Democratic Underground - Bacrot - David, French Team Championshion, Mulhouse

We presented this game in May. I have had occasion to revisit it as I am currently taking part in the game Akobian vs. The World on ChessGames.com], which is still in its opening phases.

The opening theory below has been expanded upon in areas relevant to the online game.

I will have no comment on that game while it is in progress.

Etienne Bacrot

Photo by Stefan64 from Wikipedia (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)

Etienne Bacrot (Marseille) - Alberto David (Lutèce)
French Team Championship, Round 3/Board 2
Mulhouse, 28 May 2011

East India Game: Nimzo-Indian Defense (Rubinstein Opening/Bronstein Variation)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4

BLACK

WHITE

East Inad Game: Nimzo-Indian Defense
Position after 3...Bb4

4.Nf3

The usual move order is 4.e3 when:

(Bronstein Variation) If 4...b6 5.Bd3 Bb7 6.Nf3 transposing into the text.
(Hübner Variation) If 4...c5 5.Nge2 cxd4 6.exd4 then:

If 6...0-0 7.a3 Be7 8.d5 exd5 9.cxd5 then:

If 9...Re8 10.d6 Bf8 11.g3 then:

If 11...b6 12.Bg2 Nc6 then:

13.b4 Bb7 14.0-0 Rb8 15.Nb5 Ba6 16.Nec3 Re5 17.a4 Re6 18.Bg5 h6 is equal (M. Gurevich-Kengis, Soviet Ch ½-final, Lvov, 1984).
13.0-0 Ba6 14.a4 Rc8 15.Nb5 Bxb5 16.axb5 Na5 17.Nc3 g6 18.b4 Rxc3 19.bxa5 gives White a small advantage in space (Shulman-Tunik, Op, Pardubice, 1996).

11...Re6 12.Bf4 Nh5 13.Be3 Rxd6 14.Qc2 Re6 15.Bg2 Nc6 16.0-0 Nf6 17.Rad1 d6 18.Nd4 Nxd4 19.Bxd4 a6 20.Rc1 Rb8 draw (Brodsky-Kiriakov, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2005).

If 9...a5 10.a3 Bxc3 11.Nxc3 a4 12.Bd3 then:

12...b6 13.cxb6 Qxb6 14.Bc2 Bd7 15.0-0 0-0 16.Rfe1 g6 17.Re3 Nc6 18.Rd1 Na5 19.Rh3 f5 20.Bxa4 wins a pawn for White (M. Socko-Mkrtchian, FIDE Knock Out W, Elista, 2004).
12...Bd7 13.0-0 Nc6 14.Bc2 Ne7 15.Rae1 0-0 16.Qd1 gives White the advantage in space (Knaak-Hall, Bundesliga 9899, Germany, 1999).

9...b6 10.a3 Bxc3 11.Nxc3 bxc5 12.dxc5 a5 13.Bb5+ Bd7 14.0-0 a4 15.Bxd7+ Qxd7 16.f4 Qe7 17.f5 0-0 is equal (Bu Xiangzhi-Shaposhnikov, World Jr Ch, Athens, 2001).
If 9...Bc5 then:

If 10.Na4 b6 11.b4 Bd6 12.Nec3 Be5 then:

13.Be2 Ba6 14.Ra2 Qc7 15.Rc2 Bxc3+ 16.Nxc3 Bxe2 17.Nxe2 Qe5 18.0-0 Qxd5 19.Rd2 Qf5 is equal (Shulman-Khalifman, World Cup, Khanty-Mansiysk, 2005).
13.Be3 Re8 14.Be2 Ba6 15.Rc1 Bxe2 16.Qxe2 d6 is equal (Shulman-Ulibin, Op, Goteborg, 1999).

10.b4 Bd6 11.g3 Re8 12.Bg2 a5 13.bxa5 Be5 14.0-0 Qxa5 is equal (Muir-Rowson, Op, Gibraltar, 2004).

If 6...d5 then:

If 7.c5 Ne4 8.Bd2 Nxd2 9.Qxd2 then:

If 7.a3 Be7 then:

If 8.Nf4 0-0 9.cxd5 Nxd5 10.Ncxd5 exd5 11.Bd3 Nc6 12.0-0 then:

12...Bf6 13.Be3 g6 14.Rc1 Qd6 15.Rc5 Be6 16.Nxe6 fxe6 17.Qg4 Rad8 18.Rfc1 Bg7 19.g3 draw (Arutinian-Gelashvili, Georgian Ch, Tbilisi, 2006).
12...Bg5 13.Re1 Qd6 14.g3 Bd7 15.h4 Bf6 16.Be3 g6 17.Rc1 Ne7 18.Qb3 is equal (S. Ivanov-S. Ionov, City Ch, St. Petersburg, 2001).

If 8.c5 b6 9.b4 0-0 10.g3 then:

If 10...bxc5 11.dxc5 a5 12.Rb1 Nc6 13.Bg2 Rb8 then:

14.Bf4 axb4 15.Bxb8 bxc3 16.Qa4 Nxb8 17.Rxb8 Nd7 18.Ra8 Nxc5 gives Black the initiative (Salov-M. Gurevich, Soviet Ch, Leningrad, 1987).
14.Nd4 Nxd4 15.Qxd4 Nd7 16.0-0 Ba6 17.Rd1 Bf6 is equal (Marin-Portisch, IT, Szirak, 1987).

10...a5 11.Rb1 axb4 12.axb4 bxc5 13.dxc5 Nc6 14.Bg2 Rb8 15.Ba3 Ba6 16.0-0 Bc4 17.Re1 Qc7 18.Nd4 Rfd8 19.Nxc6 Qxc6

(Main Line) If 4...0-0 then:

If 5.Bd3 then:

If 5...d5 6.Nf3 c5 7.0-0 dxc4 8.Bxc4 then:

If 8...Nbd7 then:

If 9.Qe2 then:

If 9...a6 then:

If 10.a4 then:

If 10...cxd4 11.exd4 Nb6 then:

If 12.Bd3 Nbd5 then:

If 13.Nxd5 then:

13...Nxd5 14.Qe4 g6 15.Bh6 Re8 16.Ne5 wih a small advantage in space for White (Grischuk-Gelfand, IT, Linares, 2010).
13...exd5 14.Bg5 Qd6 15.Ne5 Ne4 16.Bf4 is equal (Ivanchuk-Speelman, World Cup, Reykjavik, 1991).

13.Bg5 Be7 14.Rfe1 Nb4 15.Bc4 Nfd5 16.Bxe7 Nxe7 17.Ne5 Nf5 18.Rad1 gives White the advantage in space (Korchnoi-Shamkovich, IT, Leningrad, 1967).

12.Bb3 Nbd5 13.Bd2 Re8 14.Qd3 Be7 15.Nxd5 exd5 16.Ne5 g6 17.Qf3 Be6 draw (O'Kelly-Smyslov, Argentine Ch, Buenos Aires, 1970).

10...Qc7 11.Na2 b5 12.Bd3 Ba5 13.axb5 axb5 14.Bxb5 Bb7 15.Rd1 Rab8 16.dxc5 Bxf3 17.gxf3 Nxc5 18.b4 Nb3 19.Rb1 gives White an extra pawn (Portisch-Balashov, ITZ, Rio de Janeiro, 1979).

If 10.a3 Ba5 11.Bd3 b5 then:

If 12.b4 cxb4 13.axb4 Bxb4 14.Nxb5 Bb7 15.Rb1 Be7 16.Nc3 Bxf3 17.Qxf3 gives White the advantage in space (Schreen-Korchnoi, IT, Wijk aan Zee, 1983).
If 12.Rd1 Bb7 13.e4 cxd4 14.Nxd4 Qc7 15.Bg5 Bb6 16.Bc2 Rac8 is equal (A. Rodríguez-Polugaevsky, Capablanca Mem, Havana, 1967).

If 9...b6 then:

If 10.d5 Bxc3 11.dxe6 Ne5 12.exf7+ Kh8 13.bxc3 Bg4 14.e4 Qe7 15.Re1 b5 16.Bxb5 Nh5 17.Bg5 Qe6 18.Qe3 Bxf3 19.gxf3 Qxf7 20.Be2 h6 21.f4 Nxf4 22.Bxf4 Qxf4 23.Rad1 Rae8 24.Rd5 c4 25.Rf1 Nf3+ 26.Bxf3 Qxf3 27.Rd4 Qg4+ 28.Qg3 gives White an extra pawn, but Black's pieces are more active in compensation (Gligoric-Jelen, IT, Bled, 1979).
If 10.Rd1 cxd4 11.exd4 Bb7 12.d5 Bxc3 13.dxe6 Bxf3 14.gxf3 fxe6 15.bxc3 Qc7 16.Bxe6+ Kh8 17.Be3 Nc5 18.Bd5 Nxd5 19.Rxd5 Ne6 20.Qd3 Rad8 is equal (Gligoric-Unzicker, Ol, Leipzig, 1960).

If 9.a3 cxd4 then:

If 10.axb4 dxc3 11.bxc3 Qc7 12.Qb3 Nb6 13.Be2 e5 14.Ra5 Be6 15.Qc2 Nbd7 16.c4 b6 17.Ra6 Rfc8 18.Nd2 Qb7 19.b5 Nc5 20.Ra1 a6 21.bxa6 Rxa6 22.Bb2 Rxa1 draw (Johannesson-Chandler, Jonsson Mem, Reykjavik, 2001).
If 10.exd4 Bxc3 11.bxc3 Qc7 12.Qe2 b6 13.Bd2 Bb7 14.Bd3 Rfe8 15.Rfe1 Rac8 16.Rac1 Qd6 is equal (Kottahachchy -Nguyen Van Thanh, World Youth, Vang Tau, 2008).

