White's focus is a kingside attack formulated
around the following ideas:
* Moving the bishop on e3 to h6, where it can
capture the bishop on g7. If Black's bishop
takes on h6, White's Queen can recapture, and,
subsequently work with the h1 rook to attack
the h-file, once that file is opened up.
* Playing h2-h4-h5 so as to tempt ... Nf6xh5.
Thus, White opens up the h-file and enables
g2-g4 with gain of time. If Black doesn't play
... Nf6xh5, White can always play a timely
h5xg6, and still get the use of an open h-file.
Additionally, if White's bishop is still on the
a2-g8 diagonal, where it pins the f7 pawn to the
King, Black is forced to respond to h5xg6 with
... h7xg6. Thereafter, g6 is open to attack.
* Moving the c3 knight to d5, where it will take
the knight on f6, thus eliminating a key
defender of h7.
Once the h-file is opened up by the h2-h4-h5
maneuver, and the g7 bishop and f6 knight are
eliminated by Be3-h6-Bxg7 and Nc3-d5-Nxf6,
White threatens to bring his Queen to h6 and
mate Black on the h7 or h8 square.
If Black impedes the above strategy by ... h5,
White can always try to play for a timely e4-e5
central break.
Black needs to mount a queenside attack by:
* Playing ... Nc6 and ... Bd7.
* Posting the c6 knight on c4 via ... Nc6-e5-c4.
* Taking control of the half open c-file by
playing ... Rac8 or ... Rfc8. Rfc8 is usually
preferable because it allows the g7 bishop to
withdraw to h8, after White plays Be3-h6. Also,
a rook on c8 facilitates ... Nc6-e5-c4 because
it prevents an unchallenged Bxc4.
* Developing the Queen to a5 or c7. From a5 the
Queen eyes a2 and c3 and from c7 it adds to the
build up of pressure along the half open c-file.
* Advancing ... a7-a6-a5-a4 and ... b7-b5-b4 in
order to augment the g7 bishop.
* Black also needs to push ... h7-h5 in response
to h4. The idea is to slow down White's attack.
* In some instances, Black can exchange the
rook on c8 for the knight on c3 in an
effort to undermine White's pawn center.
After the exchange sacrifice, Black has
... Nf6xe4, attacking the c3 pawn and the
Queen on d2.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SICILIAN DRAGON
Sicilian Dragon: Flames of Fury
Sicilian Najdorf: E-Six Enchantment
Position after: 12 ... Nd7
White wants to get at the Black King by arranging an
attack on the light squares:
13 f5 Bxg5+ 14 Kb1 Ne5 15 Qh5 Qe7 16 Nxe6.
[13 f5 Bxg5+ 14 Kb1 O-O 15 fxe6 Nb6 16 Nd5 Nxd5
17 exd5 fxe6.
13 f5 Bxg5+ 14 Kb1 O-O 15 fxe6 Ne5 16 Qg3 Qd8
17 Nc6 Nxc6 18 Rxd6.
13 f5 Bxg5+ 14 Kb1 Nc5 15 fxe6 Bxe6 16 Rg1 h6
17 h4.
13 f5 Bxg5+ 14 Kb1 e5 15 Nd5 Qb7 16 Ne6 fxe6
17 Qh5+.
13 f5 Bxg5+ 14 Kb1 b4 15 fxe6 Ne5 16 Nd5.
13 f5 Nc5 14 f6 gxf6 15 gxf6 Bf8 16 Rg1 Bd7
17 Rg7 Bxg7 18 fxg7 Rg8 19 e5 d5.
13 f5 Nc5 14 h4 b4 15 fxe6 fxe6 16 Nce2 g6
17 Bh3 Rf8 18 Qe3 e5 19 Nb3 Bxh3.
13 f5 Ne5 14 Qg3 b4 15 Nce2 Bb7 16 fxe6 Bxe4
17 Bg2 Bxg2 18 Qxg2 O-O 19 exf7+ Kh8 20 Ne6.
13 f5 Ne5 14 Qg3 Bd7 15 Bh3 b4 16 fxe6 Bxe6
17 Nd5 Bxd5 18 exd5 O-O 19 Bf5 Rfe8.
13 f5 Ne5 14 Qg3 Bd7 15 Bh3 b4 16 Nce2 exf5
17 exf5 Qc4 18 Kb1 f6 19 Nf4 fxg5 20 Nd5.]
Back to: 13 f5 Bxg5+ 14 Kb1 Ne5 15 Qh5 Qe7
16 Nxe6 
Black's King however, is not so easy to claim:
16 ... g6 17 Qxg5 fxe6 18 f6 Nf7 19 Qf4 g5
20 Qf3 Qb7 21 h4 b4.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE NAJDORF
Sicilian Scheveningen: E-Four Endeavor
Black's focus is an offensive on the e4 pawn.
