GHS7iYFd

1% BOOKTITLE = The Killer Dutch
2[Event "?"]
3[Site "?"]
4[Date "????.??.??"]
5[Round "?"]
6[White "About this Publication"]
7[Black "?"]
8[Result "*"]
9[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
10[PlyCount "1"]
11[SourceDate "2015.05.10"]
12
13{In this book, Williams examines the Classical Dutch in great depth. He also
14presents a complete repertoire for Black with the Dutch Defence, which is
15based on his own repertoire he has used successfully at grandmaster level for
16many years. As well as presenting the latest theory and revealing his new
17ideas in the key lines, Williams highlights the main tactical and strategic
18ideas for both sides and covers important issues such as move orders.} 1. -- {
19Each chapter includes a series of tests at the end, so that readers are able
20to assess how well they have understood the main concepts. This books tells
21you everything you need to know about successfully playing the Classical Dutch.
22} (1. -- {Simon Williams is a Grandmaster, a presenter and a popular writer
23whose previous books have received great praise. He is much admired for his
24dynamic and spontaneous attacking style.}) *
25
26[Event "?"]
27[Site "?"]
28[Date "????.??.??"]
29[Round "?"]
30[White "Introduction"]
31[Black "?"]
32[Result "*"]
33[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
34[PlyCount "2"]
35[SourceDate "2015.05.10"]
36
37{"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and
38leave a trail." - Ralph Waldo Emerson. --- Throughout this book, I have
39'borrowed' quotes from people greater than myself. This is because I have
40neither the literary skill nor ability to come up with such great sayings. In
41this day and age of Google, such prized quotes are readily accessible. I have,
42therefore, concentrated my time and effort on the chess material shown in this
43book.} 1. d4 f5 {. Introductory Words: The Classical Dutch has possessed my
44chess soul for over twenty years now. Throughout this period of my life, and
45despite all the ups and downs, it is still my best chess friend. Indeed, I
46have had some of my greatest results playing the Classical Dutch. --- At the
47tender age of nine, I was introduced to the opening by my dad, so you can
48blame him for everything that follows! Since then, it has become my routine
49answer to 1 d4, 1 c4 and 1 Nf3. --- The Classical Dutch is an opening that
50will favour the brave, i.e. players who want an interesting fight from the
51start of the game. It is an original opening that offers many exciting options.
52Just in the making of this book, I have come across new ideas that have never
53been played before. --- I would describe the Classical Dutch as an aggressive
54and tactical opening, but it also has some complex positional aspects. The
55middlegame often involves a tactical battle but just as often, players who
56enter these types of positions can also find themselves "grinding away" with
57their positional advantage. --- It is true that the general reputation of the
58Dutch Defence is quite poor. Top players tend to refer to the opening as one
59might to a dangerous-looking biker, one that you might encounter in a late
60night bar: wary, slightly scared, but also with a hidden sense of fascination
61and respect. --- One of my favourite quotes on the Dutch was made by top
62Grandmaster Artur Yusupov. "The problem with the Dutch is that Black very
63often in the middlegame finds that his best available move is f5-f7." That
64quote may well be true in some cases, but 'Freddy the f-pawn' can also be a
65very dangerous attacking unit! --- The Classical Dutch is an opening that
66suits me perfectly. One of the advantages I have over my opponents is that I
67have a very good understanding of what both sides should be doing, thanks to
68my vast experience in this opening. In fact, when I play some of the world's
69best players, my understanding of the opening is sometimes greater even than
70theirs. This is due to the fact that the Classical Dutch is a rather rare
71opening and many players will not know how to respond to it. For example, take
72a look at my games against Sokolov, Gelfand and Shirov. In all cases, I
73obtained a good position from the opening. With this in mind, I believe that
74the Classical Dutch is a reputable opening which can be successfully used
75against the best of players. --- During my chess adventures, I have dabbled
76with the Kings Indian Defence, English Defence, Black Knights' Tango, the Slav
77and even 1...Nc6, but none of these openings has ever appealed to me, or
78scored as well for me, as the Classical Dutch. --- Indeed, some people have
79even had the cheek to ask me, "Simon, I bought your 2002 book on the Dutch 
80(Play the Classical Dutch) and now you have given up playing it. Why? What is
81wrong with the opening?"} (1... -- {With regard to the above, my thoughts are
82better explained by the fantasy author Terry Pratchett: "Why do you go away?
83So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with
84new eyes and extra colours. And the people there see you differently, too.
85Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving." --- (Terry
86Pratchett: A Hat Full of Sky)}) (1... -- {This book is aimed at players of all
87strengths and its real purpose is to arm those players with a dangerous weapon
88that can be used against either 1 d4, 1 c4 or 1 Nf3. I also hope that this
89book will be of use to players who play 1 d4 as well. Even if they don't enter
90into a Classical Dutch, they will inevitably improve by getting to grips with
91the types of positions featured in this book. --- Each chapter of the book
92starts with some important games that demonstrate the main themes and ideas of
93the chapter. Afterwards, the theory is introduced and analysed in great detail,
94with all relevant variations discussed. At the end of some of the main
95chapters, typical middlegame and endgame positions are shown and an
96explanation as to the plans of each player is also given, so that the player
97is fully prepared. --- I would recommend that you first read the book from
98start to finish and then you are free to concentrate on any particular chapter
99after that. --- To start with, let us take a look at how I used the Classical
100Dutch to destroy a top Grandmaster in twenty moves (see the following game).})
101*
102
103[Event "1: French League"]
104[Site "?"]
105[Date "2011.??.??"]
106[Round "?"]
107[White "Wojtaszek, R."]
108[Black "Williams, S."]
109[Result "0-1"]
110[ECO "A96"]
111[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
112[PlyCount "40"]
113[EventDate "2011.??.??"]
114[Source "Everyman Chess"]
115[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
116
117{This game was played in the first round of the 2011 French Team Championships.
118I was rather angry before the start of the game and to be honest, the result
119of the match was pretty irrelevant to me. I expect, for that reason, I was
120able to play in the way that I did, i.e. with reckless abandon! --- My
121opponent was rated 2721 at the time and the second of the World Champion,
122Vishy Anand. Obviously they had not studied the Classical Dutch together...} 1.
123d4 e6 2. Nf3 f5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. c4 d6 {This is considered
124to be the main line of the Classical Dutch and it is certainly a position that
125you need to be familiar with.} 7. Qc2 a5 8. Nc3 Nc6 {This is a very
126comfortable position for Black. As we will see later on, if Black can achieve
127the ...e5 break, he should generally be feeling confident.} 9. b3 e5 10. dxe5
128dxe5 11. Rd1 Qe8 {Another typical manoeuvre. The queen swings over to h5,
129increasing the pressure against White's kingside.} 12. Nb5 {This looks like an
130annoying move to deal with. The knight reaches a dangerous outpost on b5
131pressurising Black's queenside, but why care about the queenside when
132checkmate is the end of the game!} Qh5 $5 {An outrageous move! The safe option
133would have been ...Bd8 with a perfectly fine position, but why be safe when
134you can live a little...} 13. Nxc7 f4 {After this game, a well-known GM came
135up to me and his comment went something along the lines of, "Simon, how can
136you show such a complete disregard for classical chess principles and go on to
137beat such a strong player?" To which I responded, "Surely, the main principle
138of chess is checkmate?" --- The plan is clear: I simply want to put all my
139pieces onto the most aggressive squares possible, namely those that all point
140towards White's king, then the rest should play itself! --- If I lose, life
141goes on, but at least I have had some entertainment along the way!} 14. Nxa8
142Bc5 {Another black piece finds a good square and now f2 is under pressure. I
143am only a rook and one pawn down which is nothing really. Morphy used to give
144those types of odds all the time!} 15. Rd5 $2 {My opponent cracks immediately
145but facing such an attack from such an unpredictable player must have been
146quite disconcerting.} (15. gxf4 {was later found to be a better move, but it
147is very easy to go wrong in such a complicated position.}) 15... Nb4 16. Rxe5
148Nxc2 17. Rxh5 Nxh5 {White is already busted.} 18. Rb1 fxg3 19. hxg3 Nxg3 20.
149Rb2 Bf5 {. "Fortes fortuna adiuvat."} (20... -- {A fun game for me to play but
150not so for my opponent, who appeared to be left reeling in a state of shock. I
151noticed that Wojtaszek's Elo rating has taken a bit of plunge since this game.
152I guess that is the effect that the Dutch and I have on people... --- A lot of
153comments were made about this game and my "crazy" idea of simply sacrificing
154the queenside pieces in order to enhance my attack on the kingside.
155Furthermore, a number of people have stated that 12...Qh5 was a great novelty,
156but the truth of the matter is that I had already used this idea a number of
157years ago. It was first played in the world under-20 championships in Yerevan
158after, dare I say, a rather late night with my friend Torbjorn Hansen. I doubt
159that I would have ever considered this concept if I had had a clear head at
160the time. Let us take a quick look at the game in question.}) 0-1
161
162[Event "2: World Under-20 Championship"]
163[Site "?"]
164[Date "1999.??.??"]
165[Round "?"]
166[White "Williams, S."]
167[Black "Yuan Zhong Zhao"]
168[Result "1-0"]
169[ECO "A03"]
170[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
171[PlyCount "59"]
172[EventDate "1999.??.??"]
173[Source "Everyman Chess"]
174[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
175
1761. f4 d5 2. Nf3 g6 3. e3 Bg7 4. Be2 c5 5. O-O Nc6 6. d3 Nf6 7. a4 O-O 8. Kh1 {
177OK, so I am White in this game but the only main difference is that my king is
178placed on h1. Occasionally, I play 1 f4, which just goes to show how much
179faith I have in the Dutch!} Qc7 9. Nc3 a6 10. e4 dxe4 11. dxe4 Rd8 12. Qe1 Nd4
180{Notice any similarities with this position and the one shown earlier? 13 Bd1
181would now be the "sensible" move but instead I opted for...} 13. Bc4 $5 {That
182"coffee house" move again!} Nxc2 {It would be rude not to.} 14. Qh4 Nxa1 $2 (
18314... Rd4 {would have been much stronger.}) 15. f5 b5 $5 16. axb5 axb5 17. Nxb5
184Qb7 18. Ng5 e6 19. Nxh7 {Again, like my game against Wojtaszek, I have managed
185to generate a dangerous attack.} Nxh7 20. Qxd8+ Nf8 21. Qh4 f6 22. e5 {Black's
186position now quickly collapses.} g5 23. Qg4 Qe7 24. Bxg5 fxg5 25. f6 Qf7 26.
187Bd3 Bxf6 27. exf6 Nh7 28. Nd6 Qd7 29. f7+ {The triumph of the f-pawn!} Kf8 30.
188Bxh7 {. As you can see, I only came up with this sacrificial idea due to the
189consequences of a late night. Are there any lessons to be learnt here?} (30. --
190{Reality doesn't impress me. --- I only believe in intoxication, in ecstasy,
191--- and when ordinary life shackles me, --- I escape, one way or another. ---
192No more walls. - Anais Nin}) 1-0
193
194[Event "3: European Club Championships"]
195[Site "?"]
196[Date "2012.??.??"]
197[Round "?"]
198[White "Gelfand, B."]
199[Black "Williams, S."]
200[Result "0-1"]
201[ECO "A96"]
202[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
203[PlyCount "86"]
204[EventDate "2012.??.??"]
205[Source "Everyman Chess"]
206[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
207
208{Just to prove that this result was no fluke, I then had the chance to play
209world championship finalist, Boris Gelfand. Yet again the opening worked a
210treat and this time, I know that my opponent had prepared. --- The following
211game must rate as one of my best-ever victories, but to be honest it was a
212very scrappy game, with some rather poor play from both sides at certain
213points. The game became very messy and somehow, I managed to find my way
214through the murkiness. In general, I enjoy playing games that have entered
215'the chaos zone', as trench fighting is one of my strong points. --- The
216opening itself worked very well for me, and that must give some indication of
217just how dangerous the Classical Dutch can be, even to some of the best
218players in the world. --- If you want to enter this weird world, please read
219on...} 1. d4 e6 2. c4 f5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. O-O d6 7. b4 ({
220Avoiding the main line after} 7. Nc3 Ne4 8. Nxe4 fxe4 {. Maybe this is an
221indication that my opponent also thought that the Dutch with 7...Ne4 is fine
222for Black!? Two rounds later, I faced the super-strong, Hikaru Nakamura with
223Black. That game started 1 d4 e6 2 e4!?, so yet again, is that a sign that
224Nakamura could not find any way to gain an advantage against the Classical
225Dutch!?}) 7... a5 {I played this move in order to avoid White holding his
226pawns together with a3.} (7... Ne4 8. Bb2 a5 9. a3 (9. b5 a4 $1) 9... axb4 10.
227axb4 Rxa1 11. Bxa1 d5 {may be fine for Black though.}) 8. b5 Ne4 9. Qc2 Bf6 10.
228Bb2 a4 11. Nfd2 d5 {It makes sense to transpose to a Stonewall structure, when
229White has played an early b4.} 12. Na3 c6 13. Rab1 Bd7 14. Rfc1 {I am not
230totally convinced by this move, as the rook does not seem to be doing a great
231deal on c1.} ({It would have made more sense to have continued with the move} 
23214. e3 $1 {when White puts a permanent stop to my plans of playing ...f4. This
233move also makes it difficult for me to make progress on the kingside. I can
234try playing ...g5 but then White can always respond with f4, keeping the
235position closed over there. Even so, having said all of the above, my position
236does seem fine if I now undertake some active operations on the queenside. For
237example:} cxb5 15. Nxb5 Bxb5 16. cxb5 Nd7 {with a perfectly fine position for
238Black.}) 14... Be8 15. Nf3 $2 {This is a serious mistake that allows me to
239gain a very dangerous initiative on the kingside.} f4 $1 {This move will often
240blow things wide open on the kingside. I now have ideas of playing ...Bg6
241followed by capturing on g3. In all of the following lines White is very weak
242on the f2-square. Black must be doing very well now and I have to say that at
243the time, I was wondering what I had missed!} 16. Qd1 ({Weaker is} 16. gxf4 {
244, due to} Bg6 17. Qd1 Bh4 {, when all my pieces come flooding into White's
245position.}) 16... fxg3 17. hxg3 Bg6 ({Another option was} 17... Bg5 {, but
246this allows White to defend his weak e3-square after} 18. Nxg5 Qxg5 19. Bxe4
247dxe4 20. Rc3 {.}) 18. bxc6 Nxc6 19. Nb5 Bg5 20. Ba3 Rf7 ({Another tempting
248option was} 20... Bxc1 {, which should also be much better for Black, for
249example,} 21. Bxf8 Be3 22. fxe3 Qxf8 {and White has a number of problems to
250solve on the kingside. I avoided this line, because I noticed a very
251interesting rook sacrifice, which looked very strong...}) 21. Nxg5 Qxg5 22.
252Bxe4 dxe4 {White's kingside is in serious danger of collapsing.} ({This is
253superior to} 22... Bxe4 {as that would allow} 23. Nd6 {.}) 23. Qe1 ({I was
254expecting} 23. Nd6 {, when I was planning to sacrifice my rook:} Rxf2 $1 24.
255Kxf2 Rf8+ 25. Kg2 (25. Ke1 e3) 25... e3 26. Qg1 Bxb1 (26... Rf2+ 27. Qxf2 exf2
25628. Rxb7 h5 29. Kxf2 h4) 27. Rf1 Bf5 28. Nxf5 Rxf5 {with a big attack, and I
257don't think White can defend.}) 23... e3 24. f3 Bxb1 25. Rxb1 Rf6 26. Kg2 Rh6
25827. g4 Ne7 $2 {Making life very difficult for myself!} ({I could have won
259immediately by playing} 27... Nxd4 28. Nxd4 Qf4 29. Qg3 Qxd4 {.}) 28. Bxe7 Qxe7
26029. Qg3 Rd8 30. Qe5 Qh4 31. Qg3 {We have reached a very tense position and I
261realised at this point that I had let things slip. A draw is still on the
262cards but, in life, a player like me is not often given a chance to beat the
263world championship finalist with my favourite opening. Chances like that must
264be taken and, for better or worse, I have always been a gambler.} Qe7 32. Qe5
265Rg6 $5 33. c5 Rg5 34. Qxe3 h5 35. Nd6 hxg4 36. f4 Rh5 37. Qg3 $2 {After
266rolling the dice my opponent is the first to go wrong. We were both in serious
267time trouble, so this is understandable. White should be losing after this
268error.} ({Gelfand should have tried} 37. Rxb7 {, when I was planning to keep
269the game alive with} Qf6 {, but who knows what the correct assessment of this
270position is!} (37... Qh4 {looked like a draw after} 38. Qxe6+ Kh8 39. Nf7+ Kh7
27140. Ng5+ Rxg5 41. fxg5 Qh3+ 42. Kg1 Rf8 43. Qh6+ $3 {.})) 37... Qf6 38. Qxg4
272Rh6 39. f5 {White's king is left too weak after this move,} ({but his position
273was very tricky anyway, for example,} 39. Kf3 {allows my queen to enter the
274position after} Qxd4 {.}) 39... exf5 40. Nxf5 Rg6 41. Ne7+ Qxe7 42. Qxg6 Qxe2+
27543. Kh3 Rd5 ({Gelfand resigned here, due to something like the following line...} 43... Rd5 44. Rg1 Qf3+ 45. Kh4 Rxd4+ 46. Rg4 Rxg4+ 47. Qxg4 Qxg4+ 48. Kxg4
276Kf7 {.}) (43... -- {At this point I turned into a shaking mess, as all the
277adrenaline started to flow out of body, but I have to admit it was one of the
278best feelings that I have ever had playing chess. That is why we all love the
279game so much. --- Gelfand was a perfect gentleman and congratulated me on my
280victory, which is something that you do not see every day. I repaid this
281compliment a couple of days later, by accidentally opening the toilet door
282straight into his face, forcing him off balance... He must surely hate me now.}
283) 0-1
284
285[Event "4: British Championship"]
286[Site "?"]
287[Date "2005.??.??"]
288[Round "?"]
289[White "Sowray, P."]
290[Black "Pert, R."]
291[Result "0-1"]
292[ECO "A21"]
293[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
294[PlyCount "48"]
295[EventDate "2005.??.??"]
296[Source "Everyman Chess"]
297[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
298
299{The following game is a great advertisement for the Classical Dutch. Richard
300Pert, a good friend of mine, played this game fantastically, as he
301demonstrated just how dangerous the attack can become. The game also shows
302some important points that are worth bearing in mind. Let's take a look.} 1.
303Nf3 f5 {From the start, Black takes control of the central e4-square.} 2. g3 (
3042. d3 {is quite an annoying response to 1...f5, as now an early e4 can open up
305Black's position. We will examine this response in detail in Section 7.}) 2...
306Nf6 3. Bg2 d6 ({This aims to save a tempo i.e.} 3... e6 4. O-O Be7 5. d3 d6 6.
307c4 e5 {and Black has moved his e-pawn twice.}) 4. O-O ({White can also play} 4.
308d4 {which stops ...e5. Black then has the option of staying with the Classical
309Dutch with ...e6 or switching to a Leningrad with ...g6.}) 4... e5 {The goal
310of any Classical Dutch player is to achieve this push. Once Black has played ..
311.e5 it gives him a strong centre and a chance to attack on the kingside.} 5. d3
312$6 {I already think that this move is a slight mistake. White is playing the
313opening without too much thought. After this move, Black's plan of action
314pretty much plays itself. --- This just goes to show that some players
315automatically play their opening moves against any set-up. Chess is a
316complicated game and you need to think from an early stage. This is especially
317true if your opponent plays something unexpected in the opening!} (5. d4 {is a
318better move, as at least this disrupts Black's set-up.}) 5... Be7 6. c4 O-O 7.
319Nc3 a5 {Black can also play without this move, as I sometimes feel that the
320exchange of a-pawns can actually help White. This is due to the fact that
321White will generally be attacking on the queenside whilst Black will be
322attacking on the kingside, and after a3-b4 and the exchange ...axb4 axb4,
323White has the open a-file to play down.} 8. Rb1 {Preparing to launch with a3
324and b4.} (8. a3 Kh8 9. Rb1 Qe8 10. b4 axb4 11. axb4 {transposes.}) 8... Kh8 {
325Black does not need to play this move straightaway but it is useful to move
326the king away from the a2-g8 diagonal. At some point in the future, White will
327often move his queen to b3 and at least Black can now avoid any nasty checks.}
3289. a3 {Let's take a time-out. --- I was watching this game and had noticed
329that both sides had reached this position using hardly any time on their
330clocks. It was only around now that they started to knuckle down. White is
331planning b4, b5/c5 and then hopefully, he will be able to create a weakness on
332the queenside. Black, on the other hand, is not going to mess about. He is not
333interested in creating a weakness. Black just wants to checkmate White's king!
334--- To do this, Black will need to play: ...Qe8, Qh5, f4, Bh3, Ng4, fxg3, Bxg2,
335Rxf3, and Qxh2#! --- You will be amazed at how many times this plan is
336successful. Anyway, to sum up the position, I would always say that it is more
337fun to attack your opponent's king than anything else. White may win a pawn on
338the queenside if his attack is successful. On the other hand, if Black's
339attack successful, he will checkmate White!} Qe8 $1 {BRAINSTORMING POINT! ---
340This is Step 1 of Black's plan... --- If you are going to reach the 'Jedi
341Knight level' then you must become familiar with this plan! --- ...Qe8 and ...Qh5 is an important idea. The queen is often well placed on h5. --- ...Qh5
342won't checkmate White on its own but when combined with ...e5 ...f4 ...Bh3 and
343...Ng4, Black's attack can be very dangerous. --- Just look at what happens in
344this game...} 10. b4 Qh5 {BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- Step 2...The queen finds
345its ideal square --- The main piece that is defending White's kingside is his
346light-squared bishop. --- If Black can swap off White's light-squared bishop
347then the light squares around White's king will become especially weak. ---
348For that reason, Black plans on playing ...Bh3 at some point.} 11. Qb3 $2 {
349White is playing without a care in the world. This move does not do anything;
350it may actually make White's position worse. Having the queen on d1 gives
351White more chances to defend.} ({White should have played} 11. e3 $1 {. At
352least this attempts to stop ...f4. White would also love to swap the queens
353and now this may be possible if he can move the knight on f3.}) 11... f4 {
354Simple.} 12. Nd5 {White hopes that the exchange of knights will ease his
355defence, but Black has another knight!} Nxd5 13. cxd5 {The open c-file is not
356a major concern for Black as he can always defend c7 with the move Bd8. The
357main factor is White's king!} axb4 14. axb4 {What would you play here? ---
358Black has a promising position but what piece is not taking part in the game?}
359Nd7 $1 {Correct! This knight has a good future and Black will eventually
360manoeuvre it to f6 and then to g4 where it can participate in the attack.} 15.
361Bd2 Nf6 $1 {Black is sending all of his pieces the right way.} 16. Ra1 {
362White's counterplay on the queenside is far too slow.} Rb8 17. Rfc1 Bh3 $5 {
363This is slightly risky as it does sacrifice a pawn, but if White captures on
364c7 then Black will be able to activate his dark-squared bishop - the only
365minor piece that is currently not doing a lot.} (17... Bd8 {is a perfectly
366safe option.}) 18. Be1 {This is rather passive.} ({White should probably have
367tried} 18. Rxc7 {. White is defending desperately anyway, so it may have been
368best to capture this pawn. At least this way, White has a material advantage.
369If Black does not checkmate White then this could count in the long run. ---
370Play could continue} Bd8 19. Rcc1 Bb6 {, which still looks very good for Black.
371I would be surprised if the white king can last for another ten moves.}) 18...
372Ng4 {Black's opening plan has worked a treat.} 19. b5 ({Again, I think White
373should have tried} 19. Rxc7 Bd8 20. Rc4 {with some defensive chances:} Bb6 21.
374Ra2 {.}) 19... fxg3 {Opening up the f-file. At the moment, White's knight
375defends the pawn on h2, so Black aims to capture this knight in order to take
376the defence away from h2.} 20. hxg3 {The only option,} ({as} 20. fxg3 {loses to
377} Bxg2 21. Kxg2 Rxf3 $1 {(a standard plan in this type of position, which rips
378White's kingside apart)} 22. exf3 (22. Kxf3 Rf8+ 23. Ke4 (23. Kg2 Qxh2#) 23...
379Qg6#) 22... Qxh2+ 23. Kf1 Ne3# {.}) 20... Rf6 {Now that White has played hxg3,
380the h-file is exposed. For this reason, Black brings his rook to h6.} (20...
381Bxg2 {was also very strong, for example,} 21. Kxg2 {and now} Rf6 (21... Rxf3 $2
382{would be a mistake as White's king can escape:} 22. exf3 Qh2+ 23. Kf1 Qh1+ 24.
383Ke2 {and White is over the worst.})) 21. Qa4 $2 {It is all over now.} ({A
384better try was} 21. Bh1 {but} Bf1 $1 {should be mating.}) 21... Bxg2 22. Kxg2
385Rh6 23. Ng1 {It is mate in two now. I will give you a couple of seconds to
386solve it...} Qh1+ 24. Kf1 Nh2# {. A nice game. Black made things look so
387simple. This is the kind of game that makes chess look easy!} 0-1
388
389[Event "5: Stavanger"]
390[Site "?"]
391[Date "2014.??.??"]
392[Round "?"]
393[White "Svidler, P."]
394[Black "Carlsen, M."]
395[Result "1/2-1/2"]
396[ECO "A27"]
397[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
398[PlyCount "74"]
399[EventDate "2014.??.??"]
400[Source "Everyman Chess"]
401[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
402
403{In this game we see Magnus entering into a Dutch set-up via a rather
404irregular move order. This idea of transposing from positions independent of
405the opening will be looked at later on in the Introduction to this book.} 1. c4
406e5 {Of course, this is not our main recommendation in this book, but as we
407will see Magnus gains a great 'Dutch-like' position.} 2. Nc3 (2. g3 f5 $6 {I
408have always been slightly dubious about this move because of White's reply;} (
4092... Nc6 $1 {is a much better move order, when Black intends to play ...f5
410whilst stopping White from breaking in the centre with d4}) 3. d4 $1 {(Now
411Black cannot adequately keep his pawns on e5 and f5)} e4 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Bg2 c6
4126. d5 Bb4 7. Bd2 Na6 8. Nh3 O-O 9. O-O cxd5 10. Nxd5 Nxd5 11. cxd5 Bxd2 12.
413Qxd2 {and White had a very pleasant advantage in P.Svidler-M.Carlsen, Astana
4142012, although the game was drawn in 34 moves.}) 2... Nc6 3. Nf3 f5 $5 {Trying
415to gain a good Dutch/reversed Grand Prix structure. It is strange to see how
416badly Svidler copes with the opening stage of the game.} 4. d3 $6 {I see this
417as an error. White should always aim to meet the set-up of ...e5 and ...f5
418with d4, otherwise Black gets a very easy game.} (4. d4 $1 {is much more
419challenging, when Black has to change the pawn formation in the centre:} e4 5.
420Ng5 $5 {is the way in which I used to play this position with White. The
421knight on g5 will eventually come around to f4 via h3. Black does have a solid
422structure though, so we can expect a long game.}) 4... Nf6 5. g3 Bb4 $1 {The
423most active square for the bishop.} ({Black could have also played} 5... Be7 {
424, which is a more 'traditional' Classical Dutch structure, but why not aim for
425more out of the opening?}) 6. Bg2 $6 {I am not a big fan of this move either,
426which allows Black to double White's c-pawns.} ({A safer approach would have
427been} 6. Bd2 {, when Black has to decide whether to capture on c3 immediately
428or not. If Black does not capture on c3, White now has the chance of playing
429Nd5.}) 6... Bxc3+ $1 {A good decision, White will now always have structural
430weaknesses.} 7. bxc3 d6 {The position now resembles a good Classical Dutch.
431Black has managed to stabilise both his pawns on e5 and f5, and given a chance,
432White's c-pawns could also be a target. --- Gawain Jones filmed an excellent
433DVD for GingerGM Publishing, on the Grand Prix opening, and in this type of
434position he summed up Black's plan in two stages: 1) Keep pressure on the
435c-pawns. Black does this by playing moves such as ...Na5 ...Rb8 ...b6, ...Ba6.
436This positional approach also stops White from gaining any attacking chances
437along the half open b-file. --- 2) Aim for a speedy kingside attack in
438standard fashion with ...Qe8, ...Qh5, ...f4, ...Bh3, ...Ng4 and finally ...Qxh2# (as in Richard Pert's game against Sowray, examined above).} 8. O-O O-O
4399. Rb1 {A natural move, but Svidler quickly drifts into a lost position. White
440might be OK in this position, but it is a lot harder for White to find a good
441plan, whilst we have already discussed Black's options.} Qe8 $1 {Going for the
442kingside attack.} 10. Qb3 $2 {Another mistake, as the queen is badly placed on
443the queenside and this move allows Black the option of playing ...b6. From my
444experience, I have always found it toughest for Black to attack when White
445leaves his queen on d1 and then tries to open the d1-h5 diagonal with e3 and
446Nd2. Playing in this manner, White can offer a queen exchange when Black's
447queen has reached h5. White would love to exchange queens, as then his king
448becomes a lot less likely to be checkmated!} ({Other options include:} 10. e3
449$6 {is aimed against ...Qh5, but now Black can change plans and target White's
450pawn structure.} e4 $1 {now that White can no longer recapture on d3 with a
451pawn, White's pawns become a mess;} ({instead,} 10... Qh5 $6 11. Nd2 {is a
452good plan for White, trying to exchange queens, when} Qh6 12. Qe2 Kh8 13. f4 $1
453{makes it a lot harder for Black to ever attack White on the kingside}) 11.
454dxe4 Nxe4 {and it is clear just from looking at the c-pawns that Black has the
455advantage.}) (10. Bg5 $5 {is another interesting plan. Black's knight on f6
456can often be a great attacking piece, as later on when it lands on g4, White's
457king comes under immense pressure. For that reason White simply aims to
458exchange it off.}) (10. Nd2 $5 {is aiming to play e3 and f4. Black should now
459first concentrate on the queenside with} b6 $1 {and ...Bb7 and ...Na5,
460swapping off light-squared bishops, to follow.}) 10... b6 $1 {After this move
461it is very hard for White to find any counterplay on any area of the board.
462Black is already better.} 11. Nh4 {A strange square for the knight.} Na5 12.
463Qa3 Rb8 13. Be3 $2 {Really asking for it! It is amazing that Peter manages to
464defend this game after such a lousy opening.} f4 $1 {Of course! Black can
465often sacrifice a pawn in this style to start an attack against White's king.}
46614. gxf4 (14. Bd2 {may have been wiser, but who wants to play 13 Be3, only
467then to retreat the bishop to d2 on the very next move?}) 14... Qh5 {Here they
468come, in typical style!} 15. Nf3 Bh3 {Black's plan is working like clockwork.
469Magnus just needed to calculate properly here and he should have gone on to
470win, but somehow he lets the position slip.} 16. Bxh3 Qxh3 17. Kh1 Rbe8 $1 {
471Bringing another piece into the attack. The move...Ng4 is hanging over White's
472head.} 18. Qb2 e4 19. Ng5 ({Or} 19. Ng1 {, which is simply met by} Qf5 {, when
473White's position crumbles. For example:} 20. Qb5 c5 21. d4 Nh5 $1 22. dxc5 dxc5
47423. Rbd1 Nxf4 {and Black is winning.}) 19... Qh5 20. dxe4 Ng4 $1 {Powerful
475play from Magnus.} 21. Nf3 (21. h3 {can be met by} h6 {.}) 21... Nxc4 22. Qb3
476Rxe4 23. Rg1 {Around this point Magnus calculates a little bit lazily and
477Peter pulls off an amazing swindle. You can hardly blame Magnus for his blasé
478play, as so far things have been going so easily for him!} d5 (23... Rfxf4 {
479was even stronger:} 24. Bxf4 Nxf2+ 25. Kg2 Nh3 $1 {was the tactical point
480which is a bit tricky to see in advance. Do not forget, even good positions
481require an extreme amount of care!} 26. Bg3 (26. Kh1 Nxg1 27. Rxg1 Rxf4 {Black
482is winning}) 26... Rxe2+ 27. Kf1 Qxf3+ 28. Bf2 Qxf2# {.}) 24. Qb5 {I am sure
483that Peter was on the verge of resigning around this point. The only problem
484that Black has is that he has so many good moves, it is difficult to pick one!}
485Rfxf4 $2 {Rather lax. This looks very good for Black, but White can wriggle
486for a bit longer after this capture.} ({Instead:} 24... Nxf2+ $1 {was the
487strongest option, for example,} 25. Bxf2 Rxe2 {, when White has two pieces
488being attacked. Maybe Magnus did not like the reply} 26. Ng5 {, when it looks
489as though White is gaining some attack with the capture of Black's pawn on d5,
490but this is not the case and Black is easily winning after} Rxf2 27. Qxd5+ Kh8
49128. Rg2 R2xf4 {.}) (24... c5 {was simple and also strong.}) 25. Bxf4 $1 Nxf2+
49226. Kg2 Rxe2 27. Kf1 $3 {A brilliant defensive move, which must be what Magnus
493overlooked. Now, all of a sudden things are very unclear!} Ne4 (27... Qxf3 {
494looks like game over, but White fights on after} 28. Rg3 $1 Qe4 29. Qd7 $1 {
495starting a counterattack just in time. The position looks like a draw now after
496} Qxb1+ 30. Kxe2 Qd1+ 31. Kxf2 Qc2+ 32. Kg1 Qd1+ 33. Kg2 Qe2+ 34. Kh3 Qh5+ 35.
497Kg2 Qe2+ {.}) 28. Rxg7+ {Opening up the Black king, and therefore creating
498some counter chances.} Kf8 (28... Kxg7 $5 {still keeps a small edge for Black,
499but Magnus must have been shell-shocked by now. For example,} 29. Qd7+ Qf7 30.
500Qg4+ Qg6 31. Qd7+ Kh8 32. Qd8+ Qg8 33. Qxg8+ Kxg8 34. Kxe2 Nxc3+ 35. Kd3 Nxb1
50136. Bxc7 {, with the likely outcome of this endgame being a draw.}) 29. Kxe2
502Nxc3+ 30. Kf2 Nxb5 31. Rbg1 {A crazy position that the computer evaluates as
503equal!} Nc3 32. Rxc7 (32. Rg8+ {was possible, for example} Kf7 33. R1g7+ Kf6
50434. Rxc7 Ne4+ 35. Kg2 {with an incredibly complex situation.}) 32... Ne4+ 33.
505Ke1 Nc5 34. Rc8+ Kf7 35. Rc7+ {White is happy to take a draw after surviving
506an awful opening.} Kf8 (35... Kf6 {is still perpetual after} 36. Rc6+ Kf5 $4
50737. Rg5+ {.}) 36. Rc8+ Kf7 37. Rc7+ Kf8 {. A very exciting game which shows
508just how easy it is for White to drift into a bad position from the opening if
509he does not take care. --- Before we proceed with the main lines, I would like
510to talk about the history of the opening as well as the main ideas for both
511sides.} 1/2-1/2
512
513[Event "?"]
514[Site "?"]
515[Date "????.??.??"]
516[Round "?"]
517[White "History"]
518[Black "?"]
519[Result "*"]
520[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
521[PlyCount "1"]
522[SourceDate "2015.05.11"]
523
5241. -- (1. d4 f5 {The Classical Dutch has had an exciting history. It has been
525used as a weapon of choice by many well-known players who are famous for their
526aggressive and creative styles. --- Indeed, a number of world champions and
527challengers have used the opening, such as Morphy, Alekhine, Capablanca,
528Botvinnik, Bronstein, Spassky, Korchnoi and Tal - an impressive list! --- The
529Dutch Defence was discovered by the Dutchman Stein, hence the name of the
530opening. Elias Stein was born in Holland in 1748, and he pointed out the
531similarities between the Dutch Defence and the Sicilian Defence. If you look
532at the first move, you can see that the two openings are similar, due to the
533fact that the initial pawn structures of both openings are actually mirror
534images of one another.}) (1. e4 c5 {Given the popularity of the Sicilian
535Defence, I do find it surprising that the Dutch is not as well-liked.
536Hopefully, over the course of this book, I can change any negative
537pre-conceptions that you may have of this opening! --- The Dutch has had a
538turbulent life, with grandmasters and even world champions differing in their
539personal opinion of the opening. For example, Wilhelm Steinitz condemned the
540opening after he defeated Zukertort, who used it in a match against him. On
541the other hand the great Alexander Alekhine used the Dutch on a regular basis,
542and had some great victories with the opening. --- It is fair to say that
543nowadays the Classical Dutch has a dubious reputation, but who knows what the
544world will think of the opening in 20 years from now!?}) *
545
546[Event "?"]
547[Site "?"]
548[Date "????.??.??"]
549[Round "?"]
550[White "Current trends"]
551[Black "?"]
552[Result "*"]
553[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
554[PlyCount "1"]
555[SourceDate "2015.05.11"]
556
557{Current trends, theoretical standing and future avenues of investigation:} 1.
558-- ({It seems that the main line with Nf3 is becoming less popular at top
559level. This may have something to do with the fact that currently White has
560yet been able to prove an advantage against the Modern variation} 1. d4 f5 2.
561c4 Nf6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. O-O d6 7. Nc3 Ne4 {. --- To be
562entirely honest I do expect that White can gain some small advantage in this
563particular variation after} 8. Nxe4 $1 {. A good place for White to start
564looking for an advantage in this line would be with} fxe4 9. Nd2 d5 10. f3 Nc6
56511. fxe4 Rxf1+ 12. Kxf1 $5 {. As strange as this move looks, it is the
566computer's top pick. We will look at this position in some detail later in
567this book. --- Personally I have been struggling against an early Nh3 plan.
568One of the first times this was introduced into top level chess was in the
569encounter Karpov-Short, a game which we look at later on. My score over the
570last three years against this idea has been awful. That is why I look at that
571variation in some depth in this book. --- I must confess that my bad score
572against this plan can be put down more to laziness than the actual strength of
573White's idea. After some careful work, it seems that Black has little to fear
574if he simple sticks to a plan based on ...c6, ...Qc7 and, ...e5, but again we
575will look at this in much more detail later in this book.}) ({Another trend
576that I have noticed recently is} 1. Nf3 f5 2. d3 $5 {. A young Magnus Carlsen
577once used this move and since that moment it has blossomed in popularity. The
578simple idea behind 2 d3 is for White to continue with 3 e4, creating a
579dangerous initiative in the centre of the board. --- Currently it looks like
580the most active and best response to 2 d3!? is the counter attacking idea} Nc6
581$5 {. This move was mentioned by Moskalenko in his book 'The Diamond Dutch'
582and was also mentioned in my first book 'The Classical Dutch'. --- Jump to the
583back of the book to see what we have lined up. --- All in all, it seems that
584the Classical Dutch is alive and kicking!}) *
585
586[Event "?"]
587[Site "?"]
588[Date "????.??.??"]
589[Round "?"]
590[White "Structure of the book"]
591[Black "?"]
592[Result "*"]
593[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
594[PlyCount "2"]
595[SourceDate "2015.05.11"]
596
5971. d4 f5 {. I will quickly talk about the structure of this book and some
598important things to bear in mind when working your way through it. --- In the
599past, when I have been learning a new opening, I have always found that the
600best way to do this is to understand the reasoning behind the moves played and
601not the actual moves themselves. It is much more important to understand the
602concept behind an idea rather than to memorise a series of moves without any
603real understanding as to why those moves should be played. --- To enforce this
604point, I have used a number of methods throughout this book which will help
605the reader increase their understanding of the Classical Dutch. --- Firstly, I
606have used several 'brainstorming points' in order to explain the reasoning
607behind the moves played and what each side is trying to achieve in the given
608position. --- Furthermore, a lot of the key points are repeated throughout
609this book, again with the intention of making the idea more memorable. This
610has been done systematically in order to help the reader commit the same ideas
611to memory and become 'a Jedi Knight of the Classical Dutch'! --- Finally, at
612the end of some of the chapters, I have used a series of tests to assess
613whether the main concepts of the chapter have been fully understood. If you
614have read the chapter then these tests should not pose too much of a problem
615but then again, they are there to reinforce the main ideas behind the
616Classical Dutch. --- I can honestly say that there are not too many 'Jedi
617Knight' level, Classical Dutch players in existence. Can you obtain that rank?}
618*
619
620[Event "?"]
621[Site "?"]
622[Date "????.??.??"]
623[Round "?"]
624[White "Basic strategic ideas"]
625[Black "?"]
626[Result "*"]
627[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
628[PlyCount "1"]
629[SourceDate "2015.05.11"]
630
631{"To put it bluntly, I seem to have a whole superstructure with no foundation.
632But I'm working on the foundation." - Marilyn Monroe} 1. -- {I am now going to
633demonstrate some ideas that are worth remembering when you are playing the
634Classical Dutch or playing against the Classical Dutch. --- I have condensed
635these ideas into eight rules. Eight rules that have helped me become
636successful with the Classical Dutch. --- BRAINSTORMING POINT!} (1. -- {e4 for
637White and ...e5 for Black: Throughout this book, you will see just how
638important it is for Black to play ...e5. --- The same goes for White, as e4
639will often help White's position a lot. --- So a basic rule that I mentioned
640in my first book, Play the Classical Dutch was: Rule 1 ...e5!}) *
641
642[Event "?"]
643[Site "?"]
644[Date "????.??.??"]
645[Round "?"]
646[White "Rule 1"]
647[Black "?"]
648[Result "*"]
649[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
650[SetUp "1"]
651[FEN "6k1/ppp3pp/3pp3/8/2PP4/6P1/PP3P1P/6K1 w - - 0 1"]
652[PlyCount "1"]
653[SourceDate "2015.05.11"]
654
655{Rule 1 ...e5!: 1) If White can achieve the e4 advance without Black playing ...e5 and Black has to exchange with ...fxe4, White will generally obtain an
656advantage. --- 2) If Black can achieve the ...e5 advance, generally speaking,
657he will be at least equal.} 1. -- {This is such an important rule to remember,
658probably the most important rule of the whole book! Let me go into a little
659more detail about each of these rules above: Concerning Rule One above: when
660White plays e4 and Black is forced to capture with ...fxe4, White normally
661gains an advantage due to the following reasons:} (1. -- {1) After e4 fxe4,
662White has a half open e-file at his disposal. White can place a rook on this
663file to place pressure against Black's weak pawn on e6. --- Take a look at the
664following typical pawn structure, a pawn structure that occurs after e4 ...fxe4. This will demonstrate my point above in more detail. --- Black's pawn on
665e6 is very weak. White can easily attack this pawn by placing a rook on the
666e-file. On the other hand White does not have any weaknesses in his position.
667--- This pawn structure clearly favours White.}) *
668
669[Event "?"]
670[Site "?"]
671[Date "????.??.??"]
672[Round "?"]
673[White "Rule Two"]
674[Black "?"]
675[Result "*"]
676[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
677[SetUp "1"]
678[FEN "6k1/ppp3pp/3p4/4pp2/2PP4/6P1/PP2PP1P/6K1 b - - 0 1"]
679[PlyCount "1"]
680[SourceDate "2015.05.11"]
681
682{2) After the exchange on e4, Black will often be left with a passive and
683cramped position. Not what we want when playing the Dutch! --- Again you
684should be able to imagine this by filling the empty board above with pieces.
685For example, Black would have a bad bishop on c8, whilst its counterpart on g2
686would be an excellent piece.} 1... -- {Concerning Rule Two above: if Black
687achieves ...e5, the position is generally equal for the following reasons:} (
6881... -- {1) Black will often gain a great pawn structure after the move ...e5.
689This is especially true when Black also has a pawn on the f5-square. This pawn
690structure is often a great base around which to build a kingside attack and it
691will also often give Black a nice spatial advantage in the centre of the board.
692--- The following diagram shows the typical pawn structure that I am talking
693about: Black has managed to gain some space in the centre. This can often lead
694to a kingside attack, as we saw in some of the introductory games.}) ({2) It
695is also worth pointing out that after the move ...e5, Black's passive bishop
696on c8 can enter into the game. This is even more true after Black has also
697played the move} 1... f4 {reaching the following position. --- You may now be
698able to imagine Black's light-squared bishop on c8 entering into the game via
699f5, g4 or even h3. The combination of ...Qe8, ...Qh5 and ...Bh3 is especially
700dangerous, as we saw in Sowray-Pert. --- Of course there are going to be
701exceptions to these rules, but in general I have found these tips extremely
702useful to remember. We will now take a look at some of the rules mentioned
703above working in real game situations.}) *
704
705[Event "European Junior Championship"]
706[Site "?"]
707[Date "1997.??.??"]
708[Round "?"]
709[White "Ruck, R."]
710[Black "Williams, S."]
711[Result "*"]
712[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
713[SetUp "1"]
714[FEN "r1bq1rk1/1pp3pp/2nppb2/p4p2/2PP4/1PB2NP1/P1Q1PPBP/R4RK1 w - - 0 12"]
715[PlyCount "8"]
716[EventDate "1997.??.??"]
717[Source "Everyman Chess"]
718[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
719
720{The next game deals with the idea that if White can achieve the e4 advance
721without Black playing ...e5 and Black has to exchange with ...fxe4, White will
722generally obtain an advantage. --- Let's join the game after 11 moves: My
723opponent now played the thematic and good move:} 12. e4 $1 {White has achieved
724the e4 advance;} ({and I cannot respond with} 12. e4 e5 $6 {due to} 13. dxe5
725dxe5 14. exf5 {, when White would be a safe pawn up. According to our rule,
726White should now have a safe advantage, which he does. Let's see a couple more
727moves:}) 12... fxe4 13. Qxe4 Qe8 14. Rfe1 Bd7 15. Rac1 Nd8 {. I have a serious
728weakness on e6 which my opponent can target. On top of that my position is
729cramped and there is no obvious way for Black to gain any active play. All in
730all a very depressing situation! I went on to lose the game in 29 moves.} *
731
732[Event "British Championships"]
733[Site "?"]
734[Date "2002.??.??"]
735[Round "?"]
736[White "Nixon, T."]
737[Black "Williams, S."]
738[Result "*"]
739[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
740[SetUp "1"]
741[FEN "rnb1qrk1/1pp1b1pp/3ppn2/5p2/p1PP4/2N3P1/PPQNPPBP/R1B2RK1 b - - 0 10"]
742[PlyCount "13"]
743[EventDate "2002.??.??"]
744[Source "Everyman Chess"]
745[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
746
747{The next game is a bit more cheerful, and it demonstrates a game where the
748move ...e5 works out really well for Black, according to the rule that if
749Black can achieve the ...e5 advance he will generally be at least equal. ---
750We will join the game on move 10, with Black to move: Following the rule above,
751the correct move for Black was:} 10... e5 $1 {My pawn centre now becomes much
752stronger; the pawns on f5 and e5 give me a very good starting point to build
753an attack from. Let's see some more moves as things went quickly downhill for
754White.} 11. dxe5 dxe5 12. Nd5 Bd8 13. b4 Nc6 14. a3 Nd4 15. Qd1 Qh5 16. Nc3 f4
755$1 {with a great attack looming around the white king.} *
756
757[Event "?"]
758[Site "?"]
759[Date "????.??.??"]
760[Round "?"]
761[White "Rule 2"]
762[Black "?"]
763[Result "*"]
764[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
765[PlyCount "2"]
766[SourceDate "2015.05.11"]
767
768{Another bit of advice following on from the theme above is: BRAINSTORMING
769POINT! --- Leave that bishop on c8 alone!} 1. d4 f5 {. Rule 2: Do not be in a
770rush to develop your light-squared bishop: Lots of players when starting out
771with the Classical Dutch are far too eager to develop their light-squared
772bishop too quickly. It is often best to leave the bishop on c8 and only move
773it into the game when there is a better option. --- The bishop on c8 actually
774does a good job of defending the b7 pawn, so the bishop on c8 is often best
775left alone. If you have managed to play ...e5 and ...f4 then it may well be
776time to move the bishop into the game via the g4-square or the h3-square. ---
777Look at the games in the introduction to this book - in all the examples Black
778is quite happy not developing this piece, at least not until it really counts.
779--- BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- The 'Swinging Queen'. Attack with ...Qe8 and ...Qh5!} (1... -- {"My style is schizophrenic! One minute I'll be wearing bright
780girly dresses, and the next I'll be swinging towards more structured masculine
781things." - Tamsin Egerton}) *
782
783[Event "?"]
784[Site "?"]
785[Date "????.??.??"]
786[Round "?"]
787[White "Rule 3"]
788[Black "?"]
789[Result "*"]
790[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
791[SetUp "1"]
792[FEN "rnbq1rk1/ppp1p1bp/3p1np1/5p2/2PP4/2N2NP1/PP2PPBP/R1BQ1RK1 w - - 0 1"]
793[PlyCount "1"]
794[SourceDate "2015.05.11"]
795
796{Rule 3: If you're going to start having real fun in the Classical Dutch, then
797you need to get that lady swinging over to the h5-square: This is such a fun
798manoeuvre to play and a manoeuvre that is pretty unique to the Classical Dutch.
799The only other opening where this idea appears frequently is the Grand Prix
800Attack, but that is an opening with the white pieces, so it is not relevant
801here!} 1. -- {Lots of people have mentioned to me that the Leningrad Dutch is
802a much superior opening compared to the Classical Dutch. I disagree, as the
803Leningrad is a different opening altogether. --- Take a look at the following
804position, it shows a pawn structure that often occurs in the Leningrad Dutch.
805--- How can Black ever get the queen to h5 here? It is still possible but
806takes at least four moves ...Qe8, ...h6 (the pawn on g6 is in the way!!!), ...g5 and finally ...Qh5! --- Very slow! In the Classical Dutch, the Black queen
807can pop out to h5 in super-quick time. --- We saw this happen perfectly in the
808introductory games Sowray-Pert and Svidler-Carlsen, to name but two. I have
809also managed to make this idea work in countless games (see the following game)
810.} *
811
812[Event "British Championship"]
813[Site "?"]
814[Date "2000.??.??"]
815[Round "?"]
816[White "Kemp, P."]
817[Black "Williams, S."]
818[Result "*"]
819[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
820[SetUp "1"]
821[FEN "r1bq1rk1/1ppnb1pp/3pp3/p4p2/2PP4/1PB2NP1/P1Q1PPBP/R4RK1 b - - 0 11"]
822[PlyCount "17"]
823[EventDate "2000.??.??"]
824[Source "Everyman Chess"]
825[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
826
827{We take a look at this type of position more later on in the 'Olde Faithful'
828chapter. It is sufficient to say here that Black aims to meet White's e4
829advance with ...f4. But most importantly, keep an eye on the black queen!} 
83011... Qe8 $1 12. e4 f4 $1 13. e5 dxe5 14. dxe5 Qh5 $1 {Yet another example of
831the black queen being powerfully placed on h5! Black is now aiming to play ...g5, ...g4. Play continued:} 15. Rae1 g5 $1 16. Nd2 f3 $5 17. Nxf3 Rxf3 18. Qd1
832g4 19. Bxf3 gxf3 {. The position is dynamic and favourable for Black. One
833strong plan here is ...Nc5, ...Bd7 and ...Bc6! I went on to win the game quite
834quickly.} *
835
836[Event "?"]
837[Site "?"]
838[Date "????.??.??"]
839[Round "?"]
840[White "Rule 4"]
841[Black "?"]
842[Result "*"]
843[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
844[PlyCount "1"]
845[SourceDate "2015.05.12"]
846
847{Rule 4: ...b6: If Black can play ...b6 then he should do so. --- White
848normally fianchettoes his king's bishop against the Classical Dutch, and there
849is a good reason for this. The king's fianchetto normally prevents Black from
850playing ...b6, which is a move he wants to play. --- If White does not
851fianchetto his bishop then it is often a good idea for Black to play ...b6 and
852...Bb7.} 1. -- {I used to believe that Black should always play ...b6 and ...Bb7 when given a chance, but over time I have come to believe that this is not
853true, and in most cases Black can still play ...d6 and ...e5. Saying that, you
854should certainly remain aware of the possibility of fianchettoing your
855light-squared bishop. --- The following game demonstrates a time when I used
856this fianchetto in combination with another plan, 'the rook lift', to win a
857brilliancy price.} *
858
859[Event "6: Port Erin"]
860[Site "?"]
861[Date "2004.??.??"]
862[Round "?"]
863[White "Agrest, E."]
864[Black "Williams, S."]
865[Result "0-1"]
866[ECO "A85"]
867[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
868[PlyCount "72"]
869[EventDate "2004.??.??"]
870[Source "Everyman Chess"]
871[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
872
8731. d4 e6 2. c4 f5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Qc2 Bb4 5. e3 b6 {The light-squared bishop is
874extremely well placed on b7, from where it cuts across the centre of the board.
875} 6. Bd3 Bb7 7. f3 c5 8. a3 Bxc3+ 9. Qxc3 Nh5 10. Nh3 Qh4+ 11. Nf2 d6 12. dxc5
876bxc5 13. b4 Nd7 14. Be2 O-O 15. O-O {BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- The 'Swinging
877Rook' - It is not just the black queen that can have some fun, swinging into
878the game. Black's rook can also often join in the attack via f6 and then to g6
879or h6. --- Rule 5: The Rook Lift: Black can often play this rook lift in order
880to bring more fire-power around towards White's king. --- This plan works
881perfectly in this game - watch and see just how powerful this piece becomes!}
882Rf6 {The rook will join in the attack via g6 or h6. From here on the game is a
883bloodbath!} 16. Nh3 Rg6 17. Nf4 Rh6 18. Nh3 Rg6 19. Nf4 Nxf4 20. exf4 Rh6 21.
884h3 Rg6 22. Kh1 Qg3 23. Rg1 Rh6 24. Rd1 Nf6 25. Qe1 Rxh3+ 26. gxh3 Qxh3+ 27. Kg1
885Ng4 $1 {With a winning attack. Agrest was a 2600+ player, but in this game he
886could not cope with the combination of ...b6 and the rook swing. The game
887finished:} 28. Qf2 Nxf2 29. Kxf2 e5 30. Rg1 Qh4+ 31. Kf1 g6 32. fxe5 Qh3+ 33.
888Kf2 Qh2+ 34. Rg2 Qxe5 35. Ra2 Re8 36. Rc2 Bxf3 {. This game netted me the Best
889Game Prize of L500 which was quite handy. We'll take a more in-depth look at
890this game later on in the book.} 0-1
891
892[Event "?"]
893[Site "?"]
894[Date "????.??.??"]
895[Round "?"]
896[White "Classical Dutch"]
897[Black "?"]
898[Result "*"]
899[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
900[PlyCount "13"]
901[Source "Everyman Chess"]
902[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
903
904{Let's now take a look at another idea that is very important in the Classical
905Dutch. --- BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- You should always aim to meet the pawn
906push d4-d5 with the counter push ...e5. --- This idea is better explained with
907the use of an example. First of all we will look at an example where Black
908plays incorrectly and gets himself into a position where he cannot meet the
909push d5 with the push ...e5.} 1. d4 f5 2. g3 e6 3. Bg2 Nf6 4. Nf3 Be7 5. O-O
910O-O 6. c4 Nc6 $6 {Black has to be careful about placing his knight here. In
911general, the following rule is worth remembering. --- Rule 6: Meet d5 with ...e5: As you can see, the above-mentioned rule is not possible here and White
912should play:} 7. d5 $1 {. Giving White an advantage. This is one reason why
913it is often worth delaying the development of the knight on c6. As we have
914mentioned before, often Black should also delay the development of his
915queenside bishop on c8 as well. In other words, leave your queenside pieces
916alone!} *
917
918[Event "?"]
919[Site "?"]
920[Date "????.??.??"]
921[Round "?"]
922[White "Meeting d5 with ...e5"]
923[Black "?"]
924[Result "*"]
925[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
926[PlyCount "20"]
927[Source "Everyman Chess"]
928[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
929
930{Now let's look at an example where Black plays correctly and meets the
931advance d5 with ...e5.} 1. d4 f5 2. g3 e6 3. Bg2 Nf6 4. Nf3 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6.
932c4 d6 7. Nc3 a5 8. Qc2 Nc6 9. d5 {How should Black respond to this advance?
933According to our rule above Black should be aiming to play ...e5. How can
934Black make sure that he plays this move?} Nb4 $1 {Gaining a tempo by attacking
935the white queen - we can see how useful it is to have a pawn on a5 here.} 10.
936Qb3 e5 $1 {. With a very nice position for Black. Black can now continue with
937the standard attacking plan of ...Qe8, ...Qh5, ...f4, ...Bh3, ...Ng4 with an
938eventual checkmate on h2.} *
939
940[Event "British Championship"]
941[Site "?"]
942[Date "2004.??.??"]
943[Round "?"]
944[White "Rowson, J."]
945[Black "Williams, S."]
946[Result "*"]
947[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
948[SetUp "1"]
949[FEN "rn3rk1/ppp3pp/4b3/7q/2PbPB2/3N2P1/P3P1BP/1R1Q1R1K b - - 0 18"]
950[PlyCount "8"]
951[EventDate "2004.??.??"]
952[Source "Everyman Chess"]
953[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
954
955{Rule 7: Only attack when the time is right: I have often got carried away in
956the Classical Dutch and started many premature attacks, which often fail. Here
957are some pointers as to when you should attack and when you should not attack.
958--- 1. If the black king is exposed, or if an attack will expose the black
959king then Black should proceed with great care. --- In this position I
960launched with an idea that only weakened my position.} 18... g5 $2 {Exposing
961the black king too much. Rowson now duly punished me.} 19. Rb5 $1 h6 20. Rxb7
962Nd7 (20... gxf4 {is hopeless after} 21. Nxf4 {.}) 21. Rxc7 Nf6 22. Be5 $1 {
963With an easy win for White.} *
964
965[Event "Reykjavik Open"]
966[Site "?"]
967[Date "2006.??.??"]
968[Round "?"]
969[White "Tregubov, P."]
970[Black "Williams, S."]
971[Result "*"]
972[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
973[SetUp "1"]
974[FEN "r1bq1rk1/pp2nnpp/5b2/3Ppp2/2P5/1P1N2P1/PB1N2BP/R2Q1RK1 b - - 0 17"]
975[PlyCount "10"]
976[EventDate "2006.??.??"]
977[Source "Everyman Chess"]
978[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
979
980{2. An attack should be based around a good solid position. This will often
981mean a position where Black has already played ...e5, managed to develop some
982pieces and gained an initiative. In the following game I chose the wrong plan:
983I now played:} 17... g5 $6 {My position was already tricky but this advance is
984wrong. My pieces are too passive for any kingside pawn storm and I also have
985no attack, so this 'aggressive' idea does not deserve to work.} 18. g4 $1 {A
986very nice response! White sacrifices a pawn to gain complete control of the
987e4-square. If my g-pawn was still back on g6 things would not be as bad,
988because I could always meet gxf5 with ...gxf5, but this is not possible here.}
989Bg7 19. gxf5 Bxf5 20. Ne4 Qb6+ 21. Kh1 Qg6 22. Qe2 {White is clearly better.
990--- 3. A kingside attack will work better when the pawn structure and black
991kingside remain "closed". In other words, if White has a chance to open up the
992position and start a counterattack, then an 'all in' approach may fail. ---
993Remember only attack when there is a good chance of success, if there is not
994then build up the position first.} *
995
996[Event "London"]
997[Site "?"]
998[Date "2011.??.??"]
999[Round "?"]
1000[White "Shepherd, D."]
1001[Black "Williams, S."]
1002[Result "*"]
1003[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
1004[SetUp "1"]
1005[FEN "r1b2rk1/1pp1q1pp/2n2b2/p3pp2/2P5/PP3NP1/1BQ1PPBP/3R1RK1 b - - 0 15"]
1006[PlyCount "25"]
1007[EventDate "2011.??.??"]
1008[Source "Everyman Chess"]
1009[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
1010
1011{Rule 8: The Pawn breaks ...h5-h4 and ...a5-a4 --- BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- In
1012the middlegame, if the pawn structure has become closed and White has played
1013g3 and Bg2, Black can often start an attack against the enemy king with ...h5,
1014...h4, ...hxg3! --- Example 1: ...h5-h4: This is a typical middlegame position,
1015and the type of position that Black should be aiming for when playing the
1016Classical Dutch. Black's main advantage is his strong central pawns on e5 and
1017f5. Clearly Black played the advance ...e5 earlier and it worked well to lead
1018to this position. --- But what to do now? --- I now played a strong plan.} 
101915... e4 $1 {Gaining space and making White's bishop on g2 a bad piece.} 16.
1020Ne1 h5 $1 {With the aim of softening up White's kingside with ...h4 and ...hxg3. This is a plan worth remembering as it can occur often in the Dutch,
1021even in the endgame!} 17. f3 $1 h4 18. fxe4 hxg3 19. hxg3 Qc5+ 20. Kh2 Bxb2 21.
1022Nd3 Qe3 22. Qxb2 Rf6 23. Nf4 $2 Rh6+ $1 {My plan has been a success: White's
1023king has become exposed to attack. --- BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- The plan ...h5,
1024...h4 and ...hxg3 works a lot better when the position is closed. This is
1025because the plan takes time, and there may be more important issues to deal
1026with first. --- Let's see a couple more moves.} 24. Nh3 fxe4 25. Qd2 Qxd2 26.
1027Rxd2 a4 $1 {BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- ...a4 is often a great way to 'soften up'
1028your opponent's queenside pawn formation of a2 (a3), b3, c4. In the same way
1029as ...h5-h4, White's pawns become a target after this plan.} 27. b4 Be6 {With
1030a winning position for Black.} *
1031
1032[Event "British League"]
1033[Site "?"]
1034[Date "2009.??.??"]
1035[Round "?"]
1036[White "Slavin, A."]
1037[Black "Williams, S."]
1038[Result "*"]
1039[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
1040[SetUp "1"]
1041[FEN "r1b1r1k1/ppb2npp/2p2n2/2B2p2/2P1p3/1PN3PP/P1N1PPB1/3R1RK1 b - - 0 17"]
1042[PlyCount "13"]
1043[EventDate "2009.??.??"]
1044[Source "Everyman Chess"]
1045[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
1046
1047{Let's take another look at an example of ...h5, ...h4 in action. --- Example
10482: ...h5-h4: Even though the queens have been exchanged, I can still aim to
1049place the white king under pressure. What is one good way to do this?} 17... h5
1050$1 {A very strong plan, and one that works especially well in this position
1051because: 1) The position is rather closed, there are no immediate tactics so
1052any pawn break will gain in strength. --- 2) White has played h3, so g3 is
1053especially weak after ...h4. --- 3) Black's dark-squared bishop is well placed
1054on c7, putting more pressure on the g3-square, which is Black's main target of
1055attack after ...h5-h4. --- The game continued:} 18. Be3 h4 19. Bf4 Bxf4 20.
1056gxf4 g5 $5 21. fxg5 Nxg5 22. f4 exf3 23. Bxf3 $2 {White cracks under the
1057pressure, but it was clear to see that Black had gained a good attack by using
1058the plan of ...h5-h4.} Nxh3+ {Simply gaining a pawn leaving me with a big
1059advantage. To my disappointment, my opponent managed to hang on for a draw.} *
1060
1061[Event "7: British League"]
1062[Site "?"]
1063[Date "2014.??.??"]
1064[Round "?"]
1065[White "Williams, S."]
1066[Black "Williams, Sa"]
1067[Result "1-0"]
1068[ECO "B20"]
1069[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
1070[PlyCount "49"]
1071[EventDate "2014.??.??"]
1072[Source "Everyman Chess"]
1073[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
1074
1075{Example 3: ...h5-h4: We see the same plan in action below, albeit it in a
1076rather strange way. I was playing with the white pieces, and just to make
1077things even more confusing, I was paired against my namesake S.Williams! --- A
1078number of strange things have occurred to me and other S.Williams' throughout
1079my life as a chess professional. Around about ten years previous to this game,
1080FIDE had used "the other" S.Williams games to rate my performance on the new
1081FIDE rating list. So there I was, on my way to my first game at the Hastings
1082international, expecting my rating to be about 2450, when I got a major shock
1083to see that my rating had dropped to 2250! Thanks FIDE! --- On another
1084occasion I had done some coaching work for two solid weeks for the English
1085junior team. My payment cheque for this work got sent out to another S.Williams, who lived about 200 miles from me! Luckily he was very honest and
1086passed the payment onto me! Thanks English Chess Federation! --- The game
1087below started off as a Classical Dutch reversed (as in Svidler-Carlsen and
1088Williams-Zhong Zhao). I will show you the opening moves, just out of interest.
1089--- It is worth noting that what you can learn in the Classical Dutch can
1090clearly be transferred to other openings and vice versa. Transferable skills
1091are always a good thing to have, and we will take a more detailed look at this
1092later.} 1. e4 c5 2. Be2 e6 3. f4 d5 4. d3 g6 5. Nf3 Bg7 6. O-O Ne7 7. Qe1 b5 8.
1093Nc3 b4 9. Nd1 Bb7 10. Nf2 Nbc6 11. a3 a5 12. Rb1 Qb6 13. Be3 Rc8 14. c3 O-O 15.
1094Kh1 Ba6 {The position is fairly even, as Black can often stop an attack based
1095on Ng4 and Qh4 with ...f5! For that reason I need to think of another plan. So
1096I played the standard:} 16. h4 $1 {This aims to soften up Black's kingside in
1097the typical fashion that we have seen already.} Rc7 17. h5 d4 $2 {The wrong
1098plan. Black should capture the pawn on h5 with ...gxh5 when the position
1099remains equal. This is a move that Black missed a couple of times.} 18. Bd2
1100dxc3 19. bxc3 Rb7 $2 {Too slow. As on move 17, Black had to capture the h-pawn
1101with ...gxh5. Now I gain a winning attack, very quickly.} 20. hxg6 hxg6 21. Ng4
1102$1 {My pieces now come flooding into the attack. My simple plan of removing
1103the h-pawns from the board has left Black's king mortally weak. The game
1104finished.} Rfb8 22. Qh4 Qd8 23. Ng5 bxc3 24. Nf6+ Kf8 25. Ngh7# {. A pretty
1105end to the game, very sporting of my opponent. (Players called S.Williams are
1106often good, sporting players...)} 1-0
1107
1108[Event "?"]
1109[Site "?"]
1110[Date "????.??.??"]
1111[Round "?"]
1112[White "Similar openings?"]
1113[Black "?"]
1114[Result "*"]
1115[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
1116[PlyCount "1"]
1117[SourceDate "2015.05.12"]
1118
1119{What openings are similar to the Dutch? --- Can you use this to your
1120advantage? --- The Classical Dutch has a lot of similarities with various
1121other openings. These similarities might come in the type of pawn structure,
1122typical middlegame plans and various other forms. You can aim to use to this
1123to your advantage by keeping things simple and picking openings that follow
1124the same trends. --- What openings do I consider to be similar to the
1125Classical Dutch? The list below are openings that keep the same
1126characteristics:} 1. -- {White perspective:} ({Bird's Opening:} 1. f4 {Plus
1127Points: This is the Dutch reversed with an extra tempo! We saw me use this
1128opening in one the introductory games to score a good victory. If you want to
1129save a lot of time learning how to play with the white pieces, then this could
1130be an interesting way to play. --- I have used this move from time to time,
1131and I basically aim to do precisely what I would do in the normal Classical
1132Dutch, but a tempo up. --- I am normally careful who I play this plan against.
1133I would normally only play 1 f4 against players who always play 1 e4
1134themselves. --- Why? --- I want to get people out of what they are used to
1135playing, and by playing 1 f4 the position will transpose into a 1 d4 opening
1136reversed, and if my opponent always plays 1 e4 he will be uncomfortable with
1137the position that he has been forced into. --- All in all, 1 f4 for me is a
1138great surprise weapon. --- Downside: The only extra thing that you need to
1139learn here is From's Gambit, which is where Black plays 1...e5! Then you have
1140the option of capturing the pawn or entering into a Kings Gambit with the move
11412 e4!?. --- Nowadays I use 1 f4 as a surprise opening, as it gets a bit boring
1142playing the Dutch all the time. It is a good idea to try to understand new
1143positions, as this will increase your overall understanding of our great game.
1144--- You should also be trying to gain an opening advantage when playing with
1145the white pieces, and as good as the Classical Dutch is, it does not offer any
1146advantage to Black (or White in this case!).}) ({The Grand Prix:} 1. e4 c5 2.
1147Nc3 {With the idea of playing f4! next.} ({or} 2. f4) 2... d6 3. f4 {If you
1148are a 1 e4 player, then I would suggest that learning the Grand Prix against
1149the Sicilian is a very good idea. --- Both openings have a lot of similar
1150themes and if you know what to do in the Classical Dutch after playing ...e5,
1151then you will know how to attack in the Grand Prix. --- Take a look at the
1152following game which came from one of my games with the White pieces.}) *
1153
1154[Event "8: European Club Cup"]
1155[Site "?"]
1156[Date "2012.??.??"]
1157[Round "?"]
1158[White "Williams, S."]
1159[Black "Palac, M."]
1160[Result "1-0"]
1161[ECO "B23"]
1162[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
1163[PlyCount "93"]
1164[EventDate "2012.??.??"]
1165[Source "Everyman Chess"]
1166[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
1167
11681. e4 c5 2. Nc3 d6 3. f4 g6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Bb5+ Bd7 6. Bc4 Nc6 7. O-O Na5 8. Be2
1169Nf6 9. d3 O-O {A typical position for the Grand Prix opening. At the end of
1170reading this book you will know precisely what attacking plans work best in
1171the position above.} 10. f5 $1 (10. Qe1 {with the idea of playing
1172Qh4-f5-Bh6-Ng5 (as in Sowray-Pert, Introductory Game) is also very thematic to
1173the Classical Dutch!}) 10... gxf5 11. Qe1 $1 {The typical Dutch plan in action
1174with the White pieces! --- Black's king is naturally weak so I bring my pieces
1175around to attack it. This worked out very well.} Nc6 12. Qg3 fxe4 13. dxe4 Ng4
117614. Nh4 Nge5 15. Nf5 Bxf5 16. exf5 Kh8 17. Nd5 Nd7 18. Qh3 Nf6 19. Ne3 d5 20.
1177Rf4 d4 21. Nf1 Ne5 22. Rh4 {It is clear to see that I have gained a very
1178dangerous attacking position, which I duly went on to win.} c4 23. Bf4 d3 24.
1179Bxe5 dxe2 25. Ne3 Qb6 26. Bd4 Qa6 27. Re1 Rad8 28. Bc3 b5 29. Qf3 Qb6 30. Qxe2
1180b4 31. Be5 Rd5 32. Bg3 Rxf5 33. Bc7 $1 {Winning material and the game.} Qxc7
118134. Nxf5 c3 35. bxc3 Qxc3 36. Nxg7 Kxg7 37. Rc4 Qb2 38. Qd2 a5 39. Rxe7 h6 40.
1182h3 Qxa2 41. Rc6 Qb2 42. Re3 a4 43. Rg3+ Kh7 44. Qf4 Ng8 45. c3 a3 46. Qf5+ Kh8
118347. Rxh6+ 1-0
1184
1185[Event "?"]
1186[Site "?"]
1187[Date "????.??.??"]
1188[Round "?"]
1189[White "The 'Little Bishop' Opening"]
1190[Black "?"]
1191[Result "*"]
1192[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
1193[PlyCount "3"]
1194[SourceDate "2015.05.12"]
1195
1196{Originally thought up by two of England's most imaginative Grandmasters,
1197Stuart Conquest and Luke McShane, this opening has a lot in common with the
1198Grand Prix, and it is a way to play against the Sicilian after:} 1. e4 c5 2.
1199Be2 $5 ({Another way of reaching similar positions is} 2. d3 {aiming to play
1200Be2 and f4. --- This crafty little move is similar in spirit to the Grand Prix,
1201the main idea behind it being to delay the development of White's knight on b1.
1202This can lead to some surprising advantages for White, the main one being the
1203possibility of playing c3 rather than Nc3. --- c3 is often a more useful move,
1204as it keeps the d4-square under control and therefore stops any black piece 
1205(normally a knight) from jumping into that square. --- Take a look at how Luke
1206used this opening to crush his super-strong opponent.}) *
1207
1208[Event "9: European Team Championship"]
1209[Site "?"]
1210[Date "2009.??.??"]
1211[Round "?"]
1212[White "McShane, L."]
1213[Black "Cheparinov, I."]
1214[Result "1-0"]
1215[ECO "B21"]
1216[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
1217[PlyCount "39"]
1218[EventDate "2009.??.??"]
1219[Source "Everyman Chess"]
1220[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
1221
12221. e4 c5 2. d3 Nc6 3. f4 g6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Be2 d6 6. O-O Nf6 {Does this
1223position look familiar to you? It should do by now! Luke now follows up with
1224the standard attacking plan...} 7. Qe1 $1 {Here it comes! Luke makes the
1225attack look easy in this game.} O-O 8. Qh4 c4 9. Kh1 cxd3 10. cxd3 Bg4 11. Nc3
1226Bxf3 12. Bxf3 Qb6 13. Bd1 $1 {A very nice way to re-route the bishop to a much
1227more aggressive square on b3. From b3 Black's king comes under direct attack.}
1228Qa6 14. Rf3 Rfc8 15. Rh3 h5 16. f5 Ne5 17. Bg5 Kf8 18. fxg6 fxg6 19. Bb3 Nxd3
122920. Rf3 {Black is facing a mass disaster on f6 so he throws in the towel. ---
1230I have given you a taster above about openings that you might want to explore
1231in more depth after reading and understanding this book with the white pieces.
1232The list does go on, but I must keep the pages of this book down to some limit!
1233} 1-0
1234
1235[Event "?"]
1236[Site "?"]
1237[Date "????.??.??"]
1238[Round "?"]
1239[White "Black's perspective"]
1240[Black "?"]
1241[Result "*"]
1242[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
1243[PlyCount "4"]
1244[Source "Everyman Chess"]
1245[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
1246
1247{The 'Anti-Marin Dutch': Marin wrote an excellent book on the English Opening,
1248suggesting the following line:} 1. c4 e5 2. g3 {then gained quite
1249significantly in popularity. Around about 2007 Joe Gallagher showed me what he
1250assumed was a very good way of playing against this line.} Nc6 $5 {With the
1251simple idea of playing 3...f5! on the next move, gaining a good version of the
1252Classical Dutch. To look at this in more detail I suggest that you take a look
1253at Svidler-Carlsen, from the introduction to this book.} ({You may be thinking,
1254why not play} 2... f5 {immediately? --- BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- I always try
1255to avoid playing the combination of ...f5 and ...e5 too quickly in the opening
1256when my opponent can reply with d4! and I cannot stabilise my pawn on e5. In
1257other words, if I am forced to play ...exd4 or ...e4, I avoid this set up for
1258Black. --- Following this rule White can play} 3. d4 $1 {in this position
1259gaining a better position.}) (2... -- {Ruy Lopez: You may think that this is
1260impossible, but Black can often gain a great attack by playing a well-timed ...f5 break, bringing the game into something a bit similar to the Dutch Defence.
