Anic: Old Indian Defence A55

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 d6 3.Nc3 Nbd7 4.e4 e5 5.Nf3 Be7 6.Be2 0-0 7.0-0 c6 8.Qc2 a6 9.Rd1Qc7 10.Bg5 Re8 11.Rac1 Qb8

The author gives an insight into an opening which has perhaps unjustly had a not very flattering reputation, but which is well-suited for a counter-attack based on a solid position. Until now 11...Qb8 has rarely been played, but GM Anic’s analysis is encouraging.

Knaak: Nimzowitsch Defence B00

1.e4 Nc6 3.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.d5 Nb8

Till now 3.Nc3 has been considered as the main move to give White an advantage. But according to Rainer Knaak’s investigations Black can expect to achieve safe equality with 3...dxe4 4.d5 Nb8. Therefore, both 3.e5 and 3.exd5 should be preferred to 3.Nc3.

Kritz: Caro-Kann B12

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 c5 6.Be3

In the opinion of Leonid Kritz, nowadays only 3.e5 gives White any prospects of achieving a slight advantage against the Caro-Kann. In that variation, the line examined here is of particular importance. The author shows that neither 6...Qb6 nor 6...cxd4 equalises fully.

Grivas: Sicilian B33

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Qb6 5.Nb3 Nf6 6.Nc3 e6 7.Be3 Qc7

In the fourth part of his examination of the Grivas-Sicilian 4...Qb6 our Greek author turns above all to the Dionysos Variation, which starts from the diagram with 8.f4. After 8...Bb4 9.Bd3 Bxc3+ 10.bxc3 d6 11.0-0 e5 Black has a satisfactory game.

Karolyi: Sicilian B92

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2 e5 7.Nb3 Be7 8.0-0 0-0 9.Kh1Nc6

White’s king move is in itself a subtle one, since the standard move 9...b5 is not so good on account of 10.a4. But 9...Nc6 has proved its worth and Black need fear neither 10.f3 nor 10.f4, and certainly not any moves with anything other than the f-pawn.

Ftacnik: Sicilian B96

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Nc6

The article comes to two conclusions: 8.e5 h6 9.Bh4 is no longer attractive for White, because 9...dxe5 goes into an ending which has seen good results for Black. But after 8.Nxc6 bxc6 9.e5 h6 10.Bh4 g5 11.fxg5 Nd5 it can also come down to an ending, but this time one which is favourable to White.

Bojkov: Ruy Lopez C92

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Rb8 10.d4 exd4 11.cxd4 d5

There is no doubt that the surprising 9...Rb8 and 11...d5 set White some problems. But if the latter knows what he is doing, then Black’s setup should be somewhat dubious. In any case, that is what has been proved by recent correspondence games.

Stohl: Ruy Lopez C92

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Bb7 10.d4 Re8 11.Nbd2 Bf8 12.a4

The Zaitsev Variation which Igor Stohl has examined is clearly different from many versions of the Closed Ruy Lopez, because in it the position is often opened rapidly. In the critical long main variation Black seems to be able to do quite well.

Postny: Slav Defence D18

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 Bf5 6.Nh4 e6 7.Nxf5 exf5 8.e3 Bb4 9.Bxc4 0-0 10.0-0 Nbd7

This article is first of all about the variation 6.Nh4 e6, which hardly leaves White with any choices on the route to the position in the diagram. But it can also be reached via 6.e3 e6 7.Bxc4 Bb4 8.0-0 0-0 9.Nh4 Nbd7 10.Nxf5 exf5. Postny has a lot of interesting conclusions for you to study.

Kuzmin: Catalan E01

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 Bb4+ 5.Bd2 Bd6 6.Bg2

In the Catalan the black bishop usually moves to e7 – no matter whether it first delivers a check on b4 or whether it goes there directly. But why not to d6? Alexey Kuzmin presents the latest state of affairs in this still quite new setup.

Krasenkow: Queen's Indian Defence E12

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.a3 Bb7 5.Nc3 d5 6.cxd5 Nxd5 7.Qc2 Nxc3 8.bxc3 Be7 9.e4 0-0 10.Bd3 c5 11.0-0

In the last part of his article on the Petrosian System Michal Krasenkow analyses the position in the diagram which is the one the top players most often reach. Even if an advantage for White cannot be proved on all fronts, the positions which are reached are interesting and well suited to playing for the full point.

Schipkov: King's Indian Defence E81

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f3 0-0 6.Be3 c5 7.Nge2 Nc6 8.d5 Ne5 9.Ng3

There is no doubt that 6...c5 has turned into the greatest test of the Sämisch System. Nowadays it is thought that declining the pawn sacrifice gives better chances of achieving an opening advantage and Boris Schipkov shows you how to go about that.