Postny: English Mikenas System A18

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e6 3.e4 d5 4.e5 d4 5.exf6 dxc3 6.bxc3 Qf6 7.d4 e5 8.Nf3 exd4 9.Bg5 Qe6+ 10.Be2

After the developments of recent years the position in the diagram has crystallised into the critical one for the evaluation of the whole line. As Evgeny Postny shows, Black probably has nothing to fear here.

Marin: King’s Indian Torre Attack A48

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.Bg5 Bg7 4.Nbd2 0-0 5.c3 d6 6.e4 Nc6

In the third and concluding part of this series on the King’s Indian Torres Attack 6...Nc6 is examined. It may put pressure on d4 but it has its disadvantages too. In particular, White can play 7.Bb5 and then things are not easy for Black.

Schipkov: Dutch A88

1.d4 f5 2.c4 Nf6 3.Nf3 g6 4.g3 Bg7 5.Bg2 0-0 6.0-0 d6 7.Nc3 c6 8.b3

With 8.b3 (instead of 8.d5 as in the previous issue) White probably cannot achieve an advantage either. Boris Schipkov shows several lines in which Black gets satisfactory play, but the best is probably 8... Qa5.

Kritz: Sicilian B35

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6 5.Nc3 Nd7 6.Nf3 a6 Bg7 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Bc4 0-0 8.Bb3 Qa5 9.0-0 d6

With the queen move Black forces short castling and the result of this is quiet positions. White should develop slowly and avoid any exchange of queens. Black is close to equality, but he still has a few problems to overcome.

Karolyi: Sicilian B90

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Qf3

The unusual queen move conceals a few ideas, which means that an unprepared opponent can easily get into difficulties. Tibor Karolyi analyses literally every known continuation.

Ftacnik: Sicilian B99

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Nbd7 8.Qf3 Qc7 9.0-0-0 Be7 10.g4 b5 11. Bxf6 Nxf6 12.g5 Nd7 13.f5 0-0

Recently there has been a clear trend towards 13...0-0 (instead of 13...Bxg5+ or 13...Nc5). In the critical lines after 14.Rg1 Black seems to be able to prove his point, but that will not be easy in practical play.

Langrock: French C01

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.exd5 exd5 5.Bd3 Nc6 6.a3 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3

White will not be able to force an opening advantage with this form of the Exchange French, but Black has to play accurately. However, most players are now well acquainted with the ins and outs and White has an excellent score. In the first part 5...Nc6 is examined; the alternatives will follow.

Kritz: French C10
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nc6

Although 3...Nc6 gets in the way of the natural French move ...c5, it is not at all so simple for White to achieve an advantage. Kritz does not think much of the main move 4.Nf3 and suggests 4.e5!. His analyses show that White can achieve his aim with it.

Breutigam: Ruy Lopez C96

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.h3 0-0 9.c3 Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 Nd7

This time Martin Breutigam examines the alternatives to the main move 12.Nbd2, but above all 12.d5 and 12.dxc5. Black also has to fight for equality, but his problems in doing so should not be too great.

Grivas: Queen’s Gambit D15

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.e3

If no advantage can be achieved in the main lines of the Slav, one might as well try 5.e3. The results of Efstratios Grivas’ analysis are encouraging since White at least always has a little pressure.

Krasenkow: Semi-Slav/Catalan D30/E04

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c6 4.g3 dxc4 5.Bg2 b5

There are many ways for White to play this gambit variation, according to whether he plays with or without a4, Ne5, Nc3, b3 or e4. For every plan for White Michal Krasenkow has the appropriate reply, even in the main line 6.Nc3 Nf6 7.Ne5 a6 8.a4 Bb7 9.0-0.

Kuzmin: Queen’s Gambit D43

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 e6 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 dxc4 7.e4 g5 8.Bg3 b5 9.Be2 Bb7 10.Qc2

The setup with 10.Qc2 (and 10...Nbd7 11.Rd1) does set Black a few problems, but so far it has not been played a lot. So there is not too much theory and according to Alexey Kuzmin White is promised the initiative in the most important variations.

Stohl: Grünfeld Defence D70
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.f3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nb6 6.Nc3 Bg7 7.Be3

World Champion Anand played 3.f3 against the Grünfeld Defence and brought Gelfand to the edge of defeat. As is proved by the analyses of Igor Stohl, however, Black should be able to hold the position.