1261--- I had the honour of commentating on the following game. A victory for
1262experience over youth. You can only admire Victor, a true legend!}) *
1263
1264[Event "10: Gibraltar Masters"]
1265[Site "?"]
1266[Date "2011.??.??"]
1267[Round "?"]
1268[White "Caruana, F."]
1269[Black "Korchnoi, V."]
1270[Result "0-1"]
1271[ECO "C84"]
1272[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
1273[PlyCount "92"]
1274[EventDate "2011.??.??"]
1275[Source "Everyman Chess"]
1276[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
1277
12781. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. d3 d6 6. c3 Be7 7. O-O O-O 8. Re1 {
1279Even at this early stage of the game, Victor now finds a chance to gain an
1280attack on the kingside, based around the advance ...f5!?.} Nd7 $5 9. Be3 Nb6
128110. Bb3 Kh8 11. Nbd2 f5 $1 12. Bxb6 cxb6 13. Bd5 g5 14. h3 g4 15. hxg4 fxg4 16.
1282Nh2 Bg5 17. Nc4 b5 18. Ne3 Bxe3 19. Rxe3 Qf6 {Black's aggressive play has
1283created great attacking chances on the kingside.} 20. Qe1 Ne7 21. f3 Nxd5 22.
1284exd5 Rg8 23. Qg3 gxf3 24. Qxf3 Bf5 25. Rf1 Rg5 26. Kh1 Qh6 27. Rf2 Rag8 28. Re1
1285Qg6 29. Re3 Bxd3 30. Kg1 e4 31. Qh3 Rxd5 32. Qd7 Rg5 33. g4 Qh6 34. Rf7 R5g7
128635. Rxg7 Rxg7 36. Qd8+ Rg8 37. Qb6 Qf6 38. Qxb7 Rf8 39. Qa7 b4 40. Rh3 Qg7 41.
1287Qe3 bxc3 42. bxc3 Qxc3 43. Rh5 d5 44. g5 Qa1+ 45. Kg2 Bf1+ 46. Kg3 Qe5+ 0-1
1288
1289[Event "?"]
1290[Site "?"]
1291[Date "????.??.??"]
1292[Round "?"]
1293[White "1: Ye olde faithful: 7...a5"]
1294[Black "?"]
1295[Result "*"]
1296[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
1297[PlyCount "15"]
1298[Source "Everyman Chess"]
1299[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
1300
13011. d4 f5 2. Nf3 e6 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. c4 d6 7. Nc3 a5 {
1302Originally known as the Simagin Variation, I have named this chapter 'Ye Olde
1303Faithful' because it has been my favourite variation in the Dutch for the last
1304twenty years. (This has now changed and I will come onto this point later on
1305in the chapter!) I am one of the only players in the world who has played
1306this move at top level for a long period of time. For this reason alone, I
1307should have a good understanding of it. I was attracted to 7...a5 as it
1308offered Black good chances to play for a win. Indeed, the positions that it
1309leads to are often complex and exciting. --- 7...a5 is a very useful waiting
1310move as it takes control of the b4-square. This square can often be used as a
1311good outpost for Black's knight or even bishop. --- One of the most enjoyable
1312encounters that I have had in this line was against Joseph Gallagher. I was
1313due to play Joe at the Isle of Man tournament. Joe was riding high as he had
1314just won the British Championship, so he was obviously on good form. --- I had
1315Black against him and I thought that it would be an ideal time to try out my
1316favourite line i.e. 7...a5, the line we are about to look at. I had only one
1317concern: I was worried about one move and coincidentally, Joe played that move
1318immediately!} 8. Re1 {. After this move, I had a long think and came up with a
1319very good plan. A plan that, until recently, still looked good. --- However,
1320there does seem to be a major drawback with this whole variation. GM Stephen
1321Gordon highlighted the problem in his game against a very unsuspecting Marcus
1322Harvey at the 2012 British Championship. --- The idea was first shown to me by
1323Stephen over two years ago. I have decided to keep it hidden until now. This
1324idea does seem to leave the whole 7...a5 variation in doubt... We will take a
1325look at this idea after the first two introductory games. --- Let's have the
1326good news before the bad!} *
1327
1328[Event "11: Port Erin"]
1329[Site "?"]
1330[Date "2001.??.??"]
1331[Round "?"]
1332[White "Gallagher, J."]
1333[Black "Williams, S."]
1334[Result "0-1"]
1335[ECO "A96"]
1336[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
1337[PlyCount "70"]
1338[EventDate "2001.??.??"]
1339[Source "Everyman Chess"]
1340[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
1341
13421. d4 f5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 e6 4. Nf3 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. c4 d6 7. Nc3 a5 8. Re1 {
1343This used to be the old main line and 8 Re1 was the move I feared! --- Black
1344certainly needs to know what he is doing against this move. White is planning
1345to play e4 when he will gain a positional advantage. Black should aim to stop
1346this at all costs. --- BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- At the start of this book, I
1347pointed out some basic strategic points that Black needs to know. One of these
1348springs to mind now. --- If White can achieve the e4 advance without Black
1349playing ...e5 and Black has to exchange with ...fxe4, White will generally
1350obtain an advantage. --- Black has to stop White from playing e4 here. There
1351is only one way of doing this.} Ne4 {This move is pretty much forced. ---
1352BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- Black must stop White from playing e4!} 9. Qc2 Nxc3 $1
1353{This is an important improvement on the old main line (see later).} 10. Qxc3 {
1354This is the natural response to 9...Nxc3! as it keeps White's pawns intact but
1355I don't believe that it is the best move.} ({We will take a look at} 10. bxc3
1356$1 {in the Theory section of this book, as this move is a better attempt at
1357gaining an opening advantage for White.}) 10... Nc6 $1 {I now had a long think
1358as I had to try and do something about White's plan of playing e4. The real
1359point of ...Nc6 becomes clear after White's next move.} 11. e4 {BRAINSTORMING
1360POINT! --- Let's go back to one of the general rules. You should know it by
1361now: If White can achieve the e4 advance without Black playing ...e5 and Black
1362has to exchange with ...fxe4, White will generally obtain an advantage.} e5 $1
1363{Yes, this is the correct response! We can now see why the pawn on a5 is good.
1364It secures the b4-square for a black piece. This dynamic move holds the
1365position together. Only the central counter-strike will stop White from
1366gaining an advantage.} 12. exf5 {We will come back to White's two other
1367possibilities in the theory section.} Bxf5 13. Be3 $2 {This is too passive.} ({
1368White should have tried} 13. dxe5 {which is looked at below.}) 13... Be4 {An
1369exchange of light-squared bishops can only help Black. White will then have
1370some weakened squares around his kingside (h3, g2, f3) and will have lost his
1371best minor piece, the light-squared bishop. Furthermore, White's light-squared
1372bishop often puts pressure on Black's queenside.} 14. Nd2 $6 (14. Bd2 {was
1373better.}) 14... Bxg2 15. Kxg2 d5 $1 {It is time to pause and reflect on the
1374position that has arisen from the opening. White's pieces are all looking
1375rather passive, whilst Black's position is starting to come alive. With the
1376last move 15...d5! Black starts to attack White's centre, which could crumble
1377at any moment.} 16. a3 Bf6 17. Nf3 exd4 18. Nxd4 Qd7 19. Rad1 Ne5 20. c5 Nf3 $1
1378{A tricky move for White to deal with.} 21. Rf1 Qg4 $6 {This was tempting but
1379not the best move.} ({I should have played} 21... Ra6 $1 {with the idea of
1380getting Black's last piece over to the kingside. This is another reason why 7...a5!? was a good move! Black is planning ...Bxd4 and ...Rh6, for example,} 22.
1381h3 Bxd4 23. Bxd4 Rh6 {and Black is winning.}) 22. Qd3 Bxd4 23. Bxd4 Nh4+ 24.
1382Kh1 Nf3 25. Kg2 c6 26. h3 Qe6 27. Be3 g5 28. Bd4 $6 ({White should have played
1383} 28. Bf4 $1 {when he is over the worst, although Black may still be slightly
1384better, for example,} Nh4+ 29. gxh4 gxf4 {.}) 28... Rae8 {White has a few
1385problems now as he has no way of improving his position.} 29. b4 axb4 30. axb4
1386Qd7 31. Ba1 Qe6 32. Rc1 d4 33. Rfd1 Rf7 34. Qc4 Qe4 35. Kf1 Nd2+ 0-1
1387
1388[Event "12: Cappelle La Grande"]
1389[Site "?"]
1390[Date "2005.??.??"]
1391[Round "?"]
1392[White "Iskusnyh, S."]
1393[Black "Williams, S."]
1394[Result "1-0"]
1395[ECO "A96"]
1396[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
1397[PlyCount "71"]
1398[EventDate "2005.??.??"]
1399[Source "Everyman Chess"]
1400[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
1401
1402{Let's take a look at another game that I have played in this variation. This
1403time, we will concentrate on 8 b3, which is one of White's most popular moves.
1404} 1. d4 e6 2. c4 f5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. O-O d6 7. Nc3 a5 $5 {
1405This game was played at the Cappelle la Grande tournament in France. My
1406opponent was a Russian GM. I have to admit that I was very annoyed with myself
1407after the game, because I felt that I had achieved a good position from the
1408opening. I then went on to throw it away. Never a pleasant feeling in chess!}
14098. b3 {White will often choose this positional move which I now consider to be
1410the main line. The plan is to simply play Bb2 gaining extra control over e5.}
1411Ne4 {This is a common plan in this type of structure. As Black's position is
1412more cramped, exchanges tend to help him. It is also now possible for Black to
1413move his bishop to f6.} 9. Bb2 Nxc3 $5 {I believe that this is Black's best
1414chance. The general plan is to meet e4 with ...f4 when Black often has chances
1415to attack on the kingside.} ({I used to play} 9... Bf6 {on a regular basis but
1416I had some difficulty finding a good response to} 10. Qc2 Nxc3 11. Bxc3 {, for
1417example} Nc6 12. e4 $1 fxe4 13. Qxe4 {. --- BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- This type
1418of structure is worth avoiding at all costs! --- After} Qe8 14. Rfe1 {White
1419had a dream position and went on to win in R.Ruck-S.Williams, European
1420under-20 Championship 1997.}) 10. Bxc3 Qe8 {The black queen wriggles its way
1421around to h5. White has a number of options here.} 11. Re1 {A very logical
1422move. The rook is well placed behind the e-pawn. One logical plan is e4-e5.}
1423Qh5 $1 {An active square for the queen.} ({I once tried} 11... c6 $6 {in this
1424position, but I soon got myself into trouble:} 12. e4 f4 13. d5 $1 cxd5 14. e5
1425$1 {(a brilliant idea; White has sacrificed a pawn in order to stop Black from
1426meeting e5 with the standard ...d5 and Black is now forced to open the e-file)}
1427dxe5 15. cxd5 fxg3 16. hxg3 Qf7 17. Qd2 {and White was clearly better and duly
1428won in J.Benjamin-S.Williams, Bunratty Masters 2007.}) 12. e4 {BRAINSTORMING
1429POINT! --- Capturing on e4 would give White the type of position that he wants.
1430We have to avoid this at all costs and play a different plan. What should that
1431plan be?} f4 $1 {That's right! --- BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- From a positional
1432point of view, Black is forced to meet 12 e4 with 12...f4. If the e-file is
1433ever opened, Black will be positionally lost. Black must always aim to keep a
1434White pawn on the e-file. --- The move ...f4 gives Black good attacking
1435chances on the kingside. As you will see, the f-pawn will eventually become a
1436thorn in White's side.} (12... fxe4 $2 13. Rxe4 {Black must avoid this type of
1437structure! White will always have pressure against Black's pawn on e6. Black
1438is also left with a cramped and passive position. This was not the reason
1439behind choosing to play the Dutch!}) 13. e5 (13. Qd2 {was played against me in
1440G.Kjartansson-S.Williams, Hastings Masters 2000, with the following
1441possibilities:} -- ({. I played} 13... fxg3 14. fxg3 e5 $6 {, which leads to
1442some complications, where I am sure White has an improvement on the game:} (
144314... a4 $5) 15. dxe5 $1 Rxf3 16. Qd1 Bg4 17. Bxf3 Bxf3 18. Qd5+ Kh8 19. Qxb7
1444Qh3 {. --- Bizarrely, the game is probably a draw now!} 20. Kf2 Qg2+ 21. Ke3
1445Bg5+ 22. Kd3 Be2+ 23. Rxe2 Qf3+ 24. Kc2 Qxe2+ 25. Kb1 Qf1+ 26. Kb2 Qf2+ 27. Kb1
1446Qg1+ 28. Kb2 Qf2+ 29. Kb1 Qf1+ 30. Kb2 Qf2+ {and we agreed a draw.}) (13... g5
1447$1 {was the other critical choice and would be the move that I would play in
1448the future.} 14. h3 $1 {White really has to prevent Black's ...g4 advance;} (
144914. gxf4 $5 g4 $5 (14... Rxf4 {is safer for Black and looks fine}) 15. Ng5 h6
145016. Nxe6 Bxe6 {is unclear}) 14... fxg3 15. fxg3 g4 16. hxg4 Qxg4 {. This all
1451looks very odd, as Black is only playing with his queen, but things are not so
1452clear, for example,} 17. Qf2 Nc6 18. d5 Nb4 {, with a messy type of position.})
1453) 13... d5 $1 {This move follows the same principle as before. Black must
1454avoid opening the e-file.} 14. Qd3 ({White has also tried the following
1455options:} 14. Nd2 {An exchange of queens can only help White, so Black is
1456advised to play} Qf7 15. Qf3 {. Now in Play the Classical Dutch, I recommended
1457the simple} c6 {which is a safe way to play. Mind you, "safe" is not really a
1458word in my vocabulary!} ({Instead,} 15... Nc6 $5 {is an interesting sacrifice,
1459when there could follow} 16. Re2 $6 ({White should really accept the sacrifice
1460with} 16. cxd5 exd5 17. Qxd5 Be6 18. Qf3 Rad8 {, when Black has compensation})
146116... Nb4 17. a3 Nc2 {Black is playing very imaginatively. This is often what
1462you need to do in the Dutch!} 18. Ra2 Nxa3 19. Qd3 a4 {and Black was clearly
1463better in A.Knitl-D.Pirrot, Bad Wörishofen 2008.})) (14. h3 c6 (14... a4 $5 {
1464is often worth playing}) 15. g4 {and now in V.Erdos-R.Bellin, Budapest 2005,
1465Black played} Qg6 $6 {. This is the wrong square for the queen. After g4,
1466Black should nearly always move his queen to h6, where it keeps pressure on h3
1467and allows Black to play ...Bd7 ...Be8 and ...Bg6 at a later point.}) (14. Qe2
1468c6 15. Bd2 g5 16. h3 a4 17. Qd3 Bd7 18. g4 Qh6 19. bxa4 Rxa4 20. c5 Be8 21. a3
1469Nd7 22. Qb3 Ra7 23. a4 Bg6 24. Kf1 Be4 25. Ke2 Qg6 26. a5 Rfa8 27. Kd1 Bd8 28.
1470Ke2 $2 Bc2 {and White resigned in N.Clery-S,Williams, Cappelle La Grande 2005.}
1471) 14... c6 {This is a standard type of position. White has more space but
1472Black's pawn structure is very solid and he has chances to attack on the
1473kingside. Black often plays ...Bd7, ...Be8 and ...Bg6, an idea which can be
1474often seen in the French Defence. Another plan is ...g5-g4.} ({Another option
1475for Black is} 14... b6 $5 {. --- This is an interesting idea which has yet to
1476be played. Black wants to develop his bishop to b7, when ...dxc4 becomes a
1477threat. This may be the best way for Black to play in this position. I would
1478certainly give it a whirl. For example,} 15. h3 Bb7 16. g4 Qh6 17. Rac1 Na6 {
1479. Black has finished his development and he can be happy with the resulting
1480position, which is roughly equal.}) 15. Bd2 g5 (15... fxg3 {was possible:} 16.
1481fxg3 Bd7 {, but I expect that White is a bit better here as he has more space.
1482Black's f-pawn can often be an asset, so I preferred to avoid exchanging it.})
148316. gxf4 gxf4 (16... g4 $2 {does not quite work as after} 17. Ng5 {Black
1484cannot play} h6 $4 {, due to} (17... Rf5 {gives White time to play} 18. h3) 18.
1485Qh7# {, which would be embarrassing.}) 17. Kh1 {If Black has time to bring his
1486two queenside pieces into the game, then he will be doing well. One thing in
1487Black's favour is his queen on h5 which controls a number of squares.} a4 18.
1488c5 Bd7 {The bishop manoeuvres around to g6.} 19. Ng1 Qh4 20. b4 Na6 {I wanted
1489to move this knight to b5.} 21. Ne2 {White has concentrated all his forces on
1490my f-pawn, but this has taken a lot of time which has given me the opportunity
1491to develop my pieces.} Be8 22. Rg1 Bg6 (22... Kh8 $1 {was also worth
1492considering. The move played in the game forces White to sacrifice the
1493exchange, but this gives White a pleasant initiative.}) 23. Bf3 Kh8 $6 (23...
1494Kf7 $5 {looks crazy but the black king is probably safer on d7, for example,}
149524. Qa3 Ke8 25. Qxa4 Bd3 {with an unclear position.}) 24. Rxg6 $1 {The only
1496sensible plan. White's attack becomes very dangerous.} hxg6 25. Qxg6 Rg8 26.
1497Nxf4 $6 ({White should have played} 26. Qxe6 {when White has a big advantage.})
149826... Bg5 $1 {My best chance.} 27. Qxe6 Nc7 $2 ({I should have played} 27...
1499Raf8 $1 28. Ng6+ Rxg6 29. Qxg6 Bxd2 {, when it is unclear how White should
1500continue his attack. Black is probably better.}) 28. Ng6+ Rxg6 29. Qxg6 Bxd2
150130. Rg1 Qh6 31. Qf7 Rf8 $2 {The last mistake.} ({I should have tried} 31... Ne6
1502{which is far from clear, for example,} 32. Rg6 Qf8 33. Qxe6 Qxf3+ 34. Kg1 Rf8
1503{.}) 32. Qxc7 Rxf3 33. e6 {White is just winning now. The game finished:} Qf6
150434. e7 Re3 35. Qd8+ Kh7 36. Qg8+ 1-0
1505
1506[Event "?"]
1507[Site "?"]
1508[Date "????.??.??"]
1509[Round "?"]
1510[White "The refutation of 7...a5"]
1511[Black "?"]
1512[Result "*"]
1513[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
1514[PlyCount "22"]
1515[Source "Everyman Chess"]
1516[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
1517
1518{'Everything in life is temporary... So if things are going well, enjoy it
1519because it won't last forever. And if things are going badly, don't worry. It
1520can't last forever either.' - Anon --- There is no point in "beating around
1521the bush"! I will now come directly to the reason why I have stopped playing 7.
1522..a5. I was considering keeping this a secret, as I still want to play this
1523move in the future, but I came to the conclusion that it is only fair to let
1524people who have purchased GingerGM and Everyman products know the truth. ---
1525On top of this, after originally writing this book, a game was played in the
15262012 British Championship which saw the idea being used in practice.} 1. d4 f5
15272. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 e6 4. c4 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. O-O d6 7. Nc3 a5 8. Re1 $1 {has
1528always been the most critical way of meeting various variations of the
1529Classical Dutch and this is no exception. White is planning to play 9 e4, when
1530he has achieved his goal of increasing pressure on the e-file. For this reason
1531Black must play...} Ne4 {And now Stephen Gordon's novelty is the incredibly
1532strong move...} 9. Qd3 $1 {Originally, I believed that this move had no extra
1533benefit over 9 Qc2 but there is one major difference. White now has the
1534possibility to play Qd5+ in some variations which poses all sorts of problems
1535for Black, for example:} Nxc3 ({I will discuss Black's other interesting option
1536} 9... Nc6 {later on in this chapter.}) 10. bxc3 $1 {White is now ready to
1537play the e4 advance. Black's standard way of meeting this is to play...} Nc6 {
1538However, this runs into:} 11. e4 $1 {Black now has a pretty horrible decision
1539to make. He can either try ...e5 or capture on e4. Both moves are better for
1540White, for example:} -- (11... e5 {would be fine if White still had the queen
1541placed on c2 but in this position, White can win a pawn by playing...} 12. dxe5
1542dxe5 13. Qd5+ $1 {Winning Black's pawn on e5. White will play Nxe5 next which
1543is both simple and good!}) (11... fxe4 12. Qxe4 {might be playable for Black,
1544as White has doubled c-pawns, which could prove to be weak. But even so, I
1545strongly believe that White is just better here. He has more space and
1546pressure along the e-file and even the b-file. Black would prefer to have the
1547a-pawn back on a7, as this would allow him to arrange a plan based on ...Na5 ...b6 and ...Ba6. --- All in all, I am pessimistic about Black's chances, which
1548is a real shame, as I have played this variation since the age of nine! I for
1549one cannot find an answer to Black's problems. --- For completeness, I will
1550include the rest of my analysis on this variation but I would recommend that
1551you stick with 7...Ne4 until a solution to this line has been found.}) *
1552
1553[Event "?"]
1554[Site "?"]
1555[Date "????.??.??"]
1556[Round "?"]
1557[White "An old way"]
1558[Black "?"]
1559[Result "*"]
1560[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
1561[PlyCount "24"]
1562[Source "Everyman Chess"]
1563[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
1564
15651. d4 f5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 e6 4. c4 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. O-O d6 7. Nc3 a5 {. I am
1566now going to show you a line that I do not mention in my original Killer Dutch
1567DVD. This is a line that I used to play as Black against 8 Re1. --- I believe
1568that this line is unsound, but White has to tread carefully, otherwise he will
1569quickly find himself in a lost position.} 8. Re1 Ne4 9. Qd3 Nc6 $6 {Black can
1570also play the same line against White when White plays 9 Qc2. The idea is for
1571Black to throw in the intermezzo move ...Nb4. Black hopes that he can combine
1572this idea with ...e5, leaving him with enough active counterplay. ---
1573Unfortunately, it seems that White is able to sacrifice the exchange in some
1574variations leading to a very good position. For example:} 10. Nxe4 {The only
1575critical response, otherwise Black would have been able to play ...Nxc3 and
1576then ...e5.} Nb4 11. Qb1 fxe4 12. Qxe4 -- ({Black can now try} 12... d5) ({or} 
157712... e5 {but both moves seem to fall short.}) *
1578
1579[Event "?"]
1580[Site "?"]
1581[Date "????.??.??"]
1582[Round "?"]
1583[White "An old way"]
1584[Black "A: 12...d5"]
1585[Result "*"]
1586[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
1587[PlyCount "33"]
1588[Source "Everyman Chess"]
1589[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
1590
15911. d4 f5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 e6 4. c4 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. O-O d6 7. Nc3 a5 8. Re1
1592Ne4 9. Qd3 Nc6 10. Nxe4 Nb4 11. Qb1 fxe4 12. Qxe4 d5 {Black is able to win his
1593pawn back by playing this move. However, the problem is that White's control
1594in the centre outweighs the strength of Black's queenside majority.} 13. Qb1 ({
1595White should return the pawn immediately as Black becomes far too active after
1596} 13. cxd5 $2 exd5 14. Qb1 Bf5 {.}) 13... dxc4 {. White must have an advantage.
1597As you can see, the position resembles a very good Catalan for White. Black's
1598c-pawn is weak and White can consider expanding in the centre with e4, for
1599example,} 14. a3 Nd5 15. Qc2 b5 16. Ne5 Bf6 17. e4 {with an edge.} *
1600
1601[Event "?"]
1602[Site "?"]
1603[Date "????.??.??"]
1604[Round "?"]
1605[White "An old way"]
1606[Black "B: 12...e5"]
1607[Result "*"]
1608[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
1609[PlyCount "30"]
1610[Source "Everyman Chess"]
1611[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
1612
16131. d4 f5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 e6 4. c4 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. O-O d6 7. Nc3 a5 8. Re1
1614Ne4 9. Qd3 Nc6 10. Nxe4 Nb4 11. Qb1 fxe4 12. Qxe4 e5 $5 {Black intends playing
1615...Bf5 and then ...Nc2. --- I have played this on a number of occasions, but
1616computer analysis has shown that White can continue to capture material. Let's
1617take a look.} 13. dxe5 (13. g4 {was the old main line, but Black can gain
1618enough activity through either} exd4 ({or} 13... c6 $5 {I once remember
1619spending a holiday in Glencoe, Scotland when I was nine or so. It was raining
1620so I spent most of the time looking at the complications involved with 13...c6!?. This is all irrelevant though, as White has the much stronger 13 dxe5!.})
1621) 13... Bf5 {Otherwise Black is simply a couple of pawns down.} 14. Qxb7 {
1622There goes another one! --- Black has a number of options here but
1623unfortunately, they all seem to fall short!} Rb8 ({Or Black could have tried} 
162414... Nc2 {, but White has the strong response} 15. Qd5+ Kh8 16. Nd4 $1 {with
1625a winning position, for example,} Nxe1 17. Qxa8 {.}) 15. Qa7 {At this point, I
1626have focussed my attention on two plans: a) The first idea is to grab the
1627exchange. The problem with this plan is the fact that White would be left with
1628too many pawns. --- b) The other plan is to try and trap White's queen but
1629this is difficult in itself. --- Let's see how...} -- (15... Nc2 16. Nd4 $1 {
1630This is the most forcing continuation.} Nxe1 ({other moves also fall short,
1631for example,} 16... Nxa1 17. Nc6 Qe8 18. Qxc7 $1 Nc2 19. Nxe7+ Kh8 20. Rd1 {
1632with a winning position}) 17. Nc6 Qe8 18. Bd5+ $1 {This is the only way that
1633White can gain an advantage!} ({for example,} 18. Qxc7 Nxg2 19. Nxe7+ Kh8 20.
1634Nxf5 Rxf5 21. Kxg2 Rxe5 22. Be3 {and now Black can choose between either} Rxb2
1635({or} 22... Rxe3 {and the position is equal})) 18... Kh8 19. Qxc7 $1 {White
1636has a substantial advantage, for example:} Nc2 20. Nxb8 Nxa1 21. Nc6 Bd7 22.
1637Nxe7 Qxe7 23. Qxd6 {With a winning advantage.}) (15... c5 {I have tried this
1638move on a number of occasions. The immediate threat is 16...Nc6 17 Qa6 Rb6,
1639trapping White's queen. White has to tread with extreme caution but if he does
1640succeed in negotiating the minefield, then he will be left with a good
1641position. For example:} 16. exd6 $1 {By playing this move White gains a tempo
1642with regards to developing his bishop on c1.} Bxd6 17. Bg5 Qc8 {Keeping the
1643threat of ...Nc6! alive, which will win White's queen.} 18. Nh4 $1 {This
1644allows White to meet ...Nc6 with Bxc6.} Bh3 {I have reached this position
1645twice against good opposition. The computer believes that White is totally
1646winning and unfortunately, I am not brave enough to doubt this assessment!} 19.
1647Rad1 $1 Nc6 {Now there are a couple of alternatives.} 20. -- (20. Bxh3 $6 {
1648This is a mistake which gives Black a glimmer of hope.} Qxh3 21. Qa6 Rxf2 $1 {
1649The position now becomes crazy! N.Pedersen-S.Williams, Nordre Efteraar 1998,
1650continued:} 22. Kxf2 Qxh2+ 23. Ke3 Qxg3+ 24. Nf3 Re8+ 25. Kd2 {And here I
1651played 25...Nb4 and eventually won, but I should have played:} Bf4+ $1 {
1652According to my computer, this position is equal! For example, White can
1653choose from the following moves:} 26. Bxf4 (26. e3 Qg2+ 27. Re2 Qxf3 28. Bxf4
1654Rd8+ 29. Kc1 Qxe2 {Black should have no problems}) (26. Kc3 Be5+ 27. Kd2 Bf4+ {
1655etc.}) 26... Qxf4+ 27. e3 ({or} 27. Kc3 Qf6+ 28. Kb3 Nd4+ $1 {winning White's
1656queen on a6}) 27... Qf6 28. Nd4 Qf3 29. Kc1 Nb4 30. Qxa5 Qe4 {White is the
1657only one who is in danger of losing. --- A completely mad line that seems to
1658be fine for Black. The only problem is that White does not have to take so
1659many risks after 18...Bh3. His other option is by far the strongest...}) (20.
1660Bd5+ $1 {Unfortunately, this move and the subsequent plan seem to refute
1661Black's whole idea, for example:} Kh8 (20... Be6 {may be a slight improvement
1662but things are still bad after} 21. Bxc6 Qxc6 22. Rxd6 Qxd6 23. Be7 {, with a
1663winning position}) 21. Bxc6 Qxc6 22. Be7 (22. Rxd6 {may even be stronger but
1664this is good enough}) 22... Bxe7 23. Qxe7 {White is too many pawns up. What a
1665real shame! It seems to me that unless an amazing novelty is found then the
1666whole variation with 7...a5 is in danger of being cast aside.})) (15... -- {
1667You will have to take some risks in order to play either of the lines above
1668and it is not a nice feeling knowing that you are playing a losing variation.
1669For this reason, I am going to suggest that you stick with 7...Ne4 in the
1670future. --- Before we move on, let's take a look at some suggestions that have
1671been recommended by other 'Dutch addicts'.}) *
1672
1673[Event "?"]
1674[Site "?"]
1675[Date "????.??.??"]
1676[Round "?"]
1677[White "Ways to make 7...a5 playable!"]
1678[Black "?"]
1679[Result "*"]
1680[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
1681[PlyCount "18"]
1682[Source "Everyman Chess"]
1683[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
1684
1685{Most of the suggestions below have been made on my website: www.gingergm.com.
1686They are certainly interesting and could be well worth exploring...} 1. d4 f5
16872. Nf3 e6 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. c4 d6 7. Nc3 a5 8. Re1 Ne4 9. Qd3
1688-- ({1) 'Thomas', a regular contributor on my website, has mentioned that top
1689Dutch expert Naumkin has used the following line:} 9... d5 $1 {I normally aim
1690to avoid playing ...d5 as the position then resembles a Stonewall Dutch rather
1691than a Classical Dutch. This can sometimes work out, as both sides have played
1692moves that they did not necessarily want to play. For example, Black has
1693played ...a5 and White has played Re1. It is very rare to see these moves
1694played in the Stonewall Dutch. --- Let's take a look at how the game M.Kopstov-I.Naumkin, Moscow 2002, continued:} 10. Ne5 c6 11. f3 Nxc3 12. bxc3 Nd7
169513. Nxd7 Bxd7 14. e4 fxe4 15. fxe4 dxc4 16. Qxc4 b5 17. Qb3 a4 18. Qc2 e5 $1 {
1696As you can see, Black's position looks quite safe. The position itself is not
1697particularly dynamic but Black has no obvious weaknesses. I would suggest
1698playing in this manner if you have some knowledge of the Stonewall Dutch, as
1699this will help you find the right continuation.}) ({2) Daniel Fernandez has
1700suggested a particularly odd way of playing the position. I do admire his
1701imagination but I also have my doubts about his recommended way of playing.
1702Let's take a look...} 9... Nxc3 10. bxc3 a4 11. e4 Ra5 $5 {. If this works
1703then I am a monkey's bum! White has a big centre and it is not entirely clear
1704as to what Black is intending to do. Below are some sample lines that Daniel
1705and his chess engine prepared...} 12. -- (12. Rb1 fxe4 13. Qxe4 Rff5 $5 {
1706Black's rook has found a square which places some pressure along the kingside.
1707This position could well be playable.}) (12. e5 Nd7 13. Bf4 g5 {, with a messy
1708position.}) (12. Bh3 $1 {is given as the best choice by Daniel, but this is a
1709hard move to find over the board. Play could continue} fxe4 13. Qxe4 e5 $5 14.
1710Bxc8 Qxc8 15. dxe5 dxe5 16. Rb1 Nd7 17. Rb5 Ra8 {, when White should have a
1711small advantage.} (17... --))) (9... -- {I must thank the readers of www.
1712gingergm.com for their helpful suggestions. --- All in all, there may still be
1713some life left in 7...a5 but it does seem that 7...Ne4 is a much safer way of
1714approaching the position. We will analyse this move later on in this book. ---
1715For completeness, I am going to cover all of the other variations that you
1716might encounter when playing 7...a5 (see the following games).}) *
1717
1718[Event "?"]
1719[Site "?"]
1720[Date "????.??.??"]
1721[Round "?"]
1722[White "A: 7...a5 8 b3"]
1723[Black "?"]
1724[Result "*"]
1725[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
1726[PlyCount "21"]
1727[Source "Everyman Chess"]
1728[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
1729
1730{This move was recommended by Boris Avrukh in his excellent book 1 d4 Volume
1731Two. He also gives a line that may lead to a small advantage for White. --- 8
1732b3 is a very logical move. White continues with his development and at the
1733same time, keeps control of the e5-square. --- Avrukh's recommendation
1734continues as follows: 8 b3 Ne4 9 Bb2 Nxc3!? 10 Bxc3 Qe8?! (I am suggesting
1735that you play 10...Nd7!?) 11 Ne1.} 1. d4 f5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 e6 4. c4 Be7 5.
1736Nf3 O-O 6. O-O d6 7. Nc3 a5 8. b3 Ne4 {This is a common plan in this type of
1737structure. Black's position is more cramped so exchanges tend to help him. It
1738is now also possible for Black to move his bishop to f6, which creates some
1739pressure along the h8-a1 diagonal.} 9. Bb2 Nxc3 $5 {I believe that this is
1740Black's best chance. The general plan is to meet e4 with ...f4, when Black
1741often gains chances on the kingside.} ({I used to play} 9... Bf6 {, which is
1742interesting, but I believe that White can gain an advantage after} 10. Qc2 Nxc3
174311. Bxc3 {. --- White is preparing to play e4 on his next move and there is
1744nothing that Black can do to stop this plan. Ruck-Williams, examined above,
1745continued} Nc6 12. e4 $1 fxe4 13. Qxe4 {and White had a solid advantage.}) 10.
1746Bxc3 Qe8 $6 {BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- Black must aim to meet e4 with ...f4!
1747--- Black is waiting for the e4 advance so that he can play ...f4 with
1748counterplay on the kingside. However, there is a problem because the move
1749order seems incorrect as demonstrated below. I believe that Black should first
1750play 10...Nd7!? --- If Black chooses to play 10...Qe8, Avrukh's suggestion of
175111 Ne1!? looks interesting.} (10... Nd7 $5 {is a more flexible move compared
1752to 10...Qe8?!. In some cases, Black can even consider playing ...Nf6. I also
1753like this plan because it makes Avrukh's suggestion of playing 11 Ne1!? harder
1754to execute.} 11. Qc2 Qe8 {Black is aiming to meet e4 with ...f4 transposing to
1755the lines given below. White can try another plan with} 12. a3 $5 {but Black's
1756position looks OK to me after} Qh5 13. b4 {. We have been following K.Sunararajan-S.Williams, Yerevan 1999, and now in this position, I should have
1757played} a4 {. With the idea of playing either ...Nb6 or ...Nf6 on my next move.
1758Both moves create decent attacking chances on the kingside.}) 11. -- {After 10.
1759..Qe8 White has a number of options, but Avrukh's 11 Ne1!? looks the most
1760dangerous. Let's take a look at the following options:} (11. Ne1 $5 {This move
1761was suggested by Avrukh in his book, but it first came to my attention in 2003
1762during the English league. A friend of mine, Matthew Broomfield, had just
1763bought my book, Play the Classical Dutch. He was following my analysis and
1764then all of a sudden his opponent played 11 Ne1!? --- Matthew lost the game
1765and afterwards, he approached me to ask what he should have played. Well, I
1766was rather lost for a plan and due to the typical Sunday morning English
1767League hangover, I decided to move the game to my subconscious, in the hope
1768that no one else would try the same idea! --- Unfortunately, it does seem like
1769a rather strong plan. For example:} Nd7 (11... Bf6 {allows} 12. e4 {with an
1770advantage for White}) 12. Nd3 (12. e4 $6 {allows} f4 $1 {which is ideal for
1771Black}) 12... Nf6 13. Qc2 {White seems to have a slight advantage. His pieces
1772are well positioned and Black will find it hard to achieve any counter play on
1773the kingside.}) (11. Re1 {A very logical move. The rook is well placed behind
1774the e-pawn. One sensible plan is e4-e5. Take a look at the introductory gam,
1775Iskusnyh-Williams to see what Black should do after 11 Re1.}) (11. e3 {This is
1776a rather slow approach which should not worry Black. --- P.Schuurman-T.Rendle,
1777Hastings Masters 2006 continued...} Nd7 12. Qc2 Qh5 13. Rae1 Nf6 14. Nd2 e5 $2
1778{Black should not rush with this move.} 15. Qb2 $2 (15. dxe5 dxe5 16. Bxe5 Ng4
177917. Nf3 {was perfectly playable, when White has won a pawn}) 15... e4 {With an
1780equal position.}) (11. Qd3 {The queen moves onto a central square and gives
1781extra protection to f3. P.Fogel-T.Rendle, Calvia 2006, now continued...} Qh5
178212. e4 f4 13. e5 d5 {. --- BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- Black should always aim to
1783meet e5 with ...d5 in order to keep the centre closed.} 14. h3 Bd7 $5 15. Nh2
1784Bc6 16. c5 Be8 $1 {Now that Black has closed the centre and queenside, he
1785relocates his light-squared bishop to g6.} 17. g4 {White's kingside will
1786always be a target after this move.} Qh6 18. f3 b6 19. cxb6 cxb6 20. Bb2 Nc6 {
1787Black is clearly better as his pieces are ready to jump into action, whilst
1788White's knight on h2 and bishop on g2 look stupid.}) (11. Qe1 {This was first
1789played by GM Krishnan Sasikiran. White gains a tempo by attacking Black's pawn
1790on a5.} a4 12. e4 f4 $1 {The standard reply to e4.} 13. e5 d5 $1 {Otherwise
1791Black would be clearly worse. --- Black should nearly always aim to keep the
1792centre closed in this particular variation due to the fact that White has a
1793strong presence in the centre.} 14. Bb4 (14. Bd2 g5 15. g4 h5 16. h3 hxg4 17.
1794hxg4 Qg6 18. Bb4 Bxb4 19. Qxb4 Nc6 20. Qc3 Bd7 21. Nd2 Ne7 {was equal in N.Mohota-S.Williams, Port Erin 2006}) 14... Nc6 $1 15. Bxe7 Nxe7 16. Qc3 Qh5 17.
1795Rfe1 Bd7 18. Nd2 Bc6 19. b4 dxc4 20. Bxc6 bxc6 21. Qxc4 Nd5 22. Ne4 Qg4 23. a3
1796fxg3 24. hxg3 Rf3 25. Rad1 Nf4 {Black's attack is starting to look dangerous...
1797} 26. Rd2 Rf8 27. Qf1 Rf5 {The last black piece joins the attack.} 28. Rc2 Rxa3
179829. Qa6 Rh5 30. Qc8+ Kf7 31. Ng5+ {, 0-1 --- White resigned in E.Zude-S.Williams, Coventry 2005.}) (11. Qc2 {This is the most common move and it is
1799the line that Black is trying to transpose to by playing 10...Nd7!? instead of
180010...Qe8.} Nd7 12. e4 f4 13. e5 ({after} 13. Rae1 {Black could consider the
1801interesting} e5 $5) 13... dxe5 {This is one case where Black captures on e5
1802because White is forced to capture back with a pawn, which keeps the e-file
1803closed.} 14. dxe5 (14. Nxe5 $2 {is a mistake due to} Nxe5 15. dxe5 f3) 14...
1804Qh5 {With an unclear position, although I quite like Black's chances on the
1805kingside. In general, White usually chooses one of the following options:} 15.
1806-- (15. Rae1 $6 Nc5 {Black is planning to play ...g5, a move that he would
1807love to play.}) (15. h3 $1 {This line must be critical. 15 h3! is a useful
1808move as it delays Black's attack on the kingside. There have been some
1809instances of this occurring, for example:} Nc5 16. g4 Qh6 17. Kh2 ({White has
1810also tried} 17. a3 $6 {but this has little effect, for example,} Bd7 18. b4 Na4
181119. Bd2 Bc6 20. Kh2 Rad8) 17... Bd7 18. Nd4 {Black now has a choice between
1812two interesting ideas.} Be8 {This move looks fine for Black.} ({I have also
1813tried the rather crazy} 18... f3 {, which is interesting, for example,} 19.
1814Nxf3 Qf4+ 20. Kg1 Bc6 {J.Vigus-S.Williams, Witley 2000, continued} 21. Bd2 Qxf3
1815$5 22. Bxf3 Rxf3 23. Kh2 Nd3 {. A type of position that anyone playing the
1816Classical Dutch should be happy with! Black has unbalanced the position and
1817all of his pieces are waiting to attack the white king.}))) *
1818
1819[Event "?"]
1820[Site "?"]
1821[Date "????.??.??"]
1822[Round "?"]
1823[White "B: 7...a5 8 Re1"]
1824[Black "?"]
1825[Result "*"]
1826[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
1827[PlyCount "25"]
1828[Source "Everyman Chess"]
1829[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
1830
1831{We have already looked at what I consider the refutation of 7...a5 to be.
1832That was 8 Re1 Ne4 9 Qd3! I am now going to look at all of White's other
1833options in this variation.} 1. d4 f5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 e6 4. Nf3 Be7 5. O-O O-O
18346. c4 d6 7. Nc3 a5 8. Re1 {This used to be the old main line and it was the
1835move that I often feared! Black certainly needs to know what he is doing
1836against this move. White is planning to play e4 when he will gain a positional
1837advantage. Black should aim to stop this at all cost. --- BRAINSTORMING POINT!
1838--- At the start of this book, I pointed out some basic strategic points that
1839Black needs to know. The following point is extremely relevant here: If White
1840can achieve the e4 advance without Black playing ...e5 and Black has to
1841exchange with ...fxe4, White will generally obtain an advantage. --- So, in
1842this position, Black has to stop White from playing e4. There is only one way
1843of doing this.} Ne4 {This move is pretty much forced. Black must stop White
1844from playing e4! White has three options now.} 9. Qc2 {This natural move
1845forces Black to consider what options are available for his knight on e4.
1846After our game, Joe Gallagher told me that he was following a recommendation
1847that he gave for Chess Informator. However, as I mentioned earlier, 9 Qd3 is a
1848much stronger move.} (9. Qd3 $1 Nxc3 10. bxc3 Nc6 $1 11. e4 {seems to be the
1849refutation of this variation even though this plan has rarely been played!}) (
18509. Nxe4 {is often the move that spoils Black's fun but it is not as effective
1851here as White's rook is on e1. For example,} fxe4 10. Nd2 d5 11. f3 {(Black
1852must play actively against this plan)} exf3 12. Nxf3 c5 $1 {(a typical plan -
1853Black quickly attacks White's centre)} 13. Be3 {. M.Lianes Hurtado-D.Paz,
1854Spanish U-18 Championship 1997, now continued} (13. cxd5 $6 {is a mistake as
1855it frees Black's light-squared bishop and gives Black a dangerous queenside
1856pawn majority:} exd5 14. Be3 c4 {and Black is better}) 13... Nd7 {.} ({This
1857move looks a bit odd. I would have preferred} 13... cxd4 14. Nxd4 dxc4 {, when
1858Black is ready to play ...e5!. If anyone is better here it should be Black.}))
18599... Nxc3 $1 ({This is an important improvement on the old main line which was
1860} 9... Nc6 {. We go into this idea in detail above.}) 10. Qxc3 {This is the
1861natural response to 9...Nxc3! as it keeps White's pawns intact but I don't
1862believe that it is the best move. A better attempt at gaining an opening
1863advantage for White would be to play 10 bxc3!.} ({White's queen is often
1864misplaced on c3 as we will see in the main game. By playing} 10. bxc3 $1 {
1865White stops Black from placing a piece on b4. The queen on c2 also gives extra
1866support to the e4 pawn break. --- The game R.Markus-S.Williams, European
1867Individual Championship 2005, now continued} Nc6 {. Again Black needs to be
1868able to meet e4 with ...e5. White has now tried two ideas:} 11. -- (11. e4 $1 {
1869is superior compared to option 'b' below:} e5 12. exf5 Rxf5 {an uncomfortable
1870move to play,} ({but} 12... Bxf5 {allows} 13. Qb3 {, when Black can't defend
1871both his e-pawn and his b-pawn}) 13. Be3 {. I expect that White is slightly
1872better here but the advantage is by no means serious for Black. The game
1873continued} Qe8 (13... a4 $5 {looks like a good alternative, as it takes the
1874b3-square away from White's queen, thereby making it possible to play ...Rf8
1875and ...Bf5}) 14. dxe5 dxe5 15. Nd2 Rf8 16. Rab1 Nd8 17. Rb5 Bf6 18. Nb3 {,
1876with a small advantage for White.}) (11. d5 {has occurred on three occasions
1877with all games ending in a draw. D.Eggleston-T.Rendle, Cousldon 2007, continued
1878} Ne5 12. Nd4 Nxc4 13. dxe6 d5 $1 {(an important move to remember)} 14. Nxf5
1879Bxe6 15. Nxe7+ Qxe7 16. e4 Qc5 {when Black can even claim a very small
1880advantage, as his knight on c4 is better than White's dark-squared bishop.}))
188110... Nc6 $1 {I now had a long think, as I had to try and find a solution
1882against White's plan of playing e4. The real point of ...Nc6 becomes clear
1883after White's next move.} 11. e4 {BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- Let's just
1884reinforce one of the most important rules again! --- If White can achieve the
1885e4 advance without Black playing ...e5 and Black has to exchange with ...fxe4,
1886White will generally obtain an advantage. --- For this reason ...fxe4 is not
1887really an option here. Black needs to come up with another plan. Can you think
1888what that plan might be?} (11. d5 {has been tried on a number of occasions but
1889Black is fine after} Bf6 12. Qd2 Ne7 13. dxe6 (13. Nd4 $6 {helps Black to play}
1890e5 14. Nb5 Bd7 {where Black had a small advantage in the game E.Pigusov-S.Atalik, Tan Chin Nam Cup 1997}) 13... Bxe6 14. Nd4 Bxc4 15. Bxb7 Rb8 16. Nc6
1891Nxc6 17. Bxc6 {, where the position was roughly equal in the game T.Woodward-S.Williams, British Championship 2003.}) 11... e5 $1 {Yes!} 12. exf5 ({Other
1892options include:} 12. dxe5 {. G.Werner-T.Kaimer, Politiken Cup, 2004, continued
1893} dxe5 {and we can now see just how exposed White's queen is on c3.} 13. a3 $2
1894{did little to stop Black's plan!} (13. exf5 $2 {is not possible as Black can
1895play} Bb4 {with a big advantage}) 13... Bb4 $1 {(a nice tactic which leaves
1896Black with a winning position)} 14. axb4 axb4 15. Qb3 Rxa1 {.}) (12. d5 $6 {
1897closes the centre which can only benefit Black. R.Almond-F.Castaldo, Arvier
18982007, continued} Nb4 13. Nd2 c6 14. a3 cxd5 15. cxd5 Na6 {and Black already
1899has the advantage.} 16. b4 Bd7 17. Nc4 axb4 18. axb4 Rc8 19. Qb3 Bb5 20. Na3
1900Nc7 21. Be3 Bd7 22. Bb6 Qe8 {At last! Black moves his queen over to the
1901kingside and the position is roughly equal.}) 12... Bxf5 13. Be3 $2 {This is
1902too passive. We saw the rest of the game in the introduction to this book.} ({
1903White should have tried} 13. dxe5 {which could lead to some fasinacting
1904complications, for example,} dxe5 14. c5 $1 {White needs to stop ...Bb4. This
1905move also opens the a2-g8 diagonal towards Black's king. The position is now
1906very messy. We will take a look at one possible variation.} Bf6 $1 {
1907(sacrificing a pawn to gain active play for Black's pieces)} 15. Qb3+ (15. g4
1908e4) 15... Kh8 16. Qxb7 Nb4 $1 {(Black is active enough and this is the type of
1909position that any Dutch player should be happy to have achieved)} 17. Nxe5 Nc2
191018. Bf4 $1 g5 $5 {. Very complicated but Black is fine. For example, the
1911following could happen:} 19. Rad1 Nxe1 20. Rxd8 Raxd8 21. Qxc7 Rd1 22. Bf1 Be4
1912$1 23. Bxg5 Bxg5 24. f4 Bf6 {with a completely crazy position, but I believe
1913that Black is doing well.}) *
1914
1915[Event "?"]
1916[Site "?"]
1917[Date "????.??.??"]
1918[Round "?"]
1919[White "C: 7...a5 8 Bg5"]
1920[Black "?"]
1921[Result "*"]
1922[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
1923[PlyCount "26"]
1924[Source "Everyman Chess"]
1925[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
1926
19271. d4 f5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 e6 4. c4 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. O-O d6 7. Nc3 a5 8. Bg5 {
1928This is an important alternative. I know that English Grandmaster Mark Hebden
1929likes to play in this way. --- BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- What is White trying
1930to achieve with this move? --- One of White's plans is to capture on f6 and
1931then play e4 so it makes sense for Black to try and stop this idea.} Nbd7 {I
1932like this sensible move. Black no longer has to fear Ng5 and if White captures
1933the knight on f6, Black can then recapture with his knight on d7, thus
1934retaining control of e4. It also helps to keep the tension in the position
1935compared to Black's other main alternative which is 8...Ne4.} (8... Ne4 {was
1936played in the game J.Piket-E.Lobron, Hoogoveen 1993. This move is reliable and
1937safe but it also seems rather dull! The game continued} 9. Bxe7 Qxe7 10. Nxe4 (
193810. Qc2 {might be better as White has a small advantage}) 10... fxe4 11. Nd2 d5
193912. e3 Nc6 13. f3 exf3 14. Rxf3 {and White was slightly better.}) 9. Qc2 Ng4 $5
1940(9... Ne8 $5 {is also interesting and may even be better as the black knight
1941is more secure on e8 compared to g4.}) 10. Bxe7 (10. Bd2 {is perhaps a better
1942idea, as the exchange of bishops alleviates Black's position. F.Bruno-S.Williams, European Individual Championship 2005, continued} Qe8 11. Nb5 Bd8 12.
1943c5 dxc5 13. dxc5 Ndf6 14. Qc4 Bd7 15. Nbd4 Kh8 16. h3 e5 {, leading to some
1944interesting complications.}) 10... Qxe7 11. e4 f4 $1 12. h3 Nh6 13. g4 Nf7 {.
1945Black had a small advantage in R.Hartoch-A.Vaisser, Brussels 1993.} *
1946
1947[Event "?"]
1948[Site "?"]
1949[Date "????.??.??"]
1950[Round "?"]
1951[White "D: Other options"]
1952[Black "?"]
1953[Result "*"]
1954[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
1955[PlyCount "17"]
1956[Source "Everyman Chess"]
1957[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
1958
19591. d4 e6 2. Nf3 f5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. c4 d6 7. Nc3 a5 {In this
1960game, we will look at White's other options after the move 8 Qc2 has been
1961played. If Black is well prepared, then White should not be able to gain any
1962advantage in the following variations.} 8. Qc2 {White is preparing to play e4.
1963Luckily, Black has a very good way of meeting this plan and as a result, White
1964will have difficulty in equalising.} Nc6 {This is the best square for Black's
1965knight as Black can aim to play ...e5 and ...Nb4. --- White now has two
1966options:} 9. -- ({a)} 9. e4) ({b)} 9. a3) *
1967
1968[Event "?"]
1969[Site "?"]
1970[Date "????.??.??"]
1971[Round "?"]
1972[White "D: Other options"]
1973[Black "a) 9 e4"]
1974[Result "*"]
1975[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
1976[PlyCount "58"]
1977[Source "Everyman Chess"]
1978[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
1979
19801. d4 e6 2. Nf3 f5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. c4 d6 7. Nc3 a5 8. Qc2
1981Nc6 9. e4 {BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- Let's go back to basic strategies again:
1982White has achieved the e4 advance and now Black has to think of a dynamic
1983solution otherwise he will be worse. --- Black's pieces are well positioned
1984and he should take advantage of the misplaced white queen on c2. For this
1985reason, it makes sense to play:} Nb4 $1 (9... e5 $6 {is the other obvious
1986candidate move. Unfortunately, this move does not work due to} 10. dxe5 dxe5
198711. exf5 Ng4 $5 {(a long time ago I thought this position was good for Black
1988but I was wrong!)} 12. Rd1 Qe8 13. h3 Bxf5 14. Qe2 {and White will win the
1989pawn on e5 with a good position.}) 10. Qe2 fxe4 11. Nxe4 Nxe4 12. Qxe4 {
1990BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- White will have a positional advantage if he is able
1991to consolidate his position after the exchange on e4 has taken place. For this
1992reason, Black must act immediately. The knight on b4 is active but it is the
1993only black piece taking part in the game. Can you find a way to liberate some
1994of Black's other pieces? It may involve sacrificing material...} e5 $1 {That's
1995right. This active move frees Black's light-squared bishop so that it can move
1996to f5.} 13. dxe5 {The only way to deal with Black's plan.} ({White has also
1997tried} 13. g4 $6 {but this seriously weakens White's kingside. Now Black has a
1998choice:} -- ({. K.Arkell-I.Naumkin, Cappelle La Grande 1992, continued} 13...
1999exd4 {. This move is fine but I would have chosen option 'b' below.} 14. Nxd4
2000Bf6 15. Ne6 Bxe6 16. Qxe6+ Kh8 17. Bxb7 Rb8 18. Be4 Bd4 $1 {Black is doing
2001well due to the pressure against f2.}) (13... c6 $5 {where Black is toying
2002with the idea of playing ...d5.} 14. a3 d5 15. cxd5 cxd5 16. Qxe5 {We have
2003been following E.Krueger-G.Koksch, German Senior Championship 2004, which
2004continued} Nc6 17. Qh5 g6 18. Qh6 Bxg4 {with an equal position.} (18... --)))
200513... Bf5 14. Qxb7 {White must grab as much material as possible!} Rb8 15. Qa7
2006Be4 $1 {This is an improvement over 15...Bd3. After 15...Be4! Black gains good
2007activity for the sacrificed material.} (15... Bd3 16. exd6 Bxd6 17. Bg5 Qc8 18.
2008Rfc1 {is also very complicated but I prefer 15...Be4!.}) 16. exd6 ({White has
2009to be very careful here because it is very easy for him to lose his queen:} 16.
2010Nd2 $2 Bxg2 17. Kxg2 c5 $1 {(Black is winning as White's queen is trapped!)}
201118. e6 (18. exd6 Bxd6) 18... Nc6 19. Qd7 Qb6 {and Black continues 20...Rb7
2012winning the White queen.}) 16... Bxd6 17. Ng5 ({White can also try moving his
2013bishop to this square, for example,} 17. Bg5 {, but Black is active enough
2014after} Qc8 18. Qe3 (18. Ne1 $2 Bxg2 19. Kxg2 c5 {still traps the white queen!})
201518... Bxf3 (18... Qb7 $5 {was my original intention. This move is also very
2016interesting, for example,} 19. Ne1 Bxg2 20. Nxg2 Nc2 21. Qe6+ Kh8 22. Rab1 Nd4
201723. Qg4 Nf3+ 24. Kh1 Rbe8 {and Black is very active, despite the fact that
2018White has two extra pawns. Which colour would I rather be? Black, of course!})
201919. Bxf3 Nc2 20. Bd5+ Kh8 21. Qc3 Nxa1 22. Rxa1 Qf5 23. Be3 Be5 {leaves Black
2020with the better position.}) 17... Bxg2 18. Kxg2 Qf6 19. Qxa5 ({There are two
2021other possibilities.} 19. Qe3 Rbe8 $5 ({or} 19... Nc2 20. Qe4 Qf5 21. Qxf5 Rxf5
202222. Rb1 Na3 {which is equal}) 20. Qb3 a4 $1 {(diverting the white queen away
2023from the a2-g8 diagonal)} 21. Qxa4 Re2 22. Qd1 Rxf2+ 23. Rxf2 Qxf2+ 24. Kh1 Qf5
2024{with an unbalanced position.}) (19. c5 Be5 20. Qxa5 h6 21. Nh3 Nc2 {is better
2025for Black as his pieces are so well placed, for example,} 22. Rb1 Qc6+ $5 (
202622... Qf3+ 23. Kg1 Nd4 {is also good for Black}) 23. f3 Rfd8 {leaves White's
2027queen in trouble.}) 19... Ra8 20. Qb5 c6 {White's queen is finally kicked away
2028and Black is able to launch a nasty attack against the white king.} 21. Qb7 h6
202922. Nh3 Qf3+ 23. Kg1 Nc2 24. Bf4 {After this forced variation, Black is doing
2030well. I should now have played 24...Bc5! with a very promising position.} Bxf4
203125. Nxf4 {½-½ E.Roland-S.Williams, Swiss Championship 2009. We agreed a
2032draw here. This was a good result as it allowed me to win the tournament
2033outright. On another day, I would have probably continued to play, for example:
2034} Rab8 (25... Rxf4 26. Qxa8+ Rf8 27. Qa7 {.}) 26. Qc7 Nxa1 27. Ne6 Qf7 28.
2035Qxf7+ Rxf7 29. Rxa1 Rxb2 {. Only Black can win.} *
2036
2037[Event "?"]
2038[Site "?"]
2039[Date "????.??.??"]
2040[Round "?"]
2041[White "D: Other options"]
2042[Black "b) 9 a3"]
2043[Result "*"]
2044[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
2045[PlyCount "23"]
2046[Source "Everyman Chess"]
2047[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
2048
20491. d4 e6 2. Nf3 f5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. c4 d6 7. Nc3 a5 8. Qc2
2050Nc6 9. a3 {This is another important option but it does allow Black to play:}
2051e5 $1 10. dxe5 dxe5 11. Rd1 Qe8 {White has two main knight moves here:} 12. --
2052({b1)} 12. Nb5) ({b2)} 12. Nd5) *
2053
2054[Event "?"]
2055[Site "?"]
2056[Date "????.??.??"]
2057[Round "?"]
2058[White "D: Other options"]
2059[Black "b1) 12 Nb5"]
2060[Result "*"]
2061[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
2062[PlyCount "36"]
2063[Source "Everyman Chess"]
2064[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
2065
20661. d4 e6 2. Nf3 f5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. c4 d6 7. Nc3 a5 8. Qc2
2067Nc6 9. a3 e5 $1 10. dxe5 dxe5 11. Rd1 Qe8 12. Nb5 Bd8 ({Black can also gamble
2068with} 12... Bc5 $5 {, an outrageous move where Black sacrifices material for
2069an all-out attack! --- For example,} 13. Nxc7 Qh5 14. Nxa8 f4 $1 {. Black has
2070some compensation but probably not enough for a rook and a pawn! I did
2071actually play this way once and managed to beat Anand's second, Radoslaw
2072Wojtaszek who was rated 2721 at the time (see the Introduction to this book).
2073The only difference was that my opponent had a pawn on b3 and not a3. The
2074position is very similar though. --- That game finished 15 Rd5? Nb4 16 Rxe5
2075Nxc2 17 Rxh5 Nxh5 18 Rb1 fxg3 19 hxg3 Nxg3 20 Rb2 Bf5 and here my strong
2076opponent resigned. Beating a 2700+ player in twenty moves with the Classical
2077Dutch feels pretty good!}) 13. Be3 {This looks sensible.} (13. Ne1 {was played
2078in B.Thorfinnsson-M.Corvi, Reggio Emilia 2009. This retreat does look a little
2079passive though. That game continued} Qh5 14. f3 Ra6 $5 {The rook wants to
2080swing over to the kingside. Black has good attacking chances here.}) 13... Rf7
2081$1 {Play could continue:} 14. Ng5 Rd7 15. Rxd7 Bxd7 16. Rd1 h6 17. Nf3 Ng4 18.
2082Bc1 e4 {with an equal position.} *
2083
2084[Event "?"]
2085[Site "?"]
2086[Date "????.??.??"]
2087[Round "?"]
2088[White "D: Other options"]
2089[Black "b2) 12 Nd5"]
2090[Result "*"]
2091[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
2092[PlyCount "25"]
2093[Source "Everyman Chess"]
2094[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
2095
20961. d4 e6 2. Nf3 f5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. c4 d6 7. Nc3 a5 8. Qc2
2097Nc6 9. a3 e5 $1 10. dxe5 dxe5 11. Rd1 Qe8 12. Nd5 Bd8 {Let's take a look at
2098two moves now:} 13. -- (13. Bg5 {This move was played by Vallejo Pons against
2099I.Glek in the Canada de Calatrava rapid 2006, but Black was equal after:} Qf7
210014. Bd2 e4 15. Ng5 Qh5 16. Bf4 Ne8 {Black is ready to push White's pieces back.
2101Unfortunately, Black went wrong at a later stage.}) (13. Be3 e4 14. Nd4 {A.Hamilton-T.Taylor, Las Vegas 2004, now continued:} Ne5 (14... a4 $5 {is also
2102interesting}) 15. Nb5 Nxd5 16. Rxd5 Ng4 17. Bg5 Bxg5 18. Nxc7 Qh5 {Black has a
2103fierce attack. The game ended very quickly.} 19. Nxa8 $2 ({White had to try} 
210419. h3) 19... Qxh2+ 20. Kf1 Ne3+ $1 {0-1}) *
2105
2106[Event "?"]
2107[Site "?"]
2108[Date "????.??.??"]
2109[Round "?"]
2110[White "Test your Knowledge 1"]
2111[Black "?"]
2112[Result "*"]
2113[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
2114[PlyCount "1"]
2115[SourceDate "2015.05.12"]
2116
2117{7...a5: Have you really got to grips with this chapter!?} 1. -- {We have now
2118arrived at the first set of tests for 7...a5. These tests will verify whether
2119the main points of the chapter have been fully understood. The tests should
2120not be too difficult to solve especially if you have read the chapter in full.}
2121*
2122
2123[Event "?"]
2124[Site "?"]
2125[Date "????.??.??"]
2126[Round "?"]
2127[White "Test 1.1"]
2128[Black "?"]
2129[Result "*"]
2130[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
2131[SetUp "1"]
2132[FEN "r1bq1rk1/1pp1b1pp/2npp3/p4p2/2PP4/2Q2NP1/PP2PPBP/R1B1R1K1 w - - 0 11"]
2133[PlyCount "1"]
2134[Source "Everyman Chess"]
2135[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
2136
2137{White has just played} 11. e4 {. How should Black continue? --- See the
2138following game for the solution.} *
2139
2140[Event "?"]
2141[Site "?"]
2142[Date "????.??.??"]
2143[Round "?"]
2144[White "Answer 1.1"]
2145[Black "?"]
2146[Result "*"]
2147[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
2148[SetUp "1"]
2149[FEN "r1bq1rk1/1pp1b1pp/2npp3/p4p2/2PPP3/2Q2NP1/PP3PBP/R1B1R1K1 b - - 0 11"]
2150[PlyCount "1"]
2151[Source "Everyman Chess"]
2152[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
2153
2154{Black must play} 11... e5 $1 {. This move is essential! --- Remember the rule:
2155If White can achieve the e4 advance without Black playing ...e5 and Black has
2156to accept the exchange with ...fxe4 then White will generally obtain an
2157advantage. --- See the following game for the next exercise.} *
2158
2159[Event "?"]
2160[Site "?"]
2161[Date "????.??.??"]
2162[Round "?"]
2163[White "Test 1.2"]
2164[Black "?"]
2165[Result "*"]
2166[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
2167[SetUp "1"]
2168[FEN "rnb2rk1/1pp1b1pp/3pp3/p4p1q/2PP4/1PB2NP1/P3PPBP/R2QR1K1 w - - 0 12"]
2169[PlyCount "1"]
2170[Source "Everyman Chess"]
2171[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
2172
2173{White has just played} 12. e4 {. What should Black play? --- See the
2174following game for the solution.} *
2175
2176[Event "?"]
2177[Site "?"]
2178[Date "????.??.??"]
2179[Round "?"]
2180[White "Answer 1.2"]
2181[Black "?"]
2182[Result "*"]
2183[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
2184[SetUp "1"]
2185[FEN "rnb2rk1/1pp1b1pp/3pp3/p4p1q/2PPP3/1PB2NP1/P4PBP/R2QR1K1 b - - 0 12"]
2186[PlyCount "1"]
2187[Source "Everyman Chess"]
2188[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
2189
2190{Black should play} 12... f4 $1 {. That's right! --- Black should meet 12 e4
2191with 12...f4. If White succeeds in opening the e-file, then Black will be
2192positionally lost. Black must always aim to keep a White pawn on the e-file.
2193This move 12...f4 gives Black good attacking chances on the kingside. The
2194f-pawn will help Black to open White's kingside. --- See the following game
2195for the next exercise.} *
2196
2197[Event "?"]
2198[Site "?"]
2199[Date "????.??.??"]
2200[Round "?"]
2201[White "Test 1.3"]
2202[Black "?"]
2203[Result "*"]
2204[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
2205[SetUp "1"]
2206[FEN "rnbq1rk1/1pp1b1pp/3ppn2/p4p2/2PP4/2N2NP1/PP2PPBP/R1BQ1RK1 w - - 0 8"]
2207[PlyCount "1"]
2208[Source "Everyman Chess"]
2209[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
2210
2211{White has just played} 8. Bg5 {. What is White's plan and how should Black
2212react? --- See the following game for the solution.} *
2213
2214[Event "?"]
2215[Site "?"]
2216[Date "????.??.??"]
2217[Round "?"]
2218[White "Answer 1.3"]
2219[Black "?"]
2220[Result "*"]
2221[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
2222[SetUp "1"]
2223[FEN "rnbq1rk1/1pp1b1pp/3ppn2/p4pB1/2PP4/2N2NP1/PP2PPBP/R2Q1RK1 b - - 0 8"]
2224[PlyCount "7"]
2225[Source "Everyman Chess"]
2226[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
2227
2228{White is planning to capture the black knight on f6 and then advance with e4.
2229--- Black has two ways to deal with this threat. He can either move the knight
2230on f6 with the idea of meeting e4 with ...f4 or he can play 8...Nbd7 to ensure
2231that he does not lose control of the e4-square if White were to play Bxf6. ---
2232For example:} 8... Nbd7 9. Qc2 Ng4 $5 {With the idea of meeting} 10. Bxe7 Qxe7
223311. e4 {with} f4 $1 {Black has a good game. --- See the following game for the
2234next exercise.} *
2235
2236[Event "?"]
2237[Site "?"]
2238[Date "????.??.??"]
2239[Round "?"]
2240[White "Test 1.4"]
2241[Black "?"]
2242[Result "*"]
2243[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
2244[SetUp "1"]
2245[FEN "1n3rk1/1p1bb2p/2p1p2q/2PpP1p1/r2P1pP1/3Q1N1P/P2B1PB1/R4RK1 w - - 0 1"]
2246[PlyCount "1"]
2247[Source "Everyman Chess"]
2248[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
2249
2250{We have reached a typical middlegame position that could have arisen from 7...a5.} 1. -- {It is Black's move, what would you play here? --- See the
2251following game for the solution.} *
2252
2253[Event "?"]
2254[Site "?"]
2255[Date "????.??.??"]
2256[Round "?"]
2257[White "Answer 1.4"]
2258[Black "?"]
2259[Result "*"]
2260[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
2261[SetUp "1"]
2262[FEN "1n3rk1/1p1bb2p/2p1p2q/2PpP1p1/r2P1pP1/3Q1N1P/P2B1PB1/R4RK1 b - - 0 1"]
2263[PlyCount "1"]
2264[Source "Everyman Chess"]
2265[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
2266
22671... Be8 $1 {. Black's light-squared bishop is best placed on g6. This idea
2268also occurs in the French Defence, where Black uses the same bishop manoeuvre.
2269--- See the following game for the next exercise.} *
2270
2271[Event "?"]
2272[Site "?"]
2273[Date "????.??.??"]
2274[Round "?"]
2275[White "Test 1.5"]
2276[Black "?"]
2277[Result "*"]
2278[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
2279[SetUp "1"]
2280[FEN "rnbq1rk1/1pp1b1pp/3pp3/p4p2/2PPn3/2N2NP1/PP2PPBP/R1BQR1K1 w - - 0 9"]
2281[PlyCount "1"]
2282[Source "Everyman Chess"]
2283[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
2284
2285{This position is critical.} 9. -- {It is White to play, what move or idea
2286could jeopardise Black's opening plan? --- See the following game for the
2287solution.} *
2288
2289[Event "?"]
2290[Site "?"]
2291[Date "????.??.??"]
2292[Round "?"]
2293[White "Answer 1.5"]
2294[Black "?"]
2295[Result "*"]
2296[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
2297[SetUp "1"]
2298[FEN "rnbq1rk1/1pp1b1pp/3pp3/p4p2/2PPn3/2N2NP1/PP2PPBP/R1BQR1K1 w - - 0 9"]
2299[PlyCount "9"]
2300[Source "Everyman Chess"]
2301[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
2302
23039. Qd3 $1 {. This is the problem with 7...a5. The white queen is better
2304positioned on d3 due to the fact that White may be able to play Qd5+ at a
2305later stage. For example:} Nxc3 10. bxc3 $1 Nc6 11. e4 e5 12. dxe5 dxe5 13.
2306Qd5+ $1 {White is clearly better as he will win a pawn.} *
2307
2308[Event "?"]
2309[Site "?"]
2310[Date "????.??.??"]
2311[Round "?"]
2312[White "2: The most popular: 7...Qe8"]
2313[Black "?"]
2314[Result "*"]
2315[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
2316[PlyCount "15"]
2317[Source "Everyman Chess"]
2318[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
2319
23201. d4 f5 2. Nf3 e6 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. c4 d6 7. Nc3 Qe8 {. In
2321this position, the queen manoeuvre is often the most popular choice. Chess
2322legends such as Tal and Korchnoi used to play it with great success at the
2323start of their careers. Black's idea is to move his queen to h5, where it can
2324participate in a kingside attack. Another idea behind this move is to vacate
2325the d8-square for either Black's knight or bishop. If Black can play ...Bd8,
2326then at a later stage, he may be able to play ...e5, taking control of the
2327centre. --- I have never had any luck with 7...Qe8 and I actually feel that it
2328may be inferior to some of Black's other options. In actual fact, I think that
2329I have a horrible score of 0/4 with this line! I have called this line "the
2330most popular" for a reason. It is Black's most popular move, but it is not
2331always a good idea to follow the most popular choices in life! You can now
2332understand why I don't tend to play it anymore.} 8. -- {Anyway, let's explore
2333this move by taking a look at two games.} *
2334
2335[Event "13: European Team Championship"]
2336[Site "?"]
2337[Date "1999.??.??"]
2338[Round "?"]
2339[White "Van Wely, L."]
2340[Black "Minasian, A."]
2341[Result "0-1"]
2342[ECO "A97"]
2343[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
2344[PlyCount "72"]
2345[EventDate "1999.??.??"]
2346[Source "Everyman Chess"]
2347[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
2348
23491. d4 e6 2. c4 f5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nf3 d6 6. O-O O-O 7. Nc3 Qe8 8. Re1 {
2350At the start of the last chapter, we saw that this move was considered to be
2351one of the main lines. White is trying to play e4, an idea that is still
2352relevant against 7...Qe8.} Qg6 {Black aims to take e4 under control.} (8... Ne4
2353{is the other possible way of stopping White's e-pawn advance. We will explore
2354this idea in more detail in the theory section of this book.}) 9. e4 {White
2355plays e4 anyway! At first glance, this move seems to blunder a pawn but this
2356is, in actual fact, the main line.} Nxe4 (9... fxe4 {will lead to the same
2357position after} 10. Nxe4 {.}) 10. Nxe4 fxe4 11. Rxe4 $1 {The main point of
2358White's play. --- Black can now capture on e4, which seems to win a rook, but
2359White has a crafty idea. What is that idea? If Black does capture the rook on
2360e4 then White can play 12 Nh4 trapping the black queen.} e5 $5 {Having read
2361the first chapter, you should understand why Black now plays this move. ---
2362BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- 1) If White can achieve the e4 advance without Black
2363playing ...e5 and Black has to exchange with ...fxe4, White will generally
2364obtain an advantage. --- 2) If Black can achieve the ...e5 advance, he will
2365have gained an equal position. --- This is the reason behind Black playing ...e5. The only problem with this move is that Black must sacrifice a pawn. Black
2366believes that he will have enough activity in return for the pawn but this is
2367probably not the case.} (11... Qxe4 12. Nh4 {wins the black queen! White is
2368better here.}) 12. Re1 {White's rook was now under attack as the threat was 12.
2369..Qxe4 and if 13 Nh4 then 13...Qg4 leaves Black with a substantial material
2370advantage. As you can see, e1 is a sensible square for the rook but it was
2371also possible to place the rook on e3, from where it gives extra protection to
2372White's knight on f3.} Nc6 {Black is not worried about his pawn. Instead, he
2373continues to develop as quickly as possible. I like Black's mentality here as
2374the Dutch is really an opening that requires Black to play as actively as
2375possible.} 13. dxe5 {The only sensible move, White should grab a pawn!} Bg4 {
2376Another black piece joins the attack. Black is hoping that the pin on White's
2377knight is worth a pawn.} 14. h3 $6 {White decides to keep things simple but
2378Black has no serious worries after this move.} ({White does have to be careful,
2379for example,} 14. exd6 Bxd6 15. h3 $6 (15. c5 {is better}) 15... Bxf3 16. Bxf3
2380Bxg3 $1 {(seemingly, out of nowhere, Black has a big attack!)} 17. fxg3 Qxg3+
238118. Bg2 Rad8 {and all of Black's pieces are attacking.}) 14... Bxf3 15. Bxf3
2382dxe5 {Black should be fine now. At least he has won his pawn back!} 16. Be4 Qf6
2383{Black has good chances to attack on the dark squares. One of the biggest
2384targets is f2.} 17. Be3 {Guarding the weak f2-square.} Rad8 18. Qc2 ({A more
2385active move was} 18. Qh5 {, which forces Black to make a concession on the
2386kingside:} g6 19. Qh6 {, but after} Nd4 $1 {I quite like Black's position.})
238718... h6 {This move weakens Black on the light squares, especially g6 and h7,
2388but there is no way that White can really attack Black on these squares. If
2389White could swap his queen and bishop around then he would have a good attack!}
2390(18... g6 19. Rad1 {may be a bit better for White.}) 19. Rad1 {White should
2391have an advantage now but the Dutch is a resourceful opening and Black soon
2392starts to make progress!} Rxd1 (19... Nd4 {is not good enough, as White can
2393take control of some important light squares, for example,} 20. Bxd4 Rxd4 21.
