New in Chess 22/1991 [antikvár]

NIC DATABASE Thomas Luther Sicilian Defence SI 20.5 Keres Attack In the ever popular Keres Attack after 6 h6 7.h4, Black has, beside the usual 7 'iic6 or 7 Ae7, the possibility 7 a6!? This move is clearly less popular, but, since it is regularly used by specialists such as Suba and Bonsch, it naturally deserves attention. White has a choice between 8.1.g2 and 8.Hg1. With the logical developing move 8.1.g2 he increases his influence In the center and for the time being prevents the thrust b7-b5. Black's problem in this type of position Is always whether or not he can allow the further advance of the g-pawn. Bonsch generally replies 8 g6, but his results are not very encouraging. See, for Instance, Ghinda-Bonsch, Halle 1987, and Psakhis-Bonsch, Trnava 1988. The alternative is 8 '$^c6. After 9.g5 hg5 10.hg5 nh1 11.1.h1 Ihd7, White players appear to have little confidence in 12.g6 (this was only played in the game Svedenborg-Tlsdall, Randaberg 1989), and 12.f4 is preferred. This leads to slightly better chances for White, due to his space advantage (see Short-Klndermann, Dortmund 1986). With 8.Sg1 White avoids the exchange of rooks along the h-file and tries to add extra support to the advance of his g-pawn. It appears that after 8 «a5 9.ab3 Wc7, Black does not have to fear the advance g4-g5-g6. In Timman-Bonsch, Nov! Sad 1990, Black had no problems after the novelty 15 Hh3, instead of the older 15 1.e7. In the featured game Luther-Bonsch White continued his development with 12 ±e3 and achieved a clear advantage after the mistaken 16 b4? Better would have been 16 1.e7 17.1ff2 0-0-0, after which the battle is still open. Black can also answer White's attack on the flank with the central break 8 d5!? In Karpov-Kinder-mann, Vienna 1986, White achieved nothing in the opening. All in all, the move 7 a6 seems quite playable and for the time being White appears to have nothing more than the usual space advantage and, as a result of that, the somewhat freer game.