Sabotaging the Sicilian, French & Caro-Kann with 2.b3

by Jerzy Konikowski, Marek Soszynski

Overview

The Queenside Fianchetto Factor In the first full book to examine 2.b3 against the Sicilian, French and Caro-Kann, mainlines, interesting sidelines and current theory are reviewed. In addition, what actually happens in modern practice is surveyed. The authors are optimistic for White, and concentrate on the best continuations while trying to be objective. It is in that spirit that they conclude that 2.b3 is sound against the Sicilian, fun against the French, and curious against the Caro-Kann. In all three cases, the objective is to sabotage Black’s play, to take him out of his comfort zone. The word “sabotage” has historically derived from throwing a clog into machinery, or in other words, throwing a monkey wrench in the works; here the wrench is a queenside fianchetto. White aims his light-square bishop toward the right flank; he typically delays Ng1-f3 so that he may play Qd1-f3 or advance his f-pawn, and use his light-square bishop to build a full-scale kingside attack. Queenside castling often occurs, hoping for a kingside pawn storm. Yet, despite all these characteristics of 2.b3, White may still retains the option of d2-d4 for a more conventional-looking 1.e4 opening. With 2.b3, you will have one more arrow in your theoretical quiver to battle Black. And, like it or not, Black will be compelled to do deal with the queenside fianchetto factor.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781941270844
Publisher:	Russell Enterprises, Incorporated
Publication date:	03/09/2018
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	7 MB

About the Author

Marek Soszynski is a Master of Philosophy and co-author of the best-selling and widely acclaimed How to Think in Chess.

Read an Excerpt

CHAPTER 3: 1.e4 c5 2.b3 d6

1.e4 c5 2.b3 d6

A standard developmental move that could – and does – easily lead via transpositions to other chapters. In addition, Black wants to play ...Ng8-f6 without running into e4-e5.

3.Bb2

We will briefly mention an untried gambit line here, simply because it does not quite fit anywhere else: 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Bb5+ Nbd7 5.0-0!? Nxe4 6.Re1 with compensation, though actually we slightly prefer Black.

[Diagram]

3...Nf6

3...Nc6 4.Bb5 transposes to Chapter 1 (1.e4 c5 2.b3 Nc6 3.Bb2 d6 4.Bb5).

After 3...e5, White has several different plans according to taste.

(a) 4.Bb5+ Nd7 (4...Nc6 may ultimately transpose to Chapter 1; 4...Bd7 5.Bxd7+ Qxd7 6.f4! Nc6 7.Nf3 exf4 8.0-0 0-0-0 9.Ne1 f6 10.Rxf4 d5 11.exd5 Qxd5 12.Nd3 Kb8 13.Nc3 Qd7 14.Ne4, with the advantage thanks to better development) 5.Ne2 (5.a4 a6 [or 5...Ngf6 6.Nc3 Be7 7.Nge2 0-0 8.0-0, then f2-f4, with active play] 6.Bc4 Ngf6 7.Nc3 Be7 8.Nge2 0-0 9.0-0 Nb6 [9...Nb8 10.f4!] 10.d3 Nxc4 11.dxc4, preparing pressure down the d-file with Qd1-d3, Ra1-d1 etc.) 5...Ngf6 6.Nbc3 a6 7.Bxd7+ Bxd7 8.0-0 Bc6 9.d3 Qc7 10.f4 0-0-0 11.Qe1 h5 12.Nd1 Re8 13.c4 Ng4 14.h3 Nh6 15.f5 Be7 16.Ne3 Bg5 17.Bc1 Qd8 18.Nd5 Bxd5 19.cxd5 g6 20.fxg6 fxg6 21.b4!y Mastrovasilis-Wisniowska, Wroclaw 2014.

(b) 4.f4 exf4 and now (rather than the customary 5.Nf3) 5.Qf3!? Nf6 (5...Qh4+ 6.g3 fxg3 7.hxg3 Qe7 8.Nc3w) 6.Qxf4 Be7 7.Nc3 0-0 8.Nf3 Nc6 9.0-0-0, with attacking possibilities on the kingside.

(c) 4.Bc4 Nf6 5.d3 a6 6.a4 Nbd7 7.Ne2 Be7 8.0-0 Nb6 9.Nbc3 0-0 10.a5 Nxc4 11.dxc4 Be6 12.Qd3 Nh5 13.Nd5 Bxd5 14.Qxd5 Lakos-Nowicki, Germany 2012, 14...Qc7 15.Bc1 Nf6 16.Qd3 Rad8 17.Rd1, and Black's d-pawn is a liability.

(d) 4.Nc3 (our least favorite) 4...Nf6 5.Bc4 g6 (5...Be7 6.Nge2 a6 [6...0-0 7.0-0 Nc6 Chapter 1] 7.a4 0-0 8.0-0 Nc6 9.f4 Na5 10.f5 Nxc4 11.bxc4 Nd7 12.Nd5 Bg5 13.Rf3 with active play, Skatchkov-Sibriaev, Khanty-Mansiysk 2013) 6.Nge2 Bg7 7.0-0 0-0 8.d3 Nbd7 9.f4 Ng4 10.Nd5 Nb6 11.Qd2 Nxd5 12.Bxd5 Qh4 13.h3 Nf6 14.Bc4 Nd7 15.Rf3 Nb6 16.fxe5 Nxc4 17.bxc4 (17.dxc4!? dxe5 18.Nc3 Be6 19.Nd5r) 17...dxe5 18.Nc3 b6 19.Nd5 Bb7 20.a4 Qd8 21.a5, going on to win, Romanov-Gandrud, Fagernes 2015.