If 8...Nc6 9.a3 Ba5 then:

If 10.Qd3 a6 11.Rd1 b5 12.Ba2 Bb6 13.h3 c4 14.Qe2 Qc7 15.e4 e5 16.Be3 exd4 17.Nxd4 Nxd4 18.Bxd4 Bxd4 19.Rxd4 Be6 20.Rad1 Rad8 21.Qd2 is equal (Portisch-Smyslov, IT, Amsterdam, 1971).
If 10.Bd3 cxd4 11.exd4 Bb6 12.Be3 Nd5 13.Nxd5 exd5 14.h3 Qd6 15.Re1 Bc7 16.Rc1 Be6 17.Bb1 Rac8 18.Rc3 Bd7 19.Bd3 draw (Gligoric-Polugaevsky, ITZ, Palma de Mallorca, 1970).

If 5.Nge2 d5 6.a3 then:

If 6...Be7 7.cxd5 Nxd5 8.Qc2 Nd7 9.Bd2 N5f6 10.g3 e5 11.Bg2 exd4 12.Nxd4 Ne5 13.0-0 c5 14.Nf5 Bxf5 15.Qxf5 Qxd2 16.Qxe5 Bd6 is equal (Aronian-Gelfand, Spanish ChT, Mérida, 2005).
If 6...Bxc3+ 7.Nxc3 b6 8.Be2 Ba6 9.b3 Nc6 10.a4 dxc4 11.bxc4 Qd7 12.Nb5 Na5 13.0-0 c6 14.Na3 c5 15.Bb2 Rfd8 16.dxc5 Qe7 17.Qc2 Qxc5 18.Rfd1 Bb7 is equal (Aleksandrov-Akopian, FIDE Knock Out, New Delhi, 2000).

(Capablanca Opening) If 4.Qc2

(Keres Variation) 4...0-0 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 then:

If 6...d5 then:

If 7.Nf3 dxc4 8.Qxc4 b6 then:

If 9.Bf4 Ba6 then:

If 10.Qc2 Nbd7 11.e4 Bxf1 then:

12.Kxf1 c5 13.Bd6 Re8 14.e5 Nd5 is equal (Morozevich-Kramnik, Tal Mem, Moscow, 2009).
If 12.Rxf1 c5 13.Bd6 draw (Drozdovskij-R. Pert, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).

10.Qxc7 Qd5 11.Qd6 Qe4 12.Rc1 Nbd7 13.Nd2 Qg6 14.f3 Rac8 15.Rxc8 Rxc8 16.Kf2 gives White the advantage in space and an extra pawn (Krush-Gulko, US Ch, St. Louis, 2009).

If 9.Bg5 Ba6 then:

If 10.Qc2 Nbd7 11.e4 Bxf1 12.Rxf1 then:

If 12...h6 13.Bxf6 Nxf6 14.0-0-0 Rc8 15.Kb1 Qe7 16.Rfe1 Rfd8 is equal (Kramnik-Kasparov, Blitz Trmt, Moscow, 1998).
12...Qc8 13.0-0-0 c5 14.dxc5 Nxc5 15.Bxf6 gxf6 16.Kb1 Qb7 is equal (Bu Xiangzhi-Mahjoob, Mindsports Rpd, Beijing, 2008).

If 10.Qa4 c5 11.dxc5 bxc5 then:

12.Rd1 Qb6 13.Bxf6 gxf6 14.Rd2 Nc6 15.Qg4+ Kh8 16.Qh4 Kg7 17.Qg3+ Kh8 18.Qh4 Kg7 19.Qg3+ Kh8 draw (Riazantsev-Vitiugov, Russian Ch HL, Ulan Ude, 2009).
12.h4 Qb6 13.Bxf6 gxf6 14.Rb1 Rd8 15.Rh3 c4 16.Nd2 gives White more freedom and activity (I. Rajlich-T. Kosintseva, Euro Club Cup, Ohrid, 2009).

If 7.cxd5 then:

If 7...Ne4 8.Qc2 exd5 then:

If 9.Bf4 then:

9...Nc6 10.e3 g5 11.Bg3 f5 12.0-0-0 f4 is equal (Karpov-Anand, Rapid M, Corsica, 2009).
9...Bf5 10.Qxc7 Qxc7 11.Bxc7 Rc8 12.Bf4 Nc6 gives White an extra pawn (Zhu Chen-Xu Yuhua, Grand Prix W, Nanjing, 2009).

9.e3 Bf5 10.Bd3 c5 11.dxc5 Nd7 12.Ne2 Ndxc5 13.Bxe4 Nxe4 14.Nd4 Bg6 15.Qd1 draw (Kramnik-Anand, Amber Rapid, Nice, 2009).

7...exd5 8.Bg5 Qd6 9.f3 Bf5 10.e3 Nbd7 11.Ne2 Rac8 12.b4 Rfe8 is equal (Gelfand-Caruana, IT, Biel, 2009).

If 6...b6 then:

If 7.Bg5 Bb7 8.e3 d6 then:

If 9.Ne2 Nbd7 10.Qc2 c5 11.Rd1 then:

If 11...cxd4 then:

If 12.Rxd4 Qc7 13.Nc3 then:

13...d5 14.cxd5 Bxd5 15.Bd3 Rfc8 16.0-0 h6 17.Bh4 is equal (Beliavsky-Dzagnidze, Op, Gibraltar, 2009).
If 13...Qc5 then:

14.Bh4 d5 15.cxd5 Nxd5 16.Bd3 f5 17.Bg3 Rac8 18.0-0 Qe7 19.Bc4 N7f6 20.Qb3 Kh8 21.Nxd5 Bxd5 22.Bxd5 Nxd5 23.e4 is equal (Navara-Efimenko, Corus B, Wijk aan Zee, 2009).
14.Be2 d5 15.cxd5 Nxd5 16.Bd3 N5f6 17.0-0 h6 18.Bh4 Rad8 19.Rd1 Ne5 20.Bxf6 gxf6 21.Be4 Rxd4 22.Rxd4 gives White a formidable center and better kingside pawns (L'Ami-Short, Staunton Mem, London, 2008).

If 12.Bh4 Qc7 13.Nc3 d5 14.Bg3 e5 15.cxd5 Bxd5 16.Be2 then:

16...Rac8 17.e4 Bc6 is equal (Carlsen-Leko, IT, Morelia/Linares, 2008).
16...Qb8 17.0-0 a6 18.Nxd5 Nxd5 19.Bf3 Rd8 20.Rxd4 Qc8 21.Qa4 gives Black no compensation for the pawn (Bareev-Grischuk, World Cup, Khanty Mansiysk, 2007).

11...Rc8 12.Nc3 cxd4 13.Rxd4 Rc5 14.Bh4 Qa8 15.Be2 d5 16.b4 Rcc8 17.0-0 dxc4 18.f3 Ne5 19.Bxf6 gxf6 20.Nb5 Qb8 21.Nd6 gives White the advantage in space (Kasimdzhanov-Grischuk, Tal Mem Blitz, Moscow, 2007).

If 9.f3 Nbd7 then:

If 10.Bd3 c5 11.Ne2 Rc8 then:

If 12.0-0 h6 13.Bh4 then:

13...cxd4 14.Qxd4 Ne5 15.b4 Qc7 16.Rac1 Nfd7 17.Be7 Nc6 18.Qxd6 Nxe7 19.Qxe7 Ne5 20.Qxc7 Rxc7 21.Rfd1 Rfc8 is equal (Krush-Chandran, USCL, Cyberspace, 2005).
13...d5 14.cxd5 Nxd5 15.Qe1 Qe8 16.Qd2 f5 17.Bg3 Qe7 18.Nf4 Nxf4 19.Bxf4 Rfd8 is equal (Moradiabadi-Sadvakasov, City Ch, Paris, 2005).

12.Qd2 h6 13.Bh4 cxd4 14.exd4 Ba6 15.Rc1 d5 16.cxd5 Bxd3 17.Rxc8 Qxc8 18.Qxd3 Nxd5 19.0-0 Qb7 20.Rc1 Rc8 21.Rxc8+ Qxc8 is equal (Kelly-Ong, Euro ChT, Saint Vincent, 2005).
12.Qb3 h6 13.Bh4 d5 14.cxd5 Bxd5 15.Qd1 cxd4 16.Nxd4 Ne5 17.Ba6 Rc5 draw (Kholmov-Chepukaitis, Botvinnik Mem, Tula, 2003).

10.Qd3 Ba6 11.d5 Bxc4 12.Qxc4 Nc5 13.Bxf6 Qxf6 14.Ke2 Rfc8 15.Rd1 Nb3 gives White the active game (Vigorito-Browne, US Ch, San Diego, 2006).

If 7.Nf3 Bb7 8.e3 then:

If 8...d5 9.b4 c5 10.dxc5 bxc5 11.Bb2 Nbd7 12.cxd5 then:

If 12...Bxd5 13.Be2 Qb6 14.0-0 then:

14...Rfb8 15.b5 a6 16.a4 c4 17.Bxc4 Bxc4 18.Qxc4 axb5 19.axb5 Rxa1 20.Rxa1 Qxb5 21.Qxb5 Rxb5 22.Bxf6 gxf6 23.g3 draw (Drozdovskij-Zakhartsov, Op, Cappelle-la-Grande, 2010).
14...cxb4 15.axb4 Rfb8 16.b5 a6 17.Ra5 (draw (Akobian-Onischuk, Torre Mem, Yucatán, 2008)) 17...axb5 18.Rxb5 Qc6 19.Rxb8+ Rxb8 20.Rc1 Qxc3 21.Bxc3 is equal Zhao Xue-Gu Xiaobing, Chinese ChW, Wuxi, 2006).