2394Bd5+ Kh8 22. Rxd4 exd4 23. Re6 {.}) 20. Rxd1 Nd4 {Black's pieces are starting
2395to creep a bit nearer to White's king...} 21. Bxd4 {White sensibly swaps off
2396this strong piece.} exd4 {White now has to decide whether he should grab the
2397pawn on b7.} 22. Bxb7 {A very greedy decision, as White's bishop is shut out
2398of the game on b7 after Black's next move.} ({A more reasonable approach would
2399have been to play} 22. c5 {and White can attempt a pawn storm on the queenside,
2400for example,} c6 23. b4 {, but the position is still pretty equal.}) 22... c6 {
2401Now White's bishop is cut off on b7 but it is very difficult to actually win
2402this piece.} 23. Rd3 {Blockading the pawn on d4.} Qe6 $1 {Black tries to
2403activate his queen and dark-squared bishop by sacrificing another pawn. The
2404Dutch is not for the faint-hearted!} 24. Rxd4 Bc5 25. Rd2 a5 $6 {This loses
2405time but secures Black's bishop on c5.} ({A better move would have been} 25...
2406Qf6 $1 {followed by} 26. Qe4 Bxf2+ 27. Kg2 Bxg3 $1 28. Kxg3 $2 Qg5+ {when
2407Black is winning.}) 26. Kg2 Rb8 27. Ba6 Ra8 28. Re2 (28. Bb7 Rb8 29. Ba6 Ra8 {
2408(the position is equal)} 30. Bb7 Ra7 $2 31. Rd8+ Kf7 32. Bc8 {is winning for
2409White.}) 28... Qd7 {Stopping White's bishop from moving to b7.} 29. Re5 Bd4 $5
2410{Black sacrifices another pawn!} 30. Rxa5 {White has three extra pawns but his
2411pieces don't have any real coordination with each other.} Rf8 31. f3 $6 (31. f4
2412$1 {. This move may refute Black's idea, for example,} Qe7 32. Ra3 $1 Qe1 33.
2413h4 {and White should be safe enough.}) 31... Qe7 $1 32. h4 $6 (32. Qd2 Bb6 33.
2414c5 $5 Bxa5 34. Qxa5 {is unclear.}) 32... Qe1 33. Rf5 $2 ({White could have
2415played} 33. Ra3 {which may have led to a draw, for example,} h5 34. f4 Qg1+ 35.
2416Kh3 Rxf4 $1 36. gxf4 Qg4+ 37. Kh2 Qg1+ {with an equal position.}) 33... Re8 $2
2417(33... Qg1+ 34. Kh3 Ra8 {leads to a draw.}) 34. c5 $1 Kh8 35. h5 $4 {A nasty
2418mistake.} ({White should have played} 35. Rf7 Qg1+ 36. Kh3 h5 37. Qg2 {.})
241935... Qg1+ 36. Kh3 Bf2 $1 0-1
2420
2421[Event "14: USSR Championship"]
2422[Site "?"]
2423[Date "1950.??.??"]
2424[Round "?"]
2425[White "Taimanov, M."]
2426[Black "Korchnoi, V."]
2427[Result "0-1"]
2428[ECO "A98"]
2429[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
2430[PlyCount "70"]
2431[EventDate "1950.??.??"]
2432[Source "Everyman Chess"]
2433[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
2434
24351. d4 e6 2. g3 f5 3. Bg2 Nf6 4. Nf3 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. c4 d6 7. Nc3 Qe8 8. Qc2
2436$6 {This is one of the least worrying responses to 7...Qe8. White's plan is
2437straightforward as he wants to play e4. We now know that Black must either
2438find a way to stop this or play ...e5 himself.} Qh5 $1 {This is the best
2439response to White's plan. Black has a crafty idea in mind...} 9. b3 {White
2440elects a slow approach. This move has also been played by Botvinnik, so it
2441can't be a bad choice!} ({Let's have a quick quiz. Imagine you are Black in
2442this position and White plays the move} 9. e4 {This looks like the logical
2443continuation to White's plan, however, don't forget that Black is well
2444prepared for this move. --- BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- How should Black continue
2445here?} e5 $1 {. --- BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- 1) If White can achieve the e4
2446advance without Black playing ...e5 and Black has to exchange with ...fxe4,
2447White will generally obtain an advantage. --- 2) If Black can achieve the ...e5 advance he will usually be at least equal. --- With the help of some simple
2448tactics, Black has managed to play ...e5. More on this move later on. Let's
2449now go back to 9 b3.}) 9... Nc6 10. Bb2 $6 {This is not the best square for
2450White's bishop.} ({A better move would have been to play} 10. Ba3 $1 {White is
2451aiming to stop ...e5. White may also be able to play Ne5 at some point.}) 10...
2452Bd7 11. a3 Rae8 {This is a very risky move but risk-taking is all part of the
2453Classical Dutch!} 12. d5 $1 {BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- When Black has played ...Nc6 he always has to watch out for d5. Normally, Black would like to respond
2454with ...e5, keeping the f5- and e5-pawns together, but after ...Nc6 this is
2455not possible. The move d5 annoyingly breaks up Black's pawn formation.} Nd8 {
2456At least Black's pieces are all heading towards White's kingside!} 13. Nd4 e5
2457$1 {BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- ...e5 is the move that Black always aims to play
2458in the Classical Dutch and it is a good practical choice here. Black has to
2459sacrifice a pawn but Korchnoi gets good attacking chances in exchange for the
2460pawn.} 14. Ndb5 Nf7 {Another piece moves over towards White's king!} 15. Nxc7
2461Rc8 16. Ne6 Bxe6 17. dxe6 Ng5 {White has a material advantage but his king is
2462exposed. An exciting battle awaits!} 18. Nd5 (18. Bxb7 {is the critical test
2463of Black's plan, for example,} Ng4 19. h4 Nh3+ 20. Kg2 {and now Black should
2464play} Bxh4 $1 {with what looks like a winning attack!} 21. Bxc8 Nf4+ $1 (21...
2465Bxg3 $5 {is also good}) 22. gxf4 Ne3+ $1 {(a beautiful way to finish!)} 23.
2466fxe3 Qg4+ 24. Kh1 Bg3 {. Black is winning as White cannot stop checkmate!})
246718... Nxd5 19. Bxd5 f4 $1 {BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- This is just the type of
2468position you want when you play the Dutch. Black has a great attack. The f4
2469pawn advance is often an important attacking move as this allows the rook on
2470f8 to join the attack.} 20. f3 $6 (20. h4 fxg3 21. fxg3 Qg4 {is unclear.})
247120... fxg3 21. hxg3 Qh3 22. Kf2 $2 {A big mistake.} ({White had to try} 22. Rf2
2472{which leads to an unclear position, for example,} Qxg3+ 23. Rg2 Qh4 24. Rh2
2473Qg3+ 25. Rg2 {with a draw.}) 22... Nxf3 $1 {Korchnoi now finishes in style.}
247423. Ke3 (23. Bxf3 Rxf3+ $1 24. Kxf3 Rf8+ 25. Ke4 Qg2+ 26. Kd3 Rxf1 {is very
2475good for Black.}) 23... Nd4 24. Qd1 Qxg3+ $6 {This allows White to hold on for
2476a bit longer.} (24... Rxf1 25. Qxf1 Qxg3+ 26. Bf3 Bg5+ 27. Kd3 e4+ $1 28. Kxd4
2477Qe5# {.}) 25. Rf3 Nxf3 26. exf3 b5 27. Qh1 bxc4 28. bxc4 Rb8 29. Bc3 Rb3 30.
2478Kd3 Qf2 31. Qe1 e4+ 32. Bxe4 Rxf3+ 33. Bxf3 Qxf3+ 34. Kc2 Rxc3+ 35. Kb2 Rb3+ {
2479. I thought that we would now take a look at a typical middlegame position.
2480You really need to get to grips with these types of positions if you are going
2481to successfully play the Dutch!} 0-1
2482
2483[Event "15: Groningen"]
2484[Site "?"]
2485[Date "2002.??.??"]
2486[Round "?"]
2487[White "Werle, J."]
2488[Black "Dgebuadze, A."]
2489[Result "0-1"]
2490[ECO "A98"]
2491[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
2492[PlyCount "84"]
2493[EventDate "2002.??.??"]
2494[Source "Everyman Chess"]
2495[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
2496
24971. Nf3 e6 2. c4 f5 3. d4 Nf6 4. g3 Be7 5. Bg2 O-O 6. O-O d6 7. Nc3 Qe8 8. Qc2
2498Qh5 9. b4 Nc6 10. a3 Nd8 11. Bb2 Nf7 12. e4 {Let's start at this point in the
2499game. White has just played e4, what should Black play?} e5 $1 {Of course!
2500This move releases the bishop on c8 and prepares ...f4.} 13. dxe5 dxe5 14. Nd5
2501$1 {White would like to swap off Black's knight on f6 as it is a good
2502attacking piece.} Bd8 15. Nxf6+ Bxf6 16. Rfe1 {BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- White
2503is getting ready to open the e-file. Black has a typical plan here that should
2504give him a good middlegame. What is that plan?} f4 $1 {I like this plan. The
2505move ...f4 is quite often a good starting point for an attack as we can see
2506here.} 17. gxf4 Bh3 $5 {Black quickly develops his pieces.} 18. Nxe5 Bxg2 19.
2507Kxg2 Nxe5 20. Bxe5 $6 {White's kingside rapidly falls apart.} ({Instead of
2508this move, White should have played} 20. fxe5 {.}) 20... Bxe5 21. fxe5 Qf3+ 22.
2509Kg1 Rf4 $1 23. h3 Qxh3 24. Re3 Rg4+ 25. Rg3 Rxg3+ 26. fxg3 Qxg3+ {Black has a
2510winning position. The game finished:} 27. Qg2 Qxe5 28. Rd1 Rf8 29. c5 Qe6 30.
2511Rd3 h6 31. Rg3 Qe5 32. Rg6 Kh7 33. Rg4 Rd8 34. Qe2 Qc3 35. Rg2 Qc1+ 36. Kh2 Rd1
251237. Rxg7+ Kxg7 38. Qg4+ Kf7 39. Qf5+ Ke7 40. Qe5+ Kd7 41. Qf5+ Ke7 42. Qe5+ Kd7
25130-1
2514
2515[Event "?"]
2516[Site "?"]
2517[Date "????.??.??"]
2518[Round "?"]
2519[White "A: 7...Qe8 8 Qc2?!"]
2520[Black "?"]
2521[Result "*"]
2522[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
2523[PlyCount "17"]
2524[Source "Everyman Chess"]
2525[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
2526
25271. d4 f5 2. Nf3 e6 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. c4 d6 7. Nc3 Qe8 8. Qc2
2528$6 {We saw this move in one of our introductory games. White is aiming to play
2529e4, however, Black has a good response to this move.} (8. Ne1 $6 e5 {is
2530precisely what Black is aiming for.}) (8. b4 {is a common idea. I would advise
2531Black to play} e5 $5 9. dxe5 dxe5 10. Nxe5 Bxb4 11. Qb3 (11. Nd5 $5) 11... Na6
2532{with an equal game.}) (8. Bg5 $5 {is probably the most dangerous side
2533variation that White could try. I say this because I was crushed by Mark
2534Hebden with this move! Now:} -- (8... Nbd7 {was my response but I quickly got
2535into trouble after} 9. Re1 $1 Qg6 (9... e5 {is an improvement; I have no idea
2536why I did not play this move!}) 10. e4 fxe4 11. Nxe4 Nxe4 12. Bxe7 {and
2537already my position is very unpleasant.}) (8... Ne4 $1 {is the simplest
2538response. Do not tell Mark but I fully intend to play this move against him
2539next time!} 9. Bxe7 (9. Nxe4 $2 fxe4 10. Bxe7 exf3 {with a big advantage to
2540Black}) 9... Nxc3 10. bxc3 Qxe7 {and with ...e5 to follow, Black should have
2541no problems.})) 8... Qh5 $1 {Black prepares to meet e4 with ...e5. White has
2542two sensible options. --- We will now take a look at:} 9. -- ({a)} 9. e4 $6) ({
2543b)} 9. b3) *
2544
2545[Event "?"]
2546[Site "?"]
2547[Date "????.??.??"]
2548[Round "?"]
2549[White "A: 7...Qe8 8 Qc2?!"]
2550[Black "a) 9 e4?!"]
2551[Result "*"]
2552[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
2553[PlyCount "28"]
2554[Source "Everyman Chess"]
2555[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
2556
25571. d4 f5 2. Nf3 e6 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. c4 d6 7. Nc3 Qe8 8. Qc2
2558$6 Qh5 $1 9. e4 $6 e5 $1 {A good response. I believe that Black is already
2559equal in this position.} 10. dxe5 (10. exf5 Nc6 $1 {is the most energetic
2560response,} (10... Bxf5 11. Qb3 Bc8 {is a bit passive but may still be ok for
2561Black}) 11. dxe5 {. For example,} dxe5 12. Nh4 Nd4 13. Qd3 c6 {looks promising
2562for Black. White's pawn on f5 will be captured shortly.}) 10... dxe5 11. Nd5 (
256311. Nxe5 $2 fxe4 {and Black is slightly better.}) ({Or} 11. exf5 Nc6 {.}) 11...
2564Nxd5 12. cxd5 (12. exd5 Bf6 13. c5 e4 {.}) 12... Bd6 13. exf5 Bxf5 14. Qb3 Nd7
2565{. I prefer Black's position.} *
2566
2567[Event "?"]
2568[Site "?"]
2569[Date "????.??.??"]
2570[Round "?"]
2571[White "A: 7...Qe8 8 Qc2?!"]
2572[Black "b) 9 b3"]
2573[Result "*"]
2574[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
2575[PlyCount "32"]
2576[Source "Everyman Chess"]
2577[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
2578
25791. d4 f5 2. Nf3 e6 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. c4 d6 7. Nc3 Qe8 8. Qc2
2580$6 Qh5 $1 9. b3 Nc6 10. Ba3 $1 {This move is aimed against ...e5. White is now
2581threatening to play d5, as Black can no longer respond with ...Nb4. First of
2582all, let's take a look at White's other options.} (10. Bb2 {We saw this move
2583in the introduction to the last chapter where Korchnoi played a great game.}) (
258410. d5 $2 {. --- BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- In this position, White often plays
2585this advance but it is actually a big mistake as it allows Black to achieve
2586his perfect set-up. --- How can Black accomplish this?} Nb4 {is a good start
2587followed by} 11. Qd1 e5 $1 {. This is the important move to remember. Now
2588Black has the more preferable position as he has all the attacking chances.})
258910... Nd8 $1 {I like this move. If White now plays d5 Black can respond with ...e5. The knight is also heading over to the kingside via f7.} 11. Rfe1 ({Or:} 
259011. e4 $2 fxe4 12. Nxe4 $2 Nxe4 13. Qxe4 d5 {and Black wins a piece.}) (11. Nb5
2591$2 Bd7 $1 12. Nxc7 $2 Rc8 {.}) 11... Nf7 12. e4 fxe4 13. Nxe4 e5 $1 14. Nxe5 $1
2592({Or} 14. dxe5 Nxe4 15. Qxe4 d5 {and Black is fine.}) 14... Nxe5 15. dxe5 Ng4
259316. h3 Nxe5 {.} *
2594
2595[Event "?"]
2596[Site "?"]
2597[Date "????.??.??"]
2598[Round "?"]
2599[White "B: 7...Qe8 8 Re1"]
2600[Black "?"]
2601[Result "*"]
2602[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
2603[PlyCount "25"]
2604[Source "Everyman Chess"]
2605[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
2606
26071. d4 e6 2. Nf3 f5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. c4 d6 7. Nc3 Qe8 8. Re1 {
2608White prepares to play e4. Black has two ways to meet this move.} Qg6 ({A
2609dubious alternative is} 8... Ne4 $6 {. --- BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- Black
2610often plays this move in order to stop White from playing e4. The most
2611critical move after ...Ne4 is} 9. Nxe4 $1 {followed by} fxe4 10. Nd2 d5 11. f3
2612$1 {A typical plan. White aims for a small advantage.} exf3 12. Nxf3 {and
2613White is slightly better.}) 9. e4 Nxe4 10. Nxe4 fxe4 11. Rxe4 Nc6 {This is the
2614main line. White has number of options against this move.} ({Alternatively,
2615Black could play the following:} 11... Qxe4 $6 12. Nh4 Qxh4 13. gxh4 Bxh4 14.
2616Be3 Nc6 15. Be4 $1 Bf6 16. Qd3 h6 17. Kh1 {must be better for White.}) (11...
2617e5 $6 {. We had a look at this move earlier on. Let's now examine this move in
2618more detail:} 12. -- (12. Re1 {White has another promising continuation} Nc6
261913. dxe5 Bg4 14. exd6 Bxd6 {(White has to be vigilant but if he treads
2620carefully then he should have the advantage)} 15. Be3 {, is possibly White's
2621best choice. Black has some pressure but I doubt that it is worth a pawn, for
2622example,} (15. h3 $2 {is a mistake due to} Bxf3 16. Bxf3 Bxg3 $1 {with a big
2623attack but White has clearly gone wrong}) 15... Qf6 16. Qd5+ Be6 17. Qb5 {.}) (
2624{. White has another promising continuation,} 12. Re3 {, when White should
2625have an advantage; for example,} Nc6 13. dxe5 Bg4 14. exd6 Bxd6 15. c5 $1 {.}))
262612. Qe2 {This is the main move and the only way that White can fight for an
2627advantage. It makes sense to add some firepower to the e-file.} ({White also
2628has several other options:} 12. Re1 {(the rook moves to a passive square where
2629it can be attacked by Black's pieces)} Nb4 $1 {(an active solution)} 13. Re2 {
2630(this proves that Re1 was a mistake.)} Qh5 $1 {(the simplest solution)} 14. Qb3
2631Nc6 15. Bd2 Bf6 {. --- BRAINSTROMING POINT! --- (In the 7...Qe8 8 Re1
2632variation, ...Bf6 is an important move. The bishop is well placed on f6, where
2633it supports the ...e5 break and puts pressure on d4. Again, if Black can play ...e5, he will have a good position.)} 16. Bc3 e5 {. --- BRAINSTORMING POINT!
2634--- If Black can achieve the ...e5 advance, he will generally be at least
2635equal. --- Here is another example of this rule in action. We have been
2636following the game Straat-R.Bellin, 1975. Bellin was a great exponent of the
2637Dutch and his book, Winning with the Dutch was like a bible to me!} 17. c5+ Kh8
263818. d5 $2 {. --- BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- It is nearly always a mistake for
2639White to close the centre in this way as Black is given free rein on White's
2640kingside. As a result, White should generally avoid playing d5.} Nd8 19. cxd6
2641cxd6 20. Ree1 Nf7 21. Bd2 Bg4 22. h4 {and now ...g5 looks interesting.}) (12.
2642Re3 {is not the best square for White's rook.} Bf6 13. b3 (13. d5 exd5 {this
2643was the choice of ex world champion M.Tal and it leads to some exciting play!}
264414. cxd5 Ne5 15. Nxe5 Bxe5 16. Rb3 Bf5 $5 17. Rxb7 Bc2 18. Qd2 Rae8 19. Rxc7
2645Bd3 20. Qb4 a5 21. Qa4 Bxg3 $1 {and the game eventually ended in a draw}) 13...
2646e5 14. Bb2 e4 $1 15. Nd2 Bxd4 16. Bxd4 Nxd4 17. Nxe4 c5 {and Black must be
2647happy with his position.}) (12. Re2 $2 Bf6 {is also very comfortable for Black.
2648}) 12... Bf6 {Yet again, Black is aiming to get rid of his weakness on e6 by
2649playing ...e5. White now has two options:} 13. -- (13. Bd2 {Black has to play
2650accurately against this move.} e5 $1 (13... d5 $2 14. Rf4 Qc2 (14... dxc4 15.
2651Qxc4) 15. cxd5 $1 Qxb2 16. Re1 exd5 17. Ng5 $1 {White is winning}) 14. dxe5
2652Nxe5 {This is a rather boring line but it is equal for Black.} ({The other
2653option is far more risky, for example,} 14... dxe5 15. Bc3 Bf5 16. Nh4 $1 Bxh4
265417. Rxh4 {and White is a bit better. Black's pawn on e5 is more of a weakness
2655than a strength}) 15. Nxe5 Bxe5 16. Bc3 Bxc3 17. bxc3 {. With an equal
2656position. White has control of the e-file but his queenside pawns have been
2657destroyed.} Bd7 $1 18. Re7 Rae8 19. Bxb7 c6 20. Re3 (20. Re1 $2 Rxe7 21. Qxe7
2658Re8) 20... Qf5 21. Re1 Rxe3 22. Qxe3 Re8 23. Qd2 Rb8 $1 {Black is better.}) (
265913. Bf4 {White is trying to stop ...e5 but this move also has its drawbacks.}
2660d5 $1 {This active solution seems like the best continuation as Black gets rid
2661of his backward e-pawn.} 14. cxd5 ({or} 14. Rxe6 $6 Bxe6 15. Qxe6+ Kh8 16. Ne5
2662Qe8 $1 17. Qxd5 Rd8 18. Qc5 Nxd4 {and Black has a big advantage}) 14... exd5
266315. Re3 {Black has no problems.} Bxd4 (15... Bg4) 16. Nxd4 Nxd4 {and Black is
2664at least equal.}) *
2665
2666[Event "?"]
2667[Site "?"]
2668[Date "????.??.??"]
2669[Round "?"]
2670[White "C: 7...Qe8 8 b3!"]
2671[Black "?"]
2672[Result "*"]
2673[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
2674[PlyCount "28"]
2675[Source "Everyman Chess"]
2676[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
2677
26781. d4 f5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. g3 e6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. c4 d6 6. O-O O-O 7. Nc3 Qe8 8. b3 $1
2679{I believe that this is White's best response to Black's opening choice. In
2680actual fact, a rule for White could be that he should play b3 against most of
2681Black's moves here. The dark-squared bishop is well placed on b2 (or in this
2682line, a3) because the bishop indirectly gives extra support to the centre. ---
2683Black has a number of possibilities here.} Nbd7 {I like this move. Black wants
2684to play ...e5 at a later moment. Furthermore, after Bb2 and e4, Black can
2685respond with ...f4.} (8... Qh5 $2 {BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- This is a typical
2686mistake. Black should not rush to play this move as White has a good response.
2687Can you see what White should play? --- Think along the lines of a natural
2688developing move...} 9. Ba3 $1 {This is a good move. The bishop keeps an eye on
2689the e7-square and makes it very difficult for Black to play ...e5.}) (8... Bd8
2690$2 {is also a mistake for the same reason. White should play} 9. Ba3 $1 {.}) (
26918... Ne4 $5 {BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- This move is interesting. There is only
2692one way that White can achieve an advantage against this move. Do you have an
2693idea as to what White should play?} 9. Nxe4 $1 {BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- A
2694rule worth remembering here is: The critical response to ...Ne4 is always Nxe4.
2695White tries to gain a small advantage without taking any risks. After 9 Nxe4
2696White should gain a small advantage by playing} (9. Bb2 $6 {allows Black to
2697improve on another similar variation, namely 7...a5 8 b3 Ne4 9 Bb2 Nxc3.
2698Compared to this variation the move ...Qe8 clearly benefits Black. The natural
2699continuation of the game would be} Nxc3 10. Bxc3 Nd7 11. Qc2 Qh5 12. e4 f4 $1 {
2700when we can see that Black's queen has reached a dynamic square in no time at
2701all}) 9... fxe4 10. Ne1 d5 11. f3 {.}) 9. Bb2 Qh5 {This queen manoeuvre is now
2702possible as White has played Bb2. Furthermore, White has to waste a tempo by
2703playing Ba3.} 10. Qc2 {White takes control of e4 and stops Black from playing
2704Ne4.} ({White can also play} 10. Re1 {. --- BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- The plan
2705is to play e4. If Black meets this move with ...f4 then White will play e5
2706opening the e-file. How should Black react to this move?} Ne4 $1 {(That's
2707right! This typical blockading move is good in this position.)} 11. Nxe4 $6 {
2708(this is now less effective due to the fact that Black's queen is aggressively
2709placed on h5)} fxe4 12. Nd2 e3 $5 13. fxe3 Bg5 14. Nf1 Nf6 {and Black has very
2710good compensation for the pawn.}) 10... g5 $5 {This position has hardly ever
2711been reached in practice but it offers some interesting possibilities, for
2712example:} 11. e4 {BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- Black should normally avoid meeting
2713e4 with ...fxe4 as it opens the e-file and allows White to put more pressure
2714on Black's e6-pawn.} (11. d5 e5 $1 12. Qxf5 Ng4 13. Qe6+ Rf7 14. h3 Ndf6 15.
2715hxg4 Nxg4 {and Black is winning. --- How should Black play against e4 here?})
271611... f4 $1 {BRAINSTORMMING POINT! --- As we can see, Black's kingside pawn
2717majority can be quite useful. This move also keeps the centre closed. --- In
2718general, it is a good idea for Black to try and keep the centre closed.} 12. e5
2719$1 {White should play this move before Black has a chance to play ...e5
2720himself.} dxe5 13. dxe5 Ng4 (13... Ne8 14. h3 fxg3 15. fxg3 g4 16. Nh4 gxh3 17.
2721Bxh3 Nxe5 {.}) (13... Ne8 14. Rad1 (14. Rfe1 {.})) 14. Ne4 Nh6 {. The position
2722remains unclear.} *
2723
2724[Event "?"]
2725[Site "?"]
2726[Date "????.??.??"]
2727[Round "?"]
2728[White "Test your knowledge 2"]
2729[Black "?"]
2730[Result "*"]
2731[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
2732[PlyCount "1"]
2733[SourceDate "2015.05.12"]
2734
2735{7...Qe8: Have you really got to grips with this chapter!?} 1. -- {We have now
2736arrived at the second set of tests. This time the tests are based around 7...Qe8. These tests will verify whether the main points of the chapter have been
2737fully understood. The tests should not be too difficult to solve, especially
2738if you have read the chapter in full.} *
2739
2740[Event "?"]
2741[Site "?"]
2742[Date "????.??.??"]
2743[Round "?"]
2744[White "Test 2.1"]
2745[Black "?"]
2746[Result "*"]
2747[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
2748[SetUp "1"]
2749[FEN "rnb2rk1/ppp1b1pp/3ppn2/5p1q/2PP4/2N2NP1/PPQ1PPBP/R1B2RK1 w - - 0 9"]
2750[PlyCount "1"]
2751[Source "Everyman Chess"]
2752[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
2753
2754{White has just managed to play} 9. e4 {. How should Black reply? --- See the
2755following game for the solution.} *
2756
2757[Event "?"]
2758[Site "?"]
2759[Date "????.??.??"]
2760[Round "?"]
2761[White "Answer 2.1"]
2762[Black "?"]
2763[Result "*"]
2764[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
2765[SetUp "1"]
2766[FEN "rnb2rk1/ppp1b1pp/3ppn2/5p1q/2PPP3/2N2NP1/PPQ2PBP/R1B2RK1 b - - 0 9"]
2767[PlyCount "7"]
2768[Source "Everyman Chess"]
2769[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
2770
27719... e5 $1 {. Let's go back to one of the first rules that you should have
2772learnt! --- 1) If White can achieve the e4 advance without Black playing ...e5
2773and Black has to exchange with ...fxe4, White will generally obtain an
2774advantage. --- 2) If Black can achieve the ...e5 advance he will normally be
2775at least equal. --- Let's take a look at a few more moves:} 10. dxe5 dxe5 11.
2776Nd5 Nxd5 12. cxd5 Bd6 {I prefer Black's position because he has a strong hold
2777on the centre and a chance to attack White on the kingside. --- See the
2778following game for the next exercise.} *
2779
2780[Event "?"]
2781[Site "?"]
2782[Date "????.??.??"]
2783[Round "?"]
2784[White "Test 2.2"]
2785[Black "?"]
2786[Result "*"]
2787[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
2788[SetUp "1"]
2789[FEN "4rrk1/pppbb1pp/2nppn2/5p1q/2PP4/PPN2NP1/1BQ1PPBP/R4RK1 w - - 0 12"]
2790[PlyCount "1"]
2791[Source "Everyman Chess"]
2792[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
2793
2794{For a change, it is White to play in this position.} 12. -- {What thematic
2795move did White play? --- See the following game for the solution.} *
2796
2797[Event "?"]
2798[Site "?"]
2799[Date "????.??.??"]
2800[Round "?"]
2801[White "Answer 2.2"]
2802[Black "?"]
2803[Result "*"]
2804[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
2805[SetUp "1"]
2806[FEN "4rrk1/pppbb1pp/2nppn2/5p1q/2PP4/PPN2NP1/1BQ1PPBP/R4RK1 w - - 0 12"]
2807[PlyCount "1"]
2808[Source "Everyman Chess"]
2809[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
2810
281112. d5 $1 {. Black always has to watch out for this move after he has played ...Nc6. --- Normally, Black would like to respond to d5 with ...e5, keeping the
2812f5 and e5 pawns together, but after ...Nc6, this is not possible. 12 d5 breaks
2813up Black's pawn formation. --- See the following game for the next exercise.} *
2814
2815[Event "?"]
2816[Site "?"]
2817[Date "????.??.??"]
2818[Round "?"]
2819[White "Test 2.3"]
2820[Black "?"]
2821[Result "*"]
2822[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
2823[SetUp "1"]
2824[FEN "3nrrk1/pppbb1pp/3ppn2/3P1p1q/2PN4/PPN3P1/1BQ1PPBP/R4RK1 w - - 0 13"]
2825[PlyCount "1"]
2826[Source "Everyman Chess"]
2827[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
2828
282913. -- {What should Black play in this position? --- See the following game
2830for the solution.} *
2831
2832[Event "?"]
2833[Site "?"]
2834[Date "????.??.??"]
2835[Round "?"]
2836[White "Answer 2.3"]
2837[Black "?"]
2838[Result "*"]
2839[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
2840[SetUp "1"]
2841[FEN "3nrrk1/pppbb1pp/3ppn2/3P1p1q/2PN4/PPN3P1/1BQ1PPBP/R4RK1 b - - 0 13"]
2842[PlyCount "9"]
2843[Source "Everyman Chess"]
2844[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
2845
284613... e5 $1 {Black always aims to play ...e5 in the Classical Dutch, and here
2847it is a good practical choice, for example,} 14. Ndb5 Nf7 15. Nxc7 Rc8 16. Ne6
2848Bxe6 17. dxe6 Ng5 {. Black had a strong attack which Korchnoi went on to
2849convert. --- See the following game for the next exercise.} *
2850
2851[Event "?"]
2852[Site "?"]
2853[Date "????.??.??"]
2854[Round "?"]
2855[White "Test 2.4"]
2856[Black "?"]
2857[Result "*"]
2858[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
2859[SetUp "1"]
2860[FEN "r1b2rk1/ppp2npp/5b2/4pp1q/1PP1P3/P4NP1/1BQ2PBP/R3R1K1 b - - 0 16"]
2861[PlyCount "1"]
2862[Source "Everyman Chess"]
2863[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
2864
286516... -- {What should Black play in this position? --- See the following game
2866for the solution.} *
2867
2868[Event "?"]
2869[Site "?"]
2870[Date "????.??.??"]
2871[Round "?"]
2872[White "Answer 2.4"]
2873[Black "?"]
2874[Result "*"]
2875[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
2876[SetUp "1"]
2877[FEN "r1b2rk1/ppp2npp/5b2/4pp1q/1PP1P3/P4NP1/1BQ2PBP/R3R1K1 b - - 0 16"]
2878[PlyCount "13"]
2879[Source "Everyman Chess"]
2880[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
2881
288216... f4 {Of course! --- The move 16...f4 is a good starting basis for an
2883attack. Black's light-squared bishop comes to life and the idea of advancing
2884the g-pawn becomes attractive. --- Let's take a look at a few more moves:} 17.
2885gxf4 Bh3 $5 18. Nxe5 Bxg2 19. Kxg2 Nxe5 20. Bxe5 Bxe5 21. fxe5 Qf3+ 22. Kg1 Rf4
2886$1 {. Black's attack has already become overwhelming. --- See the following
2887game for the next exercise.} *
2888
2889[Event "?"]
2890[Site "?"]
2891[Date "????.??.??"]
2892[Round "?"]
2893[White "Test 2.5"]
2894[Black "?"]
2895[Result "*"]
2896[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
2897[SetUp "1"]
2898[FEN "rnb1qrk1/ppp1b1pp/3ppn2/5p2/2PP4/1PN2NP1/P3PPBP/R1BQ1RK1 b - - 0 8"]
2899[PlyCount "1"]
2900[Source "Everyman Chess"]
2901[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
2902
2903{Black has just played} 8... Qh5 {which is a typical mistake. How should White
2904respond? --- See the following game for the solution.} *
2905
2906[Event "?"]
2907[Site "?"]
2908[Date "????.??.??"]
2909[Round "?"]
2910[White "Answer 2.5"]
2911[Black "?"]
2912[Result "*"]
2913[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
2914[SetUp "1"]
2915[FEN "rnb2rk1/ppp1b1pp/3ppn2/5p1q/2PP4/1PN2NP1/P3PPBP/R1BQ1RK1 w - - 0 9"]
2916[PlyCount "1"]
2917[Source "Everyman Chess"]
2918[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
2919
29209. Ba3 $1 {. This makes it very hard for Black to ever achieve the ...e5
2921advance due to the x-ray on his e7 bishop. Without the ...e5 advance, Black
2922will struggle to gain active play.} *
2923
2924[Event "?"]
2925[Site "?"]
2926[Date "????.??.??"]
2927[Round "?"]
2928[White "3: The modern 7...Ne4"]
2929[Black "?"]
2930[Result "*"]
2931[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
2932[PlyCount "15"]
2933[Source "Everyman Chess"]
2934[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
2935
2936{"There are many ways of going forward, but only one way of standing still." -
2937Franklin D. Roosevelt} 1. d4 e6 2. c4 f5 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. g3 Be7 5. Bg2 O-O 6. O-O
2938d6 7. Nc3 Ne4 $5 {. This is a logical move. White has a space advantage so
2939Black aims to alleviate his position by exchanging pieces with the move ...Ne4.
2940This move also frees the f6-square for Black's dark-squared bishop. I used to
2941think that this was the solution to all of Black's problems. That was until
2942White started to play 8 Nxe4! --- The latter is the only way that White can
2943aim to gain an advantage, but there is still not enough evidence to suggest
2944that the resulting position is equal or even slightly better for White. I
2945personally think that White has a very small advantage, but the position
2946remains unbalanced and is therefore extremely interesting. --- 7...Ne4 is an
2947easy line to remember and Black's future plans are relatively straightforward
2948compared with Black's other options on move eight. --- There is quite an
2949amusing story behind the first time that I ever played this line. I was at the
2950Reykjavik Open relaxing with some friends. If I recall correctly, I was in the
2951company of Ben Johnson (not the runner!), John Bick, Ylon Schwartz and Luis
2952Galego, a GM from Portugal. It was rather late at night, or more likely,
2953sometime in the early hours of the morning and I had just found out that I was
2954due to play Sokolov the following day with the black pieces. For those of you
2955who don't know, Ivan Sokolov is an extremely strong player with a rating of
2956around 2700. --- I had a deal with Ylon Schwartz that if I managed to beat
2957Sokolov with Black in the Classical Dutch then Ylon would have to play this
2958opening for the remainder of the tournament. At the time, we may have had a
2959couple of 'Viking' beers so it seemed like a good plan. --- The next day, I
2960played one of the best games in my life and I somehow managed to win
2961spectacularly. Ylon also won his game with the Dutch so the opening did quite
2962well! --- Imagine my surprise when the next time I came across Mr Schwartz was
2963when I turned on the television to watch the 2008 World Series of Poker. To my
2964shock, there was Ylon on the final table! How did this happen? At this stage
2965of the tournament, he was guaranteed at least two million dollars and I think
2966that he went on to finish in fourth place. A fantastic result and I am really
2967happy for him as he is a great guy and a fan of the Classical Dutch!} 8. -- *
2968
2969[Event "16: Reykjavik Open"]
2970[Site "?"]
2971[Date "2006.??.??"]
2972[Round "?"]
2973[White "Sokolov, I."]
2974[Black "Williams, S."]
2975[Result "0-1"]
2976[ECO "A96"]
2977[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
2978[PlyCount "74"]
2979[EventDate "2006.??.??"]
2980[Source "Everyman Chess"]
2981[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
2982
29831. d4 e6 2. c4 f5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. O-O d6 7. Nc3 Ne4 8. Bd2 {
2984A rare choice which seems to lead to nowhere for White. This goes to show that
2985even the top players in the world can be tricked by the Dutch!} Nc6 {
2986BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- What is the main move to watch out for when Black
2987plays ...Nc6?} (8... Bf6 {is also very logical.}) 9. d5 {BRAINSTORMING POINT!
2988--- That's right! --- Black would normally like to meet this move with ...e5
2989but this is not possible as the knight on c6 is being attacked. However, it is
2990worth noting that d5 is less of a worry in this position as Black can swap off
2991White's dark-squared bishop and subsequently take control of the long diagonal.
2992} Nxd2 10. Nxd2 (10. Qxd2 Ne5 (10... Na5 $5 {or 11...e5 were worth considering}
2993) 11. Nxe5 dxe5 12. Rad1 e4 {with an equal position.}) 10... Ne5 {The opening
2994has already been a success for Black as the two bishops can prove to be very
2995useful. Black is certainly not worse.} 11. e3 ({Other options include:} 11. e4
2996f4 $1 {. This typical advance leaves Black with a very comfortable game.}) (11.
2997dxe6 c6 {(Black is fine)} 12. e4 (12. f4 $6 Qb6+ 13. Kh1 Ng4) 12... f4 {.})
299811... c6 {Black aims to open the position for his pair of bishops.} (11... Bf6
2999{was also interesting.}) 12. b4 $6 {This move weakens the a1-h8 diagonal.} (12.
3000Qb3 {looks more sensible.}) (12. dxc6 $6 bxc6 13. f4 Ng4 14. Re1 d5 {is good
3001for Black.}) 12... Bf6 13. Qc2 ({Or} 13. Qb3 a5 $6 (13... Bd7 $1 {is more
3002sensible}) 14. b5 a4 15. Nxa4 Qa5 16. bxc6 $1 (16. dxc6 bxc6 17. Nc3 Rb8) 16...
3003Qxd2 (16... bxc6 17. Nc3 cxd5 18. cxd5 Ba6 {is unclear}) 17. Nb6 Ra6 18. Nxc8
3004Rxc8 19. cxb7 Rb8 {where White has a big advantage.}) 13... Bd7 14. Rad1 a5 {
3005where White has a big advantage.} 15. b5 cxd5 16. cxd5 Rc8 {Black must be a
3006bit better here.} 17. Ndb1 Bxb5 18. dxe6 $1 {A good fighting move, as White
3007tries to unbalance the position.} ({The other options leave White clearly
3008worse. For example:} 18. Rfe1 Qe7 19. dxe6 Bc6 {.}) 18... Bxf1 19. Kxf1 Kh8 ({
3009Another very messy line would have been} 19... Qe7 $5 20. Qb3 (20. Qxf5 $1 Bg5
301021. Qe4 Rc4 22. Qxb7 {is still a mess,} ({as is} 22. Rd4 Rc5 23. f4 Nc6 24. Rd1
3011)) 20... Kh8 {.}) 20. Bxb7 Rc7 21. Qb3 ({White's main problem is the lack of
3012coordination between his pieces:} 21. Bd5 Ng4 (21... Qc8 $1 {is good for Black}
3013) 22. h3 Bxc3 23. Nxc3 {is unclear,} (23. hxg4 Be5 24. Qa4 Qg5 25. Qxa5 Rc2 {.}
3014)) 21... a4 $5 {This move gains time, thus allowing Black's queen to swing
3015over to h5 - a typical plan.} 22. Nxa4 Qe8 23. Nbc3 (23. Bd5 Qh5 24. Kg2 Ng4 {
3016is very nice for Black, for example,} 25. h3 Nxe3+ $1 26. fxe3 Qe2+ 27. Kg1 Rc2
3017{and White can resign.}) 23... Qh5 24. Bg2 Nf3 (24... Nc4 $1 {looked even
3018stronger, for example,} 25. Kg1 Nxe3 $1 26. fxe3 Bxc3 27. Nxc3 Rxc3 28. Qd5
3019Rxe3 {with a good position for Black.}) 25. Bxf3 (25. Nd5 $4 Nd2+ 26. Rxd2 Rc1+
302027. Rd1 Rxd1+ 28. Qxd1 Qxd1# {.}) (25. h3 $5 {may have been a better idea.})
302125... Qxf3 26. Qd5 $6 (26. Nd5 $1 {was unclear:} Rb7 27. Qc2 $1 {.}) 26... Qh5
302227. Qxd6 Rfc8 28. Kg2 (28. Rd3 {.}) 28... h6 ({Or:} 28... Bxc3 $4 29. Qxc7 {
3023and White is winning.}) (28... Rxc3 $4 29. Nxc3 Bxc3 30. Rc1 $1 {and White is
3024winning.}) 29. Nb5 $2 {After the game, Sokolov pointed out that this move was
3025a mistake.} ({He should have played for a draw with} 29. Rd3 Bxc3 (29... f4 30.
3026Qxf4 Rc4 31. e4 {with a mess}) 30. Rxc3 Rxc3 31. Nxc3 Rxc3 32. Qd8+ Kh7 33. e7
3027Rxe3 {with a draw, but understandably, Sokolov did not want to have a draw
3028with an English patzer.}) 29... Rc2 {White is really struggling now.} 30. Nb6
3029f4 $1 {The triumph of the f-pawn!} 31. exf4 ({Or:} 31. Nxc8 f3+ 32. Kh1 Qh3 33.
3030Rg1 Rc1 {and Black is winning.}) (31. Qxf4 Qxd1 {is also easy for Black.})
303131... Qe2 32. Rf1 Qe4+ $1 {The most forcing move.} ({Other options that I
3032considered were:} 32... Rd8) ({and} 32... Qxb5 $2 33. Nxc8 Rxc8 {.}) 33. Kg1 (
303333. Kh3 R2c5 34. Nxc8 Rh5+ 35. Kg4 Qe2+ 36. f3 Qxh2 {and Black is winning.})
303433... Rxf2 $1 {The closing moments just require some careful calculation.} 34.
3035Rxf2 Rc1+ 35. Rf1 Rc2 36. Qd5 Qe2 37. Qh1 Qe3+ 0-1
3036
3037[Event "17: British League"]
3038[Site "?"]
3039[Date "2006.??.??"]
3040[Round "?"]
3041[White "Shirov, A."]
3042[Black "Williams, S."]
3043[Result "1-0"]
3044[ECO "A96"]
3045[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
3046[PlyCount "65"]
3047[EventDate "2006.??.??"]
3048[Source "Everyman Chess"]
3049[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
3050
3051{After my game against Sokolov, I couldn't wait to give the 7...Ne4 variation
3052another go, as I was feeling very confident about the opening. The perfect
3053opportunity then arose in the British League, where I found myself paired
3054against Shirov! He is actually one of my all-time favourite players due to his
3055style, which is both dynamic and exciting. When he played d4 on move one, my
3056hopes started to rise. Will he let me play 7...Ne4!? and can I beat another
3057great player in this variation!? --- Indeed, Shirov did let me play ...Ne4 and
3058again, I achieved a good position. Unfortunately, I played badly and failed to
3059convert my advantage but this was still a good result for the opening. ---
3060Anyway, I will let you judge for yourself...} 1. d4 e6 2. c4 f5 3. g3 Nf6 4.
3061Bg2 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. O-O d6 7. Nc3 Ne4 {Let's get that move in!} 8. Qc2 {This
3062is White's most common reply, so Black needs to know these lines pretty well.
3063In all honesty, I do not think that this line offers White any advantage.} (8.
3064Nxe4 $1 {is the best move. We will explore this move in more detail later on.})
30658... Nxc3 9. bxc3 {A slightly offbeat move. White compromises his pawn
3066structure in order to make a quick break with either e4 or d5. Black's
3067position seems perfectly fine after this move, though.} (9. Qxc3 a5 {will be
3068looked at later on in the book.}) 9... Nc6 $1 {This move is pretty much forced,
3069otherwise White will play e4 with an advantage.} 10. e4 {BRAINSTORMING POINT!
3070--- When White plays e4, Black should normally try to respond in one of two
3071ways: 1) Black should play ...f4. This is not possible here due to Bxf4. --- 2)
3072Black should play ...e5 to gain active play in the centre. This works out well
3073in this position. --- 10 e4 may even be slightly dubious because of Black's
3074response.} e5 (10... fxe4 11. Qxe4 {is the kind of position that Black must
3075avoid at all costs.}) 11. dxe5 dxe5 12. Rb1 $5 {This is the critical point of
3076the game and the move I played here was far too passive. I am sure that if
3077Shirov was playing Black in this position then he would have opted for a move
3078like ...f4!?.} a6 {It's easy to overreact when playing strong players. Black
3079should just carry on with his plan.} ({In actual fact, I have a number of
3080decent options, for example:} 12... Qe8 13. Rb5 a6 14. Rd5 Be6 15. exf5 Bxf5 $1
3081{with an unclear game.}) (12... b6 $5 {is interesting. The idea is to place my
3082bishop on c5.}) (12... f4 $5 {is another intriguing move!} 13. Rb5 Bg4 ({I
3083tried} 13... Bd6 14. gxf4 exf4 15. e5 Be7 16. Qe4 {in another game and
3084obtained a very unclear position, for example,} Qe8 17. Bxf4 Nd8) (13... fxg3
308514. fxg3 Qd6 15. Rd5 Qe6 16. Be3 b6 {when Black can't be worse}) 14. Nxe5 Nxe5
308615. Rxe5 f3 16. Rd1 Bd6 17. Rg5 Be6 {is unclear.}) 13. Rd1 Qe8 14. Rd5 $1 {A
3087typical Shirov plan!} Be6 $2 {This allows Shirov to sacrifice - not a very
3088wise move...} ({I am still doing well after} 14... Bf6 {and in actual fact, I
3089may even be better here, for example,} 15. Ba3 Rf7 (15... Be7 {with an equal
3090position}) 16. exf5 Be7 $1 {.}) 15. Rxb7 Bxd5 16. cxd5 {I expect that my
3091opponent was salivating at this point.} Na5 17. Rb1 Nc4 18. exf5 {White has
3092ample compensation and Shirov plays the rest of the game perfectly.} Bf6 19.
3093Nd2 Nd6 (19... Nxd2 20. Bxd2 Rb8 21. Rxb8 Qxb8 22. c4 {is no improvement for
3094Black.}) 20. c4 Qh5 21. c5 $1 {Another strong move. After the game, Shirov
3095mentioned that at this point, he had already calculated all the variations
3096leading to the end of this game!} Qxf5 22. Qxf5 Nxf5 23. d6 cxd6 (23... Ra7 {
3097was just too ugly.}) (23... Rac8 24. Bd5+ Kh8 25. Be6 {and White is winning.})
309824. Bd5+ Kh8 25. Bxa8 Rxa8 26. g4 {The rest of the game requires little
3099explanation.} Nd4 27. cxd6 Bg5 28. Kf1 Rc8 29. d7 Rd8 30. Nc4 Bxc1 31. Rxc1 Kg8
310032. Nxe5 Kf8 33. Rd1 1-0
3101
3102[Event "18: French League"]
3103[Site "?"]
3104[Date "2014.??.??"]
3105[Round "?"]
3106[White "Krasenkow, M."]
3107[Black "Williams, S."]
3108[Result "1/2-1/2"]
3109[ECO "A96"]
3110[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
3111[PlyCount "165"]
3112[EventDate "2014.??.??"]
3113[Source "Everyman Chess"]
3114[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
3115
3116{This is a recent game that I have played in the modern 7...Ne4 variation. My
3117opponent was the very strong Polish GM, Krasenkow. It was clear that he had
3118prepared something by the speed at which he was playing his opening moves, yet
3119I was still able to get an advantage from the opening.} 1. d4 e6 2. Nf3 f5 3.
3120g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. c4 d6 7. Nc3 Ne4 {I now seem to play this
3121variation quite regularly against players who are higher-rated than me. This
3122is because I am struggling to find an advantage for White in any line, but
3123often the positions can become quite equal, meaning there is a high percentage
3124chance of a draw. --- BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- This capture is the critical
3125variation. In my opinion this is the move that White should be looking at
3126whilst searching for a way to gain an advantage from the opening. As this
3127position is so critical I would suggest that you spend a good amount of time
3128taking a look at all the variations branching off from this position.} 8. Nxe4
3129fxe4 9. Ne1 {I still consider this a side line. In my opinion 9 Nd2 is much
3130more of a test for Black's opening set up.} (9. Nd2 d5 10. f3 Nc6 11. fxe4
3131Rxf1+ {is looked at in the theory section.}) 9... d5 10. f3 {The disadvantage
3132that White faces in this variation is the placement of his queen and some
3133potential tactical problems on the d-file.} dxc4 {Aiming to play a plan based
3134around ...e5 or ...c5, when we see why White's queen on d1 is badly placed.} (
313510... Nc6 {is another option, and it also looks OK for Black. For example,} 11.
3136fxe4 $1 {as we have seen in a number of examples, this is often the correct
3137way to continue;} (11. Be3 Bg5 (11... Na5 $5 {maybe an improvement}) 12. Bxg5
3138Qxg5 13. f4 Qf6 {was equal in C.Moran-L.Trent, Bunratty 2013}) 11... Rxf1+ 12.
3139Bxf1 dxe4 $1 (12... dxc4 $6 13. e3 {is slightly better for White, as the black
3140pawn on c4 is in trouble; this is the one occasion when capturing on e4,
3141rather than c4 seems correct}) 13. e3 e5 $5 14. d5 Nb8 15. Bg2 Bf5 16. Qc2 Bb4
314217. Bd2 Bxd2 18. Qxd2 Nd7 {, with a roughly equal position.}) 11. fxe4 {The
3143most logical move.} ({A suggestion of English GM Glenn Flear is} 11. Be3 $5 {
3144which Glenn had prepared against me for one game, yet when I played 11...Nf6 I
3145was the player who got the first surprise in!} Nd7 $5 {is a move that Glenn
3146does not mention, but it seems like quite a good choice. For example,} 12. fxe4
3147(12. Qc2 Nf6 13. Qxc4 Nd5 $1 {is a nice manoeuvre:} 14. Nc2 b5 $1 15. Qb3 (15.
3148Qxb5 $2 {loses to} Nxe3 16. Nxe3 Qxd4) 15... exf3 16. Rxf3 Rxf3 17. Bxf3 Qd7 {
3149planning ...Bb7 with an equal position}) 12... Rxf1+ 13. Bxf1 Nf6 (13... c5 $5
3150{is another decent option:} 14. Nf3 Qb6 15. Qc2 cxd4 16. Bxd4 Qc7 {is equal})
315114. e5 Ng4 $5 15. Bf4 g5 16. e4 h5 {(a crazy line!)} 17. h3 gxf4 18. hxg4 fxg3
315219. gxh5 Kh8 20. Bxc4 b5 21. Bxb5 Rb8 {with a mess!}) 11... Rxf1+ {This does
3153move White's light-squared bishop to f1, where it is quite well placed. On f1
3154it puts pressure on the black pawn on c4. 11...Rxf1 is not a mistake though,
3155it is my follow-up plan that makes this idea dubious.} (11... e5 $5 {is
3156interesting.} 12. e3 Bf6 (12... b5 $5 13. a4 b4) 13. Nf3 Bg4 {and now} 14. Qa4
3157{would have given White an advantage in J.Pinter-H.Thanh Trang, Hungarian
3158League 2010.}) 12. Bxf1 e5 $6 {Aiming for maximum activity as now the
3159light-squared bishop on c8 has chances to enter the game.} ({This is not the
3160most accurate move though, and a much better and safer plan would have been} 
316112... c5 $1 {.} 13. -- ({. This move looks like a good way of reaching
3162equality, for example:} 13. d5 Bf6 {(this is a nice diagonal for the
3163dark-squared bishop)} 14. Qa4 c3 15. bxc3 Bxc3 16. Bg5 $1 Qd7 17. Qxd7 Nxd7 18.
3164Rc1 Bb2 19. Rc2 Bf6 20. Bxf6 Nxf6 21. e5 Nxd5 22. Rxc5 b6 {with an equal game.}
3165) ({. Another line after 12...c5 is} 13. e3 Nc6 {(keeping the pressure up
3166against d4)} 14. Nf3 Bf6 {and now White has a couple of options:} 15. -- (15.
3167d5 {(this seems to be the critical test, but again there is little danger to
3168Black's position)} exd5 16. Qxd5+ (16. exd5 Be6 $1 {. This is a very clever
3169move, which forces} 17. e4 {, when} Bg4 {followed up with ...Nd4 must give
3170Black an advantage}) 16... Kh8 17. Qxd8+ Bxd8 18. Bxc4 Bg4 19. Ne1 Ne5 {.
3171Black has excellent compensation for one pawn.}) (15. e5 $6 Bxe5 {uses the pin
3172on the d-file. Black cannot be worse.}) (15. Bxc4 cxd4 16. exd4 Nxd4 17. Be3
3173Nxf3+ 18. Qxf3 Bd7 {was quickly drawn in B.Lindberg-S.Brynell, Swedish
3174Championship 2007,} (18... Bxb2 $5 {was an interesting way to complicate
3175matters.})))) 13. e3 {We can now see that the bishop on f1 is a useful piece,
3176as it is always threatening to capture on c4 with check. That is why my
3177preference is now for 12...c5!} Be6 {The best chance.} (13... b5 {looks a
3178little loose after} 14. a4 $1 {which is a typical way to attack Black's
3179queenside pawn structure.} c6 15. axb5 cxb5 16. b3 $1 {would now give White a
3180sizeable advantage.}) 14. Qa4 $2 {A bad mistake which leaves White struggling
3181for the rest of the game.} ({Let's take a look at some other options:} 14. Qc2
3182$1 {is clearly the best move. After this Black is seriously struggling, for
3183example,} b5 15. d5 Bf7 16. a4 $1 {(yet again this pawn move destroys Black's
3184queenside)} b4 17. Bxc4 Nd7 18. Nf3 Bd6 19. Bd2 {. White is a pawn up and
3185Black's compensation is somewhat lacking.}) (14. Nf3 {was what I expected, but
3186then my plan of sacrificing a pawn for compensation would have worked well
3187after} Nd7 15. d5 Bg4 16. Bxc4 Bd6 {with very good compensation for the pawn.
3188Black has various ideas, including ...Qf6 ...Rf8 and ...Nc5.}) 14... Qd7 $1 {
3189The ensuing endgame is good for Black, even though I temporarily go a pawn
3190down.} 15. Qxd7 {The surprising thing about this game was the speed in which
3191Krasenkow was moving. He was banging out his moves at the speed of light. At
3192this point in the game he was even ahead on the clock! His team mate, Sokolov,
3193later told me, 'I had no idea what this guy (Krasenkow) was doing. He played
3194all his moves quickly like he had prepared something, then he gets a bad
3195position and offers a draw. This is not how you use the white pieces!'} Nxd7
319616. d5 {This looks like it wins a pawn, but White quickly loses one back.} Bf7
319717. Bxc4 Bd6 18. Nd3 {My opponent now offered me a draw, but I felt very
3198confident. For a start I was about to win a pawn back, but more importantly my
3199opponent was also showing extreme signs of "chess depression". Krasenkow was
3200shaking his head, tutting and generally looking very upset. Might as well play
3201on for a bit...} Bg6 19. Nf2 Nc5 20. Bd2 Nxe4 21. Nxe4 Bxe4 {Black is a bit
3202better here, mainly because the bishop on e4 is such a strong piece. I can
3203play on without any risk, although whether the position is good enough to win
3204is another matter. I expect that the position should be a win for Black.} 22.
3205Rf1 Rf8 23. Rxf8+ Kxf8 {I can now try to win by moving my king up to h3 and by
3206advancing my kingside pawns.} 24. Kf2 h5 {Stopping g4 and gaining space. White
3207has to defend very passively, one of his major problems being the pawn on d5.
3208This pawn has to be constantly defended.} 25. Bc3 Ke7 26. b4 Kf6 27. a3 g6 28.
3209Bb3 Kf5 29. h3 {White has to stop my king from advancing to g4.} Bb1 30. Kf3
3210Be4+ 31. Kf2 g5 32. Bd1 g4 33. hxg4+ hxg4 34. Bb3 b5 $5 {This looked like a
3211good idea at the time. The simple plan is to play ...Bd3 and then ...Ke4.} ({
3212The move 34...b5 was rather committal though, and it may have been better to
3213have simply continued with} 34... Bd3 {.}) 35. a4 $1 {The move that I was
3214concerned about. By sacrificing a pawn White gains good activity for his
3215pieces. This was a good practical decision.} (35. Ke2 Bb1 36. Be1 Ke4 {is very
3216good for Black.}) 35... bxa4 {This may have been a slight mistake.} ({I should
3217have kept the tension by playing} 35... a6 {. At the time I was slightly
3218concerned that my opponent might have been able to gain some kind of
3219counterplay after} 36. a5 {, when I was in fear of my a6-pawn and a possible
3220bishop sacrifice on b5. I was overly worried though, as after} Bd3 {I am still
3221well in control.}) 36. Bxa4 Bxd5 37. Bd7+ {By sacrificing a pawn the
3222light-squared bishop has entered the game. A very good practical decision by
3223White.} Kg5 38. b5 Be4 39. Bd2 Bc5 40. Ke2 Bf3+ 41. Kd3 Kf6 42. Bc3 Bd6 43. Bc8
3224Kg5 44. e4 Kf6 45. Bd2 $6 {This is too passive.} ({White should have kept
3225targeting my pawns by playing} 45. Ba5 {with good drawing chances.}) 45... Bc5
3226{Threatening to come into f2 winning the g3-pawn.} 46. Be1 {White now has a
3227very passive bishop and if I can manoeuvre the king into the queenside I
3228should be winning.} Ke7 47. Bf5 Bd1 {Giving the bishop potential to attack
3229White's b-pawn with ...Ba4.} 48. Bc8 Bd4 49. Bf5 (49. Bb4+ {would allow} Kd8
323050. Bf5 Bf2 {and the white g-pawn is lost.}) 49... Kd6 50. Bb4+ (50. Kc4 Be2+ {
3231.}) 50... c5 {The only way to gain winning chances. Now I will have an outside
3232passed pawn.} 51. bxc6+ Kxc6 {My passed a-pawn should make the win fairly
3233straight forward, but, alas, it was not to be.} 52. Be1 {Again White has to
3234stop ...Bf2.} Kb6 {With one simple plan in mind. Let's queen that black a-pawn!
3235} 53. Kc4 {Creating counterplay, but this should already be too late. I must
3236be winning now.} a5 54. Kd5 a4 55. Bb4 Bb2 $2 {A silly error; in slight time
3237trouble I miss the win.} ({I should have played} 55... Bf2 $1 {which would
3238have created a second passed pawn:} 56. Kxe5 Bxg3+ 57. Kd5 Bb3+ 58. Kd4 Bf2+
323959. Kd3 g3 {with an easy win.}) 56. Bc5+ Kb7 57. Kd6 a3 $2 {Another mistake,
3240throwing away the win.} (57... Ka6 {was called for, keeping winning chances.})
324158. Bxa3 $1 {I had simply missed this idea, only concerning myself with the
3242far inferior Be6.} Bxa3+ 59. Kxe5 {It is a simple draw now, as White will win
3243my g-pawn.} Bb2+ 60. Kf4 Bc1+ 61. Ke5 Bg5 62. Bg6 Kc6 63. Kf5 Bh4 64. Bh5 (64.
3244gxh4 g3 {.}) 64... Bxg3 65. Bxg4 Bc2 {I played on for a bit in the hope of a
3245miracle. The remaining moves were:} 66. Bh5 Kd6 67. Bf7 Ba4 68. Be6 Bh2 69. Bc8
3246Bc6 70. Be6 Bb7 71. Bd5 Bc8+ 72. Kf6 Bg3 73. Kg5 Ke5 74. Bc6 Be6 75. Bd5 Bd7
324776. Kg6 Bh4 77. Kf7 Bd8 78. Bb7 Bg4 79. Kg6 Bd7 80. Kf7 Kf4 81. Bd5 Kg5 82. Bb7
3248Bg4 83. Bd5 {. A draw was agreed. I needed to win this game for my French
3249League team to stay up in Division One, so unfortunately this draw meant we
3250went down a division. A bad end to a bad day. C'est la vie...} 1/2-1/2
3251
3252[Event "19: London Chess Classic"]
3253[Site "?"]
3254[Date "2012.??.??"]
3255[Round "?"]
3256[White "Kojima, S."]
3257[Black "Williams, S."]
3258[Result "0-1"]
3259[ECO "A96"]
3260[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
3261[PlyCount "62"]
3262[EventDate "2012.??.??"]
3263[Source "Everyman Chess"]
3264[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
3265
3266{In this game we will take a look at some of the main ideas that Black has in
3267the critical variation with 8 Nxe4.} 1. Nf3 f5 2. d4 e6 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5.
3268O-O O-O 6. c4 d6 7. Nc3 Ne4 8. Nxe4 fxe4 9. Nd2 d5 10. f3 Nc6 11. fxe4 Rxf1+
326912. Nxf1 dxc4 13. Be3 Bd7 $1 {BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- The bishop is very
3270flexibly placed on d7 and depending on what White plays it can come out via e8
3271and then to either g6 or to c6. Black should concentrate on active queenside
3272play based around b5, Rb8, Na5/Nb4 and even ...Bc6.} 14. e5 {White has a
3273number of other possibilities in this position. We will take a look at these
3274in the theory section.} Be8 $1 {This is a good move. It has two main goals: 1)
3275Increasing the pressure against White's d-pawn. Black can now play ...Qd7 and ...Rd8. --- 2) Black was weak on the b1-h7 diagonal and had to think of a way
3276to meet Be4 and Qc2. Now Black can successfully meet this plan with ...Bg6.}
327715. Rc1 {Is Black's c-pawn strong or weak? In this game it turns out to be
3278very strong!} b5 {I already prefer Black's position. The queenside majority of
3279c4 and b5 can be quite intimidating for White. --- BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- A
3280simple and strong plan for Black here is ...Rb8, ...Nb4, ...Bc6 and ...Nd5.}
328116. b3 {This is a standard way of trying to break up Black's pawns on the
3282queenside. It falls short here due to my reply.} (16. Bf2 Rb8 17. e4 $6 {
3283allows Black's knight into a very strong square:} Nb4 {with ...Nd3 to follow.})
328416... Ba3 $1 17. Rc2 $6 {This is an error after which White gets into some
3285serious problems.} ({It would have been wiser to have sacrificed the exchange
3286with} 17. bxc4 $1 {. At least this way White gains a slight initiative. Black
3287is still doing well though, for example,} Bxc1 18. Qxc1 Rc8 $1 {This is the
3288best square for the rook for tactical reasons. It looks more natural to place
3289the rook on b8, but having the rook on c8 allows Black the option of playing ...c5 at some point. Black is now planning to play ...Ne7 and at the correct
3290moment ...Bc6.} (18... Rb8 $6 {is correct in principle but runs into some
3291slight problems after} 19. cxb5 Nxd4 20. Qc4 {when Black can no longer play ...c5}) 19. Qc3 (19. cxb5 Nxd4 20. Qc4 c5 $1 {is the reason why Black's rook is
3292well placed on c8}) 19... Ne7 $1 20. Nd2 bxc4 21. Qxc4 Qd7 22. Nb3 Nd5 $1 {
3293with a slight edge to Black.}) 17... Rb8 $1 {Preparing ...Nb4 and getting
3294ready for the opening of the b-file.} 18. bxc4 ({Or} 18. Bh3 Kh8 $1 19. Bxe6
3295Bg6 {(Black's bishops do a fantastic job)} 20. Rc3 Nxe5 $1 {taking advantage
3296of the pin on the d-file. Black must be doing well here.}) 18... bxc4 19. Qa1 {
3297Removing the queen from any tricks on the d-file. We have seen that Black was
3298playing ...Nxe5 in a number of positions, and this is not possible now.} (19.
3299Rxc4 {allows} Nxe5 $1 20. Rc3 Bb2 21. Rb3 Rxb3 22. axb3 Ng4 {and Black has
3300serious pressure.}) 19... Na5 $1 {Defending the c-pawn and threatening ...Ba4
3301in some positions. Black is very active, just what we want in this variation!}
330220. Bd2 $2 {An error which allows a tactical shot.} ({It would have been
3303better to have played} 20. Nd2 {, aiming to meet} Bg6 {with} 21. Be4 {. Black
3304still holds an edge after} Bxe4 22. Nxe4 Qd5 23. Nc3 Qd7 24. Ne4 Qa4 $1 {.})
330520... Bb2 $1 {Taking advantage of some tactical tricks against the pawn on d4.
3306The rest of the game just requires some care on my part and the point is mine.}
330721. Qe1 (21. Rxb2 $2 Qxd4+ 22. e3 Qxb2 {.}) 21... Qxd4+ 22. e3 (22. Be3 Qxe5
330823. Bxa7 Bd4+ 24. Bxd4 Qxd4+ 25. Qf2 Qd6 {and Black has a big advantage.}) (22.
3309Qf2 Bg6 {.}) 22... Qd3 $1 {The resulting position after some exchanges is
3310winning for Black.} 23. Rxb2 Rxb2 24. Bxa5 Rc2 $1 {White is running out of
3311moves. Most of his options lose some kind of material.} 25. Bf3 c3 26. Qd1 Qxd1
331227. Bxd1 Rc1 28. Bb3 Bb5 29. Bxe6+ Kh8 30. Bxc3 Rxc3 31. Bf7 Rc1 0-1
3313
3314[Event "20: Belgium"]
3315[Site "?"]
3316[Date "2007.??.??"]
3317[Round "?"]
3318[White "Henrichs, T."]
3319[Black "Glek, I."]
3320[Result "1/2-1/2"]
3321[ECO "A96"]
3322[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
3323[PlyCount "85"]
3324[EventDate "2007.??.??"]
3325[Source "Everyman Chess"]
3326[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
3327
3328{In order to help you achieve a better understanding of the middlegame, we
3329will take a look at another typical position that arises from the Classical
3330Dutch.} 1. d4 f5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 e6 4. c4 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. O-O d6 7. Nc3 Ne4
33318. Qc2 Nxc3 9. Qxc3 a5 10. b3 {BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- What should Black play
3332here?} Bf6 $1 {Yes, either this move or ...Nc6 first. Black wants to play ...e5 with a good position.} 11. Bb2 Nc6 $1 {Increasing the pressure on d4 and
3333preparing to play ...e5.} 12. Rad1 Qe8 {Another typical manoeuvre!} 13. Rfe1 e5
3334$1 {Black has achieved an equal position just by playing standard moves.} 14.
3335dxe5 dxe5 15. e4 Qg6 $2 {This is a mistake.} ({Black should have played} 15...
3336fxe4 $1 {. For example,} 16. Nd2 (16. Rxe4 Bf5 17. Ree1 e4 {is winning for
3337Black}) 16... Bg4 17. Ra1 Nd4 $1 {and Black would have been better.}) 16. exf5
3338Bxf5 17. Qe3 e4 18. Nd4 Bxd4 19. Bxd4 Rad8 {The position is now roughly equal
3339but I will give you the rest of the moves for the sake of completeness.} 20. h3
3340h5 21. Bc3 Rd3 22. Rxd3 exd3 23. Qf4 Qd6 24. Qg5 Qg6 25. Qf4 Qd6 26. Bd5+ Kh7
334127. Qg5 Qh6 28. Qxh6+ Kxh6 29. Kg2 Rd8 30. a3 Rd7 31. f3 Ne7 32. Bd2+ Kh7 33.
3342Bxb7 c6 34. Ba8 Ra7 35. g4 hxg4 36. hxg4 Bg6 37. f4 Kg8 38. Re5 a4 39. bxa4
3343Rxa8 40. Rxe7 Rxa4 41. Bb4 c5 42. Bxc5 Rxc4 43. Be3 1/2-1/2
3344
3345[Event "?"]
3346[Site "?"]
3347[Date "????.??.??"]
3348[Round "?"]
3349[White "A: 7...Ne4 8 Qc2"]
3350[Black "?"]
3351[Result "*"]
3352[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
3353[PlyCount "19"]
3354[Source "Everyman Chess"]
3355[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
3356
33571. d4 f5 2. g3 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. c4 d6 7. Nc3 Ne4 8. Qc2 {
3358This is, without a doubt, White's most natural move and I am sure that if you
3359play ...Ne4, you will find that a lot of your opponents will respond with Qc2.
3360This move forces Black to make a decision about his knight on e4 and it also
3361helps White to play e4 at a later stage. --- Nonetheless, Qc2 is not
3362disconcerting and it seems that Black will obtain a good position in most
3363cases.} (8. Qd3 {has little independent value as the position will normally
3364transpose after} Nxc3 9. Qxc3 (9. bxc3 Nc6 10. e4 e5 {and Black is at least
3365equal.})) 8... Nxc3 9. Qxc3 ({White can also try} 9. bxc3 {but White will
3366always have a problem with his c-pawns.} Nc6 {and now White can choose between:
3367} 10. -- (10. d5 Na5 11. -- (11. Qa4 {defends the pawn on c4 and attacks
3368Black's knight on a5. White has to stop Black from playing ...e5, for example,}
3369b6 12. dxe6 (12. Nd4 e5 13. Nc6 Bd7 $1 14. Nxd8 Bxa4) 12... Bxe6 13. Nd4 Bxc4
337014. Nc6 (14. Bxa8 Qxa8 {gives Black good compensation on the light squares})
337114... Qd7 15. Nxe7+ Qxe7 16. Bxa8 Rxa8 {.}) (11. Nd4 e5 12. Ne6 Bxe6 13. dxe6
3372c6 {.}) (11. dxe6 Nxc4 $1 12. Nd4 d5 13. Nxf5 Bxe6 14. Nxe7+ Qxe7 15. e4 Qc5 {
3373is equal.})) (10. e4 e5 {takes us back to Shirov-Williams which we looked at
3374in the chapter introduction. --- Since that game I have had one more outing in
3375this variation, when again I got a good position from the opening. Here is
3376that game: D.Haydon-S.Williams, British League 2013:} 11. d5 {(closing the
3377centre can only benefit Black, as now White will always have extremely weak
3378c-pawns)} Na5 {(Black is slightly better)} 12. exf5 Bxf5 13. Qe2 Qe8 14. Nd2
3379Qa4 15. Be4 b6 16. h4 Rf7 17. Bxf5 Rxf5 18. Qe4 Raf8 19. Kg2 Nb7 20. Nb3 Qe8
338021. Be3 a5 22. Bg5 Bxg5 23. hxg5 Qg6 24. f3 Qxg5 25. Rh1 R8f7 26. Rh4 Rf4 27.
3381Rxf4 Rxf4 28. Qe3 Qg6 29. Rh1 h5 30. Rxh5 Qxh5 {½-½})) 9... a5 $1 {It is a
3382good idea to stop White from playing b4 as this move helps him to gain space
3383on the queenside. The move ...a5 also allows Black to obtain control of the
3384b4-square, for example, if White plays Re1, Black can reply with ...Bb4 at
3385some point. Moskalenko gives the move 9...a5 as dubious, but I have to
3386disagree with him on this point. He prefers 9...Bf6 but the move 10 b4 has
3387always scared me here. In my first book on the Dutch, Play the Classical Dutch,
3388I suggested the move 10...Nd7, but nowadays I prefer not to give my opponent
3389so much space on one area of the board. --- In my opinion, White's trickiest
3390moves are 10 Qc2 and 10 b3. 10 b3 is a very popular choice so Black should be
3391well prepared against this variation.} 10. -- ({a)} 10. Qc2) ({b)} 10. b3) *
3392
3393[Event "?"]
3394[Site "?"]
3395[Date "????.??.??"]
3396[Round "?"]
3397[White "A: 7...Ne4 8 Qc2"]
3398[Black "a) 10 Qc2"]
3399[Result "*"]
3400[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
3401[PlyCount "28"]
3402[Source "Everyman Chess"]
3403[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
3404
34051. d4 f5 2. g3 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. c4 d6 7. Nc3 Ne4 8. Qc2
3406Nxc3 9. Qxc3 a5 $1 10. Qc2 ({Let's take a quick look at some of White's other
3407options:} 10. Re1 {transposes back to a line that we looked at earlier on in
3408this book. The line started with 7...a5, for example, 7...a5 8 Re1 Ne4 etc.}) (
340910. a3 a4 $1 {This logical improvement is a novelty. Black takes control of
3410the queenside.} ({I have played} 10... Nc6 $6 {in the past but White may have
3411a small advantage after} 11. d5 $1) 11. Re1 Bf6 {(This is one of the rare
3412cases when Black can allow White to play e4. The reason for this is that Black
3413has good pressure against d4 and White cannot play b3 and Bb2 to defend this
3414square.)} 12. e4 fxe4 13. Rxe4 c5 14. Be3 cxd4 15. Nxd4 Na6 $1 {.}) 10... Bf6
341511. e4 Nc6 12. exf5 (12. d5 Nb4 13. Qe2 fxe4 14. Qxe4 exd5 15. cxd5 Re8 {.})
341612... Nxd4 13. Nxd4 Bxd4 14. fxe6 Bxe6 {. Black has a very satisfactory
3417position.} *
3418
3419[Event "?"]
3420[Site "?"]
3421[Date "????.??.??"]
3422[Round "?"]
3423[White "A: 7...Ne4 8 Qc2"]
3424[Black "b) 10 b3"]
3425[Result "*"]
3426[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
3427[PlyCount "32"]
3428[Source "Everyman Chess"]
3429[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
3430
34311. d4 f5 2. g3 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. c4 d6 7. Nc3 Ne4 8. Qc2
3432Nxc3 9. Qxc3 a5 $1 10. b3 {. --- BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- Many players will
3433choose to play b3 in this position as it is a very natural move that helps
3434White to complete his development. In some cases, White will aim for a small
3435edge in an ending. What should Black's plan be? --- The plan we are about to
3436look at is very important as it appears in several positions and is an idea
3437that you should remember...} Nc6 $1 11. Bb2 Bf6 $1 {Black is preparing to play
3438...e5 and there is nothing that White can do to stop it.} 12. Qd2 ({Or} 12.
