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Openings: Analysis
The Tamarkin Counter-Gambit of the Zilbermints Benoni
by Lev Zilbermints
[Click here to
view the "Tamarkin_Counter-Gambit" PGN file in Chess Tutor, an interactive chess
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[Or download the PGN
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1.d4 c5 2.Nf3 cxd4 3.b4! e5?!
The Tamarkin Counter-Gambit in the Zilbermints Benoni is named for Life
Master Lawrence Larry Tamarkin of Levittstown, New York. Tamarkin and I
have played quite a few games with the 3...e5 variation between 2001
and 2002. Tamarkin and I have played quite a few games with the 3...e5
variation between 2001 and 2002. Although NM Jerry Simon played this gambit
in 1995 against me, he did not play it again. Larry Tamarkin has played it
consistently, and so it is only right that it bears his name.
What is the idea behind 3...e5? Simply put, this gambit immediately
tries to put the question to Whites speculative play by attacking the
b4-pawn. The idea is that while White loses time in defending the pawn,
Black will consolidate his play. This, as will be seen, is refuted by the
clearly superior 4.Nxe5! Another alternative is 4 a3?! That line is
treated in the wild game Zilbermints NM Jerry Simon, New York 1995, seen
elsewhere in this article. That said, let me continue with the analysis.
4.Nxe5! This move forces Black to declare his intentions immediately;
moreover, it centralizes the White Knight on a powerful square. 4.Bb4+
5.c3! dxc3 6.Qb3
This move brings the Queen into play, hitting at both the vulnerable
f7-square and the Bb4. The point is that the entire line 5.c3 dc 6.Qb3!
is similar in some respects to the Smith-Morra Gambit in the Sicilian
Defense (1.e4 c5 2.d4 cd4 3.c3!). The similarity lies in White getting a lot
of space, open files, and quick development. As Sicilian Defense players
know, the Queen goes to b3 in the Smith-Morra Gambit. The major difference
is that White still has his e-pawn, but has gambitted the d-pawn, and
advanced the b-pawn. This gives the line independent significance.
At this point, play divides into A) 6.c2+ and B) 6.Qe7?!
A) 6.c2+
This is a natural move that threatens, at least superficially, to win a
piece. The problem with it is that White has a strong answer in 7 Qxb4!
cxb1Q 8.Rxb1 with a big edge for White. However to be fair, there is a
further subdivision into A1) 7.Nc3?! and A2) 7.Qxb4!
A1) 7.Nc3?!
This move has serious drawbacks. On one hand, it develops the Nb1; however,
it also clutters up the open c-file, while preserving Blacks Bb4. A distant
second, the move 7.Nc3?! Is primarily used as an alternative to the more
tactical 7.Qxb4!
The following game was played on the Internet Chess Club. All ratings are
those of the Internet Chess Club.
ILLUSTRATIVE GAME #1
Zilbermints (2268) - EL_GATO (2107) [A43]
Internet Chess Club 5 0 blitz, 24.12.2001
[Zilbermints,Lev]
1.d4 c5 2.Nf3 cxd4 3.b4 e5 4.Nxe5 Bxb4+ 5.c3 dxc3 6.Qb3 c2+ 7.Nc3!?
Bxc3+?! Maybe this was Black's mistake. He should have tried to
preserve the Bishop. Now I overwhelm him with superior development.
8.Qxc3 Nf6 9.Bb2 Putting pressure on the long diagonal, a key factor in
the Zilbermints Benoni. 9...00 10.Qxc2 d6 11.Nd3 Bf5 12.Qd2 Nc6 13.f3
Re8 14.g3 d5 15.Bg2 d4 16.00 Nd5 17.Rfe1 Ne3 18.Kf2 Qg5 19.Bc1 Qh5 20.Kg1
Re6 21.Nf4 Qh6 22.Nxe6 Bxe6 23.Qb2 b6 24.f4 Rc8 25.Bxe3 dxe3 26.Rac1 Bh3
27.Qb5 Bxg2 28.Kxg2 Kf8 29.Rc4 a6 30.Qxb6 Qe6 31.Rec1 Qd5+ 32.Kg1 h5 33.Rxc6
Rd8 34.Qc5+ Kg8 35.Qxd5 Rxd5 36.R6c2 g5 37.fxg5 Rxg5 38.Kg2 h4 39.Rc5 Rg6
40.R1c3 hxg3 41.hxg3 Re6 42.Kf3 10
ILLUSTRATIVE GAME #2
Zilbermints, Lev - Tamarkin, Lawrence [A43]
Blitz Match, 29.03.2002
[Zilbermints,Lev]
1.d4 c5 2.Nf3 cxd4 3.b4 e5 4.Nxe5 Bxb4+ 5.c3 dxc3 6.Qb3 c2+ 7.Nc3!? Bxc3+?!