12...cxb4 13.axb4 Bxd5 then:

If 14.Ba6 Qb6 then:

15.Qd4 Rfb8 16.Qxb6 Rxb6 17.b5 Nb8 18.Bd4 Rd6 19.0-0 Nxa6 20.Rxa6 Rxa6 draw (Gelfand-Leko, Rpd, Yerevan, 2008).

15.0-0?! Rfb8! 16.b5 Bb7 17.Nd4 e5 18.Nc6 Bxc6 19.Qxc6 Qxc6 20.bxc6 Rxb2 gives Black a Rook on the seventh against White's advanced passer (Havasi-Kiprov, Ol, Munich, 1936).

14.Be2 Qb6 15.0-0 Rfc8 16.b5 Bb7 transposes into Zhao Xue-Gu Xiaobing, above.

8...d6 9.Be2 Nbd7 transposes into Koneru-A. Muzychuk, below.

If 6...d6 (6...d5 7.Nf3 b6 8.e3 Bb7 transposes into Drozdovskij-Zakhartsov, above) 7.Nf3 Nbd7 8.e3 b6 then:

If 9.Be2 Bb7 10.0-0 then:

If 10...Ne4 then:

If 11.Qc2 f5 12.b4 Rf6 13.d5 then:

If 13...Rg6 then:

If 14.Bb2 c5 then:

If 15.Rad1 Qe7 then:

16.g3 Rf8 17.Ne1 exd5 18.cxd5 Ne5 19.Ng2 gives White a strong central pawn and the Knight can come to f4, giving her the advantage in space (Koneru-A. Muzychuk, Euro Club CupW, Ohrid, 2009).
16.bxc5 Ndxc5 17.dxe6 Nxe6 18.Rfe1 N4g5 19.Kh1 Be4 give Black a strong intiative and she has such a solid position that it would be pointless for White to launch an immediate attack (Peng-Chiburdanidze, OlW, Bled, 2002).

15.bxc5 Ndxc5 16.Rad1 Qe7 17.g3 Rf8 18.Bc1 e5 gives Black the advantage in space (Akobian-Moiseenko, Torre Mem, Yucatán, 2008).

If 14.Nd4 Qg5 15.g3 then:

If 15...Ne5 16.Nxe6 Rxe6 17.dxe6 Qg6 then:

18.Qb3 Ng5 19.e4 f4 20.f3 Nxe6 21.Kg2 gives White the material advantage; Black has more activity from his minor pieces and more space (Drozdovskij-Grischuk, Rpd, Odessa, 2007).
18.Rd1 Ng5 19.Rd5 Ngf3+ 20.Bxf3 Nxf3+ 21.Kf1 Nxh2+ gives White the exchange, a passed pawn and more space, but with the White King in check Black should level the material balance (Bocharov-Lysyj, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2007).

15...exd5 16.cxd5 Bxd5 17.Bc4 Bxc4 18.Qxc4+ Kh8 19.Qc6 gives White a fierce attack on the queenside and more space in compensation for the pawn minus (Kramnik-J. Polgar, IT, Sofia, 2005).

If 13...exd5 14.Bb2 Rg6 then:

If 15.Rad1 dxc4 16.Bxc4+ Kh8 17.Bd5 then:

17...c6?! 18.Bxc6 Rc8 19.b5 Ng5 20.Qxf5! Bxc6 21.bxc6 Rxc6 22.Nh4 gives White a dazzling attack in the center and on the kingside; White soon wins (I. Sokolov-Kristjansson, Op, Selfoss, Iceland, 2002).
If 17...Bxd5! 18.Rxd5 then:

18...Ndf6?! 19.Rxf5! Qd7 20.Rf4 Re8 21.Nh4 gives White a strong kingside initiative (Roiz-Butnorius, Masters, Gibraltar, 2007).
18...c5 19.Rxf5 Qe8 20.Ne5 Nxe5 21.Qxe4 gives White the initiative and a small advantage in space, but Black is a long ways from beaten.

15.cxd5 Bxd5 16.Bc4 Bxc4 17.Qxc4+ Kh8 18.Qf7 c5 is equal (Dobrov-Tiviakov, Op, Neiva, Colombia, 2005).

11.Qd3 f5 12.b4 Qf6 13.Bb2 Rae8 14.Qb3 Qg6 15.Qa4 gives White a slight advantage in space (Z. Kozul-Grosar, Op, Portoroz, 1997).

10...c5 11.b4 Qe7 12.Bb2 Rfc8 13.dxc5 dxc5 14.Rfd1 gives Whie a small advantage in space (Kramnik-Karpov, IT, Prague, 2002).

If 9.b4 Bb7 10.Bb2 Ne4 11.Qc2 f5 12.Bd3 then:

12...a5 13.0-0 then:

13...Ng5 14.Nxg5 Qxg5 15.f4 Qg6 is equal (Farago-Nicholson, IT, Esbjerg, Denmark, 1981).
If 13...Qe7 14.Nd2 then:

14...Qh4!? 15.f3 Nef6 16.d5 axb4 17.axb4 gives Black more space on the kingside and White more space on the queenside (Leotard-Birarov, Corres, 2001).
14...Nxd2 15.Qxd2 Qg5 16.f3 axb4 17.axb4 alsogives Black more space on the kingside and White more space on the queenside.

If 12...Ndf6 13.0-0 then:

If 13...Ng4 14.h3 Ngf6 15.Nd2 then:

15...Nxd2 16.Qxd2 Ne4 17.Qe1 Qg5 18.f3 Ng3 19.Rf2 Rf6 20.Kh2 refutes Black's attack and the initiative now goes over White (Saeed-Sisniega, ITZ, Taxco, 1985).
15...Ng5 16.f3 Qe8 17.h4 Nf7 18.e4 Nh6 19.exf5 exf5 20.Rfe1 gives White a small advantage in space (Ker-Chandler, IT, Wellington, New Zealand, 1988).

13...Qe8 14.Nd2 Ng5 15.f3 Qh5 16.d5 exd5 17.Bxf5 Rae8 18.Rfe1 White's King remains safe (Rodríguez López-Mascarenhas, Corres, 1999).

(Noa Variation) If 4...d5 5.cxd5 then:

If 5...exd5 then:

If 6.Bg5 (a nexus between the Nimzo-Indian and the Rogozin Defense to the Queen's Gambit) 6...c5 then:

If 7.Nf3 then:

If 7...h6 then:

8.Bh4 g5 9.Bg3 Ne4 10. e3 Bf5 11. Bd3 c4 12. Bxe4 Bxe4 is equal (Malakhov-Ponomariov, World Cup (½-final rd rpd TB), Khanty-Mansiysk, 2009).
If 8.Bxf6 Qxf6 9.a3 Ba5 10.e3 0-0 then:

If 11.dxc5 Bxc3+ 12.Qxc3 Qxc3+ 13.bxc3 Be6 14.Rb1 Nd7 15.Rxb7 Nxc5 16.Rb5 Rfc8 17.Nd4 Ne4 18.Rb3 a5 19.f3 Nxc3 20.Kd2 gives White the initiative (Botsari-Gaponenko, Euro ChW, Kusadasi, 2006).
If 11.Be2 Bf5 12.Qd2 c4 13.0-0 Qd6 14.Nh4 Bh7 15.Bd1 Nd7 16.Bc2 Bxc2 17.Qxc2 Rfe8 18.Nf5 Qe6 is equal (R. Kaufman-Berg, Op, Hastings, 2008-09)

If 7...Nbd7 then:

If 8.e3 Qa5 9.Bd3 c4 10.Bf5 0-0 11.0-0 Re8 12.Nd2 g6 then:

If 13.Bxd7 Nxd7 then:

14.h4 Nb6 15.f3 Bf8 16.e4 Bg7 17.Be3 Be6 18.a4 Bd7 is equal (Cheparinov-Mamedyarov, World Cup, Khanty Mansiysk, 2007).
If 14.a3 Bxc3 15.bxc3 Nb6 16.f3 Bd7 then:

17.h4 Ba4 18.Qc1 Bc6 19.Rb1 Re6 20.Re1 Rae8 21.Nf1 Na4 22.Rb4 Qc7 23.Re2 b5 gives Black the advantage in space (Valerga-Peralta, Argentine Ch, La Plata, 2009).
17.Rfe1 Ba4 18.Qc1 Bc6 19.Ra2 Re6 gives Black a small edge in space (Kasparov-Tatai, Ol, Dubai, 1986).

If 14.Rae1 Nb6 15.f3 then:

15...Bxc3 16.bxc3 Na4 17.Rc1 f6 18.Bh6 b5 19.h4 Qc7 20.Bf4 Qf7 is equal (Romanko-Zdebskaja, TTW, Ningbo, 2009).
15...Bd7 16.h4 Na4 17.Ndb1 Bf8 18.e4 Nb6 is equal (Zhu Chen-Dreev, Grand Prix, Dubai, 2002).