3439Rad1 Qe8 $1 13. Qd2 {. --- BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- If it was White to play in
3440this position then the move d5! would be good as it destroys Black's pawn
3441structure. However, it is Black to play. What move should Black play here?} e5
3442$1 {Of course! O.Gladyszev-R.Pert, Montpellier 2003, now continued} 14. dxe5
3443dxe5 15. e4 f4 $5 {(a typical plan) and Black was doing well.}) 12... e5 13.
3444dxe5 dxe5 14. Qd5+ $1 {The black king is pushed offside which can only help
3445White in the endgame.} Kh8 15. Qxd8 Rxd8 16. Rfd1 {BRAINSTORMING POINT! ---
3446Black must watch out for the following plan: Rfd1, Ne1, Bxc6, Nd3 and then Nc5.
3447--- I originally studied this position with the Pert twins, who thought that
3448this was a good way for White to obtain a small but safe advantage. In actual
3449fact, this position can be quite dangerous for Black but with accurate play,
3450Black should be doing fine. --- White plans to move the knight on f3 to e1,
3451exchange on c6 and then plant the knight on c5. Black has a number of
3452interesting options here. --- BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- I will list all of
3453Black's sensible options, but if you are in a rush then a general rule is the
3454following: 1) Play ...Re8 if you are trying to win. --- 2) Play ...Rf8 if you
3455are happy with a draw.} -- {Black's available options are:} (16... Rf8 {This
3456has the idea of playing ...e4 and then capturing the bishop on f6 with the
3457rook to avoid being given doubled f-pawns.} 17. Ne1 e4 $1 {(Black should play
3458this move before White's knight can reach the active d3-square)} 18. Bxf6 Rxf6
3459{(with an equal position)} 19. f3 {(White must use this break to activate his
3460light-squared bishop)} Re6 $6 (19... exf3 $1 {was a lot simpler, for example,}
346120. exf3 f4 $5 21. Nd3 g5 {is equal}) 20. Nc2 Re8 (20... exf3 21. Bxf3 Re8 22.
3462Ne3 $1 {and White is better}) 21. Nd4 $2 (21. fxe4 fxe4 22. Ne3 {with a big
3463advantage to White}) 21... exf3 22. Bxf3 Nxd4 23. Rxd4 c6 24. Re1 {½-½ S.Knott-S.Williams, British Championship 2005.}) (16... Rg8 $5 {I played this
3464strange move on one occasion, but I expect that it is rather too imaginative.
3465The idea is to take advantage of the open g-file at a later stage. For example,
3466} 17. Ne1 e4 {(I wanted to play this advance before my opponent had a chance
3467to play Nd3)} 18. Rab1 $6 {Black has no difficulties after this move.} ({White
3468should have played} 18. Bxf6 gxf6 19. Nc2 $1 {which looks to be a bit better
3469for him. His knight has a nice route into the centre via e3 and d5.} ({Or} 19.
3470f3 f4 $1 {[this was the point behind 16...Rg8!?]} 20. gxf4 exf3 21. Nxf3 Bh3
347122. Nh4 Rxg2+ 23. Nxg2 Rg8 24. Rd3 $1 Bxg2 25. Rg3 Be4 {with a roughly equal
3472ending})) 18... a4 19. f3 axb3 20. axb3 Ra2 21. Bxf6 gxf6 22. Kf1 Re8 (22... f4
3473$5 23. gxf4 e3) 23. fxe4 fxe4 {. The position is equal, R.Abayasekera-S.Williams, English Border League 2005.}) (16... e4 {This looks OK for Black.}
347417. Rxd8+ (17. Bxf6 $2 Rxd1+ 18. Rxd1 exf3 {and Black will win material}) ({or
3475} 17. Ne5 $6 Rf8 18. Nxc6 Bxb2 {, and again Black is doing well}) 17... Bxd8
347618. Nd4 Bf6 19. Rd1 Bxd4 20. Bxd4 Nxd4 21. Rxd4 Be6 22. f3 exf3 23. Bxf3 c6 {
3477, with an equal game.}) (16... Be6 {This is the most logical way to play
3478against White's set-up but it may not be the best solution.} 17. Ne1 $1 {(this
3479retreat is very annoying; as always, the threat is Bxc6 and Nd3-c5)} e4 (17...
3480Rxd1 {also looks very sensible;} 18. Rxd1 Rd8 {was S.Johann-R.Forthofer,
3481Oberliga Sued 2010, but White can claim an edge after} 19. Rxd8+ Nxd8 20. e4 $1
3482) 18. Bxf6 gxf6 19. f3 $1 {and White is slightly better.}) (16... Re8 $1 {This
3483may be the best move. --- BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- The rook gives extra
3484protection to the e5-pawn from e8 making it possible to generate quick
3485counterplay on the queenside with ...a4. --- The position looks equal, for
3486example,} 17. Ne1 a4 $1 18. Bxc6 bxc6 {(Black is planning to play 19...Rb8 on
3487his next move and increase the pressure against b3)} 19. f4 exf4 20. Bxf6 gxf6
3488{with an equal game.}) *
3489
3490[Event "?"]
3491[Site "?"]
3492[Date "????.??.??"]
3493[Round "?"]
3494[White "B: 7...Ne4 8 Nxe4!"]
3495[Black "?"]
3496[Result "*"]
3497[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
3498[PlyCount "23"]
3499[Source "Everyman Chess"]
3500[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
3501
35021. d4 e6 2. Nf3 f5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. c4 d6 7. Nc3 Ne4 8. Nxe4
3503$1 {This is a very annoying move to face and I have noticed that it has become
3504increasingly popular over the last couple of years. If White continues to play
3505accurately then he has good chances of gaining an advantage. --- Recently, I
3506have found some interesting ideas for Black that need to be explored further.}
3507fxe4 9. Nd2 $1 {This is the only way to fight for the initiative.} (9. Ne1 $6 {
3508is another option but this retreat is far too passive and Black is equal with
3509best play. I would suggest that you take a look at Krasenkow-Williams in the
3510introduction to this chapter to see my theoretical suggestions in this
3511variation.}) 9... d5 10. f3 $1 {White aims for a small but safe advantage.} ({
3512I have looked at a number of possibilities here. For example, White can start
3513to consolidate his position by playing} 10. e3 $6 {but this seems a little
3514slow. --- BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- If White can play f3 on the next move then
3515he will still have an advantage so Black should play actively. What should
3516Black play?} c5 $1 {(a good counterattacking move!)} 11. dxc5 Bxc5 12. Nb3 Na6
3517{with an equal position.}) ({White's other tenth move option is} 10. Nb1 Nc6
351811. Nc3 b6 12. e3 Na5 $1 {where the position is equal. In general, if White is
3519forced to capture on d5 then Black will be doing well, as his e-pawns are no
3520longer doubled.}) 10... Nc6 $1 {I am going to be brave and award this move an
3521exclamation mark! The reason for this is that it appears to be the only move
3522that offers Black active play. I always try to avoid capturing on f3 for as
3523long as possible because then the position becomes quite dull.} ({Other
3524options include:} 10... exf3 {. Black is slightly worse after this move, for
3525example, S.Knott-D.Ledger, Hastings Masters, 2006, continued,} 11. Nxf3 Nc6 12.
3526Be3 {(This is the main difference between this variation and the one where
3527White plays 11 e3 followed by f3. This line is favourable for White as he can
3528now place his bishop on this square.)} b6 13. Rc1 Qd7 14. b4 $5 Bxb4 15. cxd5
3529exd5 16. Qb3 Bb7 17. Rxc6 Qxc6 18. Qxb4 {and White has a clear advantage.}) (
353010... e3 {was played in another game between S.Knott-D.Ledger, British
3531Championship 2006, but also falls short.} 11. Nb1 dxc4 12. Bxe3 Bf6 13. Nd2 (
353213. Na3 $1 {is even stronger}) 13... Bxd4 14. Nxc4 e5 15. f4 {was better for
3533White.}) (10... c5 $5 {looks like the most interesting response and is a move
3534that needs to be investigated further, for example,} 11. fxe4 Rxf1+ 12. Qxf1
3535dxe4 13. dxc5 Qd4+ 14. Kh1 Bd7 15. Nxe4 Bc6 16. e3 Qe5 17. Qf4 Nd7 {with a
3536murky position. T.Iljin-A.Obukhov, Alushta 2008.}) 11. fxe4 (11. e3 {is a safe
3537option but Black has gained a useful tempo, as the moves ...Nc6 and e3 have
3538already been played. The position is roughly equal after} exf3 12. Nxf3 {and
3539now Black has three options:} -- (12... b6 {is often the best way for Black to
3540develop his light-squared bishop.} 13. b3 Bb7 14. Bb2 Qd7 15. Qc2 Rf7 $5 {with
3541the idea of playing ...Raf8. I see no reason why Black should be worse here
3542but unfortunately, White's play in this variation can be quite frustrating for
3543Black.}) (12... Qd6 $5 13. b3 a5 14. Bb2 b6 {is interesting.}) (12... Bf6 {was
3544played in R.Schmid-S.Halkias, Wunsiede 2014. This and Black's subsequent plan
3545of playing ...dxc4 and ...e5 is an interesting way of trying to force some
3546life into the variation. The game continued} 13. Bd2 a5 14. Rc1 Kh8 $5 {(Black
3547prepares to play ...e5; this is a good way to change the symmetrical pawn
3548structure and play for a win)} 15. Ne1 dxc4 $1 16. Rxc4 (16. Qh5 $1 {was the
3549best move, with some pressure against Black's king, for example,} g6 17. Qe2 e5
355018. d5 Nb4 19. Qxc4 c6 20. Bxb4 cxd5 21. Bxd5 axb4 22. Qxb4 Bh3 {, when Black
3551should be fine}) 16... e5 $1 {(this is certainly a plan well worth remembering)
3552} 17. d5 Ne7 18. e4 c6 19. Be3 cxd5 20. exd5 Nf5 21. Bc5 Be7 22. Bxe7 Qxe7 23.
3553Qc1 Bd7 24. Rc7 Nd4 25. Qe3 Rxf1+ 26. Bxf1 Rf8 27. Bg2 Qd6 28. Rxb7 Bc8 {0-1.})
3554) 11... Rxf1+ {White has a strong centre but Black can often gain counterplay
3555with his queenside pawns. What we have in front of us is a very dynamic and
3556interesting position, and also a position that is fairly unexplored. --- I had
3557an interesting conversation with GM Ivan Sokolov about this position after I
3558lost to him at the 2012 Reykjavik Open (you will find this game later on).
3559During our conversation, he admitted that he deliberately wanted to avoid this
3560variation. He explained afterwards that he thought Black had very good
3561activity and as a result, he opted not to play into this line, as he could not
3562find any obvious way for White to gain an advantage - a promising sign for
3563Black! --- White now has a number of ways of capturing on f1: a)} 12. Qxf1 ({b)
3564} 12. Bxf1) ({c)} 12. Kxf1 $5) ({d)} 12. Nxf1) *
3565
3566[Event "?"]
3567[Site "?"]
3568[Date "????.??.??"]
3569[Round "?"]
3570[White "B: 7...Ne4 8 Nxe4!"]
3571[Black "a) 12 Qxf1"]
3572[Result "*"]
3573[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
3574[PlyCount "38"]
3575[Source "Everyman Chess"]
3576[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
3577
35781. d4 e6 2. Nf3 f5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. c4 d6 7. Nc3 Ne4 8. Nxe4
3579fxe4 9. Nd2 d5 10. f3 Nc6 11. fxe4 Rxf1+ 12. Qxf1 {This was played against me
3580by a grandmaster but I achieved a good position after:} Nxd4 13. exd5 Nc2 {
3581Unfortunately, there is no record of the game and my memory is not what it
3582used to be. Black has nothing to be afraid of here, for example:} 14. Rb1 Ne3 {
3583Black is a pawn down but by eliminating the light-squared bishop, he has
3584guaranteed himself good compensation in the long run. Active play for a pawn
3585is just what we want when playing the Dutch!} 15. Qf3 Nxg2 16. Kxg2 exd5 (16...
3586Qd7 $5 {is the move that I played in the game mentioned above. My plan is to
3587threaten a queen check on h3 at some point.}) 17. Qxd5+ ({It is a bit risky
3588keeping the queens on the board with} 17. cxd5 {. Black has good play after
3589both} c6 ({and} 17... Qd6 {.})) 17... Qxd5+ 18. cxd5 Bg4 19. e4 Re8 {. Black
3590will play ...Bg5 next with an equal position.} *
3591
3592[Event "?"]
3593[Site "?"]
3594[Date "????.??.??"]
3595[Round "?"]
3596[White "B: 7...Ne4 8 Nxe4!"]
3597[Black "b) 12 Bxf1"]
3598[Result "*"]
3599[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
3600[PlyCount "30"]
3601[Source "Everyman Chess"]
3602[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
3603
36041. d4 e6 2. Nf3 f5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. c4 d6 7. Nc3 Ne4 8. Nxe4
3605fxe4 9. Nd2 d5 10. f3 Nc6 11. fxe4 Rxf1+ 12. Bxf1 {To my knowledge this move
3606has not been played in any games yet. It looks rather passive and Black should
3607be fine after:} Nxd4 13. cxd5 (13. e3 {looks very natural as White would love
3608to force the knight on d4 away, yet Black does not have to retreat.} dxe4 $1
360914. Nxe4 (14. exd4 {is much better for Black after} Qxd4+ 15. Kh1 e3) 14... Nf5
361015. Qxd8+ Bxd8 {with an equal position.}) 13... exd5 14. Nb3 $1 {Black has an
3611advantage against other options.} Nxb3 15. Qxb3 c6 {. This is unexplored
3612territory, but equal unexplored territory! Black certainly has nothing to fear
3613in this position.} *
3614
3615[Event "?"]
3616[Site "?"]
3617[Date "????.??.??"]
3618[Round "?"]
3619[White "B: 7...Ne4 8 Nxe4!"]
3620[Black "c) 12 Kxf1!?"]
3621[Result "*"]
3622[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
3623[PlyCount "25"]
3624[Source "Everyman Chess"]
3625[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
3626
36271. d4 e6 2. Nf3 f5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. c4 d6 7. Nc3 Ne4 8. Nxe4
3628fxe4 9. Nd2 d5 10. f3 Nc6 11. fxe4 Rxf1+ 12. Kxf1 $5 {This has been praised by
3629a number of people on the Chess Publishing forum. Originally, I did not
3630believe this idea, as it just looks too odd moving the king to f1, but the
3631more I look into it, the more I believe that it could be White's best option.}
3632dxc4 {BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- This is often the correct way for Black to
3633continue in this rather complex and obscure variation. By capturing on c4 he
3634creates pressure against White's pawn on d4. White now has two critical
3635continuations:} 13. -- ({c1)} 13. e3) ({c2)} 13. Nf3) (13. Nxc4 Qxd4 {is equal.
3636}) *
3637
3638[Event "?"]
3639[Site "?"]
3640[Date "????.??.??"]
3641[Round "?"]
3642[White "B: 7...Ne4 8 Nxe4!"]
3643[Black "c1) 13 e3"]
3644[Result "*"]
3645[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
3646[PlyCount "31"]
3647[Source "Everyman Chess"]
3648[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
3649
36501. d4 e6 2. Nf3 f5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. c4 d6 7. Nc3 Ne4 8. Nxe4
3651fxe4 9. Nd2 d5 10. f3 Nc6 11. fxe4 Rxf1+ 12. Kxf1 dxc4 13. e3 {After 13 e3,
3652Black has a choice between two interesting moves, but after some thought it
3653seems to me that the best choice is 13...Na5, so we will mainly concentrate on
3654that move.} Na5 {This move guards the pawn on c4 and makes it possible for
3655Black to play ...c5, attacking White's pawn centre.} ({The other option was} 
365613... e5 {. This is the move that we would like to play, as our bishop on c8
3657can now join the action, but the subsequent positions seem to be better for
3658White. For example, play could continue} 14. d5 Na5 15. Nf3 $1 {(White has
3659really been relying on this move, the main idea of which is to play Bd2)} b6 ({
3660after} 15... b5 $5 16. Nxe5 Bf6 17. Ng4 Nc6 18. Kg1 Ne5 19. Nxe5 Bxe5 20. Qc2 {
3661White is a pawn up and therefore has a slight advantage, but more importantly,
3662he is planning to play a4 next}) (15... Bd6 {may also be worth investigating})
366316. Nxe5 Bc5 17. Nf3 Bg4 18. Kg1 {. This looks better for White. Black needs
3664to find an improvement somewhere in this variation!}) 14. Qa4 $1 {This is the
3665only way for White to try and gain an advantage.} c5 ({Black does have another
3666worthy alternative:} 14... b6 $5 {. I believe that "Dean" on the Chess
3667Publishing forum was the first person to suggest this move. It is a very
3668tricky move for White to deal with and this looks like a good alternative to
366914...c5 to me, for example,} 15. Kg1 $1 (15. Nxc4 Ba6 16. b3 c6 {is winning
3670for Black; the move ...b5 will be played in the near future}) 15... Bd7 16. Qc2
3671b5 $5 {with a typically unbalanced situation that requires practical tests.})
367215. Nxc4 (15. d5 {allows Black the option of forcing the draw after} b5 $5 16.
3673Qxb5 Bd7 17. Qa6 Bc8 {etc.}) 15... Nc6 $1 ({This is better than} 15... Nxc4 16.
3674Qxc4 Bd7 17. Kg1 Rc8 18. d5 b5 19. Qc2 Qb6 {, which looks better for White. I
3675doubt whether Black has enough compensation for the pawn.}) 16. -- {White must
3676now choose between:} (16. e5 {This is less taxing for Black compared to 16 d5
3677and it seems that with correct play the position should end in a draw, for
3678example:} cxd4 17. exd4 Nxd4 18. Nd6 Bxd6 ({Black could try} 18... Nc6 {, but
3679I do not totally believe this move after} 19. Bf4 Nxe5 20. Bxe5 Bxd6 21. Bxd6
3680Qxd6 22. Rd1 Qe7 {. Black is a pawn up, but White has good compensation due to
3681Black's undeveloped queenside}) 19. exd6 e5 $1 20. Bg5 $5 Qxd6 ({avoiding} 
368220... Qxg5 $4 21. Qe8#) 21. Qe8+ Qf8+ 22. Qxf8+ Kxf8 23. Re1 Nc6 24. Bxc6 bxc6
368325. Rxe5 {The position is equal.}) (16. d5 {This looks very natural. Black
3684should now avoid playing the obvious 16...Nb4. A more promising continuation
3685is:} b5 $1 {Sacrificing a pawn for active play. Play could now continue:} 17.
3686Qxb5 Nb4 {Black is now aiming to play ...Ba6, which is the real idea behind
3687Black's 16...b5! move.} 18. Qa4 Ba6 19. a3 $5 {More complications!} exd5 20.
3688axb4 dxe4 21. bxc5 Qd3+ {Reaching a complex position which my computer gives
3689as equal. Yet another crazy variation!}) *
3690
3691[Event "?"]
3692[Site "?"]
3693[Date "????.??.??"]
3694[Round "?"]
3695[White "B: 7...Ne4 8 Nxe4!"]
3696[Black "c2) 13 Nf3"]
3697[Result "*"]
3698[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
3699[PlyCount "36"]
3700[Source "Everyman Chess"]
3701[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
3702
37031. d4 e6 2. Nf3 f5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. c4 d6 7. Nc3 Ne4 8. Nxe4
3704fxe4 9. Nd2 d5 10. f3 Nc6 11. fxe4 Rxf1+ 12. Kxf1 dxc4 13. Nf3 {This is the
3705computer's first choice and initially the machine slightly favours White, yet
3706it seems that Black can hold the balance with:} b5 (13... Bd7 {is also
3707interesting, but White should be a bit better after} 14. d5 $1 {, for example,}
3708Be8 15. Bf4 exd5 16. exd5 Nb4 17. Ne5 {. Now} g5 {is interesting, but I do not
3709really trust this move, as it seems a little bit too wild, even for me!}) 14.
3710Be3 (14. a4 b4 (14... bxa4 {could be worth investigating}) 15. Be3 Nb8 {
3711transposes.}) 14... Rb8 15. a4 ({White can also try} 15. Bh3 {which is a
3712typical computer move, but Black is holding the balance after something like}
3713a6 16. Kg2 Qe8 17. d5 Nd8 18. dxe6 Bxe6 19. Bxe6+ Nxe6 20. Qd5 Bf6 21. e5 Rd8
371422. Qb7 Be7 23. Qxa6 Bc5 {. Black has compensation for the sacrificed pawn.})
371515... b4 {This position seems dynamically unbalanced and interesting. Black's
3716queenside majority is looking active, but White also has a very strong centre.
3717Play could continue:} 16. d5 Na5 17. Bxa7 $6 {White should probably avoid
3718capturing this pawn as now Black gets the initiative.} ({A better move would
3719have been} 17. Rc1 {with equality.}) 17... Ra8 18. Be3 Nb3 {. I prefer Black
3720here. It is clear to see that these lines are all very complex though. It
3721would be good to get more practical examples, as then we can give a better
3722assessment of this whole variation.} *
3723
3724[Event "?"]
3725[Site "?"]
3726[Date "????.??.??"]
3727[Round "?"]
3728[White "B: 7...Ne4 8 Nxe4!"]
3729[Black "d) 12 Nxf1"]
3730[Result "*"]
3731[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
3732[PlyCount "26"]
3733[Source "Everyman Chess"]
3734[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
3735
37361. d4 e6 2. Nf3 f5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. c4 d6 7. Nc3 Ne4 8. Nxe4
3737fxe4 9. Nd2 d5 10. f3 Nc6 11. fxe4 Rxf1+ 12. Nxf1 {This move is the most
3738popular way to play for White, but 12 Kxf1!? is a move that may well place
3739more pressure on Black's position.} dxc4 13. Be3 $1 {We have reached the
3740critical position of this variation. White has a strong centre but the
3741position remains dynamic. Black also has a number of interesting possibilities
3742as this game shows. 13 e3 is an error as it allows Black to play 13...e5! when
3743his pieces will become active. It now seems like Black has two interesting
3744ways of playing the position.} -- ({d1)} 13... Qd7 $6) ({d2)} 13... Bd7) *
3745
3746[Event "?"]
3747[Site "?"]
3748[Date "????.??.??"]
3749[Round "?"]
3750[White "B: 7...Ne4 8 Nxe4!"]
3751[Black "d1) 13...Qd7?!"]
3752[Result "*"]
3753[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
3754[PlyCount "49"]
3755[Source "Everyman Chess"]
3756[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
3757
37581. d4 e6 2. Nf3 f5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. c4 d6 7. Nc3 Ne4 8. Nxe4
3759fxe4 9. Nd2 d5 10. f3 Nc6 11. fxe4 Rxf1+ 12. Nxf1 dxc4 13. Be3 Qd7 $6 {At
3760first glance, this move looks strange but it does make sense for the following
3761reasons: 1) Black keeps the pressure against d4. --- 2) Black plans to play ...Rb8 and ...b5. The queen on d7 conveniently defends the Black knight on c6.
3762--- 3) Eventually Black wants to fianchetto his light-squared bishop. --- I
3763would suggest that you only use this as a surprise weapon though.} 14. e5 {
3764This is quite a logical reply as White wants to increase the pressure along
3765the a8-h1 diagonal and in some cases, threaten to play d5.} ({White's other
3766options include:} 14. d5 Ne5 15. Bd4 (15. Bh3 Qe8 {looks fine for Black}) 15...
3767Nf7 $1 (15... Ng4 $5) 16. Qc2 b5 17. a4 c6 {. This is Albrecht's analysis from
3768the Chess Publishing forum. I have to admit it that the analysis looks good as
3769Black has a decent position.}) (14. Nd2 $1 {This is the move that I would be
3770most afraid of, and it does make ...Qd7?! look slightly dubious:} Nxd4 15. Nxc4
3771c5 16. Bf4 $1 {. This is a good square for the bishop and White also has ideas
3772of playing e3. I expect that White has a small advantage here, for example,}
3773Qb5 $5 (16... g5 {is suggested by my computer but Black's king just looks too
3774exposed!}) 17. b3 e5 $5 {(attempting to sacrifice a pawn to bring the
3775light-squared bishop to life)} 18. Bxe5 Bg4 19. Bxd4 cxd4 {and White has a
3776healthy extra pawn.}) 14... Rb8 ({Unfortunately, Black cannot play} 14... b5 $2
3777{due to} 15. d5 {, which wins material.}) 15. d5 (15. Rc1 {is another line
3778that "Mouse slip" suggests on the Chess Publishing forum. His analysis is as
3779follows:} b5 16. d5 Nxe5 17. Qd4 Bd6 18. Qxa7 c6 {.}) 15... Nxe5 ({"Mouse
3780slip" now provides us with the following interesting analysis:} 15... Nb4 $1
378116. dxe6 Qxd1 (16... Qb5 $5) 17. Rxd1 Bxe6 18. Bxa7 Ra8 19. Bd4 Rd8 {. This is
3782the end of Albrecht's analysis and yet again I am impressed, as Black's
3783position is fine, for example,} 20. Rd2 b6 21. a3 Nd3 $5 22. exd3 Rxd4 23. dxc4
3784Bc5 $1 {. Black is currently two pawns down but the power of his bishops will
3785become overwhelming!}) 16. Qd4 Qd6 $2 {This is the real mistake.} ({"Mouse
3786slip" points out that he should have played} 16... Bd6 {with a dynamically
3787equal position, for example,} 17. Qxa7 (17. Nd2 $5) 17... c6 18. dxc6 Nxc6 19.
3788Qb6 Ra8 $1 {, "Albrecht's" idea "is to play ...Ra6 next with a good game".})
378917. Bf4 Bf6 18. Qxa7 {White is clearly better now. This is a real shame as
3790Black had spent a lot of time preparing this line.} c6 19. dxc6 bxc6 20. Rd1 $1
3791{This wins material and the game.} Qxd1 21. Qxb8 Ng4 22. Qxc8+ Kf7 23. Bf3 Bd4+
379224. Kg2 Qe1 25. Qd7+ {1-0 R.Stern-R.Albrecht, Berlin-Lichtenberg Open 2010.} *
3793
3794[Event "?"]
3795[Site "?"]
3796[Date "????.??.??"]
3797[Round "?"]
3798[White "B: 7...Ne4 8 Nxe4!"]
3799[Black "d2) 13...Bd7!?"]
3800[Result "*"]
3801[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
3802[PlyCount "27"]
3803[Source "Everyman Chess"]
3804[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
3805
38061. d4 e6 2. Nf3 f5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. c4 d6 7. Nc3 Ne4 8. Nxe4
3807fxe4 9. Nd2 d5 10. f3 Nc6 11. fxe4 Rxf1+ 12. Nxf1 dxc4 13. Be3 Bd7 $5 {This
3808looks like the most logical continuation. Black develops a piece and after the
3809move ...b5, Black will then be able to meet a4 with ...a6, holding his
3810queenside pawn structure together, due to the fact that the queen now defends
3811the rook on a8. --- Black may also choose to re-route the light-squared bishop
3812with the moves ...Be8 and then ...Bh5. The position is fairly unknown so it
3813would be good to see some more practical examples. White has a number of
3814possibilities now:} 14. -- (14. Nd2 $6 {Paul Cumbers mentioned on the Chess
3815Publishing forum that this move is probably a mistake due to:} Nxd4 $1 {A nice
3816tactical shot. For example:} 15. Bxd4 Ba4 $1 16. Qxa4 Qxd4+ 17. Kh1 Qxd2 18.
3817Qxc4 Qxb2 19. Qxe6+ Kh8 20. Rf1 Bd6 (20... Bf6 $5 {was also interesting}) 21.
3818e5 Qxe2 22. Qd5 Qxe5 23. Qxb7 {The most likely result seems to be a draw here,
3819but White has had to play some accurate moves and Black was never in danger.})
3820(14. Bh3 $5 {Another interesting suggestion from Paul Cumbers. By placing the
3821bishop on this square, White applies pressure to Black's pawn on e6. With
3822correct play Black seems to be OK:} e5 $6 {Making a break for freedom looks
3823very logical,} ({but other moves worth investigating include} 14... Be8) ({and
3824} 14... Qe8) 15. Bxd7 Qxd7 16. d5 ({if White tries} 16. dxe5 {, Black should
3825play} Rd8 $1) 16... Na5 17. Bd2 $5 Qb5 18. Kg2 Rf8 {Black's knight is out of
3826play but White has a slightly weakened kingside, due to the exchange of
3827light-squared bishops.} 19. Bc3 Bc5 20. Kh1 b6 $5 {Black's knight on a5 is
3828coming back into the game via b7 and d6. The position is dynamically equal.}) (
382914. Bf2 {White's bishop is often quite exposed on e3, so this is a useful move
3830to play. Black should now start typical play on the queenside: BRAINSTORMING
3831POINT! --- Black must gain active play on the queenside in this variation as
3832the queenside is where Black has the pawn majority. The normal way for Black
3833to do this is by playing ...b5, ...Rb8, ...Na5/...Nb4 and ...Bc6. Remember
3834this plan!} b5 $1 15. e5 Rb8 {Black is doing great.}) (14. e5 {This is a
3835logical idea. The fact that I have faced this move three times (with a 100%
3836score!) also tends to suggest that you are likely to encounter 14 e5. It now
3837seems that Black has two decent ways of proceeding. I will give both
3838variations, as it is always nice to have choices in life (and on the
3839chessboard).} -- (14... Be8 $5 {We saw this move being used in my introductory
3840game against Kojima. ...Bd7 and ...Be8 is a plan often seen in the French.
3841Black should have nothing to worry about here. I have to admit that I consider
3842this move to be stronger than 14...Rb8, for example:} 15. Be4 ({or} 15. Rc1 b5
384316. b3 Ba3 17. bxc4 $5 ({other moves leave Black with a better position - take
3844a look at my game against Kojima for} 17. Rc2) 17... Bxc1 {. White has
3845compensation for the exchange but nothing more. We took a look at this in one
3846of the introductory games to this chapter. I suggest you go over that game to
3847get a better understanding of this variation}) 15... Bg6 $5 {Destroying the
3848pawn formation in order to take control of the d5-square.} ({It is worth
3849pointing out that} 15... Qd7 $5 {is also interesting, with the idea of playing
3850...Rd8 next}) 16. Bxg6 hxg6 17. Nd2 Qd5 18. Nf3 Qe4 {. With an equal game.}) (
385114... Rb8 {I tried this idea twice in 2011, with a 100% success rate. For
3852example:} 15. Rc1 ({the other move tried against me was} 15. Be4 Nb4 16. a3 $2
3853({I was more concerned about} 16. Qb1 {which I consider to be critical}) 16...
3854Bc6 17. Qb1 Bxe4 18. Qxe4 Nd5 19. Bf2 Qe8 20. Qg4 Qf7 21. e4 Rf8 22. Qe2 Nb6
385523. Nd2 Bg5 24. Be3 Bxe3+ 25. Qxe3 Qh5 26. Kg2 Rd8 27. Rc1 c5 28. dxc5 Rd3 29.
3856Qf2 Nd7 30. Rxc4 $4 Nxe5 31. Rd4 Ng4 32. Rxd3 Qxh2+ {0-1 G.Lock-S.Williams,
3857Sunningdale 2011}) 15... b5 16. a3 Na5 17. d5 Nb3 18. Rc3 Bc6 $1 19. Bxa7 Ra8
385820. Bf2 Bxd5 21. e4 Bb7 22. Qg4 Ra6 {I was clearly better and managed to
3859convert my advantage in the game J.L.Chabanon-S Williams, French League 2011.})
3860) (14. Rc1 {This seems like a logical move but it does also encourage Black to
3861continue in standard fashion with ...b5, etc.} b5 {This is certainly the move
3862to play as I no longer have to worry about a4. Originally, I assumed that
3863White's central pawn formation would always be stronger than Black's queenside
3864pawn majority, but this is not always the case, as shown in the game.} 15. e5 {
3865A very logical idea. The first time I encountered this position I now had a
3866moment of semi-madness...} Nb4 $6 {This move is probably unsound but I assumed
3867that I would always get good compensation after the exchange on a8 takes place.
3868White always has to be wary of his weak light squares.} ({A much safer and
3869possibly better option would have been to play} 15... Rb8 {, preparing to play
3870...Nb4 but without losing the rook on a8! (this position has actually appeared
3871earlier in the book). The position is roughly equal here, for example,} 16. Nd2
3872Nb4 (16... Bg5 $5) 17. Ne4 Nxa2 18. Ra1 Nb4 19. Rxa7 Bc6 {and the opening has
3873been a success}) 16. Bxa8 {The only way to refute a sacrifice is to accept it!}
3874Qxa8 17. a3 {White should certainly avoid losing this pawn otherwise Black's
3875queenside pawn majority can become deadly.} Nd5 18. Bf2 Nb6 {I have to try and
3876stop my opponent from playing e4, as this move would shut the long diagonal.
3877My knight can also be a bit of a nuisance on a4.} 19. g4 $2 {White has played
3878well up to this point but this is clearly the wrong plan.} ({A better idea
3879would have been to play} 19. Nd2 $1 {. Here, the knight controls the important
3880e4- and f3-squares. Play could continue} Bc6 20. e3 Bh1 21. Qf1 {and there is
3881no obvious way for me to continue. White also has some re-arranging to do, but
3882all in all, an extra exchange must count for something!}) 19... Bg5 ({I could
3883also have played} 19... Qe4 $5 {which is fine for Black}) 20. Ra1 $6 {Another
3884error.} ({White should have tried} 20. e3 {, which may still be a bit better
3885for him, for example,} Bc6 21. Nd2 $1 Bh1 22. Qf1) 20... Qe4 $1 21. Ng3 Qxg4
388622. e4 Qxd1+ $5 {An interesting choice. I thought that the endgame would be
3887dangerous for White.} ({Another sensible plan would have been to play} 22...
3888Qf4 {, which keeps the queens on the board}) 23. Rxd1 Na4 $1 24. Rb1 {White's
3889minor pieces are very badly placed as they are all tied down to defending.} Bc6
3890$1 {Stopping the white knight from moving. Black's position is much more
3891favourable.} 25. d5 $5 (25. Kg2 c3 26. bxc3 Nxc3 27. Rb2 Nxe4 28. Nxe4 Bxe4+
389229. Kg3 a6 {looks better for me due to the strength of my light-squared bishop}
3893) 25... exd5 26. exd5 Bxd5 27. Bd4 $2 {This move throws away the game as my
3894pawns prove to be too strong.} ({White had to try} 27. Bxa7 {when Black has an
3895advantage but White can still hang on, for example,} c5 28. Kf2 Kf7 29. Ke2 Ke6
3896{. Compared to the game, White has an extra pawn but I expect that Black is
3897still winning here}) 27... c5 28. Bc3 Kf7 29. Kf2 $6 (29. Nf5 {was a better
3898way of creating some counterplay. Black still has a big advantage after the
3899simple} Nxc3 30. bxc3 a6) 29... Ke6 {. The rest was easy in S.Sen-S.Williams,
3900Uxbridge 2010.}) (14. -- {Conclusion: Let's try and sum up what we have learnt
3901from the last two games. One thing is certain: there is still a lot of room
3902for improvement for both sides. --- The current evidence suggests that 13...Bd7 is fine for Black. This move is better than 13...Qd7, which runs into
3903problems when White replies with 14 Nd2. White may even have to start looking
3904for an advantage at an earlier moment with 12 Kxf1!? Only time can tell!}) *
3905
3906[Event "?"]
3907[Site "?"]
3908[Date "????.??.??"]
3909[Round "?"]
3910[White "C: Other 8th moves"]
3911[Black "?"]
3912[Result "*"]
3913[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
3914[PlyCount "18"]
3915[Source "Everyman Chess"]
3916[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
3917
39181. d4 e6 2. c4 f5 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. g3 Be7 5. Bg2 O-O 6. O-O d6 7. Nc3 Ne4 {There
3919are really only two moves that Black needs to be familiar with: 8 Qc2 and 8
3920Nxe4. Everything else should leave Black with a comfortable game. We are going
3921to have a look at these other options now:} 8. Bd2 {This is the move that
3922Sokolov played against me. It seems a bit unnatural to allow me to capture
3923this bishop.} ({Others:} 8. Qb3 Bf6 (8... Nxc3 {may transpose back to the 8
3924Qc2 variation after Qxc3 but Black is not forced to capture on c3}) 9. Nxe4 {
3925(otherwise Black will play ...Nxc3 followed by ...e5 at the right moment)} fxe4
392610. Nd2 Bxd4 {(Black has captured a useful central pawn)} 11. Nxe4 Bb6 12. Qc2
3927h6 13. e3 Nc6 {with an equal game.}) (8. Qd3 Nxc3 {will transpose to 8 Qc2
3928Nxc3 which we looked at previously.}) (8. Re1 {is a new idea. The rook will
3929eventually add extra support to e4 but at this moment in time, it is doing
3930nothing.} Nc6 $5 9. d5 Nxc3 10. bxc3 Na5 {looks fine for Black.}) 8... Nc6 $5 {
3931After 8 Bd2, I played the following against Sokolov!} (8... Bf6 {also looks
3932like a good move, for example,} 9. Qc2 Nxd2 10. Qxd2 e5 {and Black is doing
3933well.}) 9. d5 Nxd2 {. In the game Sokolov-Williams, we saw that I was at least
3934equal in this position.} *
3935
3936[Event "?"]
3937[Site "?"]
3938[Date "????.??.??"]
3939[Round "?"]
3940[White "Test your Knowledge! 3"]
3941[Black "?"]
3942[Result "*"]
3943[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
3944[PlyCount "1"]
3945[SourceDate "2015.05.12"]
3946
3947{7...Ne4: Have you really got to grips with this chapter!?} 1. -- {We have now
3948arrived at the third set of tests. This time the tests are based around 7...Ne4. These tests will verify whether the main points of the chapter have been
3949fully understood. The tests should not be too difficult to solve, especially
3950if you have read the chapter in full.} *
3951
3952[Event "?"]
3953[Site "?"]
3954[Date "????.??.??"]
3955[Round "?"]
3956[White "Test 3.1"]
3957[Black "?"]
3958[Result "*"]
3959[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
3960[SetUp "1"]
3961[FEN "rnbq1rk1/ppp1b1pp/3pp3/5p2/2PPn3/2N2NP1/PP2PPBP/R1BQ1RK1 w - - 0 8"]
3962[PlyCount "1"]
3963[Source "Everyman Chess"]
3964[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
3965
39668. -- {How can White fight for an advantage in this position? --- See the
3967following game for the solution.} *
3968
3969[Event "?"]
3970[Site "?"]
3971[Date "????.??.??"]
3972[Round "?"]
3973[White "Answer 3.1"]
3974[Black "?"]
3975[Result "*"]
3976[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
3977[SetUp "1"]
3978[FEN "rnbq1rk1/ppp1b1pp/3pp3/5p2/2PPn3/2N2NP1/PP2PPBP/R1BQ1RK1 w - - 0 8"]
3979[PlyCount "1"]
3980[Source "Everyman Chess"]
3981[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
3982
39838. Nxe4 $1 {. Capturing on e4 is nearly always the move that Black must watch
3984out for! --- See the following game for the next exercise.} *
3985
3986[Event "?"]
3987[Site "?"]
3988[Date "????.??.??"]
3989[Round "?"]
3990[White "Test 3.2"]
3991[Black "?"]
3992[Result "*"]
3993[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
3994[SetUp "1"]
3995[FEN "r1bq2k1/ppp1b1pp/2n1p3/8/2pPP3/4B1P1/PP2P1BP/R2Q1NK1 b - - 0 13"]
3996[PlyCount "1"]
3997[Source "Everyman Chess"]
3998[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
3999
400013... -- {In this critical position, what move should Black play and why? ---
4001See the following game for the solution.} *
4002
4003[Event "?"]
4004[Site "?"]
4005[Date "????.??.??"]
4006[Round "?"]
4007[White "Answer 3.2"]
4008[Black "?"]
4009[Result "*"]
4010[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
4011[SetUp "1"]
4012[FEN "r1bq2k1/ppp1b1pp/2n1p3/8/2pPP3/4B1P1/PP2P1BP/R2Q1NK1 b - - 0 13"]
4013[PlyCount "1"]
4014[Source "Everyman Chess"]
4015[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
4016
401713... Bd7 $1 {. Black plays this move for two main reasons: 1) Black wants to
4018play ...b5 and meet a4 with ...a6. This is now possible as the black queen
4019defends the rook on a8. --- 2) The bishop wants to be re-routed to either c6
4020or g6. --- See the following game for the next exercise.} *
4021
4022[Event "?"]
4023[Site "?"]
4024[Date "????.??.??"]
4025[Round "?"]
4026[White "Test 3.3"]
4027[Black "?"]
4028[Result "*"]
4029[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
4030[SetUp "1"]
4031[FEN "rnbq1rk1/ppp1b1pp/3pp3/5p2/2PP4/2P2NP1/P1Q1PPBP/R1B2RK1 w - - 0 10"]
4032[PlyCount "1"]
4033[Source "Everyman Chess"]
4034[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
4035
4036{White is ready to play} 10. e4 {which would give him an advantage. What
4037should Black play? --- See the following game for the solution.} *
4038
4039[Event "?"]
4040[Site "?"]
4041[Date "????.??.??"]
4042[Round "?"]
4043[White "Answer 3.3"]
4044[Black "?"]
4045[Result "*"]
4046[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
4047[SetUp "1"]
4048[FEN "rnbq1rk1/ppp1b1pp/3pp3/5p2/2PP4/2P2NP1/P1Q1PPBP/R1B2RK1 w - - 0 10"]
4049[PlyCount "2"]
4050[Source "Everyman Chess"]
4051[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
4052
405310. e4 Nc6 $1 {. Black prepares to play the standard ...e5 advance. It is also
4054worth mentioning that White now has doubled c-pawns so Black does not need to
4055worry about the d5 advance. After the move ...Na5, White will find it
4056difficult to defend his weak pawns on the c-file. --- See the following game
4057for the next exercise.} *
4058
4059[Event "?"]
4060[Site "?"]
4061[Date "????.??.??"]
4062[Round "?"]
4063[White "Test 3.4"]
4064[Black "?"]
4065[Result "*"]
4066[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
4067[SetUp "1"]
4068[FEN "rnbq1rk1/1pp1b1pp/3pp3/p4p2/2PP4/1PQ2NP1/P3PPBP/R1B2RK1 b - - 0 10"]
4069[PlyCount "1"]
4070[Source "Everyman Chess"]
4071[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
4072
4073{This position has been reached on numerous occasions.} 10... -- {What plan
4074should Black adopt? --- See the following game for the solution.} *
4075
4076[Event "?"]
4077[Site "?"]
4078[Date "????.??.??"]
4079[Round "?"]
4080[White "Answer 3.4"]
4081[Black "?"]
4082[Result "*"]
4083[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
4084[SetUp "1"]
4085[FEN "rnbq1rk1/1pp1b1pp/3pp3/p4p2/2PP4/1PQ2NP1/P3PPBP/R1B2RK1 b - - 0 10"]
4086[PlyCount "11"]
4087[Source "Everyman Chess"]
4088[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
4089
409010... Nc6 $1 (10... Bf6 $1 {with the same idea is also good. Black will play
4091the ...e5 advance after ...Bf6, gaining a good position.}) 11. Bb2 {In general,
4092if Black can play e5 and f5, then he should be a very happy bunny indeed! ---
4093For example,} Bf6 $1 12. Rad1 $6 Qe8 $1 13. Qd2 e5 $1 14. dxe5 dxe5 15. e4 f4
4094$5 {. Another typical idea. The opening has been a success for Black. --- See
4095the following game for the next exercise.} *
4096
4097[Event "?"]
4098[Site "?"]
4099[Date "????.??.??"]
4100[Round "?"]
4101[White "Test 3.5"]
4102[Black "?"]
4103[Result "*"]
4104[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
4105[SetUp "1"]
4106[FEN "r1bq1rk1/ppp1b1pp/3pp3/n2P1p2/Q1P5/2P2NP1/P3PPBP/R1B2RK1 b - - 0 11"]
4107[PlyCount "1"]
4108[Source "Everyman Chess"]
4109[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
4110
4111{White has just moved his queen to a4.} 11... -- {How should Black respond?
4112--- See the following game for the solution.} *
4113
4114[Event "?"]
4115[Site "?"]
4116[Date "????.??.??"]
4117[Round "?"]
4118[White "Answer 3.5"]
4119[Black "?"]
4120[Result "*"]
4121[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
4122[SetUp "1"]
4123[FEN "r1bq1rk1/ppp1b1pp/3pp3/n2P1p2/Q1P5/2P2NP1/P3PPBP/R1B2RK1 b - - 0 11"]
4124[PlyCount "11"]
4125[Source "Everyman Chess"]
4126[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
4127
412811... b6 $1 {This involves sacrificing the exchange but Black gains ample
4129compensation mainly against White's c-pawns. For example:} 12. dxe6 Bxe6 13.
4130Nd4 Bxc4 14. Nc6 Qd7 15. Nxe7+ Qxe7 16. Bxa8 Rxa8 {. Black's position is
4131easier to play. He has strong compensation in the form of a fantastic pawn
4132formation and his minor pieces are also well placed.} *
4133
4134[Event "?"]
4135[Site "?"]
4136[Date "????.??.??"]
4137[Round "?"]
4138[White "4:New fresh & slightly dubious"]
4139[Black "?"]
4140[Result "*"]
4141[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
4142[PlyCount "15"]
4143[Source "Everyman Chess"]
4144[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
4145
4146{"The world is full of hopeful analogies and handsome, dubious eggs, called
4147possibilities." - George Eliot} 1. d4 f5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. g3 e6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. O-O
4148O-O 6. c4 d6 7. Nc3 Nc6 $5 {This is a rather dubious plan but it does have an
4149element of surprise for the opposition. The obvious idea is to play ...e5, so
4150White should respond with} 8. d5 $1 {. --- I originally analysed this idea in
4151the book 'Dangerous Weapons: The Dutch'. Since then, not much has changed with
4152the assessment of this variation, but I thought that I would include most of
4153the analysis featured in that book, for the sake of completeness. --- I do not
4154believe that this line offers Black good chances for an equal game but it is
4155an interesting option and could be used on the odd occasion. --- The first
4156game we are going to look at is a perfect example of how dangerous this line
4157can be for White if he does not play accurately.} *
4158
4159[Event "21: Wisla"]
4160[Site "?"]
4161[Date "1992.??.??"]
4162[Round "?"]
4163[White "Potomak, V."]
4164[Black "Lukasiewicz, G."]
4165[Result "0-1"]
4166[ECO "A96"]
4167[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
4168[PlyCount "46"]
4169[EventDate "1992.??.??"]
4170[Source "Everyman Chess"]
4171[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
4172
41731. c4 f5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. g3 d6 4. d4 e6 5. Bg2 Be7 6. O-O O-O 7. Nc3 Nc6 $5 {
4174Black wants to play ...e5 on the next move and gain a perfectly respectable
4175position. White must stop this by acting quickly.} 8. d5 $1 {The only way to
4176gain an advantage. Other options will be looked at later on.} Ne5 {In this
4177game, we will look at what happens when White does not play the critical 9 Nd4.
4178} 9. b3 $6 {BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- Black should be fine after this move. The
4179moves dxe6 or Nd4 are much more challenging for Black. --- How do you think
4180Black should continue?} Nxf3+ $1 {As a rule, if White does not play 9 Nd4 or 9
4181dxe6 then Black should continue with 9...Nxf3+ and 10...e5.} 10. exf3 (10. Bxf3
4182e5 {and Black has very good control of the centre.}) 10... e5 $1 {We have seen
4183this idea before!} 11. f4 {Trying to dispose of his doubled f-pawns. Black
4184also had ideas of playing ...f4 himself.} exf4 ({Other options include:} 11...
4185Nd7 $5 {(Black wants to place his dark-squared bishop on f6 so that he can
4186create some pressure along the diagonal)} 12. Be3 Bf6 13. Qd2 exf4 14. Bxf4 Ne5
4187{and Black is fairly active, leaving him with a good position. ...Ng6 is one
4188promising plan where Black will try to gain control of the dark squares.}) (
418911... e4 12. f3 {is better for White.}) 12. Bxf4 Ng4 $5 {Black manoeuvres his
4190pieces to better squares by placing his dark-squared bishop on f6 and knight
4191on e5.} 13. Bc1 $6 {This is rather slow. White should not lose control of the
4192f4-square as Black will play ...f4 himself, which could prove to be dangerous
4193for White.} ({In the past, White has also played} 13. Qc2 $1 {which is a
4194better plan. That game continued} Bf6 14. Rae1 Bd7 (14... Ne5 {is worth
4195considering}) 15. h3 Ne5 16. Be3 {and White may have a slight advantage due to
4196the fact that he has more space, but the position is still very balanced, V.Slezka-S.Pakosta, Klatovy 1994.}) 13... Bf6 14. Bb2 {BRAINSTORMING POINT! ---
4197How should Black start an attack?} f4 $1 {A good move! Black gets straight to
4198the point.} 15. Rb1 (15. gxf4 {destroys White's kingside pawn formation and
4199Black must be doing well after the thematic} Qe8 {.}) 15... fxg3 16. hxg3 {
4200Black's knight on g4 is a permanent guest as White can no longer play h3.} Qe8
4201$1 {Any player who understands the Classical Dutch will always be itching to
4202play this move! 17...Qh5 and 18...Qh2# is a hard plan to stop!} 17. Ne4 {It is
4203not easy to suggest an alternative plan for White.} Qh5 18. Re1 {Trying to
4204make an escape route for White's king, but too little too late!} (18. Nxf6+ {
4205is met by} Rxf6 $1 {when Black brings another piece into the attack. This
4206really is a dream Dutch position!}) 18... Qh2+ 19. Kf1 Be5 {Black had a number
4207of promising ideas but this one does the job, as White quickly falls apart.}
420820. Bxe5 $2 {This loses to a nice combination.} ({White had to try} 20. Bd4 {
4209, but Black still has a good attack after} Bxd4 21. Qxd4 Ne5 {with ...Bh3 to
4210follow.}) 20... Nxf2 $1 {A nice way to finish the game.} 21. Nxf2 Bh3 $1 {
4211White is completely lost after this move. This is the reason why I love to
4212play the Dutch! There are not many openings that give Black such good
4213attacking chances.} 22. Bf4 Qxg2+ 23. Ke2 Bg4+ 0-1
4214
4215[Event "?"]
4216[Site "?"]
4217[Date "????.??.??"]
4218[Round "?"]
4219[White "A: Let's take a look!"]
4220[Black "?"]
4221[Result "*"]
4222[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
4223[PlyCount "18"]
4224[Source "Everyman Chess"]
4225[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
4226
42271. d4 f5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 e6 4. c4 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. O-O d6 7. Nc3 Nc6 8. d5 $1
4228({If White chooses an alternative move, Black will play 8...e5! with a
4229comfortable game. For example:} 8. b3 e5 $1 {(Black is at least equal after
4230this move)} 9. dxe5 dxe5 10. Qxd8 Bxd8 11. Ba3 Re8 12. Rad1 e4 13. Ne1 ({or} 
423113. Nd4 Nxd4 14. Rxd4 Ng4 {, threatening to play 15...Bf6 which looks good for
4232Black}) 13... Ne5 {, A.Slavin-S.Williams, British League 2008. I have gained a
4233nice advantage and I should have gone on to win the game, which instead was
4234drawn after 68 moves.}) (8. Re1 e5 $1 {(Black already has a nice position; if
4235Black can manage to play both f5 and e5 then he will be doing well)} 9. d5 $6 {
4236. --- I know from experience that this advance only helps Black as it allows
4237him to start an attack on the kingside. Normally, White should meet ...e5 with
4238dxe5 as this gives him some play on the d-file. --- After} Nb8 {White has
4239little counterplay in this position and Black will aim to continue with
4240Qe8-Qh5-a5-Na6-f4 etc. with the attack.}) 8... Ne5 (8... Na5 {is possible but
4241it gives White more options compared to 8...Ne5 and White can always transpose
4242back to the main line by playing} 9. Ng5 {. The black knight may also become a
4243target on a5.} (9. Nd2 {is a very sensible reply.})) 9. Nd4 $1 {This is the
4244critical test of Black's play. The idea of playing d5 and Nd4 is a fairly
4245common plan and it does seem to give White an advantage here.} ({Alternatively:
4246} 9. dxe6 {(this is the main alternative to 9 Nd4)} Nxc4 {This is in keeping
4247with the theme of the last game.} ({Another alternative is} 9... Nxf3+ $5 10.
4248Bxf3 c6 {when the game J.Poho-J.Pessi, Tampere 1997, continued} 11. b3 Bxe6 12.
4249Ba3 Qa5 13. Qc1 Rfe8 14. Rd1 {, and now Black played} d5 {leading to a roughly
4250equal position after} 15. Bxe7 Rxe7 16. cxd5 cxd5 17. Qd2 Rd7) 10. Qd3 {and in
4251this position Black should have played} d5 {. Again, this is the standard plan.
4252} 11. Qxf5 c6 {Black has several good options here. If we compare this
4253position to the one reached in the main line of the previous game, we will see
4254that Black still has his light-squared bishop and White still has his
4255f3-knight.}) (9. Nxe5 $6 {allows Black to equalise easily, for example, as in
4256the game F.Schatzl-G.Mischek, Vienna 2003, which we follow:} dxe5 10. dxe6 (10.
4257e4 {is the most popular move. Black has tried three moves here, the simplest
4258option being} exd5 11. Nxd5 Nxe4 12. Nxe7+ Qxe7 13. Qd5+ Qe6 {, S.Zuttis-Y.Yakovlev, St Petersburg 2003}) 10... c6 $1 {. --- It is important to take
4259control of d5 as well as limit the activity of White's light-squared bishop.
4260The f5- and e5- pawn formation is what Black aims for when playing the
4261Classical Dutch!}) (9. Nd2 $5 {is interesting. --- White wants to try to prove
4262that Black's knight on e5 is rather insecurely placed in the centre. There are
4263three examples where this move has been played. In two of the games Black
4264played} Qe8 ({and in the other game he chose} 9... Rb8 {. Both of these moves
4265look rather suspicious.}) ({I believe that Black should play} 9... c6 $5 {,
4266for example,} 10. dxc6 bxc6 {with an unclear position, although I quite like
4267Black's centre. White should now avoid} 11. f4 $2 Qb6+ 12. Kh1 Neg4 {when
4268Black is winning.})) 9... Nxc4 {. We will now take a look at White's other
4269options in this position.} *
4270
4271[Event "?"]
4272[Site "?"]
4273[Date "????.??.??"]
4274[Round "?"]
4275[White "B: 7...Nc6!? 8 d5 Ne5 9..."]
4276[Black "?"]
4277[Result "*"]
4278[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
4279[PlyCount "28"]
4280[Source "Everyman Chess"]
4281[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
4282
42831. d4 f5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 e6 4. c4 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. O-O d6 7. Nc3 Nc6 8. d5
4284Ne5 9. Nd4 Nxc4 10. dxe6 c6 $1 {BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- This is an important
4285idea to remember. In order to take control of the centre and to reinforce the
4286Black knight on c4, Black often has to play ...c6 and ...d5.} 11. Nxf5 ({White
4287has some other options:} 11. Qd3 d5 12. Qxf5 Bc5 $1 {(an important move; the
4288bishop vacates the e7-square and attacks White along the g1-a7 diagonal)} 13.
4289e3 (13. Qd3 Ng4 {looks dangerous for White}) 13... Qe7 {. Black may even be a
4290bit better here.}) (11. b3 {. Now Black won a very nice game in A.Zaradic-S.Pakosta, Canadian Open 1971. Play continued} Ne5 12. f4 Neg4 13. Nxf5 Bxe6 14.
4291Nxe7+ Qxe7 15. e4 d5 16. Qd4 dxe4 17. Nxe4 Nxe4 18. Bxe4 Rfd8 19. Qc3 Bd5 20.
4292Bf5 Qe2 21. Qb2 Re8 22. h3 Re3 23. Qxe2 Rxg3+ {0-1.}) 11... Bxe6 (11... d5 $5 {
4293is an interesting idea, with which Black stakes a claim in the centre, but
4294White has a good response:} 12. e4 $1 {(White chooses to strike back
4295immediately)} Bxe6 13. Nxe7+ Qxe7 14. exd5 cxd5 15. Nxd5 (15. Bg5 Rad8) 15...
4296Nxd5 16. Bxd5 Rad8 17. Bxe6+ (17. Bg5 $5) ({and} 17. Re1 $5 {are also
4297interesting possibilities}) 17... Qxe6 18. Qb3 Qe4 {with an unclear position.})
429812. Nxe7+ Qxe7 13. b3 Nb6 14. Ba3 {. B.Juhasz-A.Ponyi, Gyongyos Matra Cup 1998,
4299now continued:} Rfd8 ({I would have moved the other rook to this square, for
4300example,} 14... Rad8 {, when play could continue} 15. e4 Qf7 $5 {(to prevent
430116 e5 and support ...d5)} 16. f4 Bg4 $1 17. Qd3 Qh5 {. Black aims to continue
4302with ...Rfe8 and ...d5 leading to a messy position.}) *
4303
4304[Event "?"]
4305[Site "?"]
4306[Date "????.??.??"]
4307[Round "?"]
4308[White "C: The critical choice"]
4309[Black "?"]
4310[Result "*"]
4311[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
4312[PlyCount "26"]
4313[Source "Everyman Chess"]
4314[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
4315
4316{Let's now move onto the most critical choice and the reason why I would not
4317want to play 7...Nc6 on a regular basis!} 1. d4 f5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 e6 4. c4
4318Be7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. O-O d6 7. Nc3 Nc6 8. d5 Ne5 9. Nd4 Nxc4 10. Nxe6 {This is
4319very logical. White exchanges Black's light-squared bishop in order to weaken
4320some key squares, namely b7.} Bxe6 11. dxe6 c6 $1 {Black needs to take control
4321of some central squares.} 12. Qd3 $1 {This is the most critical variation.
4322White aims to capture the Black pawn on f5.} (12. e4 {was played in the game R.Tuominen-J.Pessi, Tampere 1992. Black had nothing to fear and should have
4323gained an equal position after} fxe4 13. Nxe4 Nxe4 (13... d5 {is also
4324interesting}) 14. Bxe4 d5 15. Bd3 {. However, Black now continued} Rf6 $6 {
4325which looks a bit suspicious.} ({He should instead have played} 15... Bd6 $1 {
4326which allows Black's queen to move to either e7 or, in some cases, f6.})) 12...
4327d5 13. Qxf5 {This is possibly the most important position to look at when
4328evaluating the move 7...Nc6!?. --- Black has a number of options here but in
4329practice, he has only ever played 13...Ne4. --- Let's take a look at the
4330alternatives. Some of them are tricky, but if White is well-prepared then he
4331should not have any difficulties.} -- (13... Ne4 14. Qh3 (14. Qg4 {was the
4332move played in E.Najer-S.Gavritenkov, Krasnodar 1997. That game continued} Nxc3
4333{,} ({but} 14... Nf6 {is an improvement, for example,} 15. Qd4 Qd6 16. e4 $1 c5
433417. Qd1 d4 18. Nd5 {, although White still has the better position})) 14... Ng5
4335{.} (14... Nxf2 15. Rxf2 Bc5 16. e3 Rxf2 17. Kxf2 Qg5 18. Nd1 Re8 {. White has
4336a clear advantage.}) (14... Nxc3 {. The simplest way for White to gain an
4337advantage here is to play} 15. bxc3 Bf6 (15... Qa5) 16. Rb1 b6 17. e4 Bxc3 18.
4338exd5 cxd5 19. Rb5 d4 20. Rh5 h6 21. Bxh6 gxh6 22. Qg4+ Qg5 23. Rxg5+ hxg5 24.
4339Qxg5+ Kh8 25. e7 Rfe8 26. Qh6+ Kg8 27. Bd5# {1-0 M.Roiz-E.Aponte Castillo,
4340Playchess.com 2004.})) (13... Bb4 {Black's bishop is well placed on b4 as it
4341threatens to swap off the knight on c3, making it harder for White to play e4.}
434214. Qd3 {(White prepares e4)} Qe8 15. e4 $1 Bxc3 16. Qxc3 Qxe6 17. exd5 cxd5
434318. Re1 Qf7 19. Qd4 {. White is clearly better as he has the bishop pair.
4344Furthermore, Black's pawn on d5 may become weak at a later stage.}) (13... Qb6
434514. Qc2 (14. b3 $2 {is a mistake due to} Ne4 $1 {and Black should be winning})
434614... Rae8 {(Black plans to move the bishop on e7 and then capture the pawn on
4347e6)} 15. e4 {is a simple way for White to gain an advantage.} d4 16. Nd1 Ne5
434817. f4 $5 {. White is better.}) (13... Bd6 14. Qc2 $1 {. As usual, White aims
4349to play e4. Black's options are simply not good enough, for example:} -- (14...
4350Qe7 15. e4 {.}) (14... Qe8 15. b3 Ne5 16. e4 d4 {.}) (14... b5 15. e4 $1 Qe7 ({
4351or} 15... d4 16. Ne2 {and White is going to win a pawn}) 16. exd5 Nxd5 17. Nxd5
4352cxd5 18. Qd3 {. Yet again, White has a big advantage.})) (13... Bc5 $5 {This
4353is the trickiest move for White to meet. The bishop takes aim at f2 and as a
4354result, White always has to be wary of ...Ne4.} 14. b3 $1 {seems to be White's
4355best response, so we will concentrate on this move:} -- (14... Nb6 {(the
4356knight is well placed on b6 and the d6-square is left open for Black's bishop)}
435715. Qc2 {(this is the standard manoeuvre)} Qe7 {(This is the main difference
4358between 14...Nb6! and 14...Nd6?!. The black queen can now defend the
4359dark-squared bishop on c5. However, Black's position is still bad.)} 16. Bh3 {
4360. White tries to hold onto his e6-pawn. It is very hard for Black to win the
4361pawn back, so White must be better, for example,} Rad8 17. Bb2 Ba3 18. Bxa3
4362Qxa3 19. Rad1 {.}) (14... Ne4 $2 {(this natural move is actually a mistake)}
436315. e7 $1 {(a very good move that vacates the e6-square for White's queen and
4364leaves White with a big advantage)} Qxe7 (15... Bxe7 16. Qe6+ {and White is
4365winning}) 16. Nxd5 $1 {is the point behind White's play.}) (14... Nd6 {also
4366looks sensible. From d6, the knight gives extra protection to the e4-square,
4367therefore making it harder for White to achieve the e4 advance. However after
4368Qc2, Black's dark-squared bishop on c5 does feel a little vulnerable.} 15. Qc2
4369$1 {is the best square for White's queen.} Bb6 {is the most sensible option
4370but with accurate play, it would seem that White still has the advantage, for
4371example,} 16. Ba3 $1 Re8 17. e4 $1 {and White is better.})) *
4372
4373[Event "?"]
4374[Site "?"]
4375[Date "????.??.??"]
4376[Round "?"]
4377[White "Test Your Knowledge! 4"]
4378[Black "?"]
4379[Result "*"]
4380[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
4381[PlyCount "1"]
4382[SourceDate "2015.05.12"]
4383
4384{7...Nc6?!: Have you really got to grips with this chapter!?} 1. -- {We have
4385now arrived at the fourth set of tests. This time the tests are based around 7...Nc6. These tests will verify whether the main points of the chapter have
4386been fully understood. The tests should not be too difficult to solve
4387especially if you have read the chapter in full.} *
4388
4389[Event "?"]
4390[Site "?"]
4391[Date "????.??.??"]
4392[Round "?"]
4393[White "Test 4.1"]
4394[Black "?"]
4395[Result "*"]
4396[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
4397[SetUp "1"]
4398[FEN "r1bq1rk1/ppp1b1pp/2nppn2/5p2/2PP4/2N2NP1/PP2PPBP/R1BQ1RK1 w - - 0 8"]
4399[PlyCount "1"]
4400[Source "Everyman Chess"]
4401[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
4402
44038. -- {What move does White have to play in this position? --- See the
4404following game for the solution.} *
4405
4406[Event "?"]
4407[Site "?"]
4408[Date "????.??.??"]
4409[Round "?"]
4410[White "Answer 4.1"]
4411[Black "?"]
4412[Result "*"]
4413[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
4414[SetUp "1"]
4415[FEN "r1bq1rk1/ppp1b1pp/2nppn2/5p2/2PP4/2N2NP1/PP2PPBP/R1BQ1RK1 w - - 0 8"]
4416[PlyCount "1"]
4417[Source "Everyman Chess"]
4418[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
4419
44208. d5 $1 {. From a positional point of view, White is forced to play this move
4421otherwise Black will play ...e5 with a slightly better position. --- See the
4422following game for the next exercise.} *
4423
4424[Event "?"]
4425[Site "?"]
4426[Date "????.??.??"]
4427[Round "?"]
4428[White "Test 4.2"]
4429[Black "?"]
4430[Result "*"]
4431[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
4432[SetUp "1"]
4433[FEN "r1bq1rk1/ppp3pp/3p1b2/3P1p2/2P3n1/1PN3P1/PB3PBP/R2Q1RK1 b - - 0 14"]
4434[PlyCount "1"]
4435[Source "Everyman Chess"]
4436[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
4437
443814... -- {What should Black play here? --- See the following game for the
4439solution.} *
4440
4441[Event "?"]
4442[Site "?"]
4443[Date "????.??.??"]
4444[Round "?"]
4445[White "Answer 4.2"]
4446[Black "?"]
4447[Result "*"]
4448[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
4449[SetUp "1"]
4450[FEN "r1bq1rk1/ppp3pp/3p1b2/3P1p2/2P3n1/1PN3P1/PB3PBP/R2Q1RK1 b - - 0 14"]
4451[PlyCount "7"]
4452[Source "Everyman Chess"]
4453[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
4454
445514... f4 $1 {Black launches a kingside attack. Play will continue with ...Qe8
4456and ...Qh5. --- For example:} 15. Rb1 fxg3 16. hxg3 Qe8 $1 17. Ne4 Qh5 {. With
4457a big attack. --- See the following game for the next exercise.} *
4458
4459[Event "?"]
4460[Site "?"]
4461[Date "????.??.??"]
4462[Round "?"]
4463[White "Test 4.3"]
4464[Black "?"]
4465[Result "*"]
4466[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
4467[SetUp "1"]
4468[FEN "r1bq1rk1/ppp1b1pp/3pPn2/5p2/2nN4/2N3P1/PP2PPBP/R1BQ1RK1 b - - 0 10"]
4469[PlyCount "1"]
4470[Source "Everyman Chess"]
4471[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
4472
447310... -- {What should Black play in this position? --- See the following game
4474for the solution.} *
4475
4476[Event "?"]
4477[Site "?"]
4478[Date "????.??.??"]
4479[Round "?"]
4480[White "Answer 4.3"]
4481[Black "?"]
4482[Result "*"]
4483[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
4484[SetUp "1"]
4485[FEN "r1bq1rk1/ppp1b1pp/3pPn2/5p2/2nN4/2N3P1/PP2PPBP/R1BQ1RK1 b - - 0 10"]
4486[PlyCount "1"]
4487[Source "Everyman Chess"]
4488[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
4489
449010... c6 $1 {. This is an important idea in this variation. Black often has to
4491take control of the centre with ...c6 and ...d5 as well as reinforce the black
4492knight on c4. --- See the following game for the next exercise.} *
4493
4494[Event "?"]
4495[Site "?"]
4496[Date "????.??.??"]
4497[Round "?"]
4498[White "Test 4.4"]
4499[Black "?"]
4500[Result "*"]
4501[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
4502[SetUp "1"]
4503[FEN "r2q1rk1/pp4pp/2p1Pn2/2bp1Q2/2n5/2N3P1/PP2PPBP/R1B2RK1 w - - 0 14"]
4504[PlyCount "1"]
4505[Source "Everyman Chess"]
4506[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
4507
450814. -- {What should White play in this position? --- See the following game
4509for the solution.} *
4510
4511[Event "?"]
4512[Site "?"]
4513[Date "????.??.??"]
4514[Round "?"]
4515[White "Answer 4.4"]
4516[Black "?"]
4517[Result "*"]
4518[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
4519[SetUp "1"]
4520[FEN "r2q1rk1/pp4pp/2p1Pn2/2bp1Q2/2n5/2N3P1/PP2PPBP/R1B2RK1 w - - 0 14"]
4521[PlyCount "3"]
4522[Source "Everyman Chess"]
4523[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
4524
452514. b3 $1 {This move attacks Black's strong knight on c4 and also sets up a
4526nasty trap. --- For example:} Ne4 15. e7 $1 {A very good move. This pawn
4527advance vacates the e6-square for White's queen. White is clearly better. ---
4528See the following game for the next exercise.} *
4529
4530[Event "?"]
4531[Site "?"]
4532[Date "????.??.??"]
4533[Round "?"]
4534[White "Test 4.5"]
4535[Black "?"]
4536[Result "*"]
4537[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
4538[SetUp "1"]
4539[FEN "r3qrk1/pp4pp/2p1Pn2/3p4/1bn5/2NQ2P1/PP2PPBP/R1B2RK1 w - - 0 15"]
4540[PlyCount "1"]
4541[Source "Everyman Chess"]
4542[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
4543
454415. -- {What is the simplest way for White to gain an advantage in this
4545position? --- See the following game for the solution.} *
4546
4547[Event "?"]
4548[Site "?"]
4549[Date "????.??.??"]
4550[Round "?"]
4551[White "Answer 4.5"]
4552[Black "?"]
4553[Result "*"]
4554[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
4555[SetUp "1"]
4556[FEN "r3qrk1/pp4pp/2p1Pn2/3p4/1bn5/2NQ2P1/PP2PPBP/R1B2RK1 w - - 0 15"]
4557[PlyCount "6"]
4558[Source "Everyman Chess"]
4559[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
4560
456115. e4 $1 {White opens up the position to his advantage. As always, e4 is a
4562move that Black has to watch out for. For example:} Bxc3 16. Qxc3 Qxe6 17. exd5
4563cxd5 {. White is clearly better. He has the advantage of the bishop pair and
4564an obvious target; i.e. Black's weak pawn on d5.} *
4565
4566[Event "?"]
4567[Site "?"]
4568[Date "????.??.??"]
4569[Round "?"]
4570[White "5: White plays g3 and Bg2"]
4571[Black "early deviations"]
4572[Result "*"]
4573[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
4574[PlyCount "7"]
4575[Source "Everyman Chess"]
4576[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
4577
45781. d4 f5 2. g3 e6 3. Bg2 Nf6 {. In this section of the book, we will look at
4579what happens if White deviates at an early stage. This chapter will
4580concentrate on lines where White has already fianchettoed his kingside bishop.
4581If you play the Classical Dutch on a regular basis, you will certainly come
4582across these deviations at some point in your career. --- In this chapter we
4583take an in-depth look at an idea that has become very popular (at least
4584against me!) recently. That idea is White moving his knight to h3. I have
4585scored awfully against this plan in the last couple of years, so I have really
4586gone into some detail on an early Nh3 during this chapter. --- I thought that
4587the best way to get to grips with this idea was to go over a number of games
4588that have been played in this variation. Hopefully then you will feel
4589comfortable facing it. I would recommend that you study this chapter in full,
4590as a lot of the lines demonstrate the way that Black should be thinking when
4591playing the Dutch. --- This chapter will cover such lines as: 1) An early Nh3.
4592This is quite a popular, trendy and dangerous idea against the Dutch. --- 2)
4593White avoids c4. --- 3) An early b4!? - is another fashionable line. --- 4)
4594Anything else!} 4. -- *
4595
4596[Event "22: Montpellier"]
4597[Site "?"]
4598[Date "2003.??.??"]
4599[Round "?"]
4600[White "Dumitrache, D."]
4601[Black "Williams, S."]
4602[Result "0-1"]
4603[ECO "A96"]
4604[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
4605[PlyCount "56"]
4606[EventDate "2003.??.??"]
4607[Source "Everyman Chess"]
4608[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
4609
4610{I played this game at the Montpellier Open in 2003. This was a great
4611tournament as the town and beach had a lot to offer! --- My opponent, a strong
4612player, chose a line which had become increasingly popular over the years.
4613Luckily, I had looked at the line with my good friend Richard Pert before the
4614game. Richard had suggested a very interesting idea, an idea that he had
4615previously used against GM Glenn Flear. Well, the idea worked a treat! Let's
4616take a look.} 1. d4 e6 {I normally play this as I am happy to enter into a
4617French Defence after 2 e4 d5.} 2. c4 f5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. O-O
4618d6 (6... a5 {is another option as long as you are happy playing into the 'Ye
4619Olde Faithful' line which could be a problem... please refer to Chapter One of
4620this book! This is an interesting move order trick that also stops White from
4621playing b4, for example,} 7. Nc3 (7. b3 a4 $5 {is an interesting idea}) 7... d6
4622{and Black avoids the early b4 variations.}) 7. b4 $5 {This is a good plan.
4623White tries to grab some space on the queenside as well as suffocate Black on
4624the same side of the board.} Ne4 $1 {In previous games, we have seen that this
4625is a good square for Black's knight. The knight move also allows Black to play
4626...Bf6.} 8. Bb2 {A natural developing move.} ({Another possible idea was} 8. a4
4627$5 {which stops the plan chosen by Black in the game.}) 8... a5 {An attempt to
4628gain some counterplay on the queenside.} 9. b5 (9. a3 {will be looked at later
4629on in this book.}) 9... a4 $5 {A very interesting idea. This is the move that
4630Richard Pert had previously played and analysed. There are two main points
4631behind this move: 1) Black wants to make it difficult for White to develop his
4632knight on b1. --- 2) Black stops White from playing a4 and in doing so, limits
4633White's defensive resources. Black can also aim to play ...c6 and ...cxb5,
4634which will weaken White's pawn on b5.} 10. Nfd2 {Naturally, White wants to
4635swap off Black's knight on e4.} d5 $1 {This is a rare example where I am happy
4636to play a Stonewall Dutch set-up. My main idea is to attack White's pawns on
4637c4 and b5. It is also hard for White to develop his queenside pieces.} 11. Nxe4
4638{By capturing this knight, White can move his other knight to d2.} fxe4 {
4639Recapturing towards the centre is the normal response.} 12. Ba3 c6 $1 {
4640BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- In this variation, Black often relies on this move to
4641try to destroy White's pawn formation on the queenside.} 13. f3 $2 {This is a
4642typical move that White plays once he has captured on e4, but in this position,
4643the move is not so strong because I will win a pawn and gain the initiative.}
4644exf3 (13... dxc4 $5 {was also worth considering.}) 14. Bxf3 dxc4 15. bxc6 Nxc6
4645{All of a sudden, White's pawn on d4 comes under attack. Black has played
4646sensible developing moves and is now doing very well.} 16. e3 e5 $1 {My bishop
4647on c8 comes to life.} 17. d5 Nb4 {White is now in serious trouble.} 18. Nc3 Bh3
464819. Bg2 Bxg2 20. Rxf8+ Qxf8 21. Kxg2 Nd3 22. Bxe7 Qxe7 {I am simply a pawn up
4649with the attack.} 23. Rb1 Qg5 24. Rxb7 $2 {White has a hopeless position after
4650this move.} Rf8 25. d6 Qxe3 26. d7 {What is the best way to finish White off?
