining space with 11...b5. So playing 10.Bc4 allows black to counterattack on the queenside.

Is this counterattack possible after the waiting 10.Kb1 ? The immediate 10...b5 11.Bxb5 is certainly not possible, so black needs to prepare this advance first. He can do so in two ways : a6 and c6.

The first option 10...a6 is countered by 11.Be2 (diagram)

The thematic 11...b5 is now answered by 12.Ne5. If black continues attacking like a madman with 12...b4, then white finds a great spot on the rim after 13.Na4. A knight on the rim is often dim - as the saying goes. But this is not the case here, as the white horseman can lateron move to the outpost c5, which is not guarded anymore by a pawn. Charging away the knight from his outpost with 12...Nbd7 is deadly, as c6 is not guarded anymore by a pawn.

The other way of preparing b5 is 10...c6, but now white delves deeper in enemy territory with 11.d6, followed by 11...exd6 12.Bxd6 Re8 and only now 13.Bc4 (diagram).

Black's counterattack 13...b5 is not to be feared after 14.Bb3 as 14...a5 is countered by 15.Qf4 and white's pieces are everywhere. The option of 14...b4, chasing away the knight, is not available in this position with the bishop on d6. So black has only 14...Be6 15.Bxe6 Rxe6 16.Qf4 with an equal game.

Lessons learned ? As an attacker, don't allow the defender a counterattack by exposing your pieces to rapidly, without them having an immediate threat. Consider a waiting move instead, urging the defneder to choose a defnese first - then attack. However, guess this approach is not the preferred choice for Blackmar Diemer gambiteers...

Thanks Vladimir

Vladimir D from Vladivostok in Russia kindly sent me a mail on my previous line in the Long Bogo. He notes that white has a playable game after 8...Bf5 9.h3 Ne4 10.Nxe4 Bxe4 11.Ng5 Bd5 12.h4

In my earlier post, I only considered 10.Qe1 ( 10.Qe3 pretty much is the same ), but it seems that the suggested continuation is better.

After 12.h4, black has 12...h6, but 13.Nh3 h5 ( 13...Kh7 is not so good as it allows 14.h5 g5 15.Bxg5 hxg5 16.Nxg5+ with a strong white attack ) 14.Ng5 (=).

Also possible is 12.h4 e6 13.Bd3 (=)

And finally 12.h4 Bxa2 13.h5 (=)

So it seems like my concern about this particular Long Bogo line is addressed - thanks Vladimir - great to see that chess players in Russia also read this blog !

It's more complicated than that.

Earlier posts ( The Long Bogo and The Long Bogo (2) ) covered 8...Bg4 in the Long Bogo.

This week's post covers 8...Bf5. It seems white can easily gain space on the king side with 9.h3 ( diagram ), followed by 10.g4.

Let's look at a possible great black defense : 9...Ne4
It is not covered at all by Scheerer, but a great move, as it forces the immediate exchange of a piece.
10.Qe1 Nxc3 11.Qxc3

Now it seems to me that 11..c5 is simply winning for black

eg 12.Qxc5
...a1/ 12...Na6 13.Qa3 (=)
...a2/ 12...Nc6 13.d5 (=)
...a3/ 12...Nd7 13.Qa3 (=)
...a4/ 12...a5 13.Bd3 (=+)

Other white 9th moves are no better either, eg 9.Bd3 Be6 ( resembling the same retreat in the Gunderam defense ) 10.Bh6 Nc6 and black is better.

So don't throw away your Studier Attack textbooks yet, since the Long Bogo also seems to have its problems !

The Long Bogo (2)

Last post focused on black's immediate attempt to exchange in The Long Bogo by playing 8...Bg4.

Unfortunately for white, black can also try 8...Nd5, attcking both the knight on c3 and the bishop on f4. So this move is black's second try to exchange pieces.

White should complicate matters with 9.Be5

a/ 9...Bxe5 ( simplest but very bad ) 10.dxe5 c6 11.Qh6 ++

b/ 9...Nxc3 10.Qxc3

..b1/ 10...Bg4 11.Be2 =
..b2/ 10...Bf5 11.h4 =
..b3/ 10...Nd7 11.Bxc7 Qe8 12.Bb5 =
..b4/ 10...Bh6+ 11.Kb1 =

c/ Bf5 10.Bxg7 Kxg7 11.Bc4 =

d/ Bg4 10.Bc4 =

e/ Be6 10.h4 =

f/ Nf6 10.Qf4 =

g/ c6 10.h4 =

h/ f6 10.Bg3 =

Bottomline, black's try to simplufy the Long Bogo 8...Nd5 does not bring any advantage for black nor white.

