Schipkov: Dutch A99

1.d4 f5 2.c4 Nf6 3.Nf3 e6 4.g3 Be7 5.Bg2 0-0 6.0-0 d6 7.Nc3 Qe8 8.b3

White’s 8.b3 prepares the development of the bishop to b2 or a3, but he has not given up his plan of e2-e4, though this time there will be the preparatory move Qc2. There are various good moves which allow Black to meet this: 8...Qh5, but also 8...a5 and even 8...c6.

Prié: Scandinavian B01

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 Bf5 6.Bc4 c6 7.Bd2 Bb4

Developing the bishop to b4 is quite a new trend in the Scandinavian Main Variation, but Black can get over the loss of the bishop pair which is bound up with it. He frequently develops his knight to c6 and works up pressure against the d4-pawn.

Stohl: Pirc Defence B09

1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.f4 Bg7 5.Nf3 0-0 6.e5

After the attacking 6.e5 Black has a decision to take: 6...dxe5 with the possible ending after 7.dxe5 Qxd1+ 8.Kxd1 or 6...Nfd7, after which Black’s kingside remains rather exposed and he would have to know what is going to happen after 7.h4.

Postny: Caro-Kann B13

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5 dxc4 7.Bxc4

Doubtless 6.Bg5 is a good move if Black does not take on c4. But if he does, the question is how to proceed from the position in the diagram with the pawn hanging on d4. In his article Evgeny Postny shows that both 7...Qxd4 and 7...h6 are very playable.

Krasenkow: Caro-Kann / Pirc Defence B15

1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 c6 4.f4 d5 5.e5 Qb6

Michal Krasenkow has good knowledge and practical experience of this setup for Black, which allows the latter to play aggressively for a win. There is no clear way to an opening advantage for White in sight.

Grivas: Sicilian B33

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Qb6 5.Nb3 Nf6 6.Nc3 e6 7.a3

With the move of his rook pawn, White not only prevents ...Bb4 and ...Nb4, but prepares for an immediate 8.Bf4 (7.Bf4?! Bb4!). The recommendation of Efstratios Grivas is therefore 7...Qc7!, after which Black achieves satisfactory play in all lines.

Moskalenko: French C02

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3

Alexander Grischuk’s great successes in the Advance Variation are, according to Viktor Moskalenko, above all based on the fact that his opponents (Ivanchuk and Morozevich!) developed the c8 bishop far too soon with 4...Bd7 and 4...Nc6 5.Nf3 Bd7. In his article the author suggests 5...Nge7.

Kritz: French C10

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 (oder 3.Nd2) 3...dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bd7

Black brings his bishop to c6 and then frequently exchanges it for a knight on f3. The setup is safe, because Black has no weaknesses and can develop easily. Leonid Kritz shows that White can get an advantage, but that Black nevertheless has good chances of a draw.

Marin: Three Knights Game C46

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 g6 4.d4 exd4 5.Nxd4 Bg7 6.Be3 Nf6

With this setup, Black is intending above all to avoid the arid positions of the Four Knights Game. If White continues unenterprisingly from the position in the diagram, Black can count on a good game; therefore aggressive play is called for.

Ftacnik: Semi-Slav D31

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c6 4.e4 dxe4 5.Nxe4 Bb4+ 6.Bd2 Qxd4 7.Bxb4 Qxe4+ 8.Be2 Na6 9.Ba5

This dangerous gambit can be described briefly: White has no opening advantage but scores very well in practice. For Black, only one conclusion is possible: he needs to know these variations well if he chooses to go into them.

Breutigam: Tarrasch Defence D34

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.g3 Nf6 6.Bg2 Nc6 7.0-0 Be7

In his second contribution on the Tarrasch Defence, Martin Breutigam shows that in the Rubinstein System there is no need for Black to fear the side variations (8.Nc3 0-0 9.b3 and 9.dxc5 or 9.Be3, or even 8.Be3).

Kuzmin: Catalan E04

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.g3 dxc4 5.Bg2 Bb4+ 6.Bd2 c5

The idea of using ...c5 to protect the Bb4 comes from Alvins Vitolins and was first employed in the Bogo-Indian. Its transfer to the Catalan is still quite new, but so far has worked well. In principle White should carry on and capture on b4.