If 13.Bh3 then:

If 13...Bxc3 then:

If 14.Qxc3 Qxc3 15.bxc3 Ne4 16.Nxe4 dxe4 then:

If 17.Rfb1 Nb6 then:

If 18.Bxc8 Raxc8 19.a4 Nd5 20.Rxb7 Nxc3 then:

21.a5 a6 22.Kf1 Nd5 23.Ke1 c3 24.Kd1 c2+ 25.Kd2 Rc3 is equal (Seirawan-Sosonko, IT, Wijk aan Zee, 1986).
If 21.Rxa7 Nd5 22.Rc1 c3 23.Kf1 Nb4 24.Rb7 Rc4 gives White an extra pawn, but Black has an advancing passer (Dreev-L. González, Op, Santa Barbara de Casa, 1992).

If 18.Rb5 f5 19.g4 fxg4 20.Bf1 Bd7 21.Rxb6 axb6 22.Bxc4+ Kg7 leave Black up by the exchange (Sakaev-Lautier, World Cup, Khanty-Mansiysk, 2005).

17.Bg4 Nb6 18.Be2 Be6 19.Rab1 Rac8 20.Rfc1 Rc7 21.f3 gives White the initiative (Karpov-Milov, Rpd, Cap d'Agde, 2002).

If 14.bxc3 Ne4 15.Nxe4 dxe4 16.Bxd7 Bxd7 17.Bf4 Re6 then:

18.d5 Ba4 19.Qd2 Rd8 20.d6 Qc5 is equal (Grivas-Hector, EU ChT, Haifa, 1989).
18.Rfb1 Qd5 19.a4 a5 20.Qb2 Bc6 is equal (Pinter-Sosonko, IT, Heninge, 1988).

13...Kg7 14.Rae1 Ne4 15.Ndxe4 dxe4 16.Bf4 f5 17.f3 Nf6 18.a3 Bxc3 19.bxc3 h5 20.Qf2 Bd7 21.Qg3 is equal (Grischuk-Morozevich, FIDE World Ch Trmt, San Luis, 2007).

If 8.dxc5 h6 9.Bd2 Bxc5 10.e3 0-0 then:

If 11.Bd3 a6 12.0-0 Bd6 13.e4 dxe4 14.Nxe4 Nxe4 15.Bxe4 Nf6 16.Bf5 Bxf5 17.Qxf5 Qc8 18.Qd3 draw (Dreev-Zvjaginsev, IT, Poikovsky, 2006).
11.Be2 a6 12.0-0 b5 13.a4 b4 14.Na2 a5 15.Nc1 Bd6 16.Nb3 Ne5 is equal (Cifuentes-Jobava, Ol, Calvia, 2004).

If 7.dxc5 h6 8.Bh4 g5 9.Bg3 Ne4 10.e3 then:

If 10...Qa5 11.Nge2 Bf5 12.Be5 0-0 13.Nd4 then:

13...Re8 14.Bxb8 Nxc3 15.Nxf5 Ne4+ 16.Kd1 Raxb8 17.f3 Nf6 18.Bd3 Bxc5 draw (Sundararajan-Villavicencio, Op, Andorra, 2006).
13...Nxc3 then after 14.Nxf5 Ne4+ 15.Kd1 Nc6 16.Bd4 White has an extra pawn (Shabalov-Stefansson, Mindsports Rpd, Beijing, 2008).

10...Nc6 11.Nf3 Qa5 12.Nd2 Nxc3 13.bxc3 Bxc3 14.Rb1 Qxc5 15.Rb5 Qa3 16.Rb3 Bxd2+ 17.Qxd2 Qa5 18.Qxa5 Nxa5 19.Rb5 Nc6 20.h4 g4 is equal (Eljanov-Farago, Rpd Op, Mainz, 2008).

If 6...h6 7.Bxf6 Qxf6 8.a3 Bxc3+ 9.Qxc3 0-0 10.e3 c6 11.Nf3 then:

If 11...Bf5 12.Be2 Nd7 13.0-0 Rfe8 14.b4 Rac8 15.Rfc1 Qd6 16.Qb2 Bg4 then:

If 17.Bd3 then:

17...Qf6 18.Nd2 h5 19.h3 Bf5 20.Bxf5 Qxf5 21.Qc2 is equal (Dreev-Kulaots, Greek ChT, Ermioni, 2006).
17...Bxf3 18.gxf3 Qf6 19.f4 Re7 20.Qe2 Rce8 21.Qg4 is equal.

17.a4 f5 18.Qd2 f4 19.exf4 Re4 is equal.

11...Re8 12.Bd3 Bf5 13.Bxf5 Qxf5 14.0-0 Nd7 15.Rac1 Nf6 16.Qc2 Qxc2 17.Rxc2 Ne4 18.Nd2 Nd6 19.g3 a5 20.a4 Ra6 21.b3 f5 draw (Petrosian-Averbakh, IT, Saltjobaden, 1952).

If 6.e3 c5 then:

If 7.a3 Bxc3+ 8.bxc3 0-0 9.Nf3 b6 10.c4 then:

10...Qc6 11.Bd3 Bb7 12.Bb2 cxd4 13.exd4 Nbd7 14.0-0 Rac8 15.Rfe1 h6 16.a4 Rfd8 17.Qe2 Qd6 18.Nd2 a5 19.Nf1 Re8 20.Ne3 Be4 21.Bxe4 Nxe4 22.Qd3 Qf4 is equal (van Wely-Jakovenko, Spanish ChT, San Sebastián, 2006).
10...Qh5 11.Be2 Bb7 12.0-0 Nbd7 is equal (van Wely-Short, Staunton Mem TM, London, 2009).

If 7.Bd2 Bxc3 8.Bxc3 cxd4 9.Bxd4 Nc6 10.Bc3 0-0 11.Nf3 Rd8 12.Be2 Qe4 13.Qb3 Nd5 14.Bd2 Qg6 15.0-0 e5 16.Rfd1 e4 gives Black the initiative (Kasparov-Kramnik, Rpd M, Moscow, 2001).

If 6.Nf3 Qf5 then:

If 7.Qb3 then:

If 7...Nc6 then:

If 8.Bd2 0-0 9.e3 Rd8 10.Be2 then:

10...e5 11.Nxe5 Be6 12.g4 Qxe5 13.dxe5 Bxb3 14.exf6 Be6 15.f4 gxf6 16.0-0-0 Kg7 17.Rhg1 Na5 18.b3 Nxb3+ 19.axb3 Bxb3 20.Nb5 Bxd1 21.Rxd1 Bxd2+ 22.Rxd2 Rxd2 23.Kxd2 is equal (Ivanchuk-Anand, IT, Monte Carlo, 1996).
10...a6 11.Rd1 e5 12.Bc4 is equal (Gagunashvili-Turova, Op, Dubai, 2009).

8.a3 Ba5 9.e3 0-0 10.Qb5 e5 11.Bd3 Qg4 12.0-0 a6 13.Qb3 Bxc3 14.Qxc3 e4 gives Black the initiative (Beliavsky-Short, FIDE Knock Out, Las Vegas, 1999).

7...c5 8.a3 Ba5 9.Qc4 Bxc3+ 10.Qxc3 Nbd7 11.g4 Qe4 12.dxc5 0-0 13.g5 Nd5 14.Qd4 Qxd4 15.Nxd4 Nxc5 16.Bg2 Rd8 17.b4 e5 18.bxc5 exd4 19.Rb1 b6 20.cxb6 axb6 21.Bxd5 Rxd5 22.Rxb6 gives White an extra pawn (Vitugiov-Tiviakov, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2009).

If 7.Qxf5 exf5 8.a3 then:

If 8...Be7 9.Bf4 c6 10.e3 then:

10...Nbd7 11.Nd2 Nb6 12.Nc4 Nxc4 13.Bxc4 Be6 14.Bxe6 fxe6 15.Ke2 Kd7 16.Rac1 Rhg8 17.h3 Rac8 18.Nb1 Nd5 19.Be5 Bf6 draw (Timoshchenko-Wojtaszek, Czech ChT, Czechia, 2005).
10...Be6 11.Nd2 0-0 12.Nc4 Nd5 13.Bd6 draw (Psakhis-Suba, Op, Benasque, 2005).

8...Bd6 9.Nb5 Be6 10.e3 Nc6 11.Bd2 a6 12.Nxd6+ cxd6 13.Bd3 Ne7 14.Ng5 Bd5 15.f3 h6 16.Nh3 Rc8 17.Ke2 Bc4 18.Rac1 Bxd3+ 19.Kxd3 Kd7 is equal (Timman-Jussupow, IT, Frankfurt, 1998).

(Hübner Variation) If 4...c5 5.dxc5 Bxc5 6.Nf3 then:

If 6...Qb6 7.e3 Qc7 then:

If 8.b3 a6 9.Bb2 then:

If 9...Be7 10.g4 h6 then:

11.0-0-0 b5 12.Nd4 Bb7 13.Rg1 bxc4 14.Bxc4 Nc6 15.Nxc6 Qxc6 16.Kb1 Rc8 17.Qe2 d5 18.Bd3 Bb4 19.Na4 Qd6 20.h4 Kf8 21.g5 gives White a slight initiative (Akobian-Kuzubov, SPICE Cup A, Texas Tech U, 2009).
If 11.Rg1 Nc6 12.h4 h5 13.gxh5 Nxh5 then:

14.Be2 d5 15.cxd5 exd5 16.Nxd5 gives White the initiative (Nogueiras-Korchnoi, ITZ, Zagreb, 1987).
If 14.0-0-0 Nb4 15.Qd2 b5 16.a3 remains equal.