The Long Bogo

Today I am looking at an alternative to the Studier Attack.
1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3 exf3 5.Nxf3 g6 6.Bf4 Bg7 7.Qd2 00 8.000
I will concentrate today on 8...Bg4 and will cover other lines later

Black often plays 8...Bg4 with a simple objective : exchanging a piece to come to a winning endgame.

White's options inlcude 9.Bc4, 9.Be2, 9.Kb1 and 9.h3

9.h3 does not bring anything, as white's kingside looks silly after 9...Bxf3 10.gxf3 e6

9.Kb1 seems a bit slow, as black can try to exchange yet another piece with 9...Nd5

Black can try the simple ( and tested ) strategy Nd7, Nb6, Nd5 against 9.Bc4, leading nowhere for white

So 9.Be2 seems like the sole contender !!

a/ 9...Nd5 ( trying to exchange as much as possible ! ) 10.h3 !!

..a1/ 10...Be6 11.Be5 =
..a2/ 10...Bf5 11.Be5 =
..a3/ 10...Bc8 11.Be5 =
..a4/ 10...Bxf3 11.Bxf3
....a41/ 11...c6 12.Bg5 =
....a42/ 11...e6 12.Nxd5 exd5 13.g4 +=
....a43/ 11...Nxc3 12.Qxc3 +=
....a44/ 11...Nxf4 12.Bxb7 =
..a5/ 10...Nxf4 11.hxg4 =
..a6/ 10...Nxc3 11.Qxc3 =

b/ 9...Bxf3 10.Bxf3 +=

c/ 9...Nbd7 10.h3 Bxf3 11.Bxf3 =

d/ 9...Nc6 10.d5 Nb4 11.a3 a5!! =

e/ 9...e6 ?! 10.h3 Bxf3 11.Bxf3 =

f/ 9...c6 10.h3 =

So it seems that white has nothing to fear in The Long Bongo from black's attempt to simplify matters immediatley by playing 8...Bg4.

At least some good news from the Bogoljubow front...

There is no help out there.

Last post covered the challening line 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.e4 dxe4 4.f3 exf3 5.Nf3 g6 6.Bc4 Bg7 7.00 00 8.Qe1 Nc6 9.Qh4 Bg4. We learned that black's strategy is depriving white of attacking chances since neither 10.d5, 10.Rd1, 10.Be3 or 10.Ne2 offers winning chances to white.

So what to play ? In last post, I believed that 10.Ne2 is best, since I assumed there is only one move that provides black with a real advantage and that is the odd looking 10...Bf5. But let's look at the alternatives :

a/ 10...h5 ?! 11.c3 and black is better after 11...Na5

b/ 10...Bxf3 11.Rxf3 with an equal position

c/ 10...Bh5 ?! and even after this silly looking move, white cant get the attack going, eg 11.c3 Na5 with small black advanatge.

d/ 10...Qd7 11.c3 and black remains better.

So it seems that there are MULTIPLE moves for black to get the advantage after 8...Nc6 9.Qh4 Bg4 10.Ne2 ! Does that mean that the whole Studier line of attack is wrong ? Maybe there are alternatives to the immediate 9.Qh4 ?? I doubt it, since any alternative would consist of the development of white's queen's bishop, either to e3, f4 or g5. But this is a waste of time, since it actually aims for h6. And depriving black the option of Bg4 by means of 9.is no option either, since the d4 pawn is hanging.

Finally, 9.Kh1, in true Zilbermintz style, also leaves to many options for the black player.

So I guess it is fair to say that the Studier setup ( castling short, Qe1 and Qh4 and Bc4 ) is refuted by black's simple Nc6 9.Qh4 Bg4.

Maybe we all have to start looking at other lines, such as 7.Bf4 for fighting the Bogoljubow defense...

SOS......SOS......SOS.....SOS

Last week we looked at the Studier lines after 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.e4 dxe4 4.f3 exf3 5.Nf3 g6 6.Bc4 Bg7 7.00 00 8.Qe1 Nc6 9.Qh4 Ng4. We learned that white has at least an equal games, and is even better in the majority of lines.

However, instead of 9...Ng4, black can also play 9...Bf5 or 9...Bg4. This week we will look at black's strongest move, 9...Bg4.

Black attacks the pawn at d4 by removing a defender. What could white respond ?
- white could add an additional defender, by means of 10.Be3, 10.Ne2 or 10.Rd1
- remove the target by playing 10.d5

Playing 10.d5 does not look so good, black simply captures on f3 and exchanges a few pieces, eg 10...Bxf3 11.Rxf3 Ne5 and white faces a long uphill struggle for equality.

10.Rd1 is ridiculuous - white simply captures on f3 and white's position is a mess.

10.Be3 might look good, but white's move is purely defensive, leaving black with so many options... White can't even obtain equality in the simplest of lines, eg 10...Bxf3 11.Rxf3 ( diagram ) and now a killer move 11...e5 !! White is deprived of his attacking potential and faces a long struggle - not what he was hoping for.