8.Qxc3 Nf6 9.Bg5?! A playable alternative to 9 Bb2, but less pressuring,
I think. 9...d6 10.Nd3 Be6 11.Bxf6 Qxf6 12.Qxf6 gxf6 13.Nb4 Ke7 14.Nxc2
Rc8 15.Nd4 Nd7 16.e3 Bg4 17.h3 Be6 An equal position, but I went
on to lose in a time scramble. 01
A2) 7.Qxb4!
1.d4 c5 2.Nf3 cxd4 3.b4 e5 4.Nxe5 Bxb4+ 5.c3 dxc3 6.Qb3 c2+ 7.Qxb4 This
move develops the Queen. There follows the forced continuation 7...cxb1Q
[7...cxb1R Zilbermints-Tamarkin, New York 2002] 8.Rxb1
Okay, so what does White have? Plenty. He has three developed pieces to
Blacks none; a centralized Ne5; the Bishop pair; and good attacking
chances. White needs only four moves: Bb2, g3 & Bg2, or e3 & Bc4, then 0-0
to finish developing, while Black needs seven.
After 7.Qxb4! cxb1/Q (or R) 8.Rxb1, the main question facing
Black in this position is: What move to play? The following four games
(three blitz and one Internet) demonstrate the difficulties for Black:
ILLUSTRATIVE GAME #3
Zilbermints, Lev - Tamarkin, Lawrence [A43]
Blitz Match New York, 29.03.2002
[Zilbermints,Lev]
1.d4 c5 2.Nf3 cxd4 3.b4 e5 4.Nxe5 Bxb4+ 5.c3 dxc3 6.Qb3 c2+ 7.Qxb4 cxb1R
8.Rxb1 Nc6 9.Qc3 Qa5 10.Bb2 f6 11.Nc4 Qxc3+ 12.Bxc3 Ke7 13.Na3! d5
14.Nb5 Bf5 15.Rd1 Rd8 16.e3 Nh6 17.Nc7 Be6 18.Be2 Rd7 19.Nxe6 Kxe6 20.e4 Nf7
21.00 dxe4 22.Bc4+ Ke7 23.Rxd7+ Kxd7 24.Bxf7 10
ILLUSTRATIVE GAME #4
Zilbermints - Tamarkin [A43]
Blitz Match New York, 29.03.2002
[Zilbermints,Lev]
1.d4 c5 2.Nf3 cxd4 3.b4 e5 4.Nxe5 Bxb4+ 5.c3 dxc3 6.Qb3 c2+ 7.Qxb4 cxb1R
8.Rxb1 Nc6 9.Qc3 Qf6?! 10.Bb2! Qxe5 11.Qxe5+ Nxe5 12.Bxe5 f6 13.Bd6! Ne7
14.e4 Nc6 15.Bc4 h5 16.00 Kd8 17.Rfe1 h4 18.Bd5 Na5 19.e5 fxe5 20.f4 Nc6
went on to be drawn. ½½
A3) 8...Nf6
ILLUSTRATIVE GAME #5
Zilbermints, Lev Tamarkin, Lawrence [A43]
Blitz Match New York, 05.03.2002
[Zilbermints,Lev]
1.d4 c5 2.Nf3 cxd4 3.b4 e5 4.Nxe5 Bxb4+ 5.c3 dxc3 6.Qb3 c2+ 7.Qxb4 cxb1R
8.Rxb1 Nf6 This move attempts to develop the Ng8. 9.e3 Nc6 10.Qc3 00
11.Bb2 d6 12.Nxc6 bxc6 13.Qxc6 Bf5 14.Rc1 Qa5+ 15.Qc3 Qxa2 16.Bc4
and Black resigned here, mistakenly thinking the Queen was trapped. However,
the simple 16...Qa4! makes it still a game. A case of premature resignation!
10
A4) 8...d6?!
ILLUSTRATIVE GAME #6
Zilbermints (2268) - krahs2 (2181) [A43]
5 0 blitz Internet Chess Club, 12.06.2002
[Zilbermints,Lev]
1.d4 c5 2.Nf3 cxd4 3.b4 e5 4.Nxe5 Bxb4+ 5.c3 dxc3 6.Qb3 c2+ 7.Qxb4 cxb1R
8.Rxb1 d6?! After playing this move, the pawn becomes a target for the
White pieces. 9.Nc4 Ke7 10.Bf4 Nc6 11.Qxd6+ Qxd6 12.Bxd6+ Ke6 13.Ba3 Nf6
14.g3 Ne4 15.Bh3+ Kf6 16.Bb2+ Kg6 17.Bg2 f5 18.00 Rd8 19.Rfd1 Be6 20.Ne3
Bxa2 21.Rbc1 a5 22.g4 Bb3? 23.gxf5+ Kf7 24.Rxd8 Rxd8 25.Bxe4 a4
26.Bxc6 bxc6 27.Kg2 Rd2 28.Ba3 Rxe2 29.Rxc6 Rxe3 30.Rc7+ Kf6 31.fxe3 10
VERDICT: White holds all the cards in the 6...c2+ lines.
