Chess Strategy

Intro: I’m afraid the readership will have to bare with my obsession for pawn structures. I realised I had problem with my openings because I tend to mistreat and compromise pawn chains. Last couple of weeks, as time allows, I’m trying to examine them closer, the first result being series on hanging pawns. Nowadays I’m researching Accelerated Dragon. At the same time, my good friend IM Miodrag Perunovic sent me couple of articles on Sicilian Dragon sidelines and I decided to share some of them. First comes the Nde2 retreat in Fianchetto, please be aware the article is “cheering” for Black

Article by IM Miodrag Perunovic

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1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.g3 Nc6 7.Nde2
This retreat is the most promising continuation after White enrolled with g3 against Dragon. White’s main idea is to play in the center with moves like Bg2, 0-0, Nd5 and Bg5; or Be3, Qd2 in some lines. Of course, White will remain flexible to switch between the setups depending on Black’s reaction. So, lets see…

7…Bg7
An early 7…Rb8!? might be possible, but there aren’t many games were it was actually played. The continuation enjoyed brief popularity when Veselin Topalov employed it some 5-6 years ago, but German Grandmaster Kristofer Lutz suggested correct setup where White gets slight positional advantage. 8.Bg2 b5 9.0-0 Bg7 10.Nd5 Nd7 11.c3 a5 12.Nd4! Nxd4 13.cxd4 When White has built a strong center… 13…e6 14.Nf4 b4 15.Be3 Ba6 16.Re1 0-0 17.Qd2 Nb6 18.b3 Lutz - Topalov 1994;

7…b6!? is worth of consideration. In my previous articles about other Dragon sidelines, I have endorsed this move in various positions. The main feature is that Black is spending only two moves for fianchetto, instead or regular a6, b5, Bb7 (maybe even Rb8 in-between). Faster, but somewhat passive development, will hold the position and wait for active counterplay. 8.Bg2 Bb7! I don’t think 8…Ba6 would be good. 9.0-0 [9.b3?! Bg7 10.Bb2 0-0 11.Qd2 b5! 12.0-0-0 (12.Nxb5 Nxe4) 12…Ng4 13.Rdf1 Qa5 14.h3 Nf6 15.f4 b4 16.Na4 Nb8! attacking e4 and preparing Bc6 as seen in Kaidanov - Gurevich D. 1997] 9…Bg7 10.h3 0-0 11.Bg5 Rc8 12.Qd2 a6 13.Bh6 Bxh6 14.Qxh6 e6 Exactly what black wants - to set up a flexible position while keeping an eye on the center. Dark-bishops exchange won’t hurt him in slightest, Black will have many possibilities later in the middle game. 15.Rad1 Qe7 16.Rd2 b5 17.Qe3 Rfd8 18.Rfd1 Qc7 with a very comfortable position for Black, Modiahki - Ramesh 2000;
7…Bg4!?; Bg4 or Bd7 is leading to the line where possibilities for Black are very restricted, particularly on the queenside counterplay. I am not a big fan of this variation. 8.Bg2 Qc8 9.h3! Bd7 (transposes to the same line immediately playing 7…Bd7) 10.a4!? (10.b3!?; 10.Be3) ;
7…Bd7 8.Bg2 Qc8 9.h3 Bg7 10.a4!? (10.b3!?; 10.Be3)

8.Bg2 0-0 9.0-0
Let’s take a moment to explain some ideas. Black wants to prepare b5-b4 on the queenside, and in doing so, he has to spend tempo on Rb8. With Rb8 and pawn on b5 or b4, Black will press the knight on c3, and indirectly, in some lines, pawn on e4. Also, by pushing the pawn to b4 (or even b3), Black will have a solid choice between Nd7-Nc5, Ba6 or Bb7. Also to be considered are e6 and Qc7 or Qe7. This is position full of interesting possibilities for both sides.

9…Rb8! 10.a4!
A very important move. Black wants to play b4, and with a4, White will open the a-file and take possession of it, which is extremely important in most of the continuations.