10.Ne2 ( diagram ) is more complicated then 10.Be3, but black once again can seize the initiative, eg 10...Bf5. Redeploying the bishop seems silly, but leaves white with a nearly ubdefendeable position, eg 11.Bb3 Na5 and white's attack is halted before it is started.

So if I really have to choose, I would choose 10.Ne2 as chances are small that black will know the killer move 10.Bf5.

But maybe, maybe.... I might have to consider an alternative to the Studier Attack...

When the need is high, rescue is at hand.

The Kloss variation in the Bogoljubow defense has often been quoted as one of the reasons why white should avoid the Studier attack.

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.e4 dxe4 4.f3 exf3 5.Nf3 g6 6.Bc4 Bg7 7.00 00 8.Qe1 Nc6 9.Qh4 Ng4 !!

Black directly attacks the d4 pawn.

10.Bf4 Bxd4+ 11.Kh1 Bf6 12.Bg5

12....Bf5
The only way for black to get an advantage. 13.Ne3 gives no advantage at all.

Scheerer now gives 13.Rad1 Qe8 14.Nd5 as winning for white, but blacks strongest reply 13...Qc8 gives black the upper hand.

Instead 13.Bxf6 seems to give white a complete equal game :

a/ 13...Nxf6 14.Ng5
a1/ 14...h5 15.Rxf5 gxf5 16.Rd1 Qe8 17.Nf3 with complete equality
a2/ 14...Kg7 15.Rad1 =
a3/ 14...Ne5 15.Rad1 Qe8 16.Rde1 +=
a4/ 14...Qd4 15.Rf4 +
a5/ 14...Bxc2 15.Rxf5 ++
a6/ 14...Nd4 15.Rd1 ++
a7/ 14...e6 15.Rd1 +

b/ 13...exf6 14.Rad1
b1/ 14...Qe7 15.Nd5 Qc5 16.h3 =
b2/ 14...Qe8 15.Nd5 +
b3/ 14...Qc8 15.Nd5 =
b4/ 14...Qb8 15.Nd5 +=
b5/ 14...Bd7 15.h3 Nge5 16.Nxe5 Nxe5 17.Qg3 +=


Of course black might have other options apart from 10...Bxd4+, but I guess it is clear that this analysis indicates that black wont get an advantage in the Kloss variation.

For those that do not believe

I got several commnents on last weeks post on the line 8.Qe1 Nc6 9.Qh4 Bf5 10.h3 Bxc2 11.Rf2 Na5 12.Bf1 Bf5 13.Bh6

I indicated this line "gives white complete equality" - but I admit - I was wrong. I should have said "And white is winning in all lines". Let's look at the possible lines

a/ 13...Qd6 14.Ng5 += white is leading the dance...

b/ 13...e6 14.Bg5 redeploying the bishop seems odd, but now g4 seems lethal.

b1/ 14...Nc6 15.Re1 +=
b2/ 14...h6 15.Bxh6 +=
b3/ 14...b5 15.Bxb5 +=

c/ 13...Bxh6 14.Qxh6

c1/ 14...e6 15.Rd1 +=
c2/ 14...Nc6 15.d5 +-
c3/ 14...Qd6 15.Bg5 +=
c4/ 14...c6 15.Ng5 +-
c5/ 14...Re8 15.Ng5 +=

d/ 13...Nc6 14.Rd1

d1/ 14...Nd5 15.g4 +=
d2/ 14...Qd6 15.Ng5 +=
d3/ 14...Nb4 15.Ng5 +=
d4/ 14...e6 15.Ng5 +=

e/ 13...b5 14.g4 +=

Such is life in the Bogoljubow defense - a complicated position, with white having the best cards....

Bogoljubow defense - the most complicated line of defense

The Bogoljubow defense is often named the best defense for black in the Blackmar Diemer. I tend to agree on that, but have to note that the lines are getting horribly complicated. Even my faithfull companion Houdini does not always see the correct assessment and needs to be "taken down the lane".

For example, I have been focusing lately on the lines after 1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3 exf3 5.Nxf3 g6 6.Bc4 Bg7 7.00 00 8.Qe1 ( The Studier Attack ) Nc6 9.Qh4

Now 9...Bf5 10.h3 is a very difficult continuation, as white attacks on the kingside whilst black will be grapping pawns. Half a year ago, I discovered that the line 10...Bxc2 11.Rf2 Na5 gave black the upper hand as 12.Bxf7+ Rxf7 13.Rxe2 was better for black.

But now I found the correct reply for white : the simple 12.Bf1 forces black to retreat and loose valuable time.

Black only has 12...Bf5 and now 13.Bh6 gives white complete equality

So I continue to believe that the line 9...Bf5 10.h3 gives white an equal game - even if others say differently...