Having examined the variations after 6...c2+, I now turn to the
alternative 6...Qe7. With the five games available, the score is +3,
-2 for White. It must be noted, however, that I should have won one of these
two games. Well, judge for yourselves:
B) 6...Qe7
1.d4 c5 2.Nf3 cxd4 3.b4 e5 4.Nxe5 Bxb4+ 5.c3 dxc3 6.Qb3 Qe7 The idea
behind this move is to develop the Queen, protect the Bishop, and attack the
Ne5. It is a viable option; however, the Queen becomes a target due to its
early development. 7.Nd3 hitting the Bishop.
Now how does Black respond?
Now play divides into B1) 7...Ba5; B2) 7...Nc6; B3) 7...a5
B1) 7...Ba5
This move preserves the Bishop while avoiding the complications of the
6...c2+ variations. Two games exist with this line:
ILLUSTRATIVE GAME #7
Zilbermints - VLT-fantonmen [A43]
5 0 blitz Internet Chess Club, 15.06.2002
[Zilbermints,Lev]
1.d4 c5 2.Nf3 cxd4 3.b4 e5 4.Nxe5 Bxb4+ 5.c3 dxc3 6.Qb3 Qe7 7.Nd3 Ba5 8.Nxc3
Nf6 9.Bb2 d5 10.000 Be6 11.Qb5+ Nc6 12.Kb1 00 13.e3 Rfc8 14.Be2 d4
15.exd4 Bxc3 16.Bxc3 Nd5 17.Bb2 a6 18.Qc5 Qf6 19.Rhf1 b6 20.Qd6 Nc3+ 21.Ka1
[ 21.Bxc3 Bxa2+ 22.Kxa2 Qxd6] 21...Nxe2? [ 21...Nxd4!] 22.d5 Ncd4 23.dxe6
fxe6 24.Ne5 Nc2+ 25.Kb1 Qf5 26.Qd3 Na3+ 27.Bxa3 Qxe5 28.Bb2 Qh5 29.f3 Nf4
30.Qe4 Qf5 31.Rfe1 Qxe4+ 32.Rxe4 g5 33.g3 Nd5 34.Rxe6 Nb4 35.Rd7 Rab8
36.Ree7 Kf8 37.Rf7+ 10
ILLUSTRATIVE GAME #8
Zilbermints (2268) - Raschl (2237) [A43]
5 0 blitz Internet Chess Club, 24.01.2002
[Zilbermints,Lev]
1.d4 c5 2.Nf3 cxd4 3.b4 e5 4.Nxe5 Bxb4+ 5.c3 dxc3 6.Qb3 Qe7 7.Nd3 Ba5 8.Nxc3
Nf6 9.Ba3 d6 10.e3 00 11.Be2 Be6 12.Qb2 Nd5 13.Nb4 Nc6 14.Nbxd5 Bxd5 15.00
Be6 16.Ne4 Rfd8 17.Rfd1 Bb6 18.Nxd6 Qh4 19.Nxb7 Bc7 20.g3 Rxd1+ 21.Rxd1 Qh3
22.Bf3 Ne5 23.Bg2 Qh5 24.Rc1 Nf3+ 25.Kf1 Nxh2+ 26.Ke1 Bb6 27.Nc5 Bg4 28.Bxa8
Nf3+ 29.Bxf3 Bxf3 30.Kd2 Ba5+ 31.Bb4 Qd5+ 32.Qd4 Bxb4+ 33.Kc2 Qxa2+ 34.Kd3
Oops! Better was 34 Qb2! and White is safe here. The stuff that time
pressure does!! 34...Qe2# 10
B2) 7...Nc6
This move is an alternative to both 7...a5 and 7...Ba5. It protects the Bb4
while at the same time developing a piece. The c3-pawn is returned, in the
hope that Black will be able to finish his development. Two games:
ILLUSTRATIVE GAME #9
Zilbermints (2268) - Raschl (2237) [A43]
5 0 blitz Internet Chess Club, 24.01.2002
[Zilbermints,Lev]
1.d4 c5 2.Nf3 cxd4 3.b4 e5 4.Nxe5 Bxb4+ 5.c3 dxc3 6.Qb3 Qe7 7.Nd3 Nc6 8.Nxc3
Nd4 9.Qb2 Nf6 10.Bd2 a5 11.a3 Bxa3 12.Qa2 00 13.e3 d6 14.Kd1 Bg4+ 15.f3
Nxf3 16.gxf3 Bxf3+ 17.Be2 Bxh1 01
ILLUSTRATIVE GAME #10
Zilbermints - VLT-fantonmen [A43]
5 0 blitz ICC, 15.06.2002
[Zilbermints,Lev]
1.d4 c5 2.Nf3 cxd4 3.b4 e5 4.Nxe5 Bxb4+ 5.c3 dxc3 6.Qb3 Qe7 7.Nd3 Nc6 8.Nxc3
Nd4 9.Qb2 Ba5 Black varies from the previous game. 10.e3 d5 11.Bd2
Nf6 12.Be2 Bxc3 13.Bxc3 Nxe2 14.Qxe2 Be6 15.00 00 16.Bb4 Qc7 17.Bxf8 Rxf8
18.Rac1 Qd6 19.Rfd1 Ng4 20.g3 Bf5 21.Nf4 Qh6 22.f3 Ne5 23.Nxd5 Kh8 24.e4 Be6
25.Nf4 Bc4? 26.Rxc4 Nxc4 27.Qxc4 g5 28.Qd4+ f6 29.Nd5 g4 30.f4 Kg8
31.Ne7+ Kf7 32.Nf5 10
B3) 7...a5
This move protects the Bb4; however, it commits Blacks Queenside too early.