If 9...b6 then:

10.Bd3 Bb7 11.Ne4 Be7 12.0-0 d6 13.Nxf6+ gxf6 14.Be4 Nd7 15.Rac1 h5 16.Rfd1 Rc8 17.Nd2 gives White the advantage in space (Gupta-Kotsur, Op, Dubai, 2005).
10.Be2 Bb7 11.0-0 Be7 12.Rad1 d6 13.Bd3 Nbd7 14.Qe2 0-0 15.e4 Rfe8 16.Rfe1 Bf8 17.Bb1 gives White a small advantage in space (Gunawan-Razuvaev, Op, Biel, 1994).

8.Be2 a6 9.0-0 Be7 10.e4 d6 11.Rd1 0-0 12.Nd4 b6 is equal (Berry-Waters, British Ch, Scarborough, 2001).

If 6...Nc6 7.Bg5 then:

If 7...h6 8.Bh4 then:

8...Be7 9.Rd1 0-0 10.e4 Nh5 11.Bxe7 Qxe7 12.Be2 d6 13.0-0 Rd8 14.Rd2 Nf4 15.Rfd1 e5 16.Nd5 Nxd5 17.cxd5 Nb8 18.Rc1 gives White better development and the advantage in space; on the bight side for Black, he has a good Bishop (Gagunashvili-Ibragimov, Op, Las Vegas, 2006).
8...Qa5 9.Bxf6 gxf6 10.e3 Bb4 11.Be2 Bxc3+ 12.bxc3 b6 13.0-0 Bb7 14.Nd4 Qg5 15.g3 Qc5 16.Nb3 Qe5 is equal (Stahlberg-Grünfeld, IT, Ujpest, 1934).
If 7...0-0 8.a3 then:

If 8...Nd4 9.Nxd4 Bxd4 10.e3 Qa5 11.exd4 Qxg5 12.Qd2 Qxd2+ 13.Kxd2 b6 14.b4 then:

14...Bb7 15.f3 d6 16.Bd3 Rfc8 17.Rhc1 Kf8 18.Ne4 Nxe4+ 19.Bxe4 d5 20.cxd5 Bxd5 21.Bxd5 draw (Cramling-Akesson, Rilton Cup, Stockholm, 1999).
14...d6 15.Bd3 Rd8 16.f3 h5 17.h4 Kf8 18.Rhe1 Bd7 19.Rab1 Rac8 20.Rec1 e5 is equal (Kasparov-Kramnik, IT, Tilburg, 1997).

8...b6 9.e3 Be7 10.Be2 Bb7 11.0-0 Rc8 12.Rfd1 h6 13.Bh4 Na5 14.b3 d5 15.Qb2 Qe8 16.cxd5 Nxd5 17.Bb5 Qd8 18.Nxd5 Bxh4 19.Nxh4 Bxd5 20.e4 Qxh4 21.exd5 is equal (M. Gurevich-Sulskis, Op, Isle of Man, 2007).

(Zürich Variation) If 4...Nc6 5.Nf3 d6 then:

If 6.Bd2 0-0 7.a3 Bxc3 8.Bxc3 Re8 then:

If 9.e3 e5 10.d5 Ne7 11.e4 Nh5 12.g3 f5 13.Nd2 then:

If 13...Rf8 14.exf5 Bxf5 15.Ne4 Nf6 16.Bg2 Qe8 17.0-0 Qh5 18.Rae1 Nxe4 19.Bxe4 Bh3 20.Bg2 Bxg2 21.Kxg2 then:

21...Rf3!? 22.Qe4 Raf8 23.Re3 Rxe3 24.Qxe3 is equal (Johannessen-De Vreugt, Bundesliga 0809, Germany, 2008).
If 21...Qf3+! 22.Kg1 b5 gives Black more space.

If 13...fxe4 14.Nxe4 Bf5 15.Bg2 Qd7 16.Qe2 Bg6 17.0-0 Bxe4 18.Bxe4 Nf6 19.Bg2 gives White the advantage in space and two Bishops against two Knights (Malakhatko-Herberla, Euro Ch, Kusadasi, 2006).

If 9.Rd1 Qe7 10.e3 e5 11.d5 Nb8 12.Be2 Bg4 13.e4 a5 14.b4 axb4 15.axb4 Nh5 16.Ng1 Qg5 17.Bxg4 Qxg4 18.f3 Qg5 19.Qd2 Qh4+ 20.Qf2 Qxf2+ 21.Kxf2 gives White more freedom (Kharitonov-Henrichs, Op, Pardubice, 2005).

If 6.a3 Bxc3+ 7.Qxc3 then:

If 7...0-0 8.b4 e5 9.dxe5 then:

9...Ne4 10.Qe3 f5 11.Bb2 Nxe5 12.Nxe5 dxe5 13.Rd1 Qe7 14.g3 Be6 15.Bg2 Nd6 16.Bxe5 Nxc4 is equal (Milner-Barry- Menchik, IT, Cambridge, 1932).
If 9...Nxe5 10.Nxe5 dxe5 11.Qxe5 Re8 12.Qb2 Ne4 13.Bf4 then:

After 13...Bf5 14.f3 g5 15.Bc1 Nd6 16.Qc3 f6 17.Bb2 Kg7 18.0-0-0 Qe7 19.e4 White soon won (Flohr- Milner-Barry, IT, London, 1932).
If 13...a5 14.f3 Ng5 15.Rd1 Qe7 16.e3 axb4 17.axb4 Ne6 18.Bg3 gives White the advantage in space (D. Collas-van Hoolandt, Mediterranean Ch, Beirut, 2003).

If 7...a5 8.b3 0-0 9.Bb2 then:

9...Re8 10.e3 e5 11.dxe5 dxe5 12.Rd1 Qe7 13.Be2 Bg4 14.0-0 Bh5 15.Rfe1 Ne4 16.Qc2 gives White a slight initiative (Johannessen-Taimanov, Op, Reykjavik, 1968).
9...Qe7 10.e3 Re8 11.Be2 e5 12.d5 Nb8 13.Nd2 b5 14.e4 bxc4 15.bxc4 Nbd7 16.0-0 Nc5 is equal (Drozdovskij-Stavroyany, Ukrainian ChU16, Kiev, 2000).

(Sämisch Opening) If 4.a3 Bxc3+ 5.bxc3 then:

If 5...c5 6.e3 b6 7.Bd3 then:

If 7...Nc6 8.Ne2 then:

If 8...Ba6 9.Ne2 then:

If 9...0-0 10.Bg6 h6 11.Bh4 then:

11...g5 12.Bg3 d6 13.f4 Na5 14.fxg5 hxg5 15.0-0 is equal (Zhao Jun - Xiu Deshun, Chinese Ch, Xinghua, , 2011)
11...e5 12.0-0 g5 13.Bg3 d6 14.f4 Ng4 15.fxe5 dxe5 16.Qa4 Na5 is equal (A. Schmidt-Hartl, Youth Trmt, Baviera, 2000/01).

If 9...cxd4 10.cxd4 e5 then:

11.f4 exd4 12.e5 Ng4 13.Nxd4 Ngxe5 14.0-0 gives White more space and better development (Eazt-Sipila, Ol, Khanty-Mansiysk, 2010).
11.Bb2 Qc7 12.Qa4 Bb7 13.d5 Ne7 14.Qb4 gives White a fair advantage in space.

If 8...0-0 9.e4 Ne8 10.0-0 Ba6 11.f4 f5 then:

If 12.exf5 exf5 13.dxc5 bxc5 14.Be3 d6 15.Ng3 g6 then:

If 16.Bxf5 gxf5 17.Qd5+ Rf7 18.Qxc6 Bb7 19.Qa4 Qf6 then:

20.Rab1!? Ng7 21.Qd1 Re8 22.Re1 Qg6 23.Bf2 gives White more space and a slight initiative (Nakamura-And. Volokitin, YM, Cuernavaca, 2006).
20.Rfe1! Ng7 21.Qc2 Re7 22.Qd2 Rae8 23.Bf2! gives White a slight advantage in space; the most serious pawn weakness on the board is Black d-pawn.

16.Re1 Na5 17.Nf1 Nf6 18.Bf2 Qd7 19.Ne3 gives White a slight advantage in space (I. Sokolov-Grischuk, Rpd Op, Calatrava, 2007).

If 12.Ng3 g6 13.Be3 then:

If 13...cxd4 14.cxd4 d5 15.cxd5 Bxd3 16.Qxd3 fxe4 17.Qxe4 Qxd5 18.Qxd5 exd5 19.Rac1 then:

If 19...Na5 20.f5 then:

If 20...Nc4 21.Bg5 Ned6 22.Be7 gives White a slight advantage in space (Jussupow-Cvitan, ZT, Dresden, 1998).
20...Nd6 21.Bg5 Rf7 22.Rce1 Nac4 is equal (Aleksandrov-Yegiazarian, Russia Cup, Minsk, 2000).

19...Ne7 20.Bd2 Rf7 21.Be3 Nc6 22.Bd2 Ne7 draw (Bluvshtein-Mareco, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2011).

13...Nd6 14.exf5 Nxc4 15.Bxc4 Bxc4 16.fxg6 Bxf1 17.Qh5 Qe7 18.Rxf1 hxg6 19.Qxg6+ gives White a comfortable advantage (Jussupow-Karpov, Candidates' M ½-final, London, 1989).