10…a6 11.h3
There are two other main possibilities. First is 11.Nd5 b5 12.axb5 axb5 13.Bg5 Forces Black to make a choice between Nd7 (which usually is the best), or let up and play Nd5?! [Other moves instead 13.Bg5: a) 13.Be3 b4 14.Ra2 (14.Nd4 Ne5!? (14…Bb7!? 15.Nxc6 Bxc6 16.Re1 Re8; 14…Nxd4?! 15.Bxd4 Nxd5 16.exd5 Bxd4 17.Qxd4 Bf5 18.Ra7! Bxc2 19.Re1 Re8 20.Bh3!± Atlas - Tischbierek 2002) 15.Qe2 Nxd5 16.exd5 Qc7 17.Ra2 Bg4 18.f3 Bd7 19.Rfa1 Rfc8; 14…Ng4 15.Bg5 h6 16.Bc1 e6 17.Ne3 b3 18.cxb3 Nge5 19.Bd2 Qb6 20.Bc3 Ba6 Ivanchuk - Kramnik 1995; b) 13.h3 Transposes to the main line - 11.h3 b5 12. ab5 ab5 13. Nd5 (see main line)] 13…Nd7 14.Qc1 Double useful. The pawn on b2 is defended by Qc1 and Bh6 is in the air! 14…Re8! Also very convenient. After Re8, Black will have this retreat Bh8 on Bh6, and also the Rook will support up the pawn on e7, which is attacked by Nd5 and Bg5. 15.Rd1 Intending e5 sometime, having the queen pinned on the d-file… [15.h3 Bb7 16.Rd1 Qc8 17.Bh6 Bh8 18.Be3 Ba8 19.c3 Bg7 20.Bh6 Bh8= Hernandez Gi. - Serper 1997] 15…Nc5 16.h3 [16.Bh6 Bh8 17.Be3 (17.b4? Bxa1 18.Qxa1 Ne6 19.Ndf4 Ne5 20.Nxe6 Bxe6 21.f4 Qb6+ 22.Kh1 Ra8 23.Qc3 Rec8 24.Qd2 Ng4-+ Ivanov - Ernst 1991) 17…Bg4 18.f3 Bd7 19.Nd4 Qc8 20.Bf2 b4 21.Qd2 Qb7 22.Rab1 e6 23.Nxc6 Bxc6 24.Nxb4 Qxb4 25.Qxb4 Rxb4 26.Rxd6 Nxe4 27.fxe4 Bxe4 28.Bxe4 Rxe4= Spasov - Chatalbashev 1994] 16…b4 17.Be3 [17.Bh6 Bh8 18.Be3 Nd7 19.Nd4 Bxd4 20.Bxd4 e6-+ transposes to game Svidler - Zvjaginsev] 17…Bd7 18.Nd4 Qc8! An important improvement compared to the Avrukh game. The Queen is not on the d-file anymore and tricks involving e5 are gone! [18…Ne5?! 19.Ra7 Rc8 20.b3 Rb8? 21.f4! Nc6 22.Nxc6 Bxc6 23.Bxc5 dxc5 24.Nxe7++- Al Modiahki - Avrukh 2002] 19.Nxc6 Bxc6 20.Bd4 Bxd5 21.exd5 Qf5= Al Modiahki - Tivjakov 2002;
Back to the position after 10….a6 - 11.Bg5 b5 12.axb5 axb5 13.Qc1 [13.Nd5 Nd7 14.c3 h6 15.Be3 e6 16.Nb4 Nxb4 17.cxb4 Ne5 1/2 Soltis - Inkiov 1986] 13…Re8 14.Nd5 Nd7 15.Rd1 b4 16.h3 Nc5 17.Bh6 Bh8 18.Be3 Nd7 19.Nd4?? All moves so far are logical and need no need for special explanations. Still, there are some mines under the surface, be careful. Kamsky, Svidler and many other GMs have lost games on this trick! 19…Bxd4! 20.Bxd4 e6! 21.Nxb4 Nxb4-+ Svidler - Zvjagincev 1992