4.Bb5+

White develops his kingside with tempo, but developing the queenside knight first is equally frequent, i.e., 4.Nc3 and now:

(a) 4...a6 5.d4 (5.f4, see Game 8: Morozevich-Gundavaa, Dubai 2014)

Table of Contents

Signs & Symbols 5

Introduction 7

Section 1 Sicilian Defense - Introduction 9

Chapter 1 1.e4 c5 2.b3 $$$c6 11

Chapter 2 1.e4 c5 2.b3 $$$f6 18

Chapter 3 1.e4 c5 2.b3 d6 21

Chapter 4 1.e4 c5 2.b3 e6 26

Chapter 5 1.e4 c5 2.b3 b6 33

Chapter 6 1.e4 c5 2.b3 d5 37

Chapter 7 1.e4 c5 2.b3 g6 40

Chapter 8 1.e4 c5 2.b3 a6 44

Game 1 Spassky-Quinteros, Linares 1981 46

Game 2 Spassky-Hernandez, Buenos Aires 1978 47

Game 3 Kramnik-Inarkiev, Nizhny Novgorod 2013 49

Game 4 Morozevich-Popov, Moscow 2014 51

Game 5 Skvorzov-Kariakin, Moscow 2012 52

Game 6 Carlsen-Leitao, Caxias do Sul 2014 53

Game 7 Gara-Porat, Budapest 2009 55

Game 8 Morozevich-Gundavaa, Dubai 2014 56

Game 9 Morozevich-Moiseenko, Dubai 2014 57

Game 10 Gelashvili-Arutinian, Tbilisi 2001 59

Game 11 Carlsen-Svidler, Moscow 2009 60

Game 12 Morozevich-Potkin, Moscow 2014 61

Game 13 Gelashvili-Arman, Batumi 2002 63

Game 14 Aronian-Van Wely, Monte Carlo 2006 64

Game 15 Velickovic-Ilic, Vrnjacka Banja 2014 65

Game 16 Morozevich-Ipatov, Dubai 2014 67

Game 17 Venkatesh-Shyam, New Delhi 2014 67

Game 18 Macedo-Mekhitarian, Joao Pessoa 2015 69

Game 19 Murphy-Rowan, Birmingham 2015 69

Game 20 Paichadze-Yakovich, Kavala 2010 70

Section 2 French Defense - Introduction 72

Chapter 9 1.e4 2.b3 e5 74

Chapter 10 1.e4 e6 2.b3 d5 3.$$$b2 without 3 . . . dxe4 76

Chapter 11 1.e4 e6 2.b3 d5 3.$$$b2 dxe4 4.$$$c3 $$$f6 79

Chapter 12 1.e4 2.b3 d6 3.$$$b2 dxe4 4.$$$c3 f5 87

Chapter 13 1.e4 e6 2.b3 b6 91

Chapter 14 1.e4 e6 2.b3 $$$f6 94

Chapter 15 1.e4 e6 2.b3 $$$c6 97

Game 21 Papaioannou-Atalik, Athens 2001 100

Game 22 Christiansen-Kraai, ICC INT 2010 102

Game 23 Grochtmann-Beckmann, Werther 2008 104

Game 24 Rennert-Ster, DESC 2002 105

Game 25 McShane-D'Costa, Hinckey Island 2009 107

Section 3 Caro-Kann Defense - Introduction 109

Chapter 16 1.e4 c6 2.b3 e5 111

Chapter 17 1.e4 c6 2.b3 d5 3.exd5 114

Chapter 18 1.e4 c6 2.b3 d5 3.$$$b2 dxe4 4.$$$e2 118

Chapter 19 1.e4 c6 2.b3 d5 3.$$$b2 dxe4 4.$$$c3 $$$f6 5.$$$ge2 $$$g4 121

Chapter 20 1.e4 c6 2.b3 d5 3.$$$b2 dxe4 4.$$$c3 $$$f6 5.$$$ge2 $$$f5 6.$$$g3 $$$g6 125

Chapter 21 1.e4 c6 2.b3 d5 3.$$$b2 dxe4 4.$$$c3 $$$f6 5.$$$ge2 $$$f5 6.$$$g3 e6 128

Game 26 Orlyansakaya-Volodin, Pardubice 2008 132

Game 27 Semenova-Nogin, Live 2008 134

Game 28 Alexandria-Heemskerk, Subotica 1967 135

Game 29 Vasiukov-Bronstein, Baku 1961 137

Game 30 Kaikamdzozov-Spiridonov, Sofia 1964 139

Afterthought: Scandinavian Defense 141

Bibliography 143