If 7...Bb7 8.f3 Nc6 9.Ne2 0-0 10.e4 Ne8 then:

If 11.Be3 d6 12.0-0 Na5 13.Ng3 Qd7 then:

If 14.f4 f5 then:

15.Qe2 g6 16.Rad1 gives White a small advantage in space (Gligoric-Beni, IT, Dubrovnik, 1950).
15.d5 g6 16.Qc2 fxe4 17.Nxe4 exd5 18.cxd5 Bxd5 gives Black a small advantage in space and more freedom; White has the Bishop in a position where it may be useful (Cherepkov-Kholmov, Soviet Ch semif, Leningrad, 1955).

14.a4 Ba6 15.Qe2 cxd4 16.cxd4 Rc8 17.Rac1 Qxa4 18.c5 Bxd3 19.Qxd3 dxc5 is equal(Szabo-German, Ol, Helsinki, 1952).

If 11.0-0 (White has a small advantage in space) 11...Na5 then:

If 12.Ng3 cxd4 13.cxd4 Rc8 then:

If 14.f4!? Nxc4! (Black has the advantage in space) 15.f5 f6 16.Rf4?! b5! 17.Rh4 Qb6 18.e5?! Nxe5!! 19.fxe6 Nxd3 20.Qxd3 Qxe6 leaves Black up by two pawns and he soon won (Geller-Dr. Euwe, Candidates' Trmt, Zürich, 1953).
14.c5 bxc5 15.dxc5 d6 16.cxd6 Qxd6 17.Rb1 maintains a slight advantage for White.

12.Qa4!? Rc8 13.Bf4 Ba6 14.d5 f6 15.Bg3 Qe7 is equal.

If 5...d5 then:

If 6.f3 c5 7.cxd5 then:

If 7...Nxd5 8.dxc5 Qa5 9.e4 then:

If 9...Ne7 10.Be3 0-0 11.Qb3 Qc7 then:

12.a4 Nec6 13.f4 Na5 14.Qa3 Nd7 15.Nf3 b6 16.cxb6 axb6 17.Nd2 Ba6 18.Bxa6 Rxa6 19.0-0 Rfa8 20.Qb4 Nb7 21.Ra2 Qc6 is equal (Khalifman-van der Wiel, IT, Wijk aan Zee, 1991).
12.Nh3 e5 13.Nf2 Nec6 14.Rb1 Na5 15.Qa4 Be6 16.Be2 Nd7 17.Rb5 b6 18.0-0 Rfb8 19.Rfb1 h6 20.g3 bxc5 21.Rxb8+ Rxb8 22.Rxb8+ Nxb8 23.Qe8+ gives White a clear advantage (Arencibia-Lobron, IZ, Manila, 1990).
12.Bb5 Nec6 13.Rd1 e5 14.Qa2 Na5 15.Qd5 Bd7 16.Bxd7 Rd8 17.Qd6 Qxd6 18.Rxd6 Nxd7 19.Kf2 Nc4 20.Rd5 Nf6 21.Rxd8+ Rxd8 22.Ne2 Rc8 23.Rb1 gives White an extra pawn and a small advantage in space (Timman-Karpov, IT, Linares, 1990).

9...Nf6 10.Be3 0-0 11.Qb3 Nfd7 12.a4 Qc7 13.Qa3 b6 14.a5 bxc5 15.Nh3 Ba6 16.Bxa6 Nxa6 17.Qa4 Ne5 is equal (Milov-Razuvaev, Op, Biel, 1994).

If 7...exd5 8.e3 then:

If 8...0-0 9.Bd3 b6 10.Ne2 Ba6 then:

If 11.0-0 Re8 12.Ng3 Bxd3 13.Qxd3 Nc6 then:

If 14.Ra2 Qd7 15.Re2 Rad8 16.Bb2 Re6 17.Rd1 g6 18.e4 dxe4 19.fxe4 h5 20.Ree1 Qe7 then:

21.Qf3 h4 22.Nf1 Nxe4 gives Black an extra pawn (Borg-Kunte, Ol, Istanbul, 2000).
21.Qf1 Nxe4 22.Rxe4 Rxe4 23.Nxe4 Qxe4 is equal (Serper-Onischuk, US Ch, San Diego, 2006).

If 14.Bb2 Rc8 15.Rae1 then:

15...Na5 16.e4 Nc4 17.Bc1 b5 18.Bg5 Qb6 19.Bxf6 Qxf6 20.exd5 cxd4 21.cxd4 a6 is equal (Miedema-Hort, Op, Hoogeveen, 2008).
15...cxd4 16.cxd4 Qc7 17.e4 Ne7 18.e5 gives White more freedom (Gligoric-Damljanovic, IT, Sarajevo, 1969).

If 11.Bxa6 Nxa6 12.0-0 then:

If 12...Nc7 13.Ng3 Re8 14.Qd3 Ne6 15.Bb2 then:

15...Qd7 16.e4 cxd4 17.cxd4 dxe4 18.Nxe4 Nxe4 19.Qxe4 Nc7 20.Qd3 Nd5 21.Rae1 Rxe1 22.Rxe1 Re8 23.Re5 f6 24.Rxe8+ Qxe8 is equal is equal (Tomic-Szabo, IT, Vinkovci, 1970).
15...Rc8 16.Rad1 Qc7 17.Rc1 g6 18.e4 c4 is equal (Radjabov-Mateo, Op, Biel, 2000).

12...Re8 13.Ng3 Qd7 14.Ra2 Rac8 15.Re2 cxd4 16.cxd4 Rc4 is equal (Hensbergen-Teplyi, Politiken Cup, Helsingør, 2007).

If 8...Qc7 9.Ra2 Bf5 then:

10.Ne2 cxd4 11.cxd4 Nbd7 12.g4 Bg6 13.Bg2 Rc8 14.0-0 Nb6 15.Nf4 Bc2 16.Qe1 0-0 is equal (Harika-Spraggett, Masters, Gibraltar, 2007).
If 10.g4 then:

10...Be6 11.Ne2 Nc6 12.Nf4 0-0-0 13.g5 Nd7 14.Bd3 Kb8 15.0-0 Nb6 16.a4 is equal (Shirov-Lerner, ZT, Lvov, 1990).
10...Bd7 11.Bd3 Nc6 draw (Bauer-Graf, Op, Bad Zwesten, 2006).

If 6.e3 c5 7.cxd5 exd5 8.Bd3 0-0 9.Ne2 then:

If 9...b6 10.0-0 Ba6 11.Bxa6 Nxa6 then:

12.Bb2 Qd7 13.a4 Rfe8 14.Qd3 c4 gives Black a fair advantage in space (Botvinnik-Capablanca, AVRO, Holland, 1938).
If 12.Qd3 then:

12...Nc7 13.dxc5 bxc5 14.c4 Rb8 15.Qc2 dxc4 16.Rd1 Qe7 is equal (Kotov-Benko, IT, Budapest, 1949).
12...Qc8 13.f3 Re8 14.Ng3 Qb7 15.Ra2 Re6 16.Re2 Rae8 17.Rfe1 h5 18.Qf5 gives White a small advantage in space (Beliavsky-Short, IT, Linares, 1990).

If 9...Nc6 10.0-0 Re8 11.f3 then:

11...b6 12.Ng3 Bb7 13.Ra2 Rc8 14.Re2 cxd4 15.cxd4 Na5 16.Kh1 is equal (Kanko-Minev, ZT, Halle, 1963).
11...Bd7 12.Ng3 Qc7 13.Ra2 h6 14.Re2 Re7 15.Ree1 Rae8 16.Qd2 Qa5 is equal (Rubinetti-Najdorf, IT, Mar del Plata, 1971).

If 5...0-0 6.f3 then:

If 6...Ne8 7.e4 b6 8.Bd3 Ba6 9.Nh3 Nc6 10.0-0 Na5 11.Qe2 c5 12.e5 f6 then:

13.Bf4 cxd4 14.cxd4 Rc8 15.Rac1 Qe7 16.Rc3 d5 17.exd6 Nxd6 18.c5 Bxd3 19.Qxd3 bxc5 20.dxc5 Nf7 21.Qa6 gives White a fair advantage with a passed pawn (S. Volkov-Pashikian, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2008).
13.Be3 Rc8 14.Rac1 d5 15.Nf4 Nc7 16.exf6 Qxf6 17.cxd5 Bxd3 18.Qxd3 cxd4 19.cxd4 Nxd5 20.Nxd5 exd5 21.Bf2 Nc4 is equal (Topalov-Leko, Candidates' M Final, Dortmund, 2002).

If 6...Nh5 7.Nh3 f5 then:

If 8.e4 then:

8...c5 9.e5 Nc6 10.f4 g6 11.Be2 b6 12.0-0 Ng7 13.Be3 gives White the advantage in space (Bronstein-Szabo, IZ, Budapest, 1950).
8...fxe4 9.Be2 e5 10.0-0 d6 11.fxe4 Bxh3 12.Bxh5 Be6 13.Rxf8+ Qxf8 14.Ra2 Nd7 15.Rf2 gives White the advantage in space (Berkes-Dzagnidze, Op, Gibraltar, 2009).

If 8.e3 d6 then:

9.Nf2 e5 10.f4 Nf6 11.fxe5 dxe5 12.c5 Nc6 is equal; White is already paying a price in lagging development for not being able to develop his Knight to f3 (Volkov-Izoria, Euro ChT, Saint Vincent, 2005).
If 9.Bd3 e5 10.0-0 Nc6 11.f4 Qe8 12.fxe5 dxe5 13.Ra2 e4 14.Be2 Nf6 15.a4 is equal (Geller-Pogats, IT, Schiavno Zdroj, 1950).