11…b5 12.axb5 axb5 13.Be3
13.Bg5 Nd7 14.Qc1 b4 15.Nd5 Nc5 A logical move which opens the possibility of several solid moves, for example b3 or Ba6 etc… [15…Re8 transposes to lines with an early Bg5. With 15…Re8, Black is seeking more than a draw. If 15… Nc5, Black is happy with calm and easy game] 16.Bh6 Ba6 17.Bxg7 Kxg7 18.Qd2 e6 19.Ne3 Qe7 20.f4 Rfe8= Kudrin - Georgiev Ki. 1985;
13.Nd5 b4 14.Be3 [14.Bg5 transposes to the main line 11.h3 - 13.Bg5; 14…Nd7 transposes to the main line 11.h3 - 13.Be3]

13…b4 14.Nd5 Nd7 15.Ra2
This is just one of couple of possibilities here, and I’m not sure if it is the most accurate…
A) 15.Qc1 e6 16.Ndf4 Qc7 17.Ra2 Nf6 18.Nd3 Bb7! [An improvement over 18…Rd8?! 19.c4! Somehow, White has managed to fix the pawn on b4 and grab it later. Odd, bearing in mind that Svidler was Black here! 19…Bb7 20.b3 Nd7 21.Rd1 Nce5? Unreasonable drop of an important pawn. A pity, since the position is solid. (21…Ra8) 22.Nxb4 Nc5 23.Nd4 Bxe4 24.Bxe4 Rxb4 25.Nb5 Qb6 26.Qa3 Nxc4 27.bxc4 Rxc4 28.Bd3 1-0 Malakhov - Svidler 1997] 19.c4!? [19.Qd2 Ne5 20.Nxe5 dxe5 21.Ra7 Qc4 22.f3 Rbd8 23.Qc1 Bxe4 24.fxe4 Qxe2] 19…b3! 20.Ra4 Ra8 21.Rxa8 Rxa8 22.Nc3 Nd7 unclear;
B) A mistake is 15.Nd4?? I found almost 25 games with 15. Nd4?? in ChessBase. Among these were games by Svidler, Kamsky, L’Ami and other strong players. If they can commit such a blunder, anyone can! So, remember this theme and hope that some of your future oponents will play it! 15…Bxd4! 16.Bxd4 e6 17.Ne3 e5 18.Ba7 Rb7 19.Qxd6 Nxa7-+ Kamsky - Tivjakov and L’Ami - Tivjakov;
C) 15.Rb1 Could be an interesting move. Maybe the drawback is the fact that white doesn’t have the open a-file anymore. 15…e6 16.Ndf4 b3!? 17.cxb3 Nc5 18.Nc1 Bb7!? Logical and best move. [Na5 would cause problems 18…Na5?! 19.e5!! A fantastic idea! Opening up the Bishop on g2, giving it some air. After Be5, the idea is b4 and Ncd3 with tempo. The bishop on e5 will be exchanged and White will have wonderful attacking chances because the dark squares will become extremely vulnerable, Movsesjan - Shirov 2000] 19.Ra1 [19.Ncd3 Ba6] 19…Qe7 20.Ncd3 Nxd3 21.Qxd3 Ne5 22.Qd2 f5 with counterplay.

Back to the position after 15.Ra2. We will present an provisional example where Black gained advantage after some mistakes by White. By no means, it doesn’t claim the whole line is bad for White. Game is Ivan Marinkovic - Aleksandar Kovacevic.

15…e6! 16.Ndf4 b3!
By doubling White pawns on the b-file, Kovacevic’s idea is to activate minor pieces (Nb4, Nc5, Ba6) and create potentional weaknesses on b2 and b3. Strikes like b3 are always worth of consideration!

17.cxb3 Nb4 18.Ra1 [18.Ra7!? Nc5 19.Nc3 Qb6 20.Ra3 Ba6 21.Re1 Rfc8 is unclear] 18…Bxb2 19.Rb1 Be5! 20.Nd3 Nxd3 21.Qxd3 Nc5 [Ba6 follows…] 22.Qc2 Ba6! 23.Rfd1 Rc8 24.Nd4?! [Better was 24.Qd2] 24…Bb7! 25.Bh6 Nxe4! A nice example on how easy Black got an edge with just a few strong moves. Of course, not without opportunities presented after White’s inaccuracies.

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