The usual way of assault is ... Bd7, ... Nxd4,
and ... Bc6, together with an ... e5 break.
The advance ... e5 fixes the target in place.
It also threatens an exchange on f4, after
which the e-file is half open and available
for pressure against e4.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SCHEVENINGEN
King's Indian Defense (Yugoslav/Panno Variation): Pretty Passed Pawn
Position after 19 ... Nb6
Black is looking good with his protected passed c-pawn.
His doubled f-pawns are not readily attacked and his
kingside is fully defensible.
20 Ne3 Na4 21 Qa3 Rb4 22 f4 f5 23 exf5 Bxf5
24 Nxf5 gxf5 25 Qd3.
20 Ne3 Qe7 21 f4 Na4 22 Qa3 Rb2 23 Rab1 Rxg2+
24 Kxg2 Qxe4+ 25 Kg1 Re8 26 Rfe1 Bh3 27 Qc1
27 ... Qd4 28 Rb3.
20 Ne3 Qe7 21 f4 Na4 22 Qa3 Rb2 23 Rfe1 Rfb8
24 Rac1 R2b4 25 h3 Nb2 26 Re2 h6 27 Kh2 Ra4
28 Qc3 Rab4 29 Rf2 Na4 30 Qa3 Nb6 31 Qc3 Bb5
32 Re1.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE KING'S INDIAN DEFENSE
King's Indian Defense: Deflect and Declare!
King's Indian Defense: White Square Weakness?
King's Indian Defense (Classical Variation): Brawny Bishop
King's Indian Defense (Classical Variation): Sounds of Sound
King's Indian Defense (Benko System): Logical Lunge
CHESS OPENINGS ON-DEMAND
King's Indian Defense Electronic Book (E-Book) Part I
King's Indian Defense Electronic Book (E-Book) Part II
Reti Opening: Path Finding Play
Position after 16 ... Bf8.
White's ready strike force is being taunted by
Black's noncommittal men. But, how to make
progress? The backward d6 pawn is a target.
Yet, if White gangs up on it by doubling up on
the d-file, it gives him nothing. That's because
d6 is presently covered and if need be, it can
be shielded some more. b6 is also backward.
Nonetheless, White can't easily access it.
Maybe the kingside? After all, most of Black's
men are on the opposite wing, and regrouping
them is no picnic. 17 g4, with g5 in mind,
is a possibility: 17 ... e5 18 Nd5 Qb8 19 Nxf6+
19 ... Nxf6 20 Nf5. However, there must be a
more direct approach to the attack:
17 f5
Ceding e5 but troubling e6 in the process.
It's all about giving and taking!
17 ... e5 18 Nd5 Qb8 19 Nc2 Nxd5 20 cxd5 Be7
21 Ne3 Bg5 22 b4 Qa7 23 Bc3 b5 24 Bd2 Nf6
25 Qf2 Qd4 26 h4 Bh6 27 Nf1.
17 ... e5 18 Nd5 Qb8 19 Nc2 Nxd5 20 cxd5 Rc7
21 Nb4 Nc5 22 f6 a5 23 fxg7 Bxg7 24 Nc2 Ba6
25 Qf3 Kh8 26 Ne3 b5 27 Nf5 Qb6 28 Kh1 b4.
17 g4 h6 18 a3 Nc5 19 b4 Ncd7 20 Nd5 exd5
21 cxd5 Qb8 22 Nc6.
17 g4 h6 18 h4 e5 19 Nd5 Qb8 20 Nxf6+ Nxf6
21 g5 Nd7 22 Nf5 exf4 23 Qg4 Ne5 24 Qxf4
24 ... hxg5 25 Qxg5 Qc7.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE RETI OPENING
Comments:
Lance said...
Thanks for this lengthy analysis, Chris.
I've looked at the Reti a bit, but never
was able to figure out where to go without
transitioning to something else. Perhaps
soon you could post a middle game plan that
results from a Reti that begins with
1 Nf3 d5 2 c4 dxc4 as I have never understood
how to play that continuation. I know that "book"
calls for 3 Na3 c5, but that move by Black seems
unintuitive and therefore an unlikely response by
any opponent who is not a theoretician
(just as 1 … d5 seems the most logical response
from lower ranked opposition -- like me!); and
even still, I don't understand the middle game goal
of this variation. Any thoughts? Thanks, Lance.
Chris said...
You’re most welcome. The analytical work is somewhat
lightened by good old silicon vision. I’ll definitely make a
post on your 1 Nf3 d5 2 c4 dxc4 Line. It should be done
shortly. Take it easy.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE RETI OPENING