If 5...b6 6.f3 d5 7.Bg5 then:

If 7...h6 8.Bh4 Ba6 9.e4 Bxc4 10.Bxc4 dxc4 11.Qa4+ Qd7 12.Qxc4 then:

12...Qc6 13.Qd3 Nbd7 14.Ne2 Rd8 15.0-0 a5 16.Qc2 Qc4 gives White the advantage in space and the superior center(Lilienthal-Capablanca, IT 3435, Hastings, 1935).
12...Nc6 13.Ne2 Na5 14.Qd3 Qc6 15.0-0 0-0-0 16.Rab1 g5 17.Bg3 Nh5 18.f4 gives White the advantage in space (Dr. Alekhine-Eliskases, IT 3334, Hastings, 1934).

7...Ba6 8.e4 Bxc4 9.Bxc4 dxc4 10.Qa4+ Qd7 11.Qxc4 gives White the advantage in space (Veresov-Yudovich, Soviet Ch, Leningrad, 1934).

4...b6

If 4...c5 then:

If 5.g3 then:

If 5...cxd4 6.Nxd4 0-0 7.Bg2 d5 8.cxd5 Nxd5 then:

If 9.Qb3 Nc6 10.Nxc6 bxc6 11.0-0 then:

If 11...Qa5 12.Bd2 Bxc3 13.bxc3 Ba6 14.Rfd1 then:

If 14...Qc5 15.e4 then:

If 15...Bc4 16.Qa4 Nb6 17.Qb4 Qh5 18.Bf4 then:

If 18...c5 then:

If 19.Qb2 Rad8 20.Rxd8 Rxd8 21.f3 f5 22.exf5 Qxf5 is equal (Bacrot-Carlsen, IT, Biel, 2008 ).
19.Qa5 Rfc8 20.h3 f6 21.Be3 e5 is equal (Cheparinov-Karjakin, Grand Prix, Baku, 2008).

18...e5 19.Be3 Be2 20.Re1 Nc4 21.Qc5 Rfd8 22.Rab1 h6 23.h3 Nxe3 24.Qxe3 Bc4 is equal (Najer-Jakovenko, Russian Ch, Moscow, 2006).

If 15...Nb6 16.Be3 Qh5 17.Bxb6 Rfb8 then:

18.Rd6 Rxb6 19.Qd1 Qxd1+ 20.Raxd1 g5 gives White a little bit mor more space, command of the d-file and the initiative (Onischuk-Zantonskih, GMT, Stillwater, 2005).
18.Rd7 axb6 19.e5 Bb5 20.c4 Ba4 21.Qe3 gives White a great deal more space, command of the d-file and the seventh rank and the initiative.
14...Rab8 15.c4 Qc5 16.cxd5 Rxb3 17.axb3 Bxe2 18.Re1 cxd5 19.Rxe2 Qb6 20.b4 Rc8 21.Be1 is equal (Nielsen-Savon, Op, Pardubice, 1995).

11...Rb8 12.Na4 Ba6 13.Qc2 Bb5 14.Bf3 Qe7 15.Nc3 Qc5 16.Bd2 Nxc3 17.Bxc3 is equal (Onischuk-Christiansen, US Ch, St. Louis, 2011).

If 9.Bd2 then:

If 9...Bxc3 10.bxc3 e5 11.Nb3 Nc6 12.0-0 Nde7 13.c4 Qc7 14.Qc2 Rd8 15.Rac1 Bf5 16.Qb2 Rac8 17.Bc3 then:

17...b6 18.c5 f6 19.cxb6 axb6 20.Bd2 Be6 21.Bc3 Bf5 22.Bd2 Be6 23.Bc3 Bf5 draw (Razuvaev-Balashov, Soviet Ch, Minsk, 1979).
17...f6 18.Rfe1 b6 19.a4 Be6 20.c5 Bd5 21.e4 Be6 gives Black a small advantage in space (Stocek-Zorko, Op, Nova Gorica, 2004).

If 9...Nxc3 10.bxc3 Be7 11.Rb1 then:

If 11...e5 12.Rxb7 exd4 13.Rb3 then:

13...Be6 14.Bxa8 Na6 15.Bf3 Bxb3 16.Qxb3 d3 17.Qc4 Nc5 18.0-0 gives White an extra pawn and a great deal more space (Kasparov-Anand, Blitz, Wijk aan Zee, 1999).

11...Qd7 12.Bf4 Bf6 13.Nb5 a6 14.Qxd7 Nxd7 15.Nd6 Bxc3+ 16.Kf1 Bf6 is equal (Stohl-Aronian, Vidmar Mem, Portoroz, 1999).

13...Na6 14.Bxa8 Bh3 15.Bf3 Nc5 16.Rb4 Nd3+ 17.exd3 Bxb4 18.cxb4 Re8+ 19.Be4 f5 20.f3 fxe4 21.dxe4 gives White two extra pawns; Black have more space (Staniszewski-Suba, ZT, Warsaw, 1987).

If 5...Nc6 6.Bg2 Ne4 7.Bd2 then:

If 7...Nxd2 8.Qxd2 cxd4 9.Nxd4 Ne5 then:

If 10.Nc2 Be7 then:

If 11.b3 0-0 then:

If 12.0-0 a6 13.Rfd1 then:

13...Qc7 14.Rac1 d6 15.Nd4 Bd7 16.f4 Ng4 17.h3 Nf6 18.g4 is equal (Wang Yue-Z. Almasi, IT, Paks, 2006).
13...Rb8 14.Rac1 b5 15.Qe3 Qc7 16.cxb5 Ng4 17.Qd2 axb5 18.Nd5 exd5 19.Ne3! gives White stronger pawns and the initiative; Black cannot maintain his foremost d-pawn (Sandipan-Bindrich, Masters, Gibraltar, 2010).

12.Rd1 d6 13.Nb5 Qb6 14.0-0 d5 15.Qe3 Qxe3 16.Nxe3 dxc4 17.Nxc4 Nxc4 18.bxc4 Bc5 19.Rd3 Rb8 20.Rb1 g6 21.a4 a5 22.Rbd1 draw (Carlsen-Iordachescu, Op, Dubai, 2004).

11.Ne3 f5 12.0-0 a6 13.Kh1 0-0 14.f4 Nf7 15.Nc2 Qc7 16.b3 Rb8 is equal (Karpov-Suba, World ChT, Lucerne, 1985).

If 10.Nf3 Nxf3+ 11.Bxf3 0-0 then:

12.Rc1 a6 13.0-0 Qc7 14.Rfd1 Rd8 15.Qg5 h6 16.Qh4 gives White a significant advantage in space and development (Inarkiev-Khismatullin, Russian Ch, Tomsk, 2006).
12.0-0 Rb8 13.a3 Bxc3 14.Qxc3 b6 15.Rfd1 Bb7 16.Rd4 f5 17.Rad1 gives White a strong initiative (Moiseenko-Parligras, Euro Ch, Warsaw, 2005).

If 7...Bxc3 8.bxc3 0-0 9.0-0 then:

If 9...Na5 10.Bf4 d5 11.cxd5 Nxc3 12.Qd3 then:

12...cxd4 13.dxe6 Bxe6 14.Ng5 g6 15.Nxe6 fxe6 16.e3 Nc6 gives White an extra pawn (World Rpd Ch, Mainz, 2007).
12...Nxd5 13.Bg5 f6 14.Bd2 c4 15.Qa3 Nc6 16.Qc5 Nb6 is equal (Grischuk-Amin, World ChT, Bursa, 2010).

9...d6 10.Be3 d5 11.Qc2 cxd4 12.Nxd4 Bd7 13.Rfd1 Qc8 14.Nb5 Nf6 15.Rab1 gives White more space and the Bishop pair; Black has superior pawn structure (Radjabov-Gashimov, Euro Club Cup, Kallithea, 2008).

5.e3 0-0 6.Bd3 d5 7.0-0 transposes into the Main Line in the notes to White's fourth move.
If 5.d5 d6 6.Bd2 0-0 7.e3 then:

7...Bxc3 8.Bxc3 Ne4 9.dxe6 Bxe6 10.Qc2 Nxc3 11.Qxc3 Nc6 12.Rd1 Qe7 13.Be2 draw (Navarovszky-Filip, Rubinstein Mem, Polanica Zdroj, 1976).
7...exd5 8.Nxd5 Nxd5 9.cxd5 Bxd2+ 10.Nxd2 Nd7 11.Be2 Nf6 12.Bf3 b5 13.0-0 Bb7 14.Qb3 Qb6 is equal (Pachman-Kholmov, Capablanca Mem, Havana. 1965).

5.e3 Bb7 6.Bd3 0-0

If 6...Ne4 7.0-0 then:

If 7...f5 8.Qc2 Bxc3 9.bxc3 0-0 10.Nd2 Qh4 11.f3 Nxd2 12.Bxd2 Nc6 then:

If 13.Rab1 d6 14.e4 fxe4 15.Bxe4 Na5 16.Bxb7 Nxb7 17.Rbe1 Rae8 then:

18.Re4 Qh5 19.Rfe1 Qg6 is equal (Banikas-Whippermann, Op, Gibraltar, 2008).
18.Qa4 Na5 19.f4 Qh5 20.Rf3 e5 21.dxe5 dxe5 22.f5 Rd8 gives Black the initiative (I. Sokolov-C. Hansen, Ol, Novi Sad, 1990).