Only one game exists, against the inventor of 3...e5, Life Master Lawrence
Larry Tamarkin:
ILLUSTRATIVE GAME #11
Zilbermints, Lev Tamarkin, Lawrence [A43]
Blitz Match New York, 08.02.2002
[Zilbermints,Lev]
1.d4 c5 2.Nf3 cxd4 3.b4 e5 4.Nxe5 Bxb4+ 5.c3 dxc3 6.Qb3 Qe7 7.Nd3 a5 8.Nxc3
Bxc3+ 9.Qxc3 Nc6 10.Qxg7! Qf6 11.Bb2! Wins on the spot.
11...Qxg7 12.Bxg7 f6 13.Bxh8 d6 14.e4 Kf7 15.Nf4 Ne5 16.Nd3 Be6 17.f4 Ng6
18.f5 Nxh8 19.fxe6+ Kxe6 20.Be2 Black resigns. 10
As the readers can see, the name Tamarkin Counter-Gambit is justified by the
many games he has played against me with it. Certainly, as NM Eric Schiller
suggests, he who plays the unorthodox opening most often should have his/her
name attached to it.
And now, dear readers, the original game that I played against NM Jerry
Simon in 1995:
ILLUSTRATIVE GAME #12
Zilbermints, Lev - Simon, Jerry (2240) [A43]
Marshall Chess Club G/60 Tournament, 02.07.1995
[Zilbermints,Lev]
1.d4 c5 2.Nf3 cxd4 3.b4 e5 4.a3?! At this point in time, the strong
4.Ne5! was unknown to me. 4...d6 5.e3 Be7 Simon does not want to
go into a gambit line. 6.exd4 e4 7.Nfd2 Nf6 8.d5? 00 9.c4 a5 10.Bb2 axb4
11.axb4 Rxa1 12.Bxa1 Na6 13.Bc3 Qb6 14.b5 Nc5 15.Be2 Bf5 16.Nb3 Nxb3 17.Qxb3
e3 18.f3 Nd7 19.00 Re8 20.Rd1 Nc5 21.Bd4 Bf6 22.Bxc5 Qxc5 23.Nc3 h5 24.Na4
Qa7 25.Nb2? Ra8 26.Re1 Qa2 27.Qxa2 Rxa2 28.Nd1 Bd4 29.g3 Rc2 30.Kf1
Bh3+ 31.Kg1 Bc5 32.Kh1 Rc1 33.g4 hxg4 34.fxg4 Bb4 35.Rg1 Rc2 36.Bf1! Bxf1
37.Nxe3! Bxc4! 38.Rb1 Bc5 39.Nxc4 Rxc4 40.h3 Rd4 41.Re1 b6 42.Kg2 Rxd5
43.Kf3 Re5 44.Rd1 Kf8 45.Ra1 Ke7 46.Ra7+ Ke6 47.Ra8 Kd5 48.Rf8 Re7 49.h4 Kc4
50.g5 d5 51.h5 d4 52.h6 gxh6 53.gxh6 d3 54.h7 Bd4 55.Rd8 Re3+ 56.Kg2 Re2+
57.Kh1 d2 58.Rxd4+ Kxd4 59.h8Q+ Kc5 Black forfeits on time. 1-0
Conclusion: What practice there exists, primarily in blitz-matches
and Internet chess games, shows that the Tamarkin Counter-Gambit is dubious.
The reason for this is because after 4.Ne5! Bxb4+ 5.c3! dc3 6.Qb3!
Black is left behind in development and has numerous weaknesses.
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