4651To start with, look at all the checks and captures...} Ne1+ $1 27. Kh3 Qh6+ 28.
4652Kg4 Qe6+ {. White resigned as it is mate in two.} 0-1
4653
4654[Event "23: Hastings Masters"]
4655[Site "?"]
4656[Date "2009.??.??"]
4657[Round "?"]
4658[White "Roelvaag, M."]
4659[Black "Williams, S."]
4660[Result "0-1"]
4661[ECO "A91"]
4662[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
4663[PlyCount "86"]
4664[EventDate "2009.??.??"]
4665[Source "Everyman Chess"]
4666[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
4667
4668{This next game was played at the Hastings International Chess Congress in
46692009. Hastings is the longest running tournament in the history of chess and I
4670have regularly competed in the congress since the age of twelve. The
4671tournament starts just after Christmas and Hastings itself is normally very
4672wet and windy, but there is warmth to be found in "The Pig in Paradise", which
4673is a friendly pub, where I have analysed a large number of games. --- White's
4674opening choice in this game is quite popular. Let's take a look.} 1. d4 e6 2.
4675c4 f5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nc3 O-O {BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- Black always
4676has to be careful in the opening as White has a number of move order tricks.
4677If Black continues to move in stereotypical fashion, then he can easily reach
4678a bad position. In other words, do not rush the opening and always be aware of
4679White's options.} 6. Nh3 {This has been a very popular choice since it was
4680recommended as an answer to the Stonewall Dutch. If Black continues with the
4681pawn push ...d5, then the knight on h3 will be well placed, but of course
4682Black does not have to play d5 here. In actual fact, if Black can play ...d6
4683and ...e5 then White's knight on h3 can become quite stupid. --- Let's just
4684see what happens in the game.} (6. e4 $6 {is now pointless as Black can play}
4685fxe4 7. Nxe4 d5 $1 {with a good position. More on this move later.}) 6... d6 $1
46867. O-O $6 {This is the wrong plan, after which Black gains a perfectly
4687respectable position.} ({Later on, Greek GM Halkias played the much more
4688dangerous idea of} 7. Nf4 $1 {against me. This move will be looked at in the
4689last introductory game of this chapter.}) 7... e5 {This standard Dutch move
4690appears to be stronger in this position due to the fact that White's knight on
4691h3 is misplaced. The knight really wants to move to f4 but this is not
4692possible.} (7... c6 {is another sensible move. Black gains control of d5
4693before playing ...e5.}) 8. dxe5 {White goes for a queen exchange but this move
4694does not improve White's position.} dxe5 {Black is at least equal.} 9. Qxd8
4695Bxd8 $1 {In the majority of cases, this is the best way for Black to recapture
4696the queen. There are two main reasons why this is the correct move: 1) White
4697would like to play Nd5 which attacks the e7-square. Therefore, Black saves a
4698tempo by capturing on d8 with the bishop. --- 2) Black wants to play ...c6 and
4699then ...Bb6. If White eventually plays e4 then Black's bishop will be
4700excellently placed on d4, as it cannot be kicked away from this square. The
4701a7-g1 diagonal is better than the f8-a3 diagonal!} 10. Ng5 {In the next
4702introductory game, we will look at another option for White. --- White has to
4703waste time in order to bring this knight back into the game.} ({Other moves
4704would allow me to play ...h6, when the knight is stuck on h3, for example,} 10.
4705b3 h6 $5 11. Ba3 Re8 {looks good for Black.}) 10... c6 {This move controls d5
4706and allows me to play ...Bb6 or maybe ...Ba5. I think that Black is slightly
4707better here.} 11. b3 {BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- White wants to play Ba3 and Nf3.
4708How can I try and stop White from doing this?} e4 $1 {Taking control of f3.
4709White's knight is now cut off.} 12. h4 ({White had to play this move otherwise
4710I would have played ...h6 and ...g5, when White's knight is permanently
4711stranded, for example,} 12. Rd1 h6 13. Nh3 g5 {.}) 12... Na6 {It is time to
4712develop!} 13. Bf4 h6 {This move looks fine for Black. White's knight really
4713wants to move to f4 but now this plan will take a lot longer.} 14. Nh3 Be6 {
4714White's bishop on g2 and knight on h3 are very badly placed. The only way that
4715White can activate them is to play f3. As a result, I should try and stop this
4716move at all costs or, if I cannot prevent it, then I should at least aim to
4717make this move less effective.} 15. Rfd1 Ba5 {This gains a tempo and I can now
4718contest the d-file.} 16. Rac1 Rad8 17. Na4 Bb4 {It is a good idea to stop a3
4719and Bd6.} 18. Be5 Ng4 19. Bd4 c5 20. Bb2 {BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- White is
4720now hoping to play Nf4 and then possibly Nd5. The whole game has revolved
4721around stopping White's knight on h3 from ever finding a good square. How can
4722Black prevent Nf4?} Bd2 $1 21. Ra1 (21. Rc2 $6 {is the move that White wants
4723to play but I can now get a good position through tactical means:} Be3 $1 22.
4724Rxd8 Rxd8 23. fxe3 Rd1+ 24. Bf1 Rxf1+ 25. Kxf1 Nxe3+ {and I will be a pawn up,
4725when my position is close to winning.}) 21... b6 {This move overprotects my
4726pawn on c5. Now my knight on a6 is free to move.} 22. Bc3 $1 {This is a good
4727move. White must exchange my active bishop on d2.} (22. Nf4 $2 Bxf4 23. gxf4 {
4728leaves White with a horrible pawn formation on the kingside. The bishop on g2
4729also plays no part in the game.}) 22... Bxc3 23. Nxc3 e3 $5 {This is an
4730interesting way of troubling White's kingside. On the downside, I am setting
4731free White's light-squared bishop.} 24. f3 Nf6 {This square is preferable to
4732e5, as I need to cover the d5-square with as many pieces as possible. I really
4733have to stop White from cementing a piece on d5.} 25. Nf4 {White's knight has
4734reached f4 but I plan to play ...g5 at some point to push this knight back.}
4735Bf7 26. Nb5 $2 ({Far too greedy} 26. Bh3 {was an improvement.}) 26... Nb4 $1
473627. Nxa7 g5 {White's pieces are passive in comparison to Black's.} 28. hxg5
4737hxg5 29. Nh3 {The knight retreats to this passive square. At least White is
4738now attacking my pawn on g5.} Nc2 $6 {A mistake.} ({I should have played} 29...
4739Nh5 $1 30. Kh2 f4 {with the advantage.}) 30. Rab1 {White returns the favour!} (
474030. Nc6 $1 {was the best move and White is doing fine, for example,} Ra8 31.
4741Rac1 Rxa2 32. Nxg5 f4 {and the position remains unclear.}) 30... Nd4 {Now
4742White is in serious trouble. All of his minor pieces are very badly placed.}
474331. Bf1 Nh5 32. Nb5 g4 33. Ng5 gxf3 {White's kingside now falls apart.} 34.
4744Nxd4 f2+ 35. Kg2 cxd4 36. Nf3 f4 $1 37. Rxd4 Rxd4 38. Nxd4 Nxg3 39. Rc1 Kg7 {
4745White cannot stop my plan of ...Rh8, ...Rh1 and ...Rg1+.} 40. a4 Rh8 41. Nc2
4746Nxf1 42. Rxf1 Bh5 {This stops White from playing Kf3.} 43. Nd4 Kf6 {. White
4747resigned in view of ...Rg8+ and ...Ke5. --- As you can see, a large portion of
4748this game was spent preventing White's knight on h3 and bishop on g2 from
4749entering the game. Without these two pieces, White will find it hard to ever
4750claim any advantage.} 0-1
4751
4752[Event "24: Scottish Blitz Championship"]
4753[Site "?"]
4754[Date "2012.??.??"]
4755[Round "?"]
4756[White "Naiditsch, A."]
4757[Black "Williams, S."]
4758[Result "0-1"]
4759[ECO "A91"]
4760[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
4761[PlyCount "113"]
4762[EventDate "2012.??.??"]
4763[Source "Everyman Chess"]
4764[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
4765
4766{It may be slightly inappropriate to include this game as it was played in a
4767blitz competition but I do think that it demonstrates the potential of Black's
4768position even after the queens have been exchanged. Please do not be too
4769critical about the moves as the game was played at a time limit of three
4770minutes each plus two seconds a move. For this reason, I have not analysed the
4771game in too much detail. --- On the plus side, it is another victory for the
4772Classical Dutch against a 2700+ player!} 1. c4 f5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. g3 e6 4. Bg2
4773Be7 5. d4 O-O 6. Nh3 {This idea is surprisingly popular among top players, and
4774it may well become the latest trend. Do not fear though, we cover everything
4775deeply in this chapter!} d6 $1 {Black's idea is to play ...e5 when White's
4776knight on h3 will look completely out of place.} 7. O-O $6 {Just as in the
4777previous game, White makes a typical mistake. After 7 0-0 White's knight on h3
4778remains a bad piece.} (7. Nf4 $1 {is critical and is examined in the next game.
4779}) 7... e5 $1 8. dxe5 dxe5 9. Qxd8 Bxd8 $1 {BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- This is
4780normally the correct way to recapture on d8. The two main reasons for this are
4781as follows: 1) White often plans to play Nd5, but now this move is less
4782effective as the knight on d5 does not actually attack anything. --- 2)
4783Black's main plan is to play ...c6 and then ...Bb6/a5 when the bishop will
4784become a force to be reckoned with. This is precisely what happens in the game.
4785} 10. b3 c6 {Black is already slightly better here in view of the following: 1)
4786The strong central pawns on e5 and f5. --- 2) Control of the d5-square. --- 3)
4787White's misplaced knight on h3.} 11. Ba3 Re8 12. Rad1 Na6 13. e4 Ba5 14. Bb2 h6
4788$1 {BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- This is often an important point to remember. The
4789main idea of ...h6 is to stop White's knight from re-entering the game via g5.}
479015. exf5 Bxf5 16. f3 Bb6+ {Another important concept. After White has played
4791e4, Black wants to place his bishop on the most active square, namely d4.} 17.
4792Nf2 Nb4 {Black's pieces are very active. White must proceed with extreme
4793caution!} 18. Na4 Be3 19. Bc1 $2 {This move is too passive.} ({I think that
4794White should have tried} 19. Rfe1 $5 {with the idea of sacrificing the
4795exchange and gaining activity after} Bxf2+ 20. Kxf2 Nd3+ 21. Rxd3 Bxd3 22. Bxe5
4796{.}) 19... Bd4 20. Bb2 Bxb2 21. Nxb2 Nxa2 {Winning a pawn and retaining a
4797positional advantage. The rest of the game should be fairly simple but this is
4798never the case when facing a 2700+ player!} 22. Rd2 Nb4 23. Ne4 Bxe4 24. fxe4
4799Rad8 25. Rfd1 Rxd2 26. Rxd2 Kf7 27. Na4 Ke7 28. Nc5 b6 29. Nb7 g6 30. c5 bxc5
480031. Nxc5 Rd8 32. Rxd8 Kxd8 33. Kf2 Ke7 34. h3 Nc2 35. Bf1 Nd4 36. Bc4 Nd7 37.
4801Nd3 Kd6 38. Ke3 a5 39. Bf7 g5 40. Nf2 Nc5 41. Ng4 Ncxb3 42. Nxh6 a4 43. Nf5+
4802Nxf5+ 44. exf5 Ke7 45. Bc4 Nd4 46. Ke4 Kf6 47. h4 gxh4 48. gxh4 Nxf5 49. Ba2
4803Nxh4 50. Kd3 Kf5 51. Bb1 Kf4 52. Kc4 e4 53. Kb4 Nf5 54. Kxa4 Ne7 55. Kb4 e3 56.
4804Bd3 Kf3 57. Kc5 0-1
4805
4806[Event "25: World Cities Championship"]
4807[Site "?"]
4808[Date "2012.??.??"]
4809[Round "?"]
4810[White "Halkias, S."]
4811[Black "Williams, S."]
4812[Result "1-0"]
4813[ECO "A91"]
4814[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
4815[PlyCount "99"]
4816[EventDate "2012.??.??"]
4817[Source "Everyman Chess"]
4818[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
4819
4820{This game should have been an important moment in the development of my Dutch
4821Defence career. My opponent found a rather old, yet interesting idea that I
4822fell straight into. I went on to lose an important game, in an important team
4823event. --- I made a typical mistake after the game, instead of analysing my
4824errors, I headed straight to the bar, pushing the game into the recesses of
4825the mind. This meant that I lost again in similar circumstances, in future
4826events. One simple bit of advice: always analyse your losses! --- In my
4827defence, it was Christmas Day!} 1. d4 e6 2. g3 f5 3. Bg2 Nf6 4. c4 (4. Nh3 {
4828might be a slightly better move order. White does not need to commit the pawn
4829to c4 yet.}) 4... Be7 5. Nc3 {Again this may not be the most precise move
4830order from White, if he wants to play Nh3. As we will see in some subsequent
4831games, b3 is often more useful than Nc3.} (5. Nh3 $1 d6 6. b3 {is an improved
4832move order.}) 5... O-O (5... d6 $5 {is an interesting move order, the point
4833being that Black wants to avoid Nh3-f4. For example,} 6. Nh3 (6. e4 {is one
4834way that White can try to take advantage of this different move order. After 5...0-0 6 e4 is a bad move due to 6...fxe4 7 Nxe4 d5. This plan is less
4835effective now.} fxe4 7. Nxe4 O-O {should be fine for Black. The weakness on e6
4836is not so important as White has yet to finish his development}) 6... e5 $1 {
4837stopping the white knight from reaching f4. This is the type of position that
4838Black wants to be aiming for. Black has gained a strong centre whilst keeping
4839White's knight side-lined on the edge of the board.}) 6. Nh3 {At the time I
4840was happy to see this move, but this feeling quickly changed!} d6 7. Nf4 $1 {
4841I now played what seemed to be a very natural move.} e5 $2 {Assuming that
4842White was planning to bring his knight on f4 into d5. Black is always doing
4843well against this plan as Black can simply play ...c6, kicking the knight away.
4844Instead I was shocked by my opponent's real plan!} (7... c6 {, with ...e5 in
4845mind, would have been a much better plan. For example,} 8. Nd3 Nbd7 $1 {(Black
4846must play ...e5!)} 9. O-O e5 10. e3 Qe8 {with a standard position. White will
4847try to attack on the queenside, but Black has chances on the kingside. One
4848attacking idea that I have found works very well in these types of positions
4849is ...h5-h4.}) 8. dxe5 dxe5 9. Qxd8 Bxd8 {Not seeing my opponent's next move,
4850I played the standard capture on d8. ...Bxd8 is effective against Nd5, but not
4851good against White's next move!} (9... Rxd8 {also looks better for White.} 10.
4852Nfd5 (10. Ne6 $2 {no longer works:} Bxe6 11. Bxb7 Nbd7 {and Black is clearly
4853better}) 10... Nxd5 11. Nxd5 Bd6 {. This seems to be just about OK for Black,
4854for example,} 12. c5 $2 (12. Bg5 Rd7 {and Black's position looks quite ugly; ...c6 will repair matters somewhat, but I would still prefer to be White. For
4855example,} 13. O-O-O Na6 (13... c6 $6 14. Ne7+ $1 Bxe7 15. Bxe7 Rxe7 16. Rd8+
4856Kf7 17. Rxc8 {is very bad for Black}) 14. e4 $1 c6 15. Ne3 {White is much
4857better}) 12... Bxc5 13. Nxc7 Bb4+ $1 14. Kf1 Rd1# {.}) 10. Ne6 $1 {My opponent
4858banged out this move very quickly, and what a nasty shock it was! This was the
4859first time that I had seen this idea and it is certainly a concept well worth
4860remembering.} Re8 ({I spent a lot of time analysing} 10... Bxe6 {but it does
4861not work.} 11. Bxb7 c6 12. Bxa8 Ba5 13. O-O Bxc4 (13... Nfd7 {with the idea of
4862playing ...Nb6, trapping White's bishop does not work because of} 14. Be3) 14.
4863Rb1 Nd5 15. Nxd5 cxd5 16. b3 {when eventually the bishop on a8 escapes.} Bxe2
486417. Bxd5+ {and White has a large advantage.}) 11. Nxd8 Rxd8 {White has a small
4865advantage due to his bishop pair. Black has a good pawn structure in the
4866centre, but this pawn structure is difficult to maintain due to the dark
4867square weaknesses.} 12. Bg5 (12. Be3 {is also slightly better for White. For
4868example,} c6 13. O-O Be6 14. b3 Kf7 15. Rad1 Rxd1 16. Rxd1 Nbd7 17. Na4 a6 18.
4869Nb6 Re8 19. Nxd7 Nxd7 20. Bc1 a5 21. e4 g6 22. exf5 Bxf5 23. h3 h5 24. Bg5 e4
487025. Kf1 Ne5 26. Ke2 Nd3 27. Ke3 b5 28. cxb5 cxb5 29. Rd2 Ne1 30. Bh1 Nf3 31.
4871Bxf3 exf3+ 32. Kxf3 Bxh3 {½-½ C.Ward-R.Pert, Aberystwyth 2014.}) 12... c6 {
4872My position is quite solid, but not what a Dutch player is looking for when
4873pushing the f-pawn.} 13. f4 {This maybe a bit eager, as White did not need to
4874change the pawn structure so quickly.} (13. O-O {is simple and good:} Be6 14.
4875Rad1 Na6 15. b3 {and White's bishop pair promises him an advantage.}) 13...
4876exf4 14. Bxf6 gxf6 15. gxf4 {White has tried to change one type of advantage,
4877the bishop pair, into another type of advantage, doubled pawns. This should
4878still offer him better chances, but I should really have been able to hold
4879this position.} Be6 16. b3 Na6 17. Rd1 Rxd1+ 18. Kxd1 Kf7 19. Kc1 Rg8 20. Bf3
4880Nc5 21. Kc2 Ke7 22. e3 Rg6 (22... a5 {looks like a more natural way to play,
4881when I could have held the balance.}) 23. Ne2 Ne4 24. Rg1 Nf2 25. Ng3 Rh6 26.
4882Rg2 Ng4 27. Bxg4 fxg4 {I was certainly feeling more confident here. My pawns
4883have been straightened out and I even had chances of pushing my h-pawn all the
4884way down the board.} 28. f5 Bd7 {The only problem I do have, though, is the
4885placement of my rook on h6. At the moment it is stuck out of the game, and the
4886real battle revolves around whether this rook can enter the fight again or not.
4887} 29. c5 Rh3 30. Kd3 h5 31. Ke4 b6 (31... h4 {fails to} 32. Ne2 {, when Nf4 is
4888a strong threat.}) 32. b4 bxc5 33. bxc5 Bc8 {Aiming to defend the b7-square
4889from a penetrating white rook, but my position is already difficult. None of
4890my pieces are coordinating together, whilst White's king is very strong.} (
489133... Be8 {does not help:} 34. Kf4 Bf7 35. Rb2 {.}) 34. Kf4 Ba6 35. a4 {Even
4892here the computer does not understand just how bad Black's position is. There
4893is no way back now.} Bc4 36. Rb2 a5 37. e4 Kf7 {I have nothing better to do
4894then sit around and wait for Santa to arrive.} 38. e5 fxe5+ 39. Kg5 Bd5 40. f6
4895h4 41. Rb7+ Ke8 42. Nf5 Rxh2 43. Nd6+ Kd8 44. f7 Rf2 45. Kxh4 e4 46. Rb8+ Ke7
489647. Re8+ Kd7 48. f8=Q Rxf8 49. Rxf8 e3 50. Kg3 {. Ho, Ho, Ho, Merry (expletive
4897deleted) Christmas!} 1-0
4898
4899[Event "26: Linares"]
4900[Site "?"]
4901[Date "1992.??.??"]
4902[Round "?"]
4903[White "Karpov, A."]
4904[Black "Short, N."]
4905[Result "1-0"]
4906[ECO "A91"]
4907[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
4908[PlyCount "73"]
4909[EventDate "1992.??.??"]
4910[Source "Everyman Chess"]
4911[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
4912
49131. d4 f5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 e6 4. Nh3 $5 {This was the first game where I ever
4914saw this idea being used - I came across it in Bellin's excellent book,
4915'Winning with the Dutch'. Any idea by Karpov is an idea worthy of
4916investigation. --- It is funny that 20 years on, I had a chance to talk to
4917Nigel about this game. It was just after I had lost to Halkias in the World
4918Cities Championship (see game above - Christmas Day!) and Nigel was my team
4919mate on the London team (strange as most of our team had little or no ties to
4920London). Halkias had used the same plan of Nh3 against me in a successful
4921manner. --- Nigel gave me the impression that this plan of Nh3 was well known
4922and a reason that he had stopped playing the Dutch. He was very dismissive of
4923Black's opening. Fair enough, but I was more disappointed to see him write
4924some negative things about my play in a later copy of New in Chess.} Be7 5. O-O
4925O-O {Of course Black can play into a Stonewall Dutch set-up at any moment, but
4926then the move Nh3 fits in very well with White's strategy. White will simply
4927want to continue with Nf4, Nd3, Nd2 and Nf3, when both white knights take
4928control of the e5-square.} 6. c4 d6 7. Nc3 $6 {In my opinion this is slightly
4929dubious as it allows Black the chance to play ...e5 with a good position.} (7.
4930Qb3 {has also previously been played by Karpov. That game continued} c6 $1 {
4931(often a good move in this variation, as when Black plays ...e5 he wants to
4932have control of the d5-square)} 8. Nc3 Na6 9. Ng5 e5 $1 10. Rd1 (10. c5+ d5 11.
4933dxe5 Nxc5 12. Qc2 Ng4 {is good for Black}) 10... Qe8 11. d5 h6 12. Nf3 {(A.Karpov-P.Nikolic, Reykjavik World Cup 1991) and now} cxd5 $1 {is very
4934comfortable for Black.}) (7. b3 $1 {is the best move and will be looked at in
4935more detail later on in this chapter.}) 7... Qe8 $6 ({Black should have played
4936} 7... e5 $1 {when the white knight on h3 is badly placed.}) 8. Nf4 g5 $6 {The
4937wrong pawn break. This and Black's next move is actually an old suggestion of
4938Paul Keres, quoted by Bellin in his book, but this was the first game in which
4939it had been tried at top level, and Karpov practically refutes it.} (8... Nc6 {
4940runs into the typical d5 break:} 9. d5 exd5 10. Ncxd5 {and White is slightly
4941better.}) (8... e5 $1 {(simple and correct)} 9. dxe5 dxe5 10. Nfd5 (10. Ne6
4942Bxe6 11. Bxb7 Nbd7 {is much better for Black}) 10... Bd8 {looks OK for Black.
4943Even so, I would prefer to have played 7...e5! one move earlier, as then the
4944white knight on h3 would not have gained access to the d5-square.}) 9. Nd3 $1 {
4945A good square for the white knight. From d3 the knight controls a number of
4946squares.} Qg6 10. f4 h6 {White has a pleasant advantage in this position.
4947Black is lacking any counterplay and control of central squares.} (10... g4 $6
4948{locks the pawn structure and White is clearly stronger in the centre of the
4949board. White plays} 11. Re1 {with e4 to follow.}) 11. d5 {White is strong in
4950the centre, so that is where he strikes!} Na6 (11... exd5 $1 {was a better try.
4951} 12. cxd5 Na6 {with ...Bd7 and ...Rae8 to follow. Black is still worse but at
4952least he can fight.}) 12. b4 $1 {Gaining space and stopping Black from playing
4953...Nc5.} exd5 (12... e5 {is the typical idea, but it fails here after} 13. b5
4954$1 Nb8 14. fxe5 {.}) 13. Nxd5 Nxd5 14. Bxd5+ $1 {The correct way to capture on
4955d5. The bishop is very strong and does not deserve to be blocked in, as it
4956would be after cxd5.} Kh7 15. b5 $1 {Keeping things simple.} Nc5 16. Nxc5 dxc5
495717. Qc2 a6 18. a4 Rb8 (18... axb5 19. cxb5 Rb8 20. a5 {is a lot better for
4958White. The a-pawn could well become a queen very quickly.}) 19. fxg5 $5 hxg5
495920. Ra3 $5 {An interesting idea. The white rook prepares to move over to f3,
4960increasing the pressure on Black's position.} c6 21. Bg2 Bf6 (21... Be6 {runs
4961into} 22. g4 $1 {with some major threats.}) 22. Be3 $1 ({White could have also
4962tried to open up the position in the centre with} 22. e4 $6 {but this would
4963have given Black some counterplay after} Bd4+ 23. Kh1 cxb5 {.}) 22... Bd4 23.
4964Bxd4 cxd4 24. e3 {Simple play from Karpov. He realises that the black king
4965will always be slightly weak. In this game a quote of Yusupov keeps springing
4966to my mind: "Often the best move in the Dutch Opening is f5-f7, yet this is
4967never possible!" It is a good thing that this quote is not true in all cases!}
4968dxe3 25. Rxe3 Be6 26. g4 $5 {White has a large advantage due to the weaknesses
4969around Black's king. The game is effectively over.} Rbe8 (26... Rbc8 {loses
4970immediately to} 27. bxc6 bxc6 28. gxf5 Rxf5 29. Rfe1 $1 {.}) 27. bxc6 bxc6 28.
4971c5 {Locking the black pawn on c6.} (28. gxf5 $2 {is not so clear, for example,}
4972Rxf5 29. Be4 $2 (29. Rd1 $1) 29... Rxf1+ 30. Kxf1 Rf8+ 31. Kg1 Bf5 {with an
4973equal position.}) ({However,} 28. Bxc6 {is also strong, for example,} Rc8 29.
4974gxf5 Bxf5 30. Rxf5 Rxc6 31. Rh3+ Kg8 (31... Kg7 32. Qb2+ Rcf6 33. Rxf6 Qxf6 34.
4975Qxf6+ Rxf6 35. c5 {and White is winning}) 32. Rxf8+ Kxf8 33. Qb2 {, winning.})
497628... Qf6 $2 {Losing quickly.} (28... Bc8 $1 {was Nigel's last chance. Things
4977are still bad but he can fight on, for example,} 29. Rxe8 Rxe8 30. gxf5 Qf6 {
4978. White is a pawn up, but Black has created a blockade.}) 29. Bxc6 {The rest
4979is easy for someone of Karpov's strength.} Rb8 (29... Qd4 30. Qc3 Qxg4+ 31. Rg3
4980{is winning for White.}) 30. gxf5 {Two pawns too many.} Bf7 31. Bg2 Rb2 32. Qc3
4981Qxc3 33. Rxc3 Rd8 34. c6 Rdd2 35. Be4 Re2 36. c7 Rxe4 37. c8=Q 1-0
4982
4983[Event "27: Sunningdale e2e4"]
4984[Site "?"]
4985[Date "2013.??.??"]
4986[Round "?"]
4987[White "Hambleton, A."]
4988[Black "Williams, S."]
4989[Result "1-0"]
4990[ECO "A91"]
4991[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
4992[PlyCount "61"]
4993[EventDate "2013.??.??"]
4994[Source "Everyman Chess"]
4995[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
4996
4997{After my loss against Halkias, my opponents were getting wise to the idea of
4998playing Nh3. As you can see in the games here, I have a terrible record
4999against this plan! I am partly to blame though, as only now, in the making of
5000this book, have I seriously worked out a good way for Black to play.} 1. d4 e6
50012. c4 f5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nh3 d6 {At least I remembered to play this
5002move early. Playing ...d6 before 0-0 gives Black more options, mainly the
5003possibility of advancing with ...e5 at an earlier moment.} 6. b3 $1 {The best
5004move from White. White aims to put his dark-squared bishop on b2, from where
5005it will directly attack the e5-square. This move makes more sense compared to
5006the Nc3 which we saw in the last game.} e5 $6 {I believe this to be premature
5007now.} ({David Eggleston demonstrated a much better plan in his game against
5008Neverov, which we will come to shortly. That plan was to simply castle and
5009then aim to play ...e5 with the help of moves such as ...Nbd7 ...Qe8 and ...Bd8. --- For example,} 6... O-O 7. Bb2 Qe8 $1 8. Nf4 Bd8 $1 {(preparing ...e5
5010and stopping the Ne6 plan which we saw in the last game, as now Black's queen
5011on e8 defends the e6-square)} 9. Nd3 Nbd7 $1 10. Nd2 e5 {with an equal
5012position.}) 7. Bb2 Ng4 $5 {This was my inventive idea behind playing ...e5.
5013Now that White has moved his dark-squared bishop, the e3-square is slightly
5014exposed. This makes it harder for White to kick my knight on g4 away with f3.
5015I will always try to meet f3 with ...Ne3. Still, I don't believe this is a
5016good enough plan for equality.} (7... e4 {looks logical, but I always try to
5017avoid setting the pawn formation like this. I like to try to keep my centre
5018fluid. White's pieces are well positioned to deal with this structure, with a
5019knight on h3 that is ready to come into f4. White is slightly better after} 8.
5020f3 {.}) 8. O-O ({I also repeated this same dubious plan against a strong
5021grandmaster with the same result. That game continued} 8. Na3 $1 {(This move
5022makes a lot of sense. White wants to play Nc2 covering the e3-square, then it
5023will be possible to play f3 kicking my knight on g4 away)} O-O 9. Nc2 {(I now
5024have to find a way to take the sting out of f3)} Bf6 10. Qd2 Nc6 11. e3 a5 {
5025(This position is not that bad for Black, but White may have a slight
5026advantage because he can always set up with f3 and Nf2. On the other hand, my
5027knight on g4 will have to move back to h6, on the edge of the board)} 12. O-O
5028Qe8 {(Not knowing anything better, I decided to stick with the queen swinger!)}
502913. f3 Nh6 14. Nf2 g5 $6 {(As the situation in the centre has not been settled,
5030this push is probably premature. White may be able to open up the centre at
5031some point when my king will need all the pawn protection that it can get.)}
503215. Bc3 a4 16. b4 Nf7 17. b5 Ne7 18. Rab1 h5 19. c5 $6 {Allowing my bishop
5033into a good square on e6. White should have avoided allowing me this option.} (
503419. f4 $1 {is often a good way to close the kingside}) 19... Be6 20. Na3 b6 21.
5035dxe5 dxe5 22. Qe2 Ng6 $2 (22... Rd8 {was sensible and good}) 23. f4 $1 {(Now
5036my h5-pawn becomes a target, and the rest of the game goes from bad to worse.)}
5037Rd8 24. Qxh5 Kg7 25. fxg5 Nxg5 26. Qe2 Rh8 $2 (26... e4 $1 {was actually OK
5038for me}) 27. Rb4 bxc5 28. Rxa4 Bd5 29. e4 Ra8 30. Ra6 Rxa6 31. bxa6 Qa4 32.
5039exd5 Qxa3 33. Qd3 c4 34. Qxc4 Nf7 35. Qd3 Nd6 36. Bxe5 Qxd3 37. Bxf6+ Kxf6 38.
5040Nxd3 Ra8 39. Nb4 {1-0 K.Landa-S.Williams, Haguenau 2013.}) 8... O-O 9. Qd2 {
5041Guarding the e3-square and therefore aiming to play f3, whilst not allowing ...Ne3.} Nc6 {With an interesting idea in mind.} ({Instead,} 9... exd4 10. Qxd4
5042Bf6 11. Qd5+ {and due to the structure, White is going to be slightly better.
5043It is worth noting that this is a pawn formation that I nearly always aim to
5044avoid.}) 10. Bd5+ Kh8 11. f3 Ne3 $5 {How could I resist such a beautiful
5045idea!? Of course I should have resisted it, but temptation often gets the
5046better of me.} (11... Nf6 12. Bxc6 bxc6 13. dxe5 dxe5 14. Qxd8 Bxd8 15. Bxe5
5047Re8 16. Bd4 Rxe2 {is still better for White.}) 12. Qxe3 f4 {Attacking the
5048queen and the knight on h3. I had assumed that I would have good attacking
5049chances in this position because my opponent had earlier played Bd5+ which
5050left some holes around the white kingside. On closer inspection the whole idea
5051seems rather suspect, though.} 13. Nxf4 {The only move.} exf4 14. gxf4 Nb4 {
5052One of my major faults is being over-optimistic, and that showed in my
5053assessment of this position. At the time I thought I had great attacking
5054chances, but the emotionless computer disagrees.} 15. Be4 d5 16. cxd5 Bh3 (
505516... Bd6 {was my best chance, but we must not forget that White is three
5056pawns up!} 17. Nc3 Bxf4 18. Qf2 Bf5 19. Bxf5 Rxf5 20. Bc1 {(this game
5057certainly has some similarities with my encounter with Ipatov)} Bxc1 21. Raxc1
5058Nxd5 22. Nxd5 Rxd5 23. e4 Rxd4 24. Rxc7 Qxc7 25. Qxd4 {. White is better but
5059not by so much.}) 17. Nc3 $1 {To my opponent's credit, he did defend
5060incredibly well. Nearly all his moves were the computer's first choice. Last
5061time one of my opponents did that in a game with the Dutch, my opponent was
5062called Sebastian Feller. He was later accused of computer-cheating (Arbiter
5063please!!!!), but no such suspicions are attached to the present game!} (17. Rf2
5064Bd6 $1 {is very dangerous for White and could even be losing, for example,} 18.
5065f5 Qh4 19. Bc1 Rae8 {(all the boys are joining in the attack)} 20. Nc3 Nc2 {.
5066Black is a lot better.}) 17... Bd6 18. Qf2 Bxf4 (18... Bxf1 {was of course
5067possible, but then White has a safe and stable advantage. I wanted to keep
5068some form of an attack going. After} 19. Rxf1 Rxf4 20. Bc1 Rh4 21. f4 {,
5069White's pawn centre certainly looks rather scary.}) 19. Rfd1 c6 $2 {This was
5070too much.} (19... Bf5 $1 {kept the game alive.}) 20. dxc6 bxc6 21. d5 {White
5071is completely winning and just needs to avoid any tricks.} c5 22. Kh1 Be5 23.
5072Na4 Bxb2 24. Nxb2 Qf6 25. Nc4 Rae8 26. Qg3 Qh6 27. d6 $1 {A well worked-out
5073finish to the game.} Rxe4 28. fxe4 Nc2 29. Ne5 $1 Nxa1 30. d7 Bxd7 31. Nf7+ $1
5074{. A very strong finish to the game from my young Canadian opponent. This line
5075with ...Ng4 is certainly interesting but I do not believe that it is entirely
5076sound.} 1-0
5077
5078[Event "28: French Team Championship"]
5079[Site "?"]
5080[Date "2014.??.??"]
5081[Round "?"]
5082[White "Ipatov, A."]
5083[Black "Williams, S."]
5084[Result "1-0"]
5085[ECO "A91"]
5086[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
5087[PlyCount "65"]
5088[EventDate "2014.??.??"]
5089[Source "Everyman Chess"]
5090[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
5091
50921. d4 e6 2. c4 f5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nh3 {My opinion of this move has
5093certainly changed over the last 10 years or so. Far from being a bad idea,
5094after a series of losses I now consider this move one of the main ways for
5095White to fight for an advantage against the Dutch. As we can see from the
5096games in this chapter, most of my opponents now also think the same thing!} d6
50976. b3 $1 {White should play this straightaway. The bishop on b2 aims to stop
5098Black from playing the ...e5 break.} (6. Nc3 $6 {, as we have seen, is
5099slightly the wrong plan, as Black can now play ...e5 without any serious
5100issues, for example,} O-O (6... e5 $5) 7. O-O e5 {.}) 6... c6 7. Bb2 O-O 8. O-O
5101Qe8 $6 {This is the wrong plan.} ({It is much more important to try and
5102advance with ...e5. For that reason} 8... Qc7 $1 {is the correct way to play.
5103Black should not be thinking about a kingside attack, it is more important to
5104gain a strong pawn centre. --- The position looks roughly equal after} 9. Nd2 (
51059. Nc3 e5 10. d5 h6 11. b4 Nbd7 (11... a5 $5 12. a3 axb4 13. axb4 Rxa1 14. Bxa1
5106Na6 {is also equal}) 12. Qb3 Kh8 13. Rac1 a6 14. a3 c5 $1) 9... e5 10. e4 $6 (
510710. c5 $1 {is an interesting new idea, but also very thematic for this type of
5108pawn structure; Black should be OK after} Na6 $1 11. cxd6 Bxd6 12. dxe5 Bxe5
510913. Bxe5 Qxe5 14. Nf4 Nc7 {but White's position is slightly preferable}) 10...
5110f4 $5 11. gxf4 Bg4 12. f3 Bxh3 13. Bxh3 Nh5 $5 {, E.Gleizerov-A.Eichhorn, Biel
51112010.}) 9. Nd2 a5 10. Nf4 $1 {Like Karpov, Ipatov realises that d3 is the best
5112square for this knight. From there, the knight adds extra control to the
5113e5-square. If Black cannot play ...e5 then Black will be very cramped.} ({
5114Other options:} 10. e4 Nxe4 11. Nxe4 fxe4 12. Bxe4 e5 13. Bg2 {is equal.}) (10.
5115Qc2 Na6 11. a3 Ng4 $5 {. We have seen this idea before, and now} 12. e4 {may
5116still offer White a small advantage.}) 10... g5 {Playing like Short, but this
5117is the incorrect plan.} 11. Nd3 Qg6 12. f3 $6 {Aiming to play e4,} ({but there
5118was a stronger plan with} 12. c5 $1 {. --- This is even stronger and was a
5119move that certainly worried me at the time. c5 is often a problem with Black's
5120pawn structure of c6, d6, e6. After} d5 {White has total control of e5,
5121offering him a large advantage.}) 12... f4 $5 {Not liking my position I
5122decided to complicate matters. Better to burn bright than fade away!} 13. gxf4
5123(13. Qe1 {was a sensible way to avoid the confusion, but White is doing well
5124if he continues correctly.}) 13... Nh5 {Aiming to bring my pieces near to
5125White's king. White should be able to defend though, as he has lots of pieces
5126around his monarch.} 14. fxg5 $1 {Correctly accepting the challenge.} Bxg5 15.
5127Ne4 Be3+ 16. Kh1 {At the time I assumed that my bishop on e3 would create some
5128nasty threats, but these can be defended.} e5 $1 {The best chance.} (16... d5
5129$2 {allows} 17. Ne5 (17. Nec5 $4 Ng3+ 18. hxg3 Qh5+ 19. Bh3 Qxh3#) 17... Qh6
513018. Ng4 {when the black queen is forced away. That is why it is important to
5131first place a white pawn on the e5-square.}) 17. dxe5 (17. Ndf2 $1 {stops any
5132attacking chances.} d5 18. Bh3 $1 {and the white rook comes to g1 with a
5133winning game.}) 17... d5 {Now White cannot play Ne5.} 18. Bc1 $2 {Another
5134mistake.} ({White could have defended more strongly:} 18. cxd5 $6 {is not so
5135clear, for example,} cxd5 19. Nef2 (19. Nc3 $4 Ng3+ 20. hxg3 Qh5+ 21. Bh3 Qxh3#
5136) 19... Qh6 {. Black has some attacking chances and the position is unclear.} (
513719... Ra6 20. Bh3 Bxh3 21. Rg1 {is winning for White.})) (18. Nef2 $1 {is the
5138best defence, Black has a number of attacking chances but White can hold on in
5139all variations. For example,} Qh6 {(threatening ...Ng3+)} 19. Kg1 Qg5 20. Bc1
5140Bh3 21. Ne1 {(all of Black's pieces are attacking but all of White's pieces
5141are defending!)} Bxc1 22. Nxh3 Be3+ 23. Kh1 Qxe5 24. f4 {. White is winning.})
514218... Bxc1 19. Nf6+ Rxf6 20. Rxc1 Rf8 21. cxd5 {Here White offered me a draw,
5143which I really should have accepted. I played my next move a tempo, which was
5144a big mistake.} cxd5 $2 (21... Qh6 $1 {looks much better, and this is the move
5145that my opponent assumed would be much better for Black. Strangely enough, the
5146computer does not agree, and after} 22. Qe1 cxd5 23. f4 Nc6 24. Bxd5+ Kh8 25.
5147Qh4 Nd4 26. Qg5 {the position is still in the balance.}) 22. Rxc8 $1 {After
5148this move White gains the initiative, which was very hard for me to deal with
5149in practice.} Rxc8 23. Bh3 $1 Qc6 24. Rg1+ Ng7 $2 {The decisive mistake,
5150although it is hard to see why, without the help of a computer.} (24... Kh8 $1
5151{holds the balance.} 25. Bxc8 Qxc8 26. Qd2 Qf8 27. Qg5 Ng7 28. Nf4 Nc6 29. Nxd5
5152Qf7 30. Nf6 Rf8 {and the position is equal.}) 25. Bxc8 Qxc8 26. Nf4 $1 {White
5153continues to play well, using the initiative precisely. The white knight is
5154going to be a strong attacking piece.} Kh8 27. Nxd5 Ra6 28. Nf6 {White is
5155winning quite simply now. The rest is easy.} Nc6 29. Qd3 Qh3 30. Rg3 Qf1+ 31.
5156Rg1 Qh3 32. Qd5 Ra8 33. Qf7 1-0
5157
5158[Event "29: Hastings Masters"]
5159[Site "?"]
5160[Date "2007.??.??"]
5161[Round "?"]
5162[White "Neverov, V."]
5163[Black "Eggleston, D."]
5164[Result "1-0"]
5165[ECO "A91"]
5166[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
5167[PlyCount "95"]
5168[EventDate "2007.??.??"]
5169[Source "Everyman Chess"]
5170[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
5171
5172{In this game David Eggleston, playing Black, finds a good way to play against
5173an early Nh3. I suggest that you follow David's example here, I certainly will
5174in the future. The basic idea is to try and force through the e5 break. As
5175long as you remember to do this, then you should get a good position. Black
5176should set up this idea in one of two ways, depending on the situation: 1) The
5177way shown in this game: ...Qe8-Bd8-Nbd7 and finally ...e5. --- 2) ...c6-Qc7-e5.
5178} 1. d4 e6 2. c4 f5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nh3 {Here it is again.} O-O ({
5179Black can also start with} 5... d6 {but it makes little difference. Black will
5180play ...e5 but only after he has castled, which is slightly different to some
5181of the other games that we have seen.} 6. b3 O-O {and we are back into the
5182main game.}) 6. b3 d6 7. Bb2 (7. Nf4 Qe8 (7... e5 {is also possible in this
5183case:} 8. dxe5 dxe5 9. Qxd8 Rxd8 (9... Bxd8 $2 10. Ne6 $1 {is a standard trick
5184that we have already seen in Halkias-Williams}) 10. Nd5 Nxd5 11. Bxd5+ Kf8 {
5185and with ...c6 to follow I would prefer to be Black due to the strong pawns on
5186e5 and f5}) 8. Bb2 {transposes to the game.}) 7... Qe8 $5 {A simple plan.
5187Black places the queen on its most natural square. From e8, the queen has
5188ideas of swinging out to h5, but more importantly, from e8 the queen helps
5189prepare the ...e5 advance.} (7... c6 {is another good plan. After} 8. O-O {
5190Black should now play} Qc7 $1 {. We analysed this in Ipatov-Williams.}) 8. Nf4
5191({White can also play} 8. O-O {and this looks like a more promising plan for
5192White. White will aim to get the knight on h3 back into the game via f2 after
5193either f3 or f4.} Bd8 9. Nc3 e5 10. e3 {is OK for Black, but I think that
5194White's position is slightly easier to play as it is very hard to generate an
5195attack on the kingside. For example,} h6 {. (a useful move to play, stopping
5196White from ever moving the knight on h3 into g5)} 11. Qc2 c6 $1 {(this is the
5197correct way to continue; with ...c6 Black takes control of d5 and prepares to
5198move the dark-squared bishop on d8 to either c7 or b6)} 12. Rad1 Na6 13. f3 Bc7
519914. Nf2 {and now} f4 $5 {is interesting and certainly thematic for the
5200Classical Dutch!} 15. dxe5 dxe5 16. Ba3 $1 fxe3 17. Nfe4 Bb6 {when the
5201computer slightly prefers White after} 18. c5 {.}) 8... Bd8 $1 {This is
5202particularly effective when White has already played Nf4.} 9. Nd3 {Aiming to
5203stop Black from playing ...e5, in the spirit of the Karpov-Short game. It is
5204not so effective here as Black is well positioned to force through ...e5.} (9.
5205O-O e5 {is fine for Black.} 10. Nd3 Nc6 (10... e4 $5 11. Nf4 c6 ({or even} 
520611... e3 $5 12. f3 {with a quite peculiar position})) 11. Bxc6 bxc6 12. dxe5 {
5207(this is always going to be risky for White, as he might win a pawn but his
5208king will be weak)} Ng4 $1 {. White has to be careful. One mistake and his
5209position could fall apart, for example,} 13. exd6 $2 {(now Black can start a
5210thematic winning attack)} Qh5 14. h4 Bxh4 $1 15. Nf4 Qh6 16. Kg2 Bxg3 $1 17.
5211Kxg3 Qg5 $1 {and Black is winning.}) 9... Nbd7 10. Nd2 ({White can no longer
5212stop ...e5. For example,} 10. f4 e5 11. dxe5 dxe5 12. Nxe5 {(White has won a
5213pawn but there are some serious weaknesses along the a7-g1 diagonal,
5214especially e3)} Nxe5 13. Bxe5 Ng4 14. Bd4 Bf6 15. Nc3 Ne3 {with a dynamically
5215equal position.}) 10... e5 {The position is equal.} 11. dxe5 ({Or:} 11. O-O $6
5216{allows the march of the e-pawn.} e4 12. Nf4 e3 $1 {(Black has gained the
5217upper hand)} 13. Nf3 exf2+ 14. Rxf2 Ng4 {winning an exchange.}) (11. e3 {keeps
5218the tension and stops ...e4-e3.} e4 12. Nf4 c5 $5 13. O-O cxd4 14. exd4 (14.
5219Bxd4 Ne5) 14... g5 15. Nh3 h6 {. The position is equal.}) 11... dxe5 12. e4
5220fxe4 13. Nxe4 Nxe4 14. Bxe4 Nf6 15. Bg2 e4 {So far Black has been playing very
5221well.} 16. Ne5 c6 17. O-O Bc7 18. Qd4 Bf5 {There is nothing wrong with this
5222move, but it is often a good idea in the Dutch to leave the light-squared
5223bishop on c8 and only move it into the game via h3.} (18... Qh5 $1 {is
5224possible. --- Which Dutch Defence player would not want such a position!? After
5225} 19. f4 Bh3 {Black has the advantage.}) 19. Rae1 Rd8 {Black's position is
5226absolutely fine, but David eventually gets ground down by his higher-rated
5227opponent.} 20. Qc3 Qh5 {A little bit late.} 21. f4 Rfe8 ({The white knight on
5228e5 was an especially strong piece, and Black could have exchanged it straight
5229away, forcing a draw. For example,} 21... Bxe5 22. fxe5 (22. Qxe5 $2 Rd2 23.
5230Bc3 Rxa2) 22... Rd3 $1 23. Qc1 Ng4 24. h3 Rxg3 25. hxg4 Rxg2+ 26. Kxg2 Qxg4+
523127. Kh2 Qh3+ 28. Kg1 Qg3+ 29. Kh1 Qh3+ 30. Kg1 Qg3+ {with a draw by perpetual
5232check.}) 22. b4 Bh3 23. Bxh3 Qxh3 24. Qc2 Qh6 $6 {Black is moving without
5233purpose, a sure way to lose to a higher-rated opponent.} (24... Qe6 {would at
5234least keep the queen more centralised.}) 25. Re2 Qh5 {I am sure the queen
5235moved to this square five moves ago!?} 26. c5 Bxe5 27. fxe5 Rxe5 {A decent
5236practical decision, as Black's e-pawn remains strong, but it is also clear
5237that Black can only fight for a draw after this move.} 28. Bxe5 Qxe5 29. Qc4+
5238Kh8 (29... Qd5 {was an interesting choice. Black would like to reach an ending,
5239as then his king could zoom into the centre.} 30. Qxd5+ cxd5 {could even be
5240good for Black, with two connected passed pawns.}) 30. Qf7 Qd4+ 31. Kg2 e3 32.
5241Qe7 {The end. As soon as Black's e-pawn drops, the game is over.} h5 33. Qxe3
5242Qxe3 34. Rxe3 {The rest is simple.} Rd2+ 35. Rf2 Rxf2+ 36. Kxf2 Ng4+ 37. Kf3
5243Nxe3 38. Kxe3 Kg8 39. Ke4 Kf7 40. Ke5 Ke7 41. h4 a6 42. Kf5 Kf7 43. a3 a5 44.
5244bxa5 Ke7 45. Kg6 Ke6 46. Kxh5 Kf5 47. g4+ Kf6 48. a4 1-0
5245
5246[Event "30: Malta Open"]
5247[Site "?"]
5248[Date "2012.??.??"]
5249[Round "?"]
5250[White "Mirzoev, A."]
5251[Black "Williams, S."]
5252[Result "0-1"]
5253[ECO "A96"]
5254[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
5255[PlyCount "78"]
5256[EventDate "2012.??.??"]
5257[Source "Everyman Chess"]
5258[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
5259
5260{This game was played in the last round of the 2012 Malta Open. I went to the
5261event in a bit of a holiday mood, and I was joined in Malta by a number of
5262chess-playing friends from England. There were a number of interesting moments.
5263One that springs to mind was a large bet that I managed to win. --- What did I
5264have to do? Well during a meal at a rather posh local restaurant, I had to
5265suddenly strip off and swim across the ocean to the other side of the harbour.
5266I must now apologise to everyone else at the restaurant who must have surely
5267been put off by this rather peculiar sight. Such a sensible tournament... ---
5268As this was the last round, a couple of us decided to drink a little bit of
5269Sangria before the game. Obviously this is not to be recommended, but it
5270certainly seemed to put me in a good mood for the match... --- Some very
5271thematic Dutch ideas are demonstrated in this game. Let's see what those ideas
5272are.} 1. d4 e6 2. Nf3 f5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. b3 {This is a very
5273sensible move. White prepares to develop his bishop to the natural b2-square.
5274I now continued with a standard idea.} Ne4 {There is no need to play ...d6
5275quite yet. In some cases I may have even played ...d5 instead, depending on
5276how my opponent continued.} 7. c4 Bf6 {I favour this set up of knight on e4
5277and bishop on f6. It maximises the potential of both pieces.} ({Another
5278typical plan would have been} 7... a5 {. This is similar in spirit to my game
5279against Gelfand. The a-pawn can cause a number of problems in White's position.
5280}) 8. Bb2 d6 {We have now transposed back into one of the main lines with an
5281early b3.} 9. Nc3 Nc6 {The black knight can safely develop to c6 as Black no
5282longer has to fear the pawn advance d5.} 10. e3 {Now that White has
5283over-protected his d4 pawn, White might be intending to continue with Nxe4.
5284For that reason I decided to capture on c3 first.} (10. Nxe4 {is nothing to
5285worry about, as after} fxe4 {the white knight on f3 does not have a good
5286square to retreat to.}) 10... Nxc3 11. Bxc3 Qe7 {I wanted to keep the queens
5287on the board. This might have been due to the after-effects of a jug of
5288Sangria.} ({Another sensible choice that leads to an equal position would have
5289been} 11... e5 12. dxe5 dxe5 13. Qd5+ Kh8 14. Qxd8 Rxd8 15. Rfd1 e4 $1 {with
5290equality.}) 12. b4 $1 {Very logical. White should gain some space on the
5291queenside.} e5 13. b5 (13. dxe5 dxe5 14. b5 Nd8 15. e4 {when} Nf7 $5 {is
5292possible,} ({but I was planning a typical idea:} 15... f4 {which leads to a
5293very murky position after} 16. gxf4 exf4 17. e5 Bg5 18. Nxg5 Qxg5 19. Kh1 {.}))
529413... Nd8 14. Qb3 $6 {This is what I call an 'autopilot' move. It looks
5295sensible and cannot be a major mistake, but it also does little to stop
5296Black's build- up in the centre and kingside. White should have probably
5297captured on e5, opening up the d-file. This is often the best way for White to
5298react to ...e5.} (14. dxe5 dxe5 {leads to the variation given above.}) 14... e4
5299$1 {This is the start of a plan which I would advise you all to remember. In
5300this game it works to perfection. --- 1) Play ...e4, gaining some space on the
5301kingside. --- 2) Play ...g5-g4. This gains more space, but most importantly,
5302once my pawn gets to g4 White won't be able to break out with f3. This is the
5303one move that Black wants to stop. If Black stops f3, White's bishop on g2
5304becomes an awful piece. --- 3) Prepare an attack on the kingside. --- 4) Bring
5305my knight on d8 to g5 via f7. With a pawn on g5 and knight on g4, Black will
5306always have a very dangerous threat of ...Nf3+. --- 5) Open the h-file and
5307attack on the h-file. This can be done with ...h5-h4, ...Kg7, ...Rh8. --- 6)
5308Try to stop or hold up White's counterplay on the queenside. --- As we will
5309see, in the game this plan worked perfectly!} 15. Nd2 g5 $1 {Stage 2 of the
5310plan in action, rush a pawn to g4. The most important thing for me to remember
5311at this moment, was White playing f3. At the time I had assumed that I would
5312win a pawn after f3, but things are not so clear.} 16. Bb4 $2 {Another lax
5313move that does little to stop my plan of attack on the kingside.} (16. f3 $1 {
5314was most worrying. This idea makes perfect sense, as Black has exposed his own
5315king with the move ...g5, so White should aim to open up the whole position in
5316order to attack the black king. After} exf3 17. Rxf3 g4 18. Rf2 Qxe3 {I do win
5317a pawn but White gains a lot of counterplay. For example,} 19. Nf1 Qg5 20. Re1
5318{and I would prefer to be White in this position.}) 16... g4 $1 {Now that the
5319kingside is locked I can look to the future with confidence.} 17. c5+ Be6 18.
5320cxd6 cxd6 19. Qa3 Nf7 {Stage 3 of my plan in motion. Eventually this knight
5321will move into the f3-square. Black is clearly better now.} 20. Rfc1 a5 {I
5322must remember also to keep an eye on the queenside. There is no need for me to
5323throw everything at White's king, not yet anyway, the attack will come with
5324time.} 21. bxa6 Rxa6 22. Qb2 Bd5 23. a3 h5 {Here comes stage 5 of my plan!
5325Once the h-file is open, White's king will be very weak.} 24. Rc2 ({White
5326should have played} 24. Bf1 {. This does take a defender away from the white
5327king, but White also needs to try and create counterplay on the queenside.})
532824... h4 25. Rac1 Rc6 {Let's not forget about stage 6 of my plan. I must also
5329keep an eye on White's queenside play and aim to slow it down.} 26. Rxc6 bxc6 {
5330It is strange that even here the computer believes that this position is equal,
5331whilst it looks winning for Black to me.} 27. Nc4 Rb8 {Threatening ...c5
5332winning a piece.} 28. Qc2 Qe6 29. Na5 Kg7 $1 {Stage 5! At some point I will
5333move my rook to h8. There is no rush, though. White is powerless to stop my
5334attack.} 30. Nc4 Be7 ({Missing a tactic:} 30... c5 $1 {would have won on the
5335spot. For example,} 31. dxc5 dxc5 32. Bxc5 Bxc4 33. Qxc4 Qxc4 34. Rxc4 Rb1+ 35.
5336Bf1 Ne5 36. Rc2 Nf3+ 37. Kg2 h3+ 38. Kh1 Rxf1# {.}) 31. gxh4 {Desperation, but
5337things were already grim for White.} Bxh4 32. h3 gxh3 33. Bh1 (33. Bxh3 {and
5338now my knight finally reaches the g5-square:} Ng5 34. Bg2 Nf3+ 35. Bxf3 exf3
533936. Kf1 Qg6 {. Black has a winning attack.}) 33... Be7 {Defending d6 so that ...Ng5 and ...Nf3 comes into the equation. There were other ways to win, but I
5340was set on my plan of manoeuvring my knight to f3.} 34. Nd2 h2+ 35. Kxh2 Qg6 {
5341...Rh8# is one nasty idea. White's king is helpless, and the rest of the game
5342plays itself.} 36. Bg2 Ng5 37. Kh1 Rh8+ (37... Nf3 {was even quicker but I was
5343enjoying myself too much.}) 38. Kg1 Rh4 39. a4 Ne6 {. A plan rarely succeeds
5344so well in a game of chess, especially against such a highly-rated opponent.}
53450-1
5346
5347[Event "?"]
5348[Site "?"]
5349[Date "????.??.??"]
5350[Round "?"]
5351[White "A: White plays an early Nh3"]
5352[Black "?"]
5353[Result "*"]
5354[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
5355[PlyCount "13"]
5356[Source "Everyman Chess"]
5357[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
5358
5359{BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- Before we take a deeper look at the theory of Nh3 I
5360would just like to make some observations that you should bear in mind. --- 1)
5361There are various different move orders that White can use in this system. You
5362must always stay on the lookout for what White is actually playing. It is very
5363easy in the opening to go into 'auto-pilot'. This is nearly always a big
5364mistake, but I have found it especially so in the Classical Dutch. Most move
5365orders are covered here or in the introductory games. --- 2) You must try to
5366avoid allowing the trick that I fell into in my game against Halkias. That
5367trick is the sequence Nf4 e5; dxe5 dxe5; Qxd8 Bxd8; Ne6! Always be on the
5368lookout for Ne6 after ...e5. --- 3) If White delays playing Nf4 but instead
5369develops with Nc3?!, it is nearly always a good idea to advance with ...e5!,
5370keeping the white knight stuck out of the game on h3. --- 4) If White plays an
5371early b3 and Nf4 without Nc3 then you must choose between playing one of the
5372following plans: a) ...c6, ...Qc7 and ...e5. --- b) ...Qe8, ...Bd8, ...Nbd7
5373and ...e5. --- c) A combination of both of the above plans. --- As you will
5374see in the first line below, Black gains a good position by playing ...c6 and
5375then ...Nbd7 with the idea of going ...e5 next. --- It really depends on the
5376situation as to what is the correct plan, but if you at least know what plans
5377you should be thinking of, it will no doubt help you play the right one! ---
5378As long as you follow these pointers then you should get a good position.} 1.
5379d4 f5 2. g3 e6 3. Bg2 Nf6 4. c4 Be7 5. Nh3 {is normally aimed against the
5380Stonewall Dutch set-up. In that set-up, with black pawns on c6, d5, e6 and f5,
5381White aims to take complete control of the weak e5-square. White does this by
5382playing Nf4-Nd3 and with the other knight Nd2-Nf3. --- Black has not played ...d5 yet, so it should be in his favour to play ...d6 and ...e5, limiting the
5383activity of White's knight on h3 and taking control of the e5-square.} O-O 6.
5384O-O d6 $1 {. White now has three choices:} 7. -- ({a)} 7. Nf4) ({b)} 7. b3 $1)
5385({c)} 7. Nc3 $6) *
5386
5387[Event "?"]
5388[Site "?"]
5389[Date "????.??.??"]
5390[Round "?"]
5391[White "A: White plays an early Nh3"]
5392[Black "a) 7 Nf4"]
5393[Result "*"]
5394[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
5395[PlyCount "16"]
5396[Source "Everyman Chess"]
5397[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
5398
53991. d4 f5 2. g3 e6 3. Bg2 Nf6 4. c4 Be7 5. Nh3 O-O 6. O-O d6 $1 7. Nf4 {The
5400white knight quickly moves into the centre.} c6 {The simplest move.} ({Black
5401does have some other decent options:} 7... e5 {allows White the chance to play
5402his Ne6 trick in some variations.} 8. dxe5 dxe5 9. Qxd8 Rxd8 $1 (9... Bxd8 {
5403would be a big mistake due to} 10. Ne6 $1) 10. Nd5 Nxd5 {and whichever way
5404White recaptures on d5, the position remains roughly equal.}) (7... Qe8 {
5405(preparing ...e5 and trying to keep the queens on the board after an exchange
5406on e5)} 8. Nd3 {(aiming to stop Black from playing ...e5)} Nc6 $5 {. This is
5407now an interesting idea. Black normally avoids playing this move due to d5,
5408but it now seems that the move d5 does not bring much of an advantage to White.
5409For example,} 9. d5 Ne5 {and now White should probably move his knight back to
5410f4.} 10. Nf4 c6 $5 11. Nxe6 Bxe6 12. dxe6 Qc8 $1 {when Black will recapture on
5411e6 next, with a solid and equal position.}) 8. Nd3 {Otherwise Black will play .
5412..e5! with a good position.} Nbd7 $1 {. Black will play ...e5 on his next move
5413with an equal and dynamic game.} *
5414
5415[Event "?"]
5416[Site "?"]
5417[Date "????.??.??"]
5418[Round "?"]
5419[White "A: White plays an early Nh3"]
5420[Black "b) 7 b3!"]
5421[Result "*"]
5422[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
5423[PlyCount "24"]
5424[Source "Everyman Chess"]
5425[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
5426
54271. d4 f5 2. g3 e6 3. Bg2 Nf6 4. c4 Be7 5. Nh3 O-O 6. O-O d6 $1 7. b3 $1 {This
5428looks like the toughest test for Black. We did look at this move in some
5429detail during the introductory games; just to recap, Black should now play:} c6
5430$1 {Nearly always a useful move in this variation. Black gives his queen a
5431chance to move to the c7-square supporting ...e5.} 8. Bb2 Qc7 9. Nd2 {This
5432looks like the most sensible square for White's knight. The other option was
5433c3 but it does little there, as it no longer has the option of moving into d5.}
5434e5 10. c5 $5 {Very logical. Other options may even allow Black the chance to
5435gain a big pawn centre with the moves ...e4 and ...d5.} e4 $1 {This forces
5436white to capture on d6, otherwise Black will play ...d5 on his next move with
5437a great position.} 11. cxd6 Bxd6 12. Nc4 Nd5 {with an equal position.} *
5438
5439[Event "?"]
5440[Site "?"]
5441[Date "????.??.??"]
5442[Round "?"]
5443[White "A: White plays an early Nh3"]
5444[Black "c) 7 Nc3?!"]
5445[Result "*"]
5446[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
5447[PlyCount "24"]
5448[Source "Everyman Chess"]
5449[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
5450
54511. d4 f5 2. g3 e6 3. Bg2 Nf6 4. c4 Be7 5. Nh3 O-O 6. O-O d6 $1 7. Nc3 $6 {
5452Black has two good ways to gain equality against this move.} e5 {Black
5453immediately stops White from playing Nf4.} ({The other move that I have tried
5454is} 7... c6 {, which is slightly more dynamic. In most cases, Black will keep
5455the queens on the board, which is always pleasant as it makes the position
5456more complex.} 8. d5 {(Richard Palliser played this advance against me but my
5457position was perfectly playable after the continuation given here)} e5 9. b4 h6
545810. dxc6 Nxc6 $1 {. In this game, I relied on the strength of my f5- and
5459e5-pawns. The weakness on d5 was not too much of a worry and I eventually won
5460the game in nice style.}) 8. dxe5 (8. c5 $6 {makes little sense here as Black
5461can recapture on d6 with his pawn. The move c5 is usually only good when Black
5462has played ...c6, because then the pawn on d6 becomes weak.} Nc6 9. cxd6 cxd6
546310. dxe5 dxe5 {. I prefer Black's position as his central pawns are very
5464strong.}) 8... dxe5 9. Qxd8 {Otherwise Black will play ...Qe8 followed by ...Qh5 and White's position becomes very unpleasant.} Bxd8 $1 {We have already
5465discussed the pros and cons of this move earlier on. The bishop can no longer
5466be attacked by Nd5 and it will also find a good diagonal after the moves ...c6
5467and ...Bb6 have been played.} 10. b3 c6 {I believe that Black has a small
5468advantage due to the strength of his central pawns.} 11. Ba3 {This looks like
5469White's most natural continuation.} ({White's other options are as follows:} 
547011. Ng5 e4) (11. e4 {BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- White often plays this move in
5471an attempt to give Black an isolated e-pawn and secure the e4-square for his
5472knight. On the downside, the move e4 does weaken the d4-square. Black is
5473slightly behind in development. How should he continue?} Bb6 $1 {(a good plan;
5474the bishop will be very well placed on d4)} 12. Ng5 h6 13. Nf3 fxe4 14. Nh4 Bd4
5475$1 {.}) 11... Re8 12. Rfd1 Na6 {. Black will continue with ...h6 to stop Ng5
5476followed by ...Bb6 or ...Bc7. Black certainly has nothing to worry about in
5477this position.} *
5478
5479[Event "?"]
5480[Site "?"]
5481[Date "????.??.??"]
5482[Round "?"]
5483[White "B: White avoids playing c4"]
5484[Black "?"]
5485[Result "*"]
5486[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
5487[PlyCount "20"]
5488[Source "Everyman Chess"]
5489[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
5490
54911. d4 f5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 e6 {In this chapter, we will look at what happens
5492when White avoids playing c4. This is quite rare but Black still has to be
5493careful. --- BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- If White chooses not to play c4 then
5494Black can play ...Nc6 without a care in the world as White's usual response of
5495d5 is not possible here. --- In general, if White avoids playing c4 then Black
5496should aim to play the moves ...d6 ...Nc6 and ...e5 in quick succession.} 4.
5497Nf3 (4. Nd2 {is quite a tricky move with the aim of playing e4. On the
5498downside, White's pawn on d4 is undefended so Black can hit back quickly with}
5499Nc6 $1 {. A very good response. White's pawn on d4 is undefended so Black
5500takes the opportunity to attack it. Black is also preparing to play ...d6 and ...e5.} ({In the past, I have recommended} 4... c5 {but I am no longer certain
5501about this move. White should play} 5. dxc5 $1 Bxc5 6. Nb3 Bb6 {and I have
5502several concerns regarding Black's pawn structure, particularly the large
5503weakness on d6. As a result, I am not too keen on Black's position}) 5. c3 {
5504BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- White is ready to play e4. How should Black respond?}
5505d6 $1 {A nice idea. I am ready to meet e4 with ...e5.} ({Black could also play
5506} 5... d5 {but this is not in the spirit of the Classical Dutch}) 6. e4 e5 {.
5507C.Ward-S.Williams, British League 2005, continued} 7. Ne2 fxe4 8. Nxe4 d5 $5 {
5508(an interesting sacrifice)} 9. Nxf6+ Qxf6 10. Bxd5 Bh3 {(this stops White from
5509castling)} 11. Nf4 O-O-O {and the position is very messy, but Black should be
5510fine.}) 4... Be7 5. O-O O-O {White now has two main options: 6 b3 and 6 Nbd2.}
55116. Nbd2 {White is aiming to play Re1 and e4.} (6. b3 {aims to control the
5512e5-square with this sensible move.} d6 7. Bb2 {. --- BRAINSTORMING POINT! ---
5513How should Black continue?} Nc6 $1 {(I like this plan. Black does not have to
5514worry about d5, so this is the best square for the knight)} 8. c4 Ne4 9. d5 Bf6
5515$5 {.}) 6... d6 7. Re1 Nc6 $1 {Preparing ...e5.} 8. e4 {Otherwise Black plays ...e5 with a good position.} fxe4 9. Nxe4 Nxe4 10. Rxe4 e5 $1 {. In this
5516position, Black aims for ...Bf5 with active play.} *
5517
5518[Event "?"]
5519[Site "?"]
5520[Date "????.??.??"]
5521[Round "?"]
5522[White "C: White plays b4 or b3 "]
5523[Black "?"]
5524[Result "*"]
5525[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
5526[PlyCount "15"]
5527[Source "Everyman Chess"]
5528[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
5529
55301. d4 e6 2. Nf3 f5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. c4 d6 {We will now look
5531at what happens when White plays either b3 or b4 here. Black must be well
5532prepared for both of these popular moves. First of all, let's take a look at 7
5533b3.} 7. b3 {Black has two main ways to play against this move: 1) ...Ne4, with
5534either ...Bf6 or ...Nd7 to follow. ...Bf6 increases the pressure along the
5535long diagonal whilst ...Nd7 followed by ...Ndf6 aims to take control of the
5536e4-square. --- 2) An early ...a5, with the idea of playing ...a4 to attack
5537White's queenside pawn formation. --- I have the feeling that option one
5538should be the best, but it is not so easy to gain an equal position. --- In
5539future, I would personally try an early ...Nc6!?. This may not have too much
5540of an effect as White can probably transpose back to more familiar lines but
5541at least it gets White thinking from an early stage.} ({The following lines
5542are quite long-winded so please forgive me if I confuse you. If you are a
5543little bamboozled by some of the lines, then I would suggest that you stick
5544with} 7. b3 Ne4 8. Bb2 Bf6 9. Nbd2 Nc6 10. Ne1 Nc5 $5 {.}) 7... Ne4 $1 {After
55457...Ne4 White will, in the majority of cases, either chose to play 8 Qc2?! or
55468 Bb2. Before we move onto these possibilities, let's take a look at what
5547happens if Black decides to play ...a5 or ...Nc6 on his 7th move.} (7... a5 {
5548I noticed one impressive game where Black played this move.} 8. Nc3 Ne4 9. Qc2
5549Nxc3 10. Qxc3 Bf6 {(play has transposed into the Modern Line - see Chapter Two)
5550} 11. Bb2 Nc6 12. Rad1 Qe8 13. Qc2 e5 14. e4 Qh5 15. d5 $6 {(this is a typical
5551mistake in this structure; White should never close the position like this as
5552it gives Black good attacking chances on the kingside)} Nb4 16. Qb1 f4 $6 17.
5553Ne1 Bg5 18. a3 Bg4 $1 19. Nf3 fxg3 20. fxg3 Be3+ 21. Kh1 Rxf3 {(powerful
5554stuff!)} 22. axb4 Rxg3 {(a dream Dutch!)} 23. Qc2 Rxg2 24. Qxg2 Bxd1 25. bxa5
5555Rf8 {0-1, G.Balazs-A.Battey, Kecskemet 2010. A very impressive game. If only
5556all my Dutch games could be that smooth!}) (7... Nc6 $5 {This is a very
5557interesting move that I have only just discovered. (After having stating this,
5558I have just noticed that "MNB" suggests this move on the Chess Publishing
5559forum. He is one step ahead of me!) Given the chance, Black would like to play
5560...e5 on his next move. The natural-looking} 8. d5 {, is not clear, due to the
5561fact that Black can play} ({instead,} 8. Bb2 $1 {is a logical choice. By
5562playing this move, White takes control of the e5-square. I expect that Black's
5563best move here is} Ne4 {, transposing back into some more common variations})
55648... exd5 9. cxd5 Nb4 10. Nc3 Ne4 $1 {which looks fine for him. For example,}
556511. Bb2 Bf6 {and although Black has an inferior pawn structure, his pieces are
5566very active:} 12. Nd4 Re8 13. e3 Nc5 {with an interesting position that
5567requires further analysis.}) 8. -- {We will now take a look at White's main
5568options in the position after 7...Ne4:} ({a)} 8. Qc2 $6) ({b)} 8. Bb2 {. ---
5569There are a number of possible lines involved with option 'b' so we will look
5570at this variation in more detail.}) *
5571
5572[Event "?"]
5573[Site "?"]
5574[Date "????.??.??"]
5575[Round "?"]
5576[White "C: White plays b4 or b3 "]
5577[Black "a) 8 Qc2?!"]
5578[Result "*"]
5579[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
5580[PlyCount "40"]
5581[Source "Everyman Chess"]
5582[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
5583
55841. d4 e6 2. Nf3 f5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. c4 d6 7. b3 Ne4 $1 8. Qc2
5585$6 {This move seems inferior compared to the straightforward 8 Bb2.} Bf6 {A
5586very logical move;} ({but} 8... Nc6 {was also worth considering, for example,}
55879. Bb2 Nb4 $5 10. Qd1 Bf6 {with a decent-looking position for Black.}) 9. Bb2
5588Nc6 10. Rd1 Qe8 {This is a good way to play against Rd1. The queen sidesteps
5589the rook and Black continues with his plan of preparing to play ...e5.} 11. Nc3
5590Nxc3 12. Bxc3 e5 $1 {With an equal position. This is a fairly standard
5591position where Black has no real difficulties.} 13. dxe5 dxe5 14. Qb2 e4 ({
5592Black could have firstly played} 14... Bd7 {followed by ...e4 on his next move,
5593for example,} 15. Rd5 $6 e4 16. Nd4 Ne7 {and the white rook is now placed on a
5594rather silly square.}) 15. Nd4 Nxd4 16. Bxd4 Bd7 17. e3 {These types of
5595middlegame position are quite common for this variation and Black should
5596always be at least equal due to the bad placement of White's light-squared
5597bishop.} Qe7 18. Qc3 c5 (18... Be8 $1 {makes more sense as Black can transfer
5598his bishop to h5, thus taking control of the d1-square.}) 19. Bxf6 Rxf6 20. a3
5599Bc6 {. The game soon fizzled out into a draw as there is not a great deal of
5600play left in the position, R.Vazquez Igarza-R.Gomez Ledo, Collado Villalba
56012010.} *
5602
5603[Event "?"]
5604[Site "?"]
5605[Date "????.??.??"]
5606[Round "?"]
5607[White "C: White plays b4 or b3 "]
5608[Black "b) 8 Bb2"]
5609[Result "*"]
5610[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
5611[PlyCount "16"]
5612[Source "Everyman Chess"]
5613[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
5614
56151. d4 e6 2. Nf3 f5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. c4 d6 7. b3 Ne4 $1 8. Bb2
5616{Black has another decision to make: does he play for ...e5 or for control of
5617the e4-square? --- Let's take a look at these options:} -- ({b1)} 8... Bf6) ({
5618b2)} 8... Nd7) ({b3)} 8... Nc6 {. --- Out of the above possibilities, I would
5619consider 8...Bf6 to be the most reliable and probably the best way for Black
5620to continue.}) *
5621
5622[Event "?"]
5623[Site "?"]
5624[Date "????.??.??"]
5625[Round "?"]
5626[White "C: White plays b4 or b3 "]
5627[Black "b1) 8...Bf6"]
5628[Result "*"]
5629[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
5630[PlyCount "17"]
5631[Source "Everyman Chess"]
5632[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
5633
56341. d4 e6 2. Nf3 f5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. c4 d6 7. b3 Ne4 $1 8. Bb2
5635Bf6 {This is the most logical move. As we will see later on in this variation,
5636the move 10...Nc5!? is critical to Black's plan. White can now choose between:}
56379. -- (9. Nc3 {The knight is more of a target on c3 compared to d2. Black
5638should have no trouble gaining an equal position here.} Nc6 (9... Nxc3 $5 10.
