New in Chess Yearbook 2000 [antikvár]

The NIC FORUM is a platform for discussion of developments in chess opening theory in general and particularly in variations discussed In previous NIC Yearbook issues. Contributions for these pages should be sent to: Editors NIC Yearbook P.O. Box 1093 NL 1810 KB Alkmaar The Netherlands. E-mail: [email protected] Devotees of the French Defence will be pleased with the last two items in this FORUM installment, as both deal with a successful black 'dream novelty' in their favourite opening (FR 11.1; FR 19.3). By now Stefan Biicker's name will be familiar to every FORUM reader. His penchant for slightly suspect openings makes for interesting (and controversial) contributions (VO 13.2). For the rest this FORUM contains the usual mixed bag of opening developments, an increasing number of which stems from games played on the Internet. Karpov's 9.b4!? by Igor Stohl Nl 20.5 YB 53 In Hoogeveen 1999 Karpov tested the original 9.b4!? against Judit Polgar and proceeded to develop his knight in a way that hadn't yet been used against 7 Aa6 before -to h3. As the knight often appears on this square in other ramifications of the 7.E.g5 line, his attempt certainly deserves attention. As the survey in Yearbook 53 already indicates, Black would have done best not to refrain from the typical c5-advance, which usually gives him sufficient counterplay in this type of position. But Black has more than one playable option. In the following game he shows another viable strategy, achieving a satisfactory position wift 10 e5!?. Perhaps White should consistently play ll.®h3. After the text the suggestion 1 l iiie5!? seems even more promising. But the over-aggressive 13 g5?! was the main culprit, later Black pays dearly for weakening his kingside. All this probably enables us to say 9.b4 is not a serious threat to 7 &a6. White should concentrate his attempts on the more usual 9.M3 Ihhdl 10. Stohl,Igor Anka,Einil Hungary tt 1999 1.d4 EifS 2.c4 e6 S.'öca E.M 4.Wc2 0-0 5.a3 i.c3 6.Wc3 b6 7.1.g5 i.a6 8.e3 d6 9.b4!? [g.^ata 'abd7 io.í^d2 Icsijí; 9.±d3!? 10.ôe2] 9 öbd7 10.f3 [10.Ad3 c5 11.dc5 bc5 12.b5 .âb7 13.f3 d5î±] m 1« a' ^t # « M A, m a li