13.e4 fxe4 14.Bxe4 Na5 then:

15.Bd3 Ba6 16.Be1 Qh6 17.Qe2 c6 18.Bd2 Qf6 is equal (Portisch-Nikolic, IT, Niksic, 1983).
15.Rae1 Bxe4 16.Rxe4 Qh5 17.Qa4 Nxc4 18.Re2 b5 gives Black an extra pawn and a fierce initiative (Rabinovich-Alekhine, Russian Ch, Moscow, 1920).

7...Bxc3 8.bxc3 0-0 9.Ne1 f5 10.f3 Nf6 then:

11.Qe2 d6 12.e4 fxe4 13.fxe4 e5 14.Nf3 Nc6 15.Bg5 Qe7 16.d5 Na5 is equal (Johansson-Ptacnikova, Euro Club Cup W, Rethymnon, 2003).
11.Nc2 Qe8 12.Ba3 d6 13.c5 dxc5 14.dxc5 Rf7 15.Nd4 bxc5 16.Bxc5 Ba6 17.Rb1 Bxd3 18.Qxd3 Nbd7 19.Qc4 Nd5 20.Ne2 N7b6 draw (Gligoric-Lehmann, Zonal Trmt, Madrid, 1960).

7.0-0 c5

If 7...d5 8.cxd5 exd5 9.Ne5 then:

If 9...Nbd7 10.f4 c5 11.Bd2 Ne4 then:

If 12.Nxe4 dxe4 13.Bc4 Bxd2 14.Qxd2 Nxe5 15.fxe5 Bd5 16.Ba6 then:

16...Qe7 17.dxc5 Qxe5 18.Rfd1 Bc6 is equal (Sadler-Polugaevsky, IT, Hastings, 1992-93).
16...Qg5 17.dxc5 Rfd8 18.Qc3 bxc5 19.Rfd1 Qg6 is equal (Donner-Tarjan, Ol, Haifa, 1976).

12.Be1 Nxe5 13.dxe5 Bxc3 14.bxc3 d4 15.Qc2 c4 16.Bxc4 dxe3 17.Rd1 Qc7 draw (Konstaninopolsky-Sokolsky, Soviet Corres Ch, 1952).

If 9...c5 10.Bd2 Nc6 11.a3 Bxc3 12.Bxc3 then:

12...Re8 13.Nxc6 Bxc6 14.dxc5 bxc5 15.b4 d4 16.exd4 cxd4 17.Bb2 Qd5 18.f3 Ng4 19.Qd2 Ne3 is equal (Gligoric-Ljubojevic, Match, Belgrade, 1979).
12...Nxe5 13.dxe5 Ne4 14.Bxe4 dxe4 15.Qg4 Qe7 16.Rfd1 Qe6 17.Qh4 Bd5 18.Rd2 a5 19.a4 Rab8 20.h3 Rb7 draw (Donner-Petrosian, IT, Hamburg, 1965).

If 9...Bd6 10.f4 c5 11.Qf3 Nc6 12.Qh3 g6 then:

If 13.Kh1 a6 14.Bd2 then:

14...cxd4 15.Nxc6 Bxc6 16.exd4 b5 17.f5 b4 is equal (Estremera-Romanov, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).
14...b5 15.Rad1 cxd4 16.Nxc6 Bxc6 17.exd4 b4 18.Ne2 Bb5 19.f5 Bxd3 20.Qxd3 Ne4 21.Bf4 draw (Sadler-Korchnoi, IT, Tilburg, 1988).

13.Bd2 cxd4 14.Nxc6 Bxc6 15.exd4 Ne4 16.Bxe4 dxe4 17.f5 Bc5 is equal (Cherepkov-Korchnoi, IT, Leningrad, 1963).

8.Na4 cxd4 9.exd4 Re8

9...Be7 10.Re1 d6 11.Nc3 Nbd7 12.Bg5 Re8 13.Rc1 Rc8 14.b3 d5 15.Qe2 Ba6 16.Nb5 gives White a small advantage overall with more space, but Black has opportunities to disfigure White's pawns, such as 16...Bxb5, as was played in the game (Gufeld-Vladimirov, Russian Revolution 50th Anniversary, Leningrad, 1967).

10.Bg5

10.a3 Bf8 11.b4 d6 12.Re1 Nbd7 13.Bb2 g6 14.Bf1 Bg7 15.Rc1 Rc8 16.Qb3 is equal (Gajewski-Babula, Euro ChT, Novi Sad, 2009).

10...h6 11.Bh4 Be7

If 11...Bxf3 12.Qxf3 Nc6 13.Bxf6 Qxf6 14.Qxf6 gxf6 then:

If 15.d5 Ne5 16.Be2 Rac8 17.a3 Bf8 18.Rac1 Ng6 19.dxe6 dxe6 20.Rfd1 then:

20...Ne5 21.b4 Red8 22.Rxd8 Rxd8 23.Kf1 Rd2 24.Nc3 gives Black more space; White has healthier pawns and a queenside majority (Gligoric-Kaplan, Op, Lone Pine, 1979).
20...Red8 21.Rxd8 Rxd8 22.Kf1 f5 23.g3 Ne5 24.b4 gives Black more space; White has healthier pawns and a queenside majority (V. Georgiev-Mikhalchishin, Ol, Bled, 2002).

15.Be4 f5 16.Bxc6 dxc6 17.Nc3 Rad8 18.Rad1 Rd7 is equal (Visier Segovia-Portisch, IT, Las Palmas, 1972).

12.Re1 d6 13.Rc1 (N)

13.Nc3 Nbd7 14.Qe2 Nh5 15.Bxe7 Rxe7 16.Qe3 Nhf6 17.b4 Re8 18.Rad1 a6 19.Nd2 d5 draw (Gligoric-Portisch, IT, Niksic, 1978).

13...Nbd7

White has a small advantage. He has more space, but Black's "little center" will make it hard to exploit.

14.Nd2

14.b4 Rc8 15.Nc3 a6 16.a3 continues to give White a small advantage.

14...e5!

Black will fight for a fair share of the center.

15.Nc3!?

15.dxe5 Nxe5 16.Bf5 Bc8 17.Bb1 Be6 18.f4 Nc6 continues to give White a small advantage in space.

BLACK: Alberto David

WHITE: Etienne Bacrot
Position after 15.Na4c3

15...exd4!

Black turns the tables and takes a small advantage in space.

16.Nb5 Ne5 17.Nb3

If 17.Bf5 d3 18.f4 Ng6 then:

If 19.Bxg6 fxg6 20.Qb3 d5 then:

If 21.Qxd3 dxc4 22.Qxd8 Raxd8 23.Nxc4 g5 then:

24.Bf2 Ne4 25.Nc7 Nxf2 26.Nxe8 Bc5 gives Black a significant advantage in space in compensation for the exchange.
If 24.fxg5 Ne4 then:

25.Nc3 Bc5+ 26.Kh1 Bb4 27.a3 Bxc3 28.bxc3 Rc8 gives Black a small advantage in space in compensation for the pawn.
If 25.Bg3 Bc5+ 26.Kh1 then:

If 26...hxg5! then after 27.a3 a6 28.Rxe4 Rxe4 29.Nbd6 Rd4 Black wins.
26...Bb4!? 27.Red1 a6 28.Nbd6 Bxd6 29.Nxd6 Nxd6 leaves White no way to prevent 30...Rd2!.

21.Bxf6 Bxf6 22.Qxd3 Rxe1+ 23.Rxe1 dxc4 24.Qxc4+ Bd5 gives White more space but Black has the Bishop pair and the initiative against two Knights.

If 19.Bg3?! d5! then:

20.Bxd3 dxc4 21.Bxc4 Bc5+ 22.Kh1 Rxe1+ 23.Qxe1 a6 gives Black the initiative.
20.Qf3 Bc5+ 21.Kh1 Ne7 22.Qxd3 a6 23.Nc3 d4 gives Black the initiative and a passed pawn.

17...Nfg4

Black leads with his minor pieces and leans into White's kingside, where there fewer defenders.
An alternate plan, not as strong as the text, is to give the Queen more scope: 17...Qd7 18.Bg3 Rac8 19.Bxe5 dxe5 20.Rxe5 then:

20...Bc5! 21.Rxe8+ Rxe8 22.Nxc5 bxc5 gives Black a fair advantage in space.
If 20...a6?! 21.N5xd4! g6 then:

22.Re2 Qg4 23.f3 Qh5 24.Qd2 Bd6 25.g3 gives Black only a slight advantage.
22.Rc2 Bd6 23.Rxe8+ Rxe8 24.Be2 gives Black only a slight advantage.

18.Bg3 Bg5 19.f4 Nxd3 20.Qxd3

20.Rxe8+ Qxe8 21.Qxd3 Bf6 22.Re1 Qc6 23.Re2 Ba6 gives Black a fair advantage.

20...Bf6 21.N5xd4 Rc8!?

Black misses a chances to take a greater advantage.
If 21...Rxe1+! 22.Rxe1 when:

22...d5 23.c5 bxc5 24.Nxc5 Qb6 gives Black a strong attack against White's centralized pieces.
22...Rc8 23.Nf5 d5 24.Qf3 dxc4 25.Qxb7 cxb3 26.axb3 gives Black stronger pawns and more space.

22.h3?!

White keeps the game level by driving away Black's pesky Knight.
If 22.Rxe8+! Qxe8 23.Re1 then:

23...Qa4! 24.Nf5! h5 25.h3 Nh6 then:

26.Nxh6+! gxh6 27.Qxd6 is equal.
If 26.Nxd6!? Rd8 27.f5 Qxa2 28.Qc2 then:

If [font col

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