5639Bxc3 Nc6 11. Qd2 e5 12. dxe5 dxe5 13. Qd5+ Kh8 14. Qxd8 Rxd8 15. Rfd1 {is a
5640typical plan as seen in the game S.Knott-S.Williams, British Championship 2005.
5641} Rf8 $5 {with the idea of playing ...e4, leaving Black with a comfortable
5642position}) 10. e3 Nxc3 11. Bxc3 e5 {After playing the move ...e5, Black has
5643managed to equalise.} 12. dxe5 dxe5 13. Qd5+ Kh8 14. Qxd8 Rxd8 15. Rfd1 Be6 16.
5644Ne1 Bf7 17. f4 e4 18. Bxf6 gxf6 19. g4 Bg6 20. h3 Ne7 {As seen in the game A.Delchev-V.Moskalenko, Illes Medes 2006.}) (9. Nbd2 {This is the most logical
5645square for the knight.} Nc6 10. Ne1 $1 {This is the only move that allows
5646White to play for an advantage. As you can see, White's f-pawn is now free to
5647move and eventually, Black will have to make a decision with regard to his
5648knight on e4.} ({Other options are less worrying for Black, for example:} 10.
5649Qc2 Nxd2 11. Qxd2 e5 12. Rad1 Qe7 {was slightly better for Black in the game G.Zetthofer-A.Druckenthaner, Austrian Team Championship 2010}) 10... -- (10...
5650Nb4 $5 {was played in P.Fogel-R.Meessen, Belgian Team Championship 2009. Black
5651wants to try to force the white queen to move to a worse square. As a result,
5652Qd5+ or an exchange on d8 would become less of a worry for Black.} 11. Qb1 Nxd2
565312. a3 Nc6 {. Black has achieved his aim. The white queen is badly placed on
5654b1. Black is at least equal in this position.}) ({. Anyway, let's now go back
5655to 10 Ne1. Black has a number of choices in this position. I suspect that 10...Nc5!? is the best option. We will now look at the following moves:} 10... Nxd2
5656{I originally suggested this move in my first book, Play the Classical Dutch.
5657I noticed that on the Chess Publishing forum, "caph1" mentioned that he had
5658played this move without success. --- As much as I am proud of the first book
5659I ever wrote, I have to admit that some of the ideas are now a little dated.
5660Furthermore, at the time of writing, computers were a lot weaker, therefore
5661some of the variations featured in 'Play the Classical Dutch' will need to be
5662updated. This seems to be one example, as White can gain an advantage after}
566311. Qxd2 e5 12. Bd5+ Kh8 13. Bxc6 bxc6 14. dxe5 dxe5 15. Qa5 {. --- White has
5664a slight advantage according to Avrukh, who suggests that Black should play ...e4 here.} f4 $5 {is an interesting way to bring the light-squared bishop to
5665life, for example,} 16. Bxe5 Bh3 17. Ng2 Qe8 18. Bxf6 Rxf6 19. Rae1 Qe6 {.
5666Black has some pressure with the moves ...Bxg2 and ...Rh3 but I expect that
5667White is able to defend.}) (10... d5 {This move may not be so bad here but it
5668is an option that most Classical Dutch players would rather avoid. For example,
5669} 11. e3 b6 12. Nd3 Bb7 13. Nf4 Qd6 {Black has a fairly safe and solid
5670position.}) (10... Ng5 {I do not like this move as it gives White the chance
5671to play} 11. f4 $1 {. This is a good move. White is aiming to take control of
5672the e5-square.} Nf7 12. e3 e5 13. fxe5 dxe5 14. d5 Ne7 15. e4 {was slightly
5673better for White in P.Tregubov-S.Williams, Reykjavik Open 2006. This is the
5674reason why I decided to play 8...Nd7 in future games!}) (10... Nc5 $5 {An
5675interesting new idea. Black wants to move the knight to d7 and play ...e5.
5676From the evidence that I have gathered, this looks like Black's best approach.
5677--- Play could continue} 11. e3 a5 {(it is worth stopping White from playing
5678b4 before the black knight has to retreat)} 12. a3 Nd7 13. Nd3 e5 {. Black has
5679managed to keep some pieces on the board, whilst achieving the e5 advance.
5680This position is extremely complex and practical examples are needed! As
5681mentioned before, I like the look of 10...Nc5!?. --- Option B is the most
5682critical choice.} (13... --))) *
5683
5684[Event "?"]
5685[Site "?"]
5686[Date "????.??.??"]
5687[Round "?"]
5688[White "C: White plays b4 or b3 "]
5689[Black "b2) 8...Nd7"]
5690[Result "*"]
5691[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
5692[PlyCount "19"]
5693[Source "Everyman Chess"]
5694[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
5695
56961. d4 e6 2. Nf3 f5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. c4 d6 7. b3 Ne4 $1 8. Bb2
5697Nd7 {Black's plan is to play ...Ndf6, which will make it hard for White to
5698achieve the e4 break.} 9. Nbd2 Ndf6 {White has tried a number of options here.
5699We will take a look at:} 10. -- (10. Ne1 Qe8 {. --- BRAINSTORMING POINT! ---
5700This is a typical plan that you must familiarise yourself with. The black
5701queen is better placed on h5 or, in some cases, g6, as it can take part in an
5702attack on White's king.} 11. f3 (11. Nxe4 fxe4 12. f3 Qh5 $5 13. fxe4 e5 14. e3
5703{(White would obviously love to exchange queens)} Bg4 15. Qd2 Bh3 16. Nd3 {.
5704Now I should have played} Bxg2 $1 {. With a roughly equal game after} 17. Qxg2
5705Ng4 $1 {. A useful move that defends e5. I had this position against
5706Grandmaster Belov and it led to very interesting play}) 11... Nxd2 12. Qxd2 Qh5
5707(12... e5 $5) ({and even the crazy looking} 12... b5 $5 {were also worth
5708considering}) 13. e4 fxe4 14. fxe4 e5 $1 15. Nd3 {In this position, a draw was
5709agreed in L.Gomez-Jurado-F.Grafl, Badalona Open 2010. White has pressure
5710against e5, whilst Black is hoping to arrange a kingside attack.} Be6 $5 {An
5711interesting move, with the idea of meeting} 16. dxe5 {with ...Ng4.}) (10. Nxe4
5712$5 {White is trying to keep things simple by swapping off Black's active
5713pieces. Simple is often good!} fxe4 ({this move is much more dynamic compared
5714to ...Nxe4 (} 10... Nxe4 11. Nd2 $1 {and White is slightly better}) 11. Ng5 $5
5715d5 12. f3 c5 $5 {With an interesting battle ahead.}) (10. e3 {This move was
5716played by a chess player who goes by the pseudonym of "caph1" from the Chess
5717Publishing forum. --- Black has now tried three moves, but I am doubtful
5718whether any of these options will lead to an equal game for Black.} Bd7 $5 {
5719This move also looks logical, but I would not be surprised if White has a
5720small advantage here, due to the extra space that he has on the queenside.} (
572110... Qe8 {This plan seems to be less effective here. Instead, I would advise
5722Black to seek counterplay on the queenside with either 10...Bd7 or 10...a5!?.
5723Anyway, let's take a look at 10...Qe8, as it is a typical idea.} 11. Ne1 Bd7
572412. f3 Nxd2 13. Qxd2 Qg6 14. Nd3 Bc6 15. Rad1 Rae8 16. Nf4 Qf7 17. d5 {and
5725White is better.}) (10... a5 $5 {Black may also have to be willing to play ...d5 at some point, for example:} 11. Nxe4 Nxe4 12. Nd2 d5 {More practical
5726examples of this position are needed.})) *
5727
5728[Event "?"]
5729[Site "?"]
5730[Date "????.??.??"]
5731[Round "?"]
5732[White "C: White plays b4 or b3 "]
5733[Black "b3) 8...Nc6!?"]
5734[Result "*"]
5735[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
5736[PlyCount "17"]
5737[Source "Everyman Chess"]
5738[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
5739
57401. d4 e6 2. Nf3 f5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. c4 d6 7. b3 Ne4 $1 8. Bb2
5741Nc6 $5 {This is a move that I suggested in The Killer Dutch DVD. White has
5742three main options:} 9. -- (9. Nc3 Nxc3 (9... Bf6 {leads to a line looked at
5743after 8...Bf6 9 Nc3 Nc6}) 10. Bxc3 Bf6 {Black will play ...e5 next with a good
5744position.}) (9. d5 Bf6 $1 {This is the idea behind ...Nc6. Black creates
5745pressure along the long diagonal. The position is equal, for example,} 10. Qc1
5746Nb4 11. a3 Na6 12. dxe6 Nac5 {and even though White has managed to capture on
5747e6, Black has compensation in the form of his actively placed pieces.}) (9.
5748Nbd2 $1 {White tries to transpose the position back to familiar territory and
5749unfortunately, I cannot see anything better than ...Bf6 here, which is
5750analysed elsewhere in this book.} Nf6 $5 {is a rather crazy idea. Black wants
5751to prove that White's knight is badly placed on d2. However, this kind of idea
5752does not deserve to work! --- Out of the above options, it seems that only the
5753last can offer White any chances of gaining an advantage.}) *
5754
5755[Event "?"]
5756[Site "?"]
5757[Date "????.??.??"]
5758[Round "?"]
5759[White "D: Other early alternatives"]
5760[Black "?"]
5761[Result "*"]
5762[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
5763[PlyCount "22"]
5764[Source "Everyman Chess"]
5765[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
5766
57671. d4 {I will now take a look at the other early deviations that White could
5768play when he fianchettoes kingside.} f5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 e6 4. c4 ({I do not
5769like} 4. Nc3 $6 {as the white knight is not well placed here but Black still
5770has to realise what White is trying to achieve with this move. It should be
5771obvious that playing e4 is his idea. Black can easily stop this move with} Bb4
5772$1 {, an unpleasant pin. I am not really sure what to recommend for White here,
5773for example,} 5. Nf3 Ne4 6. Qd3 b6 {and Black is doing well.}) 4... Be7 5. Nc3
5774(5. Nf3 O-O 6. d5 $6 {This move has been played too early. As a result, Black
5775can now throw in a check on b4, for example,} Bb4+ $1 7. Nbd2 Qe7 {and with ...e5 to follow, Black is already doing well.}) 5... O-O $1 ({This move is more
5776accurate than} 5... d6 {due to White's next move.}) 6. e4 $6 {Keith Arkell
5777once played this against me. White's plan is quite logical but in this
5778position, this move is actually an error due to Black's reply.} fxe4 7. Nxe4 d5
5779$1 {This active move refutes White's plan. We can now see why it was better to
5780delay ...d6 as Black can now play this advance in one move.} 8. Nxf6+ Bxf6 9.
5781Nf3 {Here, I should have grabbed a pawn with:} dxc4 $1 {White's d-pawn is
5782still weak and it can become a possible target. Black has the edge, for
5783example:} 10. O-O Nc6 11. Be3 e5 $1 {. It still surprises me how often this
5784move is good for Black in the Classical Dutch!} *
5785
5786[Event "?"]
5787[Site "?"]
5788[Date "????.??.??"]
5789[Round "?"]
5790[White "Early deviations: conclusion"]
5791[Black "?"]
5792[Result "*"]
5793[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
5794[PlyCount "17"]
5795[Source "Everyman Chess"]
5796[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
5797
5798{It is now time to focus our attention on White's other main option, namely 7
5799b4.} 1. d4 e6 2. Nf3 f5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. c4 d6 7. b4 {We had
5800a look at this line in one of the Introductory Games. This advance makes
5801perfect sense as White wants to gain space on the queenside whilst taking
5802control of the centre with Bb2.} Ne4 {You should now be familiar with this
5803move!} ({Another interesting option is to play} 7... a5 $5 {in order to stop
5804White from protecting his pawn on b4 with a3. Play might transpose into the
5805main line aft} 8. b5 Ne4 {.}) 8. Bb2 (8. a4 {is an interesting possibility.
5806White stops Black from playing ...a5 and then ...a4. This move has hardly ever
5807been played. Black should continue in the standard way, for example,} Bf6 9.
5808Bb2 Nc6 (9... c5 $5) 10. b5 Na5 11. Qd3 c5 {, which looks about equal.}) 8...
5809a5 {White now has two sensible options:} 9. -- (9. b5 a4 $1 {This is Black's
5810main idea. The pawn on a4 can be a real pain for White to deal with, as it
5811stops him from playing natural developing moves. Black should now aim to play ...c6 in order to attack White's queenside pawns.} 10. Qc2 c6 $1 11. bxc6 bxc6 (
581211... Nxc6 {was also worth considering, but by playing 11...bxc6 Black keeps
5813his pawn formation intact}) 12. Nbd2 Nxd2 13. Nxd2 Qc7 14. Rfe1 Nd7 ({another
5814option was the standard push} 14... e5 $5) 15. e4 {BRAINSTORMING POINT! ---
5815Have a think about what you would play if you were Black in this position. ---
5816Capturing on e4 is bad, as it opens up the e-file against Black's weak pawn on
5817e6. Black must aim to keep the e-file closed.} f4 $1 {Good move! Black's
5818position looks quite promising now.} 16. Nf3 e5 {With an equal game.}) (9. a3
5819$5 {This move looks more challenging, as after a continuation like...} axb4 10.
5820axb4 Rxa1 11. Bxa1 Nd7 {, White may have a slight advantage. For this reason,
5821Black should probably play 7...a5!? first in order to stop this plan. More
5822practical examples with the move 9 a3!? are needed but my gut reaction tells
5823me that White should be able to maintain an advantage.}) *
5824
5825[Event "?"]
5826[Site "?"]
5827[Date "????.??.??"]
5828[Round "?"]
5829[White "Test Your Knowledge! 5"]
5830[Black "?"]
5831[Result "*"]
5832[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
5833[PlyCount "1"]
5834[SourceDate "2015.05.13"]
5835
5836{Early Deviations after White has played g3 and Bg2. --- Have you really got
5837to grips with this chapter!?} 1. -- {We have now arrived at the fifth set of
5838tests. This time the tests are based around other early alternatives that
5839White might play after g3 and Bg2. These tests will verify whether the main
5840points of the chapter have been fully understood. The tests should not be too
5841difficult to solve especially if you have read the chapter in full.} *
5842
5843[Event "?"]
5844[Site "?"]
5845[Date "????.??.??"]
5846[Round "?"]
5847[White "Test 5.1"]
5848[Black "?"]
5849[Result "*"]
5850[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
5851[SetUp "1"]
5852[FEN "rnbq1rk1/1pp1b1pp/4p3/1P1p4/p1PPp3/B5P1/P3PPBP/RN1Q1RK1 b - - 0 12"]
5853[PlyCount "1"]
5854[Source "Everyman Chess"]
5855[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
5856
585712... -- {What should Black play in this position and why? --- See the
5858following game for the solution.} *
5859
5860[Event "?"]
5861[Site "?"]
5862[Date "????.??.??"]
5863[Round "?"]
5864[White "Answer 5.1"]
5865[Black "?"]
5866[Result "*"]
5867[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
5868[SetUp "1"]
5869[FEN "rnbq1rk1/1pp1b1pp/4p3/1P1p4/p1PPp3/B5P1/P3PPBP/RN1Q1RK1 b - - 0 12"]
5870[PlyCount "9"]
5871[Source "Everyman Chess"]
5872[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
5873
587412... c6 $1 {In this variation, Black often relies on this move to try and
5875destroy White's pawn formation on the queenside. --- For example:} 13. f3 $2
5876exf3 14. Bxf3 dxc4 15. bxc6 Nxc6 16. e3 e5 $1 {. As you can see, Black has a
5877good position. --- See the following game for the next exercise.} *
5878
5879[Event "?"]
5880[Site "?"]
5881[Date "????.??.??"]
5882[Round "?"]
5883[White "Test 5.2"]
5884[Black "?"]
5885[Result "*"]
5886[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
5887[SetUp "1"]
5888[FEN "rnbQ1rk1/ppp1b1pp/5n2/4pp2/2P5/2N3PN/PP2PPBP/R1B2RK1 b - - 0 9"]
5889[PlyCount "1"]
5890[Source "Everyman Chess"]
5891[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
5892
58939... -- {How should Black recapture on d8? --- See the following game for the
5894solution.} *
5895
5896[Event "?"]
5897[Site "?"]
5898[Date "????.??.??"]
5899[Round "?"]
5900[White "Answer 5.2"]
5901[Black "?"]
5902[Result "*"]
5903[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
5904[SetUp "1"]
5905[FEN "rnbQ1rk1/ppp1b1pp/5n2/4pp2/2P5/2N3PN/PP2PPBP/R1B2RK1 b - - 0 9"]
5906[PlyCount "1"]
5907[Source "Everyman Chess"]
5908[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
5909
59109... Bxd8 $1 {. This move is superior to 9...Rxd8 for two main reasons: 1)
5911White would like to play Nd5, which attacks the e7-square. Therefore Black
5912saves a tempo by capturing on d8 with the bishop. --- 2) Black wants to play ...c6 and then ...Bb6. If White eventually plays e4, then Black's bishop will be
5913excellent on d4 as it cannot be kicked away from this square. --- The a7-g1
5914diagonal is better than the f8-a3 diagonal. --- See the following game for the
5915next exercise.} *
5916
5917[Event "?"]
5918[Site "?"]
5919[Date "????.??.??"]
5920[Round "?"]
5921[White "Test 5.3"]
5922[Black "?"]
5923[Result "*"]
5924[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
5925[SetUp "1"]
5926[FEN "rnbb1rk1/pp4pp/2p2n2/4pp2/2P5/1PN3PN/P3PPBP/R1B2RK1 w - - 0 11"]
5927[PlyCount "1"]
5928[Source "Everyman Chess"]
5929[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
5930
5931{White has just played} 11. e4 {. What should Black play and why? --- See the
5932following game for the solution.} *
5933
5934[Event "?"]
5935[Site "?"]
5936[Date "????.??.??"]
5937[Round "?"]
5938[White "Answer 5.3"]
5939[Black "?"]
5940[Result "*"]
5941[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
5942[SetUp "1"]
5943[FEN "rnbb1rk1/pp4pp/2p2n2/4pp2/2P1P3/1PN3PN/P4PBP/R1B2RK1 b - - 0 11"]
5944[PlyCount "7"]
5945[Source "Everyman Chess"]
5946[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
5947
594811... Bb6 $1 {. The bishop heads for the d4-square which is a fantastic
5949outpost. Another good move in this position is 11...h6!? limiting the activity
5950of White's badly-placed knight on h3. --- Black has a good position. For
5951example,} 12. Ng5 h6 13. Nf3 fxe4 14. Nh4 Bd4 $1 {Black is clearly better. ---
5952See the following game for the next exercise.} *
5953
5954[Event "?"]
5955[Site "?"]
5956[Date "????.??.??"]
5957[Round "?"]
5958[White "Test 5.4"]
5959[Black "?"]
5960[Result "*"]
5961[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
5962[SetUp "1"]
5963[FEN "r1bq1rk1/ppp1b1pp/3ppn2/5p2/2PPn3/1P4P1/PB1NPPBP/R2QNRK1 b - - 0 10"]
5964[PlyCount "1"]
5965[Source "Everyman Chess"]
5966[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
5967
596810... -- {What plan should Black put into motion in this position? --- See the
5969following game for the solution.} *
5970
5971[Event "?"]
5972[Site "?"]
5973[Date "????.??.??"]
5974[Round "?"]
5975[White "Answer 5.4"]
5976[Black "?"]
5977[Result "*"]
5978[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
5979[SetUp "1"]
5980[FEN "r1bq1rk1/ppp1b1pp/3ppn2/5p2/2PPn3/1P4P1/PB1NPPBP/R2QNRK1 b - - 0 10"]
5981[PlyCount "7"]
5982[Source "Everyman Chess"]
5983[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
5984
598510... Qe8 $1 {This is a typical plan and one that you must remember when
5986playing the Classical Dutch. --- The black queen is much more active on h5 or
5987in some cases g6 as it can take part in an attack on the white king. --- For
5988example,} 11. Nxe4 fxe4 12. f3 Qh5 $5 13. fxe4 e5 $1 {. Black has a natural
5989attacking plan: ...Bh3 (or ...Bg4) followed by ...Ng4. Black has good
5990compensation in exchange for the sacrificed pawn. --- See the following game
5991for the next exercise.} *
5992
5993[Event "?"]
5994[Site "?"]
5995[Date "????.??.??"]
5996[Round "?"]
5997[White "Test 5.5"]
5998[Black "?"]
5999[Result "*"]
6000[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
6001[SetUp "1"]
6002[FEN "rnbq1rk1/ppppb1pp/4pn2/8/2PPN3/6P1/PP3PBP/R1BQK1NR b KQ - 0 7"]
6003[PlyCount "1"]
6004[Source "Everyman Chess"]
6005[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
6006
60077... -- {White has played an early e4 but he has fallen behind in development.
6008How can Black take advantage of this? --- See the following game for the
6009solution.} *
6010
6011[Event "?"]
6012[Site "?"]
6013[Date "????.??.??"]
6014[Round "?"]
6015[White "Answer 5.5"]
6016[Black "?"]
6017[Result "*"]
6018[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
6019[SetUp "1"]
6020[FEN "rnbq1rk1/ppppb1pp/4pn2/8/2PPN3/6P1/PP3PBP/R1BQK1NR b KQ - 0 7"]
6021[PlyCount "5"]
6022[Source "Everyman Chess"]
6023[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
6024
60257... d5 $1 {. Black takes advantage of the fact that White has not yet castled.
6026The game could continue} 8. Nxf6+ Bxf6 9. Nf3 dxc4 $1 {As well as winning a
6027pawn, Black has a new target, namely White's d-pawn.} *
6028
6029[Event "?"]
6030[Site "?"]
6031[Date "????.??.??"]
6032[Round "?"]
6033[White "6: White avoids fianchettoing"]
6034[Black "?"]
6035[Result "*"]
6036[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
6037[PlyCount "6"]
6038[Source "Everyman Chess"]
6039[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
6040
6041{"You don't make progress by standing on the sidelines, whimpering and
6042complaining. You make progress by implementing ideas." - Shirley Chisholm} 1.
6043d4 f5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 {. We now move on to part three of this book. In part
6044two, we looked at what happens when White fianchettoes his light-squared
6045bishop. We will now look at what happens when White avoids this plan. --- This
6046idea is not seen that often at grandmaster level because... --- BRAINSTORMING
6047POINT! --- 1) Black is able to fianchetto his light-squared bishop with ...b6
6048and Bb7. --- 2) White's dark-squared bishop can often become trapped behind
6049the pawn structure. --- Black still has to find a way to exploit this, though.
6050White normally continues with f3, Bd3 and Nge2 creating a solid set-up. --- As
6051a general rule, Black should play ...Bb4, as White cannot meet this move with
6052c3 or Nd2. ...Bb4 takes control of e4 and threatens to double White's pawns.}
6053Nf6 {Let's take a look at some introductory games to get a better
6054understanding of the position.} *
6055
6056[Event "31: Port Erin"]
6057[Site "?"]
6058[Date "2004.??.??"]
6059[Round "?"]
6060[White "Agrest, E."]
6061[Black "Williams, S."]
6062[Result "0-1"]
6063[ECO "A85"]
6064[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
6065[PlyCount "72"]
6066[EventDate "2004.??.??"]
6067[Source "Everyman Chess"]
6068[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
6069
60701. d4 e6 {I often choose this move order as I am happy to play the French
6071Defence and this move also avoids early deviations that can arise after 1 d4
6072f5, for example, 2 Nc3 or 2 Bg5. These deviations will be covered in the next
6073section of this book.} 2. c4 f5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Qc2 {White has a large range of
6074different move orders to choose from if he decides not to fianchetto. Black
6075must remain alert at all times to White's objectives. For example, in this
6076position it should be pretty obvious that White intends to play an early e4.
6077How should Black stop this advance?} Bb4 $1 {This is a perfectly sensible
6078response. --- BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- When White avoids fianchettoing, the
6079game will often revolve around the important e4-square. Both sides aim to gain
6080control of this square with as many pieces as possible, hence the reason why ...Bb4 is a good idea. The bishop is rarely well placed on e7 when White chooses
6081not to fianchetto.} 5. e3 {BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- After this move, it should
6082be obvious that White has no intention of playing g3 and Bg2. What plan should
6083Black put into motion? It is a plan that is rarely playable when White
6084fianchettoes.} b6 $1 {Black's light-squared bishop is well placed on b7.
6085Therefore, this plan is worth bearing in mind. --- BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- If
6086White avoids fianchettoing kingside then Black should aim to fianchetto
6087queenside.} 6. Bd3 Bb7 7. f3 $1 {This is the most sensible plan. White should
6088really stop a black piece from landing on e4.} c5 {This is another typical
6089plan. Black strikes out on the dark squares. I was aiming to finish my
6090development by playing ...d6 and ...Nbd7 when all of my pieces are working in
6091harmony.} 8. a3 $6 {I am not too keen on this move as there is no real rush to
6092play it. White should have played Nge2 first so that he has the option of
6093recapturing on c3 with the knight.} Bxc3+ 9. Qxc3 Nh5 $5 {BRAINSTORMING POINT!
6094--- This is another typical plan. White has weakened the e1-h4 diagonal so I
6095take advantage of this by starting an immediate attack. It is worth noting
6096that if White's queen was still on c2 then this attack would be irrelevant as
6097Qf2 would be possible.} 10. Nh3 {The knight is poorly placed on f2.} ({Another
6098alternative was} 10. Ne2 Qh4+ 11. g3 Qh3 {when White should play} 12. Kf2 Nf6 {
6099with an unclear game.}) 10... Qh4+ 11. Nf2 d6 12. dxc5 bxc5 13. b4 Nd7 14. Be2
6100O-O {I was happy around this point. The position is roughly equal. White has
6101the two bishops but Black has a strong centre and better chances of launching
6102a successful attack.} 15. O-O {BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- At the moment, I
6103currently have two pieces pointing towards the white king. With my next move,
6104I brought another piece around. What did I play?} Rf6 $1 {A good idea, more
6105firepower is needed! The rook is well placed on g6 or h6.} 16. Nh3 $2 {Around
6106here, White started to play some very passive moves. He was asking for trouble!
6107} Rg6 17. Nf4 $6 (17. Kh1 Ndf6 {.}) 17... Rh6 18. Nh3 Rg6 {I repeated the
6108position once to show who the boss was!} 19. Nf4 Nxf4 $1 {Time to take some
6109action. White does not have many pieces defending his king so it is time to
6110attack!} 20. exf4 Rh6 21. h3 Rg6 22. Kh1 Qg3 23. Rg1 {The only way to stop
6111mate.} Rh6 24. Rd1 Nf6 $1 {It was impossible to checkmate White using only my
6112rook and queen. Therefore, I played ...Nf6 to bring another piece towards
6113White's king. Black is now winning.} 25. Qe1 (25. Rxd6 Ng4 $1 26. fxg4 (26. Kg1
6114Qf2+ 27. Kh1 Rxh3+ 28. gxh3 Qh2#) 26... Qxg2# {.}) 25... Rxh3+ $1 {This
6115sacrifice finishes White off.} 26. gxh3 Qxh3+ 27. Kg1 Ng4 $1 28. Qf2 {The only
6116way to stop checkmate.} Nxf2 29. Kxf2 e5 {I need to be a little bit careful
6117here.} 30. Rg1 Qh4+ 31. Kf1 g6 {This stops any tricks on g7.} 32. fxe5 Qh3+ 33.
6118Kf2 Qh2+ 34. Rg2 Qxe5 35. Ra2 Re8 36. Rc2 Bxf3 {. I won the L500 best game
6119prize for this game which was a nice bonus! Unfortunately, I managed to lose
6120the whole amount at poker within about six hours of the prize giving...} 0-1
6121
6122[Event "?"]
6123[Site "?"]
6124[Date "????.??.??"]
6125[Round "?"]
6126[White "A: White plays e3-Bd3-Nge2-f3"]
6127[Black "?"]
6128[Result "*"]
6129[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
6130[PlyCount "42"]
6131[Source "Everyman Chess"]
6132[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
6133
6134{This plan of development for White is fairly popular and has been suggested
6135in several publications. It is not as traditional as playing g3 and
6136fianchettoing kingside but it still has a lot of venom and Black has to be
6137careful not to drift into a bad position.} 1. d4 f5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3
6138b6 5. Bd3 {In this variation, it is more important to understand the ideas
6139that Black should play rather than the exact moves themselves.} Bb7 6. f3 Bb4 {
6140This is normally the best square for Black's bishop. As we saw in the
6141introduction, it keeps control of e4.} ({There are a number of other
6142interesting possibilities here:} 6... Nh5 $5 {Black wants to start an
6143immediate attack against White's king. White must now proceed with caution.} 7.
6144Nh3 $1 {Black can choose from the following moves:} -- (7... Bd6 $5 {is an
6145interesting attacking move. For example, a game that I had at the Bunratty
6146Masters in Ireland continued} 8. Qc2 $6 (8. O-O {looks more logical when play
6147could continue} Nc6 {[this move stops White from playing e4]} 9. Nb5 Be7 10. d5
6148Ne5 11. Be2 exd5 12. cxd5 {with a slightly better position for White}) 8... O-O
61499. O-O a6 10. e4 Nc6 11. Be3 f4 $1 12. Bf2 (12. e5 $1 {was better with an
6150unclear game}) 12... e5 13. dxe5 Bxe5 {and Black is better.}) (7... Bb4 8. O-O
6151O-O 9. Qc2 c5 {with an unclear position.}) (7... Qh4+ 8. Nf2 Nc6 (8... Bd6 $6
61529. Nb5 Bxh2 $2 10. Nxc7+) 9. g3 Qe7 10. g4 $5 fxg4 11. fxg4 Nf6 12. g5 Ng8 13.
6153Qh5+ Kd8 {and the position is unclear.})) (6... g6 $5 {This plan has been
6154played by Classical Dutch expert Robert Bellin. It is an interesting idea that
6155I recently tried out in the 2012 Reykjavik Open against GM Ivan Sokolov.
6156Unfortunately, I obtained a rather bad version of the King's Indian Defence.
6157--- After} 7. Nge2 Bg7 {, the Bellin game continued} 8. O-O (8. e4 {was played
6158by Sokolov. That game continued} fxe4 9. fxe4 e5 10. d5 $1 {My bishop on b7 is
6159now badly placed. If you compare this type of structure to the one seen in the
6160King's Indian Defence, it is easy to see why my position is worse. I actually
6161lost this game without much of a fight}) 8... O-O 9. e4 fxe4 10. fxe4 e5 $1 11.
6162Bg5 exd4 12. Nxd4 Qe8 {with roughly equal chances.}) 7. Nge2 O-O ({Or Black
6163can try} 7... c5 8. Qc2 {and now:} -- (8... Nc6 9. a3 Bxc3+ 10. Qxc3 O-O 11. b4
6164cxb4 12. axb4 b5 $5 {. Attempting to take control of the light squares, but}
616513. d5 $1 {should give White the advantage.}) (8... d6 $5 9. O-O Nbd7 10. d5 $1
6166{BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- This is a typical plan that can prove to be quite
6167dangerous for Black.} exd5 11. cxd5 {and White is better.} (11. --))) 8. O-O
6168Nh5 {I have tried this plan before with success. The idea is to meet e4 with ...f4 and start an attack on the kingside.} ({Black can also play} 8... Nc6 9.
6169Qc2 Bd6 10. a3 a5 {leading to a roughly equal position.}) 9. Bd2 d6 10. a3 Bxc3
617011. Nxc3 Nd7 12. Qc2 g6 {This looks fine for Black.} 13. b4 e5 14. Rad1 c5 15.
6171dxc5 dxc5 16. e4 f4 17. Nd5 Ng7 $1 18. Bc3 Ne6 19. Qf2 Nd4 20. Bc2 Rc8 21. b5
6172a5 {is an example of typical play from both sides.} *
6173
6174[Event "?"]
6175[Site "?"]
6176[Date "????.??.??"]
6177[Round "?"]
6178[White "B: White plays e3-Bd3-Nf3"]
6179[Black "?"]
6180[Result "*"]
6181[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
6182[PlyCount "24"]
6183[Source "Everyman Chess"]
6184[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
6185
6186{Developing in this way leads to no advantage for White as Black's control of
6187the e4-square is too strong. For this reason, I will have just a quick look at
6188some of the possible variations.} 1. d4 f5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 ({Two famous chess
6189players once had an interesting battle in this line:} 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 b6 5.
6190Bd3 Bb7 6. Nc3 Bb4 7. Bd2 O-O 8. Qc2 Bxc3 9. Bxc3 Ne4 10. O-O-O a5 11. Kb1 Na6
619112. Ka1 Nb4 13. Bxb4 axb4 14. Rhf1 Bc6 15. Nd2 Nxd2 16. Rxd2 Bxg2 17. Rg1 Bf3
619218. Rg3 Ra5 19. d5 Bh5 20. f4 Qf6 21. Rf2 g6 22. Kb1 Rfa8 23. Qb3 Kg7 24. Rg5
6193Bg4 25. e4 Qd4 26. exf5 exf5 27. Bxf5 Bxf5+ 28. Rxf5 Rxa2 {0-1 F.Sämisch-A.Alekhine, Bad Pistyan 1922.}) 3... Nf6 4. e3 b6 5. Bd3 Bb7 6. Nf3 {I am not
6194keen on this move as it does not prevent Black from taking control of e4.
6195Black is at least equal here, for example:} Bb4 $1 {This move gains control of
6196the e4-square.} 7. Bd2 O-O 8. O-O {White can also try castling queenside. This
6197is what happened in the high-level game Sämisch-Alekhine above, where Black
6198again had a good game.} d6 9. a3 Bxc3 10. Bxc3 Ne4 {Black is doing well as he
6199has good control over the e4-square. Let's take a look at a couple more moves.}
620011. Be1 Nd7 12. Qe2 Qe7 {with a very comfortable game for Black.} *
6201
6202[Event "?"]
6203[Site "?"]
6204[Date "????.??.??"]
6205[Round "?"]
6206[White "C: White avoids g3-Bg2-e3"]
6207[Black "Other set-ups"]
6208[Result "*"]
6209[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
6210[PlyCount "22"]
6211[Source "Everyman Chess"]
6212[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
6213
6214{In this section, we will take a look at some other set-ups that White can
6215play against the Dutch.} 1. d4 f5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 {Play can often
6216transpose after this move, for example, 4...Be7 5 g3. We will look at what
6217might happen if Black plays an early ...Bb4. I do not like playing this move
6218unless White has moved his knight to c3. The reason for this is that against ...Bb4+, Nd2 is normally a good response and Black will no longer be able to
6219double White's pawns on the c-file.} ({White has also tried:} 4. Bg5 Bb4 $1 (
62204... Be7 $6 {is a slight error here. --- BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- Always be
6221aware of your opponent's plans! This move does not stop White's plan of} 5.
6222Bxf6 Bxf6 6. e4) 5. -- {. After 4...Bb4 White has tried a number of moves:} (5.
6223e3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 O-O (6... b6 $5) 7. Bd3 d6 8. Ne2 e5 9. O-O {and now} c5 $1 {
6224is a typical plan in this position.}) (5. Nf3 h6 ({Black can also equalise by
6225playing} 5... Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 b6 $5 7. e3 Bb7) 6. Bxf6 Qxf6 7. e3 O-O 8. Be2
6226Bxc3+ 9. bxc3 d6 10. O-O c5 $5 {and Black has a good position.}) (5. Qb3 -- (
62275... a5 6. a3 a4 $1 7. Qc2 (7. Qxb4 $2 Nc6 8. Qc5 Ra5 9. Nb5 d6) 7... Bxc3+ 8.
6228Qxc3 h6 9. Bxf6 Qxf6 {with an equal game.}) ({. Another option is} 5... c5 $5 {
6229, but after} 6. dxc5 Na6 7. a3 $1 {, he faces a choice. Rather than} Bxc3+ $6 (
6230{Black should probably prefer} 7... Bxc5 {, for example,} 8. Nf3 O-O 9. e3 b6
623110. Be2 Bb7 {, with reasonable chances}) 8. Qxc3 Nxc5 9. Bxf6 Qxf6 10. Qxf6
6232gxf6 11. b4 Ne4 12. f3 Nd6 {, which is better for White.}))) (4. Qc2 Bb4 $1 {
6233leads to a position that is similar to the ones shown in the main variation.})
62344... Bb4 {Again, Black can play ...Be7 but the move 4...Bb4 makes more sense
6235as White cannot play c3 or Nd2. --- BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- When White cannot
6236meet ...Bb4 with Nd2 or c3 then it is often a good move.} 5. Qb3 ({Other
6237options:} 5. e3 b6 {was looked at in the last chapter.}) (5. Bg5 {was also
6238studied earlier.}) (5. Bd2 O-O 6. e3 b6 $1 7. Bd3 Bb7 {and we have transposed
6239to the last chapter.}) 5... c5 $5 {BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- I quite like this
6240aggressive response to Qb3.} ({Another interesting plan is} 5... a5 $5 {. For
6241example, one trick that White has to avoid is} 6. a3 a4 7. Qxb4 (7. Qc2 Bxc3+
62428. Qxc3 {leads to a normal game}) 7... Nc6 8. Qc5 Ra5 9. Nb5 d6 {and the white
6243queen is trapped.}) 6. dxc5 {This looks like the best continuation. After this
6244move, White's pawn structure is more favourable but Black's pieces are very
6245active.} Na6 $1 7. Bd2 ({Or} 7. a3 Bxc3+ 8. Qxc3 Nxc5 9. g3 b6 10. Bg2 Bb7 {
6246with an equal game.}) 7... O-O 8. g3 Qe7 $1 {Black wants to capture on c5 with
6247the knight.} 9. Bg2 Nxc5 10. Qc2 b6 11. O-O Bb7 {. The position is dynamically
6248equal.} *
6249
6250[Event "?"]
6251[Site "?"]
6252[Date "????.??.??"]
6253[Round "?"]
6254[White "The Colle\London System"]
6255[Black "Very popular at club level!"]
6256[Result "*"]
6257[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
6258[SetUp "1"]
6259[FEN "rnbqkb1r/pppp2pp/4pn2/5p2/3P4/3BPN2/PPP2PPP/RNBQK2R w KQkq - 0 1"]
6260[PlyCount "1"]
6261[SourceDate "2015.05.13"]
6262
6263{This is a very important section as both the Colle and the London systems are
6264extremely popular at club level. I can guarantee that at some point during
6265your Classical Dutch playing career, you will face at least one of these
6266systems. To my knowledge, there is no literature available that shows how
6267exponents of the Classical Dutch should play against such systems. With this
6268in mind, I have spent some time looking for an aggressive set-up. My findings
6269are documented in this chapter:} 1. -- {The Colle System is an opening where
6270White adopts the same set-up against any black defence. White will often play
62711 d4, 2 Nf3, 3 e3, 4 Bd3, 5 0-0 etc. This system is less effective against the
6272Dutch compared to the London system.} *
6273
6274[Event "?"]
6275[Site "?"]
6276[Date "????.??.??"]
6277[Round "?"]
6278[White "London System"]
6279[Black "?"]
6280[Result "*"]
6281[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
6282[SetUp "1"]
6283[FEN "rnbqkb1r/pppp2pp/4pn2/5p2/3P1B2/4PN2/PPP2PPP/RN1QKB1R w KQkq - 0 1"]
6284[PlyCount "1"]
6285[SourceDate "2015.05.13"]
6286
6287{In the London System, White plays the following sequence of opening moves: 1
6288d4, 2 Nf3, 3 Bf4 followed by c3, e3 and Be2/d3.} 1. -- {These systems are both
6289popular at club level because they are relatively easy to learn and can be
6290quite effective against a number of set-ups. The good news is that they do not
6291work well against a player who is well prepared in the Classical Dutch! ---
6292BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- 1) Against the Colle System (where White leaves his
6293bishop on c1), Black should develop his light-squared bishop to b7 in order to
6294gain more control of the e4-square. --- 2) Against the London System (where
6295White develops his bishop to f4), Black should leave his light-squared bishop
6296on c8 and instead concentrate on playing the e5 advance. --- We are going to
6297concentrate mainly on the London System as I believe that this is the biggest
6298threat to the Dutch. Just take a look at White's dark-squared bishop in both
6299of the diagrams above to understand my reasoning! (On the other hand, this
6300bishop can become a target for the move ...e5! More on this later...) ---
6301Let's start by investigating the London System (see the following game).} *
6302
6303[Event "?"]
6304[Site "?"]
6305[Date "????.??.??"]
6306[Round "?"]
6307[White "The London System vs The Dutch"]
6308[Black "?"]
6309[Result "*"]
6310[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
6311[SetUp "1"]
6312[FEN "r2qk2r/pbp1n1bp/1p1ppnp1/1N3p2/2PP1B2/4PN1P/PP2BPP1/R2Q1RK1 w kq - 0 11"]
6313[PlyCount "7"]
6314[Source "Everyman Chess"]
6315[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
6316
6317{Key Points: White's Strategies --- a) The power of White's dark-squared
6318bishop: White often relies on the power of his dark-squared bishop to place
6319pressure against the d6- and c7-squares. This is particularly true when Black
6320plays a set-up with ...b6 and ...Bb7. I am not going to recommend this system
6321for Black, but instead concentrate on a set-up where Black aims to play an
6322early ...e5!. --- Let's have a look at the following game to see an example of
6323how powerful White's dark-squared bishop can become. --- This position was
6324reached in the game B.Grachev-A.Morozevich, Tal Memorial Blitz 2008. In this
6325position, White now played the typical break...} 11. c5 $1 {An aggressive move.
6326Play now continued} Ne4 12. cxd6 cxd6 13. Nd2 Nc8 14. Rc1 {, when White had
6327all the pressure. --- I actually believe that Black's plan of playing ...b6
6328and ...Bb7 was too slow. I prefer a set-up where Black aims for a quick ...e5!.
6329More on this idea later.} *
6330
6331[Event "?"]
6332[Site "?"]
6333[Date "????.??.??"]
6334[Round "?"]
6335[White "b: The g4 break"]
6336[Black "London System"]
6337[Result "*"]
6338[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
6339[SetUp "1"]
6340[FEN "rn1q1rk1/pbppb1pp/1p2p3/5p2/3PnB2/2PBPN1P/PP1N1PP1/R2QK2R w KQ - 0 9"]
6341[PlyCount "9"]
6342[Source "Everyman Chess"]
6343[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
6344
6345{White will often play the London System in a rather passive way, but if he
6346has some ambition then he can change tack and play aggressively with the move
6347g4!. This can be incredibly dangerous... --- This position is taken from the
6348game I.Khenkin-P.Meister, German Championship 2010. White now played...} 9. Rg1
6349$1 {With the obvious idea of playing g4 when Black's king will become a target
6350along the g-file. Play continued:} c5 10. g4 cxd4 11. gxf5 Nc5 12. Bb1 dxc3 13.
6351bxc3 {and White had a dangerous attack. --- The system that I am going to
6352recommend for Black will stop this plan as White will not have time for the g4
6353advance.} *
6354
6355[Event "?"]
6356[Site "?"]
6357[Date "????.??.??"]
6358[Round "?"]
6359[White "Black's Strategy"]
6360[Black "London System"]
6361[Result "*"]
6362[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
6363[SetUp "1"]
6364[FEN "rnbqkb1r/pppp2pp/4pn2/5p2/3P1B2/4PN2/PPP2PPP/RN1QKB1R b KQkq - 0 4"]
6365[PlyCount "43"]
6366[Source "Everyman Chess"]
6367[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
6368
6369{1) Against the London System, Black should play ...g6 and ...Bg7! --- I
6370really like this strategy when White plays an early Bf4 for the following
6371reasons: a) The bishop on g7 supports the ...e5 advance. The bishop also has
6372more potential on g7 compared to e7. --- b) The pawn on g6 gives extra support
6373to Black's pawn on f5, so when ...e5 is eventually played, f5 will become more
6374secure. --- Let's take a look at an example of when Black plays ...g6. ---
6375This is the standard starting position for this chapter. Now in the game R.Blaeser-E.Gleizerov, Biel 2010, play continued with...} 4... g6 $1 5. c4 Bg7 6.
6376Nc3 d6 $1 {Black puts the second part of his plan into motion. As soon as
6377Black plays ...e5, he will gain a tempo against White's bishop and build a
6378formidable pawn formation in the centre of the board.} 7. h3 O-O 8. Be2 Qe7 $1
6379{From this square, the queen supports the e5 advance!} 9. Qc2 Nc6 $1 {Again
6380supporting the e5 advance!} 10. O-O e5 $1 {The opening has been a success and
6381Black went on to win the game very quickly. For the sake of completeness, the
6382rest of the game continued:} 11. Bg5 Qf7 12. Bxf6 Bxf6 13. d5 Ne7 14. Nb5 Bd7
638315. Qb3 Rfc8 16. Rfd1 b6 17. Rac1 g5 18. Nh2 h5 19. Qc2 Kg7 20. g4 hxg4 21.
6384hxg4 a6 22. Nc3 Rh8 23. Kg2 Rh4 24. Rh1 Rah8 25. Qd1 e4 {0-1} *
6385
6386[Event "?"]
6387[Site "?"]
6388[Date "????.??.??"]
6389[Round "?"]
6390[White "Pawn thrusts"]
6391[Black "London System"]
6392[Result "*"]
6393[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
6394[SetUp "1"]
6395[FEN "r1b1kb1r/ppp1q1pp/2nppn2/5p2/3P1B2/4PN1P/PPPN1PP1/R2QKB1R w KQkq - 0 7"]
6396[PlyCount "14"]
6397[Source "Everyman Chess"]
6398[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
6399
6400{Black has two main pawn thrusts against the London System: 1) ...e5! --- I am
6401going to suggest that Black does not waste time playing ...b6 and ...Bb7 but
6402instead concentrates on playing ...e5! as quickly as possible. The game above
6403demonstrates Black's plan of playing ...e5 perfectly so another practical
6404example is not needed. --- Black has two main pawn thrusts against the London
6405System. --- 2) ...g5!? --- White's bishop is positioned precariously on f4 and
6406is susceptible to the pawn moves ...e5 and ...g5. --- Black has just played ...Qe7, preparing the ...e5 advance. White now decides to stop this by playing...
6407} 7. Bb5 {The black knight on c6 is pinned. Black now continues with his
6408development.} Bd7 8. O-O {Black decides not to bother with playing ...g6 and ...Bg7, but instead prepares to play ...g5, a much more aggressive move. I like
6409it!} h6 9. Re1 g5 $1 10. Bg3 O-O-O 11. c4 g4 $1 12. hxg4 fxg4 13. Nh4 Rg8 {.
6410Black has made some progress on the kingside and is now in a good position to
6411play ...Nh5 with the attack.} (13... -- {BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- To summarise,
6412I believe the best way to play against the London System and the Colle system
6413is the following: 1) If White plays 4 e3, Black should reply with 4...g6,
6414followed by ...Bg7, ...d6, ...Qe7, ...Nc6 and then ...e5!. --- 2) If White
6415plays 4 c3, Black can often do without ...g6 and should instead play 4...d6
6416with the idea of playing ...Nc6 ...Qe7 and then ...e5!. --- The reason I
6417suggest that Black should play ...g6 against e3, rather than the immediate ...d6, is because this move can sometimes run into a Bc4 idea, when the a2-g8
6418diagonal can be a thorn in Black's side. --- After the move 4 c3 has been
6419played, it takes more time for White to position a bishop on the a2-g8
6420diagonal so it is now safe for Black to play the immediate ...d6!.}) *
6421
6422[Event "32: Puhajarve Rapid"]
6423[Site "?"]
6424[Date "2010.??.??"]
6425[Round "?"]
6426[White "Rebane, R."]
6427[Black "Korchnoi, V."]
6428[Result "*"]
6429[ECO "A80"]
6430[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
6431[PlyCount "38"]
6432[EventDate "2010.??.??"]
6433[Source "Everyman Chess"]
6434[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
6435
6436{Korchnoi is always a player to follow, and in this game he plays our ...e5
6437plan to perfection.} 1. d4 e6 2. Nf3 f5 3. Bf4 Nf6 4. c3 d6 {BRAINSTORMING
6438POINT! --- This game follows the rule above, 'if White plays 4 c3, Black can
6439often do without ...g6 and should instead play 4...d6 with the idea of playing
6440...Nc6 ...Qe7 and then ...e5!' Korchnoi aims to play ...e5 as quickly as
6441possible and does so in perfect style.} 5. h3 Nc6 {BRAINSTORMING POINT! ---
6442What plan does Black have to watch out for when developing with ...Nc6? The
6443answer is d5! This is far less effective here as White has already played c3.
6444It would take him too much time to advance with c4 and then play d5.} 6. e3 Qe7
6445$1 {Black is already in a position to play ...e5. Happy days!} 7. Be2 (7. Bd3
6446$4 {is a mistake that I have seen far too often at junior level! Black can win
6447a piece by simply playing} e5 {followed by 8...e4.}) 7... e5 8. Bh2 {How
6448should Black continue? One piece of advice that I always give to my pupils is
6449to look at the worst-placed piece on the board and try to find a way to
6450improve it. In this position, Black's bishop on f8 looks pretty dead so
6451Korchnoi now improved its chances of life by playing...} g6 $1 {This move fits
6452in perfectly with our general plan. Black can now decide whether he wants to
6453castle kingside or queenside. Both options look pretty good.} 9. a4 Bg7 10. O-O
6454O-O 11. Na3 e4 12. Nd2 {Black has gained a space advantage on the kingside so
6455this should be the area in which he starts an attack. How should he proceed?}
6456g5 $1 {Oh yes, here they come!} 13. b4 Kh8 14. b5 Nd8 {The knight heads
6457towards the kingside.} 15. c4 Ne6 16. Qc2 f4 $1 {If Black can achieve this
6458advance then White's bishop on h2 will often turn out to be a big pawn. 16...f4! works in this position due to the tactics along the e-file.} 17. Nxe4 Nxd4
645918. exd4 Qxe4 19. Qd2 Qg6 {. We can stop analysing this position here. Black's
6460opening plan has been a success. In this position, he is ready to continue
6461with ...Ne4 and ...Bf5. Also, take a look at how bad White's dark-squared
6462bishop has become!} *
6463
6464[Event "?"]
6465[Site "?"]
6466[Date "????.??.??"]
6467[Round "?"]
6468[White "The Colle System vs The Dutch"]
6469[Black "?"]
6470[Result "*"]
6471[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
6472[SetUp "1"]
6473[FEN "rnbqkb1r/pppp2pp/4pn2/5p2/3P4/3BPN2/PPP2PPP/RNBQK2R w KQkq - 0 1"]
6474[PlyCount "1"]
6475[SourceDate "2015.05.13"]
6476
6477{I do not think highly of this variation. For this reason, I am only going to
6478briefly look at some of the ideas. In my experience, most players playing with
6479the white pieces will always prefer to develop their dark-squared bishop
6480outside the pawn chain and for good reason. After 3 e3, the only way that
6481White can develop his dark-squared bishop is to play b3. On the other hand,
6482Black develops his light-squared bishop to b7, gaining more control of the
6483e4-square.} 1. -- {Let's take a look at how Black should play this position
6484with the help of an introductory game (see the following game).} *
6485
6486[Event "33: Danish Championship"]
6487[Site "?"]
6488[Date "1979.??.??"]
6489[Round "?"]
6490[White "Fries Nielsen, J."]
6491[Black "Kristiansen, J."]
6492[Result "*"]
6493[ECO "A80"]
6494[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
6495[PlyCount "40"]
6496[EventDate "1979.??.??"]
6497[Source "Everyman Chess"]
6498[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
6499
65001. d4 f5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. e3 {Such a passive move can hardly be a threat to the
6501Classical Dutch! In this position, in order to equalise, all that Black needs
6502to do is to take control of the e4-square. I have selected one of the more
6503interesting games that I have found in this variation. There are a number of
6504different ways that Black can play the middlegame but in this game, Black
6505wastes no time and gets straight to the point!} e6 4. Be2 b6 $1 {BRAINSTORMING
6506POINT! --- When White leaves his dark-squared bishop behind the pawn chain,
6507Black should develop his bishop to b7 so that the e4-square is kept firmly
6508under his control.} 5. O-O Bb7 6. c4 Bd6 $5 {Black can also play ...Be7 but
6509the d6-square is by far the most aggressive square for Black's dark-squared
6510bishop. From d6, Black takes aim at White's kingside. One basic plan is to
6511play ...Ne4, ...Rf6, ...Rh6, ...Bxh2+! followed by ...Qh4!} 7. Nc3 O-O 8. d5
6512Na6 $1 {The knight heads towards the important e4-square.} 9. Nd4 Nc5 10. Bf3
6513Nfe4 11. Bxe4 Nxe4 12. Nxe4 fxe4 {Black's bishop on d6 has a target, namely
6514the h2-pawn. Just look at what happens next!} 13. dxe6 Qh4 $1 {Onwards and
6515upwards, men!} 14. g3 Qh3 15. exd7 c5 16. Nf5 Rf6 $1 {The rook moves to h6 - a
6516typical idea!} 17. Nh4 g5 18. Qh5 {White has to give up the piece otherwise ...Rh6 becomes too strong.} gxh4 19. Qg5+ Kf7 20. Qh5+ Kg7 {. Black has an extra
6517piece and is easily winning.} *
6518
6519[Event "?"]
6520[Site "?"]
6521[Date "????.??.??"]
6522[Round "?"]
6523[White "Colle/London System"]
6524[Black "?"]
6525[Result "*"]
6526[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
6527[PlyCount "5"]
6528[Source "Everyman Chess"]
6529[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
6530
65311. d4 f5 2. Nf3 e6 {I prefer playing this move rather than 2...Nf6. The only
6532danger with 2...Nf6 is that White might be able to play 3 Bg5. This plan of
6533playing Bg5 is not dangerous after 2...e6, as Black can meet 3 Bg5 with 3...Be7, as seen later on in this chapter. --- We are now going to consider three
6534possibilities:} 3. -- ({a)} 3. e3) ({b)} 3. Bg5) ({c)} 3. Bf4) *
6535
6536[Event "?"]
6537[Site "?"]
6538[Date "????.??.??"]
6539[Round "?"]
6540[White "Colle/London System"]
6541[Black "a) 3 e3"]
6542[Result "*"]
6543[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
6544[PlyCount "7"]
6545[Source "Everyman Chess"]
6546[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
6547
65481. d4 f5 2. Nf3 e6 3. e3 {The Colle system is a harmless threat to the Dutch.}
6549Nf6 {In this position, White normally chooses whether to place his
6550light-squared bishop on e2 or d3.} 4. -- (4. Be2 {The bishop stays out of
6551trouble on this square but White is playing very passively and it is no
6552surprise that Black has a number of ways to equalise.} b6 {Black can also play
6553in a similar manner to the way in which he does against the London System, i.e.
6554with an early ...g6 combined with the plan of playing ...e5. However, this
6555plan is less effective now as White can place his dark-squared bishop on b2
6556rather than f4 when it is well positioned to deal with the ...e5 advance.} ({
6557A.Nimzowitsch-S.Tartakower, Gothenburg 1920, continued} 4... g6 $5 5. c4 Bg7 6.
6558O-O O-O 7. b4 d6 8. Nbd2 Nbd7 9. Bb2 Qe7 10. c5 a5 11. cxd6 cxd6 12. b5 Nb6 {
6559when White has a small advantage}) 5. b3 (5. O-O Bb7 6. c4 Bd6 $5 {transposes
6560to our introductory game}) 5... Bb7 6. Bb2 Bb4+ $5 {Black decides that c3 is a
6561small concession for White.} 7. c3 Be7 8. Nbd2 O-O 9. O-O c5 10. Ne5 d6 11. Nd3
6562Ne4 {Black is ready to continue with ...Bf6, ...Nd7 and probably ...e5. I
6563would prefer to be sitting behind the black pieces here.}) (4. Bd3 {This is a
6564more active square for the bishop but there is still little chance for White
6565to gain an advantage. I faced this move once and even though I lost the game,
6566I obtained a very good position from the opening. M.Pavlovic-S.Williams,
6567Hastings 2008, continued:} b6 $1 {The idea of playing ...b6 and then ...Bb7 to
6568take control of the e4-square should now be firmly placed in your head!} 5. O-O
6569Bb7 6. c4 Ne4 {One of the main ideas behind Black's opening strategy.
6570Occupation of the e4-square is critical!} 7. Ne5 Qh4 8. f4 Be7 9. d5 $5 {Risky
6571but interesting.} exd5 10. cxd5 Bxd5 11. Bxe4 Bxe4 12. Nc3 Bc6 {Black has done
6572rather well out of the opening.}) *
6573
6574[Event "?"]
6575[Site "?"]
6576[Date "????.??.??"]
6577[Round "?"]
6578[White "Colle/London System"]
6579[Black "b) 3 Bg5"]
6580[Result "*"]
6581[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
6582[PlyCount "7"]
6583[Source "Everyman Chess"]
6584[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
6585
65861. d4 f5 2. Nf3 e6 3. Bg5 {This is another move that is fairly popular.
6587Korchnoi has played this move himself with mixed results.} Be7 $1 {I prefer
6588this simple move compared to 3...Nf6. After 3...Nf6, Black always has to be
6589wary of White playing e4. 3...Be7! offers Black an equal game. We will take a
6590look at two possible moves that White can try:} 4. -- (4. h4 {This is a tricky
6591little move. White aims to support the bishop on g5 and hopes that Black will
6592play ...Bxg5 as then he can respond with hxg5, opening the h-file. I would
6593suggest that Black never considers capturing on g5 but instead plays around
6594the h-pawn as it will eventually become weak.} Nf6 {Black can combine this
6595move with two ideas: 1) Black can choose to keep the position closed by
6596playing ...d5 at some point, entering a Stonewall structure. The pawn on h4
6597will now look out of place. ...d5 should allow Black to equalise without any
6598difficulty. --- 2) The other option is to play an early ...Ne4. This move is
6599more complex but should also offer Black a good game.} 5. Nbd2 {White is
6600aiming to capture on f6 and then play e4 which is one plan that Black should
6601aim to stop.} ({White has also tried} 5. c3 {. --- BRAINSTORMING POINT! ---
6602White has not fianchettoed his kingside bishop so what move can Black play
6603here?} b6 $1 {is correct! Black should play this move when White avoids
6604fianchettoing. Play could continue} 6. Nbd2 Bb7 {with an equal game}) 5... d5 {
6605The safest route to equality,} ({but Black can also experiment with} 5... Ne4 {
6606. For example, V.Korchnoi -M.Wach, Ptuj 1995, now continued} 6. e3 O-O 7. Bf4 {
6607and Black decided to play} d5 {with an improved version of the Dutch Stonewall}
6608) 6. e3 O-O 7. Ne5 Nbd7 {Black aims for simple exchanges which lead to a
6609rather dull but equal position. C.Ward-S.Williams, Southend 2009, now finished:
6610} 8. Ndf3 Ng4 9. Bf4 Ndxe5 10. Nxe5 Nxe5 11. Bxe5 Bf6 12. Bxf6 Qxf6 13. f4 a5 {
6611Both players were so bored with the position that they decided to agree a draw
6612and save their energy!}) (4. Bxe7 Qxe7 {Black is threatening to play ...Qb4+,
6613winning a pawn. The exchange of dark-squared bishops can only favour Black as
6614this piece rarely does anything to help his position. Once developed, the
6615dark-squared bishop on e7 can actually hinder Black's play. After White has
6616dealt with the threat to his b-pawn, Black can choose from two plans: 1) ...b6
6617and ...Bb7 --- 2) ...d6 and ...e5 --- Both of the above plans should offer
6618Black an equal position but I am going to concentrate on option '2' as this
6619seems to be the most dynamic choice.} 5. Nbd2 Nf6 6. e3 d6 7. Bc4 O-O 8. O-O
6620Kh8 9. Qe2 e5 10. dxe5 dxe5 11. e4 Nc6 12. c3 f4 13. h3 Bd7 14. Rfe1 Be8 $1 {
6621The bishop moves to h5 in order to pin the knight on f3. Black is at least
6622equal.}) *
6623
6624[Event "?"]
6625[Site "?"]
6626[Date "????.??.??"]
6627[Round "?"]
6628[White "Colle/London System"]
6629[Black "c) 3 Bf4"]
6630[Result "*"]
6631[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
6632[PlyCount "7"]
6633[Source "Everyman Chess"]
6634[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
6635
66361. d4 f5 2. Nf3 e6 3. Bf4 {We have talked quite extensively about this
6637position. Let's now take a look at some concrete variations.} Nf6 {In this
6638position, White normally chooses between two plans: e3 followed by c4, and c3
6639followed by simple moves such as e3, Nbd2, h3 etc.} 4. -- (4. e3 {
6640BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- If White plays 4 e3 then Black should reply with 4...g6 and continue with ...Bg7 ...d6 ...Qe7 ...Nc6 and ...e5! --- If White plays
66414 c3 then Black can often play without ...g6. Instead, he should play 4...d6
6642with the idea of continuing with ...Nc6 ...Qe7 and ...e5! --- Following the
6643above rule, Black should now continue with...} g6 $1 {Black will eventually
6644push forward with ...e5. J.Piket-N.Short, Amber (rapid) 1993, now continued:}
66455. c4 d6 6. Nc3 Bg7 7. h3 {White will often play this move so that the
6646dark-squared bishop can drop back to h2. After} ({Other moves have also been
6647tried here such as} 7. Bd3 {. Black should now continue with} O-O $1 {It is
6648important to stop White from playing e4. This move is now not possible as
6649White would lose a piece after} 8. e4 fxe4 9. Nxe4 Nxe4 10. Bxe4 Rxf4) 7... O-O
6650{, Black should continue with ...Qe7 and ...Nc6. The idea of playing ...e5
6651followed by ...e4 is now a big threat.} 8. Be2 Qe7 9. Qb3 b6 10. O-O Bb7 11.
6652Rfd1 {Nigel now played 11...Nc6 but I would have preferred to play:} Nbd7 {
6653This move looks more harmonious giving Black a good position. At a later stage,
6654Black should move out of the firing line by playing ...Kh8 followed by ...e5.})
6655(4. c3 {This move is less flexible compared to 4 e3 as White would have to
6656waste a tempo if he chose to play c4 at a later moment. --- BRAINSTORMING
6657POINT! --- If White plays 4 c3 then Black can often play without ...g6.
6658Instead, he should play 4...d6 with the idea of continuing with ...Nc6, ...Qe7,
6659and ...e5! --- Following the above rule, Black should now play...} d6 $1 {
6660Black aims to play a quick ...e5. This move is more effective compared to when
6661White plays 4 e3. Black no longer has to worry about the a2-g8 diagonal
6662becoming a target after White plays Bc4. We covered this in the introductory
6663game but just to remind you...} 5. h3 Nc6 6. e3 Qe7 7. Be2 e5 $1 {With a
6664comfortable position.}) *
6665
6666[Event "?"]
6667[Site "?"]
6668[Date "????.??.??"]
6669[Round "?"]
6670[White "Test Your Knowledge! 6"]
6671[Black "?"]
6672[Result "*"]
6673[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
6674[PlyCount "1"]
6675[SourceDate "2015.05.13"]
6676
6677{White avoids fianchettoing: Have you really got to grips with this chapter!?} 
66781. -- {We have now arrived at the sixth set of tests. This time the tests are
6679based on what happens when White avoids fianchettoing. These tests will verify
6680whether the main points of the chapter have been fully understood. The tests
6681should not be too difficult to solve especially if you have read the chapter
6682in full.} *
6683
6684[Event "?"]
6685[Site "?"]
6686[Date "????.??.??"]
6687[Round "?"]
6688[White "Test 6.1"]
6689[Black "?"]
6690[Result "*"]
6691[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
6692[SetUp "1"]
6693[FEN "rnbqk2r/pppp2pp/4pn2/5p2/1bPP4/2N1P3/PPQ2PPP/R1B1KBNR b KQkq - 0 5"]
6694[PlyCount "1"]
6695[Source "Everyman Chess"]
6696[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
6697
66985... -- {What should Black play? --- See the following game for the solution.}
6699*
6700
6701[Event "?"]
6702[Site "?"]
6703[Date "????.??.??"]
6704[Round "?"]
6705[White "Answer 6.1"]
6706[Black "?"]
6707[Result "*"]
6708[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
6709[SetUp "1"]
6710[FEN "rnbqk2r/pppp2pp/4pn2/5p2/1bPP4/2N1P3/PPQ2PPP/R1B1KBNR b KQkq - 0 5"]
6711[PlyCount "1"]
6712[Source "Everyman Chess"]
6713[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
6714
67155... b6 $1 {. If Black has the chance to fianchetto his light-squared bishop
6716then he should quite often take the opportunity to do so. This plan is a lot
6717less effective when White has fianchettoed his kingside bishop. --- See the
6718following game for the next exercise.} *
6719
6720[Event "?"]
6721[Site "?"]
6722[Date "????.??.??"]
6723[Round "?"]
6724[White "Test 6.2"]
6725[Black "?"]
6726[Result "*"]
6727[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
6728[SetUp "1"]
6729[FEN "rn1qk2r/pb1p2pp/1p2pn2/2p2p2/2PP4/P1QBPP2/1P4PP/R1B1K1NR b KQkq - 0 9"]
6730[PlyCount "1"]
6731[Source "Everyman Chess"]
6732[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
6733
67349... -- {Black has an interesting plan here. What should Black play? --- See
6735the following game for the solution.} *
6736
6737[Event "?"]
6738[Site "?"]
6739[Date "????.??.??"]
6740[Round "?"]
6741[White "Answer 6.2"]
6742[Black "?"]
6743[Result "*"]
6744[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
6745[SetUp "1"]
6746[FEN "rn1qk2r/pb1p2pp/1p2pn2/2p2p2/2PP4/P1QBPP2/1P4PP/R1B1K1NR b KQkq - 0 9"]
6747[PlyCount "1"]
6748[Source "Everyman Chess"]
6749[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
6750
67519... Nh5 $1 {. Black is now threatening to play 10...Qh4+. --- See the
6752following game for the next exercise.} *
6753
6754[Event "?"]
6755[Site "?"]
6756[Date "????.??.??"]
6757[Round "?"]
6758[White "Test 6.3"]
6759[Black "?"]
6760[Result "*"]
6761[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
6762[SetUp "1"]
6763[FEN "r4rk1/pb1n2pp/3pp3/2p2p1n/1PP4q/P1Q1PP2/4BNPP/R1B2RK1 b - - 0 15"]
6764[PlyCount "1"]
6765[Source "Everyman Chess"]
6766[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
6767
676815... -- {How should Black increase the pressure on White's kingside? --- See
6769the following game for the solution.} *
6770
6771[Event "?"]
6772[Site "?"]
6773[Date "????.??.??"]
6774[Round "?"]
6775[White "Answer 6.3"]
6776[Black "?"]
6777[Result "*"]
6778[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
6779[SetUp "1"]
6780[FEN "r4rk1/pb1n2pp/3pp3/2p2p1n/1PP4q/P1Q1PP2/4BNPP/R1B2RK1 b - - 0 15"]
6781[PlyCount "1"]
6782[Source "Everyman Chess"]
6783[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
6784
678515... Rf6 $1 {. The rook swings across to either g6 or h6 where it puts extra
6786pressure on White's kingside. --- See the following game for the next exercise.
6787} *
6788
6789[Event "?"]
6790[Site "?"]
6791[Date "????.??.??"]
6792[Round "?"]
6793[White "Test 6.4"]
6794[Black "?"]
6795[Result "*"]
6796[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
6797[SetUp "1"]
6798[FEN "rnbqkb1r/pppp2pp/4pn2/5p2/2PP4/2N5/PP2PPPP/R1BQKBNR w KQkq - 0 4"]
6799[PlyCount "1"]
6800[Source "Everyman Chess"]
6801[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
6802
6803{A basic rule in chess is to always look at your opponent's last move and work
6804out what he is planning to play. White has just played} 4. Bg5 {. Why would ...Be7 be a mistake here? --- See the following game for the solution.} *
6805
6806[Event "?"]
6807[Site "?"]
6808[Date "????.??.??"]
6809[Round "?"]
6810[White "Answer 6.4"]
6811[Black "?"]
6812[Result "*"]
6813[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
6814[SetUp "1"]
6815[FEN "rnbqkb1r/pppp2pp/4pn2/5pB1/2PP4/2N5/PP2PPPP/R2QKBNR b KQkq - 0 4"]
6816[PlyCount "4"]
6817[Source "Everyman Chess"]
6818[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
6819
6820{White is planning to capture on f6 and play e4. The move ...Be7 allows White
6821to carry out this plan. For example,} 4... Be7 (4... Bb4 {is a better move.})
68225. Bxf6 Bxf6 6. e4 $1 {I prefer White's position here as he has a pleasant
6823space advantage. --- See the following game for the next exercise.} *
6824
6825[Event "?"]
6826[Site "?"]
6827[Date "????.??.??"]
6828[Round "?"]
6829[White "Test 6.5"]
6830[Black "?"]
6831[Result "*"]
6832[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
6833[SetUp "1"]
6834[FEN "rn1qkb1r/pbpp2pp/1p2pn2/5p2/2PP4/2NBP3/PP3PPP/R1BQK1NR w KQkq - 0 6"]
6835[PlyCount "1"]
6836[Source "Everyman Chess"]
6837[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
6838
6839{White has just played} 6. Nf3 {which is inferior compared to 6 f3. How should
6840Black respond and why? --- See the following game for the solution.} *
6841
6842[Event "?"]
6843[Site "?"]
6844[Date "????.??.??"]
6845[Round "?"]
6846[White "Answer 6.5"]
6847[Black "?"]
6848[Result "*"]
6849[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
6850[SetUp "1"]
6851[FEN "rn1qkb1r/pbpp2pp/1p2pn2/5p2/2PP4/2NBPN2/PP3PPP/R1BQK2R b KQkq - 0 6"]
6852[PlyCount "1"]
6853[Source "Everyman Chess"]
6854[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
6855
68566... Bb4 $1 {. This part of the game focuses on taking control of the
6857e4-square. By playing 6...Bb4, Black takes extra measures to ensure that this
6858square remains under his control. --- See the following game for the next
6859exercise.} *
6860
6861[Event "?"]
6862[Site "?"]
6863[Date "????.??.??"]
6864[Round "?"]
6865[White "Test 6.6"]
6866[Black "?"]
6867[Result "*"]
6868[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
6869[SetUp "1"]
6870[FEN "rnbqkb1r/pppp2pp/4pn2/5p2/3P1B2/5N2/PPP1PPPP/RN1QKB1R w KQkq - 0 4"]
6871[PlyCount "1"]
6872[Source "Everyman Chess"]
6873[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
6874
6875{White has just played the rather dreary} 4. c3 {. How should Black continue?
6876--- See the following game for the solution.} *
6877
6878[Event "?"]
6879[Site "?"]
6880[Date "????.??.??"]
6881[Round "?"]
6882[White "Answer 6.6"]
6883[Black "?"]
6884[Result "*"]
6885[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
6886[SetUp "1"]
6887[FEN "rnbqkb1r/pppp2pp/4pn2/5p2/3P1B2/2P2N2/PP2PPPP/RN1QKB1R b KQkq - 0 4"]
6888[PlyCount "1"]
6889[Source "Everyman Chess"]
6890[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
6891
6892{Black should respond with} 4... d6 $1 {. Let's not forget the rule: If White
6893plays 4 c3 then Black can often play without ...g6. Instead, he should play 4...d6 with the idea of continuing with ...Nc6, ...Qe7 and ...e5!. --- See the
6894following game for the next exercise.} *
6895
6896[Event "?"]
6897[Site "?"]
6898[Date "????.??.??"]
6899[Round "?"]
6900[White "Test 6.7"]
6901[Black "?"]
6902[Result "*"]
6903[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
6904[SetUp "1"]
6905[FEN "rnbqk2r/ppp3bp/3ppnp1/5p2/2PP1B2/2N1PN2/PP3PPP/R2QKB1R w KQkq - 0 7"]
6906[PlyCount "1"]
6907[Source "Everyman Chess"]
6908[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
6909
6910{White's last move was} 7. Bd3 {. When your opponent plays a move, one of the
6911first things that you should do is ask yourself, 'Why did my opponent play
6912that move? What is he trying to achieve?' and 'How can I stop that plan?' ---
6913The question here is: What is White trying to do? And how should Black stop
6914this plan? --- See the following game for the solution.} *
6915
6916[Event "?"]
6917[Site "?"]
6918[Date "????.??.??"]
6919[Round "?"]
6920[White "Answer 6.7"]
6921[Black "?"]
6922[Result "*"]
6923[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
6924[SetUp "1"]
6925[FEN "rnbqk2r/ppp3bp/3ppnp1/5p2/2PP1B2/2NBPN2/PP3PPP/R2QK2R b KQkq - 0 7"]
6926[PlyCount "1"]
6927[Source "Everyman Chess"]
6928[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
6929
6930{White is aiming to play e4. Black can stop this plan by playing} 7... O-O $1 {
6931. White can no longer play e4 as this would now lose a piece. Meanwhile, Black
6932intends to play ...Qe7, ...Nc6, followed by ...e5 with a good position.} *
6933
6934[Event "?"]
6935[Site "?"]
6936[Date "????.??.??"]
6937[Round "?"]
6938[White "7: Aggressive set-ups"]
6939[Black "?"]
6940[Result "*"]
6941[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
6942[PlyCount "3"]
6943[Source "Everyman Chess"]
6944[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
6945
6946{"Men are not gentle, friendly creatures wishing for love, who simply defend
6947themselves if they are attacked, but ... a powerful measure of desire for
6948aggression has to be reckoned as part of their instinctual endowment." -
6949Sigmund Freud} 1. d4 f5 {White has a number of aggressive set-ups that he can
6950play against the Dutch and I believe that some of them are underrated. By
6951playing 1...f5, Black does weaken his king somewhat. The move 1...f5
6952especially weakens Black on the light squares, mainly the e8-h5 diagonal. ---
6953White has a number of ways to try and take advantage of Black's opening:} 2. --
6954(2. h3 {and g4. This is quite a new idea but one that I would recommend and
6955have played myself. White wants to undermine Black on the light squares by
6956playing g4!?.}) (2. e4 {. The Staunton Gambit has a long history and again,
6957White is aiming to undermine Black on the light squares.}) (2. Nf3 e6 3. e4 {
6958is another dangerous gambit where Black is targeted on the light squares.}) (2.
