The rest of the series!     Part 1     Part 2     Part 3     Part 4     Part 5

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Part 5: 1-15-03

The subject of today's issue is the Chicago Defense. In this variation black plays the moves ..e6, ..d6, ..a6 and ..b5, followed by the Rook maneuver Ra8-a7-d7. The purpose of this move is to bolster the black center, especially the d-file with the intention to reduce the force of white's e4-e5 thrust. The advantage is that there is no need for black to consider the weakening e6-e5 advance, or moving the queen from the safe square d8.

Of course white will look for the disadvantages of this Rook maneuver. One idea is to sacrifice Nxb5 which aims to cause disorder in black's position. Another idea is the move Nf3-d4 with the advance on the Kingside f2-f4-f5, thus attacking the e6 square. This is a logical idea because the Rook on d7 blocks the defense of e6 by the Bishop on c8.

Today we'll look at three example games. In the first game Cripe - Gurevich 1989 we see that black moves Ra8-a7 without the continuation Ra7-d7. In game two Ebeling - Staniszewsky 1983 we see an example of the Nxb5 sacrifice, while game three Kuntzig - Gauglitz 1988 shows the advance f2-f4-f5

So, let's start with the first game Cripe - Gurevich 1989.

1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Nxc3 d6 5. Bc4 e6 6. Nf3 Nf6
Black wants to delay Nc6. This can also be done 6. ... a6 7. 0-0
and now 7. ... b5 8. Bb3 Ra7
Now white has two possibilities :
a) 9. Ng5 with the idea that 9 ... Ne7 will be met by 10. Qd4!
and 9. ... f6 10. Be3 is pleasant for white.
b) 9. Be3 Rd7 10. Re2

7. O-O a6 8. Qe2 b5 9. Bb3 Ra7 10. e5

Diagram 1 : Position after 10. e5
 

10. Be3 should be considered.
10. ... Rb7 11. Rfd1 Qa5 12. Rac1 Bd7 13. e5 dxe5 14. Nxe5 Be7
15. Qf3 Rc7 16. Nxd7 Nfxd7 17. Bf4 Rc6 18. Rxd7! Kxd7 19. Rd1+ Ke8 20.Bxb8 with a clear advantage for white like in the game Balazs-Izsak
or 10. ... Rd7 11. Nd4 Be7 gives white the choices 12. f4 0-0 13. f5 and 12. Bxe6 fxe6 13. Nxe6 Qa5 14. Nxg7+

10. ... dxe5 11. Nxe5
This Knight prevents the completion of the maneuver Na7- d7, leaving the d-file vulnerable.
11. ... Bc5 12. Bg5 h6
Weakening the King's position, see move 27!
13. Bh4 Be7 14. Rfd1 Qb6 15. a4 b4 16. a5 Qb7
16. ... Qc7 17. Ba4+ Kf8 18. Bg3
17. Na4 Nd5 18. Bg3
18. Bxd5 exd5 19. Nc5 Bxc5 20. Ng6+ Be6 21. Nxh8 Kf8 22. Ng6+ is worth to be considered.
18... O-O 19. Rac1 Bg5 20. Rc4 Qb5
The black pieces are clustered on the Queenside. It is difficult for black to develop some counterplay.

Diagram 2 : Position after 20. ... Qb5
 

21. Qc2 Bb7 22. Rc5 Qe8 23. Nb6 Be7 24. Ba4 Qd8 25. Rc4 Bd6 26. Qd3 Qe7 27. Bc2
This bishop exploits the weakness created by move 12. ... h6
27. ... f5 28. Ng6 Qg5 29. Nxf8 Bxf8 30. Qe2 Qg6 31. Re1 Kf7 32. Rg4 Qf6 33. Be5 Qe7 34. Bxb8 fxg4 35. Bxa7 Nf4 36. Qxg4 g5
37. Bb8 h5 38. Qd1 1-0

In the second game Ebeling - Staniszewsky 1983 we see an example of the Nxb5 sacrifice.
1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Nxc3 Nc6 5. Nf3 d6 6. Bc4 e6 7. O-O Be7 8. Qe2 a6 9. Rd1 b5 10. Bb3 Ra7 11. Be3 Rd7

Diagram 3 : Position after 11. ... Rd7
 

12. Nxb5!?
An alternative is 12. Na4 Rb7 (12. ... bxa4 will be followed by 13. Bxa4 Bb7 14. Rac1 Qa8 15. Nd4 with a strong attack) 13. Nc5 Rb8 14. a4 Na5 15. axb5 axb5 16. Ba2 Qc7 17. Nd3 Nc4 18. Rac1 Qd8 19. Bc4 bxc4 20. Rxc4 Nf6 21. e5 with an unclear position like in the game Matuchenkov - Jakovic 1985.