6959Qd3 $5) ({and} 2. g4 {these are slightly dubious variations, but Black still
6960has to be well prepared against them. --- All these lines are a lot of fun to
6961play and are worth including in this book. Anyway, I hope that it gives you
6962some food for thought!}) *
6963
6964[Event "34: Biel"]
6965[Site "?"]
6966[Date "1979.??.??"]
6967[Round "?"]
6968[White "Korchnoi, V."]
6969[Black "Kaenel, H."]
6970[Result "1-0"]
6971[ECO "A80"]
6972[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
6973[PlyCount "73"]
6974[EventDate "1979.??.??"]
6975[Source "Everyman Chess"]
6976[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
6977
69781. d4 f5 2. h3 $5 {This variation is known as 'the Korchnoi variation' and is
6979a very interesting and underrated way to play against the Dutch. White aims to
6980strike out against Black's pawn formation with the move g4. The g4 advance
6981will change the structure of the game and Black's position can often become
6982very weak on the light squares. --- Of course, there are downsides to this
6983plan. For example, White neglects his development and as a consequence, his
6984kingside will eventually become weak due to its lack of defence. --- First of
6985all, let's see some examples of just how dangerous White's initiative can
6986become.} Nf6 {A natural move, but possibly a mistake.} (2... d5) ({and} 2... d6
6987{are two major alternatives. We will look at these moves in the theory section
6988of this chapter.}) 3. g4 $1 {Black has to do quite a lot of defending after
6989this move.} fxg4 (3... d5 {is a better choice.}) 4. hxg4 Nxg4 5. e4 {In
6990exchange for a pawn, White has gained a large centre and an open h-file as
6991well as the chance to attack the slightly weakened Black king.} ({Also of
6992interest was} 5. Qd3 $5 {which immediately takes advantage of the weakened
6993light squares. Black must now proceed with caution...} Nf6 $2 (5... g6 6. Nf3 (
69946. f3 Nf6 7. e4) ({or} 6. Rxh7 Rxh7 7. Qxg6+ Rf7 8. Qxg4) 6... d5 7. Ng5 Bf5 8.
6995Qb3 {with an unclear game}) 6. Rxh7 {with a big advantage for White!}) 5... d6
69966. Bg5 g6 7. f3 Nf6 8. Nc3 c6 9. Qd2 Be6 {In exchange for a pawn, White enjoys
6997a space advantage, better development and attacking chances on the kingside.}
699810. O-O-O Nbd7 11. Kb1 Bg7 12. Nh3 $1 {The knight heads for the f4-square
6999where it will be very well placed due to the fact that it puts extra pressure
7000on e6 and g6.} Nh5 {This move is aimed against Nf4.} 13. Nf4 Nxf4 14. Qxf4 Qb6
700115. Qd2 Qc7 16. Qe3 Nb6 17. d5 $5 {As the black king is still placed in the
7002centre, White chooses to open the position in order to attack it.} Bf7 18. a4
7003$1 {White wants to increase his space advantage and push the black pieces back
7004by playing a5 on the next move.} a6 (18... O-O-O 19. a5 Nd7 20. Qxa7 {.}) 19.
7005e5 $5 Bxe5 20. f4 Bg7 21. dxc6 bxc6 22. Bg2 Nc8 23. Ne4 Kf8 $2 ({Black should
7006have tried} 23... Rb8 24. b3 h6 25. Bh4 c5 26. Nf6+ Kd8 {when everything is
7007still to play for.}) 24. Bh6 Rb8 {This move comes a little too late...} 25. Qc3
7008$1 {A lovely way to take advantage of the pin against Black's king.} Rg8 26.
7009Ng5 Bxh6 27. Rxh6 Rg7 28. Nxh7+ Kg8 29. Qh3 ({Or} 29. Rdh1 {.}) 29... Qb7 30.
7010Nf6+ Kf8 31. Rh8+ Bg8 32. Nd7+ Kf7 33. Nxb8 Qxb8 {The rest of the game is easy.
7011} 34. Bxc6 Nb6 35. Re1 Kf6 36. Qh4+ g5 37. fxg5+ 1-0
7012
7013[Event "35: Linares Open"]
7014[Site "?"]
7015[Date "1996.??.??"]
7016[Round "?"]
7017[White "Tregubov, P."]
7018[Black "Malaniuk, V."]
7019[Result "0-1"]
7020[ECO "A80"]
7021[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
7022[PlyCount "94"]
7023[EventDate "1996.??.??"]
7024[Source "Everyman Chess"]
7025[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
7026
70271. d4 f5 2. g4 $6 {This move has been played a little too early as Black can
7028now use his f-pawn to create some problems.} fxg4 3. h3 g3 $1 {If Black was
7029forced to capture on h3 then White would have plenty of compensation in the
7030form of an open h-file and pressure against Black's king. --- As we have said
7031before, one clever remark made about the Dutch Defence went as follows: "Black
7032would be fine in the Dutch if he could play the move f5-f7 in the early
7033middlegame!" I am not sure that things are that bad for Black, but he does
7034need to be careful about the safety of his king. --- The move 3...g3 forces
7035White to make some concessions around his kingside and it also keeps the
7036h-file closed.} 4. fxg3 Nf6 {Black cannot be worse in this position. The pawn
7037structure is fairly symmetrical and White has created some weaknesses on his
7038kingside by playing 4 fxg3.} 5. Nc3 d5 {The safest option. Black stops White
7039from gaining a strong centre by preventing e4.} 6. Bg2 e6 ({Black could have
7040also considered} 6... c5 7. dxc5 e6 8. e4 d4 9. Nce2 e5 {with active play.}) 7.
7041Nf3 Bd6 8. Ne5 c5 ({Another interesting option was} 8... Nh5 $5 {with the idea
7042of targeting White's weak pawn on g3. For example,} 9. Qd3 O-O 10. e4 c5 11.
7043exd5 cxd4 12. Qxd4 Rf5 $1 {and Black seems to be doing well.}) 9. Bf4 Nh5 10.
7044O-O O-O 11. e3 Nxf4 {It is advantageous for Black to exchange White's
7045dark-squared bishop. For a start, the d4-square will now become a real target
7046for Black to attack.} 12. exf4 Nc6 13. Nxc6 bxc6 {Black is slightly better and
7047he goes on to win the game convincingly.} 14. Kh2 Ba6 15. Re1 Qf6 {Play
7048centres on the d4-square! White is now forced to give up the centre leaving
7049Black with a pleasant advantage.} 16. dxc5 Bxc5 17. Qd2 (17. Re5 Bd6 $2 (17...
7050Bb6) 18. Ne4 $1 Qe7 19. Nxd6 Qxd6 {.}) 17... Rae8 {As soon as Black can play ...e5, he will have a nice advantage.} 18. Rab1 h6 {Preparing the move ...g5,} ({
7051but Black could have played it immediately, for example,} 18... g5 $1 19. fxg5
7052Qf2 20. Qxf2 Rxf2 21. Rbc1 e5 {and Black is a lot better.}) ({On the other
7053hand,} 18... e5 $2 {is a bit premature. You cannot play this move in every
7054position!} 19. Nxd5 cxd5 20. Qxd5+ Kh8 21. Qxc5 exf4 22. gxf4 {. --- After the
7055text move, for the sake of completeness, I will provide you with the moves for
7056the rest of the game just in case you can be bothered to plough through them!})
705719. b4 Qd4 $1 20. Qxd4 Bxd4 21. Nd1 g5 $1 {Black has complete control of the
7058centre and his dark-squared bishop controls the board. The rest is simply a
7059matter of technique.} 22. fxg5 hxg5 23. a4 Bc4 $1 24. c3 Bg7 25. b5 cxb5 26.
7060axb5 Rf7 27. b6 Rb7 28. Ne3 Rxb6 29. Rxb6 axb6 30. Nxd5 b5 31. Re3 Rd8 32. Nb6
7061Bb3 33. Bf1 Rd6 34. Nc8 Rd2+ 35. Re2 Rd1 36. Rf2 Bxc3 37. Ne7+ Kg7 38. Bxb5 Bd4
706239. Rf3 Rd2+ 40. Kh1 Ba2 41. Rd3 Rxd3 42. Bxd3 Kf7 43. Ng6 Bd5+ 44. Kh2 e5 45.
7063Bf5 e4 46. h4 e3 47. Bd3 Be4 $1 0-1
7064
7065[Event "?"]
7066[Site "?"]
7067[Date "????.??.??"]
7068[Round "?"]
7069[White "A: The Staunton Gambit"]
7070[Black "?"]
7071[Result "*"]
7072[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
7073[PlyCount "20"]
7074[Source "Everyman Chess"]
7075[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
7076
7077{The Staunton Gambit is a popular opening at club level. Therefore, I would
7078suggest that you pay close attention to this chapter. --- There are a number
7079of ways that Black can respond to the Staunton Gambit, but the move 4...c6
7080seems like the best option for the following reasons: 1) It avoids the main
7081line. --- 2) It is easy to learn. --- 3) It contains an element of surprise.
7082--- In general, I would suggest that you select the simplest variations for
7083Black. There is no point over-complicating matters. --- Let's move on to the
7084theory section of the chapter!} 1. d4 f5 2. e4 {This pawn advance is a direct
7085attempt to refute the Dutch so it has to be treated with respect.} fxe4 3. Nc3
7086Nf6 ({A classic mistake that Black has to avoid is} 3... d5 $6 4. Qh5+ g6 5.
7087Qxd5 {when White will gain an easy advantage.}) 4. Bg5 {This is the main move,}
7088({but White does have some other options that are tricky, for example:} 4. g4
7089$5 h6 5. f3 d5 6. h3 $1 ({this is the best option as White is worse after} 6.
7090g5 hxg5 7. Bxg5 Bf5 8. Bg2 e3 $1 9. Nge2 Nc6 10. a3 e6 11. Bxe3 Bd6) 6... Nc6
70917. fxe4 dxe4 8. Be3 e5 (8... e6 {is another idea}) 9. dxe5 Nxe5 10. Qxd8+ Kxd8
709211. O-O-O+ Bd7 12. Bg2 Bd6 13. Nxe4 Nxe4 14. Bxe4 Nc4 15. Bd4 Bf4+ 16. Kb1 Nd2+
709317. Rxd2 Bxd2 18. Nf3 {and the position is still unclear but Black should be
7094fine.}) (4. f3 {This move can often lead to the positions that are found in
7095some of the gambit lines where White plays 2 Nc3 and e4:} d5 $1 (4... exf3 5.
7096Nxf3 {is very dangerous for Black; White achieves good development in exchange
7097for one measly pawn!}) 5. fxe4 dxe4 6. Bg5 Bf5 7. Bc4 Nc6 8. Nge2 e6 9. O-O Na5
7098$1 {(Black should aim to swap off White's light-squared bishop)} 10. Bxf6 Qxf6
709911. Bb3 Bd6 {.}) 4... c6 $5 ({I am going to recommend this rather unknown move,
7100because I am not too keen on the main line which continues} 4... Nc6 5. d5 Ne5
71016. Qe2 $1 {. I think that this is the best move for White. On this square, the
7102queen has an X-ray attack on the black king which can be very important, for
7103example,} c6 7. O-O-O Qa5 8. f4 $1 Nf7 9. Bxf6 gxf6 10. Qxe4 Bg7 11. Nge2 e6
710412. f5 {and White has an advantage.}) 5. f3 Qa5 $1 {I like this
7105counterattacking move as it puts White on the defensive.} ({A greedier way to
7106play is} 5... exf3 {, but White is very active after} 6. Nxf3 d5 7. Bd3 g6 8.
7107Qd2 (8. Ne5 Bg7 9. Qe2 O-O 10. O-O-O Nbd7 {is rather unclear. I would probably
7108take the white pieces here as it is easier to attack the black king. The extra
7109pawn is rather irrelevant}) 8... Bg7 9. O-O-O O-O {and White has the
7110initiative.}) (5... d5 $5 {may also be fine for Black. It really depends on
7111taste and whether you are happy to play with the following type of pawn
7112structure (things are not that bad as you do have an extra pawn!).} 6. fxe4
7113dxe4 7. Bc4 (7. Qd2 Bf5 8. Nge2 Nbd7 9. Ng3 Bg6 10. Bc4 Nb6 11. Bb3 a5 12. O-O
7114Nbd5 13. Nxd5 $2 (13. Rae1 $1) 13... cxd5) 7... Nbd7 8. Nge2 Qa5 9. Qd2 b5 10.
7115Be6 b4 11. Nd1 {. Black is doing well, as White is forced to retreat with his
7116pieces.} Nb6 12. Bxc8 Rxc8 13. Qf4 h6 14. Bxf6 exf6 15. Qxe4+ Kf7 16. O-O Bd6 {
7117.}) 6. Qd2 ({Or White could also try} 6. Bxf6 exf6 7. fxe4 {but then Black has
7118the annoying move} Ba3 $1 {. For example,} 8. Qc1 d6 9. Nge2 Bg4 {when Black
7119has some pressure against White's position.}) 6... e5 $5 {Personally, I would
7120rather not recapture the pawn on f3 as it allows White to develop too quickly.
7121The move ...e5 is a much more active way to play the position.} 7. dxe5 ({
7122Another option is} 7. Bxf6 $5 {but Black is fine after} gxf6 8. O-O-O (8. fxe4
7123Bb4 9. O-O-O d6) 8... h5 9. Kb1 exd4 10. Qxd4 Qe5 11. Nxe4 Qxd4 12. Rxd4 d5 $1
7124{.}) 7... Qxe5 8. O-O-O Bb4 9. Bxf6 Qxf6 10. fxe4 d6 {The safest way to obtain
7125an equal position.} ({A riskier approach would have been to play} 10... Bxc3
712611. Qxc3 Qxc3 12. bxc3 {which is unclear.}) *
7127
7128[Event "?"]
7129[Site "?"]
7130[Date "????.??.??"]
7131[Round "?"]
7132[White "B: White plays an early h3"]
7133[Black "?"]
7134[Result "*"]
7135[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
7136[PlyCount "3"]
7137[SourceDate "2015.05.13"]
7138
71391. d4 f5 {. In this chapter, we will take a look at what happens if White
7140plays an early h3 followed by g4.} 2. -- ({White can execute this plan on move
7141two with the immediate} 2. h3) ({or delay this idea by playing} 2. Nf3 {first,
7142followed by 3 h3 and g4.}) *
7143
7144[Event "?"]
7145[Site "?"]
7146[Date "????.??.??"]
7147[Round "?"]
7148[White "B: White plays h3 and then g4"]
7149[Black "Part 1: 2 h3"]
7150[Result "*"]
7151[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
7152[PlyCount "20"]
7153[Source "Everyman Chess"]
7154[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
7155
71561. d4 f5 2. h3 {Although the move h3 looks rather odd, it makes perfect sense
7157for the following reason: Black has just played ...f5 which temporarily
7158weakens the kingside so White decides to act quickly in order to take
7159advantage of this weakness. A plan involving g4 is sensible here as it will
7160open more lines on the kingside.} d6 {This is the move that I am going to
7161recommend. Rather than handing the initiative to White, Black decides to play
7162actively.} ({Other moves can be quite dangerous for Black, for example:} 2...
7163e6 $6 {seems a bit passive and does nothing to stop White's plan of advancing
7164with g4, for example,} 3. g4 d5 4. c4 c6 5. Nc3 Nf6 6. Nf3 {and as I have
7165mentioned before, I quite like these types of positions for White.}) (2... Nf6
7166{followed by} 3. g4 fxg4 4. hxg4 Nxg4 {cannot be bad for White. We came across
7167this position in the introductory game. I would recommend playing} 5. Qd3 $5 {
7168as this move threatens to destroy Black immediately!} -- ({. I actually had
7169this position against a GM on the Internet Chess Club. I was amazed as now my
7170opponent played} 5... Nf6 $4 {which loses on the spot to} 6. Rxh7 $1 {. White
7171either wins a rook or checkmates Black!}) ({. The only sensible move was} 5...
7172g6 {when play could continue with} 6. Bg2 $5 {an interesting idea that has
7173hardly ever been played;} (6. d5 $5 {is also worth investigating}) 6... d5 $1 {
7174this is a good response as Black needs some space in the centre;} ({after} 6...
7175Nf6 7. e4 d6 8. Nf3 {White is very active}) 7. e4 $1 e5 8. exd5 exd4 9. Qxd4
7176Qe7+ 10. Ne2 Bg7 11. Qa4+ Bd7 12. Qb3 Qc5 {with a messy position.})) (2... d5
71773. Nf3 Nf6 {is looked at in the next section.}) 3. g4 e5 4. dxe5 Nc6 $5 {This
7178move was played by GM Simen Agdestein and as you can see, Black develops
7179quickly! I like this move as it should also take White by surprise.} 5. exd6
7180Bxd6 6. Nc3 fxg4 7. hxg4 Bxg4 8. Bg2 Qe7 {Black should be fine as his pieces
7181are well developed.} 9. Bxc6+ bxc6 10. Qd3 {In this position, I think Black
7182should have played} Nf6 {with chances for both sides.} *
7183
7184[Event "?"]
7185[Site "?"]
7186[Date "????.??.??"]
7187[Round "?"]
7188[White "B: White plays h3 and then g4"]
7189[Black "Part 2: 1 d4 f5 2 Nf3"]
7190[Result "*"]
7191[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
7192[PlyCount "11"]
7193[Source "Everyman Chess"]
7194[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
7195
7196{In this part of the book, we will look at what happens if White delays
7197playing g4 for a move or so. Firstly, White sensibly decides to develop his
7198knight on g1.} 1. d4 f5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. h3 d5 {Black enters a set-up which is a
7199solid way of reacting to White's plan of playing g4. White now has the choice
7200to play g4 immediately or later.} 4. c4 e6 ({Capturing the pawn with} 4... dxc4
7201$6 {looks too risky. One should never relinquish control of the centre without
7202a fight. Even if Black manages to win a pawn on the queenside, White will
7203often be able to generate an attack in the centre. For example, play could
7204continue} 5. e3 b5 6. a4 {and we have a reached a Semi-Slav position but with
7205one main difference: Black has a pawn on f5. This must benefit White as the
7206move ...f5 has created weaknesses on e6 and along the a2-g8 diagonal.}) 5. Nc3
7207c6 (5... c5 $6 {looks a bit dubious as White now has a pawn on c4. For example,
7208} 6. cxd5 $1 exd5 (6... Nxd5 7. e4 $1 Nxc3 8. bxc3 fxe4 9. Ne5 {is very
7209dangerous for Black}) 7. Bg5 {and White is better as Black's pawns are very
7210weak especially the one on d5.}) 6. -- {After 5...c6 White has to decide
7211between the two following moves:} ({a)} 6. g4) ({b)} 6. Bf4 $5) *
7212
7213[Event "?"]
7214[Site "?"]
7215[Date "????.??.??"]
7216[Round "?"]
7217[White "B: White plays h3 and then g4"]
7218[Black "2.a) 6 g4"]
7219[Result "*"]
7220[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
7221[PlyCount "83"]
7222[Source "Everyman Chess"]
7223[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
7224
72251. d4 f5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. h3 d5 4. c4 e6 5. Nc3 c6 6. g4 dxc4 {This is a very
7226risky move but it does lead to some rather entertaining positions!} 7. Ne5 b5
72278. Bg2 Qb6 9. e4 ({Or White could play} 9. a4 $5 {, a typical way to attack
7228Black's queenside pawn formation. Somehow, I managed to end up on the Black
7229side of this position and I had the following fascinating game:} Bb7 10. a5 Qa6
723011. e4 b4 12. Bf1 Bc8 13. Bxc4 Qb7 14. g5 bxc3 15. gxf6 cxb2 16. fxg7 Bxg7 17.
7231Qh5+ Kd8 18. Nf7+ Kc7 19. O-O bxa1=Q 20. Bf4+ e5 {Madness!} 21. Nxe5 Qxf1+ 22.
7232Bxf1 Be6 23. Nc4+ Kd7 24. Nd6 Qb3 25. d5 fxe4 26. dxe6+ Qxe6 27. Be2 Qg6+ 28.
7233Bg4+ Kd8 29. Qc5 {½-½ R.Bates-S.Williams, Witley 1996. A solid draw!})
72349... Nfd7 10. Nf3 (10. Nxd7 Nxd7 11. exf5 exf5 12. Qe2+ $1 {. This is just the
7235type of position that White is aiming for when he plays 3 h3. White will force
7236the black king to move, which just goes to show how strong his attack is.})
723710... fxe4 11. Ng5 (11. Nxe4 {can also be dangerous, for example,} Bb7 12. O-O
7238c5 13. Re1 {and White is ready to strike down the e-file.}) 11... Nf6 12. O-O
7239Be7 13. a4 (13. Ncxe4 {was another option that White could have considered.})
724013... a6 (13... O-O 14. Ncxe4 h6 15. Nxf6+ Bxf6 {. Unfortunately for White,
7241his knight now has to retreat to a rather passive square as d4 is under attack.
7242After} 16. Nf3 {, the position remains unclear.}) 14. Qc2 (14. Ncxe4 {cannot
7243be bad.}) 14... Ra7 ({Or} 14... Qxd4 15. axb5 Qd3 $1 16. Qxd3 cxd3 17. Ngxe4
7244Nd5 {with an unclear position!}) 15. Re1 g6 (15... O-O 16. Ncxe4 {looks very
7245dangerous for Black, as every white piece is pointing towards the black king.})
724616. Ngxe4 O-O 17. Bh6 Re8 18. axb5 ({Or} 18. Nc5 $5 {which attacks e6 and
7247makes it difficult for Black to play ...Nbd7.}) 18... axb5 19. Rxa7 Qxa7 20.
7248Nxf6+ (20. Nc5 $5 {was also interesting.}) 20... Bxf6 21. d5 Bd4 ({Black
7249should have probably tried} 21... cxd5 22. Nxd5 Bd4 {and White has no obvious
7250continuation, for example,} 23. Be3 (23. Qd2 $5) 23... Rd8 (23... exd5 24.
7251Bxd5+ Kf8 25. Bh6+ Bg7 26. Rxe8+ Kxe8 27. Qe4+ {is unclear}) 24. Nf6+ Kg7 {and
7252Black has stopped all of White's threats, so he may even have an advantage.})
725322. dxc6 {After 21...Bd4 Black went on to lose the game.} Qc5 23. Qd2 Ba6 24.
7254Ne4 Qb6 25. Qf4 Nxc6 26. Nf6+ Bxf6 27. Qxf6 Qd4 28. Rxe6 Qxf6 29. Rxe8+ Kf7 30.
7255Rf8+ Ke7 31. Rxf6 Kxf6 32. Bxc6 b4 33. Bd2 c3 34. bxc3 b3 35. Bc1 Ke5 36. f4+
7256Kd6 37. Be4 Kc5 38. f5 gxf5 39. Bxf5 Kc4 40. Bb2 h6 41. Be6+ Kd3 42. Bxb3 {1-0
7257I.Nemet-H.Kaenel, Swiss Championship 1989.} *
7258
7259[Event "?"]
7260[Site "?"]
7261[Date "????.??.??"]
7262[Round "?"]
7263[White "B: White plays h3 and then g4"]
7264[Black "2.b) 6 Bf4!?"]
7265[Result "*"]
7266[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
7267[PlyCount "25"]
7268[Source "Everyman Chess"]
7269[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
7270
72711. d4 f5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. h3 d5 4. c4 e6 5. Nc3 c6 6. Bf4 $5 {This move looks
7272quite tempting. White wants to complete his development before playing g4.
7273There have been a dozen or so games from this position. Let's take a look at
7274one of them:} Be7 ({Black can also try:} 6... Bd6 $6 {but this move always
7275seems to be a positional mistake, for example,} 7. Bxd6 Qxd6 8. e3 {and White
7276has a small but safe edge. It is best for Black to keep the dark-squared
7277bishops on the board.}) (6... dxc4 {is an improvement over the game for Black,
7278as White has already committed his bishop to f4 where it may become a target.
7279I still think that White is fine though, for example,} 7. Ne5 b5 8. g4 Nd5 9.
7280Qd2 {. The position is unclear and it is a matter of personal taste as to
7281which side you like. It might be worth taking a look at the game
7282Bates-Williams as mentioned above. This will give you a good idea as to what
7283White should play in this position.}) 7. e3 O-O 8. Qc2 Ne4 9. O-O-O $5 {I like
7284the fact that White has clear intentions! He is relying on g4 and a kingside
7285attack.} Qa5 10. Kb1 Na6 (10... Nxc3+ 11. Qxc3 Qxc3 12. bxc3 {was safer with a
7286long battle ahead for both sides.}) 11. Nxe4 $1 fxe4 12. Ne5 Bf6 13. f3 $1 {.
7287White was better and went on to win in the game Z.Pyda-Z.Autowicz, Warsaw Open
72881994.} *
7289
7290[Event "?"]
7291[Site "?"]
7292[Date "????.??.??"]
7293[Round "?"]
7294[White "C: Other crazy sidelines!"]
7295[Black "?"]
7296[Result "*"]
7297[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
7298[PlyCount "3"]
7299[Source "Everyman Chess"]
7300[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
7301
7302{White can play a number of strange and fascinating lines against the Dutch.
7303In general, none of these lines should worry Black, but it is still a good
7304idea to be well prepared against all of White's options. Line 'c' below is
7305especially dangerous. I have even played it myself from the White side.} 1. d4
7306f5 2. -- (2. g4 {As we saw in the introduction, if Black is well prepared then
7307this advance should not work. It is important to remember to re-sacrifice the
7308pawn with ...g3 after White has played h3.} fxg4 3. h3 ({against} 3. e4 {Black
7309should counterattack with} e5 $1 {when he has nothing to fear, for example,} 4.
7310dxe5 Nc6 5. Qxg4 d6) 3... g3 $1 {This important counter-sacrifice weakens
7311White on the dark squares, especially g3. White would love to have his h-pawn
7312firmly placed on h2 now!} 4. fxg3 Nf6 5. Nc3 d5 {Have a look at the earlier
7313introductory game if you want to see more of this variation.}) (2. f3 $5 {This
7314is a very rare move which may catch a few people out. It is worth considering
7315if you want to play in a non-theoretical way against the Dutch.} e6 $5 ({the
7316point behind White's play is that after} 2... Nf6 {White can gain the
7317initiative by playing} 3. e4 {for example,} fxe4 4. fxe4 Nxe4 5. Bd3 d5 6. Nf3
7318Nc6 7. O-O {with an attack. As usual, I would prefer to avoid this sort of
7319position for Black. It is much more fun to be the player who is doing all of
7320the attacking!}) 3. e4 fxe4 4. Nd2 ({or} 4. Nc3 Bb4 $1) ({whilst White should
7321definitely avoid playing} 4. fxe4 $4 Qh4+) 4... Nc6 $1 5. Nxe4 Nf6 {With an
7322equal game.}) (2. Nf3 e6 3. e4 $5 {Black has to tread carefully as this is a
7323very dangerous sacrifice. I am going to recommend a line which I originally
7324suggested in Play the Classical Dutch.} fxe4 4. Ng5 Nf6 5. f3 c5 $5 {Black
7325counterattacks in the centre of the board.} ({Another interesting variation is
7326} 5... h6 6. Nh3 exf3 $5 7. Qxf3 Bd6 $1 8. Nc3 O-O {, but Black could come
7327under some pressure}) 6. fxe4 cxd4 7. Bd3 (7. e5 $2 {loses a pawn to} Qa5+)
73287... Nc6 8. O-O Bd6 $1 {Black takes control of some central squares, namely e5.
7329} 9. Nd2 ({or} 9. c3 O-O 10. cxd4 Nxd4 {when Black is doing well}) 9... O-O 10.
7330Nc4 Be5 11. c3 dxc3 12. Nxe5 Nxe5 13. bxc3 {and Black can be happy with the
7331result of the opening.}) *
7332
7333[Event "?"]
7334[Site "?"]
7335[Date "????.??.??"]
7336[Round "?"]
7337[White "Test Your Knowledge! 7"]
7338[Black "?"]
7339[Result "*"]
7340[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
7341[PlyCount "1"]
7342[SourceDate "2015.05.13"]
7343
7344{Aggressive set-ups and early gambits: Have you really got to grips with this
7345chapter!?} 1. -- {We have now arrived at the seventh set of tests. This time
7346the tests are based on what happens if White chooses an aggressive line or
7347gambit. These tests will verify whether the main points of the chapter have
7348been fully understood. The tests should not be too difficult to solve
7349especially if you have read the chapter in full.} *
7350
7351[Event "?"]
7352[Site "?"]
7353[Date "????.??.??"]
7354[Round "?"]
7355[White "Test 7.1"]
7356[Black "?"]
7357[Result "*"]
7358[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
7359[SetUp "1"]
7360[FEN "rnbqkbnr/ppppp1pp/8/5p2/3P4/8/PPP1PPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 2"]
7361[PlyCount "1"]
7362[Source "Everyman Chess"]
7363[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
7364
7365{White has just played the interesting move} 2. h3 $5 {. What plan should
7366Black play? --- See the following game for the solution.} *
7367
7368[Event "?"]
7369[Site "?"]
7370[Date "????.??.??"]
7371[Round "?"]
7372[White "Answer 7.1"]
7373[Black "?"]
7374[Result "*"]
7375[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
7376[SetUp "1"]
7377[FEN "rnbqkbnr/ppppp1pp/8/5p2/3P4/7P/PPP1PPP1/RNBQKBNR b KQkq - 0 2"]
7378[PlyCount "7"]
7379[Source "Everyman Chess"]
7380[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
7381
73822... d6 $1 {I like this plan as it changes the dynamics of the game. Instead
7383of handing White the initiative, Black will eventually offer to sacrifice a
7384pawn in return for activity. For example:} 3. g4 e5 4. dxe5 Nc6 $5 5. exd6
7385Bxd6 {. Black has good compensation for the pawn as he has a lead in
7386development and open lines for his pieces. In addition, White's kingside has
7387become very weak. --- See the following game for the next exercise.} *
7388
7389[Event "?"]
7390[Site "?"]
7391[Date "????.??.??"]
7392[Round "?"]
7393[White "Test 7.2"]
7394[Black "?"]
7395[Result "*"]
7396[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
7397[SetUp "1"]
7398[FEN "rnbqkbnr/ppppp1pp/8/8/3P2p1/7P/PPP1PP2/RNBQKBNR b KQkq - 0 3"]
7399[PlyCount "1"]
7400[Source "Everyman Chess"]
7401[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
7402
74033... -- {What move do I recommend for Black in this position? --- See the
7404following game for the solution.} *
7405
7406[Event "?"]
7407[Site "?"]
7408[Date "????.??.??"]
7409[Round "?"]
7410[White "Answer 7.2"]
7411[Black "?"]
7412[Result "*"]
7413[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
7414[SetUp "1"]
7415[FEN "rnbqkbnr/ppppp1pp/8/8/3P2p1/7P/PPP1PP2/RNBQKBNR b KQkq - 0 3"]
7416[PlyCount "1"]
7417[Source "Everyman Chess"]
7418[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
7419
74203... g3 $1 {. This move destroys White's kingside and creates a permanent
7421weakness on g3. --- See the following game for the next exercise.} *
7422
7423[Event "?"]
7424[Site "?"]
7425[Date "????.??.??"]
7426[Round "?"]
7427[White "Test 7.3"]
7428[Black "?"]
7429[Result "*"]
7430[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
7431[SetUp "1"]
7432[FEN "rnbqkb1r/ppppp1pp/5n2/6B1/3Pp3/2N5/PPP2PPP/R2QKBNR b KQkq - 0 4"]
7433[PlyCount "1"]
7434[Source "Everyman Chess"]
7435[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
7436
74374... -- {This is the main line of the Staunton Gambit. What move do I suggest
7438for Black? --- See the following game for the solution.} *
7439
7440[Event "?"]
7441[Site "?"]
7442[Date "????.??.??"]
7443[Round "?"]
7444[White "Answer 7.3"]
7445[Black "?"]
7446[Result "*"]
7447[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
7448[SetUp "1"]
7449[FEN "rnbqkb1r/ppppp1pp/5n2/6B1/3Pp3/2N5/PPP2PPP/R2QKBNR b KQkq - 0 4"]
7450[PlyCount "1"]
7451[Source "Everyman Chess"]
7452[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
7453
74544... c6 $5 {. This sideline allows the black queen to venture out to a5 or b6
7455and is a very good alternative to 4...Nc6. --- See the following game for the
7456next exercise.} *
7457
7458[Event "?"]
7459[Site "?"]
7460[Date "????.??.??"]
7461[Round "?"]
7462[White "Test 7.4"]
7463[Black "?"]
7464[Result "*"]
7465[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
7466[SetUp "1"]
7467[FEN "rnb1kb1r/pp1p2pp/2p2p2/q7/3PP3/2N5/PPP3PP/R2QKBNR b KQkq - 0 7"]
7468[PlyCount "1"]
7469[Source "Everyman Chess"]
7470[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
7471
74727... -- {Black has an interesting move. What move can Black play here? --- See
7473the following game for the solution.} *
7474
7475[Event "?"]
7476[Site "?"]
7477[Date "????.??.??"]
7478[Round "?"]
7479[White "Answer 7.4"]
7480[Black "?"]
7481[Result "*"]
7482[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
7483[SetUp "1"]
7484[FEN "rnb1kb1r/pp1p2pp/2p2p2/q7/3PP3/2N5/PPP3PP/R2QKBNR b KQkq - 0 7"]
7485[PlyCount "1"]
7486[Source "Everyman Chess"]
7487[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
7488
74897... Ba3 $1 {. Black takes advantage of White's dark-squared weaknesses on the
7490queenside. --- See the following game for the next exercise.} *
7491
7492[Event "?"]
7493[Site "?"]
7494[Date "????.??.??"]
7495[Round "?"]
7496[White "Test 7.5"]
7497[Black "?"]
7498[Result "*"]
7499[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
7500[SetUp "1"]
7501[FEN "r1bqkb1r/pp1p2pp/2n1pn2/6N1/3pP3/3B4/PPP3PP/RNBQ1RK1 b kq - 0 8"]
7502[PlyCount "1"]
7503[Source "Everyman Chess"]
7504[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
7505
75068... -- {How should Black continue here? --- See the following game for the
7507solution.} *
7508
7509[Event "?"]
7510[Site "?"]
7511[Date "????.??.??"]
7512[Round "?"]
7513[White "Answer 7.5"]
7514[Black "?"]
7515[Result "*"]
7516[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
7517[SetUp "1"]
7518[FEN "r1bqkb1r/pp1p2pp/2n1pn2/6N1/3pP3/3B4/PPP3PP/RNBQ1RK1 b kq - 0 8"]
7519[PlyCount "1"]
7520[Source "Everyman Chess"]
7521[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
7522
75238... Bd6 $1 {. Black must stop White from ever playing e5. The dark-squared
7524bishop does a good job of controlling some key squares.} *
7525
7526[Event "?"]
7527[Site "?"]
7528[Date "????.??.??"]
7529[Round "?"]
7530[White "8: Deviations: 2 Nc3 & 2 Bg5"]
7531[Black "?"]
7532[Result "*"]
7533[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
7534[PlyCount "4"]
7535[Source "Everyman Chess"]
7536[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
7537
7538{A lot of people are put off by the Dutch because of the number of sidelines
7539that White can choose from. Two of White's main options are 2 Nc3 and 2 Bg5.
7540--- I am lucky because I always start the game 1 d4 e6, as I am happy to enter
7541into a French Defence after 2 e4 has been played. Buy my book 'Attacking Chess:
7542The French: A Dynamic Repertoire for Black' (published by Everyman Chess) if
7543you want to learn this exciting opening! --- Occasionally, I do start with 1...f5, but you must know what to play against 2 Nc3 or 2 Bg5, as these moves are
7544quite popular and can be rather tricky. --- Let me introduce you to both of
7545these moves.} 1. d4 f5 2. Nc3 {White is aiming to play a quick e4 with this
7546move. It is worth stopping this plan.} (2. Bg5 {is an interesting move and one
7547that Kasparov has tried. White plays the opening like the Trompowsky Attack,
7548with the intention of making it difficult for Black to develop. We will take a
7549look at this move later on. --- BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- As a general rule of
7550thumb, I would suggest that Black sticks to the solid} Nf6 {. Despite the fact
7551that his pawn structure will be damaged, he will have good compensation in the
7552form of the bishop pair as well as an excellent grip on the position.} ({If
7553you are in a gambling mood then you might want to consider the line given
7554below starting with} 2... h6 3. Bh4 g5 4. e4 Rh7 $5 {. --- To be honest, I
7555have serious doubts about this variation and I would not be surprised to learn
7556that White has a refutation to ...Rh7. I first covered this line in another
7557Everyman book entitled Dutch: Dangerous Weapon. A lot of the original ideas of
7558this line are included in this publication.})) (2. Nh3 $5 {is also an
7559interesting idea. White's knight is often well placed on f4, so this is
7560actually a sensible plan. The positions that arise from this variation
7561normally involve a lot of piece manoeuvring. However, I doubt whether this
7562idea can seriously worry Black.}) 2... d5 {This move is now playable as White
7563will struggle to play c4, due to the fact that his knight is in the way.
7564Incidentally, c4 is the main way for White to damage Black's pawn structure.
7565Black should be aiming to play ...a6 and ...c5 in most variations.} ({Another
7566solid choice is} 2... Nf6 3. Bg5 d5 4. Bxf6 exf6 {with a roughly equal game.})
7567*
7568
7569[Event "36: Aviles"]
7570[Site "?"]
7571[Date "2003.??.??"]
7572[Round "?"]
7573[White "Kharitonov, A."]
7574[Black "Gajewski, G."]
7575[Result "0-1"]
7576[ECO "A80"]
7577[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
7578[PlyCount "92"]
7579[EventDate "2003.??.??"]
7580[Source "Everyman Chess"]
7581[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
7582
75831. d4 f5 2. Bg5 {This is a tricky move that I have had some difficulty against.
7584White is trying to prevent Black from developing with natural moves. 2 Bg5 is
7585in the spirit of the Trompowsky and should appeal to players who wish to
7586create problems from an early stage.} h6 {This move has always appealed to me
7587as it forces White to think with his own head. With this move, Black is really
7588trying to refute White's plan.} ({Black has a number of other moves here, such
7589as the solid option of playing} 2... Nf6 {, which leads to a roughly equal
7590game after} 3. Bxf6 exf6 {. This line can also be played against 2 Nc3 d5 3
7591Bg5 Nf6, thus limiting the amount of theory that Black has to learn.}) 3. Bh4
7592g5 {A natural continuation. Black gains space on the kingside and forces White
7593to make a decision about his e-pawn. It is also slightly risky as Black's king
7594is left rather exposed.} 4. e4 {This move was originally considered to be
7595clearly better for White; however, White has to be very well prepared
7596otherwise he can find himself in a lot of trouble.} Rh7 $5 {A move that
7597requires a certain sense of humour. --- Anyone glancing at the position would
7598think that the player with the black pieces is a complete beginner! --- I
7599originally suggested this plan in the Dangerous Weapons book published by
7600Everyman, but I now have some reservations about its reliability. Rest assured,
7601I will provide some analysis for those of you who are interested in this
7602variation.} (4... Kf7 $2 {is another amusing idea that I briefly considered.
7603The suggestion is rubbish though!} 5. Qh5+ Kg7 6. exf5 {and Black's position
7604is dreadful.}) 5. Qh5+ {The most natural continuation. After all, it is nearly
7605checkmate!} ({White's other sensible options such as} 5. Be2) ({and} 5. Bc4 {
7606will be analysed at the end of this chapter.}) 5... Rf7 {Deduct 400 Elo points
7607if you were thinking of playing anything else!} 6. Nf3 {White develops a piece
7608and threatens 7 Ne5 followed by 8 Qxf7#. --- In practice, this position has
7609only been reached twice. We will take a look at both games.} Nf6 {After this
7610move, White has to play accurately to gain any advantage from the opening.
7611Black has two other moves which will be looked at towards the end of this
7612chapter.} 7. Qg6 Nc6 8. Bxg5 $6 {This seems to be a slight error!} ({White
7613should have played either} 8. exf5) ({or} 8. Bc4 $1 {when Black needs to
7614proceed with extreme caution in order to survive.}) 8... fxe4 9. Ne5 ({White
7615can also play} 9. Bxf6 {but Black is clearly better after} exf6 $1 ({this
7616response is better than} 9... exf3 10. Bh8 $5 {with an unclear position}) 10.
7617Nfd2 (10. Qxe4+ $4 {and Black can now demonstrate why he placed his rook on
7618the second rank:} Re7) 10... Nxd4 {and Black should be winning.}) 9... Nxe5 10.
7619dxe5 hxg5 11. exf6 e6 $1 ({I have also played} 11... exf6 $2 {. My mind went
7620blank! I played this really horrible move against English Grandmaster Danny
7621Gormally. I should have stuck to 11...e6!. You can see the video of my
7622encounter against Danny here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vsMOT6WxME>. ---
7623"By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest;
7624Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the
7625bitterest." - Confucius --- Mistakes can sometimes be painful but we must
7626always learn from them so that we don't repeat them in the future.}) 12. Nd2 $6
7627({White should have tried} 12. Be2 $1 {, for example,} Qxf6 13. Bh5 Qxf2+ $5 (
762813... Bg7 {is a safer option which leads to a roughly equal position after} 14.
7629Qxf7+ Qxf7 15. Bxf7+ Kxf7 16. Nc3 d5 {; Black has nothing to fear here as his
7630strong centre and two bishops provide enough compensation for the material
7631imbalance}) 14. Kd1 Ke7 {. This position is unclear but I suspect that Black
7632is in some trouble after} 15. Nd2 $1 (15. Qxf7+ Qxf7 16. Bxf7 Kxf7 17. c3 d5 {
7633when only Black can be better}) 15... d5 16. Rf1 Qxf1+ 17. Nxf1 Rxf1+ 18. Ke2
7634Rxa1 19. Qf7+ Kd6 20. Qxf8+ Ke5 {. It may be best for White to take a draw by
7635repetition here.}) 12... Qxf6 ({Black could have also played} 12... d5 {with a
7636pleasant advantage, for example,} 13. Qxg5 Qxf6 14. Qxf6 Rxf6 {and Black's
7637opening has been a success as he is clearly better.}) 13. Qxf6 Rxf6 14. Nxe4
7638Rf5 {Black is doing well. You certainly have to be a brave person (or maybe
7639just stupid!) to play this line, but if Black can survive then he will often
7640achieve a good position in the middlegame. The game continued:} 15. Bd3 Bg7
764116. c3 d5 {Black uses his central pawns.} 17. Ng3 Rf8 18. h4 $1 {White must
7642try to activate his pieces. If he does nothing then Black's space advantage in
7643the centre will become overwhelming.} gxh4 19. Rxh4 Bd7 20. Ke2 O-O-O 21. Rah1
7644e5 {Again, Black uses his central pawns to gain some space.} 22. f3 Bf6 23. Rh6
7645e4 $1 {Black wants to open the position in order to gain access to White's
7646king.} 24. Bc2 ({Capturing the pawn releases Black's bishops, for example,} 24.
7647fxe4 {and Black's pieces come to life after} Bg4+ 25. Ke1 {.}) 24... Bb5+ 25.
7648Kf2 e3+ 26. Ke1 d4 {Black went on to win the game very comfortably.} 27. cxd4
7649Bxd4 28. Re6 Bxb2 29. Rxe3 Bd4 30. Rb3 Bc4 31. Ra3 Bc5 32. Ra4 b5 33. Rxc4 bxc4
765034. Ne4 Rh8 35. Rxh8 Bb4+ 36. Ke2 Rxh8 37. Nf2 Bc5 38. f4 Bxf2 39. Kxf2 Kd7 40.
7651Ke3 Kd6 41. Ke4 Re8+ 42. Kf3 c3 43. Bd3 Re1 44. a4 Rd1 45. Ke3 Rd2 46. g4 Rg2
76520-1
7653
7654[Event "37: European Individual Championship"]
7655[Site "?"]
7656[Date "2009.??.??"]
7657[Round "?"]
7658[White "Sakaev, K."]
7659[Black "Volokitin, A."]
7660[Result "0-1"]
7661[ECO "A80"]
7662[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
7663[PlyCount "116"]
7664[EventDate "2009.??.??"]
7665[Source "Everyman Chess"]
7666[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
7667
76681. d4 f5 2. Nc3 {In my first chess book, 'Play the Classical Dutch', I gave
7669this as one of the most dangerous lines that Black could face. Nowadays, I
7670believe that other lines pose a greater threat, but Black still has to be
7671careful as careless moves could leave him with a bad position. --- After 2 Nc3
7672White intends to play e4 gaining space in the centre. It is important that
7673Black stops this plan.} d5 {This puts a stop to e4 but it does create a
7674permanent weakness on e5. Later on in this chapter, I will suggest a plan
7675where Black aims to play as actively as possible using the c5 break.} 3. Bf4 (
76763. Bg5 {is probably the most critical move. This will be examined later on.})
76773... a6 $1 {The idea behind this move is to stop Nb5. At a later stage, Black
7678will play ...c5 followed by ...b5 in order to gain some space on the queenside.
7679} 4. e3 Nf6 5. Nf3 e6 6. Ne5 Nbd7 7. g4 $5 {White goes for the immediate kill
7680which backfires somewhat. Black, on the other hand, has a perfectly good
7681position with no cares in the world.} Nxe5 8. dxe5 Nxg4 {And why not? After
7682all, a pawn is a pawn.} 9. h3 Nh6 10. Bxh6 gxh6 11. Qh5+ Kd7 {The king may
7683look misplaced on this square but it can easily escape to the queenside.} 12.
7684O-O-O Qg5 $1 {Black has a material advantage so the exchange of queens would
7685be of great benefit to him.} 13. Qf3 c6 14. Ne2 Kc7 15. Rg1 Qe7 16. Qf4 {White
7686is trying to worm his way into the game but Black's position is fairly solid.}
7687Bd7 17. Nd4 Qf7 18. c4 Rg8 19. Rxg8 Qxg8 20. cxd5 cxd5 21. Kb1 Qg5 $1 {Black
7688now takes control of the position and forces White's queen away.} 22. Qh2 Rc8
768923. h4 Qg7 24. Bd3 Kb6 25. Rg1 Qe7 26. h5 Qb4 27. f4 Ka7 28. Qf2 Qb6 29. Qd2
7690Be8 30. Be2 Bb4 31. Qd1 Bc5 32. Qd2 Ba4 33. Bd1 Bxd4 34. Qxd4 Qxd4 35. exd4
7691Bxd1 36. Rxd1 Rg8 37. Kc2 Rg4 38. Rf1 Kb6 39. Kd3 Rg3+ 40. Kd2 Rg2+ 41. Kc3 Kb5
769242. Rc1 Rh2 43. Kb3 Rxh5 44. Rc7 Rh3+ 45. Kc2 Rh4 46. Rxb7+ Kc4 47. Ra7 Rxf4
769348. Rxa6 Rf2+ 49. Kb1 Kxd4 50. Rxe6 Re2 51. a4 Rxe5 52. Rf6 Ke3 53. Kc2 d4 54.
7694b4 d3+ 55. Kc3 f4 56. Rd6 Ke2 57. Rxd3 Re3 58. Rxe3+ fxe3 0-1
7695
7696[Event "?"]
7697[Site "?"]
7698[Date "????.??.??"]
7699[Round "?"]
7700[White "A: 2 Bg5"]
7701[Black "?"]
7702[Result "*"]
7703[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
7704[PlyCount "15"]
7705[Source "Everyman Chess"]
7706[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
7707
7708{2...h6 3 Bh4 g5 4 e4 Rh7!?!? is a very risky move but as it is so interesting
7709and complicated, I thought that it needed to be included in this chapter. If
7710you want to play without any risk then you should play 2 Bg5 Nf6 3 Bxf6 exf6
7711followed by ...d5 and Black has a solid position. --- In order to get to grips
7712with this position, I would suggest that you take a look at some of the top
7713Grandmaster games in this line. As this line is not so theoretical, the player
7714who has a greater understanding of the middlegame will often be triumphant.} 1.
7715d4 f5 2. Bg5 h6 ({The major alternative that we need to consider is} 2... Nf6 {
7716. --- The 'solid' approach. Black allows White to double his pawns in the hope
7717that his two bishops will spring to life later on. With careful play, this
7718line should offer Black an equal game. I won't delve too deeply into the
7719variations, as I have already mentioned that this type of position is very
7720solid. Let's take a look at two examples of this.} 3. -- (3. Bxf6 {is the most
7721natural move.} exf6 4. e3 g6 {(this is a solid way to give extra protection to
7722Black's pawn chain)} 5. h4 d5 {(Black relies on this move in order to take
7723firm control of the centre)} 6. c4 Be6 7. cxd5 Bxd5 8. Nc3 Nc6 9. Nge2 Bf7 10.
7724g3 Bd6 11. Bg2 O-O 12. a3 Ne7 13. Nf4 c6 14. Nd3 a5 15. Qc2 Qb6 16. O-O Bb3 {
7725. Black has a very pleasant position with no weaknesses. Furthermore, he also
7726has the option to play ...c5. We have been following the game A.Grischuk-A.Moiseenko, Russian Team Championship 2005.}) (3. e3 {. This kind of approach
7727can hardly be dangerous. I.Sokolov-S.Agdestein, Oslo 1996, continued} e6 4.
7728Bd3 Be7 5. Ne2 O-O 6. O-O Nd5 $5 7. Bxe7 Qxe7 8. a3 Nf6 {and Black has a very
7729comfortable position. He can either aim to take control of e4 by playing ...b6
7730and ...Bb7, or he can consider the standard plan of ...d6 followed by ...e5.} (
77318... --))) 3. Bh4 ({Or:} 3. Bc1 $5 {Another Stephen Gordon idea! In this
7732position,} d5 {looks like a sensible way to continue. Black will aim to play ...c5 after he has developed on the kingside.}) (3. Bf4 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. e4 $5 {
7733The positions that arise from this typical gambit tend to lead to a messy but
7734equal game. Just what you want when playing the Dutch!} fxe4 6. f3 Bb4 {(Black
7735should aim to always have control over e4)} 7. fxe4 O-O 8. Qd3 d5 9. exd5 exd5
773610. O-O-O {with an equal game.}) 3... g5 4. e4 ({White can also play safe with
7737the less aggressive} 4. e3 {. --- Black should be comfortable as long as he
7738plays against White's dark-squared bishop. For example,} Bg7 5. Bg3 (5. Qh5+ {
7739does not help White's position; for example, after} Kf8 {, White's queen can
7740actually become a target:} 6. Bg3 Nf6 7. Qf3 d6 8. Bd3 Nc6 9. Nc3 (9. Bxf5 g4
774110. Qf4 e5) 9... e5 10. dxe5 dxe5 11. O-O-O Qe7) 5... d6 $1 {. ---
7742BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- It is important for Black to play ...e5! as this move
7743will help to suffocate the white bishop on g3.} 6. h4 g4 7. Ne2 e5 {and after
7744this pawn break, the position is now equal.}) 4... Rh7 $5 5. Qh5+ ({White can
7745also try:} 5. Be2 Kf7 $5 {(crazy but fine!)} 6. Bg3 f4 7. Bxf4 gxf4 8. e5 {.
7746White has a slight initiative but if Black manages to defend this position, he
7747will be better.}) (5. Bc4 {looks logical but it does run into} d5 $1 {(this
7748move wins a piece but the position is still very complicated)} 6. Qh5+ Rf7 7.
7749exd5 (7. Bxd5 e6) 7... Nf6 8. Qg6 Qd6 9. Nf3 Ne4 {and Black is clearly better.}
7750) 5... Rf7 6. Nf3 Nf6 7. Qg6 Nc6 {This is the critical position, where White
7751has a number of dangerous options:} 8. -- (8. Bc4 {This is certainly dangerous.
7752} e6 9. Bxg5 $1 (9. Ne5 Nxe5 10. dxe5 Nxe4 {is good for Black}) 9... hxg5 10.
7753Nxg5 Qe7 11. exf5 Nxd4 $1 12. fxe6 Nxe6 13. Bxe6 dxe6 14. Nc3 Nd5 15. Nce4 e5
7754$1 16. O-O-O Bf5 17. Qxf7+ Qxf7 18. Nxf7 Kxf7 19. Ng5+ Kf6 20. Rxd5 Kxg5 {With
7755an unclear position, but there may well have been improvements along the way
7756for both sides.}) (8. e5 Ne4 $5 9. d5 Nb4 10. e6 {This position is completely
7757bonkers!} Nxc2+ 11. Kd1 dxe6 12. Kxc2 Qxd5 {Who knows what is going on?!}) (8.
7758exf5 gxh4 9. Bc4 d5 10. Bb5 $1 Nd7 11. Nc3 Bg7 12. Bxc6 bxc6 13. Qxc6 Rb8 14.
7759Nxd5 Kf8 15. Nxc7 Kg8 16. Ne6 Qa5+ 17. c3 Qxf5 {Yet again, the position has
7760become very complicated!}) (8. Bxg5 $6 {. We've already seen how Black
7761achieved a good position against this move in the introductory game.}) *
7762
7763[Event "?"]
7764[Site "?"]
7765[Date "????.??.??"]
7766[Round "?"]
7767[White "B: 2 Nc3 d5"]
7768[Black "?"]
7769[Result "*"]
7770[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
7771[PlyCount "24"]
7772[Source "Everyman Chess"]
7773[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
7774
7775{It is now time to look at Black's best response to 2 Nc3.} 1. d4 f5 2. Nc3 d5
7776(2... Nf6 3. Bg5 {BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- 2...Nf6 is of course playable but
7777Black should always aim to stop White from playing e4 in this type of
7778structure, for example,} e6 ({after 3 Bg5, Black should respond with} 3... d5 {
7779. Black's position is now solid and the game could continue for quite some
7780time!}) 4. e4 $1 {and thanks to the space advantage in the centre, White has a
7781comfortable position. --- In addition, Black's king can also come under attack
7782after an exchange on e4 takes place. This is the type of position that I would
7783aim to avoid.}) 3. Bg5 $1 {This appears to be the most testing move.} ({White
7784has also tried:} 3. Bf4 {when I believe that} a6 $1 {stopping Nb5 is the best
7785response.} (3... c6 {is less dynamic and allows White to re-arrange his pieces
7786after} 4. e3 Nf6 5. Bd3 e6 6. Nf3 Be7 7. Ne2 $1 {and White prepares to play c4
7787with a small advantage}) 4. e3 (4. e4 $5 {is interesting, for example,} dxe4 5.
7788f3 Nf6 6. fxe4 fxe4 7. Bc4 Nc6 8. Nge2 {. --- BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- White's
7789light-squared bishop is a very strong piece. How can Black swap it off?} Na5 $1
77909. Bb3 Nxb3 10. axb3 Bf5 11. Qd2 e6 12. O-O-O Bb4 {and I prefer Black's
7791position}) 4... Nf6 5. a3 e6 6. Nf3 Bd7 7. Be2 c5 $1 {(this is the reason why
7792Black played an early ...a6)} 8. O-O Nc6 9. Ne5 Be7 10. Bh5+ g6 11. Bf3 O-O 12.
7793Ne2 {BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- White is planning to play c4. How should Black
7794stop this plan?} c4 $1 {is simple and good. Black gains space on the queenside
7795giving him a small edge.}) (3. Nf3 {This move is nothing to write home about
7796but it is worth having a quick look at what happens if White plays slowly and
7797fianchettoes his light-squared bishop:} Nf6 4. g3 $6 {(a dubious-looking move
7798that does not seem to fit into White's opening system)} e6 5. Bg2 {. ---
7799BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- Black can obviously play a normal Stonewall set-up,
7800but in this position he can attack the centre straightaway as White's pawn is
7801on c2 and not c4. How should Black do this?} c5 $1 {This looks like the best
7802option! With this move, Black will take the initiative after} 6. O-O cxd4 7.
7803Nb5 Bd7 8. Nbxd4 Nc6 {.}) (3. e4 $6 {does not seem to work well here, for
7804example,} dxe4 $1 4. f3 {. --- BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- Black could play ...Nf6 transposing back to a position that we looked at earlier but there is a
7805better move! How can Black start a counterattack in the centre?} e5 $1 {This
7806looks like the best move. Black strikes out!} 5. dxe5 Qxd1+ 6. Nxd1 (6. Kxd1
7807Nc6 7. Nd5 Kd8 8. Bg5+ Nge7 9. f4 h6 10. Nxe7 Nxe7 11. Bxe7+ Kxe7 {works out
7808in Black's favour}) 6... Nc6 {and Black has a comfortable position.}) 3... c6
7809$5 {The idea behind this move is to eventually play ...Qb6 which will put
7810pressure on b2.} ({Again, I have chosen this move because it seems to be the
7811most dynamic choice but Black could stick to familiar territory by playing} 
78123... Nf6 {with a solid position after} 4. Bxf6 exf6 {.}) 4. e4 $5 {Going
7813straight for the throat!} ({A quieter option would have been to play} 4. e3 {
7814, when the game could have continued} Qb6 5. Rb1 Nd7 $1 6. Bd3 g6 7. h4 Bg7 8.
7815h5 h6 9. Bf4 g5 10. Bh2 e5 $1 11. Bxf5 exd4 12. exd4 Ne7 {and Black has made
7816considerable progress.}) 4... dxe4 5. f3 Nf6 {We have now reached a position
7817that we have already looked at, for example:} 6. fxe4 fxe4 7. Bc4 Bf5 8. Nge2
7818Qa5 $1 9. Qd2 Nbd7 10. O-O-O b5 11. Bb3 b4 12. Na4 O-O-O {and Black is doing
7819well.} *
7820
7821[Event "?"]
7822[Site "?"]
7823[Date "????.??.??"]
7824[Round "?"]
7825[White "C: Other possibilities"]
7826[Black "?"]
7827[Result "*"]
7828[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
7829[PlyCount "3"]
7830[Source "Everyman Chess"]
7831[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
7832
78331. d4 f5 {Now we will take a look at some of the other possibilities that
7834White can try. Option 'b' 3 d5!? is quite a popular continuation. This move is
7835often played when White wants to venture into new territories.} 2. -- ({a)} 2.
7836Nh3) ({b)} 2. Nf3) *
7837
7838[Event "?"]
7839[Site "?"]
7840[Date "????.??.??"]
7841[Round "?"]
7842[White "C: Other possibilities"]
7843[Black "a) 2 Nh3"]
7844[Result "*"]
7845[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
7846[PlyCount "16"]
7847[Source "Everyman Chess"]
7848[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
7849
78501. d4 f5 2. Nh3 {This strange move has hardly ever been played but it might
7851appeal to some "maverick" souls out there. I first came across this idea in
7852Everyman's book, 'Dangerous Weapons: The Dutch', where Richard Palliser gives
7853a thorough explanation of the rationale behind it.} Nf6 (2... d6 {does allow}
78543. Nc3 {but even then} e5 $5 {might be fine for Black.}) 3. Bg5 $1 {This seems
7855to be the best continuation for White who chooses to develop the bishop before
7856playing Nf4.} e6 {Solid and reliable.} 4. e3 ({White can also play} 4. Nf4 $5 {
7857immediately with the intention of only playing 5 e3 once} Be7 {has been played.
7858}) 4... h6 $5 {This is Richard Palliser's idea which leads to some strange but
7859interesting positions.} 5. Bxf6 Qxf6 6. Nf4 g5 7. Nh5 (7. Qh5+ $6 {is
7860incorrect, as the queen exchange actually helps Black; for example,} Qf7 8.
7861Qxf7+ Kxf7 9. Nd3 Nc6 {. Black has the bishop pair and a space advantage on
7862the kingside, which leaves him with an advantage.}) 7... Qf7 8. Nc3 Be7 {with
7863an unclear but interesting game.} *
7864
7865[Event "?"]
7866[Site "?"]
7867[Date "????.??.??"]
7868[Round "?"]
7869[White "C: Other possibilities"]
7870[Black "b) 2 Nf3 e6 3 d5!?"]
7871[Result "*"]
7872[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
7873[PlyCount "41"]
7874[Source "Everyman Chess"]
7875[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
7876
78771. d4 f5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d5 $5 {This is an interesting idea that disrupts Black's
7878development.} ({White has also tried} 3. Bg5 {which is a fairly popular move.
7879Black should now continue with} Be7 $1 {. We looked at this move in Chapter 6,
7880so I would suggest that you refer back to that section.}) 3... exd5 {This is
7881my preferred approach. Black's pieces often gain some activity after this
7882capture; however, you must be willing to sacrifice a pawn.} 4. Qxd5 d6 5. Ng5 {
7883The most testing move.} ({White has also tried} 5. g3 $6 {but this allows
7884Black to develop without any problems; for example,} Nf6 6. Qd3 $6 Na6 7. Bg2
7885Nc5 8. Qe3+ Be7 9. O-O O-O 10. c4 Nfe4 {and the position is equal.}) 5... Qe7
78866. Nxh7 c6 ({Black can also reserve this square for his knight on b8, for
7887example,} 6... Rxh7 7. Qxg8 Rh4 8. Qb3 Nc6 {with good counter play.}) 7. Qb3
7888Rxh7 8. Qxg8 Rh4 {In exchange for a pawn, Black has very active pieces and a
7889good chance to generate a successful attack against White's king. For example:}
78909. Qb3 Na6 10. Qe3 Re4 11. Qd2 Nb4 12. Qd1 Rd4 $5 13. Nd2 f4 14. a3 Nd5 15. c3
7891Ne3 $5 16. fxe3 Qh4+ 17. g3 fxg3 18. Bg2 gxh2+ 19. Kf1 Qf6+ 20. Ke1 Qh4+ 21.
7892Kf1 {½-½ A.Miles-A.Vaisser, Elista Olympiad 1998.} *
7893
7894[Event "?"]
7895[Site "?"]
7896[Date "????.??.??"]
7897[Round "?"]
7898[White "Test Your Knowledge! 8"]
7899[Black "?"]
7900[Result "*"]
7901[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
7902[PlyCount "1"]
7903[SourceDate "2015.05.13"]
7904
7905{1 d4 f5 - Early deviations: 2 Nc3 and 2 Bg5 --- Have you really got to grips
7906with this chapter?} 1. -- {We have now arrived at the eighth set of tests.
7907This time the tests are based on what happens if White chooses to deviate with
7908either 2 Nc3 or 2 Bg5. These tests will verify whether the main points of the
7909chapter have been fully understood. The tests should not be too difficult to
7910solve especially if you have read the chapter in full.} *
7911
7912[Event "?"]
7913[Site "?"]
7914[Date "????.??.??"]
7915[Round "?"]
7916[White "Test 8.1"]
7917[Black "?"]
7918[Result "*"]
7919[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
7920[SetUp "1"]
7921[FEN "rnbqkbnr/ppp1p1pp/8/3p1p2/3P1B2/2N5/PPP1PPPP/R2QKBNR b KQkq - 0 3"]
7922[PlyCount "1"]
7923[Source "Everyman Chess"]
7924[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
7925
79263... -- {White has just played Bf4. What should Black play? --- See the
7927following game for the solution.} *
7928
7929[Event "?"]
7930[Site "?"]
7931[Date "????.??.??"]
7932[Round "?"]
7933[White "Answer 8.1"]
7934[Black "?"]
7935[Result "*"]
7936[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
7937[SetUp "1"]
7938[FEN "rnbqkbnr/ppp1p1pp/8/3p1p2/3P1B2/2N5/PPP1PPPP/R2QKBNR b KQkq - 0 3"]
7939[PlyCount "1"]
7940[Source "Everyman Chess"]
7941[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
7942
79433... a6 $1 {. This move aims to take advantage of White's knight on c3. Black
7944wants to advance on the queenside with ...b5 and ...c5. This plan would not be
7945as effective if White had the option to play c4 but in this position, it is a
7946good plan. --- See the following game for the next exercise.} *
7947
7948[Event "?"]
7949[Site "?"]
7950[Date "????.??.??"]
7951[Round "?"]
7952[White "Test 8.2"]
7953[Black "?"]
7954[Result "*"]
7955[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
7956[SetUp "1"]
7957[FEN "r2q1rk1/1p1bb2p/p1n1pnp1/2ppNp2/3P1B2/P1N1PB2/1PP2PPP/R2Q1RK1 w - - 0 13"]
7958[PlyCount "1"]
7959[Source "Everyman Chess"]
7960[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
7961
7962{White has just played} 13. Ne2 {in order to open the centre with c4. What
7963should Black play? --- See the following game for the solution.} *
7964
7965[Event "?"]
7966[Site "?"]
7967[Date "????.??.??"]
7968[Round "?"]
7969[White "Answer 8.2"]
7970[Black "?"]
7971[Result "*"]
7972[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
7973[SetUp "1"]
7974[FEN "r2q1rk1/1p1bb2p/p1n1pnp1/2ppNp2/3P1B2/P3PB2/1PP1NPPP/R2Q1RK1 b - - 0 13"]
7975[PlyCount "1"]
7976[Source "Everyman Chess"]
7977[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
7978
797913... c4 $1 {. This move stops White's plan and Black will eventually gain the
7980initiative on the queenside with the moves ...b5, ...a5 and ...b4. --- See the
7981following game for the next exercise.} *
7982
7983[Event "?"]
7984[Site "?"]
7985[Date "????.??.??"]
7986[Round "?"]
7987[White "Test 8.3"]
7988[Black "?"]
7989[Result "*"]
7990[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
7991[SetUp "1"]
7992[FEN "rnbqk1nr/ppppp1b1/7p/5pp1/3P4/4P1B1/PPP2PPP/RN1QKBNR b KQkq - 0 5"]
7993[PlyCount "1"]
7994[Source "Everyman Chess"]
7995[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
7996
79975... -- {What should Black play and why? --- See the following game for the
7998solution.} *
7999
8000[Event "?"]
8001[Site "?"]
8002[Date "????.??.??"]
8003[Round "?"]
8004[White "Answer 8.3"]
8005[Black "?"]
8006[Result "*"]
8007[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
8008[SetUp "1"]
8009[FEN "rnbqk1nr/ppppp1b1/7p/5pp1/3P4/4P1B1/PPP2PPP/RN1QKBNR b KQkq - 0 5"]
8010[PlyCount "1"]
8011[Source "Everyman Chess"]
8012[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
8013
80145... d6 $1 {. It is important for Black to play ...e5!. This move will
8015suffocate the white bishop on g3. --- See the following game for the next
8016exercise.} *
8017
8018[Event "?"]
8019[Site "?"]
8020[Date "????.??.??"]
8021[Round "?"]
8022[White "Test 8.4"]
8023[Black "?"]
8024[Result "*"]
8025[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
8026[SetUp "1"]
8027[FEN "r1bqkb2/pppppr2/5PQ1/6p1/4p3/8/PPP2PPP/RN2KB1R b KQq - 0 11"]
8028[PlyCount "1"]
8029[Source "Everyman Chess"]
8030[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
8031
803211... -- {This position is taken from the notoriously complicated 4...Rh7!?
8033variation. What is Black's best move? --- See the following game for the
8034solution.} *
8035
8036[Event "?"]
8037[Site "?"]
8038[Date "????.??.??"]
8039[Round "?"]
8040[White "Answer 8.4"]
8041[Black "?"]
8042[Result "*"]
8043[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
8044[SetUp "1"]
8045[FEN "r1bqkb2/pppppr2/5PQ1/6p1/4p3/8/PPP2PPP/RN2KB1R b KQq - 0 11"]
8046[PlyCount "1"]
8047[Source "Everyman Chess"]
8048[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
8049
805011... e6 $1 {. Black wants to capture on f6 with a perfectly playable position.
8051I once played 11...exf6? which was a serious mistake! --- See the following
8052game for the next exercise.} *
8053
8054[Event "?"]
8055[Site "?"]
8056[Date "????.??.??"]
8057[Round "?"]
8058[White "Test 8.5"]
8059[Black "?"]
8060[Result "*"]
8061[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
8062[SetUp "1"]
8063[FEN "r1bqkb1r/1pp1p1pp/p1n2n2/8/2BPpB2/2N5/PPP1N1PP/R2QK2R b KQkq - 0 8"]
8064[PlyCount "1"]
8065[Source "Everyman Chess"]
8066[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
8067
80688... -- {What should Black play here? --- See the following game for the
8069solution.} *
8070
8071[Event "?"]
8072[Site "?"]
8073[Date "????.??.??"]
8074[Round "?"]
8075[White "Answer 8.5"]
8076[Black "?"]
8077[Result "*"]
8078[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
8079[SetUp "1"]
8080[FEN "r1bqkb1r/1pp1p1pp/p1n2n2/8/2BPpB2/2N5/PPP1N1PP/R2QK2R b KQkq - 0 8"]
8081[PlyCount "5"]
8082[Source "Everyman Chess"]
8083[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
8084
80858... Na5 $1 {White's light-squared bishop is very strong so Black aims to swap
8086it off. This is a typical plan for this type of position. --- For example,} 9.
8087Bb3 Nxb3 10. axb3 Bf5 {. Black is over the worst and should be very happy with
8088the outcome of the opening.} *
8089
8090[Event "?"]
8091[Site "?"]
8092[Date "????.??.??"]
8093[Round "?"]
8094[White "9: English Setup"]
8095[Black "?"]
8096[Result "*"]
8097[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
8098[PlyCount "10"]
8099[Source "Everyman Chess"]
8100[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
8101
8102{To play ...e6 or ...e5? --- The main position that we are going to look at in
8103this chapter arises after the following starting moves:} 1. c4 f5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3.
8104g3 e6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. d3 O-O {. It is worth noting that this position can be
8105reached via several different move orders. --- This is a fairly popular
8106approach among club players. The English Opening is an easy system to learn,
8107where White will often play the first eight moves or so without much thought.
8108--- I have always found that the Dutch works rather well against the English
8109set-up and my own results on the black side of this opening have been very
8110good. The position resembles that of a reversed Grand Prix Attack, where Black
8111aims to attack on the kingside whilst White focuses his attention on the
8112queenside. --- BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- The first thing to bear in mind when
8113playing against the English set-up is whether or not you can achieve the ...e5
8114advance in one move, i.e. not waste time by playing ...e6 followed by ...e5 at
8115a later stage. I am not going to dwell on this too much, but ideally Black
8116would like to play ...e5 as early as possible. --- In general, I will play ...e5 if I believe that my opponent won't respond with a quick d4 which is, to my
8117mind, the best response to ...e5. This will often be the case when playing
8118against the average 1 c4 player as they are usually happy to just play with
8119the same set-up.} *
8120
8121[Event "38: Smith & Williamson Young Masters"]
8122[Site "?"]
8123[Date "1999.??.??"]
8124[Round "?"]
8125[White "Mah, K."]
8126[Black "Williams, S."]
8127[Result "0-1"]
8128[ECO "A10"]
8129[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
8130[PlyCount "79"]
8131[EventDate "1999.??.??"]
8132[Source "Everyman Chess"]
8133[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
8134
8135{This is quite an interesting game and Black demonstrates the potential
8136attacking power of the Classical Dutch with the use of the ...Qe8-h5 manoeuvre.
8137--- In actual fact, my plan of playing ...Qe8, ...Qh5, ...f4, ...Bh3 and ...Ng4 worked a treat. Let's take a look at the game.} 1. Nf3 f5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2
8138e6 4. O-O d6 5. c4 Be7 6. Nc3 O-O 7. d3 e5 8. e4 Nc6 9. h3 Qe8 $1 {Aiming for
8139the most aggressive set-up!} 10. exf5 Bxf5 11. d4 Qh5 12. Nd5 $2 {This move is
8140really asking for trouble as it allows Black to continue with his attack.} ({
8141Later on in this chapter, we will look at} 12. Nh4 $1 {.}) 12... Bxh3 13. dxe5
8142{I now made a mistake which luckily worked in my favour! A better way to gain
8143a strong initiative would have been to play 13...Bxg3!; for example, after 14
8144Kxg2 dxe5 White's king is looking awfully bare.} Ng4 $2 {Threatening to win
8145the game by playing 14...Bxg2 15 Kxg2 Rxf3! but this is too risky.} 14. Nf4
8146Rxf4 15. gxf4 $2 ({White should have played} 15. Bxf4 $1 {when he may have an
8147edge, for example,} dxe5 16. Qd5+ Kh8 17. Nxe5 {.}) 15... dxe5 16. Qd5+ Kh8 17.
8148fxe5 Rf8 {White will have trouble defending this position as all of Black's
8149pieces are attacking. In actual fact, my computer gives this position as +5
8150for Black!} 18. Re1 Bxg2 (18... Nxf2 $1 {would have been a classier way to
8151finish off the game, for example,} 19. Kxf2 Bh4+ 20. Kg1 Bxg2 21. Kxg2 Qg4+ {
8152etc.}) 19. Kxg2 Qg6 $2 ({Again, I should have played} 19... Nxf2 $1 {with a
8153completely winning position.}) 20. Bg5 Bxg5 21. Qe4 Qxe4 22. Rxe4 Bf4 {I have
8154played some rather lacklustre moves but I still have an advantage. The game
8155continued:} 23. e6 Ne7 24. Rd1 Nh6 25. Rd7 Bd6 26. c5 Bxc5 27. Rxc7 b6 28. b4
8156Nd5 29. Rxa7 Bxb4 30. Rd7 Nf4+ 31. Kg3 Bd6 32. Kh2 Ng4+ 33. Kg1 Nf6 34. Ng5
8157Nxe4 35. Nxe4 Bb4 36. e7 Rg8 37. Nc3 Ne6 38. Nd5 Bc5 39. Ne3 Re8 40. Nf5 0-1
8158
8159[Event "39: Reykjavik Open"]
8160[Site "?"]
8161[Date "2009.??.??"]
8162[Round "?"]
8163[White "Johannesson, I."]
8164[Black "Williams, S."]
8165[Result "*"]
8166[ECO "A21"]
8167[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
8168[PlyCount "24"]
8169[EventDate "2009.??.??"]
8170[Source "Everyman Chess"]
8171[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
8172
81731. Nf3 {I know that we are mainly dealing with 1 c4 in this chapter but you
8174must be flexible when using the Dutch Defence. As you will see, the position
8175quickly transposes into an English set-up.} d6 $5 {In my preparation, I saw
8176that my opponent seems always to play the same first five moves. For this
8177reason, I wanted to save a tempo and play ...e5 as soon as possible. I should
8178mention that Ingvar has now become a good friend of mine and it is also worth
8179mentioning that Icelandic players are usually much underrated!} 2. g3 e5 3. c4
8180f5 4. Bg2 {I would have been more concerned if White had played d4. I did not
8181expect this move as my opponent always plays a set-up with a pawn on d3.} Be7
81825. d3 Nf6 {I have reached the type of position that I am most happy playing.