12. ... axb5 13. Qxb5 Bb7 14. Bb6 Qa8 15. Ba4 Qf6 16. Nd4 Nb8
16... Nxd4 17. Bxd4 e5 18. Bxe5 Ba6 19. Qa5 dxe5 20. Rac1 O-O 21. Bxd7 is about equal.
17. Rac1 O-O 18. Qa5 Na6
18... Qxa5 19. Bxa5 this simplification is an advantage for black in my opinion.
19. f3 Rc8 20. b4 Rdd8 21. Bxd8 Rxc1?
21... Bxd8 is much better!
22. Bxe7 Rxd1+ 23. Bxd1 Nd7 24. Bxd6 h6 25. Kf1 Bxe4
26. fxe4 Qxe4 27. Qd8+ Kh7 28. Bc2 1-0

Compare this game with Solinas - Pagnoncelli 1994
1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Nxc3 Nc6 5. Nf3 e6 6. Bc4 d6 7. O-O Be7 8. Qe2 a6 9. Rd1 b5 10. Bb3 Ra7 11. Be3 Rd7 12. Nxb5 axb5 13. Qxb5 Bb7 14. Rac1 Qa5 15. Qxa5 Nxa5 16. Ba4 Bxe4 17. Bxd7+ Kxd7 18. Ne5+ Ke8 19. Rc8+ Bd8 20. Bb6 Nb7 21. Bxd8 Nxd8 22. Rxd6 Ke7 23. Rdxd8 1-0

Now we'll look at the f2-f4-f5 advance in the game Kuntzig - Gauglitz 1988
1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Nxc3 d6 5. Bc4 e6 6. Nf3 a6 7. O-O Be7 8. Qe2 b5 9. Bb3 Ra7 10. Be3 Rd7 11. Nd4 Bf6 12. f4 Bxd4 13. Bxd4 Nf6 14. Bxf6 Qxf6 15. f5 Qe5 16. Qg4 Re7 17. Rac1 Bb7

Diagram 4 : Position after 17. ... Bb7
 

In my opinion the following line is winning for white:
18. fxe6 fxe6 19. Nd5 Qd4+ 20. Kh1 Bxd5 21. Rc8+ Kd7 22. Rxh8 Qxe4 23. Qxe4 Bxe4 24. Rxb8 1-0 However the game continued :
18. f6 gxf6 19. Nd5
This difficult position requires an extra diagram:

Diagram 5 : Position after 19. ... Nd5
 

What is the best move for black?
a) 19... Bxd5 20. Rc8+ Kd7 21. Rxh8 Qd4+ 22. Rf2 Qxe4 23. Qg8 Qe1+
24. Rf1 Qe3+ 25. Kh1 Bxg2+ 26. Kxg2 Qe2+ 27. Rf2 Qe4+ 28. Rf3 Qe2+
29. Kg3 Qe5+ 30. Kh3 Qh5+ 31. Kg2 Qg6+ 32. Qxg6 hxg6 33. Rxb8 1-0
b) Black will lose if he goes for the knight 19... exd5 20. Rc8+ Bxc8 21. Qxc8#
 

19. ... f5! A clever defense!
20. exf5 exd5 21. f6 Threatening mate...Rc1-c8!
21... Re6 22. Rc7 Qe3+ 23. Kh1 Qb6?? A blunder!
Much better is : 23... Rxf6 24. Rg1 Rf4 25. Rc8+ Bxc8 26. Qxc8+ Ke7 27. Qxh8 Nc6 28. Qxh7 Nd4
24. Rxf7! 1-0