8183The following moves are very typical of the Dutch.} 6. Nc3 O-O 7. O-O Qe8 8. c5
8184Kh8 9. cxd6 Bxd6 10. Nd2 c6 11. Nc4 Bc7 12. d4 e4 {. I already prefer Black's
8185position as I have more space in the centre and on the kingside. For this
8186reason, it comes as no surprise to learn that I won the game fairly
8187comfortably.} *
8188
8189[Event "40: Liverpool"]
8190[Site "?"]
8191[Date "2008.??.??"]
8192[Round "?"]
8193[White "Miezis, N."]
8194[Black "Williams, S."]
8195[Result "*"]
8196[ECO "A21"]
8197[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
8198[PlyCount "24"]
8199[EventDate "2008.??.??"]
8200[Source "Everyman Chess"]
8201[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
8202
82031. c4 f5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 d6 4. Nc3 e5 {In this position, I was hoping that my
8204opponent would choose a set-up with d3 when, as we have seen before, Black is
8205absolutely fine due to the fact that he can make progress on the kingside.
8206Instead, my opponent played the rather more annoying...} 5. d4 $1 {This is a
8207much more challenging move to face where White immediately poses Black some
8208questions. My normal plan of action with moves like ...Be7, ...0-0, ...Qe8, ...f4 and ...Bh3 has been stopped. Play continued:} Be7 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. O-O O-O 8.
8209d5 Nb8 9. Ng5 Ne8 $5 10. Ne6 Bxe6 11. dxe6 c6 12. e4 f4 {. We have reached an
8210interesting and dynamic position. --- As a general rule, you should aim to
8211play ...e5 in one move but you must be aware that White might decide to meet
8212this move with d4! It really is a matter of personal taste. --- BRAINSTORMING
8213POINT! --- In the English, the starting move order is more important than in
8214any other set-up against the Dutch. Proceed carefully in the opening and
8215always consider whether it is worth playing ...e5 in one move or not. For
8216example, if your opponent plays d3 very early on, it is worth responding with ...e5, as he is less likely to then play d4. --- Nevertheless, in this chapter,
8217I will mainly concentrate on a set-up where Black plays an early ...e6. I am
8218not suggesting that this is the best move but I do have some interesting ideas
8219and tricks for Black.} *
8220
8221[Event "?"]
8222[Site "?"]
8223[Date "????.??.??"]
8224[Round "?"]
8225[White "Strategy"]
8226[Black "?"]
8227[Result "*"]
8228[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
8229[SetUp "1"]
8230[FEN "rnbq1rk1/ppppb1pp/4pn2/5p2/2P5/2NP2P1/PP2PPBP/R1BQK1NR w KQ - 0 1"]
8231[PlyCount "1"]
8232[SourceDate "2015.05.13"]
8233
8234{Let's now take a look at what both sides are trying to achieve in the
8235following position:} 1. -- (1. -- {White's Strategy: After 5 d3, White is no
8236longer trying to stop Black from playing the typical ...e5 advance. Instead,
8237White will aim to play around this move. This is normally achieved in two
8238different ways: 1) White plays e4. Club players will often play this move
8239without too much thought. The main reason for this is due to an excellent book
8240that GM Tony Kosten wrote on the English. In this book, Tony recommended a
8241set-up based on e4 known as the Botvinnik System. --- I have a specific line
8242that I enjoy playing against this set-up. This is one of the main reasons why
8243I avoid playing ...d6 too early. My plan is to develop my dark-squared bishop
8244to either b4 or c5, a plan that is not possible with a pawn on d6. --- 2)
8245White decides to concentrate his play on the queenside by playing moves like
8246Rb1, b4, b5 etc. This can lead to an interesting battle where Black attacks on
8247the kingside and White attacks on the queenside. --- Personally, I believe
8248that White's best set-up is one based on e3 and Nge2. These two moves prevent
8249Black from attacking on the kingside. Black will often rely on the move ...f4
8250to start an attack and by playing e3 and Nge2, White takes control of this
8251critical square.}) (1. -- {Black's Strategy: Black's strategy can be
8252summarised in a few points and is playable against both of White's set-ups
8253mentioned above. --- 1) Play ...e5. This critical move shows its face again!
8254You can sometimes wait before playing this advance in order to keep some
8255flexibility with regard to the placement of the dark-squared bishop. This is
8256especially true when White adopts plan '1' mentioned above, but eventually you
8257should always aim to advance with ...e5. --- 2) Develop the knight to c6.
8258Black no longer has to worry about White playing d5 so ...Nc6 makes a lot more
8259sense. Black can often meet the b4-b5 advance with ...Qe8 and ...Nd8. In a
8260number of my games, I have managed to follow up with ...g5, ...g4, ...Nf7 and ...Ng5 and my pieces are all positioned around White's king! --- 3) Play the
8261typical manoeuvre ...Qe8 and ...Qh5 in order to place more pressure on White's
8262kingside. --- 4) Advance on the kingside with ...g5 and ...g4. --- Black can
8263always consider playing ...c6 as well, but this move does have its advantages
8264and disadvantages. On the plus side, Black can then play ...Qe8 ...Bd8 and
8265either ...Bb6 or ...Bc7, when the dark-squared bishop finds a new lease of
8266life.}) *
8267
8268[Event "41: British League"]
8269[Site "?"]
8270[Date "2006.??.??"]
8271[Round "?"]
8272[White "Hennigan, M."]
8273[Black "Williams, S."]
8274[Result "0-1"]
8275[ECO "A21"]
8276[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
8277[PlyCount "56"]
8278[EventDate "2006.??.??"]
8279[Source "Everyman Chess"]
8280[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
8281
82821. g3 f5 2. Bg2 Nf6 3. d3 $6 {It is worth noting that my opponent has played
8283an early d3 so I can now play...} e5 $1 {I can play this advance in one move
8284as I no longer have to worry about d4.} 4. Nf3 d6 5. c4 Be7 6. Nc3 O-O 7. O-O
8285Qe8 {Point '3' mentioned above is put into action.} 8. e3 Bd8 $5 {The bishop
8286prepares to move to b6 at a later stage (move 22 actually!). --- BRAINSTORMING
8287POINT! --- In this game, I was aiming for a set-up with ...c6 as White's plan
8288of playing b5 is not so strong here. If White had chosen the b4-b5 plan
8289immediately then I would have had more reasons to avoid playing ...c6.} 9. b4
8290Qh5 10. Ne1 $1 {This is a good plan. White wants to stop Black's attack by
8291playing f4 himself. However, this move does weaken the a7-g1 diagonal somewhat.
8292} Qh6 {An obvious choice. I want to avoid the exchange of queens.} 11. f4 c6
829312. Nf3 exf4 13. gxf4 Re8 14. Qb3 Kh8 15. Bd2 Nbd7 16. Rae1 Nf8 17. Ng5 Qg6 18.
8294Rf3 Ng4 19. Nh3 Qh5 20. b5 Bd7 21. a4 Ng6 22. Bh1 Bb6 $1 {The bishop finally
8295finds its best diagonal. White is under serious pressure on the kingside and
8296on the a7-g1 diagonal. My opponent crumbled quickly after:} 23. d4 Nxf4 $1 24.
8297Nxf4 Qxh2+ 25. Kf1 Qxd2 26. Re2 Qc1+ 27. Re1 Nh2+ 28. Ke2 Nxf3 {. The downside
8298of ...c6 is that White might be able to play b4-b5 and after bxc6, the c6-pawn
8299will often become weak. In addition, Black also has to watch out for c5!?. If
8300Black still had a pawn on c7, this move would not cause any problems as cxd6
8301could be met with ...cxd6.} 0-1
8302
8303[Event "42: Abu Dhabi Open"]
8304[Site "?"]
8305[Date "2005.??.??"]
8306[Round "?"]
8307[White "Rausis, I."]
8308[Black "Gleizerov, E."]
8309[Result "*"]
8310[ECO "A10"]
8311[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
8312[PlyCount "29"]
8313[EventDate "2005.??.??"]
8314[Source "Everyman Chess"]
8315[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
8316
83171. Nf3 e6 2. g3 f5 3. Bg2 Nf6 4. O-O Be7 5. c4 O-O 6. Nc3 c6 7. d3 d6 8. e4 e5
83189. c5 $1 {Black cannot avoid the exchange on d6, which in turn will leave the
8319e5-pawn somewhat weak.} Na6 10. cxd6 Qxd6 11. d4 $1 fxe4 12. Nxe5 Bf5 13. g4
8320Be6 14. g5 Nd5 15. Nxe4 {. White has won a pawn and comfortably goes on to win
8321the game.} *
8322
8323[Event "?"]
8324[Site "?"]
8325[Date "????.??.??"]
8326[Round "?"]
8327[White "White avoids d4"]
8328[Black "?"]
8329[Result "*"]
8330[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
8331[PlyCount "11"]
8332[Source "Everyman Chess"]
8333[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
8334
83351. c4 f5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. g3 e6 {As we have already discussed, Black can choose
8336to play ...d6 with the idea of playing ...e5 in one move. For me, the choice
8337would depend entirely on my preparation, i.e. is my opponent likely to play
8338d4? I have decided to show a different set-up which is very interesting.} 4.
8339Bg2 Be7 5. d3 (5. Nf3 {is in some ways a more flexible set-up as White gives
8340himself the option of playing either d3 or d4.}) 5... O-O {Now White can
8341choose from:} 6. -- ({a)} 6. e4 $6) ({b)} 6. e3) ({c)} 6. Nf3 {. --- As we
8342will see, 6 e4?! gives Black an easy game. In the other two options, White
8343will normally go for a queenside pawn storm.}) *
8344
8345[Event "?"]
8346[Site "?"]
8347[Date "????.??.??"]
8348[Round "?"]
8349[White "White avoids d4"]
8350[Black "a) 6 e4?!"]
8351[Result "*"]
8352[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
8353[PlyCount "15"]
8354[Source "Everyman Chess"]
8355[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
8356
83571. c4 f5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. g3 e6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. d3 O-O 6. e4 $5 fxe4 7. dxe4 Nc6 {
8358Black has left his pawn on d7 which allows him to develop his dark-squared
8359bishop to either b4 or c5. Black then has ideas of playing ...d6, ...e5, ...Qe8 etc. This is a very tricky line and if White is not careful, he can
8360quickly find himself in trouble.} 8. -- (8. Nf3 Bb4 (8... Bc5 {is another good
8361move that leads to an equal position}) 9. e5 ({after} 9. Qc2 Bxc3+ 10. bxc3 d6
8362{Black is slightly better due to White's weakened c-pawns}) 9... Ne4 10. Bd2
8363Bxc3 11. Bxc3 Nxc3 12. bxc3 {With a roughly equal position. Black's pawn
8364structure is rock-solid compared to White's pawn structure, but White does
8365have a space advantage. I.Snape-S.Williams, British Championship 2001,
8366continued} Qe7 13. O-O Rb8 14. Qe2 b6 15. Nd4 Na5 16. Nb3 Nb7 17. f4 Nc5 18.
8367Nd4 Bb7 {and Black has winning chances.}) (8. h3 {Given that White can now
8368meet ...Bb4 with Nge2, the move...} Bc5 {...makes a lot more sense. Black not
8369only takes aim at f2 but he also wants to place his bishop outside the pawn
8370chain once the moves ...d6 and ...e5 have been played.} 9. Nge2 {This is
8371probably White's best move. At first glance, 9...Bxf2+ looks like a killer
8372move but unfortunately, it does not work, as the next note shows.} ({I have
8373also faced} 9. Nf3 {, but in the game C.McNab-S.Williams, Oxford 1998, I had
8374the better position after} d6 10. O-O Qe8 11. Qe2 Qg6) 9... d6 (9... Bxf2+ $2
837510. Kxf2 Nxe4+ 11. Kg1 Nf2 12. Qc2 Nxh1 13. Kxh1 e5 14. Be4 {can only be good
8376for White}) 10. O-O a6 {This move allows Black to tuck the dark-squared bishop
8377away on a7 if need be. For example, if White ever played Na4. Black can also
8378consider playing ...b5 in some positions.} 11. Kh2 $2 {This move is a mistake
8379but Black was doing well anyway. Just look at the position of Black's pieces.
8380The plan would have been to continue with ...e5, ...Qe8 and ...Qh5 etc. and
8381all of Black's pieces are attacking.} Ne5 $1 {Black now has a very strong
8382position.} 12. b3 Neg4+ $1 13. hxg4 Nxg4+ 14. Kg1 Rxf2 $1 15. Rxf2 Bxf2+ 16.
8383Kh1 Bxg3 {Black has a devastating attack.}) (8. Nge2 {This is White's most
8384natural move which I have faced on a number of occasions. Black now has two
8385interesting options:} Ng4 $5 (8... Bc5 {would transpose to the previous line
8386that we just looked at as White would have to play} 9. h3 {due to the threat
8387of ...Ng4.} ({In actual fact, a number of players in this position have played
8388} 9. O-O {against me. Their faces, as you can imagine, started to turn a
8389lovely shade of red after I responded with} Ng4)) 9. Nf4 {This move is forced.}
8390(9. O-O $2 Bc5 10. Nf4 Nxf2 11. Rxf2 Bxf2+ 12. Kxf2 e5 {is good for Black})
83919... Nge5 10. b3 a6 $1 {Black aims to play ...b5 followed by ...Ba6 at a later
8392stage.} 11. Bb2 b5 12. cxb5 axb5 13. Nxb5 Ba6 14. a4 Bb4+ 15. Kf1 {Black has
8393good compensation for the pawn.}) (8. f4 $1 {In my opinion, this is the only
8394way that White can justify his set-up. White hopes to cramp Black's position
8395with a possible e5 advance. On the downside, the move 8 f4 does weaken White
8396on the a7-g1 diagonal, making it hard for him to castle after ...Bc5. I.Snape-S.Williams, Hastings 2005, now continued:} e5 $1 {Black should play this
8397move before White gets a chance to play it.} 9. Nf3 exf4 10. gxf4 Ng4 $6 ({a
8398better and safer option would have been to play} 10... Bb4 {; for example,} 11.
8399O-O d6 {and Black can be happy with the outcome of the opening}) 11. h3 Bh4+
840012. Ke2 Nh6 {White could have played Nd5 at some point with a more favourable
8401position.}) *
8402
8403[Event "?"]
8404[Site "?"]
8405[Date "????.??.??"]
8406[Round "?"]
8407[White "White avoids d4"]
8408[Black "b) 6 e3"]
8409[Result "*"]
8410[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
8411[PlyCount "18"]
8412[Source "Everyman Chess"]
8413[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
8414
84151. c4 f5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. g3 e6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. d3 O-O 6. e3 {I would now suggest
8416that Black adopts a set-up by playing...} d5 $1 {Normally, playing such a
8417set-up against White's quick development can allow e4, but here White has
8418already played e3 so Black is fine!} 7. cxd5 exd5 8. Qb3 c6 9. e4 Nbd7 {with a
8419roughly equal position.} *
8420
8421[Event "?"]
8422[Site "?"]
8423[Date "????.??.??"]
8424[Round "?"]
8425[White "White avoids d4"]
8426[Black "c) 6 Nf3"]
8427[Result "*"]
8428[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
8429[PlyCount "15"]
8430[Source "Everyman Chess"]
8431[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
8432
84331. c4 f5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. g3 e6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. d3 O-O 6. Nf3 $1 {In these types of
8434position, move order is very important. 6 Nf3 is certainly White's most
8435flexible choice.} d6 ({I once tried} 6... Bb4 $5 {which is an interesting move.
8436Before playing ...d6 and ...e5, I wanted to swap off my dark-squared bishop
8437before it became trapped behind my pawn on d6.}) 7. O-O Nc6 {White now has two
8438main plans:} 8. -- (8. Rb1 {This plan is clear. White intends to push his
8439b-pawn up the board in order to create a lot of pressure against Black's
8440queenside. Black can now consider playing 8...a5, but in principle, I would
8441avoid playing this move, as you should not play on the side of the board where
8442you are weakest.} Qe8 {And why not?} 9. b4 e5 10. b5 Nd8 {With chances for
8443both sides. White attacks on the queenside and Black attacks on the kingside.
8444The move ...g5 should now feature in Black's plans.}) (8. e4 e5 {Black has
8445lost a tempo but I am not sure that it is so important. Black now has two main
8446plans: 1) Swap on e4 and play ...Bg4 followed by ...Nd4. --- 2) Continue to
8447attack with ...Qe8 and ...Qh5. --- White has a choice of three main moves now:}
84489. h3 $1 {This was originally GM Jan Timman's idea. White wants to exchange on
8449f5 and then play d4 without giving Black the option of playing ...Bg4.} ({
8450There are other options here. After} 9. exf5 Bxf5 10. d4 Bg4 $1 {Black has a
8451good position.}) ({Instead,} 9. Nd5 {looks like the most logical move, but
8452then I recommend} fxe4 $1 {. Black can now aim to play ...Bg4 and ...Nd4.} 10.
8453dxe4 Bg4 11. Qd3 Nd7 {with an equal game, J.Ehlvest-S.Makarychev, USSR 1998})
84549... Qe8 {The most natural plan. White has played h3 which slightly weakens
8455his kingside, so Black takes advantage of this.} 10. exf5 {Continuing with
8456Timman's plan.} (10. Nd5 {was another option: BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- What is
8457Black's typical response to this move?} Bd8 $1 {The bishop stops all of
8458White's threats and Black now has a chance to attack with ...Qh5}) 10... Bxf5
845911. d4 Qh5 12. Nh4 $1 {A new move. The exchange of queens would obviously be
8460detrimental to Black's attack.} ({In this position, White has to be careful as
8461other moves can lead to danger, for example:} 12. g4 $2 {is suicide as Black
8462can play} Nxg4 13. hxg4 Bxg4 {with a fantastic attacking position!}) (12. Nd5
8463$2 {was looked at in the introductory game and we saw how much trouble White
8464can get into after} Bxh3 13. dxe5 Bxg2 $1 {and Black has a strong attack})
846512... Bd7 {Other continuations leave Black with a worse position.} 13. dxe5
8466dxe5 14. Nd5 Qxd1 15. Rxd1 Nxd5 16. Bxd5+ Kh8 17. Nf3 Bc5 18. Kg2 Rae8 {with
8467an equal game.}) *
8468
8469[Event "?"]
8470[Site "?"]
8471[Date "????.??.??"]
8472[Round "?"]
8473[White "Test Your Knowledge! 9"]
8474[Black "?"]
8475[Result "*"]
8476[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
8477[PlyCount "1"]
8478[SourceDate "2015.05.13"]
8479
8480{White adopts the English set-up and avoids playing d4 --- Have you really got
8481to grips with this chapter?} 1. -- {We have now arrived at the ninth set of
8482tests. This time the tests are based on what happens if White chooses an
8483English set-up and avoids playing d4. These tests will verify whether the main
8484points of the chapter have been fully understood. The tests should not be too
8485difficult to solve especially if you have read the chapter in full.} *
8486
8487[Event "?"]
8488[Site "?"]
8489[Date "????.??.??"]
8490[Round "?"]
8491[White "Test 9.1"]
8492[Black "?"]
8493[Result "*"]
8494[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
8495[SetUp "1"]
8496[FEN "r1bq1rk1/pppp2pp/2n1pn2/2b5/2P1P3/2N3P1/PP2NPBP/R1BQ1RK1 b - - 0 8"]
8497[PlyCount "1"]
8498[Source "Everyman Chess"]
8499[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
8500
85018... -- {White now decides to castle kingside in this position. Why is this a
8502big mistake and how can Black take advantage of it? --- See the following game
8503for the solution.} *
8504
8505[Event "?"]
8506[Site "?"]
8507[Date "????.??.??"]
8508[Round "?"]
8509[White "Answer 9.1"]
8510[Black "?"]
8511[Result "*"]
8512[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
8513[SetUp "1"]
8514[FEN "r1bq1rk1/pppp2pp/2n1pn2/2b5/2P1P3/2N3P1/PP2NPBP/R1BQ1RK1 b - - 0 8"]
8515[PlyCount "7"]
8516[Source "Everyman Chess"]
8517[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
8518
8519{Black should play} 8... Ng4 $1 {in order to attack the f2-square which White
8520cannot adequately defend. --- For example,} 9. Nf4 Nxf2 $1 10. Rxf2 Bxf2+ 11.
8521Kxf2 e5 {and Black will win material and hopefully the game! --- See the
8522following game for the next exercise.} *
8523
8524[Event "?"]
8525[Site "?"]
8526[Date "????.??.??"]
8527[Round "?"]
8528[White "Test 9.2"]
8529[Black "?"]
8530[Result "*"]
8531[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
8532[SetUp "1"]
8533[FEN "rnbqkb1r/ppppp1pp/5n2/5p2/2P5/6P1/PP1PPP1P/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 3"]
8534[PlyCount "1"]
8535[Source "Everyman Chess"]
8536[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
8537
8538{White has just played the rather lacklustre} 3. d3 $6 {. Why would I consider
8539this move to be a mistake? --- See the following game for the solution.} *
8540
8541[Event "?"]
8542[Site "?"]
8543[Date "????.??.??"]
8544[Round "?"]
8545[White "Answer 9.2"]
8546[Black "?"]
8547[Result "*"]
8548[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
8549[SetUp "1"]
8550[FEN "rnbqkb1r/ppppp1pp/5n2/5p2/2P5/3P2P1/PP2PP1P/RNBQKBNR b KQkq - 0 3"]
8551[PlyCount "1"]
8552[Source "Everyman Chess"]
8553[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
8554
8555{Black can now play} 3... e5 $1 {. Black no longer has to worry about White's
8556most dangerous reply, namely d4. Obviously, White can still play d4 but he has
8557lost an important tempo. As mentioned in the introduction to this chapter,
8558Black must always be on the lookout to play ...e5 in one move. --- See the
8559following game for the next exercise.} *
8560
8561[Event "?"]
8562[Site "?"]
8563[Date "????.??.??"]
8564[Round "?"]
8565[White "Test 9.3"]
8566[Black "?"]
8567[Result "*"]
8568[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
8569[SetUp "1"]
8570[FEN "rnbq1rk1/ppppb1pp/4pn2/5p2/2P5/2NP2P1/PP2PPBP/R1BQK1NR w KQ - 0 6"]
8571[PlyCount "1"]
8572[Source "Everyman Chess"]
8573[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
8574
8575{White has just played} 6. e3 {. Black can now take advantage of this move by
8576playing which idea? --- See the following game for the solution.} *
8577
8578[Event "?"]
8579[Site "?"]
8580[Date "????.??.??"]
8581[Round "?"]
8582[White "Answer 9.3"]
8583[Black "?"]
8584[Result "*"]
8585[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
8586[SetUp "1"]
8587[FEN "rnbq1rk1/ppppb1pp/4pn2/5p2/2P5/2NPP1P1/PP3PBP/R1BQK1NR b KQ - 0 6"]
8588[PlyCount "1"]
8589[Source "Everyman Chess"]
8590[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
8591
85926... d5 $1 {. Black transposes to a Stonewall set-up. This is a good idea in
8593this position as Black no longer needs to worry about the e4 advance. Having
8594already played e3, White will now lose a tempo if he ever tries to continue
8595with e4. --- See the following game for the next exercise.} *
8596
8597[Event "?"]
8598[Site "?"]
8599[Date "????.??.??"]
8600[Round "?"]
8601[White "Test 9.4"]
8602[Black "?"]
8603[Result "*"]
8604[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
8605[SetUp "1"]
8606[FEN "rnbq1rk1/pp2b1pp/2pp1n2/4pp2/2P1P3/2NP1NP1/PP3PBP/R1BQ1RK1 w - - 0 9"]
8607[PlyCount "1"]
8608[Source "Everyman Chess"]
8609[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
8610
86119. -- {Black has played ...c6 rather prematurely. How should White take
8612advantage of this move? --- See the following game for the solution.} *
8613
8614[Event "?"]
8615[Site "?"]
8616[Date "????.??.??"]
8617[Round "?"]
8618[White "Answer 9.4"]
8619[Black "?"]
8620[Result "*"]
8621[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
8622[SetUp "1"]
8623[FEN "rnbq1rk1/pp2b1pp/2pp1n2/4pp2/2P1P3/2NP1NP1/PP3PBP/R1BQ1RK1 w - - 0 9"]
8624[PlyCount "9"]
8625[Source "Everyman Chess"]
8626[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
8627
86289. c5 $1 {This move undermines Black's pawn chain thus giving White a good
8629position, for example,} Na6 10. cxd6 Bxd6 11. d4 Nxe4 12. dxe5 Nxc3 13. bxc3 {
8630. White's position is to be preferred. The pawn on e5 has become a real
8631nuisance for Black. --- See the following game for the next exercise.} *
8632
8633[Event "?"]
8634[Site "?"]
8635[Date "????.??.??"]
8636[Round "?"]
8637[White "Test 9.5"]
8638[Black "?"]
8639[Result "*"]
8640[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
8641[SetUp "1"]
8642[FEN "5r1k/ppp1b1pp/2n5/3QP2q/2P3n1/5N1b/PP3PB1/R1B2RK1 w - - 0 1"]
8643[PlyCount "1"]
8644[Source "Everyman Chess"]
8645[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
8646
86471. -- {Black has a big attack. What is his main idea in this position? --- See
8648the following game for the solution.} *
8649
8650[Event "?"]
8651[Site "?"]
8652[Date "????.??.??"]
8653[Round "?"]
8654[White "Answer 9.5"]
8655[Black "?"]
8656[Result "*"]
8657[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
8658[SetUp "1"]
8659[FEN "5r1k/ppp1b1pp/2n5/3QP2q/2P3n1/5N1b/PP3PB1/R1B2RK1 w - - 0 1"]
8660[PlyCount "5"]
8661[Source "Everyman Chess"]
8662[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
8663
8664{Black's main idea is to play ...Bxg2 followed by ...Rxf3! when he will either
8665gain a decisive material advantage or a mating attack. --- For example,} 1. a3
8666{(just to demonstrate Black's idea!)} Bxg2 $1 2. Kxg2 Rxf3 $1 {. Now both of
8667White's recaptures on f3 are hopeless, for example:} 3. -- (3. Qxf3 Qh2# {.}) (
86683. Kxf3 Ncxe5+ $1 4. Ke2 Nf6+ {winning the white queen and the game.}) *
8669
8670[Event "?"]
8671[Site "?"]
8672[Date "????.??.??"]
8673[Round "?"]
8674[White "10: White Avoids c4 and d4"]
8675[Black "?"]
8676[Result "*"]
8677[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
8678[PlyCount "4"]
8679[SourceDate "2015.05.13"]
8680
8681{In this chapter, we are mainly going to look at the dangerous Lisitsyn Gambit
8682and the increasingly popular move 2 d3. --- The Lisitsyn Gambit can be very
8683dangerous for Black if he is unprepared but, as with most gambits, if Black
8684has done his homework then he should have nothing to fear. Interestingly, the
8685Lisitsyn Gambit has a lot of similar traits to the From Gambit (} 1. f4 e5 2.
8686fxe5 d6 {). --- 2 d3 has been mentioned in the introductory games. It is worth
8687paying a lot of attention to this move as it seems to be all the rage
8688currently. Its popularity started when a young Magnus Carlsen used it to
8689defeat Krasenkow, and since that moment it has become more and more popular.} *
8690
8691[Event "43: London Classic Open"]
8692[Site "?"]
8693[Date "2009.??.??"]
8694[Round "?"]
8695[White "Bellin, R."]
8696[Black "Williams, S."]
8697[Result "0-1"]
8698[ECO "A04"]
8699[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
8700[PlyCount "48"]
8701[EventDate "2009.??.??"]
8702[Source "Everyman Chess"]
8703[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
8704
8705{IM Robert Bellin is a 'Jedi Master' of the Dutch, there is no doubt about it!
8706One of Bellin's first books, entitled, 'Winning with the Dutch' actually
8707inspired me to play the Classical Dutch. Robert has played the Dutch for most
8708of his life so it is well worth taking a look at his games in this opening.
8709--- This next game is very interesting. Robert followed GM Magnus Carlsen's
8710idea by playing an early d3. However my response, which is rather rare, looks
8711perfectly satisfactory and also leads to some very exciting positions.} 1. Nf3
8712f5 2. d3 $5 {This is an interesting idea that has been used by Carlsen. White
8713aims to disrupt Black's position by playing an early e4. Luckily, I have an
8714idea against this plan.} d6 {Black aims to meet e4 with ...e5. I have
8715previously written about this in my first book, 'Play the Classical Dutch'.} 3.
8716e4 e5 4. Nc3 c5 $5 {An interesting idea. Black establishes a strong centre and
8717most importantly, I take control of the d4-square. Nonetheless, there are
8718downsides to this plan such as my lack of development and my weaknesses on the
8719light squares, especially f5 and d5.} 5. g3 Be7 $5 {Played in order to stop
8720Nh4, a move that would immediately put pressure on my f5-pawn.} ({In the
8721theory section, we will concentrate on the very interesting} 5... Nc6 $5 {.})
87226. Bh3 $1 {A good move as White targets the light squares. Any other move
8723would have left me with a comfortable game.} g6 7. exf5 {I had seen this move
8724coming and I was worried about 7...gxf5 8 Nh4! which looks very dangerous for
8725Black. Instead, I had another idea in mind...} h5 $5 {This stops White from
8726playing Qh5+ at a later stage. As some of you may be aware, I am rather fond
8727of pushing my h-pawn and I rarely get a chance to do this in the Dutch. After
8728just seven moves, we have reached a bizarre position.} 8. Bg2 $2 {This is a
8729bad move.} ({White has a couple of good options:} 8. Nd5 $1 {when he can claim
8730an advantage.}) (8. Nh4 $1 {will be looked at in the next game. --- In the
8731Theory section, we will investigate whether Black had an improvement earlier
8732on.}) 8... gxf5 9. Bd2 $2 {This is too passive. Black has a space advantage
8733but has fallen behind in development.} ({White should have played} 9. h4 {as
8734this move takes control of the g5-square.}) 9... Nc6 10. Qe2 Be6 11. h4 Nf6 12.
8735Ng5 Bg8 {Black keeps control of the d5-square.} 13. f4 {At this moment, I was
8736feeling very happy with my position. White's king looks to be in some danger
8737and my knights are about to move onto some great squares.} Nd4 14. Qd1 Ng4 $1
873815. Nd5 {A peculiar position. Just take a look at the knights! I will soon
8739exchange my bishops for White's knights which are clearly stronger. I also had
8740a cunning idea in mind...} e4 $1 {This move opens the lines towards White's
8741king.} 16. dxe4 Bxg5 17. hxg5 Bxd5 18. exd5 {A critical position. 18...Qe7+
8742looks like the obvious choice but is there a better move?} Qb6 $1 {I have to
8743make it difficult for White to castle and this move does just that. I expect
8744that I am now winning.} 19. c3 ({In response to} 19. O-O {, I would have played
8745} c4 {as I had seen the following attractive line:} 20. Re1+ Ne2+ {leading to
8746a winning position for Black.}) 19... O-O-O $1 20. cxd4 {The attack plays
8747itself.} Rde8+ 21. Kf1 Qb5+ 22. Kg1 {I was originally planning to play 22...Qd3 in this position but I could not find a win after 23 Be1. Subsequently, I
8748found an easier option.} Qxb2 $1 {Threatening ...Qxd4 and ...Qf2#. White has
8749only one way to stop this.} 23. Be1 Re2 24. Bf3 {A unique winning move now
8750appeared...} Rh2 $1 {. I am now threatening ...Rxh1, ...Qh2+ and then ...Ne3#.
8751White cannot stop all of the threats, so Robert resigned. I was obviously very
8752happy with this game as it felt good to checkmate an expert in the Dutch in
8753under twenty-five moves!} 0-1
8754
8755[Event "44: Bedford e2-e4"]
8756[Site "?"]
8757[Date "2013.??.??"]
8758[Round "?"]
8759[White "Chapman, T."]
8760[Black "Williams, S."]
8761[Result "1-0"]
8762[ECO "A04"]
8763[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
8764[PlyCount "59"]
8765[EventDate "2013.??.??"]
8766[Source "Everyman Chess"]
8767[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
8768
87691. Nf3 f5 2. d3 d6 {This game places doubt upon the validity of this plan.
8770Chapman had obviously prepared for this line for some quite some time. In
8771future I will move my knight out.} (2... Nc6 {is looked at below.}) 3. e4 e5 4.
8772Nc3 c5 {This is the only move that I would be willing to play; otherwise White
8773gains a pleasant advantage with exf5 and d4.} 5. g3 Be7 6. Bh3 $1 {This is a
8774good plan. White places pressure against my f5-pawn, forcing me to make a
8775decision. I remembered my game against Bellin, which continued with 6...g6. I
8776also feared some kind of improvement from my opponent after this move. In the
8777end I went for it, not liking the look of my other options.} g6 (6... fxe4 {
8778looked very ugly for me. My light squares remain weak and there is a gaping
8779hole on d5. After} 7. Bxc8 Qxc8 8. dxe4 {Black is lacking any form of
8780counterplay and a draw is the best that he can hope for.}) 7. exf5 h5 {This is
8781the same plan that I played in an earlier tournament against Bellin. My
8782opponent now shows his improvement.} 8. Nh4 $5 {I now have to be very careful
8783as one slight error can lose immediately.} Bxh4 9. gxh4 Qxh4 $6 {Played after
8784a long think. I was not a great fan of this move but I wanted to avoid my
8785opponent's preparation whilst aiming for maximum complications.} (9... Bxf5 {
8786looked grim for me after} 10. Bg5 {. I am so weak on the dark squares.} Qd7 11.
8787Bg2 Nc6 {is better than the game, but White's play is now very simple. I at
8788least wanted to make my opponent think.}) 10. Qf3 $1 Nc6 {I now have ideas of
8789playing ...Nd4.} 11. fxg6 $6 ({This natural move is not as strong} 11. Ne4 $1 {
8790when White is threatening to play Bg5 trapping my queen.} Nd4 {was my intended
8791move, but White can easily avoid any complications with} 12. Qg2 $1 (12. Nxd6+
8792{was the main emphasis of my calculations, but I had worked out that I was
8793doing very well after} Kd7 13. Qd5 Ne7 14. Qxc5 b6 15. Qc4 Kxd6) 12... Qe7 13.
8794Qxg6+ Kf8 14. Kd1 {The black king is too weak, and White is winning.}) 11...
8795Nf6 $6 {Taking too many risks.} ({I had to settle on} 11... Qf6 {when White
8796only has a small advantage after} 12. Qxf6 Nxf6 13. Bxc8 Rxc8 14. Bg5 {.}) 12.
8797Bxc8 Rxc8 13. g7 {Giving me a glimmer of hope.} (13. Be3 $1 {was simple and
8798good. After} O-O 14. Bh6 $5 {White is winning.}) 13... Rg8 14. Qf5 $2 {This
8799throws away White's advantage.} ({White should have played} 14. Nb5 $1 {which
8800is a bit complicated, but White is close to winning in all variations:} Qb4+ (
880114... Nd4 15. Nxd4 cxd4 16. Qf5 $1 Qg4 17. Qxf6 Rxc2 18. Bd2 Rxg7 19. Rc1) 15.
8802Kf1 Qxb5 16. Qxf6 Nd4 17. Qxd6 $1 c4 $1 18. Qg6+ Kd7 19. Qf7+ Kd6 20. b3 cxd3
880321. Ba3+ {.}) 14... Ne7 {The game is now back on!} 15. Qe6 $6 {Another slight
8804error. White does not feel the danger to his position.} ({It would have been
8805wiser to have exchanged queens with} 15. Qg5 $1 Qxg5 16. Bxg5 Kf7 17. h4 Rxg7
880618. f4 exf4 19. O-O-O {with an equal game.}) 15... d5 $5 {With the idea of
8807activating my rook on c8. If I can play ...Rc6 and somehow ...Re6, then I have
8808gained full coordination.} 16. Qxe5 Rc6 17. Bg5 Qg4 {The idea behind my plan.
8809The move ...Re6 is now the threat.} 18. Kd2 {White has to remove his king from
8810the e-file.} Re6 19. Bxf6 $6 {White starts to show signs of nerves.} ({There
8811was no need to panic; much better would have been} 19. Qg3 $1 {.}) 19... Rxe5
881220. Bxe5 Ng6 {With both of us in time trouble, any result was possible...} 21.
8813Rae1 Kf7 22. Rhg1 Qf3 23. Bd6 Qf6 24. Bxc5 b6 25. Bf8 ({White could have tried
8814} 25. Nxd5 $5 {. During the game I thought that I had this idea covered, but
8815the computer says otherwise! After} Qf5 26. Ne7 $1 Qf4+ 27. Kd1 {it seems that
8816I can hold the balance by playing} Rxg7 {with a strange but equal game.}) 25...
8817Qf4+ 26. Kd1 Nxf8 $4 {There are no words to explain this move. I had a
8818complete mind block! This is one case when the hand is not working in
8819coordination with the brain. I had intended first to play ...Qf3+ and then ...Nxf8 but I got my moves mixed up!} ({Correct is} 26... Qf3+ 27. Kd2 $2 (27. Re2
8820$1 {is pointed out by the computer. This move might hold the balance after}
8821Nxf8 28. Rg3 $1 Qh1+ 29. Re1 Qxh2 30. gxf8=Q+ Kxf8 31. Rf3+ $1 {. The point:
8822White is able to keep both rooks on the board which favours him}) 27... Nxf8 {
8823(my intended plan)} 28. gxf8=Q+ Kxf8 29. Rxg8+ Kxg8 {. This endgame should be
8824winning for me, as White's h-pawn will drop and then my h-pawn will queen.})
882527. Re7+ $1 {Such a nasty surprise for me, but a very nice tactic from my
8826opponent.} Kxe7 28. Nxd5+ Ke8 29. Nxf4 Nd7 30. Nxh5 {. A very badly-played
8827game from me, which makes me want to stick with 2...Nc6! in the future.} 1-0
8828
8829[Event "?"]
8830[Site "?"]
8831[Date "????.??.??"]
8832[Round "?"]
8833[White "White avoids c4 and d4"]
8834[Black "?"]
8835[Result "*"]
8836[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
8837[PlyCount "3"]
8838[Source "Everyman Chess"]
8839[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
8840
8841{I am going to take a look at two systems: one is based on an early ...c5
8842which stops White from carrying out his plan of exf5 and d4. The other system
8843was suggested by Moskalenko in his book The Diamond Dutch and touched upon in
8844my book The Classical Dutch. That is the move 2...Nc6!?, a very interesting
8845and aggressive idea. --- 2 g3 is a move that should not worry Black. White's
8846best strategy is to transpose into a variation that has already been covered
8847in this book; for example, either the English opening or the main line. Anyway,
8848let's take a look at the theory section of this chapter.} 1. Nf3 f5 ({Black
8849can also play} 1... e6 {here, but he has to be prepared to deal with some
8850offbeat French Defence lines after} 2. e4 {, for example, the Wing Gambit
8851which continues} d5 3. e5 c5 4. b4 $5 {.}) 2. -- {1...f5 also gives Black the
8852option of playing ...e5 in one move which obviously saves a tempo. We are now
8853going to concentrate on three different set-ups for White:} ({A:} 2. d3) ({B:} 
88542. e4 $5) ({C:} 2. g3) *
8855
8856[Event "?"]
8857[Site "?"]
8858[Date "????.??.??"]
8859[Round "?"]
8860[White "A: 2 d3"]
8861[Black "?"]
8862[Result "*"]
8863[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
8864[PlyCount "4"]
8865[Source "Everyman Chess"]
8866[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
8867
88681. Nf3 f5 2. d3 {Over the years, this move has become increasingly popular so
8869I suggest that you prepare well for this line. I will now recommend two
8870different lines for Black:} -- ({a1)} 2... d6) ({a2)} 2... Nc6 $5 {. --- 2...d6 followed up with 4...c5!? has a lot of surprise value, but it may be
8871suffering slightly. Saying that, White has to play very accurately to gain any
8872advantage. --- 2...Nc6!? is looking good from a theoretical point of view and
8873currently this seems to be the safest and most reliable way of playing against
88742 d3!?.}) *
8875
8876[Event "?"]
8877[Site "?"]
8878[Date "????.??.??"]
8879[Round "?"]
8880[White "A: 2 d3"]
8881[Black "a1) 2...d6"]
8882[Result "*"]
8883[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
8884[PlyCount "28"]
8885[Source "Everyman Chess"]
8886[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
8887
88881. Nf3 f5 2. d3 d6 {Now that White has moved his d-pawn, Black can play ...e5
8889in one move without having to play ...e6 first.} (2... Nf6 {is less accurate
8890as Black will now find it hard to play a quick ...e5.}) 3. e4 e5 {Black has
8891already made progress in the centre and on the kingside so White is advised to
8892play as actively as possible.} 4. Nc3 c5 $5 {I used to be a big fan of this
8893advance as it stops White's main plan, namely exf5 followed by d4. The
8894position remains dynamic and exciting after 4...c5 which suits the style of
8895this book perfectly!} 5. g3 ({White has also tried to capture on f5 but this
8896led to a very pleasant position for Black in the game T.Chapman-T.Rendle,
8897Jesse Gilbert Memorial 2008. The game continued} 5. exf5 Bxf5 6. g3 Nc6 7. Bg2
8898Nf6 8. Bg5 Be7 9. Nd2 Bg4 10. Qc1 Qd7 {and Black can already claim an
8899advantage.}) 5... Nc6 $5 6. Nh4 {This is the most testing move.} ({White has
8900also tried the standard} 6. Bg2 {, but as I mentioned before, simple
8901development is precisely what Black wants. For example, the game N.Wright-I.Bjelobrk, Sydney 2009, continued} Nf6 7. O-O Be7 8. Nd5 O-O 9. c3 Kh8 10. Re1
8902Nxd5 11. exd5 Nb8 12. a3 Nd7 {and Black had a very comfortable position.}) 6...
8903f4 $5 {This idea was first played by L.Ravi. It is a very interesting idea and
8904offers Black good attacking chances.} ({In the introductory games we only
8905looked at} 6... g6 {which should be better for White.}) 7. Ng2 {This move puts
8906pressure on f4 but now White will struggle to complete his kingside
8907development.} ({White can also try:} 7. Bg2 {, where one interesting line
8908continues} Be7 {(other interesting options may also exist as this line is
8909fairly new)} 8. Qh5+ g6 9. Nxg6 Nf6 10. Qh4 Nd4 11. Nxh8 Nxc2+ 12. Kd1 Nxa1 {
8910with a dynamic and exciting position.}) (7. Nf3 {makes sense as Black has
8911committed his f-pawn. Play could continue} g5 $5 8. Nd5 h6 {and I quite like
8912the look of Black's pawn formation!}) 7... Nf6 {Black happily sacrifices a
8913pawn to increase the speed of his attack.} 8. gxf4 Be7 9. Be2 {In the main
8914game, Black actually played ...Bh3. This move is satisfactory but I prefer the
8915following knight lunge:} Nd4 {This move has yet to be explored and is very
8916interesting, for example:} 10. fxe5 dxe5 11. O-O O-O 12. f4 exf4 {Black has
8917attacking chances against White's king. Play could continue:} 13. Bxf4 Be6 14.
8918Ne3 b5 {with a very complicated position.} *
8919
8920[Event "?"]
8921[Site "?"]
8922[Date "????.??.??"]
8923[Round "?"]
8924[White "A: 2 d3"]
8925[Black "a2) 2...Nc6!?"]
8926[Result "*"]
8927[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
8928[PlyCount "5"]
8929[Source "Everyman Chess"]
8930[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
8931
89321. Nf3 f5 2. d3 Nc6 $5 {This is another very exciting way of playing against 2
8933d3. Black's main idea is to advance in the centre with ...e5!. Some of the
8934following variations remind me of the King's Gambit, which is quite crazy as
8935the Classical Dutch hardly ever resembles the King's Gambit! --- Currently, 2...Nc6 is doing very well from a theoretical point of view and this would be my
8936suggested way that you play against 2 d3. Moskalenko also takes a look at this
8937move in his excellent book on the Dutch, 'The Diamond Dutch'. --- White has
8938two sensible ways of playing against 2...Nc6!?} 3. -- ({a21)} 3. d4 $5) ({a22)
8939} 3. e4) *
8940
8941[Event "?"]
8942[Site "?"]
8943[Date "????.??.??"]
8944[Round "?"]
8945[White "A: 2 d3"]
8946[Black "a21) 3 d4!?"]
8947[Result "*"]
8948[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
8949[PlyCount "28"]
8950[Source "Everyman Chess"]
8951[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
8952
89531. Nf3 f5 2. d3 Nc6 3. d4 $5 {This is an interesting way to try and take
8954advantage of the placement of Black's knight on c6. I do not believe that this
8955offers any chances of an advantage to White, but Black must be on guard.} e6 {
8956I prefer this way of playing, keeping the position dynamic.} ({The other
8957option is} 3... d5 {. This is a solid way to reach a Stonewall structure one
8958tempo up, but with the black knight on c6.} 4. Bf4 e6 5. e3 Bd6 $5 6. c4 Nf6 (
89596... Bxf4 $2 {is a bit premature:} 7. exf4 {leaves Black with a gaping hole on
8960e5 and pressure to defend along the e-file}) 7. Nc3 O-O 8. c5 Bxf4 9. exf4 a6 {
8961(stopping Bb5 and Bxc6 which would gain more control over the e5-square)} 10.
8962Bd3 Bd7 11. Ne2 Be8 12. Ne5 Nxe5 13. fxe5 Nh5 {with an equal yet rather dull
8963position, which eventually ended 0-1, M.Krasenkow-V.Moskalenko, Hoogeveen 2013.
8964}) 4. g3 {This set-up with d3-d4 and g3 looks rather dubious to me. It seems
8965that the wasted tempo White gave away does little to help his position.} ({The
8966other option is} 4. c4 {(trying to force d5 looks a lot more logical)} Nf6 5.
8967d5 Bb4+ $1 6. Bd2 Bxd2+ 7. Qxd2 Ne4 8. Qd1 Ne7 9. dxe6 d5 $5 {, is now
8968interesting but probably good for White after} (9... d6 10. Nbd2 Bxe6 {and
8969Black can be very happy with the way that the opening has gone}) 10. cxd5 Bxe6
897011. dxe6 Qxd1+ 12. Kxd1 Nxf2+ 13. Ke1 Nxh1 {, when Black's knight will be lost
8971on h1.}) 4... Nf6 5. Bg2 d6 {Black plans ...e5 quickly, giving him a nice
8972position.} (5... Be7 6. c4 $1 {is similar to below.}) 6. O-O $6 (6. c4 $1 {was
8973a much better idea, aiming to play d5. This is stronger than in some previous
8974variations as Black can no longer play ...Bb4 +.} e5 7. d5 Nb8 {looks unclear.
8975If White can quickly take advantage of the e6-square then he may be able to
8976generate a good initiative.}) 6... Be7 7. c4 e5 8. d5 Nb8 9. Nc3 O-O 10. Ng5
8977Na6 11. Rb1 h6 12. Ne6 Bxe6 13. dxe6 c6 14. b4 Qc8 {. Black was doing well in
8978N.Grandelius-E.Berg, Borlange 2014.} *
8979
8980[Event "?"]
8981[Site "?"]
8982[Date "????.??.??"]
8983[Round "?"]
8984[White "A: 2 d3"]
8985[Black "a22) 3 e4"]
8986[Result "*"]
8987[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
8988[PlyCount "7"]
8989[Source "Everyman Chess"]
8990[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
8991
89921. Nf3 f5 2. d3 Nc6 3. e4 e5 {The point behind ...Nc6! White now has a couple
8993of options, with 4 Nc3 being the most popular:} 4. -- (4. d4 {We have now
8994reached the Vienna Game, via a very strange move order. This position more
8995often occurs, with colours reversed (but tempi exactly the same!), after the
8996sequence of moves: 1 e4 e5 2 Nc3 Nf6 3 f4 d5. --- I suggest that you take a
8997look at that opening to know what to play here; it is really outside the scope
8998of this book!}) (4. exf5 {This should be met by:} d5 $1 (4... Nf6 {is also
8999interesting but gives White the option of playing} 5. h3 {, when the position
9000is very closely linked to a reverse Kings Gambit after} d5 6. g4 {. Now my
9001suggested way to play for Black would be} g6 7. g5 Nh5 8. f6 Bd6 {which is
9002very similar in spirit to 1 e4 e5 2 f2 exf4 3 Nf3 g4 4 Nc3 d6 5 d4 Bg7 6 g3 g4
90037 Nh4 f3. --- The text 4...d5! simply gains control of the centre of the board,
9004whilst threatening to win the pawn back on f5 with ...Bxf5. Let's take a look
9005at what could happen if White tries to hold onto the extra pawn}) 5. g4 h5 $1 {
9006A typical way to break up White's kingside pawns. Black already has the
9007initiative.} 6. gxh5 Bxf5 7. Bg5 Be7 8. Nh4 $2 Bh7 $2 ({missing} 8... Bb4+ 9.
9008c3 Qxg5 10. Nxf5 Qxf5 11. cxb4 Nf6 {when Black would be winning}) 9. Bxe7 Qxe7
900910. Ng6 Bxg6 11. hxg6 Nf6 12. Nd2 O-O-O 13. c3 Kb8 14. Qc2 Ng4 15. Be2 Nxf2 $1
9010{A beautiful way to open up White's king. Black's attack is devastating. The
9011game J.Laurent-A.Gorovets, Lille 2013, continued:} 16. Kxf2 Qh4+ 17. Kg1 Rdf8
901218. Bf3 e4 $1 {Opening up more lines towards White's bare king on g1.} 19. dxe4
9013dxe4 20. Nxe4 Rxf3 21. Rf1 Ne5 22. Qe2 Rhf8 23. Rxf3 Nxf3+ 24. Kg2 Qg4+ 25. Ng3
9014Nh4+ 26. Kg1 Qh3 {0-1. A very pretty game!}) (4. Nc3 {This is the position
9015that you are most likely to reach after playing 2...Nc6.} Nf6 5. exf5 d5 {We
9016now see the main reason why Black avoided playing ...d6. Black can now play ...d5 in one move, saving a tempo.} 6. d4 exd4 {The best move.} (6... e4 $6 {
9017looks obvious but is a mistake after} 7. Nh4 {, when Black's compensation is
9018somewhat lacking}) 7. Nxd4 Nxd4 8. Qxd4 Bxf5 {A critical position for the
9019evaluation of this opening. On all current evidence and computer calculation,
9020Black can look to the future with confidence. --- BRAINSTORMING POINT! --- It
9021is worth remembering that in a number of lines the black king is best placed
9022on f7 after a check on the e-file.} 9. Bg5 {This looks like the best place to
9023develop the bishop, as on g5 White creates some pressure against Black's
9024d-pawn.} ({White has also tried} 9. Bb5+ $6 {aiming for quick development, but
9025this falls short:} c6 10. O-O Bxc2 {(brave but correct)} 11. Bg5 Be7 12. Bxf6
9026Bxf6 13. Rae1+ Kf7 14. Qd2 Bg6 {. Black had a big advantage and went on to win
9027in P.Batchelor-N.Pert, British Championship 2014}) 9... Bxc2 {It is best to be
9028brave; other options allow White to castle queenside.} 10. Rc1 Bg6 11. h4 {A
9029new move from the 'Hawk' but it does not change the evaluation of the position.
9030} ({White has also tried:} 11. Qe5+ $6 Kf7 {was better for Black in J.Gdanski-M.Bartel, Polish Championship 2010}) (11. Bxf6 {is also better for
9031Black:} Qxf6 12. Qe3+ Qe7 13. Qxe7+ Kxe7 14. Nxd5+ Kd7) (11. Bd3 {looks
9032logical, but Black still holds an edge after} c6 12. Bxg6+ hxg6 13. O-O Bd6 {
9033. Quite often the black king sits happily on f7 in this variation, and this is
9034the case here after} 14. Rfe1+ Kf7 $1) 11... h6 12. Qe5+ Kf7 {The safest
9035square for the black king!} 13. h5 Bh7 14. Nxd5 {The position looks very scary
9036for Black, but with a bit of care it is White who must be on his guard.} c6 $6
9037{This is OK,} ({but there was a better option in} 14... Bd6 $1 15. Bc4 (15.
9038Bxf6 Bxe5 16. Bxd8 Raxd8 17. Bc4 Bxb2 18. Nxc7+ Ke7 19. Rd1 Rxd1+ 20. Kxd1 Kd6
9039{and Black is clearly better}) 15... Bxe5 16. Nxf6+ Ke7 $1 17. Nd5+ Kd7 18.
9040Bxd8 Raxd8 {. Black's two bishops give him the advantage}) 15. Nc3 Bd6 {And
9041after many adventures the game ended a draw in J.Hawkins-N.Pert, British
9042Championship 2014.}) *
9043
9044[Event "?"]
9045[Site "?"]
9046[Date "????.??.??"]
9047[Round "?"]
9048[White "B: 2 e4!?"]
9049[Black "?"]
9050[Result "*"]
9051[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
9052[PlyCount "11"]
9053[Source "Everyman Chess"]
9054[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
9055
90561. Nf3 f5 2. e4 $5 {The so-called Lisitsyn Gambit (or the Pirc-Lisitsyn Gambit)
9057can be very dangerous if Black is unprepared. I am going to recommend a plan
9058where Black returns the pawn in order to gain the initiative.} fxe4 3. Ng5 {As
9059mentioned earlier, this opening is similar to the From Gambit (1 f4 e5 2 fxe5
9060d6). White is planning to play d3 and if Black captures the pawn then White
9061can obtain the initiative. Therefore, I would suggest that Black does not
9062capture on d3 but instead plays:} Nc6 $5 {This rarely-played move seems to be
9063Black's simplest route to equality. It avoids a number of tricks and Black
9064aims to gain a big centre. I prefer this move to ...Nf6, as Black can often
9065attack the white knight on g5 by playing ...Be7. This move would not be
9066possible with a knight on f6.} 4. d3 e3 $1 {This is one of the main points
9067behind Black's opening play. Black returns the pawn but stops White's
9068light-squared bishop from reaching the aggressive d3-square. In addition,
9069Black will continue with ...e5, gaining space in the centre.} 5. Bxe3 e5 {Play
9070has transposed to a variation that White can obtain after 3...e5 but by
9071playing 3...Nc6, Black has limited White's options. In this position, White
9072can choose from the following moves:} 6. -- (6. f4 {This move is just a bit
9073too wild! Black needs to keep his calm and concentrate on the centre. For
9074example, the game R.Levit-A.Zaitsev, USSR Team Championship 1962, continued:}
9075exf4 7. Bxf4 Qf6 8. Qc1 d5 9. Nc3 $2 (9. Be2 {was a better move but Black
9076really has nothing to fear after the simple} Bc5) 9... Bb4 10. Bd2 Bc5 {Black
9077can claim a slight advantage.}) (6. Qh5+ {This move does not achieve a lot. K.Robatsch-B.Larsen, Moscow Olympiad 1956 continued:} g6 7. Qf3 Qf6 {An exchange
9078of queens would favour Black due to his strong centre.} 8. Qg3 Nge7 9. Nc3 h6
907910. Nge4 Qf7 11. Nb5 Nf5 12. Qf3 d5 {Black has a big advantage.}) (6. g3 {This
9080is the safest way for White to play and this set-up does make a lot of sense.
9081White wants to control the centre and especially the d5-square by playing
9082moves like Bg2, c4 and Nc3.} Be7 {It makes sense to develop in this way as
9083Black puts extra pressure on White's knight on g5.} ({You could also consider
9084playing} 6... Nf6 {, but 6...Be7 looks more precise}) 7. Bg2 $1 {White does
9085not need to protect the knight on g5. I have found one example of this move
9086which was played in the game S.Simjanovski-E.Remete, European Individual
9087Championship 2009.} ({Other options fail to impress and would give Black a
9088very easy game, for example:} 7. h4 $6 {seems pointless to me as Black will
9089gain a very strong centre. For example,} Nf6 8. Bg2 d5 9. d4 Bg4 10. Qd2 h6 11.
9090Nf3 {when Black was better in M.Diaz-T.Friot, French Team Championship 2000}) (
90917. Bh3 d5 8. Ne6 Bxe6 9. Bxe6 Nf6 {with an equal position. Black plans to play
9092...Qd6 and ...0-0 when he has compensation for White's bishop pair in the form
9093of his strong centre}) 7... d5 (7... Bxg5 $6 {is met by} 8. Qh5+ {when White
9094will gain the bishop pair with a small advantage. I do not see any reason why
9095Black should not gain some space in the centre of the board}) 8. O-O (8. c4 $2
9096{is premature since Black can stop White from castling by playing} Bb4+ $1)
90978... Bf5 $1 {This allows Black to meet Qh5+ with ...Bg6 in some positions and
9098Black has ideas of castling queenside. Play could continue:} 9. f4 Bxg5 10.
9099fxg5 Nge7 {The position is equal. Black has a nice control of the centre and
9100will shortly manoeuvre his king to safety. On the other hand, White does have
9101the bishop pair.}) (6. Be2 {This move actually helps Black as White no longer
9102has the option to play Qh5+.} Be7 $1 {It would be silly to weaken Black's
9103position on the light squares by playing ...h6, so instead Black aims to kick
9104White's knight away and develop a piece at the same time.} 7. Nf3 (7. f4 $2
9105exf4 8. Bh5+ g6 9. Nxh7 Ne5 $1 {and Black is winning}) (7. Bh5+ $2 g6 8. Nxh7
9106Kf7 $1 9. Qf3+ Kg7 {when White's knight is stranded on h7}) (7. h4 Nf6 8. Bh5+
9107g6 9. Bf3 h6 10. Ne4 d5 {when Black's control of the centre gives him the
9108advantage}) 7... Nf6 8. d4 exd4 9. Nxd4 O-O 10. O-O Nxd4 11. Bxd4 d5 {With an
9109equal position in A.Zude-C.Lutz, German Championship 1997.}) (6. d4 $5 {This
9110seems like a thematic move as it is a direct way of playing against Black's
9111set-up. Black has to tread with care now but as long as he does, he will find
9112himself with a good position. For example:} exd4 7. Bd3 {Threatening 8 Qh5+.}
9113Nf6 (7... dxe3 {is possible, but it does allow White to play Qh5+ and we
9114cannot let our opponent have so much fun!}) 8. Bf4 Bb4+ 9. c3 Qe7+ 10. Kd2 $1 {
9115White tries to mix things up.} dxc3+ 11. bxc3 Bd6 $1 ({this is an improvement
9116on} 11... O-O $2 12. Qb3+ d5 13. cxb4 {which was rather embarrassing for Black
9117in the game W.Richter-A.Hasse, Correspondence 1975}) 12. Bg3 Nd8 $1 {Black
9118wants to move his knight to e6 and then castle, thus giving him a good
9119position. Black should be happy with the outcome of this opening.}) (6. c4 $5 {
9120This move is a rather positional approach to the opening but it does make some
9121sense. White strengthens his control of the centre and temporarily stops Black
9122from playing ...d5. This approach is not too worrying for Black but he must
9123ensure that he does not slip into too passive a position.} Nf6 7. Nc3 Bb4 $1 {
9124Thomas had remembered my first book well! By playing 7...Bb4! Black insists on
9125advancing with ...d5. I now had a long think and decided to play:} 8. Nge4 ({
9126White has also tried} 8. Be2 {but this does little to stop Black's plan of
9127playing ...d5. Black quickly gained a good position in H.Pilaj-E.Berg, World
9128U-18 Championship 1999, after} d5 $1 9. cxd5 Nxd5 10. Nge4 O-O 11. O-O Nf4)
91298... O-O {The idea behind 8 Nge4 was to stop Black from advancing with ...d5.}
9130(8... d5 {now looks suspicious as White can play} 9. Nxf6+ gxf6 10. Qh5+ {with
9131an attack}) 9. Be2 {The position is roughly equal but let's see how things
9132developed.} Nd4 {Black tries to simplify matters.} 10. O-O Bxc3 11. bxc3 Nxe2+
913312. Qxe2 Nxe4 13. dxe4 Qh4 14. f3 {Black has little to fear as a move like ...Qe7 would hold the position together.}) *
9134
9135[Event "?"]
9136[Site "?"]
9137[Date "????.??.??"]
9138[Round "?"]
9139[White "C: 2 g3"]
9140[Black "?"]
9141[Result "*"]
9142[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
9143[PlyCount "4"]
9144[Source "Everyman Chess"]
9145[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
9146
91471. Nf3 f5 2. g3 {. This move has little significance, as in most cases the
9148position will either transpose to the main line after White plays d4 or into
9149an English set-up if White decides to advance with c4.} -- *
9150
9151[Event "45: French League"]
9152[Site "?"]
9153[Date "2012.??.??"]
9154[Round "?"]
9155[White "Eingorn, V."]
9156[Black "Williams, S."]
9157[Result "*"]
9158[ECO "A04"]
9159[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
9160[PlyCount "34"]
9161[EventDate "2012.??.??"]
9162[Source "Everyman Chess"]
9163[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
9164
91651. Nf3 f5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 d6 $5 {I wanted to play ...e5 in one move. Nowadays,
9166this is the move order that I favour.} 4. O-O e5 5. d3 {So far, I was very
9167happy with the outcome of the opening as I had managed to play ...e5 in one
9168move.} Be7 6. Nc3 $5 {My opponent makes his intentions clear. He is aiming to
9169play e4 which leads to a unique position. This plan has never really worried
9170me as Black can respond in one of two ways: 1) Simply capture on e4 and
9171develop sensibly. --- 2) Aim to meet e4 with ...f4!? --- The second plan is
9172the most interesting option so I immediately put this plan into motion.} O-O 7.
9173e4 Nc6 8. h3 Qe8 9. Re1 f4 $5 {This pawn sacrifice leads to good play for
9174Black. By capturing on f4, White also weakens his kingside.} 10. gxf4 exf4 11.
9175Bxf4 Nh5 12. Bg3 Ne5 {Black has good play for the pawn as all of his pieces
9176head towards White's king. This is just the type of position that Black should
9177be happy playing!} 13. Nd5 Bd8 14. d4 Nxf3+ 15. Bxf3 Nxg3 16. fxg3 Bxh3 17. Bg2
9178Qg6 {. Black is slightly better due to White's weakened kingside but the game
9179actually ended in a draw. --- The main thing to consider is how you should
9180respond if White plays e4 without c4? --- If you can play ...f4 in this
9181opening, then brilliant. If not, then the simple exchange on e4 should be
9182enough for an equal game.} *
9183
9184[Event "?"]
9185[Site "?"]
9186[Date "????.??.??"]
9187[Round "?"]
9188[White "Test Your Knowledge! 10"]
9189[Black "?"]
9190[Result "*"]
9191[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
9192[PlyCount "1"]
9193[SourceDate "2015.05.13"]
9194
9195{1 Nf3: White avoids playing d4 or c4: Including the Lisitsyn Gambit --- Have
9196you really got to grips with this chapter!?} 1. -- {We have now arrived at the
9197final set of tests. This time the tests are based on what happens if White
9198plays 1 Nf3 but avoids continuing with d4 or c4. These tests will verify
9199whether the main points of the chapter have been fully understood. The tests
9200should not be too difficult to solve, especially if you have read the chapter
9201in full.} *
9202
9203[Event "?"]
9204[Site "?"]
9205[Date "????.??.??"]
9206[Round "?"]
9207[White "Test 10.1"]
9208[Black "?"]
9209[Result "*"]
9210[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
9211[SetUp "1"]
9212[FEN "r1bqkbnr/ppppp1pp/2n5/6N1/4p3/8/PPPP1PPP/RNBQKB1R w KQkq - 0 4"]
9213[PlyCount "3"]
9214[Source "Everyman Chess"]
9215[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
9216
9217{White has just played} 4. d3 {with the idea of developing the bishop to a
9218dangerous square after} exd3 5. Bxd3 {. What is Black's safest option? --- See
9219the following game for the solution.} *
9220
9221[Event "?"]
9222[Site "?"]
9223[Date "????.??.??"]
9224[Round "?"]
9225[White "Answer 10.1"]
9226[Black "?"]
9227[Result "*"]
9228[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
9229[SetUp "1"]
9230[FEN "r1bqkbnr/ppppp1pp/2n5/6N1/4p3/3P4/PPP2PPP/RNBQKB1R b KQkq - 0 4"]
9231[PlyCount "1"]
9232[Source "Everyman Chess"]
9233[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
9234
92354... e3 $1 {. This move hampers White's development and leaves Black with a
9236chance to grab the initiative. --- See the following game for the next
9237exercise.} *
9238
9239[Event "?"]
9240[Site "?"]
9241[Date "????.??.??"]
9242[Round "?"]
9243[White "Test 10.2"]
9244[Black "?"]
9245[Result "*"]
9246[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
9247[SetUp "1"]
9248[FEN "rnbqkbnr/ppp3pp/3p4/4pp2/4P3/2NP1N2/PPP2PPP/R1BQKB1R b KQkq - 0 4"]
9249[PlyCount "1"]
9250[Source "Everyman Chess"]
9251[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
9252
92534... -- {White's main plan in this position is to play 5 exf5 followed by 6 d4.
9254How can Black stop this plan? --- See the following game for the solution.} *
9255
9256[Event "?"]
9257[Site "?"]
9258[Date "????.??.??"]
9259[Round "?"]
9260[White "Answer 10.2"]
9261[Black "?"]
9262[Result "*"]
9263[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
9264[SetUp "1"]
9265[FEN "rnbqkbnr/ppp3pp/3p4/4pp2/4P3/2NP1N2/PPP2PPP/R1BQKB1R b KQkq - 0 4"]
9266[PlyCount "1"]
9267[Source "Everyman Chess"]
9268[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
9269
92704... c5 $5 {. This move gains space in the centre and stops White's plan. ---
9271See the following game for the next exercise.} *
9272
9273[Event "?"]
9274[Site "?"]
9275[Date "????.??.??"]
9276[Round "?"]
9277[White "Test 10.3"]
9278[Black "?"]
9279[Result "*"]
9280[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
9281[SetUp "1"]
9282[FEN "r1bqkbnr/pp4pp/2np4/2p1pp2/4P3/2NP1NP1/PPP2P1P/R1BQKB1R w KQkq - 0 6"]
9283[PlyCount "1"]
9284[Source "Everyman Chess"]
9285[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
9286
9287{White has just played} 6. Nh4 {putting pressure on Black's light squares,
9288especially f5. How should Black react to this move? --- See the following game
9289for the solution.} *
9290
9291[Event "?"]
9292[Site "?"]
9293[Date "????.??.??"]
9294[Round "?"]
9295[White "Answer 10.3"]
9296[Black "?"]
9297[Result "*"]
9298[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
9299[SetUp "1"]
9300[FEN "r1bqkbnr/pp4pp/2np4/2p1pp2/4P2N/2NP2P1/PPP2P1P/R1BQKB1R b KQkq - 0 6"]
9301[PlyCount "1"]
9302[Source "Everyman Chess"]
9303[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
9304
93056... f4 $1 {. This pawn sacrifice provides Black with good attacking chances.
9306It is also clearly superior to the other option of capturing on e4. --- See
9307the following game for the next exercise.} *
9308
9309[Event "?"]
9310[Site "?"]
9311[Date "????.??.??"]
9312[Round "?"]
9313[White "Test 10.4"]
9314[Black "?"]
9315[Result "*"]
9316[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
9317[SetUp "1"]
9318[FEN "r1b1k2r/ppppq1pp/2nb1n2/6N1/8/2PB2B1/P2K1PPP/RN1Q3R b kq - 0 1"]
9319[PlyCount "1"]
9320[Source "Everyman Chess"]
9321[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
9322
93231... -- {White has played a very sharp variation and Black needs to be on his
9324guard. What is the best way for Black to defend against the threats on the
9325e-file? --- See the following game for the solution.} *
9326
9327[Event "?"]
9328[Site "?"]
9329[Date "????.??.??"]
9330[Round "?"]
9331[White "Answer 10.4"]
9332[Black "?"]
9333[Result "*"]
9334[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
9335[SetUp "1"]
9336[FEN "r1b1k2r/ppppq1pp/2nb1n2/6N1/8/2PB2B1/P2K1PPP/RN1Q3R b kq - 0 1"]
9337[PlyCount "1"]
9338[Source "Everyman Chess"]
9339[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
9340
93411... Nd8 $1 {. The knight moves around to the e6-square which blocks the
9342e-file and consolidates Black's material advantage. --- See the following game
9343for the next exercise.} *
9344
9345[Event "?"]
9346[Site "?"]
9347[Date "????.??.??"]
9348[Round "?"]
9349[White "Test 10.5"]
9350[Black "?"]
9351[Result "*"]
9352[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
9353[SetUp "1"]
9354[FEN "r1bqkb1r/pppp2pp/2n2n2/4p1N1/2P5/3PB3/PP3PPP/RN1QKB1R w KQkq - 0 6"]
9355[PlyCount "1"]
9356[Source "Everyman Chess"]
9357[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
9358
9359{White has just played} 6. Nc3 {. What is Black's most aggressive move? ---
9360See the following game for the solution.} *
9361
9362[Event "?"]
9363[Site "?"]
9364[Date "????.??.??"]
9365[Round "?"]
9366[White "Answer 10.5"]
9367[Black "?"]
9368[Result "*"]
9369[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
9370[SetUp "1"]
9371[FEN "r1bqkb1r/pppp2pp/2n2n2/4p1N1/2P5/2NPB3/PP3PPP/R2QKB1R b KQkq - 0 6"]
9372[PlyCount "1"]
9373[Source "Everyman Chess"]
9374[SourceDate "2015.05.07"]
9375
93766... Bb4 $1 {. This is the most active square for Black's bishop. The bishop
9377pins the knight on c3 and Black prepares to advance in the centre with ...d5!.}
9378*
9379
9380[Event "?"]
9381[Site "?"]
9382[Date "????.??.??"]
9383[Round "?"]
9384[White "A Final Word"]
9385[Black "?"]
9386[Result "*"]
9387[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
9388[PlyCount "1"]
9389[SourceDate "2015.05.13"]
9390
9391{Where do you go from here?} 1. -- (1. -- {Providing that you have studied
9392most of the material in this book, you are now ready to start playing the
9393Classical Dutch! --- Welcome to its mad world. The opening needs more
9394followers and like me, I hope that you have taken a shine to it. --- In the
9395past, when learning a new opening, I have often had trouble getting to grips
9396with the middlegame plans. From experience, I have found that a good way to
9397improve after studying an opening book/DVD is to look at the games of the
9398experts in that variation. You will often pick up tips and ideas along the way.
9399--- For this reason, I have included a list of players who are considered to
9400be "Jedi Masters" of the Classical Dutch. You can search for the games of
9401these players in any chess database. --- Throughout this book, you may have
9402noticed that I have used a large number of my own games. This is not because I
9403consider myself to be the greatest Dutch Jedi around but instead for the
9404reason that I understand my own thought processes better than anyone. --- In
9405my progression as a Classical Dutch player, I have often had to stand on my
9406own two feet or use trial and error to discover the best variations out there.
9407This has really helped me think in an original way, but it has also been quite
9408hard work! Luckily, I have already "tested the water" so you can now progress
9409without too much trouble. --- Anyway, let's move on to some other chess
9410players who are known to be avid followers of the Dutch, especially the
9411Classical Dutch. It is worth noting that I have chosen more modern players. If
9412you are interested, you can always look at the history section of this book
9413for a list of 'chess legends' that have tried their hand at the Dutch.}) (1. --
9414{Igor Naumkin: During my research, this gentleman's name kept cropping up. A
9415number of his games have greatly contributed to the progression of the Dutch.
9416--- Robert Bellin: Robert wrote one of the first books that ever dealt with
9417the Classical Dutch. This man has been a mover and shaker with this opening
9418for years. --- Thomas Rendle: A young English International Master who is an
9419expert in the Leningrad Dutch. Thomas has found great ways to play against
9420'Anti-Dutch' lines and I have learnt quite a lot from him by following his
9421encounters in the Dutch. --- Nigel Short: Nigel used the Dutch regularly in
9422his younger years. Will he return? --- Anatoly Vaisser: Anatoly has had some
9423great victories using the Dutch Defence. --- Vladimir Malaniuk: A very strong
9424Grandmaster whose games have featured in this book. --- Igor Glek: Another
9425ex-2600+ Grandmaster who used to score very well with the opening. ---
9426Alexandre Dgebuadze: Some of Alexandre's games have also featured in this book.
9427Alexandre seems to have a very good understanding of when he should play ...e5!
9428}) (1. -- {The above mentioned list should suffice for now. One of the most
9429interesting things to look at is the different ways in which these players
9430choose to tackle the opening. For example, it seems that Igor Glek always
9431likes to play ...c6 in the Classical Dutch, something that I do not really
9432touch upon. On the other hand, Nigel Short plays in a very flexible way by
9433combining ...Nc6 and ...d5 together. In comparison, I would say that I have
9434quite a distinct way of playing the opening as the move ...e5 always pops into
9435my head... --- With regard to your progression as a Classical Dutch specialist,
9436all of the above mentioned players have a lot to offer so it is worth studying
9437their games.}) *
9438
9439[Event "?"]
9440[Site "?"]
9441[Date "????.??.??"]
9442[Round "?"]
9443[White "Conclusion"]
9444[Black "?"]
9445[Result "*"]
9446[Annotator "Simon Williams"]
9447[PlyCount "1"]
9448[SourceDate "2015.05.13"]
9449
9450{"When the **** goes down, you had better be ready." - Cyprus Hill} 1. -- {The
9451Dutch is a very dynamic and interesting way to meet 1 d4. It has been my pet
9452opening for a very long time and even though I occasionally fall out of love
9453with this opening, I am still completely transfixed by it. --- One little
9454mistake in the Dutch can put you in a very difficult position, but with
9455accurate play the Dutch is an extremely dangerous weapon, even against the
9456strongest of players. --- In my opinion, this opening is very underrated.
9457There are many ideas in this opening that have yet to be discovered. If we
9458compare how things have changed since I released Play the Classical Dutch, we
9459can see that the theory in this opening has developed at an alarming rate. ---
9460I will try to keep you up-to-date with any new developments on the Classical
9461Dutch via my website, www.gingergm.com and please feel free to contact me if
9462you have any interesting thoughts or ideas on this opening.} ({At the moment,
9463the biggest challenge faced by the Classical Dutch seems to be} 1. d4 f5 2. Nf3
9464e6 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. c4 d6 7. Nc3 Ne4 8. Nxe4 $1 {with f3 to
9465follow, but even here I have found a large number of resources for Black, so a
9466final verdict on this opening cannot yet be reached.}) ({I expect the
9467following variation will gain in popularity:} 1. d4 f5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4.
9468e3 {to follow. --- I hope that you have enjoyed this book and have found the
9469analysis to be useful.}) (1. -- {I will leave you with one last thought: "I
9470can't understand why people are frightened of new ideas. I'm frightened of the
9471old ones." - John Cage (1912-1992)}) (1. -- {Get out there and give the
9472Classical Dutch a go!}) *